The 2MASS Redshift Survey - Description and Data Release

We present the results of the 2MASS Redshift Survey (2MRS), a ten-year project to map the full three-dimensional distribution of galaxies in the nearby Universe. The 2 Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) was completed in 2003 and its final data products, including an extended source catalog (XSC), are available on-line. The 2MASS XSC contains nearly a million galaxies with Ks <= 13.5 mag and is essentially complete and mostly unaffected by interstellar extinction and stellar confusion down to a galactic latitude of |b|=5 deg for bright galaxies. Near-infrared wavelengths are sensitive to the old stellar populations that dominate galaxy masses, making 2MASS an excellent starting point to study the distribution of matter in the nearby Universe. We selected a sample of 44,599 2MASS galaxies with Ks =5 deg (>= 8 deg towards the Galactic bulge) as the input catalog for our survey. We obtained spectroscopic observations for 11,000 galaxies and used previously-obtained velocities for the remainder of the sample to generate a redshift catalog that is 97.6% complete to well-defined limits and covers 91% of the sky. This provides an unprecedented census of galaxy (baryonic mass) concentrations within 300 Mpc. Earlier versions of our survey have been used in a number of publications that have studied the bulk motion of the Local Group, mapped the density and peculiar velocity fields out to 50 Mpc, detected galaxy groups, and estimated the values of several cosmological parameters. Additionally, we present morphological types for a nearly-complete sub-sample of 20,860 galaxies with Ks = 10 deg.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. The 2MRS catalogs and a version of the paper with higher-resolution figures can be found at http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/2mrs

Fate of N-15 labelled nitrate and ammonium in a fertilized forest soil

The possibility that long-term atmospheric nitrogen pollution and fertilization of forest soil may serve as a basis for adaptation for enhanced transformation rates of NO3- and NH4+ in soil. bacteria was elucidated in a laboratory bioassay. Bacteria extracted from soils that had been fertilized at various rates for the last 30 yr were characterised with respect to their capability to reduce or oxidise different nitrogen sources. The same soils were used under oxic or anoxic conditions to quantify denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and nitrification. (NO3-)-N-15 and (NH4+)-N-15 were added as tracers to the soils, which were incubated in bottles for 3 to 5 d. Concentrations of (N2O)-N-15 in headspace and (NO3-)-N-15 and (NH4+)-N-15 in soil extracts were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Total numbers of bacteria were similar in all soils and ranged from 3 to 4 x 10(8) cells g(-1) d.wt. of soil. Between 50 and 70% of the isolated strains were capable of reducing nitrate and the majority of them reduced nitrate to ammonium. About 0.01 parts per thousand of all isolates were classified as nitrifiers. Both nitrate reducers and nitrifiers were more common in fertilized soils than in the unfertilized control soil. The foremost fate of added (NO3-)-N-15 and (NH4+)-N-15 in all soils was immobilisation. More than 85% was immobilised in anoxic soils and between 64 and 97% in the oxic soils, with the lowest quantities in fertilized soils. As regards the remaining, non-immobilised N, DNRA dominated over denitrification, as could be expected from the higher frequency of ammonifying bacteria compared with denitrifiers. There was no obvious relationship between NH4+ produced and the amount of fertilizer applied, whereas denitrification was negatively correlated with the amount of fertilizer applied. Nitrifying activity was low in all soils with no obvious relationship between NO3- produced and fertilizer applied. Hence, no correlation was found between the relative abundance of N transforming bacteria and the transformation activity. The N flux followed essentially the same pattern as that seen for product formation. The DNRA Aux was higher than that of both denitrification and nitrification. DNRA and denitrification fluxes were highest in the control soil, whereas the nitrification flux was low in all soils. The absence of evidence for adaptation to enhanced rates of transformation of NO3- and NH4+ in soil bacteria exposed to long-term N fertilization is reflected by the low concentration of extractable inorganic N in the fertilized soils. As a consequence of the quantitative importance of immobilization of added N, differences in physiological capacity evolved in soil bacteria to immobilize and mobilise N may determine the rates by which inorganic N is available for plant growth or lost to groundwater and air. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Assessment of azole resistance in clinical settings by passive sampling

Project EXPOsE, nº 23222 (02/SAICT/2016)The exposure to the fungal burden is an increased risk factor for the development of respiratory symptoms and fungal diseases. The emergence worldwide of azole resistance in fungal species is a major concern for public health. Clinical settings must provide a clean and safe environment to protect patients and staff from fungal diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the fungal burden and prevalence of azole resistance in clinical settings in Portugal using passive sampling methods. Ten Primary Health Care Centers were evaluated through passive sampling, including electrostatic dust cloths, heating ventilation, and air conditioning filters, and settled dust. All samples were plated onto Sabouraud dextrose agar media and screened for azole resistance using agar media supplemented with itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole through incubation at 27 °C, for 5 days. Fungal species were identified based on macro and micromorphology. Fungal load ranged from 348 to 424628 CFU·m−2 in EDC, 0 to 56500 CFU·m−2 in HVAC filter, and 2 to 514 CFU·g−1 in settled dust. EDC samples presented the highest fungal loads and wider diversity. Azole resistance was observed in all Primary Health Care Centers. Multi-azole resistance (fungal growth in two or more azoles) was observed in 90% units for Penicillium sp., C. sitophila, and Cladosporium sp. None of the samples containing Aspergillus sp. colonies presented resistance to the tested azoles. The knowledge of the fungal burden and prevalence of resistance to azole-based antifungal drugs in clinical environments will allow a better risk characterization regarding fungal burden.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio