University of Bath

About: University of Bath is a education organization based out in Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Photonic-crystal fiber. The organization has 15830 authors who have published 39608 publications receiving 1358769 citations. The organization is also known as: Bath University.

The RcsC sensor kinase is required for normal biofilm formation in Escherichia coli K-12 and controls the expression of a regulon in response to growth on a solid surface.

Abstract: Summary Bacteria are often found associated with surfaces as sessile bacterial communities called biofilms, and the formation of a biofilm can be split up into different stages each requiring the expression of specific genes. The production of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) is important for the maturation of biofilms and is controlled by the Rcs two-component pathway in Escherichia coli (and other Gram-negative bacteria). In this study, we show, for the first time, that the RcsC sensor kinase is required for normal biofilm development in E. coli. Moreover, using a combination of DNA macroarray technology and transcriptional fusion analysis, we show that the expression of > 150 genes is controlled by RcsC in E. coli. In silico analyses of the RcsC regulon predicts that 50% of the genes encode proteins that are either localized to the envelope of E. coli or have activities that affect the structure/properties of the bacterial surface, e.g. the production of colanic acid. Moreover, we also show that RcsC is activated during growth on a solid surface. Therefore, we suggest that the RcsC sensor kinase may play an important role in the remodelling of the bacterial surface during growth on a solid surface and biofilm formation.

Transient thermography in the assessment of defects of aircraft composites

Abstract: Transient thermography was employed in the inspection of defects in various aircraft composite panels. Three different categories of defects were investigated in the laboratory; notches on aluminium alloy panels under carbon or boron composite patching, a simulation of delamination on a boron composite patch, and fibre breakout on carbon composites. In all situations, the defects were artificially created. After detecting the defects, quantitative analysis concerning the contrast of the detected defects was carried out. Finally, information about the size of the artificial delaminated panel in relation to transient time was also performed.

Environmental/economic dispatch using fuzzy logic controlled genetic algorithms

Abstract: The paper presents the application of a fuzzy logic controlled genetic algorithm (FCGA) to power system environmental/economic dispatch. The authors first propose an improved genetic algorithm with two fuzzy controllers based on some heuristics to adaptively adjust the crossover probability and mutation rate during the optimisation process. The implementation of the fuzzy crossover and mutation controllers is described. The proposed FCGA can be applied to wide range of optimisation problems. The validity of the proposed algorithm is illustrated on environmental/economic dispatch of a six-generator power system. Its performance is compared with conventional GAs and the Newton-Raphson method. The results are very encouraging.