The development and testing of an energy-related information system for the University of Northern Iowa Solar Options Laboratory

The increasing awareness over the past decade that there is a need to conserve energy and explore new energy technologies has resulted in the publishing by government and private concerns of an abundant variety of energy-related literature. This abundance of literature along with the current interest in energy has precipitated an immediate demand for the collection, analysis and interpretation of information and data relating to energy resources and technologies. The development of the University of Northern Iowa Solar Options Laboratory (UNISOL) project began as a result of the impact of the present day energy situation on several faculty members of the Department of Industrial Technology (DIT) at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). Goals of the UNISOL project were developed and approved by the UNISOL Executive Committee established within the DIT. Two of these goals deal directly with the creation of an energy-related information service. The purpose of this service is to make energy information and research data available to accommodate the needs of the lay person and professional desiring energy information. The major purpose of this study was to develop and test an energy-related information system design to address the UNISOL project goals. The system was designed to respond to inquiries for energy information which are anticipated once the project becomes operational. The development and testing of the UNISOL Information System (UNISOLIS) design was based on a system model schedule which involved three interrelated phases: Phase I - Development of the system design; Phase II - Development of operating capability; Phase III - Operation and testing of system. Upon reviewing viable alternatives, it was determined that a computer-based system would best address the mission of the UNISOL project. A descriptor index, a user\u27s manual, and a file manager\u27s manual were developed as supportive materials of the system design. Considerable research was devoted to selecting and storing data in the UNISOLIS data bank in preparation for the system evaluation. A total of nine members from the twelve prospective user community groups took part in the evaluation of the UNISOL design. A questionnaire and interview schedule were developed and utilized to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of the system design. While the scope of the system evaluation was extremely broad, the sample population small, and the data bank relatively limited, the evaluation results were supportive of the overall UNISOLIS design. It appears that the computer-based information system design and the supporting materials developed as part of this study would prove both effective and efficient in addressing the energy-related information needs anticipated as a result of the UNISOL project. Although UNISOLIS was developed to meet the hypothetical information needs of the prospective user community, it has capabilities of being easily adapted and expanded to meet the actual energy-related inquiries received once the UNISOL project becomes operational

Importance of Post-Translational Modifications for Functionality of a Chloroplast-Localized Carbonic Anhydrase (CAH1) in Arabidopsis thaliana

Background: The Arabidopsis CAH1 alpha-type carbonic anhydrase is one of the few plant proteins known to be targeted to the chloroplast through the secretory pathway. CAH1 is post-translationally modified at several residues by the attachment of N-glycans, resulting in a mature protein harbouring complex-type glycans. The reason of why trafficking through this non-canonical pathway is beneficial for certain chloroplast resident proteins is not yet known. Therefore, to elucidate the significance of glycosylation in trafficking and the effect of glycosylation on the stability and function of the protein, epitope-labelled wild type and mutated versions of CAH1 were expressed in plant cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: Transient expression of mutant CAH1 with disrupted glycosylation sites showed that the protein harbours four, or in certain cases five, N-glycans. While the wild type protein trafficked through the secretory pathway to the chloroplast, the non-glycosylated protein formed aggregates and associated with the ER chaperone BiP, indicating that glycosylation of CAH1 facilitates folding and ER-export. Using cysteine mutants we also assessed the role of disulphide bridge formation in the folding and stability of CAH1. We found that a disulphide bridge between cysteines at positions 27 and 191 in the mature protein was required for correct folding of the protein. Using a mass spectrometric approach we were able to measure the enzymatic activity of CAH1 protein. Under circumstances where protein N-glycosylation is blocked in vivo, the activity of CAH1 is completely inhibited. Conclusions/Significance: We show for the first time the importance of post-translational modifications such as N-glycosylation and intramolecular disulphide bridge formation in folding and trafficking of a protein from the secretory pathway to the chloroplast in higher plants. Requirements for these post-translational modifications for a fully functional native protein explain the need for an alternative route to the chloroplast.This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council (VR), the Kempe Foundations and Carl Tryggers Foundation to GS, and grant numbers BIO2006-08946 and BIO2009-11340 from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN) to A

Use of Polylactide Resorbable Film as a Barrier to Postoperative Peridural Adhesion in an Ovine Dorsal Laminectomy Model

Object The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a resorbable polylactide film in the sheep posterior spine in the presence of a combined laminectomy and durotomy defect. Methods A resorbable polylactide film was used to cover the combined defects in the eight sheep used in this study. Two surgical levels were performed in each animal, with randomly assigned control and treated sites. Each surgical level consisted of a full laminectomy followed by a needle-induced durotomy. The treated levels received a resorbable polylactide film cut to size and tucked in under the laminar defect. At 8 to 10 weeks postoperatively, results of myelography and visual dye infiltration showed complete healing of the durotomies for all sites. In addition, evaluation of gross dissection based on volume and tenacity scores as well as histological findings indicates decreased posterior dural adhesions for sites treated with resorbable polylactide film. Conclusions The results of this investigation support previous studies in which the use of a resorbable polylactide film was found to be effective in reducing posterior dural adhesions in the spine with no apparent safety issues related to impaired dural healing