A 12 GHz satellite video receiver: Low noise, low cost prototype model for TV reception from broadcast satellites

A 12-channel synchronous phase lock video receiver consisting of an outdoor downconverter unit and an indoor demodulator unit was developed to provide both low noise performance and low cost in production quantities of 1000 units. The prototype receiver can be mass produced at a cost under $1540 without sacrificing system performance. The receiver also has the capability of selecting any of the twelve assigned satellite broadcast channels in the frequency range 11.7 to 12.2 GHz

Genetic variation exists for telomeric array organization within and among the genomes of normal, immortalized, and transformed chicken systems

This study investigated telomeric array organization of diverse chicken genotypes utilizing in vivo and in vitro cells having phenotypes with different proliferation potencies. Our experimental objective was to characterize the extent and nature of array variation present to explore the hypothesis that mega-telomeres are a universal and fixed feature of chicken genotypes. Four different genotypes were studied including normal (UCD 001, USDA-ADOL Line 0), immortalized (DF-1), and transformed (DT40) cells. Both cytogenetic and molecular approaches were utilized to develop an integrated view of telomeric array organization. It was determined that significant variation exists within and among chicken genotypes for chromosome-specific telomeric array organization and total genomic-telomeric sequence content. Although there was variation for mega-telomere number and distribution, two mega-telomere loci were in common among chicken genetic lines (GGA 9 and GGA W). The DF-1 cell line was discovered to maintain a complex derivative karyotype involving chromosome fusions in the homozygous and heterozygous condition. Also, the DF-1 cell line was found to contain the greatest amount of telomeric sequence per genome (17%) as compared to UCD 001 (5%) and DT40 (1.2%). The chicken is an excellent model for studying unique and universal features of vertebrate telomere biology, and characterization of the telomere length variation among genotypes will be useful in the exploration of mechanisms controlling telomere length maintenance in different cell types having unique phenotypes

Surrogate Measurement of the \u3csup\u3e238\u3c/sup\u3ePu(\u3cem\u3en,f\u3c/em\u3e\u3c/em\u3e) Cross Section

The neutron-induced fission cross section of 238Pu was determined using the surrogate ratio method. The (n,f) cross section over an equivalent neutron energy range 5–20 MeV was deduced from inelastic α-induced fission reactions on 239Pu, with 235U(α,α′f) and 236U(α,α′f) used as references. These reference reactions reflect 234U(n,f) and 235U(n,f) yields, respectively. The deduced 238Pu(n,f) cross section agrees well with standard data libraries up to ~10 MeV, although larger values are seen at higher energies. The difference at higher energies is less than 20%

Lack of association of the CIITA -168A→G promoter SNP with myasthenia gravis and its role in autoimmunity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The major histocompatibility complex class II transactivator (CIITA) regulates MHC class II gene expression. A promoter SNP -168A→G (rs3087456) has previously been shown to be associated with susceptibility to several immune mediated disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS) and myocardial infarction (MI). Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder which has previously been shown to be associated with polymorphisms of several autoimmune predisposing genes, including <it>IL-1</it>, <it>PTPN22</it>, <it>TNF-α </it>and the <it>MHC</it>. In order to determine if allelic variants of rs3087456 increase predisposition to MG, we analyzed this SNP in our Swedish cohort of 446 MG patients and 1866 controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No significant association of the SNP with MG was detected, neither in the patient group as a whole, nor in any clinical subgroup. The vast majority of previous replication studies have also not found an association of the SNP with autoimmune disorders.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We thus conclude that previous findings with regard to the role of the <it>CIITA </it>-168A→G SNP in autoimmunity may have to be reconsidered.</p

Collaborative Action of Brca1 and CtIP in Elimination of Covalent Modifications from Double-Strand Breaks to Facilitate Subsequent Break Repair

Topoisomerase inhibitors such as camptothecin and etoposide are used as anti-cancer drugs and induce double-strand breaks (DSBs) in genomic DNA in cycling cells. These DSBs are often covalently bound with polypeptides at the 3′ and 5′ ends. Such modifications must be eliminated before DSB repair can take place, but it remains elusive which nucleases are involved in this process. Previous studies show that CtIP plays a critical role in the generation of 3′ single-strand overhang at “clean” DSBs, thus initiating homologous recombination (HR)–dependent DSB repair. To analyze the function of CtIP in detail, we conditionally disrupted the CtIP gene in the chicken DT40 cell line. We found that CtIP is essential for cellular proliferation as well as for the formation of 3′ single-strand overhang, similar to what is observed in DT40 cells deficient in the Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 complex. We also generated DT40 cell line harboring CtIP with an alanine substitution at residue Ser332, which is required for interaction with BRCA1. Although the resulting CtIPS332A/−/− cells exhibited accumulation of RPA and Rad51 upon DNA damage, and were proficient in HR, they showed a marked hypersensitivity to camptothecin and etoposide in comparison with CtIP+/−/− cells. Finally, CtIPS332A/−/−BRCA1−/− and CtIP+/−/−BRCA1−/− showed similar sensitivities to these reagents. Taken together, our data indicate that, in addition to its function in HR, CtIP plays a role in cellular tolerance to topoisomerase inhibitors. We propose that the BRCA1-CtIP complex plays a role in the nuclease-mediated elimination of oligonucleotides covalently bound to polypeptides from DSBs, thereby facilitating subsequent DSB repair

Feeding behavior of the ctenophore Thalassocalyce inconstans : revision of anatomy of the order Thalassocalycida

© 2009 The Authors. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License. The definitive version was published in Marine Biology 156 (2009): 1049-1056, doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1149-6.Behavioral observations using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the Gulf of California in March, 2003, provided insights into the vertical distribution, feeding and anatomy of the rare and delicate ctenophore Thalassocalyce inconstans. Additional archived ROV video records from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute of 288 sightings of T. inconstans and 2,437 individual observations of euphausiids in the Gulf of California and Monterey Canyon between 1989 and 2005 were examined to determine ctenophore and euphausiid prey depth distributions with respect to temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration [dO]. In the Gulf of California most ctenophores (96.9%) were above 350 m, the top of the oxygen minimum layer. In Monterey Canyon the ctenophores were more widely distributed throughout the water column, including the hypoxic zone, to depths as great as 3,500 m. Computer-aided behavioral analysis of two video records of the capture of euphausiids by T. inconstans showed that the ctenophore contracted its bell almost instantly (0.5 s), transforming its flattened, hemispherical resting shape into a closed bi-lobed globe in which seawater and prey were engulfed. Euphausiids entrapped within the globe displayed a previously undescribed escape response for krill (‘probing behavior’), in which they hovered and gently probed the inner surfaces of the globe with antennae without stimulating further contraction by the ctenophore. Such rapid bell contraction could be effected only by a peripheral sphincter muscle even though the presence of circumferential ring musculature was unknown for the Phylum Ctenophora. Thereafter, several live T. inconstans were collected by hand off Barbados and microscopic observations confirmed that assumption.Supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and NOAA Grant #NA06OAR4600091

Interaction Analysis between HLA-DRB1 Shared Epitope Alleles and MHC Class II Transactivator CIITA Gene with Regard to Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis

HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) alleles are the strongest genetic determinants for autoantibody positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One of the key regulators in expression of HLA class II receptors is MHC class II transactivator (CIITA). A variant of the CIITA gene has been found to associate with inflammatory diseases

Using global team science to identify genetic parkinson's disease worldwide.

No abstract available

Distribution and movement of domestic rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, during pulsed flows in the South Fork American River, California

We tracked the movements of ten small (SL = 25.5–31.0 cm) and ten large (SL = 32.0–38.5 cm) radio-tagged domestic rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in response to frequent pulsed releases of water in the South Fork American River (California) from July to October 2005. In week one all the small trout moved less than 1 km upstream or downstream of their release sites. Four small trout moved 1–3 km upstream or downstream of their release sites in the following 8 weeks. Seven out of ten large trout moved downstream after their release. In subsequent weeks most large trout showed smaller upstream and downstream movements, and were observed between 1 km upstream and 8 km downstream of their release sites. Our results suggest that domestic rainbow trout with SL &gt; 25 cm are not forced downstream by daily pulsed flow increases from 5 to over 40 m3s−1