196,050 research outputs found

    Massive endocytosis driven by lipidic forces originating in the outer plasmalemmal monolayer: a new approach to membrane recycling and lipid domains

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    The roles that lipids play in endocytosis are the subject of debate. Using electrical and imaging methods, we describe massive endocytosis (MEND) in baby hamster kidney (BHK) and HEK293 cells when the outer plasma membrane monolayer is perturbed by the nonionic detergents, Triton X-100 (TX100) and NP-40. Some alkane detergents, the amphipathic drugs, edelfosine and tamoxifen, and the phospholipase inhibitor, U73122, are also effective. Uptake of the membrane tracer, FM 4–64, into vesicles and loss of reversible FM 4–64 binding confirm that 40–75% of the cell surface is internalized. Ongoing MEND stops in 2–4 s when amphipaths are removed, and amphipaths are without effect from the cytoplasmic side. Thus, expansion of the outer monolayer is critical. As found for Ca-activated MEND, vesicles formed are &amp;lt;100 nm in diameter, membrane ruffles are lost, and β-cyclodextrin treatments are inhibitory. However, amphipath-activated MEND does not require Ca transients, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis, G protein cycling, dynamins, or actin cytoskeleton remodeling. With elevated cytoplasmic ATP (&amp;gt;5 mM), MEND can reverse completely and be repeated multiple times in BHK and HEK293 cells, but not cardiac myocytes. Reversal is blocked by N-ethylmaleimide and a nitric oxide donor, nitroprusside. Constitutively expressed Na/Ca exchangers internalize roughly in proportion to surface membrane, whereas Na/K pump activities decrease over-proportionally. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and dodecylglucoside do not cause MEND during their application, but MEND occurs rapidly when they are removed. As monitored capacitively, the binding of these detergents decreases with MEND, whereas TX100 binding does not decrease. In summary, nonionic detergents can fractionate the plasma membrane in vivo, and vesicles formed connect immediately to physiological membrane-trafficking mechanisms. We suggest that lateral and transbilayer inhomogeneities of the plasma membrane provide potential energies that, when unbridled by triggers, can drive endocytosis by lipidic forces.</jats:p

    Massive calcium–activated endocytosis without involvement of classical endocytic proteins

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    We describe rapid massive endocytosis (MEND) of &gt;50% of the plasmalemma in baby hamster kidney (BHK) and HEK293 cells in response to large Ca transients. Constitutively expressed Na/Ca exchangers (NCX1) are used to generate Ca transients, whereas capacitance recording and a membrane tracer dye, FM 4-64, are used to monitor endocytosis. With high cytoplasmic adenosine triphosphate (ATP; &gt;5 mM), Ca influx causes exocytosis followed by MEND. Without ATP, Ca transients cause only exocytosis. MEND can then be initiated by pipette perfusion of ATP, and multiple results indicate that ATP acts via phosphatidylinositol-bis 4,5-phosphate (PIP(2)) synthesis: PIP(2) substitutes for ATP to induce MEND. ATP-activated MEND is blocked by an inositol 5-phosphatase and by guanosine 5'-[γ-thio]triphosphate (GTPγS). Block by GTPγS is overcome by the phospholipase C inhibitor, U73122, and PIP(2) induces MEND in the presence of GTPγS. MEND can occur in the absence of ATP and PIP(2) when cytoplasmic free Ca is clamped to 10 μM or more by Ca-buffered solutions. ATP-independent MEND occurs within seconds during Ca transients when cytoplasmic solutions contain polyamines (e.g., spermidine) or the membrane is enriched in cholesterol. Although PIP(2) and cholesterol can induce MEND minutes after Ca transients have subsided, polyamines must be present during Ca transients. MEND can reverse over minutes in an ATP-dependent fashion. It is blocked by brief β-methylcyclodextrin treatments, and tests for involvement of clathrin, dynamins, calcineurin, and actin cytoskeleton were negative. Therefore, we turned to the roles of lipids. Bacterial sphingomyelinases (SMases) cause similar MEND responses within seconds, suggesting that ceramide may be important. However, Ca-activated MEND is not blocked by reagents that inhibit SMases. MEND is abolished by the alkylating phospholipase A(2) inhibitor, bromoenol lactone, whereas exocytosis remains robust, and Ca influx causes MEND in cardiac myocytes without preceding exocytosis. Thus, exocytosis is not prerequisite for MEND. From these results and two companion studies, we suggest that Ca promotes the formation of membrane domains that spontaneously vesiculate to the cytoplasmic side

    Dr. Duane M. Jackson, Morehouse College, July 2011

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    This video is a conversation with Dr. Duane M. Jackson. Dr. Jackson talks about his paper, "Recall and the Serial Position Effect: The Role of Primacy and Recency on Accounting Students' Performance." Jackie Daniel, AUC Woodruff Library, is the interviewer

    "Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States" By M. Carey.

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    "Reflections on the subject of Emigration from Europe with a view to Settlement in the United States: containing bried sketches of the moral and political character of those states. By M. Carey, member of the American philosophical, and of the American Antiquarian Society, and author of The Olive Branch, Cindiciae Hibernicae, essays on banking, on political economy, and on internal improvement. To which are now added the English editor's comments on the subject; together with Important Advice to Emigrants, and Cautions Against Impositions Practiced in the Outports

    Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts

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    We conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more sophisticated methods

    Dr. Glendon Swarthout

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    Hosted by Roger M. Busfield, MSU Assistant Professor of Speech and Theater, Meet the Author is designed to introduce a general audience to a contemporary author and their work through in-depth interviews. This episode features a conversation between Dr. Glendon Swarthout, prolific author and English professor at MSU, and assistant professors Sam S. Baskett and Theodore B. Strandness

    Simulation of thermal plant optimization and hydraulic aspects of thermal distribution loops for large campuses

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    Following an introduction, the author describes Texas A&M University and its utilities system. After that, the author presents how to construct simulation models for chilled water and heating hot water distribution systems. The simulation model was used in a $2.3 million Ross Street chilled water pipe replacement project at Texas A&M University. A second project conducted at the University of Texas at San Antonio was used as an example to demonstrate how to identify and design an optimal distribution system by using a simulation model. The author found that the minor losses of these closed loop thermal distribution systems are significantly higher than potable water distribution systems. In the second part of the report, the author presents the latest development of software called the Plant Optimization Program, which can simulate cogeneration plant operation, estimate its operation cost and provide optimized operation suggestions. The author also developed detailed simulation models for a gas turbine and heat recovery steam generator and identified significant potential savings. Finally, the author also used a steam turbine as an example to present a multi-regression method on constructing simulation models by using basic statistics and optimization algorithms. This report presents a survey of the author??s working experience at the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) at Texas A&M University during the period of January 2002 through March 2004. The purpose of the above work was to allow the author to become familiar with the practice of engineering. The result is that the author knows how to complete a project from start to finish and understands how both technical and nontechnical aspects of a project need to be considered in order to ensure a quality deliverable and bring a project to successful completion. This report concludes that the objectives of the internship were successfully accomplished and that the requirements for the degree of Degree of Engineering have been satisfied

    Quantifying downed coarse woody material and residual forest basal area following retention harvesting in northeastern Minnesota using Landsat sensor data

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    Retention harvesting shows great promise for restoring and maintaining forest structural and compositional diversity. However, economical, comprehensive monitoring is needed to advance understanding of the effectiveness of these management strategies through time. We investigate multitemporal winter Landsat sensor data (capturing snow ground cover at 7.6 cm and 106.7 cm depths) as a tool for discriminating between and providing regional estimates of both residual forest basal area (BA) and downed coarse woody material (DCWM) volume following retention harvesting in Minnesota, USA. Measurements from 34 ground plots were used with Landsat predictor variables to estimate these two biophysical forest parameters. According to similar studies, results for DCWM volume estimation are considered adequate, with an R2adj = 0.54 and absolute RMSE (RMSEa) = 19.02 m3·ha−1. Residual forest BA estimates were similar: total BA R2adj = 0.55 (RMSEa = 1.85 m2·ha−1), hardwood BA R2adj = 0.67 (RMSEa = 1.23 m2·ha−1), and conifer BA R2adj = 0.52 (RMSEa = 0.94 m2·ha−1). Use of winter Landsat imagery was key to quantifying these important forest biophysical parameters — a tool that carries the potential to transform our understanding of the impact of human and natural disturbance regimes on northern forest ecosystems.This is a manuscript of an article published as Wolter, P. T., Louis A. Hilgemann, and Mark A. White. "Quantifying downed coarse woody material and residual forest basal area following retention harvesting in northeastern Minnesota using Landsat sensor data." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 47, no. 999 (2017): 1325-1338. doi: 10.1139/cjfr-2017-0156. Posted with permission.</p

    Intern experience at CH���M Hill, Inc.: an internship report

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    Includes author's vita"Submitted to the College of Engineering of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Engineering."Includes bibliographical referencesA review of the author's internship experience with CH���M HILL, Inc. during the period September 1975 through May 1976 is presented. During this nine month internship the author worked as an Engineer II in the Industrial Processes discipline of this large consulting engineering firm... The author's prime responsibility was as one of three lead design engineers on the design of a large wastewater treatment facility for a pulp mill in Hoquiam, Washington owned by ITT Rayonier Inc. The work generally consisted of the design of individual treatment units and associated piping and pumping. The purpose of the project was to provide wastewater treatment capabilities that would satisfy the effluent limitations (standards) imposed upon the mill by the State of Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The author's assignment also entailed necessary interaction with the project manager and other CH���M HILL design engineers and support staff members, the client's representatives, and representatives of two other consulting engineering firms working on the project. Thus, the internship position at CH���M HILL provided considerable experience coordinating the author's work with the work of other engineers, guiding the design and administrative efforts of a support staff, and interacting regularly with the client and other consulting firms. This broad exposure to a variety of engineering and organizational problems provided a valuable educational experience

    Transition to turbulence in a qblique shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction at M=15

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    Direct numerical simulations are carried out for different forcing techniques to trigger transition during the interaction between an oblique shock-wave and a laminar boundary-layer at M = 1.5. Three forcing methods are used: a) forcing of oblique unstable modes, whose shape and behaviour are determined by the local linear stability theory, b) broadband free-stream acoustic disturbances, and c) a cold plasma flow control device. While the oblique-mode breakdown is dominant for low-amplitude forcing, long streaky structures drive the transition process in a high-amplitude disturbance environment. LES are also performed on the experimental setup by the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITAM) from Novosibirsk State University with cold plasma actuation. As well as the disturbance type, the effect of Reynolds number and forcing amplitude will be investigated
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