Steric mode of enzymic hydroxylation at primary carbon atoms: Hydroxylation of (1R)- and (1S)-[1-3H, 2H, 1H][1-14C]-octanes by Pseudomonas Oleovorans

(1R)- and (1S) [1-³H, ²H, ¹H]-octanes and mixed with [1-¹⁴C]-octane, were synthesized. The mixed samples were incubated with homogenats of P. oleovorans strain TF4-1L and the biosynthesized mixtures of octanols isolated. It was shown that mainly the achiral termini [-C¹H₃] were hydroxylated and that chiral methyls were oxygenated to the extent of 20–30%. In all instances the products derived from hydroxylation at the chiral methyls [-C-³H, ²H, ¹H] were mixtures of (1R)- and (1S)-octanols, the major component of which was the alcohol obtained by displacement of ¹H. The results indicate that hydroxylation proceeded with a normal isotope effect k_h>k_d>k_t. The amount of (1R)-octanol in the mixtures of octanols derived from (1R)- and (1S)-octane was determined. It was found that the C-1 hydroxylation of octane proceeded with retention, i.e. the incoming hydroxyl assumed the orientation of the displaced hydrogen (or isotopic hydrogen) atom.     

Aqueous electrochemically-triggered atom transfer radical polymerization

Simplified electrochemical atom transfer radical polymerization (seATRP) using Cu^II–N-propyl pyridineimine complexes (Cu^II(NPPI)₂) is reported for the first time. In aqueous solution, using oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA), standard electrolysis conditions yield POEGMA with good control over molecular weight distribution (Đ_m < 1.35). Interestingly, the polymerizations are not under complete electrochemical control, as monomer conversion continues when electrolysis is halted. Alternatively, it is shown that the extent and rate of polymerization depends upon an initial period of electrolysis. Thus, it is proposed that seATRP using Cu^II(NPPI)₂ follows an electrochemically-triggered, rather than electrochemically mediated, ATRP mechanism, which distinguishes them from other Cu^IIL complexes that have been previously reported in the literature.

Simplified electrochemical atom transfer radical polymerization (seATRP) using Cu^II-pyridineimine complexes is reported and follows a previously unreported electrochemically triggered mechanism.     

Hexicon 2: Automated Processing of Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry Data with Improved Deuteration Distribution Estimation

Hydrogen–deuterium exchange (HDX) experiments analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS) provide information about the dynamics and the solvent accessibility of protein backbone amide hydrogen atoms. Continuous improvement of MS instrumentation has contributed to the increasing popularity of this method; however, comprehensive automated data analysis is only beginning to mature. We present Hexicon 2, an automated pipeline for data analysis and visualization based on the previously published program Hexicon (Lou et al. 2010). Hexicon 2 employs the sensitive NITPICK peak detection algorithm of its predecessor in a divide-and-conquer strategy and adds new features, such as chromatogram alignment and improved peptide sequence assignment. The unique feature of deuteration distribution estimation was retained in Hexicon 2 and improved using an iterative deconvolution algorithm that is robust even to noisy data. In addition, Hexicon 2 provides a data browser that facilitates quality control and provides convenient access to common data visualization tasks. Analysis of a benchmark dataset demonstrates superior performance of Hexicon 2 compared with its predecessor in terms of deuteration centroid recovery and deuteration distribution estimation. Hexicon 2 greatly reduces data analysis time compared with manual analysis, whereas the increased number of peptides provides redundant coverage of the entire protein sequence. Hexicon 2 is a standalone application available free of charge under http://hx2.mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de.

Functional MRI of working memory and selective attention in vibrotactile frequency discrimination

Background  

Focal lesions of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobe may interfere with tactile working memory and attention. To characterise the neural correlates of intact vibrotactile working memory and attention, functional MRI was conducted in 12 healthy young adults. Participants performed a forced-choice vibrotactile frequency discrimination task, comparing a cue stimulus of fixed frequency to their right thumb with a probe stimulus of identical or higher frequency. To investigate working memory, the time interval between the 2 stimuli was pseudo-randomized (either 2 or 8 s). To investigate selective attention, a distractor stimulus was occasionally presented contralaterally, simultaneous to the probe.     

Study of radiation background at the north crossing point of the BEPCⅡ in collision mode

Understanding the radiation background at the north crossing point (NCP) in the tunnel of BEPCII is crucial for the performance safety of the High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector, and in turn of great significance for long-term stable running of the energy measurement system. Therefore, as the first step, a NaI(Tl) detector is constructed to continuously measure the radiation level of photons as background for future experiments. Furthermore, gamma and neutron dosimeters are utilized to explore the radiation distribution in the vicinity of the NCP where the HPGe detector will be located. Synthesizing all obtained information, the shielding for neutron irradiation is studied based on model-dependent theoretical analysis.     

Prior exposure to an attenuated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria</Emphasis> vaccine does not reduce immunogenicity: pre-clinical assessment of the efficacy of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Listeria</Emphasis>vaccine in the induction of immune responses against HIV

Background  

We have evaluated an attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) candidate vaccine vector in nonhuman primates using a delivery regimen relying solely on oral vaccination. We sought to determine the impact of prior Lm vector exposure on the development of new immune responses against HIV antigens.     

On the Positivity of the Stochastic Heat Equation

We study the positivity preserving properties of the heat equation with a white noise potential and random initial condition. Moreover, we find a generalized Feynman--Kac formula for the solution of the problem using methods from the white noise analysis. The initial condition can anticipate the driving white noise. We show that the solution is positive, when the random initial condition is positive. For the case of a time-dependent white noise potential, we give a special representation of the solution together with regularity results.     

Computing the boxicity of a graph by covering its complement by cointerval graphs

If $\text{F}$ is a family of sets, its intersection graph has the sets in $\text{F}$ as vertices and an edge between two sets if and only if they overlap. This paper investigates the concept of boxicity of a graph G, the smallest n such that G is the intersection graph of boxes in Euclidean n-space. The boxicity, b(G), was introduced by Roberts in 1969 and has since been studied by Cohen, Gabai, and Trotter. The concept has applications to niche overlap (competition) in ecology and to problems of fleet maintenance in operations research. These applications will be described briefly. While the problem of computing boxicity is in general a difficult problem (it is NP-complete), this paper develops techniques for computing boxicity which give useful bounds. They are based on the simple observation that b(G)≤k if and only if there is an edge covering of $\text{G}$ by spanning subgraphs of $\text{G}$, each of which is a cointerval graph, the complement of an interval graph (a graph of boxicity ≤1.).