Pull-Down of Metalloproteins in Their Native States by Using Desthiobiotin-Based Probes

One-third of all proteins are estimated to require metals for structural stability and/or catalytic activity. Desthiobiotin probes containing metal binding groups can be used to capture metalloproteins with exposed active-site metals under mild conditions so as to prevent changes in metallation state. The proof-of-concept was demonstrated with carbonic anhydrase (CA), an open active site, Zn²⁺-containing protein. CA was targeted by using sulfonamide derivatives. Linkers of various lengths and structures were screened to determine the optimal structure for capture of the native protein. The optimized probes could selectively pull down CA from red blood cell lysate and other protein mixtures. Pull-down of differently metallated CAs was also investigated.     

Revising deductive knowledge and stereotypical knowledge in a student model

A user/student model must be revised when new information about the user/student is obtained. But a sophisticated user/student model is a complex structure that contains different types of knowledge. Different techniques may be needed for revising different types of knowledge. This paper presents a student model maintenance system (SMMS) which deals with revision of two important types of knowledge in student models: deductive knowledge and stereotypical knowledge. In the SMMS, deductive knowledge is represented by justified beliefs. Its revision is accomplished by a combination of techniques involving reason maintenance and formal diagnosis. Stereotypical knowledge is represented in the Default Package Network (DPN). The DPN is a knowledge partitioning hierarchy in which each node contains concepts in a sub-domain. Revision of stereotypical knowledge is realized by propagating new information through the DPN to change default packages (stereotypes) of the nodes in the DPN. A revision of deductive knowledge may trigger a revision of stereotypical knowledge, which results in a desirable student model in which the two types of knowledge exist harmoniously.     

Determinants of genital human papillomavirus infection among cytologically normal women attending the University of New Mexico student health center

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the risk factors for genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. GOAL OF THIS STUDY: To investigate risk factors for HPV detection apart from the correlated risk factors for cervical neoplasia. STUDY DESIGN: Cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was assessed in 357 cytologically normal women attending the University of New Mexico student health center. Cervical swab samples were obtained for HPV DNA detection and typing using a PCR-based DNA amplification system. Possible determinants of cervical HPV were examined including age, ethnicity, history of sexually transmitted disease, oral contraceptive use, smoking, age at first intercourse, lifetime number of sex partners, marital status, and history of pregnancy. RESULTS: A 44.3% overall prevalence of cervical HPV was observed. On univariate analysis, factors associated with increasing HPV prevalence included higher lifetime number of sex partners and single marital status. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, we found that HPV prevalence increased with higher lifetime number of sexual partners. CONCLUSION: These findings, along with those from the companion reports in this issue of the journal, support the sexual route of transmission of the virus.     

Distinctiveness and Correlation in Conceptual Structure: Behavioral and Computational Studies.

Patients with category-specific deficits have motivated a range of hypotheses about the structure of the conceptual system. One class of models claims that apparent category dissociations emerge from the internal structure of concepts rather than fractionation of the system into separate substores. This account claims that distinctive properties of concepts in the living domain are vulnerable because of their weak correlation with other features. Given the assumption that mutual activation among correlated properties produces faster activation in the normal system, the authors predicted a disadvantage for the distinctive features of living things for unimpaired adults. Results of a speeded feature verification study supported this prediction, as did a computational simulation in which networks mapped from orthography to semantics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Surface crystallization of melt-spun Pd40Ni40P20 glass

The crystallization of Pd₄₀Ni₄₀P₂₀ glass, produced by melt-spinning in air, has been studied by optical metallography. Crystallization is predominantly from the surface and is more prevalent on the wheel-side. The non-uniformity is attributed to variation in quench rate during production. A three-stage anneal permits crystals which have nucleated at the surface to be identified and their size distribution to be analysed. The surface nucleation is heterogeneous and appears to be hindered by mild oxidation. The annealing atmosphere markedly affects the surface crystallization behaviour, as does removal of the original ribbon surface. When nucleation is sparse, partial crystallization causes the development of noticeable relief on the sample surfaces.     

Nutritional response of mature rats to kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectins

In a series of 10-day pair feeding experiments it was found that the nutritional value of diets containing beans was essentially the same for rats aged between 30 and 123 days. Thus net protein utilisation (NPU) values of 25–39 on diets containing Processor bean (35 g protein kg^?1) + egg albumin (65g protein kg^?1) were obtained. As food intakes were considerably reduced when rats were fed diets containing more than 35g protein kg^?1 of Processor bean, the measurement of protein utilisation became increasingly more difficult. The severe disruption of the brush borders of duodenal and jejunal enterocytes, originally observed when bean-containing diets were fed to young (30-day-old) rats was also found with rats up to the age of 120 days on similar diets. Similarly, the development of circulating anti-lectin antibodies in the animals showed no age dependence within the age limits investigated. It was also shown that oral immunisation did not protect the rats from the effects of toxicity and that the immune response was a result of continuous absorption of lectin throughout the feeding period. Thus the extent and the mechanism of toxicity of Phaseolus vulgaris bean lectins were found not to be dependent on the age or maturity of the animal.     

A new precipitate phase in Al-4wt. % Cu thin-film interconnects

We report here the identification of a new precipitate phase in thin-film Al-4wt.%Cu metallization used for interconnects on integrated circuits. The phase is based on a trigonal distortion of a face centered cubic lattice. Computer simulation of electron diffraction intensities suggests that the basis structure is isomorphous with Al₂Ca but with a large and ordered population of vacancies on Cu sites. The reason for the formation of the new phase and its implications for electromigration reliability are discussed.     

Preliminary Study on Aluminium-based Nanophase Composites Al_(88)Ni_(10)Y_2 and Al_(88)Ni_8Y_4

A new kind of aluminium-based alloy part amorphous/part crystalline, can be produced directlyby rapid quenching of the liquid. These materials have a novel structure of nanometer-sizedcrystals in an amorphous matrix and quite remarkable mechanical properties. The materialscan be considered to be nanophase composites. In this work Al88Ni10Y2 and Al88Ni8Y4 (atpct) nanophase composites consisting of a nanoscale dispersion of fcc-Al crystallites uniformlydispersed in an amorphous matrix, have been produced by melt-spinning. They have much highermicrohardness HV than fully amorphous alloys with the same composition. while retaining goodbending ductility The volume fraction, crystallite size and distribution of the fcc-Al phase havebeen estimated by DSC. X-ray diffraction and TEM. lt is found that the microstructure andproperties of the nanophase composites are very sensitive to the composition and the quenchingconditions. lncreasing the Y contedt and decreasing the Ni content at a given Al content givesmuch smaller dispersed nanophase aluminium crystallites. The volume fraction and crystallitesize of the fcc-Al phase increase with a decrease of wheel speed (quenching rate). The effectsof Y and Ni contents on the ease of formaticn of the nanophase composites are discussed. Theorigins of the novel mechanical properties are also considered.     

Public–Private Partnerships in the Water Sector: The Case of Desalination

Water Resources Management - Public–private partnerships (PPPs) have grown in popularity as a method to leverage private sector actors in the production of government services. With the...