Cryo-electron microscopy has enabled unprecedented progress in the quest to reveal structure of whole transcription preinitiation complex. Four recent studies pave way for a complete description how is initiated at near-atomic level.

Article history: Received 16 September 2008 Received in revised form 12 May 2009 Accepted 13 May 2009 Available online 6 June 2009

A parallel, three-dimensional electrostatic PIC code is developed for largescale electric propulsion simulations using parallel supercomputers. Two algorithms are implemented in the code, a standard finite-difference (FD) PIC and a newly developed immersed-finite-element (IFE) PIC. The IFE-PIC is designed to handle complex boundary conditions accurately while maintaining the computational speed...

Criocerine leaf beetles found in Nepal feeding on Dioscorea bulbifera (L.), an invasive weed of Asian origin, were identified as Lilioceris cheni Gressitt and Kimoto based on a synopsis of the Oriental Lilioceris species and review of the Lilioceris impressa species group. All the continental, Oriental species included in the group are diagnosed and illustrated, and a key for their identificati...

Using CFos-EGFP transgenic mice (P6-P12), we targeted persistent inward current (PIC) in the spinal interneurons activated by locomotion. Following a locomotor task, whole cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from ventral EGFP+ neurons in spinal cord slices (200-250 μm from T₁₃-L₄). PIC was recorded by a family of 10 s voltage bi-ramps starting from -70 mV with 30 mV steps. PIC could be cl...

Extraction constants (Kex & Kex±) for the extraction of silver picrate (AgPic) by benzo-18-crown-6 ether (B18C6) into 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) were determined at 298 K and various ionic strength (I)-values of a water phase with or without excess HNO3. Here the symbols, Kex and Kex±, were defined as [AgLPic]DCE/P and [AgL]DCE[Pic]DCE/P with P = [Ag][L]DCE[Pic] and L = B18C6, respectively; [ ]DCE...