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<B>Greetings RASMBers -<BR>
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Our MacBEADS 1.0.1 software, presented recently at the AUC-HYDRO Conference in Autrans, is now up on the RASMB FTP site, in the Mac software folder. Also included are the MacBEADS Users Manual, some demo files, and a folder giving details of how to get hold of the <B>pro Fit</B> software which is used to add colour, 3D rendering, manipulation and movie capability to MacBEADS. <BR>
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Coming soon will be a tutorial, complete with movie clips (like - the ones which I carelessly restricted to 1 frame only for my Autrans talk . . . . But better, and more informative).<BR>
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<B>What is MacBEADS ?</B> <BR>
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MacBEADS is a utility for hydrodynamic bead modelling which enables one to:<BR>
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(1) create bead models from scratch, specifying radius + coordinates (X,Y,Z) for each bead, or<BR>
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(2) import bead models created by other software, in particular ones created from atomic coordinates (PDB files)<BR>
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(3) manipulate models in a range of ways, translating/rotating in/around fixed axes. Of particular use is the ability to 'grab' any part of the bead model (mouse control) and detach it, manipulate it, re-attach it, modify it, whatever<BR>
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(4) MacBEADS files as saved from all of these manipulations are simple text files, which can optionally have a 'tailpiece' giving details of the particle name, vbar etc. These output files are simple to edit, ready for submission to HYDRO or whatever other software one fancies for computing s values etc.<BR>
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<B>What does the pro Fit interface provide ?<BR>
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</B>MacBEADS does most of what one needs to do - but it is a B/W utility, with 2D views (from any angle, OK, but still very 'flat' to look at).<BR>
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The latest version of <B>pro Fit</B> curve-fitting and plotting software has a <B>PLOT 3DXY module</B> which can take the information in a MacBEADS output textfile and display it in simulated 3D. One can then use the mouse to drag is around in any desired way, put colour-coding onto the beads, all a bit like RASMOL, say. One can also make movies of the model rotating, from any defined viewpoint. One can do the usual 3D representational things, balance specular/diffuse reflectivity, assign variable transparency to beads/selected beads, generally have fun !<BR>
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More seriously, if one is looking to clip off bits of the model in MacBEADS, the <B>pro Fit</B> display enables one to see the sort of angular translations necessary for good clipping.<BR>
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<B>What hardware is needed ?<BR>
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For MacBEADS, any Mac with OS 7.0 onwards will do, although with an older Mac might be a bit slow when manipulating large bead models. Any iMac is just fine, of course. <BR>
For the use of <B>pro Fit,</B> OS 9.1 is needed - and really for pulling around large 3D models a modest amount of speed and RAM are called for. <BR>
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Regards to all<BR>
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Arthur<BR>
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Arthur J Rowe<BR>
Professor of Biomolecular Technology<BR>
NCMH Business Centre<BR>
University of Nottingham<BR>
School of Biosciences<BR>
Sutton Bonington<BR>
Leicestershire LE12 5RD UK<BR>
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Tel: +44 (0)115 951 6156<BR>
+44 (0)116 271 4502<BR>
Fax: +44 (0)115 951 6157<BR>
email: arthur.rowe@nottingham.ac.uk<BR>
arthur.rowe@connectfree.co.uk (home)<BR>
Web: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ncmh/business<BR>
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