Microtubules are hollow filaments that are self-assembled from tubulin dimers (a globular protein) that act like conveyer belts inside cells. They move vesicles, granules, chromosomes and organelles, such as mitochondria, via special attachment proteins. They may work alone or join with other proteins to form more complex structures such as cilia, flagellae or spindles.

Aug. 15, 2005 -- Some of this week's stories:

Microtubules subject to new study

Hans G. Kaper (MCS) has received a $1 million grant from DOE's Office of Science to study a multiscale approach to self-organization of microtubules.

Microtubules are hollow polar filaments that are self-assembled from tubulin dimers (a globular protein) that act like conveyer belts inside cells. They move vesicles, granules, chromosomes and organelles, such as mitochondria, via special attachment proteins. They may work alone or join with other proteins to form more complex structures such as cilia, flagellae or spindles.

The project is motivated by a central problem of science — the emergence of large-scale coherent biological structures. Kaper will use mathematics to help learn how random mixtures of molecular components organize themselves into large-scale cellular structures.

If the process can be modeled mathematically and simulated through a computer program, it can provide information to the study of microtubules and molecular motors, both of which have important biomedical and industrial applications.

The three-year research project has significant computational complexity, and the proposed approach is fundamental for a broad range of problems relevant to the mission of the Office of Science.

The research is funded under the "Multiscale Mathematics" program of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The program addresses those science problems that span many time scales —from femtoseconds to years — and many length scales — from the atomic level to the macroscopic. The problems cannot be easily broken down into simpler problems for solution using traditional mathematical techniques.

"Science is replete with examples that range over orders of magnitude in length and time scales," said Raymond L. Orbach, director of the Office of Science. "Brute force computational simulation, even on the most powerful present-day computers, cannot handle these ranges, so new mathematics is needed. This initiative is meant to surmount this barrier to our understanding of nature."

ACA agencies offer volunteer opportunities

Employees are invited to make a lasting difference in the lives of those served by Argonne Combined Appeal (ACA) agencies by volunteering. Upcoming opportunities and events include:

Wednesday, Aug. 17 — A free seminar on the relationship of nutrients and biochemical imbalances to behavior disorders, including ADD/ADHD, autism, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety, will be held from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Pfeiffer Treatment Center, 4575 Weaver Parkway, Warrenville. To reserve a seat, call (630) 505-0300.

Saturday, Sept. 10 — A Walk-Run-Bike-Skate-a-Thon will benefit the United Negro College Fund. It will take place at Hutchinson Field near Columbus Drive and Balbo in downtown Chicago. To volunteer, call (312) 845-2200 or e-mail UNCFchicagowalka thon@uncf.org.

Sunday, Sept. 11 — Volunteers are needed for Misericordia's 25th Annual Family Fest, to be held from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the organization's 31-acre campus at Ridge and Devon in Chicago. Approximately 18,000 supporters are expected for a day of live entertainment, children's games, shopping, auctions and more.

Community Health Charities (CHC) offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities through its member health agencies. The ACA web site provides a complete listing of CHC events. The ACA site also provides additional details about other agency opportunities.

1 st Friday Forum to meet Sept. 9

The First Friday Forum will meet Friday, Sept. 9, at noon in the Building 362, Conference Room E356. The Forum will gather to discuss and brainstorm about issues concerning the group.

The First Friday Forum is an informal gathering of Argonne women usually held on the first Friday of each month. The group explores career and gender issues related to women. Meetings are open to all Argonne and U.S. Department of Energy employees.

Explorer magazine is online

The online version of Explorer, Argonne's new semi-annual magazine, includes video and other interactive features in addition to the full text of the magazine's articles about Argonne research and other activities.

The online version contains additional material on the articles featured in the magazine, including video of Associate Laboratory Director Murray Gibson demonstrating the relationship between physics and music; Robert Janssens and a "team" from the Physics Division explaining the Gammasphere with a baseball analogy; and footage from the Argonne-sponsored Rube Goldberg Contest. Also included is a photo slide show showing how actor Bill Landry, who performed the one-person play "Einstein the Man" at Argonne in April, transforms himself into the great scientist.

Workshop shaping directions for Linear Collider

The 2005 International Linear Collider Physics and Detector Workshop and Second ILC Accelerator Workshop, co-organized by Ed Berger (HEP), is under way in Snowmass, Colo.

Through Aug. 27, more than 600 physicists and engineers will develop a detailed design of the Linear Collider accelerator and detector concepts, map out future research and development, and test beam plans. They will also explore machine-detector interface issues, beamline instrumentation, cost estimates and other aspects.

The workshop will also focus on advancing Linear Collider physics studies, including precision calculations, synergy with the Large Hadron Collider, connections to cosmology and astrophysics, and relationships to the detector design studies.

The International Linear Collider is a proposed future international particle accelerator. It would create high-energy particle collisions between electrons and positrons, their antimatter counterparts. The collider would provide a tool for scientists to address many of the most compelling questions of the 21st century-questions about broken electroweak symmetry, dark matter, dark energy, extra dimensions and the fundamental nature of matter, energy, space and time. From its inception, the ILC would be designed, funded, managed and operated as an international scientific project.

The Snowmass workshop is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation with essential contributions from Argonne and other national laboratories in the United States and abroad.

More information on the International Linear Collider and the conference is online.

CIS classes

Computing classes offered by the Computing and Information Systems Division are held in Building 201, Room 167C. Unless otherwise noted, classes cost $225 and are limited to eight participants. Complete class descriptions, schedules and enrollment forms are online. For more information about enrollment procedures, contact Diane Cavazos (CIS) at ext. 2-7153 or dkcavazos@anl.gov.

Classes offered in the September will include:

"Advanced Word 2003" (CIS124) — Tuesday, Sept. 6, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Introduction and Intermediate Word.

"Advanced Excel 2003" (CIS127) — Wednesday, Sept. 7, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Intermediate Excel.

"Advanced Access 2003" (CIS130) — Thursday, Sept. 8, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Intermediate Access.

"Introduction to PowerPoint 2003" (CIS131) — Thursday, Sept. 9, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

"Advanced PowerPoint 2003" (CIS132) — Friday, Sept. 12, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Prerequisite: Introduction to PowerPoint.

"Beginning Unix" (CIS564) — Tuesday, Sept. 20, 9 a.m. - noon is the first session. Thursday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m. _ noon is the second session. There is no cost for this course.

"vi Editor in Unix" (CIS567) — Friday, Sept. 23, 9 a.m. - noon. There is no cost for this course. Prerequisite: A general knowledge of Unix, especially Unix file management commands.

Bowlers wanted for mixed bowling league

The Argonne Mixed Bowling League has openings for bowlers for the new season beginning in September. All skill levels are welcome.

The league meets Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Strike `n Spare bowling alley in Lockport.

For more information or to join the league, contact Joe Dittrich (PNS) at ext. 2-6580 or jdittrich@anl.gov.

Pool league seeks players

The Argonne 8-Ball Pool League will start its fall schedule of league matches Tuesday, Sept. 13. Matches begin at 6 p.m. at Q Billiards, 8109 S. Cass Avenue, Darien, about one mile north of Northgate Road.

Male and female players of all skill levels, including beginners, are welcome to join the handicapped, team-format league. Family members and friends of Argonne employees are also welcome. Individual players will be placed on existing teams.

For more information call Kevin Beyer (AOD) at ext. 2-0585.

MetLife to offer quotes

A representative from MetLife Auto & Home will visit Argonne Tuesday, Aug. 16, to meet with individual employees and offer insurance comparisons and quotes for the "METPAY" group automobile and homeowner insurance program.

To schedule an appointment, call Craig Riddick at (630) 810-0346, ext. 143. Employees can also receive a quote over the phone by calling 1-800-438-6388.

Club plans fun run and walk

The Argonne Running Club will hold its annual August Fun Run and Walk Wednesday, Aug. 17, starting at noon.

Participants will be routed through some of the more scenic (and shady) areas of the laboratory grounds on a three-mile or a 1.7-mile course. The run begins and ends at the Argonne Pool Pavilion, near Building 617. Cold refreshments and prizes will be available at the finish.

All Argonne employees, their families, students and guests — of any skill level — are invited to participate.

Yoga classes begin Aug. 30

Three eight-week yoga sessions will begin Tuesday, Aug. 30.

Session one will begin at 11:30 a.m. with instructor Nancy Little, who will also lead session two at 12:30 p.m. Session three will be at 5:15 p.m. with instructor Sandra Bianco.

All sessions will take place in Building 212, Conference Room A157. Cost is $48.

For more information, contact the Medical Department at ext. 2-2803.

In Memoriam

Raymond Affelt , a retired clerk III with 12 years of service in ACT, died April 30.

John Beidelman , a retired management engineer with 40 years of service in RPS-SPM, died July 10. His wife, Elaine, survives him.

Leonard M. Caso , a retired instrument maker with 34 years of service in SSD-CS, died May 11. His son, David, survives him.

Marell Charan , a scientific systems and network manager with 5 years of service in BIO, died May 25. His parents, Berty and Mavis, survive him.

Ronald J. DeLand , a retired engineering assistant with 40 years of service in CIS-EL, died June 25. His wife, Anita, and sons, Mitch and Daryl, survive him.

Bernard J. Doerr , a retired property manager with 13 years of service in SSD-MS, died May 31. His wife, Audrey, survives him.

Gabriel Dragel , a retired senior technician with 46 years of service in ET, died June 15.

Grace D. Hartfield , a retired janitor with 20 years of service in PFS, died April 14. Her daughter, Carol Rees, survives her.

Colleen Mendell , a retired administrative secretary with 21 years of service in HR, died April 4. Her husband, Joseph, survives her.

Ernest W. Ray , a retired scientific assistant with 21 year of service in MST, died June 3. His wife, Janice, survives him.

Norbert J. Saber , a retired technician senior with 12 years of service in RAE, died April 30. His wife, Barbara, survives him.

Sammie J. Sappold , a retired laborer with 10 years of service in PFS, died March 29. His son, Robert, survives him.

Charles Vlfig , a retired guard with 28 years of service in PFS-SEC, died June 8. His wife, Lillian, survives him.