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New Structures (new + structure)
Terms modified by New Structures Selected AbstractsThe Council for the Australian Federation: A New Structure of Australian FederalismAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 2 2008Anne Tiernan In October 2006, state premiers and territory chief ministers gathered in Melbourne for the first meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation (CAF). This little-heralded event marked the beginning of the first formalised structure for state and territory only collaboration since Federation. This article describes the genesis and creation of this new structural response to ongoing state concerns about the trend to an increasingly centralised pattern of Commonwealth-state relations. It identifies the intended functions of the Council, which include: acting as a mechanism for coordinating approaches to negotiations with the Commonwealth; operating as a clearing house for policy ideas in Australia and internationally; harmonising regulatory frameworks; and developing improvements to service delivery in areas of state responsibility. Informed by interviews with key players involved with its establishment and documentary sources, this article assesses CAF's performance during its first 18 months of operation. It explores the hopes and aspirations of key CAF stakeholders, and some of the issues that have confronted the fledgling organisation. Personnel changes among the cohort of state and territory leaders, and the election of a federal Labor government in November 2007 have altered the dynamics of CAF. The article argues that CAF's emergence is an attempt by sub-national governments to develop new capacity and leverage to address the asymmetries that characterise contemporary Australian federalism. However, there are questions about CAF's future, particularly about state and territory governments' capacity to pursue collaborative agendas given the pace and scope of Kevin Rudd's ,new federalism' reforms and the demands it is placing on their policy and administrative systems. [source] ChemInform Abstract: Pr10(C2)2Br16: A New Structure with Discrete Octahedra Doubles.CHEMINFORM, Issue 1 2009Manuel Christian Schaloske Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a "Full Text" option. The original article is trackable via the "References" option. [source] ChemInform Abstract: Revision of the Structure of Haliclorensin (II) to (S)-7-Methyl-1,5-diazacyclotetradecane (I) and Confirmation of the New Structure by Synthesis.CHEMINFORM, Issue 20 2002Markus R. Heinrich Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a "Full Text" option. The original article is trackable via the "References" option. [source] Curricular Planning along the Fault Line between Instrumental and Academic Agendas: A Response to the Report of the Modern Language Association on Foreign Languages and Higher Education: New Structures for a Changed World,DIE UNTERRICHTSPRAXIS/TEACHING GERMAN, Issue 2 2009Ingeborg Walther In calling for new governance structures and unified curricula, the MLA Report distinguishes between instrumental and constitutive views of language that characterize our often schizophrenic agendas of language acquisition on the one hand, and disciplinary knowledge on the other. This paper explores some common theoretical insights from the fields of language acquisition and cultural studies that interrogate these views, providing a basis for sustained collaboration around curricula among faculty on both sides of the divide. While these have already yielded the kinds of curricular innovations recommended by the Report, a case is made for more radical changes in hiring practices, distribution of teaching and service, reward structures, and graduate education , changes which have the capacity to transform the institutional values upon which they will also depend. [source] Nation to Nation: Defining New Structures of Development in Northern QuebecECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2004Caroline Desbiens Abstract: In February 2002, the Crees of Quebec and the Quebec government signed a new agreement that was designed to implement new structures of economic development in northern Quebec. The document, known as "La Paix des Braves" (Peace of the Braves), was characterized as a "nation-to-nation" agreement and promises greater participation by the Crees in the management and exploitation of natural resources on the territory. Starting from the premise that the Crees and the Québécois do not simply compete for the resources of James Bay but can be said to define and firm up the boundaries of their respective nation in and through the use of these resources, this article explores the close intertwining of colonialism, culture, and the economy in James Bay, as well as its potential impact on the new agreement. First, it analyzes how the Crees and the Québécois have articulated nationhood in relation to land and resources, particularly over the past three decades. Second, it examines how these discourses are informed by a third national scale, that of Canada. The intersection among nature, nation, and economic development in northern Quebec is a key example of how resources are embedded in complex national geographies that are shaped across a broad historical span. Although sustainability is often defined in terms of the needs of future generations, this article calls for greater attention to past colonial and political relations in defining structures of development that ensure the renewal of resources. [source] Exothermal Process in Miscible Polylactide/Poly(vinyl phenol) Blends: Mixing Enthalpy or Chemical Reaction?MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 23 2006Ester Zuza Abstract Summary: In a previous paper (Macromolecules, 2005, 38, 9221), the enthalpy of mixing in poly(DL -lactide) /poly(vinyl phenol) blends was directly measured by DSC. The first DSC scan for solution/precipitation blends showed phase separation, but miscibility was observed in the second DSC scan. Hence, miscibility was achieved after thermal treatment, an unusual behavior in polymer blend current research. However, the exothermal event observed during the first heating scan could also be the result of a chemical reaction. In this work, a new research study conducted to elucidate the nature of the exothermal heat observed in PDLA/PVPh during the first DSC heating scan. Since the single-phase PDLLA/PVPh blend obtained after thermal treatment can be redissolved and reprecipitated, results obtained in the consecutive DSC scan prove that the process is completely reversible. Furthermore, GPC and 13C NMR results provide evidence that there is no change in the chemical structure of the studied polymers before and after the thermal treatment, which evidences the absence of transesterification reactions. Therefore, it can be concluded that the exothermal heat is the result of a mixing process, and miscibility is a consequence of specific interactions. New structure expected for transesterfication reactions. [source] New structures of vector control systems for permanent magnet synchronous motors with core lossELECTRICAL ENGINEERING IN JAPAN, Issue 3 2010Shinji Shinnaka Abstract This paper investigates and proposes new system structures for vector control of permanent-magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) with core loss. The proposed vector control systems have the following versatile features. (a) The systems employ the structures allowing control of the stator current through control of the load current. (b) The systems employ unique "stator voltage feedback-use" structures in order to accomplish simply the load current control. (c) The produced torque is directly related to the load current, and the precise torque control can be attained through the load current control. (d) The relation between produced torque and the load current is nonlinear for salient-pole PMSMs similar to the case of no core loss, and a variety of the load current commands can be selected from viewpoints of minimum loss and/or wide speed range drives. The system structures add no constraint to the selection of the load current commands. (e) In addition to the torque control, the speed control can be allowed, where linearity between output of the speed controller and produced torque is kept. The validity of versatile features is verified through the numerical experiments. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 170(3): 28,39, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience. wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20910 [source] New structures of four-phase oscillators obtained by strongly interweaving mono-phase limit-cycle oscillatorsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CIRCUIT THEORY AND APPLICATIONS, Issue 4 2008D. Yardeny Abstract The present work is a part of our effort of developing multiphase oscillators. The particular system dealt with here is that of strongly nonlinearly coupled four oscillators that form a multiphase source. Such sources possess potential applications in power electronics, in phased-array antennas, and in modern methods of modulation and especially in demodulating multi-phased modulated signals. The present system can be interpreted as embracing four two-phase oscillators. Nevertheless, as a result of the strong coupling, the second state equation of each oscillator merges with the first equation of the following oscillator. The resulted four-phase source is, therefore, represented by merely four state equations. The applications related to communications (especially those related to receivers) may be susceptible to the noise performance of the source. We believe that the presently suggested system, which relies on strong coupling of oscillators, is advantageous in its noise performance in comparison to more straightforward recently described multiphase sources, which incorporate loosely coupled oscillators. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Single and triple output coherence-free microwave photonic filter using a 3 × 3 collinear coupler in a Sagnac fiber loopMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 3 2008G. Ning Abstract New structures that can realize single and triple output coherence-free microwave photonic filter are presented. They are based on a Sagnac loop interferometer containing a single drive intensity modulator and a 3 × 3 collinear coupler, and no non-reciprocal bias unit is required. Notch responses are obtained by modulating the clockwise and counterclockwise propagating waves inside the Sagnac loop at different times. Theoretical analysis is obtained for both DFB laser source and broad-band source. Measured results verify the theoretical expressions and demonstrate robust notch filter responses. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 744,747, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23218 [source] Tree crop smallholders, capitalism, and adat: Studies in Riau Province1, IndonesiaASIA PACIFIC VIEWPOINT, Issue 3 2004Lesley Potter Abstract:,This paper examines the extent to which traditional techniques and practices remain current among a sub-set of Indonesian tree crop smallholders. Village-based studies of independent oil palm and rubber smallholders in Riau (Sumatra) indicate that bio-diverse ,jungle rubber' and multi-cropping techniques still exist, but primarily as components of farmers' coping strategies under low commodity prices. A further strategy, seeking income from non-agrarian sources, notably ,illegal' logging and land sales to migrants, partially fits Rigg's ,deagrarianisation' thesis, though his suggestion that the farm household has become a mere ,shell' is not substantiated. The lack of full legalisation of tenure constrains full capitalist development but does not impede land sales. Land seizures during the Suharto period reduced belief in the efficacy of customary (adat) law, though adat has retained importance in dispute resolution and as a cultural framework. New structures of village governance following decentralisation have so far had minimal impact in either empowering villagers or dispossessing elites. [source] Electroporation as a tool to study in vivo spinal cord regenerationDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 2 2003K. Echeverri Abstract Tailed amphibians such as axolotls and newts have the unique ability to fully regenerate a functional spinal cord throughout life. Where the cells come from and how they form the new structure is still poorly understood. Here, we describe the development of a technique that allows the visualization of cells in the living animal during spinal cord regeneration. A microelectrode needle is inserted into the lumen of the spinal cord and short rapid pulses are applied to transfer the plasmids encoding the green or red fluorescent proteins into ependymal cells close to the plane of amputation. The use of small, transparent axolotls permits imaging with epifluorescence and differential interference contrast microscopy to track the transfected cells as they contribute to the spinal cord. This technique promises to be useful in understanding how neural progenitors are recruited to the regenerating spinal cord and opens up the possibility of testing gene function during this process. Developmental Dynamics 226:418,425, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Molecular basis of antibiotic resistance and ,-lactamase inhibition by mechanism-based inactivators: perspectives and future directionsFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 3 2000Christian Therrien Abstract Antibacterial chemotherapy is particularly striking in the family of penicillins and cephalosporins. Over 40 structurally different ,-lactam molecules are available in 73 formulations and the majority of them are currently prescribed for medical use in hospitals. ,-Lactams are well tolerated by humans with few side effects. They interact very specifically with their bacterial target, the d -alanyl- d -alanine carboxypeptidase-transpeptidase usually referred to as dd -peptidase. The outstanding number of ,-lactamases produced by bacteria represent a serious threat to the clinical utility of ,-lactams. The discovery of ,-lactamase inhibitors was thought to solve, in part, the problem of resistance. Unfortunately, bacteria have evolved new mechanisms of resistance to overcome the inhibitory effects of ,-lactamase inactivators. Here, we summarize the diversified mechanistic features of class A ,-lactamases interactions with mechanism-based inhibitors using available microbiological, kinetic and structural data for the prototype TEM ,-lactamases. A brief historical overview of the strategies developed to counteract ,-lactamases will be presented followed by a short description of the chemical events which lead to the inactivation of TEM ,-lactamase by inhibitors from different classes. Finally, an update on the clinical prevalence of natural and inhibitor-resistant enzyme mutants, the total chemical synthesis to design and synthesize a new structure and produced a broad spectrum ,-lactamase inhibitor that mimics the ,-lactam ring, but does not contain it is discussed. [source] Selective Memory: Contesting Architecture and Urbanism at Potsdam's Stadtschloss and Alter MarktGERMAN LIFE AND LETTERS, Issue 4 2010Adam Sharr ABSTRACT This paper is about the curious phenomenon whereby GDR-era modernist buildings in Germany are being demolished and substituted with new buildings which appear older than those they replace. The most famous example is the ,reconstruction' of Berlin's Stadtschloss on the site of the GDR's Palast der Republik. This discussion concerns a lesser-known project: the ,reconstruction' of Potsdam's Stadtschloss. The project involves re-housing the Brandenburg ,Landtag' in a new structure with classical façades which replicate the Prussian palace that formerly stood on the site, and densifying the surrounding district in order to return it to an approximation of the pre-war layout. The Stadtschloss building will be a concrete-framed structure , like the modernist buildings to be demolished , but this time faced with classical decoration in brick and stone. The paper argues that this project displays a strange insecurity about the present and a desire to return to some nostalgic image of the ,olden days', replacing the recent past with a looser image of an older past. It concludes by discussing a polemical counter-proposal which seeks to make current values apparent architecturally as another historical layer in the city fabric. It argues against the selective removal of previous architecture, recommending instead that multiple interpretations and the images of multiple pasts might co-exist simultaneously. Dieser Artikel beschäftigt sich mit einem interessanten Phänomen in Deutschland, nämlich mit dem Abriss moderner Bauten aus DDR-Zeiten und ihrer Ersetzung durch neue Gebäude, die allerdings älter aussehen als die, die sie ersetzen. Das berühmteste Beispiel dafür ist die ,Rekonstruktion' des Berliner Stadtschlosses genau an der Stelle, an der voher der Palast der Republik gestanden hat. Allerdings geht es hier um ein weniger bekanntes Beispiel: um die ,Rekonstruktion' des Potsdamer Stadtschlosses. Zum Projekt gehört sowohl der Umzug des Brandenburger Landtags in ein neues Gebäude, dessen klassische Fassaden dem ehemals an dieser Stelle stehenden preußischen Palast gleichen, als auch die entsprechende architektonische Verdichtung und Angleichung des gesamten umliegenden Bezirks an die Zeit vor den Weltkriegen. Wie die modernen DDR-Gebäude, die es ersetzt, wird das Stadtschloss im Grunde aus einem Betongerüst bestehen, dessen Fassade nun allerdings mit Backsteinen und Stein eingefasst sein wird. Meine These ist, dass dieses Projekt auf eine seltsame Unsicherheit gegenüber der Gegenwart und auf ein nostalgisches Verlangen nach der ,guten alten Zeit' schließen lässt, wobei die jüngste Vergangenheit mit Fassaden aus einer weiter zurückliegenden Geschichte zugedeckt werden soll. Als Schlussfolgerung biete ich einen Gegenentwurf an, der auf den Werten der Gegenwartsgeschichte als einer von vielen Schichten im Gewebe der Stadt besteht. Statt ältere architektonische Merkmale selektiv zu entfernen, befürworte ich eine Stadtplanung, die viele verschiedene Interpretationen und Bilder aus einer komplexen Vergangenheit nebeneinander stehen und zulassen kann. [source] Cisco connects the dots: Aligning leaders with a new organizational structureGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 5 2008Barrie Novak Cisco's global Technical Services division used a solid change management strategy to implement a new organizational matrix. Ultimately, aligning leaders around the new vision/strategy, executive dynamics, governance, and mind-sets and behaviors essential for collaboration in the new structure came down to confronting subtler aspects of change,including trust and relationships. The transformation initially focused on vision and strategies, organization design, roles and accountabilities, governance, selection, performance linkages, metrics, and communication. When a postproject assessment surfaced some problems with organizational adoption and alignment, all the leaders convened for a summit to gain alignment, build trust, and lay the foundation for stronger working relationships. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Atrophy and anarchy: third national survey of nursing skill-mix and advanced nursing practice in ophthalmologyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 12 2006Dip Nursing, Wladyslawa J. Czuber-Dochan MSc Aims and objectives., The aims of the study were to investigate the advanced nursing practice and the skill-mix of nurses working in ophthalmology. Background., The expansion of new nursing roles in the United Kingdom in the past decade is set against the background of a nursing shortage. The plan to modernize the National Health Service and improve the efficiency and delivery of healthcare services as well as to reduce junior doctors' hours contributes towards a profusion of new and more specialized and advanced nursing roles in various areas of nursing including ophthalmology. Design., A self-reporting quantitative questionnaire was employed. The study used comparative and descriptive statistical tests. Method., The questionnaires were distributed to all ophthalmic hospitals and units in the United Kingdom. Hospital and unit managers were responsible for completing the questionnaires. Results., Out of a total 181 questionnaires 117 were returned. There is a downward trend in the total number of nurses working in ophthalmology. The results demonstrate more nurses working at an advanced level. However, there is a general confusion regarding role interpretation at the advanced level of practice, evident through the wide range of job titles being used. There was inconsistency in the qualifications expected of these nurses. Conclusion., Whilst there are more nurses working at an advanced level this is set against an ageing workforce and an overall decline in the number of nurses in ophthalmology. There is inconsistency in job titles, grades, roles and qualifications for nurses who work at an advanced or higher level of practice. The Agenda for Change with its new structure for grading jobs in the United Kingdom may offer protection and consistency in job titles, pay and qualifications for National Health Service nurse specialists. The Nursing and Midwifery Council needs to provide clear guidelines to the practitioners on educational and professional requirements, to protect patients and nurses. Relevance to clinical practice., The findings indicate that there is a need for better regulations for nurses working at advanced nursing practice. [source] Projective virtual reality as a basis for on-line control of complex systems-not only-over the internetJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 3 2005Eckhard Freund Already in 1994 the term Projective Virtual Reality was coined and a first implementation was used to control a complex multirobot system in Germany over the Internet from California. Building on this foundation, the general aim of the development of virtual reality technology for automation applications at the Institute of Robotics Research (IRF) today is to provide the framework for Projective Virtual Reality for a broad range of applications. The general idea of Projective Virtual Reality is to allow users to "project" actions carried out in the virtual world into the real world by means of robots or other means of automation. The framework is based on a task-oriented approach which builds on the "task deduction" capabilities of a newly developed virtual reality system and a task planning component. The advantage of this approach is that robots which work at great distances from the control station can be controlled as easily and intuitively as robots that work right next to the control station. Robot control technology now provides the user in the virtual world with a "prolonged arm" into the physical environment, thus paving the way for intuitive control of complex systems over the Internet,and in general for a new quality of user-friendly man-machine interfaces for automation applications. Lately, this work has been enhanced by a new structure that allows one to distribute the virtual reality application over multiple computers on a network. With this new feature, it is now possible for multiple users to share the same virtual room, although they may physically be thousands of miles apart. They only need an Internet connection to share this new experience. Lately, the network distribution techniques have been further developed to not just allow users to cooperate over networked PCs but also to be able to set up a panorama projection or a cave running of a networked cluster of PCs. This approach cuts down the costs for such a high-end visualization environment drastically and allows for a new range of applications. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Ram, Rab and the civil servants: a lawyer and the making of the ,Great Education Act 1944'LEGAL STUDIES, Issue 1 2001Ray Cocks By common consent, the Education Act of 1944 was the most important educational reform of the century for England and Wales. This article seeks to reveal the role of a lawyer in the making of the legislation and thereby to reassess past interpretations of how the Act was put together. It is clear that the person who drafted the Act, Sir Granville Ram, had an impact on the content of certain sections. The article begins with an outline of the Act and competing interpretations of how it came to be made. It explores the context within which Ram, as a Parliamentary Counsel, did his drafting during the war years. It then turns to the making of clauses in four specific areas of reform. First, local education authorities were given the power to create new types of secondary schools, including comprehensive schools. Secondly, there was a new structure for regulating private education. Thirdly, the Minister of Education was given important new powers. Fourthly, women were no longer required to resign from teaching when they married. These four areas provide examples of how Ram could influence the shape of the statute, and they also reveal that on each occasion his influence was felt in a different way. [source] Anticandidal low molecular compounds from higher plants with special reference to compounds from essential oils,MEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS, Issue 2 2006A. Pauli Abstract The most active low molecular weight compounds from higher plants against Candida species are compiled from a database of antimicrobials (Amicbase) to find out new hints on their mechanism of action. The selected compounds possess strong inhibitory activities in vitro against Candida species either in the agar diffusion test, bioautography, agar dilution test, serial dilution test, or activity in the vapour phase. The test conditions are listed thoroughly and aspects of the different methods and recent developments in the testing of anticandidal drugs are discussed. The anticandidal spectra of drugs, antiseptics, and disinfectants licensed on the major markets are given for comparision of activities with compounds from natural sources. So far known mechanisms of action are described and some new structure,activity relationships are deduced from relationships between biological activities and chemical and physical parameters. Main specific targets of natural anticandidals are the ergosterol pathway, respiratory chain, and chitin biosynthesis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev [source] Compact microstrip power divider with both sides capacitor loadingMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 7 2010Jun He Abstract A compact microstrip Wilkinson power divider with both sides capacitor loading is presented in this letter. The new divider, not only effectively reduces the occupied area to 33.6% of the conventional one at 1.0 GHz, but also has good harmonic suppression performance over a wide band. Furthermore, the new structure has only two variable parameters and can be easily designed. The design is validated both by simulation and measurement. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1663,1664, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25286 [source] Compact rat-race ring coupler with capacitor loadingMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2010Wei Shao Abstract A simple compact microstrip rat-race ring coupler with capacitor loading is presented in this letter. The new coupler not only effectively reduces the occupied area to 15% of the conventional one at 1.0 GHz, but also has high harmonic suppression performance over a wide band. Furthermore, the new structure has only two variable parameters and can be easily designed. The design is validated both by simulation and measurement. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 7,9, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24823 [source] Design a new structure 2.4 GHz/5.2 GHz dual-band bandpass filters on the MgTa1.5Nb0.5O6 ceramicMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 4 2009Cheng-Fu Yang Abstract In this article, a ,/2 U-shaped hairpin resonator was contained in a modified end-coupled microstrip line. The increase of the sizes of U-shaped hairpin resonator and modified end-coupled microstrip line had no influence on the lower operating frequency and would shift the upper operating frequency to lower values. After finding the best designed parameters, a miniature dual-band microstrip bandpass filter with three transmission zeros generated in the stop-bands was developed on the MgTa1.5Nb0.5O6 microwave dielectric ceramic substrates. The dual-band filter had the central frequencies of 2.45 and 5.2 GHz and was suitable for the applications in the modern WLAN communication. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 1085,1087, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24264 [source] A novel dual-band bandpass filter using stepped impedance resonators with transmission zerosMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 6 2008Qing-Xin Chu Abstract A novel dual-band bandpass filter using stepped impedance resonator is proposed in this letter. New coupling structures are illustrated to replace the normal counterparts, the circuit size is reduced about 40% compared with the conventional BPF with the same specifications, while the new structure can generate two transmission zeros in the insertion loss response, to validate the design and analysis, two dual-band bandpass filters centered at 2.4 GHz/5.2 GHz and 2.4 GHz/5.7 GHz for WLAN application were fabricated and measured, it is shown that the measured and simulated performance are in good agreement. The bandpass filters achieved insertion loss of less than 2 dB and return loss of greater than 16 dB in each band. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 1466,1468, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23394 [source] Calculated high pressure crystal structure transformations for phosphorusPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 2 2003Rajeev Ahuja Abstract In this paper we have studied the structural stability of the sp bonded element, P, by means of the first principles calculations. The theoretical calculations made use of a full potential linear muffin-tin orbital (FPLMTO) method adopting the local density approximation to the density functional theory. We reproduce the observed crystallographic phase stability of P as a function of compression. Our results confirm the recent experimental finding of Akahama et al. We have also proposed a new structure for an experimentally reported unidentified intermediate phase in between simple cubic and simple hexagonal phase. This new structure is similar to what has been observed for Si. We have explained the stability of different phases under pressure using our calculated density of states (DOS). [source] Solid C60 layer growth on AlN (0001) surface for C60 FET structure by MBEPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 7 2003D. Yokoyama Abstract One of the most important problems is how to form an excellent interface between the insulator and the C60 layers in the C60 field-effect doping technique. In this paper, we propose a new structure of the C60 field-effect transistor which consists of an epitaxial AlN layer as the insulator and a C60 epitaxial layer grown on an AlN (0001) surface. We have mainly investigated solid C60 growth on the AlN (0001) surface by the MBE technique in the present work. C60 grains with face centred cubic structure have been obtained on a smooth AlN surface. Four types of the C60 grains were obtained, that is, the 0° orientation and its twin grains and the 30° orientation and its twin grains. We have found that the 0° orientation grains only can be obtained by controlling the growth temperature. The results strongly indicate that an excellent interface between the AlN insulator and the C60 layer can be formed for device applications. (© 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Prediction of residues in discontinuous B-cell epitopes using protein 3D structuresPROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 11 2006Pernille Haste Andersen Abstract Discovery of discontinuous B-cell epitopes is a major challenge in vaccine design. Previous epitope prediction methods have mostly been based on protein sequences and are not very effective. Here, we present DiscoTope, a novel method for discontinuous epitope prediction that uses protein three-dimensional structural data. The method is based on amino acid statistics, spatial information, and surface accessibility in a compiled data set of discontinuous epitopes determined by X-ray crystallography of antibody/antigen protein complexes. DiscoTope is the first method to focus explicitly on discontinuous epitopes. We show that the new structure-based method has a better performance for predicting residues of discontinuous epitopes than methods based solely on sequence information, and that it can successfully predict epitope residues that have been identified by different techniques. DiscoTope detects 15.5% of residues located in discontinuous epitopes with a specificity of 95%. At this level of specificity, the conventional Parker hydrophilicity scale for predicting linear B-cell epitopes identifies only 11.0% of residues located in discontinuous epitopes. Predictions by the DiscoTope method can guide experimental epitope mapping in both rational vaccine design and development of diagnostic tools, and may lead to more efficient epitope identification. [source] Towards a more reliable symmetry determination from powder diffraction: a redetermination of the low-temperature structure of 4-methylpyridine- N -oxideACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION B, Issue 6 2009Palatinus The low-temperature structure of 4-methylpyridine- N -oxide was previously determined in symmetry P41 [Damay et al. (2006), Acta Cryst. B62, 627,633]. Using a recently published symmetry-determination method it was found that the true symmetry of the structure is P41212. The structure was refined in the new space group using X-ray and neutron data. The previously published structure is close to the newly refined structure, but the new structure is in agreement with the results of rotational tunneling spectroscopy, and, in contrast to the structure in symmetry P41, does not require a twofold degeneracy of the tunneling bands. [source] Expansion of the aspartate ,-semialdehyde dehydrogenase family: the first structure of a fungal orthologACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 2 2010Buenafe T. Arachea The enzyme aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ASADH) catalyzes a critical transformation that produces the first branch-point intermediate in an essential microbial amino-acid biosynthetic pathway. The first structure of an ASADH isolated from a fungal species (Candida albicans) has been determined as a complex with its pyridine nucleotide cofactor. This enzyme is a functional dimer, with a similar overall fold and domain organization to the structurally characterized bacterial ASADHs. However, there are differences in the secondary-structural elements and in cofactor binding that are likely to cause the lower catalytic efficiency of this fungal enzyme. Alterations in the dimer interface, through deletion of a helical subdomain and replacement of amino acids that participate in a hydrogen-bonding network, interrupt the intersubunit-communication channels required to support an alternating-site catalytic mechanism. The detailed functional information derived from this new structure will allow an assessment of ASADH as a possible target for antifungal drug development. [source] The 1.9,Å resolution structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis 1-deoxy- d -xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase, a potential drug targetACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 7 2006Lena M. Henriksson 1-Deoxy- d -xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase catalyzes the NADPH-dependent rearrangement and reduction of 1-deoxy- d -xylulose 5-phosphate to form 2- C -methyl- d -erythritol 4-phosphate, as the second step of the deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate/methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway found in many bacteria and plants. The end product, isopentenyl diphosphate, is the precursor of various isoprenoids vital to all living organisms. The pathway is not found in humans; the mevalonate pathway is instead used for the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate. This difference, combined with its essentiality, makes the reductoisomerase an excellent drug target in a number of pathogenic organisms. The structure of 1-deoxy- d -xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Rv2870c) was solved by molecular replacement and refined to a resolution of 1.9,Å. The enzyme exhibited an estimated kcat of 5.3,s,1 and Km and kcat/Km values of 7.2,µM and 7.4 × 105,M,1,s,1 for NADPH and 340,µM and 1.6 × 104,M,1,s,1 for 1-deoxy- d -xylulose 5-phosphate. In the structure, a sulfate is bound at the expected site of the phosphate moiety of the sugar substrate. The M. tuberculosis enzyme displays a similar fold to the previously published structures from Escherichia coli and Zymomonas mobilis. Comparisons offer suggestions for the design of specific drugs. Furthermore, the new structure represents an intermediate conformation between the open apo form and the closed holo form observed previously, giving insights into the conformational changes associated with catalysis. [source] Nation to Nation: Defining New Structures of Development in Northern QuebecECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2004Caroline Desbiens Abstract: In February 2002, the Crees of Quebec and the Quebec government signed a new agreement that was designed to implement new structures of economic development in northern Quebec. The document, known as "La Paix des Braves" (Peace of the Braves), was characterized as a "nation-to-nation" agreement and promises greater participation by the Crees in the management and exploitation of natural resources on the territory. Starting from the premise that the Crees and the Québécois do not simply compete for the resources of James Bay but can be said to define and firm up the boundaries of their respective nation in and through the use of these resources, this article explores the close intertwining of colonialism, culture, and the economy in James Bay, as well as its potential impact on the new agreement. First, it analyzes how the Crees and the Québécois have articulated nationhood in relation to land and resources, particularly over the past three decades. Second, it examines how these discourses are informed by a third national scale, that of Canada. The intersection among nature, nation, and economic development in northern Quebec is a key example of how resources are embedded in complex national geographies that are shaped across a broad historical span. Although sustainability is often defined in terms of the needs of future generations, this article calls for greater attention to past colonial and political relations in defining structures of development that ensure the renewal of resources. [source] Six major steps in animal evolution: are we derived sponge larvae?EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2008Claus Nielsen SUMMARY A review of the old and new literature on animal morphology/embryology and molecular studies has led me to the following scenario for the early evolution of the metazoans. The metazoan ancestor, "choanoblastaea," was a pelagic sphere consisting of choanocytes. The evolution of multicellularity enabled division of labor between cells, and an "advanced choanoblastaea" consisted of choanocytes and nonfeeding cells. Polarity became established, and an adult, sessile stage developed. Choanocytes of the upper side became arranged in a groove with the cilia pumping water along the groove. Cells overarched the groove so that a choanocyte chamber was formed, establishing the body plan of an adult sponge; the pelagic larval stage was retained but became lecithotrophic. The sponges radiated into monophyletic Silicea, Calcarea, and Homoscleromorpha. Homoscleromorph larvae show cell layers resembling true, sealed epithelia. A homoscleromorph-like larva developed an archenteron, and the sealed epithelium made extracellular digestion possible in this isolated space. This larva became sexually mature, and the adult sponge-stage was abandoned in an extreme progenesis. This eumetazoan ancestor, "gastraea," corresponds to Haeckel's gastraea. Trichoplax represents this stage, but with the blastopore spread out so that the endoderm has become the underside of the creeping animal. Another lineage developed a nervous system; this "neurogastraea" is the ancestor of the Neuralia. Cnidarians have retained this organization, whereas the Triploblastica (Ctenophora+Bilateria), have developed the mesoderm. The bilaterians developed bilaterality in a primitive form in the Acoelomorpha and in an advanced form with tubular gut and long Hox cluster in the Eubilateria (Protostomia+Deuterostomia). It is indicated that the major evolutionary steps are the result of suites of existing genes becoming co-opted into new networks that specify new structures. The evolution of the eumetazoan ancestor from a progenetic homoscleromorph larva implies that we, as well as all the other eumetazoans, are derived sponge larvae. [source] |