EPR of Cu\u3csup\u3e2+\u3c/sup\u3e Prion Protein Constructs at 2 GHz Using the \u3cem\u3eg\u3c/em\u3e\u3csub\u3e⊥\u3c/sub\u3e Region to Characterize Nitrogen Ligation

A double octarepeat prion protein construct, which has two histidines, mixed with copper sulfate in a 3:2 molar ratio provides at most three imidazole ligands to each copper ion to form a square-planar Cu2+ complex. This work is concerned with identification of the fourth ligand. A new (to our knowledge) electron paramagnetic resonance method based on analysis of the intense features of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum in the g⊥ region at 2 GHz is introduced to distinguish between three and four nitrogen ligands. The methodology was established by studies of a model system consisting of histidine imidazole ligation to Cu2+. In this spectral region at 2 GHz (S-band), g-strain and broadening from the possible rhombic character of the Zeeman interaction are small. The most intense line is identified with the MI = +1/2 extra absorption peak. Spectral simulation demonstrated that this peak is insensitive to cupric Ax and Ay hyperfine interaction. The spectral region to the high-field side of this peak is uncluttered and suitable for analysis of nitrogen superhyperfine couplings to determine the number of nitrogens. The spectral region to the low-field side of the intense extra absorption peak in the g⊥ part of the spectrum is sensitive to the rhombic distortion parameters Ax and Ay. Application of the method to the prion protein system indicates that two species are present and that the dominant species contains four nitrogen ligands. A new loop-gap microwave resonator is described that contains ∼1 mL of frozen sample

04051 Abstracts Collection -- Perspectives Workshop: Empirical Theory and the Science of Software Engineering

From 25.01.04 to 29.01.04, the Dagstuhl Seminar 04051 ``Perspectives Workshop: Empirical Theory and the Science of Software Engineering\u27\u27 was held in the International Conference and Research Center (IBFI), Schloss Dagstuhl. During the seminar, several participants presented their current research, and ongoing work and open problems were discussed. Abstracts of the presentations given during the seminar as well as abstracts of seminar results and ideas are put together in this paper. The first section describes the seminar topics and goals in general. Links to extended abstracts or full papers are provided, if available

Transport into the south polar vortex in early spring

Estimates of the mean circulation and diffusive transport of ozone and other species into the Antarctic polar vortex during the spring of 1987 are made using data from the Airborne Antarctic Ozone Experiment. Measurements of long-lived tracers of tropospheric origin remained relatively constant at the levels of the maximum rate of decline of ozone during September. At lower levels in the stratosphere some evidence exists to support intrusions of tropospheric or low latitude air. Given the distribution in latitude and height of these tracers measured from the ER-2 aircraft, it can be inferred that the Lagrangian or diabatic mean circulation was zero or downward over Antarctica during the period of the ozone decline. The observation of a decline in ozone therefore requires a photochemical sink for ozone. The magnitude of the required photochemical sink must be sufficient to offset the transport of ozone into the polar region and produce the observed decline. Quasi-isentropic mixing and downward motion are coupled and are difficult to estimate from a single tracer. The full suite of measured tracers and auxiliary information are brought together to provide an estimate of the rate at which air is cycled through the polar vortex during spring. Estimates of large scale transport of potential vorticity and ozone from previous years are generally consistent with the data from the airborne experiment in suggesting a relatively slow rate of mass flow through the polar vortex in the lower stratosphere during September

The determination of the elastic modulus of rubber mooring tethers and their use in coastal moorings

Compliance must be supplied to any surface mooring to allow the buoy to move with the waves and currents, and remain moored in position. This can be supplied with a traditional chain catenary or newer compliant elastic tether or stretch hose technologies. Some applications of each of these three techniques are shown, with the emphasis placed on the use of compliant elastic tethers. For modeling and designing these moorings, the elastic modulus of the tether material must be known. Therefore, a new and used piece of elastic material was terminated, tested for the stretch-strain relationship under set conditions, and the elastic modulus calculated. For these tests, the elastic tether was stretched out to a mean elongation between 100 and 250%, then cycled about that stretch by ±25 and ±50% to duplicate a moored application. The resultant elastic modulus is presented to aid in mooring design. At low elongations, the elastic modulus is constant at about 125 PSI, but as the mean elongation increases the modulus increases, and as the cycle tension increase the modulus also increases, reaching a maximum of 900 PSI at 275% stretch.Funding was provided by the Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GoMOOS under ONR grant N0014-01-1-0999), NOAA-UNH CINEMAR (NOAA Grant Number NA16RP1718), and GLOBEC (NSF OCE93-13670 and OCE02-27679)

From Project Management to Program Management: An Invitation to Investigate Programs Where IT Plays a Significant Role

Information technology is an inherent component of major change initiatives that organizations undertake. However, the increasing technological complexity involved in achieving the benefits of these change initiatives means that organizations must substantially revise management policies and procedures to create and deploy information technology across multiple functional areas and longer time horizons. Industries, governments, professional societies, and early researchers consider prior management practices inadequate and are moving toward practices that promote the integration of multiple functions, projects, environments, and stakeholders to best achieve the benefits of the chosen change. In this editorial, we discuss previous research, highlight key findings, and raise questions about the process of managing multiple projects in change initiatives that contain significant information technology—also known as program management

An Unusual Case of Serotonin Syndrome with Oxycodone and Citalopram

A 77-year-old female with recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer presented to a hospital outpatient clinic with tremor, weakness, inability to coordinate motor movements, and confusion. It was suspected that the symptoms were due to possible central nervous system metastases; however, a CT scan of her head was unremarkable. The lung clinic liaison pharmacist took a medication history from the patient, complimented by extra information from the patient's community pharmacy. The pharmacist suspected the rare side effect of serotonin syndrome was responsible for the patient's presenting symptoms caused by the combination of oxycodone and citalopram. The patient's symptoms resolved soon after oxycodone was changed to morphine

Is there such a thing as agile IT program management?

This paper presents early evidence of agile methods in IT enabled transformational programs of high strategic significance and substantial complexity in large organisations. Based on interviews of top management, and program and project managers, we discuss the key drivers that lead to agile IT enabled programs and some of the barriers encountered while managing IT enabled programs in an agile manner. In addition to the need for fast response to environmental changes, strong IT-business collaboration, and efficient resource use by minimising governance burden, we found that organisations are adopting agile practices in program management as transitory step towards achieving enterprise agility. In doing so agile and non-agile projects co-exist within a program thus creating new coordination challenges. Programs with high degree of agile methods adoption face similar challenges in coordinating with the rest of the organisation which operates in non-agile manner. The paper aims to contribute to fostering scholarly discussion on implementation of agile practices in major projects and programs, an emerging area of research with scarce academic literature

Fire protection through modern day building codes

In this edition, fire protection regulations are not included and requirements of model codes and recommendations of code writing organizations are cited in the text. Much progress has been made in building construction techniques and in material development since the publication of the First Edition in 1944. While this Fifth Edition reflects that progress, it adheres to its original purpose to help develop construction standards for safeguarding life and property from fire