The structure of latherin, a surfactant allergen protein from horse sweat and saliva

Latherin is a highly surface-active allergen protein found in the sweat and saliva of horses and other equids. Its surfactant activity is intrinsic to the protein in its native form, and is manifest without associated lipids or glycosylation. Latherin probably functions as a wetting agent in evaporative cooling in horses, but it may also assist in mastication of fibrous food as well as inhibition of microbial biofilms. It is a member of the PLUNC family of proteins abundant in the oral cavity and saliva of mammals, one of which has also been shown to be a surfactant and capable of disrupting microbial biofilms. How these proteins work as surfactants while remaining soluble and cell membrane-compatible is not known. Nor have their structures previously been reported. We have used protein nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine the conformation and dynamics of latherin in aqueous solution. The protein is a monomer in solution with a slightly curved cylindrical structure exhibiting a ‘super-roll’ motif comprising a four-stranded anti-parallel β-sheet and two opposing α-helices which twist along the long axis of the cylinder. One end of the molecule has prominent, flexible loops that contain a number of apolar amino acid side chains. This, together with previous biophysical observations, leads us to a plausible mechanism for surfactant activity in which the molecule is first localized to the non-polar interface via these loops, and then unfolds and flattens to expose its hydrophobic interior to the air or non-polar surface. Intrinsically surface-active proteins are relatively rare in nature, and this is the first structure of such a protein from mammals to be reported. Both its conformation and proposed method of action are different from other, non-mammalian surfactant proteins investigated so far

Healthcare of the LGBT Community

There are laws and policies that are currently put into place to protect and provide adequate healthcare for LGBT individuals. However, these different laws and policies are not strongly enforced, therefore, members of the LGBT community continue to experience health disparities resulting in a poor quality of life and reduced health outcomes. In order to prevent these discrepancies, it is important that mandatory education for healthcare providers be implemented so beliefs and attitudes can be positively altered to support improved health outcomes. If education for healthcare providers is implemented, and if laws protecting this population are fully enforced, then LGBT individuals could experience a decrease in discrimination and social stigmatization when accessing healthcare services. Health outcomes for LGBT individuals can improve through efforts of policy enforcement and education

Estimating Alfalfa Quality in the Field

Knowledge of alfalfa nutritive value is essential for making informed forage management decisions in alfalfa-based livestock production systems. However, most harvest management and storage decisions are made with no chemical composition information because obtaining analytical data is time consuming and expensive. The quality of forage needed for a particular operation is influenced by the intended use of the forage and by the dietary requirements of a given class of livestock. The detergent fiber system of forage analysis (neutral detergent fiber, NDF; and acid detergent fiber, ADF) coupled with a measure of crude protein (CP) provide vital information for balancing rations of lactating dairy cows (Van Soest, 1994; Mertens, 1983). Therefore, knowledge of the preharvest concentration of NDF, ADF, and CP in alfalfa would allow producers to harvest, store, and inventory this feed resource based on its potential value in a ration

Virtual Hand Representations to Support Natural Interaction in Immersive Environment

Immersive Computing Technology (ICT) offers designers the unique ability to evaluate human interaction with product design concepts through the use of stereo viewing and 3D position tracking. These technologies provide designers with opportunities to create virtual simulations for numerous different applications. In order to support the immersive experience of a virtual simulation, it is necessary to employ interaction techniques that are appropriately mapped to specific tasks. Numerous methods for interacting in various virtual applications have been developed which use wands, game controllers, and haptic devices. However, if the intent of the simulation is to gather information on how a person would interact in an environment, more natural interaction paradigms are needed. The use of 3D hand models coupled with position-tracked gloves provide for intuitive interactions in virtual environments. This paper presents several methods of representing a virtual hand model in the virtual environment to support natural interaction

Robust Software

Agents offer a convenient level of granularity at which to add redundancy a key factor in developing robust software. Blindly adding code introduces more errors, makes the system more complex, and renders it harder to understand. However, adding more code can make software better, if it is added in the right way. As this article describes, the key concepts appear to be redundancy and the appropriate granularity

Spatial Mechanism Design in Virtual Reality With Networking

Mechanisms are used in many devices to move a rigid body through a finite sequence of prescribed locations. The most commonly used mechanisms are four-bar planar mechanisms that move an object in one plane in space. Spatial mechanisms allow motion in three-dimensions (3D), however, to date they are rarely implemented in industry in great part due to the inherent visualization and design challenges involved. Nevertheless, they do provide promise as a practical solution to spatial motion generation and therefore remain an active area of research. Spatial 4C mechanisms are two degree-of-freedom kinematic closed-chains consisting of four rigid links simply connected in series by cylindrical (C) joints. A cylindrical joint is a two degree-of-freedom joint, which allows translation and rotation about a line in space. This paper describes a synthesis process for the design of 4C spatial mechanisms in a virtual environment. Virtual reality allows the user to view and interact with digital models in a more intuitive way than using the traditional human-computer interface (HCI). The software developed as part of this research also allows multiple users to network and share the designed mechanism. Networking tools have the potential to greatly enhance communication between members of the design team at different industrial sites and therefore reduce design costs. This software presents the first effort to provide a three-dimensional digital design environment for the design of spatial 4C mechanisms

2006 South Dakota Forage Grass Variety Performance Trials

Establishment and management A summary of location, planting date and seeding rates is given in Tables 1 and 2. Plots were 3 feet and 20 feet long and planted with a plot planter with a cone seeder (Carter Manufacturing, Brookston, IN). Each plot contained 5 rows with 6-inch spacings. Each location had a randomized complete block design replicated four times. Varieties were randomized and blocked by species to account for physiological developmental differences. Winter injury was scored for each plot at the onset of growth in the spring and was based on a visual assessment with a ranking of 1= no injury; 6 = completely dead plants. In the future, stage of maturity at harvest for all cultivars and species will be determined using the mean-stage-by-count Kalu and Fick (1981, Crop Science 21:267-271) adapted to perennial grasses by Moore et al. (1993, Agronomy Journal 83:1073-1077)