Human factors in space telepresence

The problems of interfacing a human with a teleoperation system, for work in space are discussed. Much of the information presented here is the result of experience gained by the M.I.T. Space Systems Laboratory during the past two years of work on the ARAMIS (Automation, Robotics, and Machine Intelligence Systems) project. Many factors impact the design of the man-machine interface for a teleoperator. The effects of each are described in turn. An annotated bibliography gives the key references that were used. No conclusions are presented as a best design, since much depends on the particular application desired, and the relevant technology is swiftly changing

Study of onboard expert systems to augment space shuttle and space station autonomy

The feasibility of onboard crew activity planning was examined. The use of expert systems technology to aid crewmembers in locating stowed equipment was also investigated. The crew activity planning problem, along with a summary of past and current research efforts, was discussed in detail. The requirements and specifications used to develop the crew activity planning system was also defined. The guidelines used to create, develop, and operate the MFIVE Crew Scheduler and Logistics Clerk were discussed. Also discussed is the mathematical algorithm, used by the MFIVE Scheduler, which was developed to aid in optimal crew activity planning

Space Applications of Automation, Robotics and Machine Intelligence Systems (ARAMIS), phase 2. Volume 1: Telepresence technology base development

The field of telepresence is defined, and overviews of those capabilities that are now available, and those that will be required to support a NASA telepresence effort are provided. Investigation of NASA's plans and goals with regard to telepresence, extensive literature search for materials relating to relevant technologies, a description of these technologies and their state of the art, and projections for advances in these technologies over the next decade are included. Several space projects are examined in detail to determine what capabilities are required of a telepresence system in order to accomplish various tasks, such as servicing and assembly. The key operational and technological areas are identified, conclusions and recommendations are made for further research, and an example developmental program is presented, leading to an operational telepresence servicer

Space applications of Automation, Robotics And Machine Intelligence Systems (ARAMIS). Volume 3, phase 2: Executive summary

The field of telepresence is defined, and overviews of those capabilities that are now available, and those that will be required to support a NASA telepresence effort are provided. Investigation of NASA's plans and goals with regard to telepresence, extensive literature search for materials relating to relevant technologies, a description of these technologies and their state of the art, and projections for advances in these technologies are included. Several space projects are examined in detail to determine what capabilities are required of a telepresence system in order to accomplish various tasks, such as servicing and assembly. The key operational and technological areas are identified, conclusions and recommendations are made for further research, and an example developmental program leading to an operational telepresence servicer is presented

Space Applications of Automation, Robotics and Machine Intelligence Systems (ARAMIS), phase 2. Volume 2: Telepresence project applications

The field of telepresence is defined and overviews of those capabilities that are now available, and those that will be required to support a NASA telepresence effort are provided. Investigation of NASA' plans and goals with regard to telepresence, extensive literature search for materials relating to relevant technologies, a description of these technologies and their state of the art, and projections for advances in these technologies over the next decade are included

WH2 and proline-rich domains of WASP-family proteins collaborate to accelerate actin filament elongation.

WASP-family proteins are known to promote assembly of branched actin networks by stimulating the filament-nucleating activity of the Arp2/3 complex. Here, we show that WASP-family proteins also function as polymerases that accelerate elongation of uncapped actin filaments. When clustered on a surface, WASP-family proteins can drive branched actin networks to grow much faster than they could by direct incorporation of soluble monomers. This polymerase activity arises from the coordinated action of two regulatory sequences: (i) a WASP homology 2 (WH2) domain that binds actin, and (ii) a proline-rich sequence that binds profilin-actin complexes. In the absence of profilin, WH2 domains are sufficient to accelerate filament elongation, but in the presence of profilin, proline-rich sequences are required to support polymerase activity by (i) bringing polymerization-competent actin monomers in proximity to growing filament ends, and (ii) promoting shuttling of actin monomers from profilin-actin complexes onto nearby WH2 domains. Unoccupied WH2 domains transiently associate with free filament ends, preventing their growth and dynamically tethering the branched actin network to the WASP-family proteins that create it. Collaboration between WH2 and proline-rich sequences thus strikes a balance between filament growth and tethering. Our work expands the number of critical roles that WASP-family proteins play in the assembly of branched actin networks to at least three: (i) promoting dendritic nucleation; (ii) linking actin networks to membranes; and (iii) accelerating filament elongation

The Structural Basis for Phospholamban Inhibition of the Calcium Pump in Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

P-type ATPases are a large family of enzymes that actively transport ions across biological membranes by interconverting between high (E1) and low (E2) ion-affinity states; these transmembrane transporters carry out critical processes in nearly all forms of life. In striated muscle, the archetype P-type ATPase, SERCA (sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase), pumps contractile-dependent Ca2+ ions into the lumen of sarcoplasmic reticulum, which initiates myocyte relaxation and refills the sarcoplasmic reticulum in preparation for the next contraction. In cardiac muscle, SERCA is regulated by phospholamban (PLB), a small inhibitory phosphoprotein that decreases the Ca2+ affinity of SERCA and attenuates contractile strength. cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of PLB reverses Ca2+-ATPase inhibition with powerful contractile effects. Here we present the long sought crystal structure of the PLB-SERCA complex at 2.8-Å resolution. The structure was solved in the absence of Ca2+ in a novel detergent system employing alkyl mannosides. The structure shows PLB bound to a previously undescribed conformation of SERCA in which the Ca2+ binding sites are collapsed and devoid of divalent cations (E2-PLB). This new structure represents one of the key unsolved conformational states of SERCA and provides a structural explanation for how dephosphorylated PLB decreases Ca2+ affinity and depresses cardiac contractility

Interaction between NTF2 and xFxFG-containing nucleoporins is required to mediate nuclear import of RanGDP.

Nuclear transport factor 2 (NTF2) is a small, homodimeric protein that binds to both RanGDP and xFxFG repeat-containing nucleoporins, such as yeast Nsp1p and vertebrate p62. NTF2 is required for efficient nuclear protein import and has been shown to mediate the nuclear import of RanGDP. We have used the crystal structures of rat NTF2 and its complex with RanGDP to design a mutant, W7A-NTF2, in which the affinity for xFxFG-repeat nucleoporins is reduced while wild-type binding to RanGDP is retained. The 2.5 Å resolution crystal structure of W7A-NTF2 is virtually superimposable upon the wild-type protein structure, indicating that the mutation had not introduced a more general conformational change. Therefore, our data suggest that the exposed side-chain of residue 7 is crucial to the interaction between NTF2 and xFxFG repeat-containing nucleoporins. Consistent with its reduced affinity for xFxFG nucleoporins, fluorescently labelled W7A-NTF2 binds less strongly to the nuclear envelope of permeabilized cultured cells than wild-type NTF2 and, when microinjected into Xenopus oocytes, colloidal gold coated with W7A-NTF2 binds less strongly to the central channel of nuclear pore complexes than wild-type NTF2-coated gold. Significantly, W7A-NTF2 only weakly stimulated the nuclear import of fluorescein-labelled RanGDP, providing direct evidence that an interaction between NTF2 and xFxFG repeat-containing nucleoporins is required to mediate the nuclear import of RanGDP

Pengaruh Beberapa Jenis Ekstrak Tumbuhan Terhadap Penyakit Antraknosa Pada Tanaman Cabai Besar (Capsicum Annuum L.) Di Lapangan

Antraknosa adalah penyakit terpenting dalam budidaya cabai besar karena menyebabkan kehilangan hasil di lapangan mencapai sekitar 75%. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh ekstrak babadotan, tumbuhan siam, alang-alang, dan teki sebagai alternatif pengendalian penyakit antraknosa pada tanaman cabai yang ramah lingkungan. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Penyakit Tanaman dan Laboratorium Lapangan Terpadu Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Lampung pada bulan November 2012 sampai dengan Maret 2013. Rancangan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) terdiri dari 5 perlakuan dengan 5 ulangan. Setiap unit percobaan terdiri atas 2 tanaman cabai (dalam satu polibag). Perlakuan terdiri atas air steril sebagai kontrol (M0), ekstrak Ageratum conyzoides (babadotan) 100 g/100 ml air (M1), ekstrak Chromolaena odorata (tumbuhan siam) 100 g/100 ml air (M2), ekstrak Imperata cylindrica (alang-alang) 100 g/100 ml air (M3), dan ekstrak Cyperus rotundus (teki) 100 g/100 ml air (M4). Pengamatan dilakukan dengan selang waktu tujuh hari sekali. Adapun peubah yang diamati adalah keparahan penyakit pada daun, pada buah, bobot buah cabai sehat, dan bobot buah cabai sakit. Data dianalisis ragam dan dilanjutkan dengan uji Beda Nyata Terkecil (BNT) pada taraf nyata 5 %. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) ekstrak A. conyzoides (babadotan), C. odorata (tumbuhan siam), I. cylindrica (alangalang), dan C. rotundus (teki) berpengaruh dalam menekan keparahan penyakit antraknosa (2) pengaruh ekstrak A. conyzoides (babadotan), C. odorata (tumbuhan siam), I. cylindrica (alang-alang), dan C. rotundus (teki) berbeda-beda namun ekstrak C. odorata (tumbuhan siam) dan C. rotundus (teki) lebih efektif dari pada A. conyzoides (babadotan), I. cylindrica (alang-alang) dalam menekan keparahan penyakit antraknosa pada daun dan buah cabai