A Nonpolymorphic Class I Gene in the Murine Major Histocompatibility Complex

DNA sequence analysis of a class I gene (QlO), which maps to the Qa2,3 locus in the C57BL/lO (H- 2b haplotype) mouse, reveals that it is almost identical to a cDNA clone (pH16) isolated from a SWR/J (H-2q haplotype) mouse liver cDNA library. Exon 5, in particular, has an unusual structure such that a polypeptide product is unlikely to be anchored in the cell membrane. Our findings suggest that the two sequences are derived from allelic class I genes, which are nonpolymorphic, in contrast to H-2K allelic sequences from the same mice, and they may encode liver-specific polypeptides of unknown function. Our previous studies indicate that the QlO gene is a potential donor gene for the generation of mutations at the H-2K locus by inter-gene transfer of genetic information. Thus the lack of polymorphism in class I genes at the QlO locus implies either that they are not recipients for such exchanges or that selective pressure prevents the accumulation of mutations in genes at this locus

Measurement techniques for cryogenic Ka-band microstrip antennas

The measurement of cryogenic antennas poses unique logistical problems since the antenna under test must be embedded in a cooling chamber. A method of measuring the performance of cryogenic microstrip antennas using a closed cycle gas cooled refrigerator in a far field range is described. Antenna patterns showing the performance of gold and superconducting Ka-band microstrip antennas at various temperatures are presented

An Investigation into Quantifying Micron-G Changes in a Gravitational Field of 1G

This project called for the development of an accelerometer designed to be used in conjunction with gravity shielding experiments. The device had to measure local gravitational changes on the order of a few micro-G's (micron-G) with a spatial resolution greater than one measurement per ten square centimeters. Measurements had to be made at a minimum rate of two per second. Tasks included the design, development and demonstration of a prototype. The deliverable consisted of three copies of this final report. The study resulted in the development of a Transversely Suspended Accelerometer (TSA) which met all of the technical specifications. Different generations of the device were demonstrated to NASA/MSFC personnel as they were developed. The final prototype is available for further demonstration and future use. The study draws attention to the fact that the magnetic fields required to produce gravitational shielding may result in apparent decreases in the weights of suspended objects on the order of those attributed to the effect itself. This observation reinforces the need to quantify the influences of the magnetic field on any measurement device used to study gravitational shielding. This task was accomplished for the TSA

Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act: Bringing Commercial Law into the 21st Century

The e-commerce revolution has redefined the way business is transacted everywhere. Meanwhile, the body of commercial law lags behind the fast pace of technological changes and has yet to effectively address the numerous issues presented by radical changes in the world of commerce such as electronic contracts, electronic signatures, shrinkwrap agreements, and click-wrap agreements. In an effort to establish the Commonwealth of Virginia as a national leader on this subject, in 2000 the Virginia General Assembly passed the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act ( UCITA ). UCITA legislation has been introduced in a handful of other states but the only other state that has passed UCITA is Maryland. By all accounts it is too early to tell whether these laws will meet the needs of the business community in this era of high technology and whether they will be effective if only passed by a limited number of states

Effect of Electrically Mediated Intratumor and Intramuscular Delivery of a Plasmid Encoding IFN α on Visible B16 Mouse Melanomas

Interferon α may be used as a single agent therapy for metastatic malignant melanoma or as an adjuvant to chemotherapy. Delivery of interferon α by gene therapy offers an alternative to recombinant protein therapy. Electrically mediated delivery enhances plasmid expression in a number of tissues, for instance skin, liver, muscle and tumors including melanomas. Here we compare the effect of delivery of a plasmid encoding mouse interferon α on growth of visible B16 mouse melanomas following electrically mediated delivery to muscle or directly to the tumor. Intratumoral delivery of interferon α plasmid not only slows melanoma growth, but induces complete, long term, regression. This effect was not observed after intramuscular delivery

Complementary Patents and Market Structure

Many high technology goods are based on standards that require several essential patents owned by different IP holders. This gives rise to a complements and a double mark-up problem. We compare the welfare effects of two different business strategies dealing with these problems. Vertical integration of an IP holder and a downstream producer solves the double mark-up problem between these firms. Nevertheless, it may raise royalty rates and reduce output as compared to non-integration. Horizontal integration of IP holders solves the complements problem but not the double mark-up problem. Vertical integration discourages entry and reduces innovation incentives, while horizontal integration always benefits from entry and innovatio

The Metal-Poor Halo of the Andromeda Spiral Galaxy (M31)

We present spectroscopic observations of red giant branch (RGB) stars over a large expanse in the halo of the Andromeda spiral galaxy (M31), acquired with the DEIMOS instrument on the Keck II 10-m telescope. Using a combination of five photometric/spectroscopic diagnostics -- (1) radial velocity, (2) intermediate-width DDO51 photometry, (3) Na I equivalent width (surface gravity sensitive), (4) position in the color-magnitude diagram, and (5) comparison between photometric and spectroscopic [Fe/H] estimates -- we isolate over 250 bona fide M31 bulge and halo RGB stars located in twelve fields ranging from R = 12-165kpc from the center of M31 (47 of these stars are halo members with R > 60 kpc). We derive the photometric and spectroscopic metallicity distribution function of M31 RGB stars in each of these fields. The mean of the resulting M31 spheroid (bulge and halo) metallicity distribution is found to be systematically more metal-poor with increasing radius, shifting from = -0.47+/-0.03 (sigma = 0.39) at R = -0.94+/-0.06 (sigma = 0.60) at R ~ 30 kpc to = -1.26+/-0.10 (sigma = 0.72) at R > 60 kpc, assuming [alpha/Fe] = 0.0. These results indicate the presence of a metal-poor RGB population at large radial distances out to at least R = 160 kpc, thereby supporting our recent discovery of a stellar halo in M31: its halo and bulge (defined as the structural components with R^{-2} power law and de Vaucouleurs R^{1/4} law surface brightness profiles, respectively) are shown to have distinct metallicity distributions. If we assume an alpha-enhancement of [alpha/Fe] = +0.3 for M31's halo, we derive = -1.5+/-0.1 (sigma = 0.7). Therefore, the mean metallicity and metallicity spread of this newly found remote M31 RGB population are similar to those of the Milky Way halo.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ on May 4th, 2006 (submitted on Jan 30, 2006). 16 pages, 13 figures, 3 table

Lowest Open Channels, Bound States, and Narrow Resonances of Dipositronium

The constraints imposed by symmetry on the open channels of dipositronium has been studied, and the symmetry-adapted lowest open channel of each quantum state has been identified. Based on this study, the existence of two more 0^+ bound states has been theoretically confirmed, and a 0^+ narrow resonance has been predicted. A variational calculation has been performed to evaluate the critical strength of the repulsive interaction . Two 0^- states are found to have their critical strengths very close to 1, they are considered as candidates of new narrow resonances or loosely bound states .Comment: 10 pages, 0 figure

Primary physical education, coaches and continuing professional development

This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Sport, Education and Society, 16(4), 485 - 505, 2011, copyright @ Taylor & Francis, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13573322.2011.589645.Physical education (PE) in primary schools has traditionally been taught by qualified primary teachers. More recently, some teaching of PE in primary schools has been undertaken by coaches (mostly football coaches). These coaches hold national governing body awards but do not hold teaching qualifications. Thus, coaches may not be adequately prepared to teach PE in curriculum time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceptions of a group of community-based football coaches working in primary schools for the impact of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme on their ability to undertake ‘specified work’ to cover PE in primary schools. The programme focused on four areas identified as important to enable coaches to cover specified work: short- and medium-term planning, pedagogy, knowledge of the curriculum and reflection. Results showed that for the majority of coaches the CPD programme had made them more aware of the importance of these four areas and had helped to develop their knowledge and ability to put this into practice in covering planning, preparation and assessment time. However, further input is still required to develop coaches’ knowledge and understanding in all four areas, but especially their curriculum knowledge, as well as their ability to put these into practice consistently. These findings are discussed in relation to the implications of employing coaches to cover the teaching of PE in primary schools and, if employed, what CPD coaches need to develop the necessary knowledge, skill and understanding for covering specified work in schools

Predictive Neural Computations Support Spoken Word Recognition: Evidence from MEG and Competitor Priming.

Human listeners achieve quick and effortless speech comprehension through computations of conditional probability using Bayes rule. However, the neural implementation of Bayesian perceptual inference remains unclear. Competitive-selection accounts (e.g., TRACE) propose that word recognition is achieved through direct inhibitory connections between units representing candidate words that share segments (e.g., hygiene and hijack share /haidʒ/). Manipulations that increase lexical uncertainty should increase neural responses associated with word recognition when words cannot be uniquely identified. In contrast, predictive-selection accounts (e.g., Predictive-Coding) propose that spoken word recognition involves comparing heard and predicted speech sounds and using prediction error to update lexical representations. Increased lexical uncertainty in words, such as hygiene and hijack, will increase prediction error and hence neural activity only at later time points when different segments are predicted. We collected MEG data from male and female listeners to test these two Bayesian mechanisms and used a competitor priming manipulation to change the prior probability of specific words. Lexical decision responses showed delayed recognition of target words (hygiene) following presentation of a neighboring prime word (hijack) several minutes earlier. However, this effect was not observed with pseudoword primes (higent) or targets (hijure). Crucially, MEG responses in the STG showed greater neural responses for word-primed words after the point at which they were uniquely identified (after /haidʒ/ in hygiene) but not before while similar changes were again absent for pseudowords. These findings are consistent with accounts of spoken word recognition in which neural computations of prediction error play a central role.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Effective speech perception is critical to daily life and involves computations that combine speech signals with prior knowledge of spoken words (i.e., Bayesian perceptual inference). This study specifies the neural mechanisms that support spoken word recognition by testing two distinct implementations of Bayes perceptual inference. Most established theories propose direct competition between lexical units such that inhibition of irrelevant candidates leads to selection of critical words. Our results instead support predictive-selection theories (e.g., Predictive-Coding): by comparing heard and predicted speech sounds, neural computations of prediction error can help listeners continuously update lexical probabilities, allowing for more rapid word identification