Smooth specific phage adsorption: endorhamnosidase activity of tail parts of P22

The tail parts of phage P22 as well as the phage particles cleave the O-antigen of its host bacterium, $\text{Salmonella typhimurium}$. The cleavage is caused by specific breakage of α-rhamnosyl 1–3 galactose linkages. Thus the tail parts of this phage consist of an enzyme, endorhamnosidase. The enzyme was not detected in nonpermissible strain infected with an amber gene 9 mutant of P22. Head without tail parts gains infectivity only after incubation with the tail parts which carry this enzymatic activity.     

Early Electrophysiological Basis of Experience-Associated Holistic Processing of Chinese Characters

Recent studies have found holistic processing to be a marker of expertise for perception of words in alphabetic (e.g., English) and non-alphabetic (e.g., Chinese) writing systems, consistent with what has been found for faces and other objects of face-like expertise. It is unknown, however, whether holistic processing of words occurs in an early, perceptual stage as it does for faces. We examined how early holistic processing of Chinese characters emerges by recording the event-related potentials (ERPs) in an adaptation paradigm. Participants judged if the top parts of two sequentially presented characters were the same or different while ignoring the bottom part. An early potential (P1) at the posterior channels was smaller when the attended top parts were the same compared with when they are different, indicating an adaptation effect. Critically, for trials with identical top parts, P1 was larger when the irrelevant bottom parts were different, indicating a release of adaptation. This effect was present only when the two character parts were aligned but not misaligned, and only for characters but not for pseudocharacters. The finding of early sensitivity to all parts of a Chinese character suggests that Chinese characters are represented holistically at a perceptual level.     

A method of intelligent recommendation using task ontology

This study proposed a method of developing an intelligent recommendation system for automotive parts assembly. The proposed system will display the detailed information and the list components which make up the relevant part that an user wants through the database using the ontology when selecting an automotive part that an user intends to learn or to be guided of. This study is to design task ontology based on Hierarchical Taxonomy so as to achieve productivity enhancement, cost reduction and outcome improvement through recommendations based on intelligence and personalization depending on the worker’s present situation or context of task in charge when assembly of automotive parts is conducted. For this, composing elements of an engine and upper/lower relationships were expressed using hierarchical structure Taxonomy. The intelligent recommendation system for parts is offered to users through determining the automatic recommendation order between parts using the weights. This study has experimented the principles of the recommendation system and the method of setting the weights by setting two scenarios.     

水淹胁迫诱导喜旱莲子草茎发生类环割效应

在水淹环境中,喜旱莲子草水面上未受淹的茎段常表现出增粗膨大的现象。遭受水淹的植物被淹没的组织和器官会面临氧气缺乏和能量供应不足的问题。植物体内碳水化合物的运输需要消耗能量,当因水淹而使植株被部分淹没（即地下部分全部和地上部分的一部分被淹没）时,由于水淹缺氧导致能量供应不足,碳水化合物在植物被淹组织内的运输可能受限从而在水面上的未淹茎段中积累并对未淹茎段的径向形态产生影响。为探究水淹环境中喜旱莲子草未受淹茎段增粗膨大是否与碳水化合物积累有关,对茎被水淹和茎不受水淹的喜旱莲子草进行对比研究,结果发现：（1）水淹的喜旱莲子草位于水面上的未淹茎段节间平均直径显著大于水面下受淹茎段节间平均直径,未淹茎段与受淹茎段相比发生显著的膨大现象;未水淹的喜旱莲子草其茎的上部茎段节间平均直径与下部茎段节间平均直径相比并无显著差异,上部茎段也无明显膨大现象。（2）水淹的喜旱莲子草位于水面上的未淹茎段碳水化合物含量显著高于未水淹的喜旱莲子草对应茎段的碳水化合物含量。本研究表明,水淹胁迫下喜旱莲子草位于水面上的未受淹茎段中碳水化合物发生积累,导致植株位于水面上的未受淹茎段发生与物理环割后类似的茎膨大现象。     

Morphometric research on the cardiomyocytes in cardiac hyperfunction]

By means of a complex morphometrical method special quantitative parameters of cardiomyocytes have been studied in the cardiac parts of 37 dogs, 6 months after right-sided pulmonectomy, and of 12 control dogs. The cardiac hyperfunction is accompanied with an increased mass of the heart's parts, hypertrophy of the right ventricle and right atrium dominating. Hypertrophy of myocardial parts takes place mainly at the expense of the increasing length and width of cardiomyocytes. This causes disorganization and disorder of morphological systems and an essential decrease in compensatory possibilities of the hyperfunctioning heart parts.     

Changes in auxin protectors and IAA oxidases during the rooting of chestnut shoots in vitro

Auxin protectors and IAA oxidase activity were comparatively analyzed in the upper and the lower parts of shoots of chestnut ( Castanea sativa Mill.) cultivated in vitro with indolebutyric acid (IBA) pretreatment. Rhizogenesis of the shoots is accompanied by an increase in auxin protectors in the lower parts and by a decrease of these protectors in the upper parts. Besides, the IAA oxidase activity declines in the basal parts during the rooting process while it increases in the upper ones. These biochemical events would enhance the IAA level in the rooting region of the shoots. In untreated, non-rooted cuttings, the IAA oxidase activity remains low in the upper parts and high in the basal parts of the shoots. The results thus indicate that the IBA treatment may control the endogenous auxin level of the cuttings, either through a direct regulation of the IAA oxidase system or more indirectly through the transport of auxin protectors.     

Structure of and homology between pachytene and somatic metaphase chromosomes of the tomato

The pachytene and somatic metaphase chromosomes of tomato are structurally differentiated into proximal chromatic and distal achromatic parts. The pachytene chromosomes have very clear and characteristic chromosome markers, with the help of which all 12 bivalents can be clearly identified. Based on the size, the arm ratio, the ratio of chromatic parts and the presence and size of achromatic parts, all 12 pairs of somatic chromosomes can also be identified, and each pair be homologised with the corresponding pachytene bivalent. A comparison of the lengths of chromatic and achromatic parts of pachytene chromosomes with the chromatic and achromatic parts of the corresponding somatic chromosomes indicate, that, on an average, the chromatic parts are contracted by a factor of 4 to 5, whereas the achromatic parts are contracted by a factor of 30. The heteropycnosis near the centromere in tomato chromosomes therefore is not a special characteristic of meiotic chromosomes, but present in somatic metaphase chromosomes also.This study was part of a project resulting from a contract between the AssociationEuratom-I.T.A.L. and the Agricultural University of Wageningen.     

Variability of the inflorescence ofMicroseris laciniata (Compositae: Cichorieae)

Quantitative characters of the flowering head of a garden population ofMicroseris laciniata were scored during the second, third, and fourth season of growth. Number of achenes per head, number of phyllaries per head and the average number of pappus parts per achene in single heads show significant plant to plant variation. Achenes per head and pappus parts per achene were scored in identical plants in two subsequent seasons. The number of pappus parts per achene varies freely between five and ten. This contrasts with annual species ofMicroseris in which either five or ten pappus parts are found, depending on the species. In spite of a clear plant-specific average of pappus parts, both high and low pappus part determination can be demonstrated in all specimens. The number of pappus parts depends on the position of an achene on the receptacle, marginal achenes usually having fewer pappus parts than central ones. This gradient is not closely correlated with the position of an achene on the genetic spiral.     

The individuality of artifacts and organisms

Is there any genuine difference between organisms and artifacts? Where and how would we identify such a difference? This paper argues the difference involves the character of their individuality. Unlike an organism, an artifact's individuality is (for the most part) determined by the function that the designer selected in the artifact's production rather than the functional interdependence of its parts. In both cases, individuality is a historical property and in both cases the parts may be functionally interdependent to some extent. However, for artifacts, this interdependence is not what makes it the individual that it is. Instead, the interdependence of its parts is in the service of the functions for which the spear was designed. No such additional purpose or function exists for an organism.     

Olfactory response of predatory mites to vegetative and reproductive parts of coconut palm infested by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aceria guerreronis</Emphasis>

The phytophagous mite Aceria guerreronis Keifer is an important pest of coconut worldwide. A promising method of control for this pest is the use of predatory mites. Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot) and Proctolaelaps bickleyi Bram are predatory mites found in association with A. guerreronis in the field. To understand how these predators respond to olfactory cues from A. guerreronis and its host plant, the foraging behavior of the predatory mites was investigated in a Y-tube olfactometer and on T-shaped arenas. The predators were subjected to choose in an olfactometer: (1) isolated parts (leaflet, spikelet or fruit) of infested coconut plant or clean air stream; (2) isolated parts of non-infested or infested coconut plant; and (3) two different plant parts previously shown to be attractive. Using T-shaped arenas the predators were offered all possible binary combinations of discs of coconut fruit epidermis infested with A. guerreronis, non-infested discs or coconut pollen. The results showed that both predators were preferred (the volatile cues from) the infested plant parts over clean air. When subjected to odours from different infested or non-infested plant parts, predators preferred the infested parts. Among the infested plant parts, the spikelets induced the greatest attraction to predators. On the arenas, both predators preferred discs of coconut fruits infested with A. guerreronis over every other alternative. The results show that both predators are able to locate A. guerreronis by olfactory stimuli. Foraging strategies and implications for biological control are discussed.     

Attempts to define distinct parts of NADH: Ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I)

The NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is made up of a peripheral part and a membrane part. The two parts are arranged perpendicular to each other and give the complex an unusual L-shaped structure. The peripheral part protrudes into the matrix space and constitutes the proximal segment of the electron pathway with the NADH-binding site, the FMN and at least three iron-sulfur clusters. The membrane part constitutes the distal segment of the electron pathway with at least one iron-sulfur cluster and the ubiquinone-binding site. Both parts are assembled separately and relationships of the major structural modules of the two parts with different bacterial enzymes suggest, that both parts also emerged independently in evolution. This assumption is further supported by the conserved order of bacterial complex I genes, which correlates with the topological arrangement of the corresponding subunits in the two parts of complex I.     

Design, implementation and practice of JBEI-ICE: an open source biological part registry platform and tools

The Joint BioEnergy Institute Inventory of Composable Elements (JBEI-ICEs) is an open source registry platform for managing information about biological parts. It is capable of recording information about ‘legacy’ parts, such as plasmids, microbial host strains and Arabidopsis seeds, as well as DNA parts in various assembly standards. ICE is built on the idea of a web of registries and thus provides strong support for distributed interconnected use. The information deposited in an ICE installation instance is accessible both via a web browser and through the web application programming interfaces, which allows automated access to parts via third-party programs. JBEI-ICE includes several useful web browser-based graphical applications for sequence annotation, manipulation and analysis that are also open source. As with open source software, users are encouraged to install, use and customize JBEI-ICE and its components for their particular purposes. As a web application programming interface, ICE provides well-developed parts storage functionality for other synthetic biology software projects. A public instance is available at public-registry.jbei.org, where users can try out features, upload parts or simply use it for their projects. The ICE software suite is available via Google Code, a hosting site for community-driven open source projects.     

Seasonal changes in the concentrations of Ca,Fe, K,Mg, Mn and Na in eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) in the Limfjord,Denmark

The seasonal changes in concentrations of calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese and sodium in above- and below-ground parts of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) were studied at three locations in the Limfjord, Denmark.The concentrations of calcium, iron and manganese in eelgrass differed significantly at the three stations. Above-ground parts of eelgrass contained significantly higher concentrations of potassium and manganese than below-ground parts, whereas the concentrations of iron and sodium were highest in the below-ground parts. Calcium and mangnesium concentrations in the two fractions were not significantly different.Significant seasonal variations were observed in the concentrations of calcium, potassium, manganese and sodium in above-ground parts of eelgrass and in the concentrations of iron, magnesium and sodium in below-ground parts. Iron, potassium, manganese and, to an extent, sodium showed a similar seasonal pattern with maximum concentrations in the summer and minimum concentrations in the spring or fall, whereas calcium concentrations in the above-ground parts showed the opposite pattern.The observed seasonal variation patterns are discussed in relation to the respective metals and changes in environmental factors.     

A quantitative study on the myenteric plexus of the distal end of the duodenum and the proximal part of the jejunum

4 necropsy specimens taken from adult individuals were used in order to estimate the density of nerve cell bodies of the myenteric plexus in the last distal 5 cm of the duodenum and the proximal 5 cm of the jejunum (including the duodenojejunal flexure), that were subdivided into parts of approximately 1 cm and stained by Giemsa's method according to Barbosa (1970). Except for the first 2 parts, an increase of the neuron number was observed toward the duodenojejunal flexure, the greatest being at this point, and then decreasing progressively. The first duodenal parts, which corresponds approximately to the intersection of the mesenteric artery with the duodenum, showed the same neuron density as the duodenojejunal flexure. In this paper the 2 parts with higher neuron density were related to functional sphincteric zones, previously described.     

Comparative characteristic of respiratory pattern responses to kainic acid microinjections in different parts of the nucleus ambiguous

In rats, local chemical isolation of neurones by the kainic acid helped to investigate into comparative role of different parts of the n. ambiguus in respiratory control mechanisms. We disclosed specific peculiarities of responses of rhythm and respiratory pattern to chemical isolation of different parts of the n. ambiguus. In particular, it was found that consecutive isolation of the left and right rostral parts of the n. ambiguus caused a significant decrease of the respiration rate and respiratory volume and also resulted in irreversible cessation of respiration in 83% of experiments. Isolation of symmetric medial parts of the n. ambiguus resulted in bradypnoe and a decrease of pulmonary ventilation; maximal respiratory effect was recorded after kainic acid injection in the symmetric part only, thus the irreversible cessation of respiration was recorded in 50% of experiments. After isolation of symmetric caudal parts of the n. ambiguus we observed an insignificant decrease of the respiration rate without significant changes of the respiratory volume, and number of the respiration cessation was minimal: 33%.     

Quantification of tagitinin C in Tithonia diversifolia by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, rapid and reliable reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of tagitinin C, an anti-plasmodial sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the aerial parts of Tithonia diversifolia, has been developed. The assay has been used to quantify tagitinin C in various extracts of the aerial parts of T. diversifolia.     

Evolution of Integrated Design

There is an intricate integration of parts in the bodies ofanimals which can in some cases and to some extent be demonstratedquantitatively and must presumably be maintained in evolution.There is intricate fit between parts packed together in thebodies of animals so that changes in the relative sizes of organsmay make complex rearrangement necessary. These points are illustratedby examples concerning the legs of dogs and the heads of ostariophysanfishes.     

Intramolecular Interactions within the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 gp41 Loop Region and Their Involvement in Lipid Merging

The human immunodeficiency virus utilizes its gp41 fusion protein to mediate virus-cell membrane fusion. The conserved disulfide loop region in the gp41 hairpin conformation reverses the protein chain, such that the N-terminal heptad repeat and the C-terminal heptad repeat regions interact to form the six-helix bundle. Hence, it is conceivable that the sequential folded N- and C-terminal parts of the loop region also interact. We show that the N- and C-terminal parts of the loop preferably form disulfide-bonded heterodimers with slow oxidation kinetics. Furthermore, when the two parts were linked to a single polypeptide to form the full-length loop, only an intramolecular disulfide-bonded loop was formed. Fluorescence studies revealed that an interaction takes place between the N- and C-terminal parts of the loop in solution, which was sustained in membranes. Functionally, only a combination of the N- and C-loop parts induced lipid mixing of model liposomes, the level of which increased 8-fold when they were connected to a single polypeptide chain. In both cases, the activity was independent of the oxidation state of the cysteines. Overall, the data (i) provide evidence of a specific interaction between the N- and C-terminal parts of the loop, which can further stabilize gp41 hairpin conformation, and (ii) suggest that the interaction between the N- and C-terminal parts of the loop is sufficient to induce lipid merging without forming a disulfide bond.     

Genetic and Non-genetic Variation in the Number of Pappus Parts in Microseris douglasii Strain D37 (Asteraceae, Lactuceae)

The pappus of the annual species of Microseris usually consistsof a constant number of five paleaceous, awn-tipped scales.In some populations of Microseris douglasii, plants with variablenumbers of pappus parts, always five or fewer, are frequent.Here we study inbred lines derived from a plant with an averageof slightly less than five pappus parts (strain D40), from aplant with an average near three pappus parts (strain B14),and from F2 plants of a hybrid (D37) between these two strains.The average deviation from five pappus parts is subject to varioussources of non-genetic variation. The peripheral achenes ineach head have more pappus parts than the central ones, andthe overall average number decreases in later-formed capitulaof a plant. Both effects are strongly affected by environmentalfactors. Against this background, we show (polygenic) geneticvariation for the average deviation from five, and additionalheritable differences in the strength of the gradient in pappuspart numbers from the periphery to the centre of the capitulum,while the decrease of pappus part numbers in later-formed capitulais essentially identical in both parental strains, even in itsresponse to environmental factors. Visible phenotypic variationdue to all sources decreases as the average nears a constantnumber of five pappus parts Asteraceae, canalized characters, developmental genetics, inflorescence, Lactuceae, Microseris douglasii, phenotypic plasticity