Isolation of mip (microtubule interacting protein) mutations of Aspergillus nidulans

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from "http://mcb.asm.org".We identified four mutations in two previously undescribed loci involved in microtubule function in Aspergillus nidulans as extragenic suppressors of benA33, a heat-sensitive beta-tubulin mutation. Three of the four mutations map to a locus closely linked to riboB on linkage group VIII; we designated this locus mipA (for microtubule-interacting protein). We were not able to map the remaining suppressor because of chromosomal rearrangements. However, since it recombines with riboB at a significantly higher frequency than the mipA alleles, it is unlikely to be in mipA; thus, we designated it mipB1. The mip mutations are not allelic to the previously identified loci that encode alpha- and beta-tubulin, and it is likely that mipA and mipB encode previously unidentified nontubulin proteins involved in microtubule function. Each of the mip mutations suppresses the heat sensitivity conferred by benA33 and suppresses the blockage of nuclear division and movement conferred by this mutation at high temperatures. Interactions between mipA and benA are allele specific. All of the mipA mutations are cryptic in a wild-type benA background but cause cold sensitivity in combination with benA33. These mutations also confer cold sensitivity in combination with benA31 and benA32 and reduce the resistance conferred by these mutations to the antimicrotubule agent benomyl but do not suppress the heat sensitivity conferred by these alleles. Finally, the mipA alleles suppress the heat sensitivity conferred by benA11, benA17, and benA21 but do not confer cold sensitivity in combination with these alleles

Cyber Citizens and Cyber Deviance: Exploring Social and Technical Factors as Antecedents to Cyber Deviance and the Implications for Cyber Citizenship

There is an alarming trend of individuals behaving inappropriately with information technology in both organizational and personal settings. For example, in a work context individuals are breaking repeatedly security protocols (Hovav et al. 2011) leading to the compromise of sensitive customer and important organizational data resources. Information systems (IS) researchers have studied the manners by which employees use, and misuse, information technology within organizations (Warkentin et al. 2009). Alternatively, in a non-work context, attention has been given to digital media piracy (Siponen et al. 2012) which continues to plague organizations. These examples illustrate some unacceptable behaviors exhibited by cyber citizens (Anderson et al. 2010) – both in the work and non-work settings. Typically, the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable cyber behavior are defined by government authorities, who develop laws around specific illegal online behaviors, and businesses, who detail inappropriate actions in their terms of service agreements. Past research has shown that even with detailed guidelines, employees continue to cause breaches in security (Harris 2012) and these actions are greatly influenced by the behaviors of their coworkers (Gallivan et al. 2005). Alternatively, in a non-work environment, computer users operate within a precarious social and technological environment where the guidelines on appropriate behavior are vague (Nowak 2011). In such an ill-defined context, individuals tend to refer to accepted social norms as a guide, rather than try to understand the disparity between laws and policies (Morrison 1994). Research in criminology, sociology, and management, has focused on deviant behaviors with technology, termed cyber deviance. This term refers to inappropriate or criminal behavior in a digital context (Holt et al. 2010). Technical solutions are only marginally effective as deviant cyber behavior continues to proliferate (Rogers et al. 2006). Research has examined individual factors, such as self-control, in order to explain cyber deviant behaviors (Hinduja et al. 2008). Social factors have begun to be examined through the use of social learning theory and social cognitive theory to explain the ways in which attitudes and beliefs influence cyber deviance (Jacobs et al. 2012). Although studies that examine the individual, social, and technical factors have provided insight into cyber deviance behavior, they have not considered such behavior as part of cyber citizenship, where individuals behave in an ethical and productive manner in online environments. Additionally, recent IS research has begun to explore alternative ways to influence social norms and attitudes on individual behaviors in online environments in order to create more conscientious cyber citizens (Anderson et al. 2010). Therefore, this study aims to examine the individual, social, and technical factors that impact one’s intention to engage in cyber deviance. In this study, we focus on the illegal activities that occur in a digital environment. This highlights the unique actions that occur between humans and technology, suggesting this study is best served from such a perspective. Scialdone (2010) provides human computer interaction (HCI) researchers with a useful framework for examining phenomena that occur between humans and technology. Researchers must identify the human, the technology, the tasks, and the context to clearly situate their study in the HCI literature (Scialdone 2010). In this study we focus on average PC users and their interactions in computer-mediated social networks (CMSN). We examine individual factors, Perceived Utility of Cyber Deviance and Self-efficacy in Cyber Deviance; social factors, Cyber Citizen Social Norms on Cyber Deviance, and technical factors, CMSN Influencer and CMSN Intensity. The proposed research methodology is a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental setup (Bhattacherjee 2012) through the use of scenarios which describe situations of cyber deviance. The use of scenarios allows us to provide a specific situation which serves as a reference point for our inquiry into the concepts of interest (Nagin and Paternoster 1993)

The Federal Rules in State Courts: A Survey of State Court Systems of Civil Procedure

In this article we present a new survey of the civil procedures of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. We seek to identify those jurisdictions that have systematically replicated the Federal Rules as the basis for practice before their civil courts. We also seek to identify states whose civil procedures are more loosely modeled on the Federal Rules, paying special attention to each state\u27s procedural disparity from or conformity to the federal model for the pleading of a civil case

Nonlinear structural response using adaptive dynamic relaxation on a massively-parallel-processing system

A parallel adaptive dynamic relaxation (ADR) algorithm has been developed for nonlinear structural analysis. This algorithm has minimal memory requirements, is easily parallelizable and scalable to many processors, and is generally very reliable and efficient for highly nonlinear problems. Performance evaluations on single-processor computers have shown that the ADR algorithm is reliable and highly vectorizable, and that it is competitive with direct solution methods for the highly nonlinear problems considered. The present algorithm is implemented on the 512-processor Intel Touchstone DELTA system at Caltech, and it is designed to minimize the extent and frequency of interprocessor communication. The algorithm has been used to solve for the nonlinear static response of two and three dimensional hyperelastic systems involving contact. Impressive relative speedups have been achieved and demonstrate the high scalability of the ADR algorithm. For the class of problems addressed, the ADR algorithm represents a very promising approach for parallel-vector processing

Metabolic flexibility as a major predictor of spatial distribution in microbial communities

A better understand the ecology of microbes and their role in the global ecosystem could be achieved if traditional ecological theories can be applied to microbes. In ecology organisms are defined as specialists or generalists according to the breadth of their niche. Spatial distribution is often used as a proxy measure of niche breadth; generalists have broad niches and a wide spatial distribution and specialists a narrow niche and spatial distribution. Previous studies suggest that microbial distribution patterns are contrary to this idea; a microbial generalist genus (Desulfobulbus) has a limited spatial distribution while a specialist genus (Methanosaeta) has a cosmopolitan distribution. Therefore, we hypothesise that this counter-intuitive distribution within generalist and specialist microbial genera is a common microbial characteristic. Using molecular fingerprinting the distribution of four microbial genera, two generalists, Desulfobulbus and the methanogenic archaea Methanosarcina, and two specialists, Methanosaeta and the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfobacter were analysed in sediment samples from along a UK estuary. Detected genotypes of both generalist genera showed a distinct spatial distribution, significantly correlated with geographic distance between sites. Genotypes of both specialist genera showed no significant differential spatial distribution. These data support the hypothesis that the spatial distribution of specialist and generalist microbes does not match that seen with specialist and generalist large organisms. It may be that generalist microbes, while having a wider potential niche, are constrained, possibly by intrageneric competition, to exploit only a small part of that potential niche while specialists, with far fewer constraints to their niche, are more capable of filling their potential niche more effectively, perhaps by avoiding intrageneric competition. We suggest that these counter-intuitive distribution patterns may be a common feature of microbes in general and represent a distinct microbial principle in ecology, which is a real challenge if we are to develop a truly inclusive ecology

Investigating Life History Differences Between Finetooth Sharks, Carcharhinus isodon, in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and the Western North Atlantic Ocean

The life history of the finetooth shark, Carcharhinus isodon, off South Carolina was studied by determining age, growth, and size and age at maturity. These data were compared to a recent study describing the same parameters for finetooth sharks in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Cervical vertebrae were extracted from 168 specimens (71 males and 97 females), ranging in size from 376 to 1,262 mm fork length (FL), and prepared for age analysis using standard techniques. Sex-specific von Bertalanffy growth models were generated and yielded the following growth equations: Lt = 1,311 mm FL (1 - e-0.19(t - (-2.17))) for females and Lt = 1,151 mm FL (1 - e-0.33(t - (-1.43))) for males. The oldest female and male aged were 12.4 yr and 10.4 yr, respectively. Median length where 50% of the population was mature was 1,021 mm FL for females, corresponding to an age of 6.3 yr and 1,015 mm FL for males, corresponding to an age of 5.0 yr. Finetooth sharks in the western North Atlantic Ocean had higher observed ages and there was a significant difference in size at age between neonate finetooth sharks in the western North Atlantic Ocean and the northern Gulf of Mexico; however, there were no significant differences among von Bertalanffy growth function parameters between regions examined. Results indicate lower amounts of regional variation in life history parameters for finetooth sharks when compared to other small coastal sharks