Novel gating mechanism of polyamine block in the strong inward rectifier K channel Kir2.1.

Inward rectifying K channels are essential for maintaining resting membrane potential and regulating excitability in many cell types. Previous studies have attributed the rectification properties of strong inward rectifiers such as Kir2.1 to voltage-dependent binding of intracellular polyamines or Mg to the pore (direct open channel block), thereby preventing outward passage of K ions. We have studied interactions between polyamines and the polyamine toxins philanthotoxin and argiotoxin on inward rectification in Kir2.1. We present evidence that high affinity polyamine block is not consistent with direct open channel block, but instead involves polyamines binding to another region of the channel (intrinsic gate) to form a blocking complex that occludes the pore. This interaction defines a novel mechanism of ion channel closure

Centralised Versus Market-Based Control Under Environment Uncertainty: Case of the Mobile Task Allocation Problem (MTAP)

This paper aims at comparing the centralised versus the market-based approach. This is done in the context of the mobile task allocation problem (MTAP) from the perspective of environmental uncertainty. MTAP is defined as an optimization problem for planning the assignment of service tasks to mobile workers. Environmental uncertainty is introduced through the injection of stochastic tasks and dynamic travel delays. A multi-agent simulator is employed to experiment the behaviour of each approach in reaction to different uncertainty levels. Preliminary results suggest a tentative conceptual model to evaluate the suitability of each approach to address MTAP in function of uncertainty. It is suggested that uncertainty’s effect on achieved performance is moderated by the timeliness of decision making, workers’ degree of local knowledge, and problem’s complexity and size

Metallicities of galaxies in the nearby Lynx-Cancer void

Does the void environment have a sizable effect on the evolution of dwarf galaxies? If yes, the best probes should be the most fragile least massive dwarfs. We compiled a sample of about one hundred dwarfs with M_B in the range -12 to -18 mag, falling within the nearby Lynx-Cancer void. The goal is to study their evolutionary parameters -- gas metallicity and gas mass-fraction, and to address the epoch of the first substantial episode of Star Formation. Here we present and discuss the results of O/H measurements in 38 void galaxies, among which several the most metal-poor galaxies are found with the oxygen abundances of 12+log(O/H)=7.12-7.3 dex.Comment: 2 pages, one figure. To appear in proceedings of 'Environment and the Formation of Galaxies: 30 years later,' (Lisbon, September 2010), published by Springer-Verla

More Elementary Version of "Typographic Revision of The Invariant Subspace Problem arXiv:2002.11533v5 [math.GM]"

This is an elementary refinement of [9], not resorting to quasitriangularity.Comment: I thank deeply Prof. John Ernest (my Ph.D. Thesis advisor), Prof. Charles Akemann in UCSB and my wife Soon Hee Ki

Nurse Practitioners\u27 Attitudes and Knowledge Toward CPT Coding

This survey of nurse practitioners (NPs) determined their knowledge and attitudes regarding Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Overall, NPs lacked the requisite knowledge and did not perceive the significance of this essential reimbursement strategy

Effects of Light Intensity and Daylength on Growth and Flowering of Siam Tulip (Curcuma Alismatifolia Var Chiangmai Pink)

Three studies were conducted to produce high quality potted and cut flowers of Curcuma alismatifolia var Chiangmai Pink, to develop a production protocol for the future use of commercial field growers and to introduce this species as a new ornamental crop to further enhance the lucrative floriculture industry in Malaysia. The morphological changes during flowering were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. In addition, influences of light intensity and daylength on flowering of Curcuma alismatifolia var Chiangmai Pink were investigated in two separate experiments. The objectives of the first study were to study the morphology, inflorescence initiation and flower development of C. alismatifolia using scanning electron microscopy and also to develop a time line of flowering of the crop. The observation from this study showed that the inflorescence was a mixed inflorescence called the thyrse, the main axis was indeterminate and secondary axis was determinate. Apex of the main axis produced primary bracts continuously. The flowers consisted of a gamosepalous calyx, three petals, a polliniferous stamen, a labellum developed from two petaloid staminodes, two lateral petaloid staminodes and a pistil. Ovary and ovules developed in a trilocular style with axial placentation. Initiation and development of the inflorescences can be best described with the number of leaves on the plant. The vegetative stage occurred at 1-4 leaves stage where as the flowering stage was at 5-6 leaves stage. For study two, the objective was to determine the effects of shading on the growth and flower development of Curcuma alismatifolia. Four levels of shading consisting of T1 (0% shade, without using black net), T2 (30% shade), T3 (50% shade) and T4 (70% shade) were used. The average light intensity measured was T1 (1108 mol m-2s-1), T2 (645.32 mol m-2s-1), T3 (402.08 mol m-2s-1) and T4 (296.86 mol m-2s-1). Increasing shade levels increased plant height and flower stalk length of C. alismatifolia. Manipulation of shade levels in cultivation of this species is especially important where 30% shade seemed to be the most suitable for pot flower production. For cut flower production, 70% shade are more suitable with 82.70 cm tall plants and produced flower stalk of 78 cm. In terms of flower quality, plants of 30% shade were the best in the aspect of flower colour, size and more turgid peduncle. Postproduction productivity was also the longest at 43 days. Hence, production of potted and cut flowers of Curcuma alismatifolia using shade level of 30% for the former and 70% for the latter would hasten plants production for commercial purposes The objective of the last study was to study the effect of daylength on the performance of Curcuma alismatifolia in Malaysia. Rhizomes of C. alismatifolia var Chiangmai Pink were grown under five treatments of long days at 12 hour (control), 14 hour, 16 hour, 18 hour and 20 hour. Treatments were supplemental lighting with incandescent bulb of 0 hr, 2 hr, 4 hr, 6 hr and 8 hr after 1900 hr. The study showed that 16 hr photoperiod produced the best growth rate. Plants at 16 hour also gave the best quality flowers with suitable plant height as potted plants, uniform flowering and also intense flower colour. Inflorescence length of Curcuma alismatifolia under this treatment also was the best size with 11.85 cm. Inflorescences of control were too short with less true flowers and shorter bracts where as inflorescences of plants under 20 hour were too long and thin with smaller true flowers. Post production of Curcuma alismatifolia under 16 hour were at 43 days. Introduction of this species as a new flowering potted and cut flower in Malaysia will be very promising as Curcuma alismatifolia is easy to grow with manipulation of shade levels and daylength. This plant species also require less maintenance as it has few pest and diseases problems. Future study on the vase life of the cut flower of Curcuma alismatifolia var Chiangmai Pink, the study on the dormancy, post harvest technology and storage condition for the rhizome of Curcuma alismatifolia should also be conducted to further enhance the growth and flowering of this species for commercial production

Regional disparities in healthy eating and nutritional status in South Korea: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Concerns about regional disparities in heathy eating and nutritional status among South Korean adults are increasing. This study aims to identify the magnitude of regional disparities in diet and nutritional status among Korean adults who completed the 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). SUBJECTS/METHODS: The participants were a nationally representative sample of Korean adults aged 19 years and older from the 2017 KNHANES (n = 6,126). We employed the svy commands in STATA to accommodate the complex survey design. The relative concentration index (RCI), absolute concentration index (ACI) and index of disparity were used to measure regional nutritional inequalities. RESULTS: Overweight and obese adults were more prevalent among the poor than among the rich in urban areas (RCI = -0.041; CONCLUSIONS: This study provides useful information identifying opposite directions in the relative concentration curves between urban and rural areas. Adult overweight/obesity was more prevalent among the poor in urban areas, while adult overweight/obesity was more prevalent among the rich in rural areas. Public health nutrition systems should be implemented to identify nutritional inequalities that should be targeted across regions in South Korea

Energy and system size dependence of charged particle elliptic flow and v_2/\eps scaling

We report measurements of charged particle elliptic flow %($v_2$) at mid-rapidity in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62$ and 200 GeV. Using correlations between main STAR TPC and Forward TPCs ensures minimal bias due to non-flow effects. We further investigate the effect of flow fluctuations on v_2/\eps scaling studying initial geometry eccentricity fluctuations in Monte-Carlo Glauber model, consistent with STAR direct measurements of elliptic flow fluctuations. It is found that accounting for the effect of flow fluctuations improves v_2/\eps scaling.Comment: 4 pages, Quark Matter 2006 proceeding

Mergers of binary stars: The ultimate heavy-ion experience

The mergers of black hole-neutron star binaries are calcuated using a pseudo-general relativistic potential that incorporates ${\mathcal O}(v^2/c^2)^3$ post-Newtonian corrections. Both normal matter neutron stars and self-bound strange quark matter stars are considered as black hole partners. As long as the neutron stars are not too massive relative to the black hole mass, orbital decay terminates in stable mass transfer rather than an actual merger. For a normal neutron star, mass transfer results in a widening of the orbit but the stable transfer ends before the minimum neutron star mass is reached. For a strange star, mass transfer does not result in an appreciable enlargement of the orbital separation, and the stable transfer continues until the strange star essentially disappears. These differences might be observable through their respective gravitational wave signatures.Comment: Contribution to QM04 proceedings. Submitted to Journal of Physics

Cdk5 Phosphorylates Dopamine D2 Receptor and Attenuates Downstream Signaling

The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) is a key receptor that mediates dopamine-associated brain functions such as mood, reward, and emotion. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase whose function has been implicated in the brain reward circuit. In this study, we revealed that the serine 321 residue (S321) in the third intracellular loop of DRD2 (D2i3) is a novel regulatory site of Cdk5. Cdk5-dependent phosphorylation of S321 in the D2i3 was observed in in vitro and cell culture systems. We further observed that the phosphorylation of S321 impaired the agonist-stimulated surface expression of DRD2 and decreased G protein coupling to DRD2. Moreover, the downstream cAMP pathway was affected in the heterologous system and in primary neuronal cultures from p35 knockout embryos likely due to the reduced inhibitory activity of DRD2. These results indicate that Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of S321 inhibits DRD2 function, providing a novel regulatory mechanism for dopamine signaling.X111111sciescopu