Lifting Slepton Masses with a Non-universal, Non-anomalous U(1)'_{NAF} in Anomaly Mediated SUSY breaking

We extend the Minimum Supersymmetry Standard Model by a non-anomalous family (NAF) U(1)'_{NAF} gauge symmetry. All gauge anomalies are cancelled with no additional exotics other than the three right-handed neutrinos. The FI D-terms associated with the U(1)'_{NAF} symmetry lead to additional positive contributions to slepton squared masses. In a RG invariant way, this thus solves the tachyonic slepton mass problem in Anomaly Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking. In addition, the U (1)'_{NAF} symmetry naturally gives rise to the fermion mass hierarchy and mixing angles, and determines the mass spectrum of the sparticles.Comment: 13 pages; v2: version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Epiphytic and Endophytic Fungi from Marine Organisms: Isolation, Bioassay and Taxonomy

In the search for new marine derived antibiotics, 43 epi- and endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the surface or the inner tissue of different marine plants and invertebrates. Through preliminary and secondary screening, 10 of them were found to be able to produce broad-spectrum antimicrobial metabolites. By morphological and molecular biological methods, three active strains were characterized to be Penicillium glabrum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Alternaria alternata

DETERMINATION OF THE THINNING PERIOD BY DENDROCHRONOLOGICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS IN UNMANAGED STAND OF Ocotea porosa

Plantios comerciais de Ocotea porosa dispon\uedveis para estudo s\ue3o raros e por esse motivo devem ser usados como fonte de informa\ue7\ue3o para se estabelecer o potencial de manejo da esp\ue9cie. A recupera\ue7\ue3o do hist\uf3rico do crescimento desses povoamentos para estrutura\ue7\ue3o dos planos de manejo \ue9 poss\uedvel com o uso da t\ue9cnica da dendrocronologia e a an\ue1lise de dados dendrom\ue9tricos e morfom\ue9tricos. O objetivo desse trabalho foi utilizar ferramentas de an\ue1lise de povoamentos florestais aliadas aos estudos dendrocronol\uf3gicos, para recuperar e sistematizar o desenvolvimento de povoamento n\ue3o manejado. O trabalho foi conduzido em um povoamento n\ue3o manejado de imbuia, com 44 anos, em Rio Negro - PR, na Esta\ue7\ue3o Experimental da UFPR. Infer\ueancias do crescimento recuperado por dendrocronologia, e competi\ue7\ue3o pela aplica\ue7\ue3o de metodologias como \uedndice de abrang\ueancia e de proje\ue7\ue3o de copa mostraram resultados compat\uedveis na an\ue1lise do povoamento, indicando necessidade de primeiro desbaste pr\uf3ximo aos 12 anos. Em fun\ue7\ue3o do pequeno n\ufamero de \ue1rvores amostradas, os resultados n\ue3o permitem generaliza\ue7\uf5es definitivas, entretanto, s\ue3o consistentes para estabelecer um protocolo para an\ue1lise de povoamentos n\ue3o manejados de Ocotea porosa, assim como de outras esp\ue9cies.Commercial plantations of Ocotea porosa available for studying are scarce and therefore should be used as a source of information to establish the potential for management of the species in plantations, even if these evaluations were not been held along the stand development. The recovery of the historical growth of these stands to optimize the management plans is possible by dendrochronology and by the analysis of morphometric and dendrometric data. The aim of this study was to use stand analysis tools, combined with the dendrochronological studies, to recover and to systematize the development of unmanaged stands. The study was conducted in an unmanaged stand of Ocotea porosa, with with 44 years of age in Rio Negro, PR state, in a UFPR research station. Growth inferences recovered by dendrochronology and the competition by the application of methodologies such as rate of coverage and crown cover rate showed consistent results in the analysis of population, indicating the need for a first thinning near 12 years old. Due to the small number of sampled trees, the results do not allow any definitive generalization. However, they are consistent to establish an analysis protocol for unmanaged stands of Ocotea porosa or other species

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF GIANT BAMBOO ( Dendrocalamus giganteus Wall. ex Munro) AT DIFFERENT AGES

O bambu \ue9 uma planta monocotiled\uf4nea de origem tropical, de r\ue1pido crescimento, sendo considerado um importante regenerador ambiental devido ao seu sistema radicular. O Dendrocalamus giganteus \ue9 popularmente conhecido por bambu-gigante, sendo uma esp\ue9cie entouceirante de grande porte, cujos colmos podem variar de 24 a 40 metros de altura, com di\ue2metros entre 10 e 20 cm. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo analisar quimicamente os colmos do bambu-gigante visando fornecer informa\ue7\uf5es sobre a sua composi\ue7\ue3o qu\uedmica nas idades de 2 a 6 anos. Os colmos do bambu foram coletados na \ue1rea Experimental Agr\uedcola do Departamento de Engenharia Mec\ue2nica da UNESP-Bauru, onde \ue9 realizado o manejo sistem\ue1tico de diversas esp\ue9cies de bambu para fins de pesquisas e divulga\ue7\ue3o dessa planta. Foram retiradas amostras da base entre bambus com idade de 2 a 6 anos de uma mesma touceira, totalizando 5 amostras, com 2 metros de altura cada, colhidas na lua minguante no m\ueas de mar\ue7o. As an\ue1lises qu\uedmicas foram feitas com os entren\uf3s, utilizando as normas e procedimentos da TAPPI. A porcentagem m\ue9dia de extrativos em \ue1gua quente, extrativos em \ue1gua fria, extrativos totais e teor de cinzas n\ue3o apresentaram rela\ue7\ue3o direta com a idade. A maior porcentagem de extrativos em \ue1gua quente, com valor de 12,04%, extrativos em \ue1gua fria, com 10,25%, e extrativos totais, com 12,91%, foi observada aos 2 anos de idade. A maior porcentagem de cinzas foi obtida aos tr\ueas anos, com valores de 1,09%. O teor m\ue9dio de extrativos em NaOH diminui de 25,72% aos dois anos para 20,17% aos seis anos de idade. O mesmo comportamento foi observado para os extrativos em etanol tolueno, diminuindo de 10,91% para 4,61%. O teor m\ue9dio de lignina n\ue3o sofreu influ\ueancia da idade, variando de 22,66 a 24,11%.Bamboo is a monocotyledon of tropical origin which grows fast and is considered an important environment regenerator because of its root system. Dendrocalamus giganteus is popular learned by giant bamboo, being a big bush species, its culms can be from 24 to 40 meters high, with diameters from 10 and 20 centimeters. This work had the objective of a chemical analysis from giant bamboo to aim at giving information from its chemical composition from 2 to 6 years of age. Bamboo culms were collected in the Agriculture Experimental area of the Mechanical Engineering Department of UNESP \u2013 Bauru, where it is carried out the systematic handling from different bamboo species to this plant research and divulgation. Samples from base were collected from 2 and 6 years in the same bush, in total of 5 samples, with 2 high meters each, cropped in March, half moon. Chemical analysis was done with internodes using TAPPI Methods. The average percentage extractives from hot water, cool water, total extractives and ash content were not related to the age. The major percentage of hot water extractives, with values of 12.04%, cold water extractives, with 10.25%, and total extractives, with 12.91%, was observed by the age of two years. The major ash content was obtained on three years, with value of 1.09%. The mean value of NaOH extractives decreased from 25.72%, in two years, to 20.17% at six years old. The same behavior was observed for ethanol toluene extractives, decreasing from 10.91% to 4.61%. The mean lignin content was not influenced by age, varying from 22.66 to 24.11%

A graphene-based physiometer array for the analysis of single biological cells

A significant advantage of a graphene biosensor is that it inherently represents a continuum of independent and aligned sensor-units. We demonstrate a nanoscale version of a micro-physiometer – a device that measures cellular metabolic activity from the local acidification rate. Graphene functions as a matrix of independent pH sensors enabling subcellular detection of proton excretion. Raman spectroscopy shows that aqueous protons p-dope graphene – in agreement with established doping trajectories, and that graphene displays two distinct pKa values (2.9 and 14.2), corresponding to dopants physi- and chemisorbing to graphene respectively. The graphene physiometer allows micron spatial resolution and can differentiate immunoglobulin (IgG)-producing human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells from non-IgG-producing control cells. Population-based analyses allow mapping of phenotypic diversity, variances in metabolic activity, and cellular adhesion. Finally we show this platform can be extended to the detection of other analytes, e.g. dopamine. This work motivates the application of graphene as a unique biosensor for (sub)cellular interrogation.National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Cancer Center Support (Core) Grant P30-CA14051)U.S. Army Research LaboratoryUnited States. Army Research Office. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (Contract W911NF-13-D-0001)National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (U.S.) (Grant P41EB015871-27)Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technolog

A bacterial signal peptide is functional in plants and directs proteins to the secretory pathway

The Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LT-B) has been used as a model antigen for the production of plant-derived high-valued proteins in maize. LT-B with its native signal peptide (BSP) has been shown to accumulate in starch granules of transgenic maize kernels. To elucidate the targeting properties of the bacterial LT-B protein and BSP in plant systems, the subcellular localization of visual marker green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to LT-B and various combinations of signal peptides was examined in Arabidopsis protoplasts and transgenic maize. Biochemical analysis indicates that the LT-B::GFP fusion proteins can assemble and fold properly retaining both the antigenicity of LT-B and the fluorescing properties of GFP. Maize kernel fractionation revealed that transgenic lines carrying BSP result in recombinant protein association with fibre and starch fractions. Confocal microscopy analysis indicates that the fusion proteins accumulate in the endomembrane system of plant cells in a signal peptide-dependent fashion. This is the first report providing evidence of the ability of a bacterial signal peptide to target proteins to the plant secretory pathway. The results provide important insights for further understanding the heterologous protein trafficking mechanisms and for developing effective strategies in molecular farming

Two Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, α4β4 and α7, Show Differential Agonist Binding Modes

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric, neurotransmitter-gated ion channels responsible for rapid excitatory neurotransmission in the central and peripheral nervous systems, resulting in skeletal muscle tone and various cognitive effects in the brain. These complex proteins are activated by the endogenous neurotransmitter ACh as well as by nicotine and structurally related agonists. Activation and modulation of nAChRs has been implicated in the pathology of multiple neurological disorders, and as such, these proteins are established therapeutic targets. Here we use unnatural amino acid mutagenesis to examine the ligand binding mechanisms of two homologous neuronal nAChRs: the α4β4 and α7 receptors. Despite sequence identity among the residues that form the core of the agonist-binding site, we find that the α4β4 and α7 nAChRs employ different agonist-receptor binding interactions in this region. The α4β4 receptor utilizes a strong cation-π interaction to a conserved tryptophan (TrpB) of the receptor for both ACh and nicotine, and nicotine participates in a strong hydrogen bond with a backbone carbonyl contributed by TrpB. Interestingly, we find that the α7 receptor also employs a cation-π interaction for ligand recognition, but the site has moved to a different aromatic amino acid of the agonist-binding site depending on the agonist. ACh participates in a cation-π interaction with TyrA, whereas epibatidine participates in a cation-π interaction with TyrC2

Measurement of the Polarized Structure Function σLT′\sigma_{LT^\prime} for p(e⃗,e′p)πop(\vec{e},e'p)\pi^o in the Δ(1232)\Delta(1232) Resonance Region

The polarized longitudinal-transverse structure function $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ has been measured in the $\Delta(1232)$ resonance region at $Q^2=0.40$ and 0.65 GeV$^2$. Data for the $p(\vec e,e'p)\pi^o$ reaction were taken at Jefferson Lab with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) using longitudinally polarized electrons at an energy of 1.515 GeV. For the first time a complete angular distribution was measured, permitting the separation of different non-resonant amplitudes using a partial wave analysis. Comparison with previous beam asymmetry measurements at MAMI indicate a deviation from the predicted $Q^2$ dependence of $\sigma_{LT^{\prime}}$ using recent phenomenological models.Comment: 5 pages, LaTex, 4 eps figures: to be published in PRC/Rapid Communications. Version 2 has revised Q^2 analysi

First Measurement of Transferred Polarization in the Exclusive e p --> e' K+ Lambda Reaction

The first measurements of the transferred polarization for the exclusive ep --> e'K+ Lambda reaction have been performed in Hall B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility using the CLAS spectrometer. A 2.567 GeV electron beam was used to measure the hyperon polarization over a range of Q2 from 0.3 to 1.5 (GeV/c)2, W from 1.6 to 2.15 GeV, and over the full center-of-mass angular range of the K+ meson. Comparison with predictions of hadrodynamic models indicates strong sensitivity to the underlying resonance contributions. A non-relativistic quark model interpretation of our data suggests that the s-sbar quark pair is produced with spins predominantly anti-aligned. Implications for the validity of the widely used 3P0 quark-pair creation operator are discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure