Complex networks appear in biology on many different levels: (1) All biochemical reactions taking place in a single cell constitute its metabolic network, where nodes are individual metabolites, and edges are metabolic reactions converting them to each other. (2) Virtually every one of these reactions is catalyzed by an enzyme and the specificity of this catalytic function is ensured by the key and lock principle of its physical interaction with the substrate. Often the functional enzyme is formed by several mutually interacting proteins. Thus the structure of the metabolic network is shaped by the network of physical interactions of cell's proteins with their substrates and each other. (3) The abundance and the level of activity of each of the proteins in the physical interaction network in turn is controlled by the regulatory network of the cell. Such regulatory network includes all of the multiple mechanisms in which proteins in the cell control each other including transcriptional and translational regulation, regulation of mRNA editing and its transport out of the nucleus, specific targeting of individual proteins for degradation, modification of their activity e.g. by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation or allosteric regulation, etc. To get some idea about the complexity and interconnectedness of protein-protein regulations …

It is peculiar that in situ hybridization (ISH), a technique with many similarities to immunohistochemistry (IHC), has not enjoyed the phenomenal growth in both basic research and clinical applications as has its sister technique IHC. Since the late 1970s, when immunoperoxidase techniques began to be applied to routine diagnostic material and to numerous research applications, there has been a natural evolution of the IHC procedure. Namely, only a few primary antibodies were available commercially at the onset, and only one indirect and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) technique detection systems were in place. With the advent of avidin-biotin detection systems and monoclonal antibodies, and a viable commercial market, extraordinary growth of the procedure's applications in clinical research and diagnostic pathology occurred during the subsequent two decades. Today, IHC is automated and widely used for research purposes and, to a large extent, has become a routine diagnostic ''special stain'' in most clinical laboratories. During the same period, ISH enjoyed very little growth in both research and diagnostic applications. What has accounted for this lack of maturation of the technique? The success of IHC is part of the reason measuring a gene's encoded protein routinely and inexpensively, particularly as automation evolved, rendered IHC a …

Most current scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) have the ability to analyze samples in a low vacuum mode, whereby a partial pressure of water vapor is introduced into the SEM chamber, allowing the characterization of nonconductive samples without any special preparation. Although the presence of water vapor in the chamber degrades electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns, the potential of this setup for EBSD characterization of nonconductive samples is immense. In this chapter we discuss the requirements, advantages and limitations of low vacuum EBSD (LV-EBSD), and present how this technique can be applied to a two-phase ceramic composite as well as hydrated biominerals as specific examples of when LV-EBSD can be invaluable.

This proceedings is the compilation of all papers presented at the 11th PV Performance and Reliability Workshop held at the Doubletree Hotel in Cocoa Beach, Florida, on November 3-5, 1998. The workshop was hosted by the Florida Solar Energy Center. This year's workshop included presentations from 29 speakers and had 110 attendees.

The US Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy manages the Federal Wind Energy Program. The mission of the program is to help the US wind industry to complete the research, testing, and field verification needed to fully develop advanced wind technologies that will lead the world in cost-effectiveness and reliability. This publication, printed annually, provides a summary of significant achievements in wind energy made during the previous calendar year. Articles include wind energy in the Midwest, an Alaskan wind energy project, the US certification program, structural testing, and the federal program in review.

For many applications, silver salt-based autometallography (often also called silver enhancement or silver development) is required to visualize colloidal gold (1-5 nm in diameter) or the small 1.4 nm Nanogold{reg_sign} particles (Nanoprobes, Yaphank, NY, USA). Although even Nanogold may be seen directly by scanning-transmission electron microscopy (STEM), by transmission EM (TEM; in thin sections without stain or ice-embedded cryo-EM samples), energy filtered TEM, and scanning EM (SEM), silver enhancement makes viewing in the EM more facile since the particles are enlarged to approximately 10 to 20 nm, convenient for most specimens. Autometallographic (AMG) enhancement is required in order to visualize smaller gold particles such as Nanogold for light microscopy (LM) or in blots or gels. This chapter includes the following protocols: Protocol for HQ silver enhancement of Nanogold; Protocols for use of silver-enhanced Nanogold with osmium tetroxide--(A) Procedure using reduced concentration of OsO{sub 4}; (B) Procedures for gold toning; Protocol for HQ silver enhancement of Nanogold in pre-embedding immunocytochemistry for cell cultures; Protocol for gold enhancement of Nanogold for EM; Protocol for gold enhancement of Nanogold for LM; Protocol for staining blots with Nanogold and silver enhancement; and Protocol for staining gels with Nanogold and silver enhancement.

Gold has been used for immunocytochemistry since 1971 when Faulk and Taylor discovered adsorption of antibodies to colloidal gold. It is an ideal label for electron microscopy (EM) due to its high atomic number, which scatters electrons efficiently, and the fact that preparative methods have been developed to make uniform particles in the appropriate size range of 5 to 30 nm. Use in light microscopy (LM) generally requires silver enhancement (autometallography; AMG) of these small gold particles. Significant advances in this field since that time have included a better understanding of the conditions for best antibody adsorption, more regular gold size production, adsorption of other useful molecules, like protein A, and advances in silver enhancement. Many studies have also been accomplished showing the usefulness of these techniques to cell biology and biomedical research. A further advance in this field was the development of Nanogold{trademark}, a 1.4 nm gold cluster. A significant difference from colloidal gold is that Nanogold is actually a coordination compound containing a gold core covalently linked to surface organic groups. These in turn may be covalently attached to antibodies. This approach to immunolabeling has several advantages compared to colloidal gold such as vastly better penetration into tissues, …

Nanogold{reg_sign}, a gold cluster with a core of gold atoms 1.4 nm in diameter, has proven to be a superior probe label for electron microscopy (EM), giving both higher labeling density and improved access to previously hindered or restricted antigens. It may be visualized by autometallography (AMG) for use in light microscopy (LM): silver-and gold-amplified Nanogold detection has proven to be one of the most sensitive methods available for the detection of low copy number targets such as viral DNA in cells and tissue specimens. AMG enhancement has also made Nanogold an effective detection label in blots and gels. The following protocols will be described: Labeling of nuclear components in cells. Protocol for in situ hybridization and detection with fluorescein-Nanogold--or Cy3{trademark}-Nanogold-labeled streptavidin. Nanogold is an inert molecule, and generally does not interact with biological molecules unless a specific chemical reactivity is introduced into the molecule. Conjugates are prepared using site-specific chemical conjugation through reactive chemical functionalities introduced during Nanogold preparation, which allows the gold label to be attached to a specific site on the conjugate biomolecule. For example, a maleimido-Nanogold derivative, which is specific for thiol binding, is frequently attached to the hinge region of an antibody at a unique …

Bio-molecular networks lack the top-down design. Instead, selective forces of biological evolution shape them from raw material provided by random events such as gene duplications and single gene mutations. As a result individual connections in these networks are characterized by a large degree of randomness. One may wonder which connectivity patterns are indeed random, while which arose due to the network growth, evolution, and/or its fundamental design principles and limitations? Here we introduce a general method allowing one to construct a random null-model version of a given network while preserving the desired set of its low-level topological features, such as, e.g., the number of neighbors of individual nodes, the average level of modularity, preferential connections between particular groups of nodes, etc. Such a null-model network can then be used to detect and quantify the non-random topological patterns present in large networks. In particular, we measured correlations between degrees of interacting nodes in protein interaction and regulatory networks in yeast. It was found that in both these networks, links between highly connected proteins are systematically suppressed. This effect decreases the likelihood of cross-talk between different functional modules of the cell, and increases the overall robustness of a network by localizing effects …

McStain Enterprises' new cottage-style homes built under the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program are designed to greatly reduce energy costs and improve indoor air quality for their customers in Longmont, Colorado. In addition, energy-efficient features in the homes provide owners with greater durability and value, allow some buyers to qualify for special energy-efficient mortgages, and can result in higher resale values. Features include improved building envelope and air distribution systems, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, improved indoor air quality, and Green Builder concepts from Colorado's Green Builder Program.

This project fact sheet describes a new refractory material, G-5, being developed by Trilliam Thermo Technologies with the help of a grant funded by the Inventions and Innovation Program through the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies. This material can be used by an industry using rotary kilns, including the forest products industry, and in varying applications in the steel, aluminum, and glass industries.

Project fact sheet written for the Inventions and Innovation Program about a breakthrough in solar cells in photovoltaic concentrator systems that will create cost savings in the industry.

Project fact sheet written for the Inventions and Innovation Program about a reusable vacuum bagging system that saves energy and waste in lamina manufacturing.

This fact sheet explains the basics of caulking and weather stripping, and provides a comparison of the types of products available for these two weatherization techniques.

A 126-page brochure that describes the Office of Industrial Technologies' (OIT) Industries of the Future (IOF) Strategy. Through the IOF initiatives, OIT partners with the nation's nine most energy intensive industries to improve their energy and cost efficiencies.

Project fact sheet written for the Inventions and Innovation Program about an innovative material for use in aluminum die-casting components.

A 2-color, 7.25-inch by 8.5-inch, one-fold pamphlet that lists the names and addresses of organizations that can be contacted for information on wind energy

The cover story in this issue of the Alternative Fuel News highlights the niche market principle; the places in which AFVs would best fit. This year's SEP funding is expected to be the springboard needed for the development of niche projects. The Clean Cities Program, by matching those needs and attributes in niches, can dramatically increase the attractiveness of AFVs and make an impact on those high-mileage, high-use fleets.

BestPractices technical case study gives an overview of a compressed air system improvement in a textile plant in South Carolina.

Bioethanol is alcohol fuel made from cellulosic biomass-renewable resources such as trees, grasses, much of the material in municipal solid waste, and forestry and agricultural residues. Compared to the fossil fuels it will displace, bioethanol contributes little or no net CO2 to the earth's atmosphere.

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and US Department of Energy (DOE) National Photovoltaics Program from October 1, 1998, through September 30, 1999 (FY 1999). The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to make PV a significant part of the domestic economy as an industry and an energy resource. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the US industry's world leadership in research and technology development and (2) help the US industry remain a major, profitable force in the world market. The NCPV is part of the National PV Program and provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals.

Bimonthly newsletter from DOE's Office of Industrial Technologies to promote the use of energy-efficient industrial systems.

Project fact sheet written for the Inventions and Innovation Program about a new low-energy alternative to creating glass fibers for use in creating boats, vehicles, and aircraft.

Project fact sheet written for the Inventions and Innovation Program about a new manufacturing method for producing ceramic products from waste glass.