Production and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies to Xenopus Proteins

Monoclonal antibodies are powerful and versatile tools that enable the study of proteins in diverse contexts. They are often utilized to assist with identification of subcellular localization and characterization of the function of target proteins of interest. However, because there can be considerable sequence diversity between orthologous proteins in Xenopus and mammals, antibodies produced against mouse or human proteins often do not recognize Xenopus counterparts. To address this issue, we refined existing mouse monoclonal antibody production protocols to generate antibodies against Xenopus proteins of interest. Here, we describe several approaches for the generation of useful mouse anti-Xenopus antibodies to multiple Xenopus proteins and their validation in various experimental approaches. These novel antibodies are now available to the research community through the Developmental Study Hybridoma Bank (DSHB)

The Ecology of Dynamic Body Color in the Green Anole, \u3cem\u3eAnolis carolinensis\u3c/em\u3e

Organisms capable of physiological body color change can respond rapidly to changes in their social or external environment. Given that color change is often context-dependent, studying the role of color change can provide insights into how different organisms respond to and interact with their immediate environment. Currently there are three main hypotheses which explain the adaptive significance of rapid color change, including camouflage, social signaling, and thermoregulation. Green anoles, Anolis carolinensis, are one such species that use physiological color change to rapidly shift their dorsal body color from bright green to dark brown within seconds. Thus, they may use darkening and lightening of body color to either regulate their body temperature throughout the day, or as a visual signal during intraspecific communication. Previous studies have determined the physiological mechanisms by which color change occurs in green anoles, but few naturalistic studies have determined the ecological role of dynamic color change in anoles, and fewer still have examined how males and female green anoles may differentially use color change. In this thesis, I performed two studies testing two major hypotheses for the evolution of physiological color change. In my first study I examined the relationship between body color and body temperature of green anoles, and whether this varies between the sexes, or among different substrate types. My data showed that while males choose marginally warmer substrates and more exposed perch sites than females, there was no association between body color and body temperature in either sex. In the second study I tested whether body color is used in conjunction with behavioral displays of green anoles, and if this differs between the sexes. My results showed that overall, males are far more likely to be green than females. Further, males and females differ in how they use body color during social displays. In sum, my studies found that body color change is predominantly used in behavioral displays of green anoles, and males and females differ in how they use color during social signaling. My findings also indicate that thermoregulation is likely not a primary reason for body color change in either sex, and color likely plays less of a role in thermoregulation in anoles than previously believed

Political Contingency and the Implementation of Qatarization

This paper represents an exploratory study that examines political contingency in a less liberal regulatory regime such as the ‘positive state’ or the ‘developmental state’. As an example of a state-led policy, the implementation of a workforce localization policy is examined through an intensive case study on the oil- and gas-based industries (OGBI), the most significant economic sector in Qatar. In particular, the paper identifies the strategies and mechanisms that the government utilizes in its efforts to gain commitment from public enterprises to replace its expatriate workforce with nationals. The empirical analysis focuses on two main themes: state influence on public organizations and the HR practices that are used to enhance workforce localization. The findings reveal that the government has adopted some innovative control strategies that are not widely acknowledged within the literature. These include its continuous re-shuffling and replacement of decision-makers and key personnel in state enterprises. Moreover, the government dominates by playing an active role in forming OGBI strategies through appointing the Minister of Energy to the highest hierarchical positions such as chairman and managing director in the industries. However, state enterprises’ reactions to the state-led localization policy vary considerably. The study provides new evidence that public organizations do not always comply with politically-determined policies. The evaluation of the implementation of localization strategy shows that there are three approaches toward what may be called ‘Qatarization’, namely, strategic adaptation; pragmatic acceptance, and implicit avoidance. The approaches are strongly associated with understanding the policy aims and linking the policy to HR practices

Microstructure of Ba1−xLaxTiO3−δ ceramics sintered by spark plasma sintering

Nano-sized Ba1−xLaxTiO3 (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.14) powders were prepared by a coprecipitation method and calcined at 850 °C in air. The corresponding ceramics were obtained by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) at 1050 °C. These ceramics are oxygen deficient and are marked as Ba1−xLaxTiO3−δ. Both powders and ceramics were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The effect of lanthanum concentration on the densification behavior, on the structure and the microstructure of the oxides was investigated. Average grain sizes are comprised between 54 (3) nm and 27 (2) nm for powders, and 330 (11) nm and 36 (1) nm for ceramics according to the La-doping level. Powders crystallize in the cubic (or pseudo-cubic) perovskite phase. The structure of ceramics consists in a mixture of cubic (or pseudo-cubic) and tetragonal perovskite type phases. As the lanthanum content increases, the tetragonality of the samples decreases, as well as the grain size

What is autism? What is ABA? Building understanding in Autism Awareness Month

April has traditionally been known worldwide as Autism Awareness Month, and is a time to focus on increasing understanding and awareness of people with autism. In 2021, the Autism Society of America changed the designated terminology to Autism Acceptance Month. Regardless of which name you use, I hope you’ll take time this month to become educated on autism and help to create a more inclusive and accepting world for the autism community. Here is some introductory information to get you started

Comment diagnostiquer un système d'Entreprise Complexe ? Propositions de repères méthodologiques

International audienceLes recherches en cours sur les systèmes complexes constituent une voie de renouvellement et d'enrichissement de nos manières de diagnostiquer le système de l'entreprise de façon globale et permanente. En effet, la conception du diagnostic a long terme est remise en question par le changement que vit l'entreprise en tant que système complexe, en changement permanent. Chercher a promouvoir la modélisation de cette complexité dans la pratique du diagnostic d'entreprise implique la remise en cause des acquis conceptuels, méthodologiques et techniques. Il ne s'agit plus d'indiquer la bonne solution, la bonne trajectoire en se référant a des lois externes au système de l'entreprise, mais d'explorer des pistes de solutions a partir du système lui-même. Tel est l'objectif de cette communication : - Elaborer un diagnostic dans la complexité en vue d'apporter un nouvel éclairage sur la globalisation et la permanence en diagnostic ; - Promouvoir une autre manière de concevoir le système de l'entreprise, une manière qui permettrait de mettre en évidence les compétences des acteurs de l'entreprise en matière de diagnostic

Comment diagnostiquer un système d'Entreprise Complexe ? Propositions de repères méthodologiques

Les recherches en cours sur les systèmes complexes constituent une voie de renouvellement et d'enrichissement de nos manières de diagnostiquer le système de l'entreprise de façon globale et permanente. En effet, la conception du diagnostic a long terme est remise en question par le changement que vit l'entreprise en tant que système complexe, en changement permanent. Chercher a promouvoir la modélisation de cette complexité dans la pratique du diagnostic d'entreprise implique la remise en cause des acquis conceptuels, méthodologiques et techniques. Il ne s'agit plus d'indiquer la bonne solution, la bonne trajectoire en se référant a des lois externes au système de l'entreprise, mais d'explorer des pistes de solutions a partir du système lui-même. Tel est l'objectif de cette communication : - Elaborer un diagnostic dans la complexité en vue d'apporter un nouvel éclairage sur la globalisation et la permanence en diagnostic ; - Promouvoir une autre manière de concevoir le système de l'entreprise, une manière qui permettrait de mettre en évidence les compétences des acteurs de l'entreprise en matière de diagnostic.Complexité; diagnostic global et permanent; acteur; entreprise en phase de création; repère méthodologique

Advanced Dynamic & Crash Simulation of Lightweight Profiles for Design of Roadside Infrastructure

AbstractMany research works recently have attempted to use different computational and numerical simulation techniques to model the material thermal large deformation processes for the design of high performance profiles in new roadside infrastructure designs. The material processes for the lightweight crash-capable parts are among the most delicate processes for the material scientist and designing engineers. The forming and extrusion of lightweight alloys involves thermal effects, large deformation, complex geometries and free surface boundaries. The conventional approach towards the simulation of extrusion process using Finite Element (FE) or Finite Volume (FV) has serious short comes even when updated Lagrangian, Eulerian or ALE techniques are employed. During past decades, there has been considerable effort to simulate the whole extrusion process by splitting it into steady state (using Eulerian technique) and transient (using Updated Lagrangian technique) processes.The damage initiation, progression and also failure of lightweight hollow profiles during crash are a result of accumulated damage under plastic deformation. Based on the damage theories, as the loading condition is changing for the material, a plastic deformation may take place which would progressively increase the damage in the component. The accumulated damage would ultimately result in the failure of the cross-section. There are different numerical models to calculate the damage evolution, fracture initiation and also its propagation using continuum and/or discrete damage techniques. In the present study, following an in-depth study of material processing and its absorption capacities, folding modes and geometric/production constrains; a frame work has been setup to develop and test an optimised aluminium extruded profiles for best dynamic and crash performance characteristics. The numerical dynamic simulations (including fatigue, vehicle buffeting …) and virtual crash performance of lightweight hollow profiles have been considered for the design of new generation of roadside signals, lighting posts… for future.The complicated mathematical basis of large deformations, plasticity, contact and folding have been developed and special attention has been devoted to the plastic deformation, rate dependency and tailored yield locus. To assess the dynamic performance and energy absorption of these profiles, a full transient dynamic analysis can be performed using a time history dynamic loading. The new absorbing component design has been checked and verified using a result of carefully-setup experiments work and also advanced explicit simulation runs. One of the main contributions of this paper is to show the applicability and reliability of the numerical simulation approach for the crash performance of new lightweight roadside entities

Coupling FEM and CFD solvers for continuous casting process simulation using precice

The numerical investigation of continuous casting requires more than just one simulation technique. In continuous casting, liquid metal is continuously poured into a mould while the starting head is slowly moved downwards, which results in a growing metal ingot. Though, the ingot’s outer surface is solidified after the mould, its inside core is still a mixture of liquid and mushy phases. This mixture of physical states requires different numerical schemes to describe the constitutive behaviour and relation. While the liquid region is described in the Eulerian approach, the solid is well described in the Lagrangian approach. Commonly the finite volume method is chosen for the Eulerian and the finite element method for the Lagrangian perspective. Consequently, it is logical to combine a CFD solver with a FEM solver for an ideal numerical representation of the continuous casting process. The coupling of two different solvers communicating in two different programming languages - in the present work OpenFOAM and LS-DYNA - is not an easy task. However, preCICE enables the coupling of the different solvers with a minimum of intrusive functions. The present work deals with the first step towards the coupled simulation routine for the continuous casting process. A first basic simulation of a simple plate was setup consisting of OpenFOAM for the Eulerian approach and LS-DYNA for the Lagrangian approach. OpenFOAM calculates the temperature field due to time-dependent boundary conditions, while the mechanical LS-DYNA solver calculates resulting strains and stresses considering thermal strain. The aim of this simulation was to develop and test the preCICE adapter for LS-DYNA, as the adapter for OpenFOAM is already available and ready to use. The mapping techniques of preCICE did manage to achieve good energy conservation results. The first results showed a good correlation especially in the middle of the domain. The difference at the plates’ ends between the two different methods defined the next steps for the coupling