PilT mutations lead to simultaneous defects in competence for natural transformation and twitching motility in piliated Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the Gram-negative aetiological agent of gonorrhoeae, is one of many mucosal pathogens of man that expresses competence for natural transformation. Expression of this phenotype by gonococci appears to rely on the expression of type IV pili (Tfp), but the mechanistic basis for this relationship remains unknown. During studies of gonococcal pilus biogenesis, a homologue of the PilT family of proteins, required for Tfp-dependent twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and social gliding motility in Myxococcus xanthus, was discovered. Like the findings in these other species, we show here that gonococcal PilT mutants constructed in vitro no longer display twitching motility. In addition, we demonstrate that they have concurrently lost the ability to undergo natural transformation, despite the expression of structurally and morphologically normal Tpf. These results were confirmed by the findings that two classes of spontaneous mutants that failed to express twitching motility and transformability carried mutations in PilT. Piliated PilT mutants and a panel of pilus assembly mutants were found to be deficient in sequence-specific DNA uptake into the cell, the earliest demonstrable step in neisserial competence. The PilT-deficient strains represent the first genetically defined mutants that are defective in DNA uptake but retain Tfp expression.     

Slag Emulsification during Liquid Steel Desulphurisation by Gas Injection into the Ladle

According to current practice, the desulphurisation of steel melts is mainly performed in the ladle with lime saturated top slags. The injection of argon gas into liquid steel provides for intensive mixing and accelerated sulphur transfer. During gas stirring treatment, an emulsification of top slag takes place. A numerical model describing the course of the desulphurisation reaction has been developed, which takes all relevant process parameters into account, including those of the emulsification effect. To check the validity of the model, operational tests have been performed on 185‐t‐heats. Results obtained from model calculations and operational tests show an excellent agreement.     

Contraction of high strength Invar steel during creep test

Modern large size Cathode Ray Tubes are equipped with so called “true flat” shadowmasks made of Invar steel. The mask is stretched onto a solid frame and both are submitted to a final heat treatment (blackening treatment). Elevated temperatures and pretension make the mask material prone to creep, resulting in disutility of the unit for the application. In order to reduce creep elongation of the mask material to a minimum, Mo added high strength Invar steels have been considered to provide the required specifications. Depending on prior processing this type of Invar steel shows an inexplicable contraction during the creep test. Even though this effect can be perfectly used to fulfil the creep requirements, the mechanisms involved were not understood. Focus of the present work was the examination of the effect of precipitations on the “negative creep” behaviour of the investigated Invar steel using carbon extraction replicae, transmission electron microscopy as well as SAED. Information about the chemical composition, morphology, size and number of the precipitations in the different states could be gained. The observations revealed that during the creep test, depending on the prior annealing temperature, the chemical composition of the precipitates changed. The Nb content decreased while simultaneously the Mo content increased. Due to the volume difference caused by Mo in solid solution and in precipitated form respectively, the precipitation of Mo during the creep test is supposed to cause the observed sample contraction. The results can be confirmed by calculating the effect of Mo on the distortion of the FeNi lattice.     

阿维斯塔波莱瑞特厂炉卷轧机新技术

阿维斯塔波莱瑞特厂正在进行一个现代化改造项目，以提高炉卷轧机的生产能力，达到年产100万吨。但是，由于在阿维斯塔波莱瑞特厂炉卷轧机上的现有技术已达到极限，只有通过对轧机及自动化系统进行现代化的改造才有可能提高和增强轧机的利用率和易维护性。     

Disentangling the adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder endophenotype: Parametric measurement of attention.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persists frequently into adulthood. The decomposition of endophenotypes by means of experimental neuro-cognitive assessment has the potential to improve diagnostic assessment, evaluation of treatment response, and disentanglement of genetic and environmental influences. We assessed four parameters of attentional capacity and selectivity derived from simple psychophysical tasks (verbal report of briefly presented letter displays) and based on a “theory of visual attention.” These parameters are mathematically independent, quantitative measures, and previous studies have shown that they are highly sensitive for subtle attention deficits. Potential reductions of attentional capacity, that is, of perceptual processing speed and working memory storage capacity, were assessed with a whole report paradigm. Furthermore, possible pathologies of attentional selectivity, that is, selection of task-relevant information and bias in the spatial distribution of attention, were measured with a partial report paradigm. A group of 30 unmedicated adult ADHD patients and a group of 30 demographically matched healthy controls were tested. ADHD patients showed significant reductions of working memory storage capacity of a moderate to large effect size. Perceptual processing speed, task-based, and spatial selection were unaffected. The results imply a working memory deficit as an important source of behavioral impairments. The theory of visual attention parameter working memory storage capacity might constitute a quantifiable and testable endophenotype of ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling the Mechanical Behavior of Lung Tissue at the Microlevel

This paper is concerned with the development of a computational model of pulmonary alveoli against the background of ventilator-induced lung injuries. In order to quantify mechanical stimulation of alveolar tissue during artificial respiration, a detailed constitutive model of alveolar septa and an approach to consider interfacial phenomena is needed. For that purpose, a polyconvex hyperelastic material model formerly developed for arteries is adopted for pulmonary alveoli. Information about tissue morphology is inherently integrated into the constitutive model, therefore, establishing a connection between structure and function of the different septal constituents. Structural and interfacial dynamics are directly coupled at the alveolar surface. In order to take into account the complex behavior of surface active agents covering alveoli, a constitutive model considering dynamical changes of surface energy is employed.     

The smile of Asia: Acculturation effects on symptom reporting.

Compared Canadian Asian with Caucasian university students (N?=?292) on symptom reporting and response styles and evaluated acculturation effects on symptom reporting and response styles among the Asian Ss. Asian Ss were subdivided into low, medium, or high levels of acculturation. Measures comprised psychological and somatic symptom report scales, behavioral affect expression, and scales tapping self-deception and impression management as response styles. Asian Ss reported more cognitive anxiety than Caucasian Ss, but did not differ in frequency of somatic symptom reports or in preferred response styles, although a linear acculturation effect was noted on behavioral affect expression. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Damage phenomena in lubricated rolling-sliding wear of a gas carburised 0.85%Mo low-alloyed sintered steel: theoretical analysis and experimental verification

The resistance to surface and subsurface damage during lubricated rolling-sliding wear of a carburised low-alloy sintered steel and the effect of shot peening were investigated. The formation of both contact fatigue cracks and of brittle tensile cracks may be predicted by a theoretical model that was experimentally validated. Carburising is effective in increasing the resistance to contact fatigue, but pores in a hard and brittle matrix may act as pre-existing cracks. Shot peening increases the contact fatigue resistance since compressive residual stresses oppose the nucleation of surface cracks.