Structural change of the heme pocket due to disulfide bridge formation is significantly larger for neuroglobin than for cytoglobin

Human neuroglobin (hNgb) and human cytoglobin (hCygb), two recently discovered members of the vertebrate globin family, are known to be able to form an intramolecular disulfide bridge. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we show that formation of a disulfide bridge in ferric hNgb causes a considerable change in the heme pocket structure, whereas this is not so clear for ferric hCygb. The structural results can be related nicely to earlier histidine and dioxygen affinity studies of the ferrous proteins.     

The effect of a concurrent cognitive task on cortical potentials evoked by unpredictable balance perturbations

Background  

Although previous studies suggest that postural control requires attention and other cognitive resources, the central mechanisms responsible for this relationship remain unclear. To address this issue, we examined the effects of altered attention on cortical activity and postural responses following mechanical perturbations to upright stance. We hypothesized that cortical activity would be attenuated but not delayed when mechanical perturbations were applied during a concurrent performance of a cognitive task (i.e. when attention was directed away from the perturbation). We also hypothesized that these cortical changes would be accompanied by alterations in the postural response, as evidenced by increases in the magnitude of anteroposterior (AP) centre of pressure (COP) peak displacements and tibialis anterior (TA) muscle activity. Healthy young adults (n = 7) were instructed to continuously track (cognitive task) or not track (control task) a randomly moving visual target using a hand-held joystick. During each of these conditions, unpredictable translations of a moving floor evoked cortical and postural responses. Scalp-recorded cortical activity, COP, and TA electromyographic (EMG) measures were collected.     

Absence of 2kF splitting in the diffuse scattering from Cu3Au at the (001) surface

We report a new type of short-range order correlations at the (001) surface of Cu3Au which no longer produces the 2k(F)-splitting characteristic for the bulk short-range order scattering. We present the temperature dependence of this phenomenon and a theoretical interpretation of its origin. We argue that this new surface effect is caused by a drastic change of the strain-induced interactions at the surface.     

Generalized Sasaki Projections and Riesz Ideals in Pseudoeffect Algebras

A noncommutative version of generalized Sasaki projections in pseudoeffect algebras is introduced. It is proved that an ideal in a pseudoeffect algebra is Riesz if and only if it is closed under the right and left Sasaki projections. In lattice ordered pseudoeffect algebras, it is shown that generalized Sasaki projections are one-element sets, and their explicit form is found. It is shown that if a supremum of a normal Riesz ideal in a lattice ordered pseudoeffect algebra exists, it is a central element. These results extend those obtained recently by Avallone and Vitolo for effect algebras.     

Orthocomplete effect algebras

We prove that for every orthocomplete effect algebra the center of forms a complete Boolean algebra. As a consequence, every orthocomplete atomic effect algebra is a direct product of irreducible ones.

     

Measurement of the hydrogen 1S- 2S transition frequency by phase coherent comparison with a microwave cesium fountain clock

We report on an absolute frequency measurement of the hydrogen 1S-2S two-photon transition in a cold atomic beam with an accuracy of 1.8 parts in 10(14). Our experimental result of 2 466 061 413 187 103(46) Hz has been obtained by phase coherent comparison of the hydrogen transition frequency with an atomic cesium fountain clock. Both frequencies are linked with a comb of laser frequencies emitted by a mode locked laser.