Elektronenmikroskopischer Vergleich menschlicher Iriskapillaren bei Glaucoma simplex und bei Katarakt

Résumé Dans les cellules endothéliales de capillaires iridiens de glaucomateux, on a constaté une diminution du volume des mitochondries, des vésicules micropinocytotiques et du nombre des ribosomes libres ainsi qu'un amincissement de la membrane basale. En revanche, ces cellules sont riches en corpuscules tubulaires «rod-shaped tubular bodies» deWeibel etPalade.     

Mitogenic effect of sodium phenobarbital and rat liver arginase activity

Résumé Au cours de la régénération du foie normal des rats, on a constaté une augmentation — statistiquement significative — de l'activité arginasique dans la phase prémitotique. Chez des animaux traités par le phénobarbital, l'activité arginasique augmente encore davantage dans la phase prémitotique du foie régénéré.     

Assembly and function of a bacterial genotoxin

The tripartite cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in eukaryotic cells. The subunits CdtA and CdtC associate with the nuclease CdtB to form a holotoxin that translocates CdtB into the host cell, where it acts as a genotoxin by creating DNA lesions. Here we show that the crystal structure of the holotoxin from Haemophilus ducreyi reveals that CDT consists of an enzyme of the DNase-I family, bound to two ricin-like lectin domains. CdtA, CdtB and CdtC form a ternary complex with three interdependent molecular interfaces, characterized by globular, as well as extensive non-globular, interactions. The lectin subunits form a deeply grooved, highly aromatic surface that we show to be critical for toxicity. The holotoxin possesses a steric block of the CdtB active site by means of a non-globular extension of the CdtC subunit, and we identify putative DNA binding residues in CdtB that are essential for toxin activity.     

An age-colour relationship for main-belt S-complex asteroids

Asteroid collisions in the main belt eject fragments that may eventually land on Earth as meteorites. It has therefore been a long-standing puzzle in planetary science that laboratory spectra of the most populous class of meteorite (ordinary chondrites, OC) do not match the remotely observed surface spectra of their presumed (S-complex) asteroidal parent bodies. One of the proposed solutions to this perplexing observation is that 'space weathering' modifies the exposed planetary surfaces over time through a variety of processes (such as solar and cosmic ray bombardment, micro-meteorite bombardment, and so on). Space weathering has been observed on lunar samples, in Earth-based laboratory experiments, and there is good evidence from spacecraft data that the process is active on asteroid surfaces. Here, we present a measurement of the rate of space weathering on S-complex main-belt asteroids using a relationship between the ages of asteroid families and their colours. Extrapolating this age-colour relationship to very young ages yields a good match to the colour of freshly cut OC meteorite samples, lending strong support to a genetic relationship between them and the S-complex asteroids.     

Mutations in Rab3a alter circadian period and homeostatic response to sleep loss in the mouse

Rab3a is the most abundant Rab (ras-associated binding) protein in the brain and has a regulatory role in synaptic vesicle trafficking. Mice with a targeted loss-of-function mutation in Rab3a have defects in Ca(2+)-dependent synaptic transmission: the number of vesicles released in response to an action potential is greater than in wildtype mice, resulting in greater synaptic depression and the abolishment of CA3 mossy-fiber long term potentiation. The effect of these changes on behavior is unknown. In a screen for mouse mutants with abnormal rest-activity and sleep patterns, we identified a semidominant mutation, called earlybird, that shortens the circadian period of locomotor activity. Sequence analysis of Rab3a identified a point mutation in the conserved amino acid (Asp77Gly) within the GTP-binding domain of this protein in earlybird mutants, resulting in significantly reduced levels of Rab3a protein. Phenotypic assessment of earlybird mice and a null allele of Rab3a revealed anomalies in circadian period and sleep homeostasis, providing evidence that Rab3a-mediated synaptic transmission is involved in these behaviors.     

A gravitationally lensed quasar with quadruple images separated by 14.62 arcseconds

Gravitational lensing is a powerful tool for the study of the distribution of dark matter in the Universe. The cold-dark-matter model of the formation of large-scale structures (that is, clusters of galaxies and even larger assemblies) predicts the existence of quasars gravitationally lensed by concentrations of dark matter so massive that the quasar images would be split by over 7 arcsec. Numerous searches for large-separation lensed quasars have, however, been unsuccessful. All of the roughly 70 lensed quasars known, including the first lensed quasar discovered, have smaller separations that can be explained in terms of galaxy-scale concentrations of baryonic matter. Although gravitationally lensed galaxies with large separations are known, quasars are more useful cosmological probes because of the simplicity of the resulting lens systems. Here we report the discovery of a lensed quasar, SDSS J1004 + 4112, which has a maximum separation between the components of 14.62 arcsec. Such a large separation means that the lensing object must be dominated by dark matter. Our results are fully consistent with theoretical expectations based on the cold-dark-matter model.     

Experimental demonstration of a robust,high-fidelity geometric two ion-qubit phase gate

Universal logic gates for two quantum bits (qubits) form an essential ingredient of quantum computation. Dynamical gates have been proposed in the context of trapped ions; however, geometric phase gates (which change only the phase of the physical qubits) offer potential practical advantages because they have higher intrinsic resistance to certain small errors and might enable faster gate implementation. Here we demonstrate a universal geometric pi-phase gate between two beryllium ion-qubits, based on coherent displacements induced by an optical dipole force. The displacements depend on the internal atomic states; the motional state of the ions is unimportant provided that they remain in the regime in which the force can be considered constant over the extent of each ion's wave packet. By combining the gate with single-qubit rotations, we have prepared ions in an entangled Bell state with 97% fidelity-about six times better than in a previous experiment demonstrating a universal gate between two ion-qubits. The particular properties of the gate make it attractive for a multiplexed trap architecture that would enable scaling to large numbers of ion-qubits.     

Regulation of immune cell function and differentiation by the NKG2D receptor

NKG2D is one of the most intensively studied immune receptors of the past decade. Its unique binding and signaling properties, expression pattern, and functions have been attracting much interest within the field due to its potent antiviral and anti-tumor properties. As an activating receptor, NKG2D is expressed on cells of the innate and adaptive immune system. It recognizes stress-induced MHC class I-like ligands and acts as a molecular sensor for cells jeopardized by viral infections or DNA damage. Although the activating functions of NKG2D have been well documented, recent analysis of NKG2D-deficient mice suggests that this receptor may have a regulatory role during NK cell development. In this review, we will revisit known aspects of NKG2D functions and present new insights in the proposed influence of this molecule on hematopoietic differentiation.     

Natural lymphocytic rosettes in non-operated,thymectomized and bursectomized chickens

Résumé On démontre la présence des lymphocytes capables de faire des rosettes spontanées ou naturelles avec les globules rouges de cobaye, dans le thymus, la bourse de Fabricius, la rate et dans la moelle osseuse des poulets non-immunisés, âgés de 8 semaines. Les effets de la boursectomie et de la thymectomie néonatale chez le poulet, suggèrent l'existence de 2 populations de lymphocytes capables de faire des rosettes, dont l'une thymo-dépendente et l'autre dépendant de la bourse.     

The environment in which lymphocytes differentiate influences their ability to cooperate in vivo

Summary Whether or not parental B lymphocytes cooperate with F1 T lymphocytes depends upon the environment in which parental bone marrow cells differentiate. Only those parental B lymphocytes that have differentiated in the F1 environment are able to cooperate with F1 T lymphocytes.Postdoctoral Investigator supported by Subcontract No. 3322 from the Biology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee and by the Fulbright-Hays Program.Operated by the Union Carbide Corporation for the Department of Energy.