The role of tapasin in MHC class 1 antigen presentation

MHC class I molecules are heterotrimeric complexes of a polymorphic MHC class I heavy chain, beta-2 microglobulin (β2 M) and a short peptide. These complexes present self and foreign peptides to host effector cells. This allows for monitoring of the internal milieu of cells through representation of the protein breakdown products (peptides) within MHC class I complexes at the cell surface. This thesis examines the role of the endoplasmic reticulum resident MHC class I chaperone tapasin in this process. The initial characterisation was undertaken at a genetic level, identifying polymorphic variants of human tapasin. A search for linkage with MHC class I and II genes was carried out, with linkage only identified for the nearest MHC class II loci. The limited genomic variation was further analysed in primate tapasin and 15 amino acid differences from human tapasin were identified. Further work was directed at developing a functional test for the role of tapasin in MHC class I presentation, so that such differences could be analysed. A model system was set up that examined the role of tapasin upon previously identified tapasin dependent and independent alleles (B*4402 and B*2705 respectively). A thermostability assay was developed that assessed the peptide cargo of BM402 and B*2705 within cells that were competent or deficient for tapasin. This work identified that tapasin was important for the optimal assembly of both B*4402 and B*2705. Tapasin was shown to improve both the rate and extent of optimal peptide acquisition. More detailed studies showed that the improvement in the thermostability of such complexes could occur independently of tapasin for B*2705, although to a lesser extent to that seen in the presence of tapasin. B*4402 was unable to load optimal peptides in the absence of tapasin, although it was shown that these B*4402 complexes were unlikely to be peptide empty as their thermostability fell further upon TAP blockade. When the loading of these alleles was assessed in the presence of a soluble tapasin construct that did not abridge the MHC class I complexes to TAP, peptide loading was achieved but the thermostability of such complexes was reduced when compared to full length tapasin. This suggested that the association of nascent MHC class I molecules with the TAP complex is necessary for maximal optimisation of the MHC class I complex peptide cargo. Finally, a single point mutation was identified that permitted tapasin independent loading of B*4402. This single change at position 116 was identical to that seen in the allele B*4405. B*4402 was shown to achieve a greater thermostability than B*4405 in the presence of tapasin. B*4405 was able to load optimal peptides in the absence of tapasin, with a further improvement in the presence of tapasin. Both B*2705 and B*4405 were less thermostable than B*4402 in the presence of tapasin. These experimental observations have led to a reassessment of the multiple functions of tapasin in facilitating peptide loading and a consideration of the molecular mechanisms that may permit such allele specific interactions

Market analysis study of the value technology systems to home owners

Smart Technology involves the integration of a variety of home systems including lighting, climate control, security etc. to enhance the comfort, convenience and economy of the home for its users. It is currently unknown if home buyers believe that these systems add value to the home. This study used the market value of home sales and an attitudinal survey of home buyers, to determine the increased value of homes containing Smart Technology. The results demonstrated that a significant price premium was paid by for the incorporation of the technology into new homes. In addition, the research suggests that the use of this technology is not limited to high income earners or other demographic stereotypes. Instead it has broad market appeal and the potential to save energy for the community at large.<br /

Research: What Potential Does it Hold for Teacher Practitioners?

The teaching profession finds itself at the crossroads at this time. because the crowded curriculum and the emphasis on core competencies including literacy and numeracy can have the tendency to push research training into the background. The question should be asked though, is research capability a skill practicing teachers should be engaging with? Is reconstructing the curricula of universities to make research preparation a priority worth pursuing? The following paper considers the issue of research and what it can add to teacher practitioners’ “arsenal” of capabilities. The authors believe that there is value in reconsidering the curriculum of teachers, as there are many ways in which teachers can be informed and inform knowledge about teaching. The ability to apply research capabilities to the teaching context can significantly benefit the profession and more importantly its’ students

Government Funding in Australian Independent Schools

This chapter gives a history of government funding of Australian independent schools with a focus on Seventh-day Adventist education identities. It covers the evolution of the methods of funding, the politics of funding, the controversies from interest groups on such funding, and Ellen White’s advice on receiving government funding for Adventist schools

Analysis of the value of home automation systems

Smart technology involves the integration of a variety of home systems including lighting, climate control, security etc. to enhance the comfort, convenience and economy of the home for its users. It is currently unknown if homebuyers believe that these systems add value to the home. This study used the market value of home sales and an attitudinal survey of homebuyers, to determine the increased value of homes containing smart technology. The results demonstrated that a significant price premium was paid for the incorporation of the technology into new homes. In addition, the research suggests that the use of this technology is not limited to high-income earners or other demographic stereotypes. Instead it has broad market appeal and the potential to save energy for the community at large.<br /

Low-lying Odd-parity States of the Nucleon in Lattice QCD

The world's first examination of the odd-parity nucleon spectrum at light quark masses in 2+1 flavor lattice QCD is presented. Configurations generated by the PACS-CS collaboration and made available through the ILDG are used, with the lightest pion mass at 156 MeV. A novel method for tracking the individual energy eigenstates as the quark mass changes is introduced. The success of this approach reveals the flow of the states towards the physical masses. Using the correlation matrix method, the two lowest-energy states revealed are found to be in accord with the physical spectrum of Nature.Comment: 5 page

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in ZH -> l+ l- bbbar production with the D0 detector in 9.7 fb-1 of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We present a search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson in 9.7 fb-1 of ppbar collisions collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV. Selected events contain one reconstructed Z-> e+e- or Z-> mu+mu- candidate and at least two jets, including at least one jet identified as likely to contain a b quark. To validate the search procedure, we also measure the cross section for ZZ production in the same final state. It is found to be consistent with its SM prediction. We set upper limits on the ZH production cross section times branching ratio for H->bbbar at the 95% C.L. for Higgs boson masses 9

Search for a fourth generation t' quark in ppbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

We present a search for pair production of a fourth generation t' quark and its antiparticle, followed by their decays to a W boson and a jet, based on an integrated luminosity of 5.3/fb of proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV collected by the D0 Collaboration at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set upper limits on the t't'bar production cross section that exclude at the 95% C.L. a t' quark that decays exclusively to W+jet with a mass below 285 GeV. We observe a small excess in the muon+jets channel which reduces the mass range excluded compared to the expected limit of 320 GeV in the absence of a signal

Combined search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to b bbar using the D0 Run II data set

We present the results of the combination of searches for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a W or Z boson and decaying into b bbar using the data sample collected with the D0 detector in p pbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We derive 95% CL upper limits on the Higgs boson cross section relative to the standard model prediction in the mass range 100 Ge

Observation of a narrow mass state decaying into Upsilon(1S) + gamma in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

Using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.3 fb^-1, we observe a narrow mass state decaying into Upsilon(1S)+gamma, where the Upsilon(1S) meson is detected by its decay into a pair of oppositely charged muons, and the photon is identified through its conversion into an electron-positron pair. The significance of this observation is 5.6 standard deviations. The mass of the state is centered at 10.551 \pm 0.014 (stat.) \pm 0.017 (syst.) GeV/c^2, which is consistent with that of the state recently observed by the ATLAS Collaboration