Stuttering Min oscillations within E. coli bacteria: A stochastic polymerization model

We have developed a 3D off-lattice stochastic polymerization model to study subcellular oscillation of Min proteins in the bacteria Escherichia coli, and used it to investigate the experimental phenomenon of Min oscillation stuttering. Stuttering was affected by the rate of immediate rebinding of MinE released from depolymerizing filament tips (processivity), protection of depolymerizing filament tips from MinD binding, and fragmentation of MinD filaments due to MinE. Each of processivity, protection, and fragmentation reduces stuttering, speeds oscillations, and reduces MinD filament lengths. Neither processivity or tip-protection were, on their own, sufficient to produce fast stutter-free oscillations. While filament fragmentation could, on its own, lead to fast oscillations with infrequent stuttering; high levels of fragmentation degraded oscillations. The infrequent stuttering observed in standard Min oscillations are consistent with short filaments of MinD, while we expect that mutants that exhibit higher stuttering frequencies will exhibit longer MinD filaments. Increased stuttering rate may be a useful diagnostic to find observable MinD polymerization in experimental conditions.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, missing unit for k_f inserte

The Ursinus Weekly, March 27, 1916

Basketball season very successful • Marion Ballou Fisk delights audience • New Weekly staff • Schaff prize essay: The toll of the European war • Literary societies • Glee Club concert Tuesday • YMCA officershttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/2623/thumbnail.jp

Issues in Forest Restoration: Navigating the Motives and Mandates of Multiparty Monitoring

In this paper, we discuss what we learned about multiparty monitoring for collaborative, community-based forest restoration projects, after providing technical assistance and training to more than 50 New Mexico community groups between 2002 and 2007. These community groups were all recipients of Collaborative Forest Restoration Program (CFRP) cost-share grants. The grants require multi-stakeholder monitoring and assessment of project effectiveness in terms of ecological change and effects on management skills. Because all CFRP grantees are required to monitor their projects, this program provided a unique opportunity for assessing community-based, multiparty monitoring of forest restoration projects. Given four years experience providing monitoring assistance to CFRP grantees, we explore the following questions:What are the goals of multiparty monitoring? How does it work? What are reasonable expectations of multiparty monitoring? What are the best ways to help community groups achieve these expectations? Finally, how should a community prepare for the implementation of multiparty monitoring in a community-based forestry program

Valence and magnetic instabilities in Sm compounds at high pressures

We report on the study of the response to high pressures of the electronic and magnetic properties of several Sm-based compounds, which span at ambient pressure the whole range of stable charge states between the divalent and the trivalent. Our nuclear forward scattering of synchrotron radiation and specific heat investigations show that in both golden SmS and SmB6 the pressure-induced insulator to metal transitions (at 2 and about 4-7 GPa, respectively) are associated with the onset of long-range magnetic order, stable up to at least 19 and 26 GPa, respectively. This long-range magnetic order, which is characteristic of Sm(3+), appears already for a Sm valence near 2.7. Contrary to these compounds, metallic Sm, which is trivalent at ambient pressure, undergoes a series of pressure-induced structural phase transitions which are associated with a progressive decrease of the ordered 4f moment.Comment: 15 pages (including 7 figures) submitted to J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

Monitoring Handbook 4: Monitoring ecological effects

The goal of restoration should be to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that functions well and needs little maintenance. Monitoring is essential in order to see if projects are achieving improved ecological conditions. Part 1 of this handbook includes a description of common restoration goals and indicators. Methods for measuring each indicator are described in Part 2

Monitoring Handbook 1: What is multiparty monitoring?

There are many reasons for monitoring your project and using a multiparty approach. Multiparty monitoring will increase your understanding of the effects of restoration actions, support adaptive management, and set a course for future management. Multiparty monitoring also helps build trust among partners and establish project accountability in the broader community. This handbook will guide you through the initial steps required to develop a multiparty monitoring process

Monitoring Handbook 5: Monitoring social and economic effects of forest restoration

Forest restoration projects frequently have social, economic, and cultural goals as well as ecological goals. For instance, project partners may hope that their project will provide new jobs and reduce local unemployment, keep youth in the community, reduce the wildfire risk to human lives and property, or increase public involvement in national forest planning and decision making. Monitoring provides a way to determine whether you are headed toward or away from these goals. For example, your monitoring group might want to ask, Is our community becoming more or less sustainable? Are local management skills improving or getting worse? or Is the use of small-diameter trees increasing or decreasing? Part 1 of this handbook describes indicators that can help community-based multiparty monitoring groups measure changes in common forest restoration project goals. Part 2 describes specific methods for measuring change in each indicator