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At least 91 records · Page 5

Three-dimensional structure of Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S-transferase fused with a six-amino acid conserved neutralizing epitope of gp41 from HIV

The 3-dimensional crystal structure of glutathione S-transferase (GST) of Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) fused with a conserved neutralizing epitope on gp41 (glycoprotein, 41 kDa) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) (Muster T et al., 1993, J Virol 67:6642-6647) was determined at 2.5 A resolution. The structure of the 3-3 isozyme rat GST of the mu gene class (Ji X, Zhang P, Armstrong RN, Gilliland GL, 1992, Biochemistry 31:10169-10184) was used as a molecular replacement model. The structure consists of a 4-stranded beta-sheet and 3 alpha-helices in domain 1 and 5 alpha-helices in domain 2. The space group of the Sj GST crystal is P4(3)2(1)2, with unit cell dimensions of a = b = 94.7 A, and c = 58.1 A. The crystal has 1 GST monomer per asymmetric unit, and 2 monomers that form an active dimer are related by crystallographic 2-fold symmetry. In the binding site, the ordered structure of reduced glutathione is observed. The gp41 peptide (Glu-Leu-Asp-Lys-Trp-Ala) fused to the C-terminus of Sj GST forms a loop stabilized by symmetry-related GSTs. The Sj GST structure is compared with previously determined GST structures of mammalian gene classes mu, alpha, and pi. Conserved amino acid residues among the 4 GSTs that are important for hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions for dimer association and glutathione binding are discussed.

Schistosoma japonicum/enzymology/genetics/immunolo↗

A Frequency-Domain Substructure System Identification Algorithm

A new frequency-domain system identification algorithm is presented for system identification of substructures, such as payloads to be flown aboard the Space Shuttle. In the vibration test, all interface degrees of freedom where the substructure is connected to the carrier structure are either subjected to active excitation or are supported by a test stand with the reaction forces measured. The measured frequency-response data is used to obtain a linear, viscous-damped model with all interface-degree of freedom entries included. This model can then be used to validate analytical substructure models. This procedure makes it possible to obtain not only the fixed-interface modal data associated with a Craig-Bampton substructure model, but also the data associated with constraint modes. With this proposed algorithm, multiple-boundary-condition tests are not required, and test-stand dynamics is accounted for without requiring a separate modal test or finite element modeling of the test stand. Numerical simulations are used in examining the algorithm's ability to estimate valid reduced-order structural models. The algorithm's performance when frequency-response data covering narrow and broad frequency bandwidths is used as input is explored. Its performance when noise is added to the frequency-response data and the use of different least squares solution techniques are also examined. The identified reduced-order models are also compared for accuracy with other test-analysis models and a formulation for a Craig-Bampton test-analysis model is also presented.

Blades, Eric L.↗

Three-dimensional structure of Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S-transferase fused with a six-amino acid conserved neutralizing epitope of gp41 from HIV

The 3-dimensional crystal structure of glutathione S-transferase (GST) of Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) fused with a conserved neutralizing epitope on gp41 (glycoprotein, 41 kDa) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was determined at 2.5 A resolution. The structure of the 3-3 isozyme rat GST of the mu gene class was used as a molecular replacement model. The structure consists of a 4-stranded beta-sheet and 3 alpha-helices in domain 1 and 5 alpha-helices in domain 2. The space group of the Sj GST crystal is P4(sub 3)2(sub 1)2 with unit cell dimensions of a = b = 94.7 A, and c = 58.1 A. The crystal has 1 GST monomer per asymmetric unit, and 2 monomers that form an active dimer are related by crystallographic 2-fold symmetry. In the binding site, the ordered structure of reduced glutathione is observed. The gp41 peptide (Glu-Leu-Asp-Lys-Trp-Ala) fused to the C-terminus of Sj GST forms a loop stabilized by symmetry-related GSTs. The Sj GST structure is compared with previously determined GST structures of mammalian gene classes mu, alpha, and pi. Conserved amino acid residues among the 4 GSTs that are important for hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions for dimer association and glutathione binding are discussed.

Lim, Kap↗

Overview of Biomineralization and Nanobacteria

Biomineralization is a frequently used term in nanotechnology, astrobiology, geology, and medicine. In the process of biomineralization, a living organism provides a chemical environment that controls the nucleation and growth of unique mineral phases. Often these materials exhibit hierarchical structural order, leading to superior physical properties, not found either in their inorganic counterparts or in synthetic materials. Biomineralization is widespread in the biosphere and hundreds of different minerals are produced or assisted by a variety of organisms from bacteria to humans. Teeth, bones, kidney stones, and skeletons of algae, mussels, and magnetotactic bacteria are all examples of biomineralization. We do not fully understand the control mechanism of biomineralization either in primitive or in developed organisms. The presence of organic molecules, among other characteristics, can influence the coherence length for X-ray scattering in biogenic crystals. Control over biomineral properties can be accomplished at a myriad of levels, including the regulation of particle size, shape, crystal orientation, polymorphic structure, defect texture, and particle assembly. In the latter case, cellular processes enable control in both the spatial and temporal domain in such a way that hierarchical composite structures can be built which increase the toughness and durability of the material, which is invaluable for load-bearing materials such as bones, teeth, mollusk shells, etc. Durability of biominerals produces remarkably preserved bacterial and cyanobacterial microfossils from billions of years-old samples. The differentiation between microfossils and nonbiogenic artifacts has been a lively discussion subject in astrobiology especially in the last decade. Clearly, more detailed information on the mechanism of biomineralization, and the effect of organic matter on crystal formation/fossilization would help focus such discussions.

Ciftcioglu, N.↗

Arylenesiloxane copolymers

Arylenesiloxane copolymers with regularly ordered structures were discovered during efforts to develop organosilicon polymers. Arylenesilane and siloxane monomers were both synthesized in these experiments.

Breed, L. W.↗

The co-adsorption of copper and oxygen on a tungsten 100 plane-type surface

The coadsorption of Cu on O2 and a W 100 plane-type surface is studied by Auger electron spectroscopy, thermal desorption, low energy electron diffraction and by work function change measurements. It is shown that the presence of Cu on the surface initially decreases the sticking coefficient of O2. For longer oxygen exposures and for higher adsorption temperatures, the coverage of preadsorbed oxygen reaches values larger than those on the clean surface for the same O2 exposure. Except at the highest values and temperatures of the coverage of preadsorbed oxygen, the sticking coefficient for copper is unity and is independent of the oxygen coverage in the range studied. Coadsorption at room temperatures does not produce any long range order while coadsorption at elevated temperature leads to ordered structures. The saturation coverage of the two dimensional coadsorbate at 800 K is given by a relation. The work function is a complicated function of the coverage of preadsorbed oxygen and the coverage of preadsorbed Cu and is determined predominantly by the temperature at which oxygen is adsorbed. At high temperatures the sequence of adsorption has no influence, in contrast to the room temperature behavior.

Bauer, E.↗

Fluctuating surface pressure and acoustic radiation for subsonic normal jet impingement

Results are presented from an experimental study of fluctuating surface pressures and far-field noise produced by a subsonic circular jet impinging normally to a large, rigid, flat surface. The tests were performed in an anechoic room for jet Mach numbers from 0.54 to 0.85 and for jet-to-surface heights from 5 to 10 jet diameters. Space and time correlations of surface pressure indicated a radially spreading, decaying pressure field having correlation lengths on the order of one-half the jet diameter with convection speeds between 0.5 and 0.6 of the peak wall-jet velocity. Overall sound pressure level varied as the eighth power of the jet velocity. Large-scale orderly structures in the flow were suggested by the noise spectra which peaked at a Strouhal number of about 0.3. In addition, an analytical formulation was given to approximate the apparent noise-producing regions of the flow in terms of cross-correlations and cross-spectra between the surface and far-field measurements. Results pointed to the impingement region of the flow field as the major contribution to the far-field impingement noise.

Preisser, J. S.↗

Flowfield and acoustic properties of a Mach number 0.9 jet at a low Reynolds number

An anechoic vacuum chamber test facility is used to assess the flow field and acoustic properties of a jet with a low Reynolds number of about 3600 and a Mach number of 0.9. A conventional Pitot pressure probe is used to monitor the mean flow field, a hot-wire probe is employed to detect flow fluctuations, and the acoustic field is probed by condenser microphones. The jet is operated at the low Reynolds number in order to examine the behavior of the large-scale 'orderly' structure with particular emphasis on its noise-generating capabilities. It is shown that a nonlinear mechanism involving the large-scale flow instability is responsible for a dominant portion of the noise generated from the jet.

Stromberg, J. L.↗

Shear layer excitation, experiment versus theory

The acoustical excitation of shear layers is investigated. Acoustical excitation causes the so-called orderly structures in shear layers and jets. Also, the deviations in the spreading rate between different shear layer experiments are due to the same excitation mechanism. Measurements in the linear interaction region close to the edge from which the shear layer is shed are examined. Two sets of experiments (Houston 1981 and Berlin 1983/84) are discussed. The measurements were carried out with shear layers in air using hot wire anemometers and microphones. The agreement between these measurements and the theory is good. Even details of the fluctuating flow field correspond to theoretical predictions, such as the local occurrence of negative phase speeds.

Bechert, D. W.↗

Excitation of instability waves in free shear layers. II - Experiments

The acoustical excitation of shear layers is investigated experimentally. Acoustical excitation causes, for example, the so-called 'orderly structures' in shear layers and jets. The deviations in the spreading rate between different turbulent-shear-layer experiments are due to the same excitation mechanism. The present investigations focus on measurements in the linear interaction region close to the edge from which the shear layer is shed. Two sets of experiments (Houston, 1981, and Berlin, 1983 and 1984) are reported on. The measurements have been carried out with laminar shear layers in air using hot-wire anemometers and microphones. The agreement between these measurements and the theory is good. Details of the fluctuating flow field are found to correspond to theoretical predictions, such as the local occurrence of negative phase speeds.

Bechert, D. W.↗

Heats of formation of bcc binary alloys

The method of Bozzolo, Ferrante and Smith is applied for the calculation of alloy energies for bcc elements. The heat of formation of several alloys is computed with the help of the Connolly-Williams method within the tetrahedron approximation. The dependence of the results on the choice of different sets of ordered structures is discussed.

Bozzolo, Guillermo↗

Heats of formation of bcc binary alloys

The method of Bozzolo, Ferrante and Smith is applied for the calculation of alloy energies for bcc elements. The heat of formation of several alloys is computed with the help of the Connolly-Williams method within the tetrahedron approximation. The dependence of the results on the choice of different sets of ordered structures is discussed.

Bozzolo, Guillermo↗

Cobalt-rich, nickel-poor metal (wairauite) in the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite

A structurally ordered cubic metal grain containing approximately 39 wt% Co, 61 wt% Fe, and less than 0.6 wt% Ni (approximately Fe3Co2) was found associated with troilite and pentlandite in the matrix of the Ningqiang carbonaceous chondrite. This mineral is similar to terrestrial wairauite. Experimental data in the Fe-Co system indicate that this CsCl-type Co-rich metal is stable below 700 C. Phase relations in the Fe-Co-Ni system show that Co cannot fractionate from Ni above 500 C. The dominant opaque minerals of awaruite, magnetite, and pentlandite in Ningqiang suggest relatively oxidizing conditions.

Xin, Hua↗

Cu-Au Alloys Using Monte Carlo Simulations and the BFS Method for Alloys

Semi empirical methods have shown considerable promise in aiding in the calculation of many properties of materials. Materials used in engineering applications have defects that occur for various reasons including processing. In this work we present the first application of the BFS method for alloys to describe some aspects of microstructure due to processing for the Cu-Au system (Cu-Au, CuAu3, and Cu3Au). We use finite temperature Monte Carlo calculations, in order to show the influence of 'heat treatment' in the low-temperature phase of the alloy. Although relatively simple, it has enough features that could be used as a first test of the reliability of the technique. The main questions to be answered in this work relate to the existence of low temperature ordered structures for specific concentrations, for example, the ability to distinguish between rather similar phases for equiatomic alloys (CuAu I and CuAu II, the latter characterized by an antiphase boundary separating two identical phases).

Bozzolo, Guillermo↗

Microgravity Processing and Photonic Applications of Organic and Polymeric Materials

Some of the primary purposes of this work are to study important technologies, particularly involving thin films, relevant to organic and polymeric materials for improving applicability to optical circuitry and devices and to assess the contribution of convection on film quality in unit and microgravity environments. Among the most important materials processing techniques of interest in this work are solution-based and by physical vapor transport, both having proven gravitational and acceleration dependence. In particular, PolyDiAcetylenes (PDA's) and PhthaloCyanines (Pc's) are excellent NonLinear Optical (NLO) materials with the promise of significantly improved NLO properties through order and film quality enhancements possible through microgravity processing. Our approach is to focus research on integrated optical circuits and optoelectronic devices relevant to solution-based and vapor processes of interest in the Space Sciences Laboratory at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Modification of organic materials is an important aspect of achieving more highly ordered structures in conjunction with microgravity processing. Parallel activities include characterization of materials for particular NLO properties and determination of appropriation device designs consistent with selected applications. One result of this work is the determination, theoretically, that buoyancy-driven convection occurs at low pressures in an ideal gas in a thermalgradient from source to sink. Subsequent experiment supports the theory. We have also determined theoretically that buoyancy-driven convection occurs during photodeposition of PDA, an MSFC-patented process for fabricating complex circuits, which is also supported by experiment. Finally, the discovery of intrinsic optical bistability in metal-free Pc films enables the possibility of the development of logic gate technology on the basis of these materials.

Frazier, Donald O.↗

Effect of Finite Computational Domain on Turbulence Scaling Law in Both Physical and Spectral Spaces

The well-known translation between the power law of energy spectrum and that of the correlation function or the second order structure function has been widely used in analyzing random data. Here, we show that the translation is valid only in proper scaling regimes. The regimes of valid translation are different for the correlation function and the structure function. Indeed, they do not overlap. Furthermore, in practice, the power laws exist only for a finite range of scales. We show that this finite range makes the translation inexact even in the proper scaling regime. The error depends on the scaling exponent. The current findings are applicable to data analysis in fluid turbulence and other stochastic systems.

Hou, Thomas Y.↗

Intitialization, Conceptualization, and Application in the Generalized Fractional Calculus

This paper provides a formalized basis for initialization in the fractional calculus. The intent is to make the fractional calculus readily accessible to engineering and the sciences. A modified set of definitions for the fractional calculus is provided which formally include the effects of initialization. Conceptualizations of fractional derivatives and integrals are shown. Physical examples of the basic elements from electronics are presented along with examples from dynamics, material science, viscoelasticity, filtering, instrumentation, and electrochemistry to indicate the broad application of the theory and to demonstrate the use of the mathematics. The fundamental criteria for a generalized calculus established by Ross (1974) are shown to hold for the generalized fractional calculus under appropriate conditions. A new generalized form for the Laplace transform of the generalized differintegral is derived. The concept of a variable structure (order) differintegral is presented along with initial efforts toward meaningful definitions.

Lorenzo, Carl F.↗