94 research outputs found
Cometabolic isoterpinolene formation from isolimonene by denitrifying Alcaligenes defragrans
Alcaligenes defragrans strains denitrify on monoterpenes with an unsaturated hydrocarbon structure. a new cometabolic reaction, the formation of isoterpinolene from isolimonene, was detected in cultures that grew on a monoterpene. The biotransformation of isolimonene, a monocyclic monoterpene with a sp(3)-hybridized C1 atom of the menthane skeleton, contrasts with the complete mineralization of monoterpenes with a sp(2)-hybridized C1 atom. This selectivity indicates a demand for a sp(2)-hybridized C1 atom as structural property for monoterpenes that can be oxidized by A. defragrans. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
4f-spin dynamics in La(2-x-y)Sr(x)Nd(y)CuO(4)
We have performed inelastic magnetic neutron scattering experiments on
La(2-x-y)Sr(x)Nd(y)CuO(4) in order to study the Nd 4f-spin dynamics at low
energies. In all samples we find at high temperatures a quasielastic line
(Lorentzian) with a line width which decreases on lowering the temperature. The
temperature dependence of the quasielastic line width Gamma/2(T) can be
explained with an Orbach-process, i.e. a relaxation via the coupling between
crystal field excitations and phonons. At low temperatures the Nd-4f magnetic
response S(Q,omega) correlates with the electronic properties of the
CuO(2)-layers. In the insulator La(2-y)Nd(y)CuO(4) the quasielastic line
vanishes below 80 K and an inelastic excitation occurs. This directly indicates
the splitting of the Nd3+ ground state Kramers doublet due to the static
antiferromagnetic order of the Cu moments. In La(1.7-x)Sr(x)Nd(0.3)CuO(4) with
x = 0.12, 0.15 and La(1.4-x)Sr(x)Nd(0.6)CuO(4) with x = 0.1, 0.12, 0.15, 0.18
superconductivity is strongly suppressed. In these compounds we observe a
temperature independent broad quasielastic line of Gaussian shape below T about
30 K. This suggests a distribution of various internal fields on different Nd
sites and is interpreted in the frame of the stripe model. In
La(1.8-y)Sr(0.2)Nd(y)CuO(4) (y = 0.3, 0.6) such a quasielastic broadening is
not observed even at lowest temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures included, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Small and large polarons in nickelates, manganites, and cuprates
By comparing the optical conductivities of La_{1.67}Sr_{0.33}NiO_{4} (LSNO),
Sr_{1.5}La_{0.5}MnO_4 (SLMO), Nd_2CuO_{4-y} (NCO), and
Nd_{1.96}Ce_{0.04}CuO_{4} (NCCO), we have identified a peculiar behavior of
polarons in this cuprate family. While in LSNO and SLMO small polarons localize
into ordered structures below a transition temperature, in those cuprates the
polarons appear to be large, and at low T their binding energy decreases. This
reflects into an increase of the polaron radius, which may trigger coherent
transport.Comment: File latex, 15 p. incl. 4 Figs. epsf, to appear on the Journal of
Superconductivity - Proc. "Stripes 1996" - Roma Dec 199
Anisotropic conductivity of Nd_{1.85}Ce_{0.15}CuO_{4-\delta} films at submillimeter wavelengths
The anisotropic conductivity of thin NdCeCuO
films was measured in the frequency range 8 cm 40 cm and
for temperatures 4 K K. A tilted sample geometry allowed to extract
both, in-plane and c-axis properties. The in-plane quasiparticle scattering
rate remains unchanged as the sample becomes superconducting. The temperature
dependence of the in-plane conductivity is reasonably well described using the
Born limit for a d-wave superconductor. Below T_{{\rm C}%} the c-axis
dielectric constant changes sign at the screened c-axis plasma
frequency. The temperature dependence of the c-axis conductivity closely
follows the linear in T behavior within the plane.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Resonant two-magnon Raman scattering in parent compounds of high-T superconductors.
We propose a theory of two-magnon Raman scattering from the insulating parent
compounds of high-T superconductors, which contains information not only on
magnetism, but also on the electronic properties in these materials. We use
spin density wave formalism for the Hubbard model, and study diagrammatically
the profile of the two-magnon scattering and its intensity dependence on the
incoming photon frequency both for and in the
resonant regime, in which the energy of the incident photon is close to the gap
between conduction and valence bands. In the nonresonant case, we identify the
diagrams which contribute to the conventional Loudon-Fleury Hamiltonian. In the
resonant regime, where most of the experiments have been done, we find that the
dominant contribution to Raman intensity comes from a different diagram, one
which allows for a simultaneous vanishing of all three of its denominators
(i.e., a triple resonance). We study this diagram in detail and show that the
triple resonance, combined with the spin-density-wave dispersion relation for
the carriers, explains the unusual features found in the two-magnon profile and
in the two-magnon peak intensity dependence on the incoming photon frequency.
In particular, our theory predicts a maximum of the two-magnon peak intensity
right at the upper edge of the features in the optical data, which has been one
of the key experimental puzzles.Comment: Revtex, 12 postscript figures (uuencoded
Flow cytometry as a rapid analytical tool to determine physiological responses to changing O2 and iron concentration by Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense strain MSR-1
Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are a diverse group of bacteria that synthesise magnetosomes, magnetic membrane-bound nanoparticles that have a variety of diagnostic, clinical and biotechnological applications. We present the development of rapid methods using flow cytometry to characterize several aspects of the physiology of the commonly-used MTB Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense MSR-1. Flow cytometry is an optical technique that rapidly measures characteristics of individual bacteria within a culture, thereby allowing determination of population heterogeneity and also permitting direct analysis of bacteria. Scatter measurements were used to measure and compare bacterial size, shape and morphology. Membrane permeability and polarization were measured using the dyes propidium iodide and bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol to determine the viability and âhealthâ of bacteria. Dyes were also used to determine changes in concentration of intracellular free iron and polyhydroxylakanoate (PHA), a bacterial energy storage polymer. These tools were then used to characterize the responses of MTB to different O2 concentrations and iron-sufficient or iron-limited growth. Rapid analysis of MTB physiology will allow development of bioprocesses for the production of magnetosomes, and will increase understanding of this fascinating and useful group of bacteria
Test beam performance of a CBC3-based mini-module for the Phase-2 CMS Outer Tracker before and after neutron irradiation
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN will undergo major upgrades to increase the instantaneous luminosity up to 5â7.5Ă10 cms. This High Luminosity upgrade of the LHC (HL-LHC) will deliver a total of 3000â4000 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13â14 TeV. To cope with these challenging environmental conditions, the strip tracker of the CMS experiment will be upgraded using modules with two closely-spaced silicon sensors to provide information to include tracking in the Level-1 trigger selection. This paper describes the performance, in a test beam experiment, of the first prototype module based on the final version of the CMS Binary Chip front-end ASIC before and after the module was irradiated with neutrons. Results demonstrate that the prototype module satisfies the requirements, providing efficient tracking information, after being irradiated with a total fluence comparable to the one expected through the lifetime of the experiment
Citizen scienceâs transformative impact on science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes
Citizen science (CS) can foster transformative impact for science, citizen empowerment and socio-political processes. To unleash this impact, a clearer understanding of its current status and challenges for its development is needed. Using quantitative indicators developed in a collaborative stakeholder process, our study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of CS in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our online survey with 340 responses focused on CS impact through (1) scientific practices, (2) participant learning and empowerment, and (3) socio-political processes. With regard to scientific impact, we found that data quality control is an established component of CS practice, while publication of CS data and results has not yet been achieved by all project coordinators (55%). Key benefits for citizen scientists were the experience of collective impact (âmaking a difference together with othersâ) as well as gaining new knowledge. For the citizen scientistsâ learning outcomes, different forms of social learning, such as systematic feedback or personal mentoring, were essential. While the majority of respondents attributed an important value to CS for decision-making, only few were confident that CS data were indeed utilized as evidence by decision-makers. Based on these results, we recommend (1) that project coordinators and researchers strengthen scientific impact by fostering data management and publications, (2) that project coordinators and citizen scientists enhance participant impact by promoting social learning opportunities and (3) that project initiators and CS networks foster socio-political impact through early engagement with decision-makers and alignment with ongoing policy processes. In this way, CS can evolve its transformative impact
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