Genetic fusions of subunit c in the F0 sector of H+-transporting ATP synthase. Functional dimers and trimers and determination of stoichiometry by cross-linking analysis

The multicopy c subunit of the H+-transporting ATP synthase of Escherichia coli folds through the transmembrane F0 sector as a hairpin of two hydrophobic alpha-helices with the proton-translocating aspartyl-61 side chain centered in the second transmembrane helix. The number of subunits c in the F0 complex, which is thought to determine the H+-pumping/ATP stoichiometry, was previously not determined with exactness but thought to range from 9-12. The studies described here indicate that the exact number is 12. Based upon the precedent of the subunit c in vacuolar-type ATPases, which are composed of four transmembrane helices and seem to have evolved by gene duplication of an F0-type progenitor gene, we constructed genetically fused dimers and trimers of E. coli subunit c. Both the dimeric and trimeric forms proved to be functional. These results indicate that the total number of subunit c in F0 should be a multiple of 2 and 3. Based upon a previous study in which the oligomeric organization of c subunits in F0 was determined by cross-linking of Cys-substituted subunits (Jones, P. C. , Jiang, W., and Fillingame, R. H. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 17178-17185), we introduced Cys into the first and last transmembrane helices of subunit c monomers, dimers, and trimers and attempted to generate cross-linked products by oxidation with Cu(II)-(1,10-phenanthroline)2. Double Cys substitutions at two sets of positions gave rise to extensive cross-linked multimers. Multimers of the monomer that extended up to the position of c12 were correlated and calibrated with distinct cross-linked species of the appropriate doubly Cys-substituted dimers (i.e. c2, c4, . c12) and doubly Cys-substituted trimers (i.e. c3, c6, c9, c12). The results show that there are 12 copies of subunit c per F0 in E. coli, the exact number having both mechanistic and structural significance.     

Equivalence of generalized joint signal representations ofarbitrary variables

Joint signal representations (JSRs) of arbitrary variables generalize time-frequency representations (TFRs) to a much broader class of nonstationary signal characteristics. Two main distributional approaches to JSRs of arbitrary variables have been proposed by Cohen (see Time-Frequency Analysis, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall, 1995 and Proc. SPIE 1566, San Diego, 1991) and Baraniuk (see Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Acoust., Speech Signal Processing, ICASSP'94, vol.3, p.357-60, 1994). Cohen's method is a direct extension of his original formulation of TFRs, and Baraniuk's approach is based on a group theoretic formulation; both use the powerful concept of associating variables with operators. One of the main results of the paper is that despite their apparent differences, the two approaches to generalized JSRs are completely equivalent. Remarkably, the JSRs of the two methods are simply related via axis warping transformations, with the broad implication that JSRs with radically different covariance properties can be generated efficiently from JSRs of Cohen's method via simple pre- and post-processing. The development in this paper, which is illustrated with examples, also illuminates other related issues in the theory of generalized JSRs. In particular, we derive an explicit relationship between the Hermitian operators in Cohen's method and the unitary operators in Baraniuk's approach, thereby establishing the relationship between the two types of operator correspondences     

Shear madness: new orthonormal bases and frames using chirpfunctions

The proportional-bandwidth and constant-bandwidth time-frequency signal decompositions of the wavelet, Gabor, and Wilson orthonormal bases have attracted substantial interest for representing nonstationary signals. However, these representations are limited in that they are based on rectangular tessellations of the time-frequency plane. While much effort has gone into methods for designing nice wavelet and window functions for these frameworks, little consideration has been given to methods for constructing orthonormal bases employing nonrectangular time-frequency tilings. The authors take a first step in this direction by deriving two new families of orthonormal bases and frames employing elements that shear, or chirp, in the time-frequency plane, in addition to translate and scale. The new scale-shear fan bases and shift-shear chevron bases are obtained by operating on an existing: wavelet, Gabor (1946), or Wilson basis set with two special unitary warping transformations. In addition to the theoretical benefit of broadening the class of valid time-frequency plane tilings, these new bases could possibly also be useful for representing certain types of signals, such as chirping and dispersed signals     

The electron microscopy of post-growth induced defects of ZnSe/GaAs epilayers

A fundamental research of structural defects induced upon post-growth processing of ZnSe/GaAs epilayers grown on (100) GaAs was done by identifying defect-related reflections in the transmission electron diffraction (TED) patterns of ZnSe. Structural artifacts, other than the as-grown defects, on this material system could be excluded according to our results. Four types of abnormal reflections have been observed in addition to primary reflections. These extra reflections are sensitive to the post-growth processing of ZnSe epilayers and may arise from various external effects, rather than epitaxy growth, such as irradiation damage, surface oxidation, and surface contamination. By mapping these reflections at several major zone axes using TED patterns, we found that the reciprocal lattice for a ZnSe crystal with structural defects consists of two distinct types of extra reflections associated with irradiation damage. The first type of extra reflections is ±1/3{111} and the other is ±1/2{111} corresponding to pure-edge and non-edge dislocation loops, respectively. For (100) oriented wafers, the ±1/3{111} and ±1/2{111} reflections were observed only on two of the four possible 〈111〉 variants (i.e. [111]_Zn and [111]_Zn)and this phenomenon was attributed to the anisotropy of defect distribution. Extra reflections associated with surface oxidation and contamination are also observed. The orientation relationships between a surface hexagonal ZnO and a cubic ZnSe film are [0001]_ZnO//[−111]_ZnSe, and [01−11]_ZnO//[011]_ZnSe. The origin, characterization, and elimination of these induced reflections are discussed. With the knowledge about these extra effects on structural defect formation, we have shown the real microstructure of ZnSe epilayers.     

Evaluation of the aortic root by MRI: insights from patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Hepatitis C chronically infects approximately 1.5% of Americans and is the most common clinical problem facing hepatologists. Since the virus was initially described in 1989, development of an effective therapy has been challenging. Although several different therapeutic agents have been used, no therapy has been shown to reliably eradicate the virus. Interferon-alpha, a cytokine with immunostimulatory and anti-viral properties, has become the therapy of choice for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. Trials assessing the efficacy of interferon-alpha have characterized host and viral factors predictive of responses to treatment. A thorough understanding of these predictive factors is requisite to providing cost-effective therapeutic decisions for the patient with chronic hepatitis C infection.     

SPECT, CT, and MRI in head injury: acute abnormalities followed up at six months

We report a case of cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis that developed after blepharoplasty, an occurrence that, to our knowledge, has not previously been reported in the medical literature. A patient who presented to our institution 3 days after undergoing blepharoplasty of the upper eyelid was diagnosed as having fulminant fasciitis involving extensive areas of the face, scalp, and neck. We review the case in detail and discuss clinical and radiological clues to diagnosis, surgical and medical management, wound care, and subsequent scar contracture. This case emphasizes the need for individualized, appropriate postoperative care and for an awareness of this rare, potentially fatal complication. Early recognition and aggressive treatment of cervicofacial fasciitis can arrest its rapid progression and prevent devastating sequelae.     

Immunoelectron microscopic localization of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) in smooth muscle cells from morphologically normal and atherosclerotic human arteries

Vascular wall fibrinolytic system proteins are believed to play a pivotal role in atherogenesis. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and urokinase plasminogen activator (u-PA) influence persistence of luminal thrombi and proteolysis of extracellular matrix, respectively. The major physiologic inhibitor of t-PA and u-PA is plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1). All three of these fibrinolytic system proteins have been detected in vascular endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and macrophages by light microscopic immunohistochemistry. This study was undertaken to delineate, by immunoelectron microscopy, the loci of PAI-1 in smooth muscle cells from intact morphologically normal and atherosclerotic human arteries as well as in isolated and cultured smooth muscle cells from arteries. In intact vessels, PAI-1 immunoreactivity was associated with contractile filaments in cells in both normal and atherosclerotic tissues. Lipid-laden smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic vessels were mainly of the synthetic phenotype and displayed lesser amounts of PAI-1 associated with rough endoplasmic reticulum and contractile filaments. Isolated smooth muscle cells exhibited either a contractile or synthetic phenotype. In the cells with a contractile phenotype, PAI-1 was associated with the contractile elements, whereas in the cells with a synthetic phenotype, the PAI-1 was associated predominantly with elements of the endoplasmic reticulum. Because PAI-1 is associated predominantly with contractile filaments in smooth muscle cells, the net amount of immunodetectable PAI-1 appears to be greater in contractile compared with synthetic phenotype cells.     

Misinterpretation of body sensations in panic disorder

Cognitive accounts of panic predict that panic disorder patients will be particularly prone to misinterpret autonomic sensations. Several studies have produced results consistent with this prediction, but each is open to alternative interpretation. To clarify matters, 2 studies administered the Body Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire (BSIQ) to panic patients and controls. Panic patients were more likely to interpret ambiguous autonomic sensations as signs of immediately impending physical or mental disaster and were more likely than other anxiety disorder patients and nonpatients to believe these interpretations. In a 3rd study, a brief version of the BSIQ was shown to have satisfactory test-retest reliability, to change with treatment, and to discriminate treatments that varied in their effects on panic.     

Library access: success through partnership

A new method of impulse magnetic therapy was studied in the treatment of neurologic complications of osteochondrosis and deforming spondylarthrosis in 225 patients with neurologic manifestations of pathology in cervical or sacral parts of spinal column. To assess the results obtained, EMG, thermography and determination of the levels of blood plasma lipid peroxidation were used.