3-β-d-Glucopyranosyl-6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA-N-Glc) is an insect detoxification product of maize 1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones

In order to defend themselves against arthropod herbivores, maize plants produce 1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones (BXs), which are stored as weakly active glucosides in the vacuole. Upon tissue disruption, BXs come into contact with β-glucosidases, resulting in the release of active aglycones and their breakdown products. While some aglycones can be reglucosylated by specialist herbivores, little is known about how they detoxify BX breakdown products. Here we report on the structure of an N-glucoside, 3-β-d-glucopyranosyl-6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA-N-Glc), purified from Spodoptera frugiperda faeces. In vitro assays showed that MBOA-N-Glc is formed enzymatically in the insect gut using the BX breakdown product 6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA) as precursor. While Spodoptera littoralis and S. frugiperda caterpillars readily glucosylated MBOA, larvae of the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis were hardly able to process the molecule. Accordingly, Spodoptera caterpillar growth was unaffected by the presence of MBOA, while O. nubilalis growth was reduced. We conclude that glucosylation of MBOA is an important detoxification mechanism that helps insects tolerate maize BXs.

Cup Implant Planning Based on 2-D/3-D Radiographic Pelvis Reconstruction-First Clinical Results.

GOAL: In the following, we will present a newly developed X-ray calibration phantom and its integration for 2-D/3-D pelvis reconstruction and subsequent automatic cup planning. Two different planning strategies were applied and evaluated with clinical data. METHODS: Two different cup planning methods were investigated: The first planning strategy is based on a combined pelvis and cup statistical atlas. Thereby, the pelvis part of the combined atlas is matched to the reconstructed pelvis model, resulting in an optimized cup planning. The second planning strategy analyzes the morphology of the reconstructed pelvis model to determine the best fitting cup implant. RESULTS: The first planning strategy was compared to 3-D CT-based planning. Digitally reconstructed radiographs of THA patients with differently severe pathologies were used to evaluate the accuracy of predicting the cup size and position. Within a discrepancy of one cup size, the size was correctly identified in 100% of the cases for Crowe type I datasets and in 77.8% of the cases for Crowe type II, III, and IV datasets. The second planning strategy was analyzed with respect to the eventually implanted cup size. In seven patients, the estimated cup diameter was correct within one cup size, while the estimation for the remaining five patients differed by two cup sizes. CONCLUSION: While both planning strategies showed the same prediction rate with a discrepancy of one cup size (87.5%), the prediction of the exact cup size was increased for the statistical atlas-based strategy (56%) in contrast to the anatomically driven approach (37.5%). SIGNIFICANCE: The proposed approach demonstrated the clinical validity of using 2-D/3-D reconstruction technique for cup planning.

Kundmachung: Mit Bezug auf die hierortigen Kundmachungen vom 29. v. M. und 3. d. M. betreffend die Wahl des neuen Gemeinderathes für die Stadt Wien ...

Welsch (Projektbearbeiter): Bekanntgabe der Wahlbezirke und -lokale anläßlich der Wahl des neuen Wiener Gemeinderates am 25. und 27. September 1848

Structural studies of proteinase entrapment by human alpha 2-macroglobulin using 3-D electron microscopy

Human a2 -macroglobulin ( a2 M; homotetramer, Mr 720 kDa) is an essential scavenger of proteinases in the serum. Each of its four subunits has a ‘bait region’, with cleavage sequences for almost all endo-proteinases, an unusual thiol ester moiety and a receptor-binding domain (RBD). Bait region cleavage in native a2 M ( a2 M-N) by a proteinase results in rapid thiol ester breakage, with a large-scale structural transformation, in which a2 M uniquely entraps the proteinase in a cage-like structure and exposes receptor-binding domains for rapid endocytosis. Transformed a2 M ( a2 M-TR) contains up to two proteinases, which remain active to small substrates. 3-D electron microscopy is optimally suited to study this unusual structural change at resolutions near (1/30) Å−1. ^ The structural importance of the thiol esters was demonstrated by a genetically-engineered a2 M, with the cysteines involved in thiol ester formation mutated to serines, which appeared structurally homologous to a2 M-TR. This demonstrates that the four highly labile thiol esters alone maintain the a2 M-N structure, while the ‘closed trap’ formed by a2 M-TR is a more stable structural form. ^ Half-transformed a2 M ( a2 M-HT), with cleaved bait regions and thiol esters in only two of its four subunits, provides an important structural link between a2 M-N and a2 M-TR. A comparison with a2 M-N showed the two proteinase-entrapping domains were above and below the plane bisecting the long axis. Both a2 M-N and a2 M-TR consist of two dense, oppositely twisted strands with significant interconnections, indicating that the structural change involves a rotation of these strands. In a2 M-HT these strands were partially untwisted with large central openings, revealing the manner in which the proteinase enters the internal cavity of a2 M. ^ In reconstructions of a2 M-N, a2 M-HT and a2 M-TR labeled with a monoclonal Fab, the Fabs were located on distal ends of each constitutive strand, demonstrating an anti-parallel arrangement of the subunits. Separation between the top and bottom pairs of Fabs was nearly the same on all structures, but the pairs were rotated about the long axis. Taken together, these results indicate that upon proteinase cleavage the two strands in a2 M-N separate. The proteinase enters the structure, while the strands re-twist to encage it. In a2 M-TR, which displays receptor-binding arms, more than two subunits are transformed as strands in the transformed half of a2 M-HT were not separated. ^

Visualizing the Simulation of 3-D Underwater Sensor Networks

The majority of sensor network research deals with land-based networks, which are essentially two-dimensional, and thus the majority of simulation and animation tools also only handle such networks. Underwater sensor networks on the other hand, are essentially 3D networks because the depth at which a sensor node is located needs to be considered as well. Due to that additional dimension, specialized tools need to be used when conducting simulations for experimentation. The School of Engineering’s Underwater Sensor Network (UWSN) lab is conducting research on underwater sensor networks and requires simulation tools for 3D networks. The lab has extended NS-2, a widely used network simulator, so that it can simulate three-dimensional networks. However, NAM, a widely used network animator, currently only supports two-dimensional networks and no extensions have been implemented to give it three-dimensional capabilities. In this project, we develop a network visualization tool that functions similarly to NAM but is able to render network environments in full 3-D. It is able to take as input a NS-2 trace file (the same file taken as input by NAM), create the environment, position the sensor nodes, and animate the events of the simulation. Further, the visualization tool is easy to use, especially friendly to NAM users, as it is designed to follow the interfaces and functions similar to NAM. So far, the development has fulfilled the basic functionality. Future work includes fully functional capabilities for visualization and much improved user interfaces.

Modelo de ISING en 3-d. aplicación a sensores magnéticos

El modelo de Ising es un problema de física estadística que tiene solución exacta en dos dimensiones, para el caso de tres dimensiones es preciso utilizar procedimientos de simulación. En este trabajo se ha utilizado un método de Monte Carlo para estudiar el comportamiento del sistema en distintas situaciones, siendo de especial interés el estudio del paso por la transición de fase a la temperatura crítica (Temperatura de Curie, Tc). Se ha estudiado la cinética de los dominios magnéticos, considerando la estructura de los dominios desde el punto de vista de la energía, y en consecuencia, hemos tenido en cuenta la energía de canje que tiende a mantener alineados los espines de los electrones en los materiales ferromagnéticos. Este término contribuye a hacer mayor el espesor de la pared, por la tendencia a que los espines de los átomos vecinos se mantengan alineados. Se ha considerado el ferromagnetismo desde el punto de vista cuántico y basado en las propiedades de simetría de las funciones de onda de los electrones, que se manifiestan en variaciones de la energía electrostática de un sistema en función de la orientación de sus espines. Se han estudiado los efectos de histéresis que resultan al aplicar un campo magnético externo a la red y la orientación de los espines de la misma a lo largo de su evolución. Para la determinación de las propiedades de los materiales ferromagnéticos se utiliza el ciclo de histéresis aunque algunas de las propiedades magnéticas, como la dirección de anisotropía, no pueden ser deducidas directamente de esta manera. Se utilizan distintos métodos para la determinación de la anisotropía de las muestras. El acoplamiento entre la magnetización en zonas próximas a la superficie y la magnetización en zonas internas de la muestra puede ser utilizado para obtener un ciclo de histéresis, que permita obtener sensores magnéticos adaptados a las medidas que se quieran realizar. Mediante el control del campo coercitivo y la susceptibilidad se abre una línea de investigación para el desarrollo de sensores magnéticos

Automatic mesh generation processor for 3-D parabolic boundary discretization

An automatic Mesh Generation Preprocessor for BE Programs with a considerable of capabilities has been developed. This program allows almost any kind of geometry and tipology to be defined with a small amount of external data, and with an important approximation of the boundary geometry. Also the error checking possibility is very important for a fast comprobation of the results.

A Case Study of Geometric Modelling via 3-D Point Interpolation for the Bathymetry of the Rabasa Lakes (Alicante, Spain)

The interpolation of points by means of Information Technology programs appears as a technical tool of some relevancy in the hydrogeology in general and in the study of the humid zones in particular. Our approach has been the determination of the 3-D geometry of the humid zones of major depth of the Rabasa Lakes. To estimate the topography of the lake bed, we proceed to acquire information in the field by means of sonar and GPS equipment. A total of 335 points were measured both on the perimeter and in the lake bed. In a second stage, this information was used in a kriging program to obtain the bathymetry of the wetland. This methodology is demonstrated as one of the most reliable and cost-efficient for the 3-D analysis of this type of water masses. The bathymetric study of the zone allows us to characterize the mid- and long-term hydrological evolution of the lakes by means of depth-area-volume curves.

B.I.E.M.in 3-D elasto-plastic problems

In this paper we present the application of BIEM to elastoplastic axysimetric problems. After a brief presentation of the basic integral formulation we introduce the discretizing and iterative process for its resolution. Simple problems are compared in order to test the possibilities of the method and we finish commenting on future research needs.

On the Use of a 3-D Fundamental Solution for Axisymmetric Steady-State Dynamic Problems

The use of 3-D fundamental solution is some axisymmetric problems is straightforward. The resulting algorithms seem to work better than the usual ones (at least for static solutions) and for dynamic cases, than those presented in the previous paragraph. The robustness of the method allows the computations for very high and very low frequencies without any noticeable difficulty.

Structure of Alluvial Valleys from 3-D Gravity Inversion: The Low Andarax Valley (Almería, Spain) Test Case

This paper presents a gravimetric study (based on 382 gravimetric stations in an area about 32 km2) of a nearly flat basin: the Low Andarax valley. This alluvial basin, close to its river mouth, is located in the extreme south of the province of Almería and coincides with one of the existing depressions in the Betic Cordillera. The paper presents new methodological work to adapt a published inversion approach (GROWTH method) to the case of an alluvial valley (sedimentary stratification, with density increase downward). The adjusted 3D density model reveals several features in the topography of the discontinuity layers between the calcareous basement (2,700 kg/m3) and two sedimentary layers (2,400 and 2,250 kg/m3). We interpret several low density alignments as corresponding to SE faults striking about N140?145°E. Some detected basement elevations (such as the one, previously known by boreholes, in Viator village) are apparently connected with the fault pattern. The outcomes of this work are: (1) new gravimetric data, (2) new methodological options, and (3) the resulting structural conclusions.

A database and tools for 3-D protein structure comparison and alignment using the Combinatorial Extension (CE) algorithm

The database reported here is derived using the Combinatorial Extension (CE) algorithm which compares pairs of protein polypeptide chains and provides a list of structurally similar proteins along with their structure alignments. Using CE, structure–structure alignments can provide insights into biological function. When a protein of known function is shown to be structurally similar to a protein of unknown function, a relationship might be inferred; a relationship not necessarily detectable from sequence comparison alone. Establishing structure–structure relationships in this way is of great importance as we enter an era of structural genomics where there is a likelihood of an increasing number of structures with unknown functions being determined. Thus the CE database is an example of a useful tool in the annotation of protein structures of unknown function. Comparisons can be performed on the complete PDB or on a structurally representative subset of proteins. The source protein(s) can be from the PDB (updated monthly) or uploaded by the user. CE provides sequence alignments resulting from structural alignments and Cartesian coordinates for the aligned structures, which may be analyzed using the supplied Compare3D Java applet, or downloaded for further local analysis. Searches can be run from the CE web site, http://cl.sdsc.edu/ce.html, or the database and software downloaded from the site for local use.