Solar driven lasers for power satellite applications

The technological feasibility of using multimagawatt lasers for space power transmission is discussed. Candidate lasers include electric discharge lasers, direct optically pumped lasers, and free electron lasers

Our Liberty Most Dear : The Political Reforms of John C. Calhoun

This article discusses the beliefs of John Calhoun, who was a strong supporter of states\u27 rights. He also believed that political minorities needed to be protected against the tyranny of the majority

Biosynthesis of Mitochondrial Porin and Insertion into the Outer Mitochondrial Membrane of Neuruspora crassa

Mitochondrial porin, the major protein of the outer mitochondrial membrane is synthesized by free cytoplasmic polysomes. The apparent molecular weight of the porin synthesized in homologous or heterologous cell-free systems is the same as that of the mature porin. Transfer in vitro of mitochondrial porin from the cytosolic fraction into the outer membrane of mitochondria could be demonstrated. Before membrane insertion, mitochondrial porin is highly sensitive to added proteinase; afterwards it is strongly protected. Binding of the precursor form to mitochondria occurs at 4°C and appears to precede insertion into the membrane. Unlike transfer of many precursor proteins into or across the inner mitochondrial membrane, assembly of the porin is not dependent on an electrical potential across the inner membrane

Assimilation of healthy and indulgent impressions from labelling influences fullness but not intake or sensory experience

Background: Recent evidence suggests that products believed to be healthy may be over-consumed relative to believed indulgent or highly caloric products. The extent to which these effects relate to expectations from labelling, oral experience or assimilation of expectations is unclear. Over two experiments, we tested the hypotheses that healthy and indulgent information could be assimilated by oral experience of beverages and influence sensory evaluation, expected satiety, satiation and subsequent appetite. Additionally, we explored how expectation-experience congruency influenced these factors. Results: Results supported some assimilation of healthiness and indulgent ratings—study 1 showed that indulgent ratings enhanced by the indulgent label persisted post-tasting, and this resulted in increased fullness ratings. In study 2, congruency of healthy labels and oral experience promoted enhanced healthiness ratings. These healthiness and indulgent beliefs did not influence sensory analysis or intake—these were dictated by the products themselves. Healthy labels, but not experience, were associated with decreased expected satiety. Conclusions: Overall labels generated expectations, and some assimilation where there were congruencies between expectation and experience, but oral experience tended to override initial expectations to determine ultimate sensory evaluations and intake. Familiarity with the sensory properties of the test beverages may have resulted in the use of prior knowledge, rather than the label information, to guide evaluations and behaviour

Determination of kynurenine-3-hydroxylase

Determination of kynurenine-3-hydroxylas

RANDOM MODELS WITH DIRECT AND COMPETITION GENETIC EFFECTS

Livestock producers often select for animals which are genetically superior for yield. Competition among animals in the same pen may affect yield of pen mates. If competitiveness has a genetic component, selection should be for direct genetic effects for yield and for genetic effects of competitiveness on yield of penmates (Muir and Schinkel, 2002). This simulation study examined estimates of variance components from models which ignored competition effects. A population structure of 642 related animals was created. Random effects were residual and pen effects and direct and competition genetic values with genetic correlation. Conclusions, based on 400 replications for 16 different sets of variance parameters, were that competition effects, if ignored, may inflate estimates of pen variance and of direct genetic variance and that ignoring pen effects may increase estimates of the genetic correlation and both genetic variances. Key words: Associative Effects, Genetic Correlation, REM

Transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to neural stem cells

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Biology, 2013.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references.The developmental process is carefully controlled by transcriptional and epigenetic changes that occur as a zygote transforms into an adult organism. This process can be reversed by the overexpression of transcription factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc, which reprogram a differentiated cell!s nucleus to one that is transcriptionally and epigenetically indistinguishable from an embryonic stem (ES) cell. However, it is still unclear if transcription factors can completely convert the nucleus of a differentiated cell into that of a distantly related somatic cell type with complete transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming maintained in the absence of exogenous factor expression. To test this idea, we generated doxycyline (dox)-inducible vectors encoding neural stem cell-expressed factors. We found that stable, self-maintaining NSC-like cells could be induced under defined growth conditions. These cells were characterized in the absence of exogenous factor induction and were shown to be transcriptionally, epigenetically, and functionally similar to endogenous embryonic cortical NSCs. Additionally, a cellular system was created for reproducible generation of doxindependent iNSCs without additional factor transduction. Our results show that a transcriptionally and epigenetically reprogrammed somatic nucleus can be stabilized in vitro and provides a tool to study the mechanism of somatic cell conversion.by John P. Cassady.Ph.D