Phosphorylation site sequence of smooth muscle myosin light chain (Mr = 20 000)

AbstractThe amino terminal sequence of the myosin light chain (Mr = 20 000) isolated from chicken gizzards was found to be acetyl-Ser-Ser-Lys-Arg-Ala-Lys-Ala-Lys-Thr-Thr-Lys-Lys-Arg-Pro-Gln-Arg-Ala-Thr-Ser(P)-Asn-Val-Phe. This sequence assignment differs from that reported by Maita et al. [(1981) European J. Biochem. 117, 417] in the order of the tryptic peptides. The revised amino acid sequence exhibits greater homology with the phosphorylation site sequences of the regulatory light chains from cardiac and skeletal muscle. Moreover it is now apparent why synthetic peptides corresponding to the previously reported sequence were very poor substrates for the myosin light chain kinase

How good are your fits? Unbinned multivariate goodness-of-fit tests in high energy physics

Multivariate analyses play an important role in high energy physics. Such analyses often involve performing an unbinned maximum likelihood fit of a probability density function (p.d.f.) to the data. This paper explores a variety of unbinned methods for determining the goodness of fit of the p.d.f. to the data. The application and performance of each method is discussed in the context of a real-life high energy physics analysis (a Dalitz-plot analysis). Several of the methods presented in this paper can also be used for the non-parametric determination of whether two samples originate from the same parent p.d.f. This can be used, e.g., to determine the quality of a detector Monte Carlo simulation without the need for a parametric expression of the efficiency.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figure

Transport of charged particles by adjusting rf voltage amplitudes

We propose a planar architecture for scalable quantum information processing (QIP) that includes X-junctions through which particles can move without micromotion. This is achieved by adjusting radio frequency (rf) amplitudes to move an rf null along the legs of the junction. We provide a proof-of-principle by transporting dust particles in three dimensions via adjustable rf potentials in a 3D trap. For the proposed planar architecture, we use regularization techniques to obtain amplitude settings that guarantee smooth transport through the X-junction.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure

Exact Zeros of the Partition Function for a Continuum System with Double Gaussian Peaks

We calculate the exact zeros of the partition function for a continuum system where the probability distribution for the order parameter is given by two asymmetric Gaussian peaks. When the positions of the two peaks coincide, the two separate loci of zeros which used to give first-order transition touch each other, with density of zeros vanishing at the contact point on the positive real axis. Instead of the second-order transition of Ehrenfast classification as one might naively expect, one finds a critical behavior in this limit.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, revtex, minor changes in fig.2, to be published in Physical Review

A Simple Model of Liquid-liquid Phase Transitions

In recent years, a second fluid-fluid phase transition has been reported in several materials at pressures far above the usual liquid-gas phase transition. In this paper, we introduce a new model of this behavior based on the Lennard-Jones interaction with a modification to mimic the different kinds of short-range orientational order in complex materials. We have done Monte Carlo studies of this model that clearly demonstrate the existence of a second first-order fluid-fluid phase transition between high- and low-density liquid phases

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Alleles Are Associated With Reduced Size at Birth

OBJECTIVE: Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The mechanisms underlying this association are unknown and may represent intrauterine programming or two phenotypes of one genotype. The fetal insulin hypothesis proposes that common genetic variants that reduce insulin secretion or action may predispose to type 2 diabetes and also reduce birth weight, since insulin is a key fetal growth factor. We tested whether common genetic variants that predispose to type 2 diabetes also reduce birth weight. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at five recently identified type 2 diabetes loci (CDKAL1, CDKN2A/B, HHEX-IDE, IGF2BP2, and SLC30A8) in 7,986 mothers and 19,200 offspring from four studies of white Europeans. We tested the association between maternal or fetal genotype at each locus and birth weight of the offspring. RESULTS: We found that type 2 diabetes risk alleles at the CDKAL1 and HHEX-IDE loci were associated with reduced birth weight when inherited by the fetus (21 g [95% CI 11-31], P = 2 x 10(-5), and 14 g [4-23], P = 0.004, lower birth weight per risk allele, respectively). The 4% of offspring carrying four risk alleles at these two loci were 80 g (95% CI 39-120) lighter at birth than the 8% carrying none (P(trend) = 5 x 10(-7)). There were no associations between birth weight and fetal genotypes at the three other loci or maternal genotypes at any locus. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in keeping with the fetal insulin hypothesis and provide robust evidence that common disease-associated variants can alter size at birth directly through the fetal genotype

Optimum electrode configurations for fast ion separation in microfabricated surface ion traps

For many quantum information implementations with trapped ions, effective shuttling operations are important. Here we discuss the efficient separation and recombination of ions in surface ion trap geometries. The maximum speed of separation and recombination of trapped ions for adiabatic shuttling operations depends on the secular frequencies the trapped ion experiences in the process. Higher secular frequencies during the transportation processes can be achieved by optimising trap geometries. We show how two different arrangements of segmented static potential electrodes in surface ion traps can be optimised for fast ion separation or recombination processes. We also solve the equations of motion for the ion dynamics during the separation process and illustrate important considerations that need to be taken into account to make the process adiabatic

Proton Differential Elliptic Flow and the Isospin-Dependence of the Nuclear Equation of State

Within an isospin-dependent transport model for nuclear reactions involving neutron-rich nuclei, we study the first-order direct transverse flow of protons and their second-order differential elliptic flow as a function of transverse momentum. It is found that the differential elliptic flow of mid-rapidity protons, especially at high transverse momenta, is much more sensitive to the isospin dependence of the nuclear equation of state than the direct flow. Origins of these different sensitivities and their implications to the experimental determination of the isospin dependence of the nuclear equation of state by using neutron-rich heavy-ion collisions at intermediate energies are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. Phys. Rev. C (2001) in pres

Risk of major cardiovascular events in patients with psoriasis receiving biologic therapies: a prospective cohort study

Background: The cardiovascular safety profile of biologic therapies used for psoriasis is unclear. Objectives: To compare the risk of major cardiovascular events (CVEs; acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina, myocardial infarction and stroke) in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis treated with adalimumab, etanercept or ustekinumab in a large prospective cohort. Methods: Prospective cohort study examining the comparative risk of major CVEs was conducted using the British Association of Dermatologists Biologics and Immunomodulators Register. The main analysis compared adults with chronic plaque psoriasis receiving ustekinumab with tumour necrosis‐α inhibitors (TNFi: etanercept and adalimumab), whilst the secondary analyses compared ustekinumab, etanercept or methotrexate against adalimumab. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using overlap weights by propensity score to balance baseline covariates among comparison groups. Results: We included 5468 biologic‐naïve patients subsequently exposed (951 ustekinumab; 1313 etanercept; and 3204 adalimumab) in the main analysis. The secondary analyses also included 2189 patients receiving methotrexate. The median (p25–p75) follow‐up times for patients using ustekinumab, TNFi, adalimumab, etanercept and methotrexate were as follows: 2.01 (1.16–3.21), 1.93 (1.05–3.34), 1.94 (1.09–3.32), 1.92 (0.93–3.45) and 1.43 (0.84–2.53) years, respectively. Ustekinumab, TNFi, adalimumab, etanercept and methotrexate groups had 7, 29, 23, 6 and 9 patients experiencing major CVEs, respectively. No differences in the risk of major CVEs were observed between biologic therapies [adjusted HR for ustekinumab vs. TNFi: 0.96 (95% CI 0.41–2.22); ustekinumab vs. adalimumab: 0.81 (0.30–2.17); etanercept vs. adalimumab: 0.81 (0.28–2.30)] and methotrexate against adalimumab [1.05 (0.34–3.28)]. Conclusions: In this large prospective cohort study, we found no significant differences in the risk of major CVEs between three different biologic therapies and methotrexate. Additional studies, with longer term follow‐up, are needed to investigate the potential effects of biologic therapies on incidence of major CVEs

Professional closure by proxy: the impact of changing educational requirements on class mobility for a cohort of Big 8 partners

Closure events impacting on class mobility may include mechanisms initiated by bodies other than the professional body. The research examines if the introduction of full-time study requirements at universities for aspiring accountants effectively introduced a closure mechanism in the accounting profession. Data was derived from an Oral History study of partners in large firms. The younger partners (born after the Second World War) completed full-time degree study at university, but did not provide evidence of class mobility into the profession. The older cohort, born between 1928 and 1946, completed part-time studies only, few completed a degree, and, in contrast to the younger cohort, shows a perceptible upward movement from lower socio-economic classes into the professional class. This suggests that changing the preferred educational routes for new accountants entering the large chartered accounting (CA) firms compromised the "stepping stone" function of accounting as a portal into the professional class