Giant Friedel Oscillations on the Beryllium(0001) Surface

Large-amplitude electron density oscillations were observed on a Be(0001) surface by means of variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. Fourier transforms of the images showed a ring of radius 2kF, where kF is the Fermi wave vector of the Be(0001) surface state. This wavelength was expected from Friedel oscillations caused by electronic screening of surface defects, but the amplitude of the waves for energies near the Fermi energy was anomalously large and inconsistent with the Friedel concept of screening. The enhanced amplitude of the waves must be a many-body effect, either in the electron gas (possibly an incipient charge density wave) or in the response of the lattice (electron-phonon coupling).     

Studies with myoglobin variants indicate that released hemin is the primary promoter of lipid oxidation in washed fish muscle

Variants of sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) were used to assess the mechanism of heme protein-mediated lipid oxidation in washed cod muscle. A myoglobin variant with high hemin affinity (V68T) was an exceptionally poor promoter of lipid oxidation, while a Mb variant with low hemin affinity (H97A) was a potent promoter of lipid oxidation. V68T releases hemin slowly due to the ability of threonine to hydrogen bond with coordinated water and the distal histidine within the heme crevice. H97A rapidly releases hemin because the relatively small alanine residue creates a channel for water to easily enter the heme crevice which weakens the covalent linkage of hemin to the proximal histidine. A variant sensitive to heme degradation (L29F/H64Q) was a weaker promoter of lipid oxidation compared to wild-type Mb. This suggests that degrading the heme ring and releasing iron decreased the ability of Mb to promote lipid oxidation. Free radicals resulting from hemin-mediated decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides have the capacity to propagate lipid oxidation and degrade hemin catalyst. This may explain why heme proteins behave as reactants rather than "catalysts" of lipid oxidation in washed cod. Collectively these studies strongly suggest that released hemin is the critical entity that drives heme protein-mediated lipid oxidation in washed fish muscle.     

Inferences from fluctuations in the local variogram about the assumption of stationarity in the variance

Geostatistics is commonly used to describe and predict the variation of soil properties over the landscape. However, many geostatistical methods require the assumption that our observed data are a realization of a random function which is intrinsically stationarity. Under stationarity, observations of a single realization of the random function at different positions can be treated as a form of replication. There are various ways in which a random function may breach the assumption of intrinsic stationarity and numerous geostatistical techniques have been developed that are able to cope with some forms of non-stationarity. What is currently needed is a set of diagnostic tools capable of detecting and identifying when data cannot plausibly be treated as a realization of a process which is stationary in the variance.In this paper, we propose an inferential method that can identify when stationarity in the variance cannot plausibly be assumed. The basis of our approach is to obtain a model for the random function under the assumption of intrinsic stationarity. If the global dataset can be regarded as a realization of a Gaussian process (perhaps after transformation), then the global variogram is sufficient for this purpose. By using a window-based method to locally estimate variograms, we can define some statistic of homogeneity of the sample variation of the data. This allows us to obtain a sample distribution for this statistic, under the null hypothesis of intrinsic stationarity, by generating multiple realizations of the postulation random function at the original sample points using Monte Carlo methods and recomputing the statistic for each realization. We selected as statistics the interquartile ranges of: i) the spatial dependence ratio (s), the proportion c₁ / (c₀ + c₁), ii) a distance parameter (a), which is the maximum lag over which the random function is autocorrelated for variograms like the spherical, and iii) the local variances (v; c₀ + c₁), where (c₀) is the nugget component and (c₁) the spatially structured component. We demonstrated this method using data from the large scale sampling (n = 1341 over 8248 km²) of the Florida Everglades, United States.     

Ontology-based simulation in agricultural systems modeling

A methodology and applications of ontology-based simulation are presented. An environment for building simulations based on the Lyra ontology management system is described which includes web-based visual design tools for constructing models and automatically generating simulation code. The ontology is used for representing all equations and all symbols appearing in these equations that are needed to describe a model. The example applications presented are models of soil, water, and nutrient management in citrus and sugarcane. Results thus far show that the ontology-based approach has advantages for representing the model structure, equations, and symbols, that complex models can be described in this format, and that efficient simulation code can be generated automatically from the ontology definition of the model. Potential applications, not yet fully explored, include ability to automatically connect models and data sources, using the ontology to organize model bases containing many models and model components, and using ontology reasoners to search for models, automatically discover model similarities and differences, and generate model instances from general principles.     

Human guanylate-binding protein 1 as a model system investigated by several surface techniques

In medical technologies concerning the surface immobilization of proteins in a defined orientation, maintaining their activity is a critical aspect. Therefore, in this study, the authors have investigated the activity of an elongated protein attached to a self-assembled monolayer supported streptavidin layer for different relative orientations of the protein with regard to the surface. Several mutants of this protein, human guanylate-binding protein 1 (hGBP1) showing GTPase catalytic activity, have been furnished with either one or two biotin anchors. Various independent methods that are based on different biophysical properties such as surface plasmon resonance, atomic force microscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance have been used to determine the orientation of the hGBP1 variants after anchoring them via a streptavidin-linker to a biotinylated surface. The activity of guanosine-triphosphate hydrolysis of hGBP1 monomers bound on the surface is found to depend on their orientation relative to the substrate, relating to their ability to form dimers with other neighboring anchored mutants; the maximum activity is lower than that observed in solutions, as might be expected from diffusion limitations at the solid/liquid interface on the one hand and prevention from homodimer formation due to immobilization on the other hand.     

Settling of insecticide from dip wash mixed with dam water and zinc sulphate and used to control sheep lice (Bovicola ovis)

SUMMARY Insecticidal dipping fluid emulsions, mixed in vitro in dam water containing suspended clay particles and 1% w/v zinc sulphate, were analysed to determine rates of settling of diazinon, cyhalothrin and cypermethrin. Fifteen minutes after mixing, the concentration of the insecticides 5 cm below the surface had declined by 72.5%, 72.8% and 89.4%, respectively. On remixing, the concentration of insecticide in suspension was close to or greater than the initial concentration. In 2 trials, lice were eradicated from sheep showered with dip wash mixed in cloudy dam water to which 1% w/v of zinc sulphate was added. In 12 flock treatments in which 1000 to 2000 sheep were dipped with added zinc sulphate, the concentration of insecticide remained above the minimum lethal for susceptible strains of lice. However, lice were still present 6 months later in 8 of these flocks. When zinc sulphate is added to dip wash, agitation is needed to maintain the insecticide in suspension.     

Using the modified agricultural non-point source pollution model in German watersheds

The modified agricultural non-point source pollution model (AGNPSm) was used in this study to predict runoff volume, peak flow rate, and sediment yield in three different watersheds in Germany. It is a distributed parameter soil erosion model which uses simple approaches to hydrological and sediment calculations. Simulations were carried out in the Glonn G1 (1.2 km²), and Glonn G2 (1.6 km²), and the Salzboede (81.7 km²) watersheds in Germany. Runoff volume was predicted reliably in all three watersheds. Sediment yield predictions were excellent in the Glonn G1 and acceptable in the Glonn G2 watersheds. There were some uncertainties in the sediment yield calculations for the Salzboede watershed. This study shows that a less complex soil erosion model such as AGNPSm is able to produce reliable assessments of non-point source pollution for planning purposes.     

Detection of alpha-transducin in retinal rods but not cones

The distribution in chicken retina of the alpha subunit of transducin, the guanine nucleotide--binding protein that couples light-dependent activation of rhodopsin with activation of guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase, was determined with the aid of a specific antiserum. alpha-Transducin was found in rod photoreceptor cells but was not detected in cones. These results show that rods and cones differ with respect to alpha-transducin content and suggest that the processes of phototransduction may differ correspondingly in rods and cones.