Unraveling the molecular basis of subunit specificity in P pilus assembly by mass spectrometry

P pili are multisubunit fibers essential for the attachment of uropathogenic Escherichia coli to the kidney. These fibers are formed by the noncovalent assembly of six different homologous subunit types in an array that is strictly defined in terms of both the number and order of each subunit type. Assembly occurs through a mechanism termed “donor-strand exchange (DSE)” in which an N-terminal extension (Nte) of one subunit donates a β-strand to an adjacent subunit, completing its Ig fold. Despite structural determination of the different subunits, the mechanism determining specificity of subunit ordering in pilus assembly remained unclear. Here, we have used noncovalent mass spectrometry to monitor DSE between all 30 possible pairs of P pilus subunits and their Ntes. We demonstrate a striking correlation between the natural order of subunits in pili and their ability to undergo DSE in vitro. The results reveal insights into the molecular mechanism by which subunit ordering during the assembly of this complex is achieved

New development of a Radiation-Hard Polycrystalline CdTe Detector for LHC Luminosity Monitoring

Detectors presently considered for monitoring and control of the LHC luminosity will sample the hadronic/electromagnetic showers produced by neutrons and photons in copper absorbers designed to protect the superconducting magnets from quenching. At this location the detectors will have to withstand extreme radiation levels and their long term operation will have to be assured without requiring human intervention. For this application we have successfully tested thick polycrystalline-CdTe detectors. The paper summarizes the results obtained on rise-times, sensitivity and resistance to neutron irradiation up to a dose of 10 ^15/cm 2

The CACAO Method for Smoothing, Gap Filling, and Characterizing Seasonal Anomalies in Satellite Time Series

Consistent, continuous, and long time series of global biophysical variables derived from satellite data are required for global change research. A novel climatology fitting approach called CACAO (Consistent Adjustment of the Climatology to Actual Observations) is proposed to reduce noise and fill gaps in time series by scaling and shifting the seasonal climatological patterns to the actual observations. The shift and scale CACAO parameters adjusted for each season allow quantifying shifts in the timing of seasonal phenology and inter-annual variations in magnitude as compared to the average climatology. CACAO was assessed first over simulated daily Leaf Area Index (LAI) time series with varying fractions of missing data and noise. Then, performances were analyzed over actual satellite LAI products derived from AVHRR Long-Term Data Record for the 1981-2000 period over the BELMANIP2 globally representative sample of sites. Comparison with two widely used temporal filtering methods-the asymmetric Gaussian (AG) model and the Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter as implemented in TIMESAT-revealed that CACAO achieved better performances for smoothing AVHRR time series characterized by high level of noise and frequent missing observations. The resulting smoothed time series captures well the vegetation dynamics and shows no gaps as compared to the 50-60% of still missing data after AG or SG reconstructions. Results of simulation experiments as well as confrontation with actual AVHRR time series indicate that the proposed CACAO method is more robust to noise and missing data than AG and SG methods for phenology extraction

CdTe Photoconductors for LHC Luminosity Monitoring

Detectors using CdTe photoconductors are being used with great success in LEP to monitor the vertical beam emittance. They can withstand tremendous irradiation, of up to 10^13 Gy, from hard X-rays. For the LHC, monitors measuring the relative luminosity will be placed inside absorbers located 142 m from the interaction points, where they will receive about 10^8 Gy per year due to gamma radiation and neutrons. Thick-polycristalline-CdTe detectors were recently tested for speed, sensitivity and radiation resistance before and after receiving up to 10^15 neutrons per cm^2. The test results are presented here, along with a comparison of the calculated charge deposition in Silicon, Diamond and GaAs detectors

Increase of precuneus metabolism correlates with reduction of PTSD symptoms after EMDR therapy in military veterans: an 18F-FDG PET study during virtual reality exposure to war

International audienc

Fast Polycrystalline-CdTe Detectors for LHC Luminosity Measurements

Beam diagnostics in future high-energy accelerators will require long lived instrumentation in highly hostile radiation environments. A research program aiming at individuating new solutions and testing them under extreme operational conditions has been launched at CERN in the framework of developments for the LHC instrumentation. Its outcome might be used in future accelerator projects, in industry or in physics applications. The detectors which will be adopted for the LHC luminosity monitoring and optimization will be installed close to or inside copper absorbers specifically designed for radiation protection of the accelerator magnetic elements in the interaction regions. These detectors will have to withstand extreme radiation levels and their long-term operation has to be assured without requiring human intervention. Polycrystalline-CdTe detectors have demonstrated their radiation hardness against extreme doses of X-ray exposure in the LEP collider and are considered as good candidates for LHC luminosity monitoring applications. After recalling a series of measurements obtained on CdTe samples exposed to different sources to study their time response and sensitivity we present results on their performance after irradiation at doses of 10^16 neutrons/cm^2. This is a preliminary step in the program intended to test the samples during and after irradiation up to levels of 10^18 neutrons/cm^2 and 10^16 protons/cm^2 comparable to those anticipated at the detector locations over ten years of operation of the accelerator

The singular continuous diffraction measure of the Thue-Morse chain

The paradigm for singular continuous spectra in symbolic dynamics and in mathematical diffraction is provided by the Thue-Morse chain, in its realisation as a binary sequence with values in $\{\pm 1\}$. We revisit this example and derive a functional equation together with an explicit form of the corresponding singular continuous diffraction measure, which is related to the known representation as a Riesz product.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; revised and improved versio

Las costas rocosas del Migjorn de Menorca: acantilados y calas

[spa]La zona meridional de Menorca (Migjorn) se caracteriza por ser una plataforma carbonatada desarrollada en un ambiente arrecifal durante el Mioceno superior. Está surcada por una serie de cursos torrenciales fuertemente encajados que en su desembocadura al mar dan lugar a una forma de bahía denominada “cala” que está delimitada por paredes de elevada pendiente. La fracturación y la diaclasación penetrativa que afecta a la alternancia de materiales calcareníticos y calcisiltiticos miocenos, junto con la distribución de éstos, es el principal factor que condiciona el trazado de los cursos fluviales, así como el desarrollo de los procesos de tipo kárstico asociados a la circulación preferencial y la formación de conductos. La interacción en la zona litoral de los procesos endokársticos, en los cuales la mezcla de aguas favorece los procesos de disolución, la actividad torrencial, así como la dinámica marina –teniendo presente la variabilidad glacio-eustàtica acontecida durante el Cuaternario– favorece el desarrollo y dinamismo del propio karst (i.e. colapso de cavidades, formación de dolinas, etc.) lo que se traduce, finalmente, en la configuración de la geoforma tan característica y compleja que es la cala.[eng]The southern region of Menorca –Migjorn– is built up by a carbonate platform developed in a reef environment during the Upper Miocene. This structural platform is dissected by a set of canyon-like creeks that when reach the coast result in narrow and cliffy bays known as “cala”. Joints and penetrative fractures that affect the Upper Miocene calcarenites and calcilutites rock outcroups exert the main control of the streams pathway and direction. Karst processes also play a critical contribution related to the preferential circulation and void formation. The interaction at the coast between marine and endokarstic processes –where mixing zone waters enhance rock solution–, between the fluvial processes and sea level (including sea level fluctuations during Quaternary times– enhance the dynamics and the development of karst (i.e. cave collapse, dolines formation, etc.) and this, finally, results in the configuration of a very representative rock coast macroform such as the “cala”