Communication Infrastructures for Distributed Control of Power Distribution Networks

Accepted versio

Fabrication and characteristics of a GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor using a selective buried sub-collector

A C-doped GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) with a selective buried sub-collector has been fabricated by two growth steps. The active HBT region was made on the selective buried sub-collector layer with minimum overlap of the extrinsic base and the sub-collector region resulting in substantial reduction of the base-collector capacitance. The experiment shows that the base-collector capacitance is reduced to about half of that of a conventional HBT while the base resistance remains unchanged resulting in a 40-50% increase in the maximum oscillation frequency. Both DC and RF characteristics are investigated and compared with a conventional HBT. A current gain of 40 cutoff frequency of 50 GHz and maximum oscillation frequency of 140 GHz were obtained for the GaInP/GaAs HBT. It is demonstrated that the selective buried sub-collector provides an effective means for enhancing RF performance of an HBT. © 1997 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

Orbital and Spin Parameter Variations of Partial Eclipsing Low Mass X-ray Binary X 1822-371

We report our measurements for orbital and spin parameters of X 1822-371 using its X-ray partial eclipsing profile and pulsar timing from data collected by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). Four more X-ray eclipse times obtained by the RXTE 2011 observations were combined with historical records to trace evolution of orbital period. We found that a cubic ephemeris likely better describes evolution of the X-ray eclipse times during a time span of about 34 years with a marginal second order derivative of $ddot{P}_{orb}=(-1.05 pm 0.59) imes 10^{-19}$ s$^{-1}$. Using the pulse arrival time delay technique, the orbital and spin parameters were obtained from RXTE observations from 1998 to 2011. The detected pulse periods show that the neutron star in X 1822-371 is continuously spun-up with a rate of $dot{P}_{s}=(-2.6288 pm 0.0095) imes 10^{-12}$ s s$^{-1}$. Evolution of the epoch of the mean longitude $l=pi /2$ (i.e. $T_{pi / 2}$) gives an orbital period derivative value consistent with that obtained from the quadratic ephemeris evaluated by the X-ray eclipse but the detected $T_{pi / 2}$ values are significantly and systematically earlier than the corresponding expected X-ray eclipse times by $90 pm 11$ s. This deviation is probably caused by asymmetric X-ray emissions. We also attempted to constrain the mass and radius of the neutron star using the spin period change rate and concluded that the intrinsic luminosity of X 1822-371 is likely more than $10^{38}$ ergs s$^{-1}$.postprin

Identification of a Hypothetical Protein of Plant Pathogenic Xanthomonas campestris as a Novel β-galactosidase

[[abstract]]Xc17L, a lactose-utilizing mutant of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris previously isolated by mutagenesis with nitrous acid, displays a level of β-galactosidase 3.5-fold higher than that in the parental Xc17. In this study, the gene encoding the enzyme displaying a higher specific activity in Xc17L was inactivated by mini-Tn5 transposition.Sequencing revealed that the product (579 aa, 63.5 kDa) of this gene, designated galD, was previously annotated to encode a hypothetical protein on the genome. Mutation of the gene by marker exchange, complementation test and Western blot analysis together confirmed that galD is indeed the gene involved in β-galactosidase elevation in Xc17L. With only the N-terminal region possessing similarity to the known β-galactosidases and partially conserved consensus motif, GalD is recognized as a member of the glycosyl hydrolase family 35. Insertion with GmΩ, which causes polar effects, into the upstream genes followed by Western blotting showed that galD is cotranscribed with the upstream genes and expressed constitutively. Mutation in galD causes no significant changes including pathogenicity in the bacterium

Molecular genetic analyses of potential beta-galactosidase genes in Xanthomonas campestris.

[[abstract]]Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, which displays no significant beta-1,4-D-galactopyranosidase activity, has three annotated beta-galactosidase genes in the sequenced genome, designated galA, galB and galC herein. GalA and GalB are similar to glycosyl hydrolase (GH) family 2 enzymes, including Escherichia coli LacZ. galA and galB cannot express detectable activity even after being cloned in-frame and driven by the vector's promoter. GalC is a GH35 enzyme homologous to the Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis Bga. The latter cleaves beta,1-3-linked galactose 1,000 times faster than beta,1-4-linked galactose and is not responsible for lactose utilization. In X. campestris pv. campestris cells, GalC is readily detectable by Western blotting, and the levels can be increased by cloning the gene under the control of the vector's promoter. Results of insertional mutation, transcriptional fusion assay and Western blotting indicated that galC, clustered with several GH genes, is cotranscribed with the upstream gene(s) and is expressed constitutively. Xc17L is a previously isolated mutant with elevated beta-galactosidase activity and a greatly improved ability to grow on lactose. Results of DNA sequencing of Xc17L galA, galB and galC, enzyme assays of galA, galB and galC mutants derived from Xc17L, and Western blotting of GalC in Xc17L indicated that the three beta-galactosidase genes do not encode the elevated beta-galactosidase activity in Xc17L. The presence of a fourth beta-galactosidase gene is proposed

Chiral zero-mode for abelian BPS dipoles

We present an exact normalisable zero-energy chiral fermion solution for abelian BPS dipoles. For a single dipole, this solution is contained within the high temperature limit of the SU(2) caloron with non-trivial holonomy.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure (in 2 parts), presented at the workshop on "Confinement, Topology, and other Non-Perturbative Aspects of QCD", 21-27 Jan. 2002, Stara Lesna, Slovaki

AmpD(I) Is Involved in Expression of the Chromosomal L1 and L2 beta-Lactamases of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

[[abstract]]Two ampD homologues, ampD(I) and ampD(II), of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia have been cloned and analyzed. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the genomic context of the ampD(II) genes is quite different, whereas that of the ampD(I) genes is more conserved in S. maltophilia strains. The ampD system of S. maltophilia is distinct from that of the Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in three respects. (i) AmpD(I) of S. maltophilia is not encoded in an ampDE operon, in contrast to what happens in the Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa. (ii) The AmpD systems of the Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa are generally involved in the regulation of ampR-linked ampC gene expression, while AmpD(I) of S. maltophilia is responsible for the regulation of two intrinsic beta-lactamase genes, of which the L2 gene, but not the L1 gene, is linked to ampR. (iii) S. maltophilia exhibits a one-step L1 and L2 gene derepression model involving ampD(I), distinct from the two-or three-step derepression of the Enterobacteriaceae and P. aeruginosa. Moreover, the ampD(I) and ampD(II) genes are constitutively expressed and not regulated by the inducer and AmpR protein, and the expression of ampD(II) is weaker than that of ampD(I). Finally, AmpD(II) is not associated with the derepression of beta-lactamases, and its role in S. maltophilia remains unclear

Flagellar Biogenesis of Xanthomonas campestris Requires the Alternative Sigma Factors RpoN2 and FliA and Is Temporally Regulated by FlhA, FlhB, and FlgM

[[abstract]]In prokaryotes, flagellar biogenesis is a complicated process involving over 40 genes. The phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris possesses a single polar flagellum, which is essential for the swimming motility. A sigma(54) activator, FleQ, has been shown to be required for the transcriptional activation of the flagellar type III secretion system (F-T3SS), rod, and hook proteins. One of the two rpoN genes, rpoN2, encoding sigma(54), is essential for flagellation. RpoN2 and FleQ direct the expression of a second alternative sigma FliA (sigma(28)) that is essential for the expression of the flagellin FliC. FlgM interacts with FliA and represses the FliA regulons. An flgM mutant overexpressing FliC generates a deformed flagellum and displays an abnormal motility. Mutation in the two structural genes of F-T3SS, flhA and flhB, suppresses the production of FliC. Furthermore, FliA protein levels are decreased in an flhB mutant. A mutant defective in flhA, but not flhB, exhibits a decreased infection rate. In conclusion, the flagellar biogenesis of Xanthomonas campestris requires alternative sigma factors RpoN2 and FliA and is temporally regulated by FlhA, FlhB, and FlgM