Vacuum Fluctuations, Geometric Modular Action and Relativistic Quantum Information Theory

A summary of some lines of ideas leading to model-independent frameworks of relativistic quantum field theory is given. It is followed by a discussion of the Reeh-Schlieder theorem and geometric modular action of Tomita-Takesaki modular objects associated with the quantum field vacuum state and certain algebras of observables. The distillability concept, which is significant in specifying useful entanglement in quantum information theory, is discussed within the setting of general relativistic quantum field theory.Comment: 26 pages. Contribution for the Proceedings of a Conference on Special Relativity held at Potsdam, 200

Soil respiration in cucumber field under crop rotation in solar greenhouse

Crop residues are the primary source of carbon input in the soil carbon pool. Crop rotation can impact the plant biomass returned to the soil, and influence soil respiration. To study the effect of previous crops on soil respiration in cucumber (Cucumis statirus L.) fields in solar greenhouses, soil respiration, plant height, leaf area and yield were measured during the growing season (from the end of Sept to the beginning of Jun the following year) from 2007 to 2010. The cucumber was grown following fallow (CK), kidney bean (KB), cowpea (CP), maize for green manure (MGM), black bean for green manure (BGM), tomato (TM), bok choy (BC). As compared with CK, KB, CP, MGM and BGM may increase soil respiration, while TM and BC may decrease soil respiration at full fruit stage in cucumber fields. Thus attention to the previous crop arrangement is a possible way of mitigating soil respiration in vegetable fields. Plant height, leaf area and yield had similar variation trends under seven previous crop treatments. The ratio of yield to soil respiration revealed that MGM is the crop of choice previous to cucumber when compared with CK, KB, CP, BGM, TM and BC

Phosphorus mobility in a karst landscape under pasture grazing system

The spatial distribution and partitioning of water dissolved phosphorus fractions in the soil profile of a grazed karst sinkhole landscape were investigated. We also measured P fractions in surface runoff entering a sinkhole drain and in karst spring flow draining the study area. Grazing increased total N, C, and all forms of P of soil. Dissolved inorganic orthophosphate (DPi) was the highest in the surface soil layer and diminished significantly with depth. The proportion of dissolved unreactive phosphorus (DPu) increased with soil depth. Changes in DPu with landscape position and depth were closely correlated with changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) suggesting that the mobility and transport of DPu was mediated by DOC. Landscape position sampling showed molybdate reactive phosphorus (MRP) and DPu increased toward the bottom and center of sinkholes. The distribution of DPi and DPu in surface runoff and that occurring in underground watercourses confirms the significance of DPu transported into karst groundwater.Mobilité du phosphore dans une zone karstique paturée. La distribution spatiale et la partition des fractions de phosphore dissoutes dans le profil de sol d'un paysage pâturé de dolines karstiques ont été étudiées. Nous avons également mesuré les fractions de P dans les eaux de surface entrant dans un drain de doline et dans l'écoulement ressortant du karst drainant le secteur d'étude. Le pâturage a augmenté N total, C, et toutes les formes de P de sol. L'orthophosphore inorganique dissous (DPi) était le plus élevé dans la couche de surface du sol et réduit significativement avec la profondeur. La proportion de phosphore non réactif dissous (DPu) a augmenté avec la profondeur de sol. Des changements de DPu en fonction de la position dans le paysage et de la profondeur ont été étroitement corrélés avec des changements du carbone organique dissous (DOC) suggérant que la mobilité et le transport du DPu ont été facilités par le DOC. Un échantillonnage dans le paysage a montré une augmentation de phosphore réactif au molybdate (MRP) et de DPu vers le fond et le centre des dolines. La distribution de DPi et DPu dans l'écoulement de surface et ce qui se produit lors du transit de l'eau sous terre confirme la valeur significative du DPu transporté dans les eaux souterraines du karst

Inhibition of the resuscitation from the viable but nonculturable state in Enterococcus faecalis

The viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is a survival strategy adopted by bacteria when exposed to environmental stresses capable of inducing cell growth inhibition and cell death. This state can be summarized as a quiescent form of life waiting for suitable conditions. This strategy has been shown to be activated by medically important bacteria either when present in natural environments or in the human body during the infection process. In this study we have evaluated the effects of antibiotics acting on peptidoglycan or protein synthesis of Enterococcus faecalis in the VBNC state. The activity of the antibiotics was determined by their ability both to inhibit resuscitation (i.e. recovery of cell division) and to bind the molecular target of action. Benzylpenicillin, piperacillin and gentamicin block cell resuscitation at the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of growing cells, while vancomycin acts only at doses 500 times higher than the MIC. This different behaviour is discussed taking into consideration the mode of action of the antibiotic