Gas-dynamic shock heating of post-flare loops due to retraction following localized, impulsive reconnection

We present a novel model in which shortening of a magnetic flux tube following localized, three-dimensional reconnection generates strong gas-dynamic shocks around its apex. The shortening releases magnetic energy by progressing away from the reconnection site at the Alfven speed. This launches inward flows along the field lines whose collision creates a pair of gas-dynamic shocks. The shocks raise both the mass density and temperature inside the newly shortened flux tube. Reconnecting field lines whose initial directions differ by more that 100 degrees can produce a concentrated knot of plasma hotter that 20 MK, consistent with observations. In spite of these high temperatures, the shocks convert less than 10% of the liberated magnetic energy into heat - the rest remains as kinetic energy of bulk motion. These gas-dynamic shocks arise only when the reconnection is impulsive and localized in all three dimensions; they are distinct from the slow magnetosonic shocks of the Petschek steady-state reconnection model

Identification and characterization of a novel extracellular matrix protein nephronectin that is associated with integrin alpha8beta1 in the embryonic kidney.

The epithelial-mesenchymal interactions required for kidney organogenesis are disrupted in mice lacking the integrin alpha8beta1. None of this integrin's known ligands, however, appears to account for this phenotype. To identify a more relevant ligand, a soluble integrin alpha8beta1 heterodimer fused to alkaline phosphatase (AP) has been used to probe blots and cDNA libraries. In newborn mouse kidney extracts, alpha8beta1-AP detects a novel ligand of 70-90 kD. This protein, named nephronectin, is an extracellular matrix protein with five EGF-like repeats, a mucin region containing a RGD sequence, and a COOH-terminal MAM domain. Integrin alpha8beta1 and several additional RGD-binding integrins bind nephronectin. Nephronectin mRNA is expressed in the ureteric bud epithelium, whereas alpha8beta1 is expressed in the metanephric mesenchyme. Nephronectin is localized in the extracellular matrix in the same distribution as the ligand detected by alpha8beta1-AP and forms a complex with alpha8beta1 in vivo. Thus, these results strongly suggest that nephronectin is a relevant ligand mediating alpha8beta1 function in the kidney. Nephronectin is expressed at numerous sites outside the kidney, so it may also have wider roles in development. The approaches used here should be generally useful for characterizing the interactions of novel extracellular matrix proteins identified through genomic sequencing projects

The effects of solid rocket motor effluents on selected surfaces and solid particle size, distribution, and composition for simulated shuttle booster separation motors

A series of three tests was conducted using solid rocket propellants to determine the effects a solid rocket plume would have on thermal protective surfaces (TPS). The surfaces tested were those which are baselined for the shuttle vehicle. The propellants used were to simulate the separation solid rocket motors (SSRM) that separate the solid rocket boosters (SRB) from the shuttle launch vehicle. Data cover: (1) the optical effects of the plume environment on spacecraft related surfaces, and (2) the solid particle size, distribution, and composition at TPS sample locations

Development of real-time PCR and hybridization methods for detection and identification of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in pig faecal samples

Aims: To develop a real-time (rt) PCR for species differentiation of thermophilic Campylobacter and to develop a method for assessing co-colonization of pigs by Campylobacter spp. Methods and results: The specificity of a developed 5’nuclease rt-PCR for species-specific identification of C. jejuni, C. coli, C. lari, C. upsaliensis and of a hipO gene nucleotide probe for detection of C. jejuni by colony-blot hybridization were determined by testing a total of 75 reference strains of Campylobacter spp. and related organisms. The rt-PCR method allowed species-specific detection of Campylobacter spp. in naturally infected pig faecal samples after an enrichment step, whereas the hybridization approach enhanced the specific isolation of C. jejuni (present in minority to C. coli) from pigs. Conclusions: The rt-PCR was specific for Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli, C. lari, and C. upsaliensis and the colony-blot hybridization approach provided an effective tool for isolation of C. jejuni from pig faecal samples typically dominated by C. coli. Significance and impact of study: Species differentiation between thermophilic Campylobacter is difficult by phenotypic methods and the developed rt-PCR provides an easy and fast method for such differentiation. Detection of C. jejuni by colony hybridization may increase the isolation rate of this species from pig feces

Generic model for magnetic explosions applied to solar flares

An accepted model for magnetospheric substorms is proposed as the basis for a generic model for magnetic explosions, and is applied to solar flares. The model involves widely separated energy-release and particle-acceleration regions, with energy transported Alfv\'enically between them. On a global scale, these regions are coupled by a large-scale current that is set up during the explosion by redirection of pre-existing current associated with the stored magnetic energy. The explosion-related current is driven by an electromotive force (EMF) due to the changing magnetic flux enclosed by this current. The current path and the EMF are identified for an idealized quadrupolar model for a flare

Identifikasi Profil Budaya Organisasi yang Mendukung Implementasi Sistem Penjaminan Mutu Perguruan Tinggi

: This research was aimed to evaluate the implementation of the Internal Quality Assurance System of the Higher Education (SPMI-PT) of Manado State Polytechnic based on the ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS), to identify the organizational culture profile of Manado State Polytechnic, and to examine the relationship between the implementation of ISO 9001 and the culture profile of the institution. Questionnaireswere used in order to achieve the research aims.The study found that the implementation of the eight ISO 9001 principles had not achieved the maximum level of effectiveness, and Clan culture dominated the profile of the organizational culture of Manado State Polytechnic.The research also found that: Clan culture was significantly correlated with the quality principles of Leadership, People Involvement, Process Approach, Factual Approach to Decision Making, and Mutually Beneficial Supplier Relationships;Market culture was significantly correlated with the quality principle of Customer Focus while Hierarchy culture wassignificantly correlated with the quality principles of Systems Approach to Management,and Continual Improvement. The findings are the basis for the institution to be able to develop a strong organizational culture as a driver in implementing the SPMI-PT effectively and sustainably

Evaluation of work-related psychosocial factors and regional musculoskeletal pain: results from a EULAR Task Force

Objectives: to establish whether review articles provide consistent conclusions on associations between workplace psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain and, if differences exist, to explore whether this is related to the methods used.Methods: reviews, reported up to February 2007, that included consideration of workplace psychosocial factors and upper limb, back or knee pain were identified through searches of multiple databases. The specific work-related psychosocial factors considered were job demands, support, job autonomy and job satisfaction. The conclusions of each review on one or more of the psychosocial/musculoskeletal pain associations were extracted.Results: 15 review articles were identified that considered one or more of the regional pain syndromes included in the study. For back pain, the most consistent conclusions (four reviews positive out of six) were with high job demands and low job satisfaction. The studies of upper limb pain were exclusively related to shoulder and/or neck pain, and the most consistent positive conclusions were with high and low job demands (four reviews positive out of six and two reviews positive out of three, respectively). For knee pain, only a single review was identified. For individual reviews of back and upper limb pain, there were marked differences in the number of associations concluded to be positive between reviews.Conclusions: the reasons for reviews coming to different conclusions included that they were often evaluating different bodies of evidence (according to their search criteria, the year when the review was conducted, the role that quality assessment played in whether studies contributed to evidence, and the combination of risk factors addressed in individual studies), but more important was whether the review specified explicit criteria for making conclusions on strength of evidence. These conclusions emphasise the importance of developing standardised methods for conducting such evaluations of existing evidence and the importance of new longitudinal studies for clarifying the temporal relationship between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal pain in the workplac