Synthetic Routes to a Library of Novel Methionine Synthase Inhibitors

Fungal infections are of continuous concern, especially with regard to immunocompromised patients. In an effort to develop new potential anti-fungal agents, we have begun synthesizing a library of potential inhibitors of the fungal Methionine Synthase (MetSyn) enzyme. Key differences between the B12-independant fungal MetSyn enzyme and the B12-dependant mammalian form can allow for an antifungal drug to be developed to exclusively bind the fungal enzyme and inhibit fungal growth while leaving the host (patient) unaffected. We are currently exploring the synthesis of various pterin and deazaguanine-based molecules as these mimic folate, an essential substrate for MetSyn function. We have begun testing these new molecules for activity in a fungal growth assay, as well as a fluorescent assay for monitoring MetSyn activity

Synthetic Routes to a Library of Novel Methionine Synthase Inhibitors

Fungal infections are of continuous concern, especially with regard to immunocompromised patients. In an effort to develop new potential anti-fungal agents, we have begun synthesizing a library of potential inhibitors of the fungal Methionine Synthase (MetSyn) enzyme. Key differences between the B12-independant fungal MetSyn enzyme and the B12-dependant mammalian form can allow for an antifungal drug to be developed to exclusively bind the fungal enzyme and inhibit fungal growth while leaving the host (patient) unaffected. We are currently exploring the synthesis of various pterin and deazaguanine-based molecules as these mimic folate, an essential substrate for MetSyn function. We have begun testing these new molecules for activity in a fungal growth assay, as well as a fluorescent assay for monitoring MetSyn activity

Gill Structure Linked to Ecological and Species Diversification in a Clade of Caddisflies

Streams represent a special case of directional environmental gradients where ecological opportunity for diversification may be associated with upstream and downstream dispersal into habitats that differ in selective pressures. Temperature, current velocity and variability, sediment erosion dynamics and oxygen saturation are key environmental parameters that change in predictable ways from springs to river mouth. Many aquatic insects occupy specific longitudinal regions along these gradients, indicating a high degree of adaptation to these specific environmental conditions. In caddisflies, the evolution of tracheal gills in larval and pupal stages may be a major driver in oxygen uptake efficiency and ecological diversification. Here we study the evolution of larval gill structure in the Rhyacophila vulgaris species group using phylogenomic methods. Based on anchored hybrid enrichment, we sequenced 97 kbp of data representing 159 independent nuclear protein coding gene regions to infer the phylogeny of the R. vulgaris species group, whose species exhibit both high diversity of gill types and varied longitudinal preferences. We find that the different gill types evolved independently as derived characters in the genus and that gill structure is linked to the longitudinal habitat preference, thereby serving as a possible ecological key innovation in the R. vulgaris group

Workshop on the production of swept-area estimates for all hauls in DATRAS for biodiver-sity assessments (WKSAE-DATRAS)

The workshop on the production of swept-area estimates for all hauls in DATRAS for biodiver-sity assessments (WKSAE-DATRAS) considered three groups of surveys for which data are sub-mitted to the Database of Trawl Surveys (DATRAS): various Beam Trawl Surveys, the Northeast Atlantic International Bottom Trawl Survey (Northeast Atlantic IBTS), and the North Sea Inter-national Bottom Trawl Survey (North Sea IBTS). All countries contributing to the above-mentioned surveys were represented by at least one par-ticipant during the workshop, apart from the Netherlands and Norway. The main objectives of the workshop were to establish tow-by-tow swept-area estimates for time-series as far back in time as possible, compare different approaches for the estimates of missing observations, and harmonize the resulting dataseries for biodiversity assessments. For all of the surveys considered, problems with data quality were detected. This included the Beam Trawl Surveys but was most pronounced for the North Sea IBTS. Outliers and potential erroneous data were listed for reporting back to the respective national institutes. In particular, missing observations or algorithms affected wing spread-based swept-area, which is needed in several applications. This workshop compared the Marine Scotland Science-MSS/OSPAR approach, which includes a data quality check for the information needed for the calculation of swept-area, and the DATRAS approach, which depends solely on correctly reported data from the national institutes. Larger data gaps were identified, in particular for several years of the North Sea IBTS. For those surveys, it is proposed that the best possible way forward at this moment is to use estimates based on the MSS/OSPAR approach. However, if dubious records (i.e. extreme outliers) were identified by the MSS/OSPAR and no other information was available, values (e.g. speed over ground or the depth at which a change from short to long sweeps should have happened) were taken from the manual. However, expe-rience has shown that the survey manuals are not followed in all instances, and so persistent country-specific and survey-specific deviations may occur. The national institutes are encouraged to check, correct, and fill in missing survey data through re-submissions to DATRAS. It is recommended that DATRAS data quality control on data sub-mission is extended for the information needed for the calculation of swept-area (e.g. distance, depth, door spread, and wing spread) and that this is done in close cooperation between the ICES Data Centre and the respective ICES survey working groups, WGBEAM (Working Group on Beam Trawl Surveys) and IBTSWG (International Bottom Trawl Survey Working Group).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cross-National Differences in Victimization : Disentangling the Impact of Composition and Context

Varying rates of criminal victimization across countries are assumed to be the outcome of countrylevel structural constraints that determine the supply ofmotivated o¡enders, as well as the differential composition within countries of suitable targets and capable guardianship. However, previous empirical tests of these ‘compositional’ and ‘contextual’ explanations of cross-national di¡erences have been performed upon macro-level crime data due to the unavailability of comparable individual-level data across countries. This limitation has had two important consequences for cross-national crime research. First, micro-/meso-level mechanisms underlying cross-national differences cannot be truly inferred from macro-level data. Secondly, the e¡ects of contextual measures (e.g. income inequality) on crime are uncontrolled for compositional heterogeneity. In this paper, these limitations are overcome by analysing individual-level victimization data across 18 countries from the International CrimeVictims Survey. Results from multi-level analyses on theft and violent victimization indicate that the national level of income inequality is positively related to risk, independent of compositional (i.e. micro- and meso-level) di¡erences. Furthermore, crossnational variation in victimization rates is not only shaped by di¡erences in national context, but also by varying composition. More speci¢cally, countries had higher crime rates the more they consisted of urban residents and regions with lowaverage social cohesion.

The Lantern, 2011-2012

• Frangipani • A Shadow • Dear Anne, In this Place, Stringbean Girls • Back to a Dandelion • How to Plant a Room • Swimming Pool Poem 30 • The Naming of Daughters • Berman Museum Photographs • Truth or Dare • The Song of Remembrance, L\u27vov, Poland, 1940 • Headlights • Prayer of Thanks • Numbers Game • Pediment • Home Sick • Lust • Sand Lining Instructions • A-A-Ask a Question • Flash Cards • Columbus Day • Mr. Yoest Gives His Report to the Police Officers on Wednesday Night • Gender Trouble • The Internet Connection at Ursinus College • Assuming You\u27ll Still be Here • 10/28/11, Third Poem • October • Actions that Affirm and Confirm Us as a Community • Why I Hate The Lantern • Confessions of an Ex-Vegetarian • Run • Lunch at Caltort • Schemers • You Will Make Beautiful Babies in America • The Black Dirt Region • Il Travatore • Ghost Story • Blue Eyes and Sunny Skies • A Little Sincerity • The Bookstore • The Opposite of Serendipity • The Human Doll • Evil Deeds • Francesca • Sunday Morning • Jersey Aesthetic • Jump! • Behind Reimert • Seaweed in New Zealand • Tombee de L\u27elegance • The Window • Esperando • Rainbow to the Heavens • Encased • In Springtime • A Fiesolan Monk\u27s Room • Inside a Bone • Neon Indian • Moments of Clarity • OneFeral: A Feral Self-Portrait • Cover Image: The Conquerorhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1177/thumbnail.jp

AMI radio continuum observations of young stellar objects with known outflows

We present 16 GHz (1.9 cm) deep radio continuum observations made with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) of a sample of low-mass young stars driving jets. We combine these new data with archival information from an extensive literature search to examine spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for each source and calculate both the radio and sub-mm spectral indices in two different scenarios: (1) fixing the dust temperature (Td) according to evolutionary class; and (2) allowing Td to vary. We use the results of this analysis to place constraints on the physical mechanisms responsible for the radio emission. From AMI data alone, as well as from model fitting to the full SED in both scenarios, we find that 80 per cent of the objects in this sample have spectral indices consistent with freefree emission. We find an average spectral index in both Td scenarios, consistent with freefree emission. We examine correlations of the radio luminosity with bolometric luminosity, envelope mass and outflow force, and find that these data are consistent with the strong correlation with envelope mass seen in lower luminosity samples. We examine the errors associated with determining the radio luminosity and find that the dominant source of error is the uncertainty on the opacity index, beta. We examine the SEDs for variability in these young objects, and find evidence for possible radio flare events in the histories of L1551 IRS 5 and Serpens SMM 1

Magnetic Fields toward Ophiuchus-B Derived from SCUBA-2 Polarization Measurements

We present the results of dust emission polarization measurements of Ophiuchus-B (Oph-B) carried out using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2 (SCUBA-2) camera with its associated polarimeter (POL-2) on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii. This work is part of the B-fields in Star-forming Region Observations survey initiated to understand the role of magnetic fields in star formation for nearby star-forming molecular clouds. We present a first look at the geometry and strength of magnetic fields in Oph-B. The field geometry is traced over ~0.2 pc, with clear detection of both of the sub-clumps of Oph-B. The field pattern appears significantly disordered in sub-clump Oph-B1. The field geometry in Oph-B2 is more ordered, with a tendency to be along the major axis of the clump, parallel to the filamentary structure within which it lies. The degree of polarization decreases systematically toward the dense core material in the two sub-clumps. The field lines in the lower density material along the periphery are smoothly joined to the large-scale magnetic fields probed by NIR polarization observations. We estimated a magnetic field strength of 630 ± 410 μG in the Oph-B2 sub-clump using a Davis–Chandrasekhar–Fermi analysis. With this magnetic field strength, we find a mass-to-flux ratio λ = 1.6 ± 1.1, which suggests that the Oph-B2 clump is slightly magnetically supercritical