Highly enriched Betaproteobacteria growing anaerobically with p-xylene and nitrate

The identity of the microorganisms capable of anaerobic p-xylene degradation under denitrifying conditions is hitherto unknown. Here, we report highly enriched cultures of freshwater denitrifying bacteria that grow anaerobically with p-xylene as the sole organic carbon source and electron donor. Long curved rods, with 95% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to Denitratisoma oestradiolicum, dominated the enrichment cultures (>91% of all cells), as detected by phylotype-specific probes. These Rhodocyclaceae microorganisms were distantly related to other denitrifying hydrocarbon-degrading Betaproteobacteria from the Azoarcus-Thauera clade. Complete oxidation p-xylene to CO(2) coupled to denitrification was suggested by quantitative measurements of substrate consumption. Metabolite analysis identified (4-methylbenzyl)succinate and (4-methylphenyl)itaconate, suggesting addition to fumarate as an initial activation reaction

Chemistry, transport and dry deposition of trace gases in the boundary layer over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Guyanas during the GABRIEL field campaign

We present a comparison of different Lagrangian and chemical box model calculations with measurement data obtained during the GABRIEL campaign over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon rainforest in the Guyanas, October 2005. Lagrangian modelling of boundary layer (BL) air constrained by measurements is used to derive a horizontal gradient (≈5.6 pmol/mol km<sup>−1</sup>) of CO from the ocean to the rainforest (east to west). This is significantly smaller than that derived from the measurements (16–48 pmol/mol km<sup>−1</sup>), indicating that photochemical production from organic precursors alone cannot explain the observed strong gradient. It appears that HCHO is overestimated by the Lagrangian and chemical box models, which include dry deposition but not exchange with the free troposphere (FT). The relatively short lifetime of HCHO implies substantial BL-FT exchange. The mixing-in of FT air affected by African and South American biomass burning at an estimated rate of 0.12 h<sup>−1</sup> increases the CO and decreases the HCHO mixing ratios, improving agreement with measurements. A mean deposition velocity of 1.35 cm/s for H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> over the ocean as well as over the rainforest is deduced assuming BL-FT exchange adequate to the results for CO. The measured increase of the organic peroxides from the ocean to the rainforest (≈0.66 nmol/mol d<sup>−1</sup>) is significantly overestimated by the Lagrangian model, even when using high values for the deposition velocity and the entrainment rate. Our results point at either heterogeneous loss of organic peroxides and/or their radical precursors, underestimated photodissociation or missing reaction paths of peroxy radicals not forming peroxides in isoprene chemistry. We calculate a mean integrated daytime net ozone production (NOP) in the BL of (0.2±5.9) nmol/mol (ocean) and (2.4±2.1) nmol/mol (rainforest). The NOP strongly correlates with NO and has a positive tendency in the boundary layer over the rainforest

A Bivariate Measure of Redundant Information

We define a measure of redundant information based on projections in the space of probability distributions. Redundant information between random variables is information that is shared between those variables. But in contrast to mutual information, redundant information denotes information that is shared about the outcome of a third variable. Formalizing this concept, and being able to measure it, is required for the non-negative decomposition of mutual information into redundant and synergistic information. Previous attempts to formalize redundant or synergistic information struggle to capture some desired properties. We introduce a new formalism for redundant information and prove that it satisfies all the properties necessary outlined in earlier work, as well as an additional criterion that we propose to be necessary to capture redundancy. We also demonstrate the behaviour of this new measure for several examples, compare it to previous measures and apply it to the decomposition of transfer entropy.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures, 1 table, added citation to Griffith et al 2012, Maurer et al 199

Multiple scaling regimes in simple aging models

We investigate aging in glassy systems based on a simple model, where a point in configuration space performs thermally activated jumps between the minima of a random energy landscape. The model allows us to show explicitly a subaging behavior and multiple scaling regimes for the correlation function. Both the exponents characterizing the scaling of the different relaxation times with the waiting time and those characterizing the asymptotic decay of the scaling functions are obtained analytically by invoking a `partial equilibrium' concept.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Improved simulation of isoprene oxidation chemistry with the ECHAM5/MESSy chemistry-climate model: lessons from the GABRIEL airborne field campaign

The GABRIEL airborne field measurement campaign, conducted over the Guyanas in October 2005, produced measurements of hydroxyl radical (OH) concentration which are significantly higher than can be simulated using current generation models of atmospheric chemistry. Based on the hypothesis that this "missing OH" is due to an as-yet undiscovered mechanism for recycling OH during the oxidation chain of isoprene, we determine that an OH recycling of about 40–50% (compared with 5–10% in current generation isoprene oxidation mechanisms) is necessary in order for our modelled OH to approach the lower error bounds of the OH observed during GABRIEL. Such a large amount of OH in our model leads to unrealistically low mixing ratios of isoprene. In order for our modelled isoprene mixing ratios to match those observed during the campaign, we also require that the effective rate constant for the reaction of isoprene with OH be reduced by about 50% compared with the lower bound of the range recommended by IUPAC. We show that a reasonable explanation for this lower effective rate constant could be the segregation of isoprene and OH in the mixed layer. Our modelling results are consistent with a global, annual isoprene source of about 500 Tg(C) yr<sup>−1</sup>, allowing experimentally derived and established isoprene flux rates to be reconciled with global models

Tilt Texture Domains on a Membrane and Chirality induced Budding

We study the equilibrium conformations of a lipid domain on a planar fluid membrane where the domain is decorated by a vector field representing the tilt of the stiff fatty acid chains of the lipid molecules, while the surrounding membrane is fluid and structureless. The inclusion of chirality in the bulk of the domain induces a novel budding of the membrane, which preempts the budding induced by a decrease in interfacial tension.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Denominators of Eisenstein cohomology classes for GL_2 over imaginary quadratic fields

We study the arithmetic of Eisenstein cohomology classes (in the sense of G. Harder) for symmetric spaces associated to GL_2 over imaginary quadratic fields. We prove in many cases a lower bound on their denominator in terms of a special L-value of a Hecke character providing evidence for a conjecture of Harder that the denominator is given by this L-value. We also prove under some additional assumptions that the restriction of the classes to the boundary of the Borel-Serre compactification of the spaces is integral. Such classes are interesting for their use in congruences with cuspidal classes to prove connections between the special L-value and the size of the Selmer group of the Hecke character.Comment: 37 pages; strengthened integrality result (Proposition 16), corrected statement of Theorem 3, and revised introductio

Hydroxyl radicals in the tropical troposphere over the Suriname rainforest: airborne measurements

Direct measurements of OH and HO<sub>2</sub> over a tropical rainforest were made for the first time during the GABRIEL campaign in October 2005, deploying the custom-built HORUS instrument (HydrOxyl Radical measurement Unit based on fluorescence Spectroscopy), adapted to fly in a Learjet wingpod. Biogenic hydrocarbon emissions were expected to strongly reduce the OH and HO<sub>2</sub> mixing ratios as the air is transported from the ocean over the forest. However, surprisingly high mixing ratios of both OH and HO<sub>2</sub> were encountered in the boundary layer over the rainforest. <br><br> The HORUS instrumentation and calibration methods are described in detail and the measurement results obtained are discussed. The extensive dataset collected during GABRIEL, including measurements of many other trace gases and photolysis frequencies, has been used to quantify the main sources and sinks of OH. Comparison of these measurement-derived formation and loss rates of OH indicates strong previously overlooked recycling of OH in the boundary layer over the tropical rainforest, occurring in chorus with isoprene emission