The bldC developmental locus of Streptomyces coelicolor encodes a member of a family of small DNA-binding proteins related to the DNA-binding domains of the MerR family.

The bldC locus, required for formation of aerial hyphae in Streptomyces coelicolor, was localized by map-based cloning to the overlap between cosmids D17 and D25 of a minimal ordered library. Subcloning and sequencing showed that bldC encodes a member of a previously unrecognized family of small (58- to 78-residue) DNA-binding proteins, related to the DNA-binding domains of the MerR family of transcriptional activators. BldC family members are found in a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Constructed {Delta}bldC mutants were defective in differentiation and antibiotic production. They failed to form an aerial mycelium on minimal medium and showed severe delays in aerial mycelium formation on rich medium. In addition, they failed to produce the polyketide antibiotic actinorhodin, and bldC was shown to be required for normal and sustained transcription of the pathway-specific activator gene actII-orf4. Although {Delta}bldC mutants produced the tripyrrole antibiotic undecylprodigiosin, transcripts of the pathway-specific activator gene (redD) were reduced to almost undetectable levels after 48 h in the bldC mutant, in contrast to the bldC+ parent strain in which redD transcription continued during aerial mycelium formation and sporulation. This suggests that bldC may be required for maintenance of redD transcription during differentiation. bldC is expressed from a single promoter. S1 nuclease protection assays and immunoblotting showed that bldC is constitutively expressed and that transcription of bldC does not depend on any of the other known bld genes. The bldC18 mutation that originally defined the locus causes a Y49C substitution that results in instability of the protein

Experimental measurement of focused wave group and solitary wave overtopping

Prediction of individual wave overtopping events is important in assessing danger to life and property, but data are sparse and hydrodynamic understanding is lacking. Laboratory-scale waves of three distinct types were generated at the Coastal Research Facility to model extreme waves overtopping a trapezoidal embankment. These comprised wave groups of compact form, wave groups embedded in a background wave field, and a solitary wave. The inshore wave propagation was measured and the time variation of overtopping rate estimated. The total volume overtopped was measured directly. The experiments provide well-defined data without uncertainty due to the effect of reflection on the incident wave train. The dependence of overtopping on a range of wave shapes is thus determined and the influence of wave-wave interactions on overtopping assessed. It was found that extreme overtopping may arise from focused waves with deep troughs rather than large crests. Furthermore, overtopping waves can be generated from small wave packets without affecting the applicability of results to cases in which there are surrounding waves. Finally, overtopping from a solitary wave is comparable with overtopping from focused wave groups of the same amplitude. © 2011 Copyright International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research

Entrainment by turbulent fountains

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Cambridge University Press via https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2016.16Experimental measurements of entrainment by turbulent fountains from circular sources in quiescent uniform environments are presented. Our results span almost four orders of magnitude in the source Froude number (0.004 ≤ Fr₀ ≤ 25) and thereby encompass the entrainment across all classes of fountain behaviour identified to date. We identify scalings for the entrained volume flux Qᴇ, in terms of Fr₀ and the source volume flux Q₀, within a number of distinct Froude-number bands corresponding to each class of fountain. Additionally we identify a distinct class of new behaviour, as yet unreported, for Fr₀ ≲ 0.1

Fahrzeugfuhrung durch ein Fahrermodell

Modelling a driver strictly separated into calculation of reference values and feedback follow-up control of the car, a driver model closely connected to predictive control has been developed. Since the reference calculation is represented by a sequence of locally defined optimal control problems, only local, e. g. measured data is used. Especially advantageous, the driver may be adapted to various characteristics. Yet, the presented approach is by no means limited to driver models

System for the measurement of ultra-low stray light levels

An apparatus is described for measuring the effectiveness of stray light suppression light shields and baffle arrangements used in optical space experiments and large space telescopes. The light shield and baffle arrangement and a telescope model are contained in a vacuum chamber. A source of short, high-powered light energy illuminates portions of the light shield and baffle arrangement and reflects a portion of same to a photomultiplier tube by virtue of multipath scattering. The resulting signal is transferred to time-channel electronics timed by the firing of the high energy light source allowing time discrimination of the signal thereby enabling the light scattered and suppressed by the model to be distinguished from the walls and holders around the apparatus

From gas to galaxies

The unsurpassed sensitivity and resolution of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) will make it possible for the first time to probe the continuum emission of normal star forming galaxies out to the edges of the universe. This opens the possibility for routinely using the radio continuum emission from galaxies for cosmological research as it offers an independent probe of the evolution of the star formation density in the universe. In addition it offers the possibility to detect the first star forming objects and massive black holes. In deep surveys SKA will be able to detect HI in emission out to redshifts of $z \approx 2.5$ and hence be able to trace the conversion of gas into stars over an era where considerable evolution is taking place. Such surveys will be able to uniquely determine the respective importance of merging and accreting gas flows for galaxy formation over this redshift range (i.e. out to when the universe was only one third its present age). It is obvious that only SKA will able to see literally where and how gas is turned into stars. These and other aspects of SKA imaging of galaxies will be discussed.Comment: To be published in New Astronomy Reviews, Elsevier, Amsterdam as part of "Science with the Square Kilometre Array", eds. C. Carilli and S. Rawlings. 18 pages + 13 figures; high resolution version and other chapters of "Science with the Square Kilometre Array" available at http://www.skatelescope.org/pages/science_gen.ht

Effects of processing variables on iridescence in precooked beef

Beef semitendinosus (ST) muscles with injected water (3 or 10% of raw muscle weight) and phosphate (0.3%) were cooked to final internal temperatures of 130 (held at 130 for 121 min), 140 (held at 140 for 12 min), 145, or 155°1\ then sliced at 30, 45, 120, 130, or 145\u3c\u3eP by either a dull or a sharp slicer. Biceps femoris (BF) muscles had the same treatment but only at 3% water addition. Controls were uninjected muscles from the opposite side of the carcass. For ST muscles (all with 0.3% added phosphate), 3% added water resulted in less iridescence than controls and those containing 10% added water. Iridescence was also lowered by cooking to 130°F (held for 121 min), slicing at 30 ÌŠF or slicing with a dull slicer blade. Iridescence varied (P\u3c.05) among muscles from different carcasses under the same cooking and slicing conditions. BF muscles had much less iridescence than ST muscles. Our results show that processing-cooking- slicing alterations can help reduce iridescence, especially for the ST (eye of round) muscle

Book Reviews

Reviews of the following books: The Kennebec Proprietors, 1749-1775: Gentlemen of Large Property & Judicious Men by Gordon E. Kershaw; Maine Shipbuilding: A Bibliographical Guide compiled by William A. Baker; Maine in the Civil War: A Bibliographical Guide compiled by William B. Jordan, Jr

Far Infrared Spectroscopy

Contains research objectives and reports on two research projects.National Science Foundation (Grant G-19637