Using structural motifs to identify proteins with DNA binding function

This work describes a method for predicting DNA binding function from structure using 3-dimensional templates. Proteins that bind DNA using small contiguous helix¿turn¿helix (HTH) motifs comprise a significant number of all DNA-binding proteins. A structural template library of seven HTH motifs has been created from non-homologous DNA-binding proteins in the Protein Data Bank. The templates were used to scan complete protein structures using an algorithm that calculated the root mean squared deviation (rmsd) for the optimal superposition of each template on each structure, based on Ca backbone coordinates. Distributions of rmsd values for known HTH-containing proteins (true hits) and non-HTH proteins (false hits) were calculated. A threshold value of 1.6 Å rmsd was selected that gave a true hit rate of 88.4% and a false positive rate of 0.7%. The false positive rate was further reduced to 0.5% by introducing an accessible surface area threshold value of 990 Å2 per HTH motif. The template library and the validated thresholds were used to make predictions for target proteins from a structural genomics project

Impact of chemical structure of flavanol monomers and condensed tannins on in vitro anthelmintic activity against bovine nematodes

Plants containing condensed tannins (CT) may have potential to control gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of cattle. The aim was to investigate the anthelmintic activities of four flavan-3-ols, two galloyl derivatives and 14 purified CT fractions, and to define which structural features of CT determine the anti-parasitic effects against the main cattle nematodes. We used in vitro tests targeting L1 larvae (feeding inhibition assay) and adults (motility assay) of Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora. In the larval feeding inhibition assay, O. ostertagi L1 were significantly more susceptible to all CT fractions than C. oncophora L1. The mean degree of polymerization of CT (i.e. average size) was the most important structural parameter: large CT reduced larval feeding more than small CT. The flavan-3-ols of prodelphinidin (PD)-type tannins had a stronger negative influence on parasite activity than the stereochemistry, i.e. cis- vs trans-configurations, or the presence of a gallate group. In contrast, for C. oncophora high reductions in the motility of larvae and adult worms were strongly related with a higher percentage of PDs within the CT fractions while there was no effect of size. Overall, the size and the percentage of PDs within CT seemed to be the most important parameters that influence anti-parasitic activity

Flight Validation of a Metrics Driven L(sub 1) Adaptive Control

The paper addresses initial steps involved in the development and flight implementation of new metrics driven L1 adaptive flight control system. The work concentrates on (i) definition of appropriate control driven metrics that account for the control surface failures; (ii) tailoring recently developed L1 adaptive controller to the design of adaptive flight control systems that explicitly address these metrics in the presence of control surface failures and dynamic changes under adverse flight conditions; (iii) development of a flight control system for implementation of the resulting algorithms onboard of small UAV; and (iv) conducting a comprehensive flight test program that demonstrates performance of the developed adaptive control algorithms in the presence of failures. As the initial milestone the paper concentrates on the adaptive flight system setup and initial efforts addressing the ability of a commercial off-the-shelf AP with and without adaptive augmentation to recover from control surface failures

Mutt & Jeff Divorced

Cartoon style illustration of two men with mustaches. One is wearing a top hat while the other is wearing a fedora.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/cht-sheet-music/1433/thumbnail.jp

Trajectories of self-rated health in people with diabetes: Associations with functioning in a prospective community sample

© 2013 Schmitz et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Background: Self-rated health (SRH) is a single-item measure that is one of the most widely used measures of general health in population health research. Relatively little is known about changes and the trajectories of SRH in people with chronic medical conditions. The aims of the present study were to identify and describe longitudinal trajectories of self-rated health (SRH) status in people with diabetes. Methods: A prospective community study was carried out between 2008 and 2011. SRH was assessed at baseline and yearly at follow-ups (n=1288). Analysis was carried out through trajectory modeling. The trajectory groups were subsequently compared at 4 years follow-up with respect to functioning. Results: Four distinct trajectories of SRH were identified: 1) 72.2% of the participants were assigned to a persistently good SRH trajectory; 2) 10.1% were assigned to a persistently poor SRH trajectory; 3) mean SRH scores changed from good to poor for one group (7.3%); while 4) mean SRH scores changed from poor to medium/good for another group (10.4%). Those with a persistently poor perception of health status were at higher risk for poor functioning at 4 years follow-up than those whose SRH scores decreased from good to poor. Conclusions: SRH is an important predictor for poor functioning in diabetes, but the trajectory of SRH seems to be even more important. Health professionals should pay attention to not only SRH per se, but also changes in SRH over time.This work was supported by Operating Grant MOP-84574 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). GG was supported by a doctoral fellowship from the CIHR. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

The Ursinus Weekly, April 23, 1951

Students elect Hartzel, Hall, Ely, Landis: Women\u27s government, YM-YWCA, WAA choose new organization heads • Drs. Armstrong, Mattern, Baker to be speakers • Pa. Dutch film scheduled for benefit show • Nancy Bare and Jackie Keller to share big Arsenic role • Six juniors receive Cub and Key memberships for outstanding work • Lantern deadline set for Friday • Barbara Crawford crowned queen of Junior Prom; 4 attendants named • Editorials: Nominations open; Voting results analyzed • French situation reversed • Truman vs MacArthur • Letters to the editor • Weekly back issues yield untold wealth of pertinent advertisements • Recordak machine aids in library efficiency • Posting of exams recalls looming fate of students • Baseball field dedicated in honor of Dr. John Price • Girls\u27 tennis team downs Swarthmore for second victory • Curtis takes lead in intramural loop • Netmen lose opener to Haverford; Girls triumph over Chestnut Hill, 4-1 • Bears defeat Pharmacy to gain initial triumph, 14-5 • Bears defeat Haverford for second victory, 7-5 • Tennis team wins first court game • Cumpstone breaks own javelin mark as Grizzlies lose • Curtain Club levies charge for using stage materials • Freshmen, Sophs announce picnic at Island Grove • Blood donors must register, get permission if under-age • Dr. Phillips reads unknown Kipling short story to group • Curtain Club to elect • Varsity Club show ready for production Friday night • Red Cross to sponsor water safety instructor\u27s course • Seniors plan picnic • French Club gives recital featuring pianists, vocalists • Newman Club film slated • Nels Fellman elected head of Delta Pi Sigma frathttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1566/thumbnail.jp

Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration allows accurate diagnosis of mycobacterial disease in HIV-positive patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy

BACKGROUND : Abdominal lymphadenopathy in HIV remains a challenge due to inaccessibility of lymph nodes and multitude of causes. The diagnostic yield of EUS FNA in HIV-infected patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy in the setting of high tuberculosis (TB) prevalence was assessed. METHODS : Prospective cohort study was conducted in tertiary referral centres recruiting symptomatic HIV+ patients (N=31, mean age 38.5 years, mean CD4 count 124 cells/μl, WHO stage 3-4 with abdominal lymphadenopathy. EUS was performed to assess lymph node characteristics and FNA aspirate subjected to cytological analysis, microbial culture and PCR. RESULTS : EUS appearance of lymph nodes was highly variable. Mycobacterial infections were the most common cause of lymphadenopathy in this cohort. Of the 31 patients 21/31 67.7 % had mycobacterial infections; 17 (80.9 %) of these were tuberculosis. Cytology failed to identify 23.8% and culture 38.1% of cases. PCR identified 16/17 (94.1%) of these cases. EUS-FNA altered the management of more than half of the patients. CONCLUSIONS : Mycobacterial disease was the commonest cause of lymphadenopathy in HIV but a third of patients had reactive lymphadenopathy. By combining the appearance of EUS FNA and cytological aspirate we could develop a diagnostic algorithm with a high PPV and NPV to identify patients in whom further analysis with PCR would be useful. PCR was highly accurate in confirming mycobacterial disease and determining genotypic drug resistance.South African Gastroenterological Society (SAGES)/Astra Zeneca Fellowship in Gastroenterologyhttp://www.journals.elsevier.com/ultrasound-in-medicine-and-biology/hb201