Photosynthesis is widely distributed among Proteobacteria as demonstrated by the phylogeny of PufLM reaction center proteins

Two different photosystems for performing bacteriochlorophyll-mediated photosynthetic energy conversion are employed in different bacterial phyla. Those bacteria employing a photosystem II type of photosynthetic apparatus include the phototrophic purple bacteria (Proteobacteria), Gemmatimonas and Chloroflexus with their photosynthetic relatives. The proteins of the photosynthetic reaction center PufL and PufM are essential components and are common to all bacteria with a type-II photosynthetic apparatus, including the anaerobic as well as the aerobic phototrophic Proteobacteria. Therefore, PufL and PufM proteins and their genes are perfect tools to evaluate the phylogeny of the photosynthetic apparatus and to study the diversity of the bacteria employing this photosystem in nature. Almost complete pufLM gene sequences and the derived protein sequences from 152 type strains and 45 additional strains of phototrophic Proteobacteria employing photosystem II were compared. The results give interesting and comprehensive insights into the phylogeny of the photosynthetic apparatus and clearly define Chromatiales, Rhodobacterales, Sphingomonadales as major groups distinct from other Alphaproteobacteria, from Betaproteobacteria and from Caulobacterales (Brevundimonas subvibrioides). A special relationship exists between the PufLM sequences of those bacteria employing bacteriochlorophyll b instead of bacteriochlorophyll a. A clear phylogenetic association of aerobic phototrophic purple bacteria to anaerobic purple bacteria according to their PufLM sequences is demonstrated indicating multiple evolutionary lines from anaerobic to aerobic phototrophic purple bacteria. The impact of pufLM gene sequences for studies on the environmental diversity of phototrophic bacteria is discussed and the possibility of their identification on the species level in environmental samples is pointed out. © 2018 Imhoff, Rahn, Künzel and Neulinger

Principal Components as a Data Reduction and Noise Reduction Technique

The potential of principal components as a pipeline data reduction technique for thematic mapper data was assessed and principal components analysis and its transformation as a noise reduction technique was examined. Two primary factors were considered: (1) how might data reduction and noise reduction using the principal components transformation affect the extraction of accurate spectral classifications; and (2) what are the real savings in terms of computer processing and storage costs of using reduced data over the full 7-band TM complement. An area in central Pennsylvania was chosen for a study area. The image data for the project were collected using the Earth Resources Laboratory's thematic mapper simulator (TMS) instrument

<em>Marichromatium indicum</em> sp. nov., a new purple sulfur Gammaproteobacterium from mangroves of Goa, India

A reddish-brown bacterium was isolated from photoheterotrophic enrichments of mangrove soil from the western coast of India, in a medium that contained 10 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JA100T clusters with species of the genus Marichromatium of the class ‘Gammaproteobacteria’. Cells of strain JA100T are Gram-negative, motile rods with monopolar single flagella; they require NaCl, the optimum concentration being 1–4 %, and tolerate concentrations up to 13 %. The strain has vesicular internal membrane structures, bacteriochlorophyll a and, most probably, carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin series. No growth factors are required. A reduced sulfur source is required for growth, and, during growth on reduced sulfur sources as electron donors, sulfur is intermediately deposited as a single large granule within the cell. Strain JA100T could not grow at the expense of other tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, except malate. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and its morphological and physiological characteristics, strain JA100T is sufficiently different from other Marichromatium species to justify its designation as a novel species, for which the name Marichromatium indicum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JA100T (=DSM 15907T=ATCC BAA-741T=JCM 12653T)

A polynomial training algorithm for calculating perceptrons of optimal stability

Recomi (REpeated COrrelation Matrix Inversion) is a polynomially fast algorithm for searching optimally stable solutions of the perceptron learning problem. For random unbiased and biased patterns it is shown that the algorithm is able to find optimal solutions, if any exist, in at worst O(N^4) floating point operations. Even beyond the critical storage capacity alpha_c the algorithm is able to find locally stable solutions (with negative stability) at the same speed. There are no divergent time scales in the learning process. A full proof of convergence cannot yet be given, only major constituents of a proof are shown.Comment: 11 pages, Latex, 4 EPS figure

Growth of WC-Cr-N and WC-Al-N coatings in a RF-magnetron sputtering process

Tungsten carbide-based coatings have been used in a wide variety of industrial applications such as high speed cutting tools, extrusion dies, drills, aerospace industries, and more. A few reports on ternary and quaternary coatings of WC with other elements indicate good prospects for these material systems. The present study focuses on the formation of quaternary WCeCreN and WCeAleN coatings during the simultaneous reactive RF-magnetron sputtering of tungsten carbide and Al or Cr targets in an argon/nitrogen gas mixture. The resulting coatings, with thicknesses of 3.5 mme8.2 mm, were characterized by using several analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction, SEM/EDS, AFM, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. WCeCreN and WCeAleN coatings with high levels of tungsten (i.e. more than 50 at.% of the total metal content) demonstrated dense microstructure. Coatings with lower tungsten content formed columnar grain microstructure, with different surface morphologies depending on the process parameters. It was proposed that crystalline tungsten carbide (with partial N-substitution of C atoms) and chromium (or aluminum) nitride phases coexist in the coatings when the amount of tungsten was greater than 50 at.% of the total metal content; while at lower tungsten content, the dominating crystalline phase is either W-doped CrN1 y or AlN1 y solid solution, with WC1 x and small amounts of free sp2-bonded carbon present as X-ray amorphous phases.U.S. National Science Foundation under the awards DMR-0806521, DRM-0922910 Regional Council of Burgundy, Franc

MACS: Multi-agent COTR system for Defense Contracting

The field of intelligent multi-agent systems has expanded rapidly in the recent past. Multi-agent architectures and systems are being investigated and continue to develop. To date, little has been accomplished in applying multi-agent systems to the defense acquisition domain. This paper describes the design, development, and related considerations of a multi-agent system in the area of procurement and contracting for the defense acquisition community

Integrating Grazing with 2,4-D and Florpyrauxifen to Control Broadleaf Weeds and Maintain Red Clover Productivity in Grass-Legume Pastures

In grass-legume pastures, 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl controls broadleaf weeds but red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is eliminated. Grazing within a week prior to herbicide application is likely to reduce leaf surface area and may reduce red clover injury and maintain productivity. Experiments were conducted in 2020 and in 2021 to determine if red clover could be productive when 560 g ae ha-1 2,4-D-amine + 6.3 g ae ha-1 of florpyrauxifen-benzyl with 1% v/v methylated seed oil applied in the spring was grazed before or after herbicide application. Grazing timings occurred 6, 4, or 2 days prior to herbicide application, the day of application, or 6 days after application. Grazing timing did not affect productivity or cover of red clover, white clover, forage grasses, broadleaf weeds, or annual grasses. In contrast, aboveground biomass of broadleaf weeds, red clover, and white clover was \u3e 55, 56, and 44% less, respectively, in 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifenbenzyl treated pasture than nontreated pasture. Less clover and broadleaf weed biomass in herbicide treated pasture was associated with 16% more perennial grass biomass and no changes in total forage productivity. Results suggest that all grazing timings applied with 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl provided effective weed control that persisted more than 1 year with only partial injury to red clover populations. Grazing in concert with herbicide applications improves herbicide selectivity of preferentially grazed species, while improved from conventional standards practicality to producers is still unknown

Integrating Grazing with 2,4-D and Florpyrauxifen to Control Broadleaf Weeds and Maintain Red Clover Productivity in Grass-Legume Pastures

In grass-legume pastures, 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl controls broadleaf weeds but red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is eliminated. Grazing within a week prior to herbicide application is likely to reduce leaf surface area and may reduce red clover injury and maintain productivity. Experiments were conducted in 2020 and in 2021 to determine if red clover could be productive when 560 g ae ha-1 2,4-D-amine + 6.3 g ae ha-1 of florpyrauxifen-benzyl with 1% v/v methylated seed oil applied in the spring was grazed before or after herbicide application. Grazing timings occurred 6, 4, or 2 days prior to herbicide application, the day of application, or 6 days after application. Grazing timing did not affect productivity or cover of red clover, white clover, forage grasses, broadleaf weeds, or annual grasses. In contrast, aboveground biomass of broadleaf weeds, red clover, and white clover was \u3e55, 56, and 44% less, respectively, in 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifenbenzyl treated pasture than nontreated pasture. Less clover and broadleaf weed biomass in herbicide treated pasture was associated with 16% more perennial grass biomass and no changes in total forage productivity. Results suggest that all grazing timings applied with 2,4-D-amine + florpyrauxifen-benzyl provided effective weed control that persisted more than 1 year with only partial injury to red clover populations. Grazing in concert with herbicide applications improves herbicide selectivity of preferentially grazed species, while improved from conventional standards practicality to producers is still unknown

The impact of constructive operating lease capitalisation on key accounting ratios

Current UK lease accounting regulation does not require operating leases to be capitalised in the accounts of lessees, although this is likely to change with the publication of FRS 5. This study conducts a prospective analysis of the effects of such a change. The potential magnitude of the impact of lease capitalisation upon individual users' decisions, market valuations, company cash flows, and managers' behaviour can be indicated by the effect on key accounting ratios, which are employed in decision-making and in financial contracts. The capitalised value of operating leases is estimated using a method similar to that suggested by Imhoff, Lipe and Wright (1991), adapted for the UK accounting and tax environment, and developed to incorporate company-specific assumptions. Results for 1994 for a random sample of 300 listed UK companies show that, on average, the unrecorded long-term liability represented 39% of reported long-term debt, while the unrecorded asset represented 6% of total assets. Capitalisation had a significant impact (at the 1% level) on six of the nine selected ratios (profit margin, return on assets, asset turnover, and three measures of gearing). Moreover, the Spearman rank correlation between each ratio before and after capitalisation revealed that the ranking of companies changed markedly for gearing measures in particular. There were significant inter-industry variations, with the services sector experiencing the greatest impact. An analysis of the impact of capitalisation over the five-year period from 1990 to 1994 showed that capitalisation had the greatest impact during the trough of the recession. Results were shown to be robust with respect to key assumptions of the capitalisation method. These findings contribute to the assessment of the economic consequences of a policy change requiring operating lease capitalisation. Significant changes in the magnitude of key accounting ratios and a major shift in company performance rankings suggest that interested parties' decisions and company cash flows are likely to be affected

Rhodobium gokarnense sp. nov., a novel phototrophic alphaproteobacterium from a saltern

A pink-pigmented, phototrophic, purple nonsulfur bacterium, strain JA173T, was isolated in pure culture from a saltern in Gokarna, India, in a medium containing 2 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain JA173T was a non-motile Gram-negative rod that multiplied by budding. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JA173T clusters with the class Alphaproteobacteria; highest sequence similarity (98 %) was to the type strain of Rhodobium orientis and 94 % similarity was observed to the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the type strain of Rhodobium marinum. However, DNA–DNA hybridization with R. orientis DSM 11290T revealed a relatedness value of only 35.1 % with strain JA173T. Strain JA173T contained lamellar internal membranes, bacteriochlorophyll a and carotenoids of the spirilloxanthin series. Strain JA173T had an obligate requirement for NaCl (optimum growth at 2–6 %, w/v) and grew photoheterotrophically with a number of organic compounds as carbon source or electron donor. Photoautotrophic, chemoautotrophic and fermentative growth could not be demonstrated. Yeast extract was required for growth. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, DNA–DNA hybridization data and morphological and physiological characteristics, strain JA173T is sufficiently different from other species of the genus Rhodobium to be recognized as a representative of a novel species, Rhodobium gokarnense sp. nov. The type strain is JA173T (=ATCC BAA-1215T=DSM 17935T=JCM 13532T)