5,001 research outputs found
Synthesis of non-linear protein dimers through a genetically encoded thiol-ene reaction
Site-specific incorporation of bioorthogonal unnatural amino acids into proteins provides a useful tool for the installation of specific functionalities that will allow for the labeling of proteins with virtually any probe. We demonstrate the genetic encoding of a set of alkene lysines using the orthogonal PylRS/PylTCUA pair in Escherichia coli. The installed double bond functionality was then applied in a photoinitiated thiol-ene reaction of the protein with a fluorescent thiol-bearing probe, as well as a cysteine residue of a second protein, showing the applicability of this approach in the formation of heterogeneous non-linear fused proteins. © 2014 Torres-Kolbus et al
On the Mass of Dense Star Clusters in Starburst Galaxies from Spectro-Photometry
The mass of unresolved young star clusters derived from spectro-photometric
data may well be off by a factor of 2 or more once the migration of massive
stars driven by mass segregation is accounted for. We quantify this effect for
a large set of cluster parameters, including variations in the stellar IMF, the
intrinsic cluster mass, and mean mass density. Gas-dynamical models coupled
with the Cambridge stellar evolution tracks allow us to derive a scheme to
recover the real cluster mass given measured half-light radius, one-dimensional
velocity dispersion and age. We monitor the evolution with time of the ratio of
real to apparent mass through the parameter eta. When we compute eta for rich
star clusters, we find non-monotonic evolution in time when the IMF stretches
beyond a critical cutoff mass of 25.5 solar mass. We also monitor the rise of
color gradients between the inner and outer volume of clusters: we find trends
in time of the stellar IMF power indices overlapping well with those derived
for the LMC cluster NGC 1818 at an age of 30 Myr. We argue that the core region
of massive Antennae clusters should have suffered from much segregation despite
their low ages. We apply these results to a cluster mass function, and find
that the peak of the mass distribution would appear to observers shifted to
lower masses by as much as 0.2 dex. The star formation rate (SFR) derived for
the cluster population is then underestimated by from 20 to 50 per cent.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The M/L ratio of massive young clusters
We point out a strong time-evolution of the mass-to-light conversion factor
\eta commonly used to estimate masses of dense star clusters from observed
cluster radii and stellar velocity dispersions. We use a gas-dynamical model
coupled with the Cambridge stellar evolution tracks to compute line-of-sight
velocity dispersions and half-light radii weighted by the luminosity. Stars at
birth are assumed to follow the Salpeter mass function in the range [0.15--17
M_\sun]. We find that , and hence the estimated cluster mass, increases
by factors as large as 3 over time-scales of 20 million years. Increasing the
upper mass limit to 50 M_\sun leads to a sharp rise of similar amplitude but
in as little as 10 million years.
Fitting truncated isothermal (Michie-King) models to the projected light
profile leads to over-estimates of the concentration par ameter c of compared to the same functional fit applied to the proj ected
mass density.Comment: Draft version of an ApJ lette
Modest-2: A Summary
This is a summary paper of MODEST-2, a workshop held at the Astronomical
Institute ``Anton Pannekoek'' in Amsterdam, 16-17 December 2002. MODEST is a
loose collaboration of people interested in MOdelling DEnse STellar systems,
particularly those interested in modelling these systems using all the
available physics (stellar dynamics, stellar evolution, hydrodynamics and the
interplay between the three) by defining interfaces between different codes. In
this paper, we summarize 1) the main advances in this endeavour since MODEST-1;
2) the main science goals which can be and should be addressed by these types
of simulations; and 3) the most pressing theoretical and modelling advances
that we identified.Comment: Accepted by New Astronom
Factors influencing life satisfaction in acute myeloid leukemia survivors following allogeneic stem cell transplantation: a cross-sectional study
Background: Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) is the preferred option of postremission therapy for high-risk patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Therefore, monitoring life satisfaction (LS) of long-term survivors following alloSCT is becoming increasingly important for oncologists. The aim of the study was to evaluate individual survivor priority of various general and health-related domains of life and their satisfaction with these domains. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of general and health-related LS on resilience, anxiety, depression and quality of life in AML survivors following alloSCT. Methods: Forty-one AML survivors (median age at time of assessment = 49.0 years) who had undergone alloSCT (median time since transplantation = 3.1 years) were enrolled in the study. Psychosocial parameters were assessed using the following instruments: FLZM (Questions on Life Satisfaction), EORTC QLQ-C30, HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and the RS-25 (Resilience Scale-25 items). Correlation analyses were computed to reveal the associations between the different questionnaires. Results: Independence from help or care, well-regulated living conditions and financial security contributed positively to LS, whereas being off work due to health-reasons and dissatisfaction with physical aspects were negatively associated to the subjective feelings of overall satisfaction. Moreover, a high quality of life was strongly positively correlated with LS (Spearman’s rho general LS: 0.643 and health-related LS: 0.726, both p < 0.001). A high degree of resilience was also strongly positively correlated with better LS (general LS: 0.700, health-related LS: 0.675, both p < 0.001). Symptoms of anxiety and depression were associated with an impaired general LS (anxiety: −0.674, depression: −0.698, both p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results indicate that LS should be considered an important key contributor to the survivors’ well-being following alloSCT. Thus, identifying protective psychological and physical factors that relieve stressors is of high importance in order to support long-term AML survivors with their special needs.<br
Measurement of the Fermi Constant by FAST
An initial measurement of the lifetime of the positive muon to a precision of
16 parts per million (ppm) has been performed with the FAST detector at the
Paul Scherrer Institute. The result is tau_mu = 2.197083 (32) (15) microsec,
where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. The muon
lifetime determines the Fermi constant, G_F = 1.166353 (9) x 10^-5 GeV^-2 (8
ppm).Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure
Innovative Technologien für die Pflege – Der Einsatz von VR & 3D-Druck am Pflegebett
Poster im Rahmen der Clusterkonferenz Pflege 2020
POLAR: a compact detector for GRB polarization measurements
Présenté par J.P. VialleInternational audienceThrough polarization measurements of X-rays can provide essential information for identifying processes responsible of their emission by astrophysical objects, almost no experimental data exist yet. We propose here a novel wide field compact detector for hard X-ray polarization measurements based on Compton scattering process and made of low-Z fast scintillators
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