Finding Water on Mars

Finding Water on Mars   Ever since we began the exploration of Mars with spacecraft (back in the 1960s), scientists have been on the lookout for evidence of water on the Red Planet. Each mission gathers more evidence for the existence of water in the past and present, and each time definitive proof is found, scientists share that information with the public. Now, with the popularity of Mars missions on the rise and the amazing story of survival that moviegoers have seen in The Martian, with Matt Damon, the search for water on Mars takes on additional meaning.   On Earth, definitive proof of water is easy to find - in as rain and snow, in lakes, ponds, rivers, and the oceans. Since we havent visited Mars in person yet, scientists work with observations made by orbiting spacecraft and lander/rovers on the surface. Future explorers WILL be able to find that water and study it and use it, so its important to know NOW about how much there is and where it exists on the Red Planet.   Streaks on Mars Over the past few years, scientists noticed curious-looking dark streaks that appear on the surface on steep slopes. They seem to come and go with the change of seasons, as temperatures change. They darken and appear to flow down the slopes during periods when the temperatures are warmer, and then fade out as things cool down. These streaks appear in several locations on Mars and have been called recurring slope linae (or RSLs for short). Scientists strongly suspect theyre related to liquid water that deposits hydrated salts (salts that have been in contact with water) on those slopes.   Salts Point the Way Observers took a look at the RSLs using an instrument onboard NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter called the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). It looked at sunlight after it had been reflected from the surface, and analyzed it to figure out what chemical elements and minerals were there. The observations showed the chemical signature of hydrated salts in several locations, but only when the dark features were wider than usual.   A second look at the same places, but when the swaths were not very wide didnt turn up any hydrated salt. What this means is that if theres water there, its wetting the salt and causing it to show up in the observations.What are these salts? Observers determined that they are hydrated minerals called perchlorates, which are known to exist on Mars. Both the Mars Phoenix Lander and the Curiosity rover have found them in the soil samples theyve studied. The discovery of these perchlorates is the first time these salts have been spotte d from orbit over several years. Their existence is a huge clue in the search for water. Why Worry about Water on Mars?   If it seems that Mars scientists have announced water discoveries before, remember this: the discovery of water on Mars has not been one single discovery. It is the result of many observations over the past 50 years, each one giving more solid evidence that water exists. More studies will pinpoint more water, and eventually give planetary scientists a much better handle on how much water the Red Planet has and its sources underground.   Ultimately, people will travel to Mars, perhaps sometime in the next 20 years. When they do, those first Mars explorers will need all the information they can get about conditions on the Red Planet. Water, of course, is important. Its essential to life, and it can be used as a raw ingredient for many things (including fuel). Mars explorers and inhabitants will need to rely on the resources around them, just as explorers on Earth had to do as they explored our planet.   Just as important, however, is to understand Mars in its own right. Its similar to Earth in many ways, and formed in roughly the same region of the solar system some 4.6 billion years ago. Even if we never send people to the Red Planet, knowing its history and composition help fill in our knowledge of the solar systems many worlds. In particular, knowing its water history helps fill in the gaps of our understanding about what this planet may have been in the past: warm, wet, and much more habitable for life than it is now.

The Life of Gertrude Bell, English Explorer in Iraq

The Life of Gertrude Bell, English Explorer in Iraq Gertrude Bell (July 14, 1868 – July 12, 1926) was a British writer, politician, and archaeologist whose knowledge and travels in the Middle East made her a valuable and influential person in British administration of the region. Unlike many of her countrymen, she was regarded with considerable respect by the locals in Iraq, Jordan, and other countries. Fast Facts: Gertrude Bell Full Name: Gertrude Margaret Lowthian BellKnown For: Archaeologist and historian who gained significant knowledge of the Middle East and helped shape the region post-World War I. She was particularly influential in the creation of the state of Iraq.Born: July 14, 1868 in Washington New Hall,  County Durham, EnglandDied: July 12, 1926 in Baghdad, IraqParents: Sir Hugh Bell and Mary BellHonors: Order of the British Empire; namesake of the mountain Gertrudspitze and the wild bee genus  Belliturgula Early Life Gertrude Bell was born in Washington, England, in the northeastern county of Durham. Her father was Sir Hugh Bell, a baronet who was a sheriff and a justice of the peace before joining the family manufacturing firm, Bell Brothers, and gaining a reputation for being a progressive and caring boss. Her mother, Mary Shield Bell, died giving birth to a son, Maurice, when Bell was only three years old. Sir Hugh remarried four years later to Florence Olliffe. Bell’s family was wealthy and influential; her grandfather was ironmaster and politician Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell. A playwright and children’s author, her stepmother was a major influence on Bells early life. She taught Bell etiquette and decorum, but also encouraged her intellectual curiosity and social responsibility. Bell was well-educated, first attending Queen’s College, then Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford University. Despite the limitations placed on female students, Bell graduated with first-class honors in just two years, becoming one of the first two Oxford women to achieve those honors with a modern history degree (the other was her classmate Alice Greenwood). World Travels After completing her degree, in 1892, Bell began her travels, first heading to Persia to visit her uncle, Sir Frank Lascelles, who was a minister at the embassy there. Only two years later, she published her first book, Persian Pictures, describing these travels. For Bell, this was only the beginning of over a decade of extensive travel. Bell quickly became a bonafide adventurer, going mountaineering in Switzerland and developing fluency in several languages, including French, German, Persian, and Arabic (plus proficiency in Italian and Turkish). She developed a passion for archaeology and continued her interest in modern history and peoples. In 1899, she returned to the Middle East, visiting Palestine and Syria and stopping in the historic cities of Jerusalem and Damascus. In the course of her travels, she began to become acquainted with the people living in the region. In addition to simply traveling, Bell continued some of her more daring expeditions. She climbed Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, and even had one peak, the Gertrudspitze, named after her in 1901. She also spent considerable time in the Arabian Peninsula over the course of more than a decade. King of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Saud, meets with British diplomat Sir Percy Cox and political advisor Gertrude Bell in Basra, Mesopotamia. The LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images Bell never married or had any children, and only had a few known romantic attachments. After meeting the administrator Sir Frank Swettenham on a visit to Singapore, she kept up a correspondence with him, despite their 18-year age gap. They had a brief affair in 1904 after his return to England. More significantly, she exchanged passionate love letters from 1913 until 1915 with Lieutenant Colonel Charles Doughty-Wylie, an army officer who was already married. Their affair remained unconsummated, and after his death in action in 1915, she had no other known romances. Archaeologist in the Middle East In 1907, Bell began working with archaeologist and scholar Sir William M. Ramsay. They worked on excavations in modern-day Turkey, as well as the discovery of a field of ancient ruins in the north of Syria. Two years later, she shifted her focus to Mesopotamia, visiting and studying the ruins of ancient cities. In 1913, she became only the second foreign woman to journey to Ha’li, a notoriously unstable and dangerous city in Saudi Arabia. When World War I broke out, Bell tried to obtain a posting in the Middle East but was denied; instead, she volunteered with the Red Cross. However, British intelligence was soon in need of her expertise in the region to get soldiers through the desert. During her expeditions, she forged close relationships with locals and tribe leaders. Starting from there, Bell gained remarkable influence in shaping British policy in the area. Bell became the sole female political officer in the British forces and was sent to areas where her expertise was needed. During this time, she also witnessed the horrors of the Armenian genocide and wrote about it in her reports of the time. The delegates of the Mespot Commission at the Cairo Conference. The group was set up by Colonial Secretary Winston Churchill to discuss the future of Arab nations. Gertrude Bell on the left, second row. Corbis Historical / Getty Images Political Career After British forces captured Baghdad in 1917, Bell was given the title of Oriental Secretary and ordered to assist in the restructuring of the area that had previously been the Ottoman Empire. In particular, her focus was the new creation of Iraq. In her report, â€Å"Self Determination in Mesopotamia,† she laid out her ideas about how the new leadership should work, based on her experience in the region and with its people. Unfortunately, the British commissioner, Arnold Wilson, believed that the Arab government needed to be overseen by British officials who would hold the final power, and many of Bell’s recommendations were not implemented. Bell continued on as Oriental Secretary, which in practice meant liaising between the various different factions and interests. At the Cairo Conference of 1921, she was critical in discussions on Iraqi leadership. She advocated for Faisal bin Hussein to be named the first King of Iraq, and when he was installed in the post, she advised him on a wide variety of political matters and supervised the selection of his cabinet and other positions. She gained the moniker al-Khatun among the Arab population, signifying a â€Å"Lady of the Court† who observes to serve the state. Bell also participated in the drawing of borders in the Middle East; her reports from that time proved to be prescient, as she remarked on the likelihood that none of the possible borders and divisions would satisfy all factions and keep long-term peace. Her close relationship with King Faisal also resulted in the founding of the Iraqi Archaeological Museum and an Iraq base of the British School of Archaeology. Bell personally brought artifacts from her own collection and supervised excavations as well. Over the next few years, she remained a key part of the new Iraqi administration. Death and Legacy Bell’s workload, combined with the desert heat and a slew of illnesses, took its toll on her health. She suffered from recurrent bronchitis and began losing weight rapidly. In 1925, she returned to England only to face a new set of problems. Her family’s wealth, made mostly in industry, was in rapid decline, thanks to the combined effects of industrial worker strikes and economic depression across Europe. She became ill with pleurisy and, almost immediately after, her brother Hugh died of typhoid fever. On the morning of July 12, 1926, her maid discovered her dead, apparently of an overdose of sleeping pills. It was unclear if the overdose was accidental or not. She was buried at the British cemetery in the Bab al-Sharji district in Baghdad. In the tributes following her death, she was praised for both her achievements and her personality by her British colleagues, and she was posthumously awarded the Order of the British Empire. Among the Arabic communities she worked with, it was noted that â€Å"she was one of the few representatives of His Majestys Government remembered by the Arabs with anything resembling affection.† Sources Adams, Amanda. Ladies of the Field: Early Women Archaeologists and Their Search for Adventure. Greystone Books Ltd, 2010.Howell, Georgina. Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006.Meyer, Karl E.; Brysac, Shareen B. Kingmakers: The Invention of the Modern Middle East. New York: W.W. Norton Co., 2008.

Information System Security of a Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information System Security of a Company - Essay Example The essay "Information System Security of a Company" talks about the measures companies should take against ‘social engineers’. Phones are the most dangerous tools that hackers use in stealing out information from an organization. Because of their skills in deceiving naà ¯ve people into revealing proprietary information, these hackers are termed as social engineers. They attempt to gain information by enticing people into simple gimmicks and taking advantage of the people’s trusting nature. Quoting an example of a real life case where a hacker manages to get a spyware installed on a Vice President’s PC, the author points out about the vulnerability of human beings and the ease at which any clever hacker can succeed. The hacker or social engineer first manages to get the contact number of a new employee from the HR department and then, pretending to be one of the vice presidents, he calls the employee and fools him into downloading a file on the actual VP’s computer. This does require technical skills to create the malware files and a sufficient amount of information about the organization and its employees, but the core essence is the ability to sound genuine on the phone and trick the other person into believing you. This method is very dangerous and using such techniques, social engineers can easily gain control of company’s computers and telephone systems and pretending to be company’s employees, they can even access company’s confidential information such as customer lists and financial data.

Women writers during the Harlem Renaissance Research Paper

Women writers during the Harlem Renaissance - Research Paper Example The name referred to black Americans in the United States who had moved to search for education, job and suffrage during the Great Migration that took place from Southern cities to the Northern. The term was used to describe the African Americans as sophisticated, conscious and artistic despite the stereotypes of them being instinctively servile. It involved a group of different writers and intellects associated with Manhattan district and Harlem. The period was known as having a rebellious edge since it acted a celebration and development of the intellectual gains of the African Americans. Jim Crow also described it as the social uprising and literary movement against racism implementation. The main objective of this period was to recreate Blacks identity in museum, literature, arts and music. This paved way for the New Negro Women in relation to writing poems, novels and other literary works. The women played an important role in the struggle of the minority African American women. They made use of this movement in expressing their opinions on gender and race (Deborah, 2011 pg 89). Thesis Statement: It is evident that Women writers have made a step in the literary world as compared to men writers from the history. Mother of Renaissance According to Edame, (2003 pg 66) in some of his book argues that, the major focus of Harlem renaissance women writer is based on the first three women who were referred to as the mothers of renaissance. They include Zora Neale Hurston, Jessie Redmon Faucet and Nella Larson. These women symbolized different voices of women, styles and vision in New York. Zora’s use of parlance in black folk societal was unpopular as evident in most of the literary works. Huston in her essay titled ‘How It Feels To Be Colored Me’ clearly depicts how she feels to be black woman besides being within the white people colony. Williams, (2007 pg 56) adds that among the three women writers of this period, Hurston had a typical think ing that influenced the modern forms of writing. Her work focused on the northern region of her birth. Most of the writers during her era in literacy had not come across ‘Tragic Negro’, which was her piece of work hence sought to transcend. Faucet during her teaching profession at Fisk University, challenged other writers on the race issue in the coming period. Hurston experience of the black people contributed much to her work since she was born and raised in the black region. The memories of the southern life made most of her work parallel with other women who were within the white States. Hurston was the first woman writer in the canon of Harlem through her recognized value in writing. She opened the door for other women writers and artists in the society of literature despite their contribution being of no importance to the society but later recognized after their death. Faucet was recognized as the mother of Harlem because she was the first woman among the black wo men writers to be matriculated at Cornell University. She helped in selecting various works on the board for publication (Harold, 2004 pg 89). This woman shared most of her expertise and contact with other up-coming young writers whose works could not make it to publishers. She edited they work and help them through publications. This made her novel; ‘Plum Bun’ to be the best in the country. She re-created the climate that produced and sustained the walls of the Harlem renaissance in her chapter. The extensive publication of her work was the innermost figure during this period thus contributed to her advancement of other artists. Laying the Foundation Sacvan & Patell, (2008 pg 120) asserts from their research works that, chapters concerning Larsen and Hurston the entertaining

Ebola Virus Mechanism of Infection

Ebola Virus Mechanism of Infection The Ebola virus (EBOV) is an enveloped, non-segmented, negative-strand RNA virus, which  together with Marburg virus, makes up the filoviridae family. The virus causes severe  hemorrhagic fever associated with 50-90% human mortality1. Four species of the virus (Zaire,  Sudan, Cà ´te d’Ivoire, and Reston ebolavirus) have thus far been identified, with Zaire typically  associated with the highest human lethality2. A fifth EBOV species is confirmed in a 2007  outbreak in Bundibugyo, Uganda3,4. Infection with EBOV results in uncontrolled viral  replication and multiple organ failure with death occurring 6-9 days after onset of  symptoms5. Fatal cases are associated with high viremia and defective immune responses,  while survival is associated with early and vigorous humoral and cellular immune  responses6-9. Although preliminary vaccine trials in primates have been highly  successful10-13, no vaccines, specific immunotherapeutics, or post-exposure treatments are  currently approved for human use. Since 1994, EBOV outbreaks have increased more than  four-fold, thus necessitating the urgent development of vaccines and therapeutics for use in the  event of an intentional, accidental or natural EBOV release. The EBOV genome contains seven genes, which direct the synthesis of eight proteins. Transcriptional editing of the fourth gene (GP) results in expression of a 676-residue transmembrane-linked glycoprotein termed GP, as well as a 364-residue secreted glycoprotein  termed sGP14,15. EBOV GP is the main target for the design of vaccines and entry inhibitors. GP is post-translationally cleaved by furin16 to yield disulfide-linked GP1 and GP2  subunits17. GP1 effects attachment to host cells, while GP2 mediates fusion of viral and host  membranes16,18-20. EBOV is thought to enter host cells through receptor-mediated  endocytosis via clathrin-coated pits and caveolae21, followed by actin and microtubuledependent  transport to the endosome21, where GP is further processed by endosomal  cathepsins22-24. Essential cellular receptor(s) have not yet been identified, but DC-SIGN/LSIGN25,  hMGL26, ÃŽ ²-integrins27, folate receptor-ÃŽ ±28 and Tyro3 family receptors29 have all  been implicated as cellular factors in entry. Here, we report the crystal structure of EBOV GP,  at 3.4 Ã… resolution, in its trimeric, pre-fusion conformation in complex with neutralizing  antibody Fab KZ52. GP1 is responsible for cell surface attachment, which is probably mediated by a region  including residues 54-20132. GP1 is composed of a single d omain (∠¼65 Ã… Ãâ€" 30 Ã… Ãâ€" 30 Ã…),arranged in the topology shown in Fig. 2a, and can be further subdivided into the (I) base, (II)  head and (III) glycan cap regions (Fig. 2a and Supplemental Fig. S3). The base (I) subdomain  is composed of two sets of ÃŽ ² sheets, forming a semi-circular surface which clamps the internal  fusion loop and a helix of GP2 through hydrophobic interactions (Fig. 2b). Moreover, this  subdomain contains Cys53, which is proposed to form an intermolecular disulfide bridge to  Cys609 of the GP2 subunit17. Cys53 resides near GP2 in the ÃŽ ²2-ÃŽ ²3 loop at the viral membraneproximal  end of the base subdomain (Fig. 2a-b). Our EBOV GP contains an intact GP1-GP2  disulfide bridge, based on reducing and non-reducing SDS-PAGE analysis. However, the region containing the counterpart GP2 cysteine is disordered, which may reflect functionally  important mobility in the region. The head (II) is located between the base and glycan cap   regions towards the host membrane surface. Two intramolecular disulfide bonds stabilize the  head subdomain and confirm the biochemically determined disulfide bridge assignments17.   Cys108-Cys135 connects a surface-exposed loop (ÃŽ ²8-ÃŽ ²9 loop) to strand ÃŽ ²7, while Cys121-Cys147 bridges the ÃŽ ²8-ÃŽ ²9 and ÃŽ ²9-ÃŽ ²10 loops (Fig. 2a). The glycan cap (III) contains four  predicted N-linked glycans (at N228, N238, N257 and N268) in an ÃŽ ±/ÃŽ ² dome over the GP1  head subdomain (Fig. 1b and 2a). This subdomain does not form any monomer-monomer  contacts and is fully exposed on the upper and outer surface of the chalice. The central ÃŽ ² sheets  from the head and glycan cap together form a fairly flat surface and, in the context of the GP  trimer, form the three inner sides of the chalice bowl. Ebola virus GP2 GP2 is responsible for fusion of viral and host cell membranes and contains the internal fusion  loop and the heptad repeat regions, HR1 and HR2. Many viral glycoproteins have fusion  peptides, located at the N terminus of their fusion subunit, which are released upon cleavage  of the precursor glycoprotein. By contrast, class II and class III fusion proteins, as well as class  I glycoproteins from Ebola, Marburg, Lassa and avian sarcoma leukosis viruses, contain  internal fusion loops lacking a free N terminus. The crystal structure reveals that the EBOV  GP internal fusion loop, which encompasses residues 511-556, utilizes an antiparallel ÃŽ ²Ã‚  stranded scaffold to display a partially helical hydrophobic fusion peptide (L529, W531, I532,  P533, Y534 and F535) (Fig. 2c). The side chains of these hydrophobic residues pack into a  region on the GP1 head of a neighboring subunit in the trimer, reminiscent of the fusion peptide  packing in the pre-fusion parainfluenz a virus 5 F structure33. A disulfide bond between Cys511  at the base of ÃŽ ²19 and Cys556 in the HR1 helix covalently links the antiparallel ÃŽ ² sheet. This  disulfide bond between the internal fusion loop and HR1 is conserved among all filoviruses,  and is analogous to a pair of critical cysteines flanking the internal fusion loop in avian sarcoma  leukosis virus34,35. Interestingly, the EBOV internal fusion loop has features more similar to  those observed in class II and III viral glycoproteins (in particular to flaviviruses) than those  previously observed for class I glycoproteins (Supplemental Fig. S4). It thus appears that  regardless of viral protein class, internal fusion loops share a common architecture for their  fusion function. EBOV GP2 contains two heptad repeat regions (HR1 and HR2), connected by a 25-residue  linker containing a CX6CC motif and the internal fusion loop. The crystal structures of postfusion  GP2 fragments30,31 have revealed that the two heptad repeat regions form antiparallel  ÃŽ ± helices and that a CX6CC motif forms an intrasubunit disulfide bond between Cys601 and  Cys608 (Supplemental Fig. S5). In the pre-fusion EBOV GP, HR2 and the CX6CC motif are  disordered. By contrast, the HR1 region is well ordered and can be divided into four segments:  HR1A, HR1B, HR1C and HR1D (Fig. 2c), which together assemble the cradle encircling GP1. Similarly, heptad repeat regions in influenza and parainfluenza viruses also contain multiple  segments in their pre-fusion helices that substantially rearrange in their post-fusion  conformations33,36,37. The first two segments, HR1A and HR1B (residues 554-575), together form an ÃŽ ± helix with an  Ã¢Ë† ¼40 ° kink at T565, which delineates HR1A from HR1B. Interestingly, the bend between  HR1A and HR1B contains an unusual 3-4-4-3 stutter, which may act as a conformational  switch31, rather than the typical 3-4 periodicity of heptad repeats (Supplemental Fig. S6). A  similar stutter has also been noted in parainfluenza virus 5 F33. The Ebola virus HR1C (residues  576-582) forms an extended coil linking HR1B to the 14-residue ÃŽ ± helix of HR1D (residues  583-598). HR1D forms an amphipathic helix and the hydrophobic faces of each HR1D join to  form a three-helix bundle at the trimer interface. Although the breakpoint maps directly to a  Lee et al. Page 3 Nature. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2009 June 22. NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript  chloride ion binding site in the post-fusion conformation of GP230,31 and at least two other  viruses38,39, no chloride ion is observed here as HR1 and HR2 do not come together to form  the six-helix bundle. Instead, the pre-fusion GP2 adopts a novel conformation, intimately  curled around GP1 (Fig. 1c). Ebola virus GP-KZ52 interface KZ52 is an antibody isolated from a human survivor of a 1995 outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic  Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire)40. This antibody neutralizes Zaire ebolavirus in  vitro40 and offers protection from lethal EBOV challenge in rodent models41, but has minimal  effects on viral pathogenicity in non-human primates42. KZ52 is directed towards a vulnerable,  non-glycosylated epitope at the base of the GP chalice, where it engages three discontinuous  segments of EBOV GP: residues 42-43 at the N terminus of GP1, and 505-514 and 549-556  at the N terminus of GP2 (Fig. 3 and Supplemental Fig. S7). Although the majority of the GP  surface buried by KZ52 belongs to GP2, the presence of both GP1 and GP2 are critical for  KZ52 recognition43. It is likely that GP1 is required to maintain the proper pre-fusion  conformation of GP2 for KZ52 binding. Indeed, KZ52 is the only antibody known to bridge  both attachment (GP1) and fusion (GP2) subunits of any viral gly coprotein. Given that KZ52  requires a conformational epitope seen only in the GP2 pre-fusion conformation and that the  KZ52 epitope is distant from the putative receptor-binding site (RBS), KZ52 likely neutralizes  by preventing rearrangement of the GP2 HR1A/HR1B segments and blocking host membrane  insertion of the internal fusion loop. Alternatively, IgG KZ52 may sterically hinder access to  the RBS or to a separate binding site of another cellular factor, especially if multiple attachment  events are required for entry. The KZ52 epitope of GP is convex and does not have a high shape complementarity to the  antibody (Sc index of 0.63), although ∠¼1600 Ã…2 of each GP monomer are occluded upon KZ52  binding. The antibody contacts a total of 15 GP residues by van der Waals interactions and 8  direct hydrogen bonds (Supplemental Fig. S7). Ten out of 15 residues in the structurally defined  KZ52 epitope are unique to Zaire ebolavirus (Supplemental Fig. S6), thus explaining the Zaire  specificity of KZ52. Ebola virus GP glycosylation We generated a fully glycosylated molecular model of EBOV GP to illustrate the native GP  trimer as it exists on the viral surface (Fig. 4). The majority of N-linked glycosylation sites are  concentrated in the mucin-like domain and glycan cap of GP1. Given that the mucin-like  domain is ∠¼75 kDa in mass (protein and oligosaccharide), the volume of this domain is  predicted to be similar to each GP monomer observed here. The crystal structure suggests that  the mucin-like domain is linked to the side of each monomer and may further build up the walls  of the chalice, forming a deeper bowl (Fig. 4). Although a mixture of complex, oligomannose  and hybrid-type glycans are found on intact, mucin-containing GP144, those glycans outside  the mucin-like domain are likely to be complex in nature: the mucin-deleted GP used for  crystallization is sensitive to PNGaseF, but not to EndoH treatment (Supplemental Fig. S8).   Modeling of complex-type oligosaccharides on the EBOV GP indicates that the majority of  the GP trimer is cloaked by a thick layer of oligosaccharide, even without the mucin-like  domain (Fig. 4). The ∠¼19 additional oligosaccharides on the full-length GP (17 on the mucinlike  domain and 2 more on GP1, disordered here) further conceal the sides and top of the  chalice. The KZ52 binding site and, presumably, the flexible regions of HR2 and the  membrane-proximal external region (MPER) remain exposed and perhaps vulnerable to  binding of antibodies and inhibitors. Lee The development of neutralizing antibodies is limited in natural Ebola virus infection. Many  survivors have low or insignificant titres1,7, and those antibodies that are elicited preferentially  recognize a secreted version of the viral glycoprotein that features an alternate quaternary  structure and lacks the mucin-like domain43. The glycocalyx surrounding EBOV GP likely  forms a shield that protects it from humoral immune responses and/or confers stability insideor outside a host. The mucin-like domain and glycan cap sit together as an external domain to  the viral attachment and fusion subunits, reminiscent of the glycan shields of HIV-1  gp12045,46   and Epstein-Barr virus gp35047, perhaps pointing to a common theme for immune  evasion. Alignment of filoviral sequences indicate that regions involved in immune evasion  have a low degree of sequence conservation [i.e. GP1 glycan cap (∠¼5%) and mucin-like domain  (0%)], but the N-glycosylation sites in the glycan cap are mostly conserved among all EBOV  subtypes (Supplemental Fig. S6), indicating the functional importance of these posttranslational  modifications. Sites of receptor binding and cathepsin cleavage Although a definitive receptor for EBOV remains to be identified, previous studies32,48,49  have determined that residues 54-201, which map to the base and head subdomains of GP1,  form a putative receptor-binding site (RBS) for attachment to host cells. Additional  experimental studies have identified at least 19 GP1 residues, assigned into four groups based  on the location in the structure, that are critical for viral entry48-50 (Fig. 5). Many of these  residues are apolar or aromatic and are involved in maintaining the structural integrity of GP1  for receptor binding or fusion. However, six residues (K114, K115, K140, G143, P146 and  C147) cluster within a ∠¼20 Ãâ€" 15 Ã… surface in the inner bowl of the chalice and may thus  represent important receptor contact sites. All residues in the putative RBS are highly conserved  among Ebola virus species (Supplemental Fig. S6). Importantly, this putative RBS is recessed beneath the glycan cap and perhaps further masked  by the mucin-like domain (Fig. 4), suggesting that additional conformational change or removalof the mucin-like domain could reveal additional surfaces required for receptor or cofactor  binding. It has been demonstrated that endosomal proteolysis of EBOV GP by cathepsin L  and/or B removes the mucin-like domain to produce a stable ∠¼18 kDa GP1 intermediate which  has enhanced viral binding and infectivity22-24. The precise site of cathepsin cleavage is  unknown and the role of cathepsins in natural infection is as yet unclear. However, formation  of an ∠¼18 kDa GP1 fragment implies that cathepsin may cleave near the GP1 ÃŽ ²13-ÃŽ ²14 loop  (residues 190-213). Indeed, this loop is unresolved in the pre-fusion structure, suggesting  enhanced mobility and accessibility to enzymatic cleavage. Cleavage within this loop would  remove the entire mucin-like domain and glyc an cap region (Fig. 5). As a result, ÃŽ ²7 to ÃŽ ²9  strands and their associated loops would become exposed. These regions of GP are in proximity  to the previously identified residues critical for viral entry. The fold, location and  physicochemical properties of this site should now provide new leads in the search for the  elusive filoviral receptor(s). A summary of the Ebola virus mechanism of infection, including the events of cathepsin  cleavage and conformational changes to GP2 during fusion, is presented.

Health and Social

Hollie Kelly- D1 Justify how the two-day diet plan meets the dietary needs of the two service uses Type-two diabetes Roger I have transformed Rogers two day diet plan to ensure he does not take in low carbohydrates as they are high in fats. I have only used complex carbohydrates to form part of Roger’s diet. I have tried to keep Rogers diet low in fat and sugar with only obtaining a small amount of fat and sugar in his two-day diet plan. In general, people with type 2 diabetes have a lifespan that is five to ten years less than those without the disease.The most common long-term effect of type 2 diabetes is damage to blood vessels. Because of this, diabetics are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease, which can result in blocked arteries, and eventually lead to a stroke or heart attack. The main cause of death in type 2 diabetes sufferers is cardiovascular disease and associated complications. Obese Susan I have transformed Susan’s two-day diet plan to ensure her calorie intake isn’t as high as it was. I have maintained a balanced diet that should fill her up for both days. I have ensured her intake of fats and sugar is to a minimum.I have balanced out her intake of dairy products, carbohydrates and protein so it helps her lose weight faster to obtain a healthy lifestyle. Obesity can reduce your life expectancy by up to 9 years and many chronic diseases can be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight can also put extra pressure on joints and limbs, making activity quite difficult and sometimes any movement at all can be painful. Other physical problems caused by obesity are that obese women who become pregnant have a higher risk pregnancy that than of a healthy weight.

Management Accounting Case Study - 2102 Words

Management accounting systems Case Analysis: HSBC Bank Student Name: Course: Academic Year: Module: Date of Submission: Executive Summary Management accounting over the years has really emerged very significantly in the field of banking and finance. There are numerous objectives and significance that has been reflected in numerous literatures mentioning the primary strategic and management significance management accounting has brought to the table in the field of international finance. As mentioned by many academic and financial scholars, management accounting has today emerged as the most important financial tool which helps them attain a strong position in the market by making sound and strong strategic decisions. This report†¦show more content†¦2.1 Comparing Management accounting with Financial Accounting Characteristic | Financial Accounting | Management Accounting | Monetary Vs. non-monetary | Information is much more monitory in nature and deals with financial figures and values | This includes both financial and non financial information relating to the business. | Relevance Vs. precision | This more precision focused | This is focused on relevance | Format | This is structured and is compelled to operate on the guidelines and formats acknowledged by International Accounting Standards (IAS) | No such standards or formats are to be followed and are bespoke to the business concerned. | Planning and control | Guides to make investment decision based on elements like credit ratings etc | This helps the management to make strategically sound decisions that are based on the various elements of cost, volume, revenue. | External Vs. Internal | This is focused to provide information to parties that are external to the business like investors, shareholders etc | This is internal to the bu siness to help management, employees and other internal players to analyse the current position of the business and make the required decisions. | Focus | Past oriented and measure historical information | Future oriented, used for budgeting and forecasting | GAAP | GAAP is compulsory | Not required | Time span | 12Show MoreRelatedCase Study for Management Accounting36912 Words   |  148 PagesCASES FROM MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES Table of Contents Case 1: Case 2: Bal Seal Engineering Robin Cooper Bill’s Custom Planters William Stammerjohan Deborah Seifert Dublin Shirt Company Peter Clarke in assoc. with in assoc. with Paul Juras Wayne Bremser ECN.W William Lawler Endesa Gary M. Cunningham Scott Ericksen Francisco J. 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