Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) pipeline operating temperature effects on UK soils: The first empirical data

This paper presents the first empirical data of soil temperature and soil moisture profiles with depth in the context of a buried Carbon Capture and Storage transportation pipeline operating at higher than ambient soil temperatures. In an experimental approach, soil temperature responses are non-linear and are raised and restricted to within 45 cm of the subsurface heat source (hypothetical pipeline). A surface heat source is included to investigate interactions of natural seasonal surface heating of soils with subsurface heat. There is no interaction between subsurface and surface heat sources in the experimental system. Soil moisture profiles vary with soil type, with overall soil moisture losses of >10% over experimental time courses. Modelled soil temperature profiles show that the ability of soils to buffer thermal movement from depths up to 1.2 m from the surface is currently inadequately represented. Measurements provide the first elementary data of soil temperature changes resulting from a subsurface heat source for more accurate modelling of soil/pipeline interactions

Scoping biological indicators of soil quality Phase II. Defra Final Contract Report SP0534

This report presents results from a field assessment of a limited suite of potential biological indicators of soil quality to investigate their suitability for national-scale soil monitoring

Transition rates and nuclear structure changes in mirror nuclei 47Cr and 47V

Lifetime measurements in the mirror nuclei 47Cr and 47V were performed by means of the Doppler-shift attenuation method using the multidetector array EUROBALL, in conjunction with the ancillary detectors ISIS and the Neutron Wall. The determined transition strengths in the yrast cascades are well described by full pf shell model calculations.Comment: Latex2e, 11 pages, 3 figure

The regulation of plant secondary metabolism in response to abiotic stress : interactions between heat shock and elevated CO2

Future climate change is set to have an impact on the physiological performance of global vegetation. Increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration will affect plant growth, net primary productivity, photosynthetic capability, and other biochemical functions that are essential for normal metabolic function. Alongside the primary metabolic function effects of plant growth and development, the effect of stress on plant secondary metabolism from both biotic and abiotic sources will be impacted by changes in future climate. Using an untargeted metabolomic fingerprinting approach alongside emissions measurements, we investigate for the first time how elevated atmospheric CO2 and temperature both independently and interactively impact on plant secondary metabolism through resource allocation, with a resulting “trade-off” between secondary metabolic processes in Salix spp. and in particular, isoprene biosynthesis. Although it has been previously reported that isoprene is suppressed in times of elevated CO2, and that isoprene emissions increase as a response to short-term heat shock, no study has investigated the interactive effects at the metabolic level. We have demonstrated that at a metabolic level isoprene is still being produced during periods of both elevated CO2 and temperature, and that ultimately temperature has the greater effect. With global temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentrations rising as a result of anthropogenic activity, it is imperative to understand the interactions between atmospheric processes and global vegetation, especially given that global isoprene emissions have the potential to contribute to atmospheric warming mitigation

Reducing stomatal density in barley improves drought tolerance without impacting on yield.

The epidermal patterning factor (EPF) family of secreted signalling peptides regulate the frequency of stomatal development in model dicot and basal land plant species. Here we identify and manipulate the expression of a barley ortholog and demonstrate that when overexpressed HvEPF1 limits entry to, and progression through, the stomatal development pathway. Despite substantial reductions in leaf gas exchange, barley plants with approximately half of the normal number of stomata show no reductions in grain yield. In addition, HvEPF1OE barley lines exhibit significantly enhanced water use efficiency, drought tolerance and soil water conservation properties. Our results demonstrate the potential of manipulating stomatal frequency for the protection and optimisation of cereal crop yields under future drier environments

Baryon polarization in low-energy unpolarized meson-baryon scattering

We compute the polarization of the final-state baryon, in its rest frame, in low-energy meson--baryon scattering with unpolarized initial state, in Unitarized BChPT. Free parameters are determined by fitting total and differential cross-section data (and spin-asymmetry or polarization data if available) for $pK^-$, $pK^+$ and $p\pi^+$ scattering. We also compare our results with those of leading-order BChPT

Effect of osteoarthritis on the repeatability of patella tendon angle measurement in dogs

Objective: To evaluate the influence of osteoarthritis on the measurement of patella tendon angle (PTA) and determine intraobserver and interobserver variability. Study design: Retrospective clinical study. Sample population: Eighty‐seven mediolateral radiographs that were obtained prior to tibial tuberosity advancement. Methods: Radiographic osteoarthritis was scored by 2 observers using guidelines derived from the International Elbow Working Group Protocol. Patella tendon angle was measured by 3 observers on 3 occasions, with at least 7 days between measurements. The data were statistically analyzed via weighted κ and Kruskal‐Wallis testing. Results: A fair strength of agreement was found among observers scoring osteoarthritis, with the same grades in 48% of radiographs. The intraobserver average bias between PTA measurements 1 and 3 ranged from −0.38° to −0.94°. Interobserver bias in angle measurement ranged from −0.92° to −2.00°. Observer 1 had the narrowest range of PTA differences (12.1°), and observer 3 had the highest range of PTA differences (23.5°). Observer 2 had the lowest mean bias (−0.38°). The mean bias was lowest between observers 1 and 2 (−0.92°) and highest between observers 1 and 3 (−2.0°). The mean intraobserver standard deviation of the PTA measurement differences was 2.90°, and interobserver standard deviation of the PTA measurement differences was 2.26°. The degree of osteoarthritis did not influence PTA measurements or their variability. Conclusion: The current study did not find evidence of an influence of osteoarthritis on PTA or on the repeatability of measurements. Clinical significance: Our findings suggest that osteoarthritis should not affect the radiographic planning for tibial tuberosity advancement surgery. The high variances in PTA measurement in less experienced observers may influence the clinical outcome of surgery

Axions and their Relatives

A review of the status of axions and axion-like particles is given. Special attention is devoted to the recent results of the PVLAS collaboration, which are in conflict with the CAST data and with the astrophysical constraints. Solutions to the puzzle and the implications for new physics are discussed. The question of axion-like particles being dark matter is also addressed.Comment: Updated version of an invited talk at the Axion Training (CERN, December 2005). To appear as a Lecture Notes in Physics (Springer-Verlag), edited by B. Beltran, M. Kuster and G. Raffel

Curved Tails in Polymerization-Based Bacterial Motility

The curved actin ``comet-tail'' of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a visually striking signature of actin polymerization-based motility. Similar actin tails are associated with Shigella flexneri, spotted-fever Rickettsiae, the Vaccinia virus, and vesicles and microspheres in related in vitro systems. We show that the torque required to produce the curvature in the tail can arise from randomly placed actin filaments pushing the bacterium or particle. We find that the curvature magnitude determines the number of actively pushing filaments, independent of viscosity and of the molecular details of force generation. The variation of the curvature with time can be used to infer the dynamics of actin filaments at the bacterial surface.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Latex2