423 research outputs found
A Catalog of 1022 Bright Contact Binary Stars
In this work we describe a large new sample of contact binary stars extracted
in a uniform manner from sky patrol data taken by the ROTSE-I telescope.
Extensive ROTSE-I light curve data is combined with J, H, and K band
near-infrared data taken from the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) to add
color information. Contact binaries candidates are selected using the observed
period-color relation. Candidates are confirmed by visual examination of the
light curves. To enhance the utility of this catalog, we derive a new J-H
period-color-luminosity relation and use this to estimate distances for the
entire catalog. From these distance estimates we derive an estimated contact
binary space density of (1.7 +/- 0.6) x 10^-5 pcs^-3.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in A
HeterogeneousâHomogeneous Catalytic Partial Oxidations Investigated by Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry
Heterogeneous catalytic reactions are often insufficiently described by surface reaction steps only; gas phase contributions are neglected. Surface and gas phase reaction steps can take place simultaneously and are coupled by exchange of energy and reaction intermediates. Catalytic partial oxidations are suspected to proceed via combined heterogeneousâhomogeneous mechanisms because of high reaction temperatures and the diradical oxygen as reactant. Gas phase radicals are thought to be key intermediates, but there is little understanding of mechanistic details [1]. To study the mechanism of such reactions we have developed a Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometer (MBMS) equipped with a high temperature catalytic wall reactor
Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometer Equipped with a Catalytic Wall Reactor for In Situ Studies in High Temperature Catalysis Research
Comportamento de cultivares de milho em relação fungo Sclerospora sorghi (Kulk) Weston e Uppal.
Lassa virus-like particles displaying all major immunological determinants as a vaccine candidate for Lassa hemorrhagic fever
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lassa fever is a neglected tropical disease with significant impact on the health care system, society, and economy of Western and Central African nations where it is endemic. Treatment of acute Lassa fever infections has successfully utilized intravenous administration of ribavirin, a nucleotide analogue drug, but this is not an approved use; efficacy of oral administration has not been demonstrated. To date, several potential new vaccine platforms have been explored, but none have progressed toward clinical trials and commercialization. Therefore, the development of a robust vaccine platform that could be generated in sufficient quantities and at a low cost per dose could herald a subcontinent-wide vaccination program. This would move Lassa endemic areas toward the control and reduction of major outbreaks and endemic infections. To this end, we have employed efficient mammalian expression systems to generate a Lassa virus (LASV)-like particle (VLP)-based modular vaccine platform.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A mammalian expression system that generated large quantities of LASV VLP in human cells at small scale settings was developed. These VLP contained the major immunological determinants of the virus: glycoprotein complex, nucleoprotein, and Z matrix protein, with known post-translational modifications. The viral proteins packaged into LASV VLP were characterized, including glycosylation profiles of glycoprotein subunits GP1 and GP2, and structural compartmentalization of each polypeptide. The host cell protein component of LASV VLP was also partially analyzed, namely glycoprotein incorporation, though the identity of these proteins remain unknown. All combinations of LASV Z, GPC, and NP proteins that generated VLP did not incorporate host cell ribosomes, a known component of native arenaviral particles, despite detection of small RNA species packaged into pseudoparticles. Although VLP did not contain the same host cell components as the native virion, electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that LASV VLP appeared structurally similar to native virions, with pleiomorphic distribution in size and shape. LASV VLP that displayed GPC or GPC+NP were immunogenic in mice, and generated a significant IgG response to individual viral proteins over the course of three immunizations, in the absence of adjuvants. Furthermore, sera from convalescent Lassa fever patients recognized VLP in ELISA format, thus affirming the presence of native epitopes displayed by the recombinant pseudoparticles.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results established that modular LASV VLP can be generated displaying high levels of immunogenic viral proteins, and that small laboratory scale mammalian expression systems are capable of producing multi-milligram quantities of pseudoparticles. These VLP are structurally and morphologically similar to native LASV virions, but lack replicative functions, and thus can be safely generated in low biosafety level settings. LASV VLP were immunogenic in mice in the absence of adjuvants, with mature IgG responses developing within a few weeks after the first immunization. These studies highlight the relevance of a VLP platform for designing an optimal vaccine candidate against Lassa hemorrhagic fever, and warrant further investigation in lethal challenge animal models to establish their protective potential.</p
Platinum Group Metal-Doped Tungsten Phosphates for Selective C-H Activation of Lower Alkanes
Platinum group metal (PGM)-based catalysts are known to be highly active in the total combustion of lower hydrocarbons. However, through an alternative catalyst design reported in this paper by isolating PGM-based active sites in a tungsten phosphate matrix, we present a class of catalysts for selective oxidation of n-butane, propane, and propylene that do not contain Mo or V as redox-active elements. Two different catalyst concepts have been pursued. Concept A: isolating Ru-based active sites in a tungsten phosphate matrix coming upon as ReO3-type structure. Concept B: dilution of PGM-based active sites through the synthesis of X-ray amorphous Ru tungsten phosphates supported on SiO2. Using a high-throughput screening approach, model catalysts over a wide compositional range were evaluated for C3 and C4 partial oxidation. Bulk crystalline and supported XRD amorphous phases with similar Ru/W/P compositions showed comparable performance. Hence, for these materials, composition is more crucial than the degree of crystallinity. Further studies for optimization on second-generation supported systems revealed even better results. High selectivity for n-butane oxidation to maleic anhydride and propane oxidation to an acrolein/acrylic acid has been achieved
String Matching and 1d Lattice Gases
We calculate the probability distributions for the number of occurrences
of a given letter word in a random string of letters. Analytical
expressions for the distribution are known for the asymptotic regimes (i) (Gaussian) and such that is finite
(Compound Poisson). However, it is known that these distributions do now work
well in the intermediate regime . We show that the
problem of calculating the string matching probability can be cast into a
determining the configurational partition function of a 1d lattice gas with
interacting particles so that the matching probability becomes the
grand-partition sum of the lattice gas, with the number of particles
corresponding to the number of matches. We perform a virial expansion of the
effective equation of state and obtain the probability distribution. Our result
reproduces the behavior of the distribution in all regimes. We are also able to
show analytically how the limiting distributions arise. Our analysis builds on
the fact that the effective interactions between the particles consist of a
relatively strong core of size , the word length, followed by a weak,
exponentially decaying tail. We find that the asymptotic regimes correspond to
the case where the tail of the interactions can be neglected, while in the
intermediate regime they need to be kept in the analysis. Our results are
readily generalized to the case where the random strings are generated by more
complicated stochastic processes such as a non-uniform letter probability
distribution or Markov chains. We show that in these cases the tails of the
effective interactions can be made even more dominant rendering thus the
asymptotic approximations less accurate in such a regime.Comment: 44 pages and 8 figures. Major revision of previous version. The
lattice gas analogy has been worked out in full, including virial expansion
and equation of state. This constitutes the main part of the paper now.
Connections with existing work is made and references should be up to date
now. To be submitted for publicatio
The H1 Forward Proton Spectrometer at HERA
The forward proton spectrometer is part of the H1 detector at the HERA
collider. Protons with energies above 500 GeV and polar angles below 1 mrad can
be detected by this spectrometer. The main detector components are
scintillating fiber detectors read out by position-sensitive photo-multipliers.
These detectors are housed in so-called Roman Pots which allow them to be moved
close to the circulating proton beam. Four Roman Pot stations are located at
distances between 60 m and 90 m from the interaction point.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Nucl.Instr.and Method
Molecular Mechanism of Capacitative Calcium Entry Deficits in Familial Alzheimerâs Disease
Poster PresentationPresenilin (PS) is the catalytic subunit of the gamma-secretase which is responsible for the cleavage of
amyloid precursor protein to form beta amyloid (AÎČ). Mutations in PS associated with familial
Alzheimerâs disease (FAD) increase the AÎČ plaques formation in the brain and cause neurodegeneration.
Apart from this, FAD-linked PS mutations have been demonstrated to disrupt intracellular calcium (Ca2+)
regulation. Accumulating evidence suggests that Ca2+ disruption may play a proximal role in the AD
pathogenesis. Mutant PS exaggerated Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It also attenuated
Ca2+ entry through the capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) pathway, yet, the mechanism is not fully understood.
Using a human neuroblast cell line SH-SY5Y and Ca2+ imaging technique, we observed CCE deficits in
FAD-linked PS1-M146L retroviral infected cell. The attenuation of CCE in PS1 mutant cells was not
mediated by the down-regulation of STIM1 and Orai1 expression, the known essential molecular players
in the CCE pathway. Instead, we identified a molecular interaction between PS and STIM1 proteins by
immunoprecipitation. On the other hand, immunofluorescence staining showed a significant reduction in
puncta formation after ER Ca2+ depleted by thapsigargin in cells infected with PS1-M146L as compared to
the wild type PS1 infected cells. Taken together, our results suggest a molecular mechanism for the CCE
deficits in FAD associated with PS1 mutations. The interaction of mutant PS1 with STIM1 exerts a
negative impact on its oligomerization and/or its interaction with Orai1. Our results may suggest molecular
targets for the development of therapeutic agents that help to treat the disease.published_or_final_versio
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