822 research outputs found

    Strong Sequestration of Hydrogen Into the Earth's Core During Planetary Differentiation

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    We explore the partitioning behavior of hydrogen between coexisting metal and silicate melts at conditions of the magma ocean and the current core–mantle boundary with the help of density functional theory molecular dynamics. We perform simulations with the two-phase and thermodynamic integration methods. We find that hydrogen is weakly siderophile at low pressure (20 GPa and 2,500 K), and becomes much more strongly so with pressure, suggesting that hydrogen is transported to the core in a significant amount during core segregation and is stable there. Based on our results, the core likely contains ~1 wt% H, assuming single-stage formation and equilibration at 40 GPa. Our two-phase simulations further suggest that silicon is entrained in the core-forming metal, while magnesium remains in the silicate phase. This preferred incorporation of silicon hints at an explanation for the elevated Mg/Si ratio of the bulk silicate Earth relative to chondritic compositions

    The structure and diversity of human, animal and environmental resistomes

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    Background:Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are widespread but cause problems only when present in pathogens. Environments where selection and transmission of antibiotic resistance frequently take place are likely to be characterized by high abundance and diversity of horizontally transferable ARGs. Large-scale quantitative data on ARGs is, however, lacking for most types of environments, including humans and animals, as is data on resistance genes to potential co-selective agents, such as biocides and metals. This paucity prevents efficient identification of risk environments.Results:We provide a comprehensive characterization of resistance genes, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacterial taxonomic compositions for 864 metagenomes from humans (n = 350), animals (n = 145) and external environments (n = 369), all deeply sequenced using Illumina technology. Environment types showed clear differences in both resistance profiles and bacterial community compositions. Human and animal microbial communities were characterized by limited taxonomic diversity and low abundance and diversity of biocide/metal resistance genes and MGEs but a relatively high abundance of ARGs. In contrast, external environments showed consistently high taxonomic diversity which in turn was linked to high diversity of both biocide/metal resistance genes and MGEs. Water, sediment and soil generally carried low relative abundance and few varieties of known ARGs, whereas wastewater/sludge was on par with the human gut. The environments with the largest relative abundance and/or diversity of ARGs, including genes encoding resistance to last resort antibiotics, were those subjected to industrial antibiotic pollution and a limited set of deeply sequenced air samples from a Beijing smog event.Conclusions:Our study identifies air and antibiotic-polluted environments as under-investigated transmission routes and reservoirs for antibiotic resistance. The high taxonomic and genetic diversity of external environments supports the hypothesis that these also form vast sources of unknown resistance genes, with potential to be transferred to pathogens in the future

    Rotational Stocking with Virtual Fences: Effects on Grassland Diet Digestibility, Livestock Performance and Stress Levels of Heifers

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    Virtual fencing is an innovative technology for simplified, less laborious dynamic grazing management and remote animal monitoring. The effect of this novel technology on animal welfare is still a matter of debate. Previous research suggests no differences in stress experience responses of cattle between the two fencing systems on continuously stocked pastures. This study investigated differences in diet organic matter digestibility, livestock performance and fecal cortisol metabolite concentrations of heifers on pastures in a rotational grazing system, fenced with a virtual fence (Nofence, Batnfjordsøra Norway) compared to heifers fenced with a traditional electric wire fence. The study was conducted in 8 weeks from July to September 2021 using 32 heifers divided into four groups allocated to the two fencing systems (two replicates). The experimental pasture of each group was subdivided into four paddocks for rotational grazing. Fecal samples were collected the first day and last day on pasture of each rotation period. Grassland herbage samples were taken by hand plucking pre- and post-grazing and analyzed using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy. Heifers were weighed prior to and after each rotation. The results suggest that no differences occur between the two fencing treatments with respect to diet digestibility, livestock performance or stress level, pointing at no trade-off to livestock performance or animal welfare when using virtual fencing

    Physiological stress and spatio-temporal fluctuations of food abundance and population density in Eurasian red squirrels

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    In continuously changing environments, variation of different ecological factors could affect the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in wild mammals, increasing the secretion of glucocorticoids (GCs). In different animal species, GC concentrations are often used as a measure of the physiological stress response to environmental pressures, such as fluctuations in food abundance, population density, intra-and interspecific competition, and predation risk. However, previous studies reported contrasting results or did not find clear associations between physiological stress and environmental variables. Here, we used concentrations of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) as an integrated measure of physiological stress in wild Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) from three study areas in the Italian Alps, to investigate whether variations in conifer-seed crop size and/or population density affected HPA axis activity. Squirrel density was estimated in each trapping session using the minimum number of animals alive, and annual counts of fresh cones from different conifer species were used to estimate annual food abundance (MJ/ha). We expected higher FGMs in response to increasing population density and/or decreasing food abundance, since these two variables could act as environmental stressors. Our results showed a lack of association between population density and FGMs and a significant effect of food abundance on FGMs. When conifer seed-crops were poor to moderate, FGMs increased with food abundance, while in the range of high seed-crops, FGMs remained first constant and then slightly decreased with a further increase in seed abundance. We also found differences in FGMs among seasons, as previously observed in this species. Our study adds further evidence that physiological stress can be influenced in different ways by environmental pressures and that long-term studies using individually marked animals are needed to disentangle the potential adaptive outcome of the physiological stress response in pulsed resource systems

    Environmental factors influencing the development and spread of antibiotic resistance

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    Antibiotic resistance and its wider implications present us with a growing healthcare crisis. Recent research points to the environment as an important component for the transmission of resistant bacteria and in the emergence of resistant pathogens. However, a deeper understanding of the evolutionary and ecological processes that lead to clinical appearance of resistance genes is still lacking, as is knowledge of environmental dispersal barriers. This calls for better models of how resistance genes evolve, are mobilized, transferred and disseminated in the environment. Here, we attempt to define the ecological and evolutionary environmental factors that contribute to resistance development and transmission. Although mobilization of resistance genes likely occurs continuously, the great majority of such genetic events do not lead to the establishment of novel resistance factors in bacterial populations, unless there is a selection pressure for maintaining them or their fitness costs are negligible. To enable preventative measures it is therefore critical to investigate under what conditions and to what extent environmental selection for resistance takes place. In addition, understanding dispersal barriers is not only key to evaluate risks, but also to prevent resistant pathogens, as well as novel resistance genes, from reaching humans

    Excitations of the field-induced soliton lattice in CuGeO3

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    Here we report the first inelastic neutron scattering study of the magnetic excitations in the incommensurate phase of a spin-Peierls material. The results on CuGeO3 provide direct evidence of a finite excitation gap, two sharp magnetic excitation branches and a very low-lying excitation which is identified as a phason mode, the Goldstone mode of the incommensurate soliton lattice.Comment: 5 pages, revtex, 4 figures (*.eps), win-zippe

    Abundances of the elements in the solar system

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    A review of the abundances and condensation temperatures of the elements and their nuclides in the solar nebula and in chondritic meteorites. Abundances of the elements in some neighboring stars are also discussed.Comment: 42 pages, 11 tables, 8 figures, chapter, In Landolt- B\"ornstein, New Series, Vol. VI/4B, Chap. 4.4, J.E. Tr\"umper (ed.), Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag, p. 560-63
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