Small Open Chemical Systems Theory and Its Implications to Darwinian Evolutionary Dynamics, Complex Self-Organization and Beyond

The study of biological cells in terms of mesoscopic, nonequilibrium, nonlinear, stochastic dynamics of open chemical systems provides a paradigm for other complex, self-organizing systems with ultra-fast stochastic fluctuations, short-time deterministic nonlinear dynamics, and long-time evolutionary behavior with exponentially distributed rare events, discrete jumps among punctuated equilibria, and catastrophe.Comment: 15 page

A dog model using an implanted system for protracted hepatic arterial chemotherapy

A model for hepatic arterial chemotherapy studies using large dogs and an implantable infusion pump has been developed. Using this technique near complete perfusion (>90%) of the liver can be achieved in vivo as determined by hepatic arterial perfusion scintigraphy with technitium 99m macroaggregated albumin. The system is reliable and has been in use for a total of 1353 days (mean of 104 days, range 52-239) in 13 dogs. Pump implantation causes no apparent acute liver damage based on pre- and post-operative alkaline phosphatase and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase determinations and does not affect the general mobility or behavior of the animals. Careful placement of the catheter and attention to the physicochemical properties of the solutions loaded are factors contributing to the success of the model. The model permits comprehensive preclinical pharmacokinetic and toxicologic studies of new or preexistent chemotherapeutic agents in the same device that will be used for later administration in human subjects. By providing the means to examine and develop new treatment modalities, it enables the design of even more potent cytotoxic therapy directed into the tumor vascular bed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25999/1/0000065.pd

Vesicular Basalts as a Niche for Microbial Life

The ongoing discovery of traces of microbial communities in locations on Earth where conditions are, or were, hostile to life suggests that unknown microbial ecosystems and habitats are yet to be detected. Volcanic environments on the ocean floor provide an important potential habitat for microbial life. Evidence of microbial activity and traces within the primary glassy rinds of basalts have revealed a highly complex micro-habitat. Recent findings demonstrate that microbial activity and biodiversity in sub-seafloor volcanic rocks are also more differentiated than previously recognized. In addition to the glassy rinds of sub-sea pillow basalts, microbial ecosystems that have the potential to preserve traces of life in the geological record have been recognized in vesicular basalts. Here, we present a brief review of the evidence for endolithic microorganisms in volcanic basaltic rocks with an emphasis on the relatively poorly studied vesicular basalts that host microbial ecosystems. These types of habitats are of particular interest in the search for life on rocky, water-bearing terrestrial planets

Potential fossil endoliths in vesicular pillow basalt, Coral Patch Seamount, Eastern North Atlantic Ocean

The chilled rinds of pillow basalt from the Ampe`re–Coral Patch Seamounts in the eastern North Atlantic were studied as a potential habitat of microbial life. A variety of putative biogenic structures, which include filamentous and spherical microfossil-like structures, were detected in K-phillipsite–filled amygdules within the chilled rinds. The filamentous structures (*2.5 lm in diameter) occur as K-phillipsite tubules surrounded by an Fe-oxyhydroxide (lepidocrocite) rich membranous structure, whereas the spherical structures (from 4 to 2 lm in diameter) are associated with Ti oxide (anatase) and carbonaceous matter. Several lines of evidence indicate that the microfossil-like structures in the pillow basalt are the fossilized remains of microorganisms. Possible biosignatures include the carbonaceous nature of the spherical structures, their size distributions and morphology, the presence and distribution of native fluorescence, mineralogical and chemical composition, and environmental context. When taken together, the suite of possible biosignatures supports the hypothesis that the fossil-like structures are of biological origin. The vesicular microhabitat of the rock matrix is likely to have hosted a cryptoendolithic microbial community. This study documents a variety of evidence for past microbial life in a hitherto poorly investigated and underestimated microenvironment, as represented by the amygdules in the chilled pillow basalt rinds. This kind of endolithic volcanic habitat would have been common on the early rocky planets in our Solar System, such as Earth and Mars. This study provides a framework for evaluating traces of past life in vesicular pillow basalts, regardless of whether they occur on early Earth or Mars

Iron-framboids in the hydrocarbon-related Middle Devonian Hollard Mound of the Anti-Atlas mountain range in Morocco: Evidence of potential microbial biosignatures

Iron-framboids in the context of a Middle Devonian, hydrocarbon-seep conical mound (Anti-Atlas, Morocco) have been thoroughly investigated through a combination of techniques, including optical and high resolution scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Raman microscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Framboids occur embedded in laminated carbonates of the mound and are precipitated along the veins that crosscut it and served as the conduits for (channeled) reduced hydrocarbon-rich fluids. The morphology, structure, and composition of the framboids contribute to the reconstruction of the complex interplay between the advected fluids and the associated biological and/or abiological processes. A comparison of our dataset with that from modern framboids formed under similar conditions indicates that the Fe-rich framboids represent replaced primary pyrite framboids produced as a consequence of bacterial sulfate reduction and the anaerobic oxidation of methane

UNUSUAL FE-RICH FRAMBOIDS FROM DEVONIAN CARBONATE MOUNDS (SAHARA DESERT, MOROCCO) INVESTIGATED BY HR-SEM AND TOF-SIMS: FOSSIL ANALOGUES OF MOA-SRB CONSORTIA?

none11noneB. Cavalazzi; R. Barbieri; G.G. Ori; F. Westall; S.L. Cady; S. Gennaro; A. Lui; R. Canteri; M. Bersani; P. Lazzeri; G. PepponiB. Cavalazzi; R. Barbieri; G.G. Ori; F. Westall; S.L. Cady; S. Gennaro; A. Lui; R. Canteri; M. Bersani; P. Lazzeri; G. Peppon

Astrobiological potential of glendonite growth after Ikaite: a Carboniferous glaciomarine example

Backgorund: Ikaite (Ca-carbonate hexahydrate) is a metastable mineral that only forms under specific marine and freshwater environmental conditions of near-freezing temperatures, high alkalinity, and elevated concentration of organic matter and orthophosphate. Due to its instability, evidence of its former presence is only preserved in the sedimentary record by glendonite, a calcite stable pseudomorph after ikaite. Thus, the presence of glendonite is commonly considered to be a good paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic phosphate-rich paleoenvironments indicator. Moreover, in the marine environment ikaite crystals have been shown to grow close to the sediment-water interface (Kapland, 1979) probably in association with microbial methanotrophic sulfate reduction at hydrocarbon seeps (Greinert et al., 2004). This conclusion has recently been endorsed by Teichert and Luppold (2013) using stable isotope analysis. Results: Preliminary results of a combined mineralogical, petrographical, and geochemical study (optical microscopy, XRD, SEM-EDX, NanoRAMAN, EMPA, C-O stable isotopes) of glendonites recovered in the Late Carboniferous, glaciomarine deposits of Dwyka Group will be presented. Glendonites from South Africa were firstly reported by McLachlan et al. (2001). The texture and composition, presence of pyrite in the pore space, and the geochemical signatures of these glendonites suggest an early diagenetic phase related to microbially-mediated methane oxidation via sulphate reduction processes possibly associated with paleo-hydrocarbon seepage. We will also outline the mineralogy of ikaite and the glendonite pseudomorph, and then illustrate the use of glendonite as a paleoenvironmental indicator with a special emphasis on its potential role in identifying and elucidating methane paleoseeps. Astrobiological implication: The ability to recognize and characterize peculiar calcite pseudomorphs after ikaite in terrestrial methane-related carbonate deposits may significantly contribute to their interpretation and paleo-seep reconstruction and elevate such deposits as analogues for methane-related carbonate seepage on Mars. An improved understanding of the significance of terrestrial glendonite formation and the potential role of microorganisms in its formation will provide criteria for recognizing input to such deposits on Mars, where an ancient, cold, alkali-rich ocean is postulated to have been conducive to the formation of ikaite. The rock recently imaged by the Spirit rover, nick-named “Sushi” show features strongly resembling glendonite crystals. Moreover, the peculiar condition of formation of ikaite could be relevant to astrobiological searches at other locales in the Solar System, e.g., within icy moons, such as Europa and Enceladus