5,329 research outputs found
Effects of burying and removing dead leaves from the ground on the development of scab epidemics in an apple organic orchard.
Ascospores produced on scabbed leaves in the leaf litter constitute the primary
inoculum causing scab infections in apple orchards during the year. The trial, carried
out in a commercial organic orchard, permitted to evaluate the effects of the
removal of dead leaves located on the inter-row supplemented by the ploughing in of
the leaves left on the row, on the development of scab epidemics. From the first
recorded contamination to harvest time, lesions on leaves and fruits were counted to
determine reduction in disease incidence and severity, compared with the untreated
plots. Disease severity as a function of the distance from the untreated plot was also
observed, to evaluate the spore dispersal gradient within the orchard. The results
show that the ploughing in and the removal of the litter reduced disease incidence by
62% on leaves, and by almost 82% on fruits to harvest. Moreover, measurements of
the dispersal gradient show that the spores do not disperse, or little, beyond 20m of
the untreated zone
High Metallicity Mg II Absorbers in the z < 1 Lyman alpha Forest of PKS 0454+039: Giant LSB Galaxies?
We report the discovery of two iron-group enhanced high-metallicity Mg II
absorbers in a search through 28 Lyman Alpha forest clouds along the PKS
0454+039 sight line. Based upon our survey and the measured redshift number
densities of W_r(MgII) <= 0.3 A absorbers and Lyman Alpha absorbers at z ~ 1,
we suggest that roughly 5% of Lyman Alpha absorbers at z < 1 will exhibit
"weak" Mg II absorption to a 5-sigma W_r(2796) detection limit of 0.02 A. The
two discovered absorbers, at redshifts z = 0.6248 and z = 0.9315, have W_r(Lya)
= 0.33 and 0.15 A, respectively. Based upon photoionization modeling, the H I
column densities are inferred to be in the range 15.8 <= log N(HI) <= 16.8
cm^-2. For the z = 0.6428 absorber, if the abundance pattern is solar, then the
cloud has [Fe/H] > -1; if its gas-phase abundance follows that of depleted
clouds in our Galaxy, then [Fe/H] > 0 is inferred. For the z = 0.9315 absorber,
the metallicity is [Fe/H] > 0, whether the abundance pattern is solar or
suffers depletion. Imaging and spectroscopic studies of the PKS 0454+039 field
reveal no candidate luminous objects at these redshifts. We discuss the
possibility that these Mg II absorbers may arise in the class of "giant" low
surface brightness galaxies, which have [Fe/H] >= -1, and even [Fe/H] >= 0, in
their extended disks. We tentatively suggest that a substantial fraction of
these "weak" Mg II absorbers may select low surface brightness galaxies out to
z ~ 1.Comment: Accepted The Astrophysical Journal; 25 pages; 6 encapsulated figure
Redox-Sensing Iron–Sulfur Cluster Regulators
Significance: Iron–sulfur cluster proteins carry out multiple functions, including as regulators of gene transcription/translation in response to environmental stimuli. In all known cases, the cluster acts as the sensory module, where the inherent reactivity/fragility of iron–sulfur clusters with small/redox-active molecules is exploited to effect conformational changes that modulate binding to DNA regulatory sequences. This promotes an often substantial reprogramming of the cellular proteome that enables the organism or cell to adapt to, or counteract, its changing circumstances. Recent Advances: Significant progress has been made recently in the structural and mechanistic characterization of iron–sulfur cluster regulators and, in particular, the O2 and NO sensor FNR, the NO sensor NsrR, and WhiB-like proteins of Actinobacteria. These are the main focus of this review. Critical Issues: Striking examples of how the local environment controls the cluster sensitivity and reactivity are now emerging, but the basis for this is not yet fully understood for any regulatory family. Future Directions: Characterization of iron–sulfur cluster regulators has long been hampered by a lack of high-resolution structural data. Although this still presents a major future challenge, recent advances now provide a firm foundation for detailed understanding of how a signal is transduced to effect gene regulation. This requires the identification of often unstable intermediate species, which are difficult to detect and may be hard to distinguish using traditional techniques. Novel approaches will be required to solve these problems
Damped Lyman Alpha Systems at z<1.65: The Expanded SDSS HST Sample
We present results of our HST Cycle 11 Survey for low-redshift (z<1.65) DLAs
in the UV spectra of quasars selected from the SDSS Early Data Release. These
quasars have strong intervening MgII-FeII systems which are known signatures of
high column density neutral gas. In total, UV observations of Ly-alpha
absorption in 197 MgII systems with z<1.65 and rest equivalent width (REW)
W2796 \ge 0.3A have now been obtained. The main results are: (1) 36(+/- 6)% of
systems with W2796 \ge 0.5 A and FeII W2600 \ge 0.5 A are DLAs. This increases
to 42(+/- 7)% for systems with W2796/W2600 0.1 A. (2) The
mean N(HI) of MgII systems with 0.3 A \le W2796 < 0.6 A is a factor of ~36
lower than that of systems with W2796 \ge 0.6 A. (3) The DLA incidence per unit
redshift is consistent with no evolution for z <~ 2 (Omega_L=0.7, Omega_M =
0.3), but exhibits significant evolution for z >~ 2. (4) Omega_{DLA} is
constant for 0.5<z<5.0 to within the uncertainties. This is larger than
Omega_{gas}(z=0) by a factor of ~2. (5) The slope of the N(HI) distribution
does not change significantly with redshift. However, the low redshift
distribution is marginally flatter due to the higher fraction of high N(HI)
systems in our sample. (6) Finally, using the precision of MgII survey
statistics, we find that there may be evidence of a decreasing Omega_{DLA} from
z=0.5 to z=0. We reiterate the conclusion of Hopkins, Rao, & Turnshek that very
high columns of neutral gas might be missed by DLA surveys because of their
very small cross sections, and therefore, that Omega_{DLA} might not include
the bulk of the neutral gas mass in the Universe. (Abridged)Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 22 pages, 22 figure
Scenarios for a worldwide deployment of nuclear energy production
Intensive worldwide deployment of nuclear power could prove necessary to mitigate global warming and fossil fuel shortages while still satisfying a growing demand for energy. We present scenarios for such deployment and bring to light the constraints, such as the availability of fissile matter and the build up of Plutonium stockpiles according to the reactor types considered. Pending the availability of reactors able to breed their fuel, a fleet of 2nd ant 3rd generation light water reactors will have to be built. These can ensure a growth of nuclear power for the coming 20 to 25 years and the transition to sustainable 4th generation nuclear reactors. We show that at least one comprehensive and balanced solution can be found, which reconciles fuel cycle closing, non-depletion of natural resources, reduced long lived waste production, and the option to stop or restart nuclear power rapidly. It rests on the combination of light water reactors and converter reactors needed to incinerate Plutonium and produce Uranium-233, leading to a reactor fleet widely based on the Thorium-Uranium-233 fuel cycle. The flexibility of this solution and its naturally reduced long lived waste production makes it appear optimal in view of sustainable, intensive nuclear power generation
Mass spectrometric detection of iron nitrosyls, sulfide oxidation and mycothiolation during nitrosylation of the NO sensor [4Fe-4S] NsrR
Identification of RRE-type iron-nitrosyl species formed upon nitrosylation of [4Fe–4S] NsrR.</p
Mass spectrometric identification of intermediates in the O2-driven [4Fe-4S] to [2Fe-2S] cluster conversion in FNR
The iron-sulfur cluster containing protein FNR is the master regulator for the switch between anaerobic and aerobic respiration in Escherichia coli and many other bacteria. The [4Fe-4S] cluster functions as the sensory module, undergoing reaction with O2 that leads to conversion to a [2Fe-2S] form with loss of high affinity DNA-binding. Here we report studies of the FNR cluster conversion reaction using time-resolved electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The data provide new insight into the reaction, permitting the detection of cluster conversion intermediates and products, including a novel [3Fe-3S] cluster and persulfide coordinated [2Fe-2S] clusters ([2Fe-2S](S)n, where n = 1 or 2). Analysis of kinetic data revealed a branched mechanism in which cluster sulfide oxidation occurs in parallel with cluster conversion, and not as a subsequent, secondary reaction, to generate ([2Fe-2S](S)n species. This methodology shows great potential for broad application to studies of protein cofactorsmall molecule interactions
Mass spectrometric studies of Cu(I)-binding to the N-terminal domains of B. subtilis CopA and influence of bacillithiol
CopA is a Cu(I)-exporting transmembrane P1B-type ATPase from Bacillus subtilis. It contains two N-terminal cytoplasmic domains, CopAab, which bind Cu(I) with high affinity and to form higher-order complexes with multiple Cu(I) ions. To determine the precise nature of these species, electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) under non-denaturing conditions was employed. Up to 1 Cu per CopAab resulted in Cu coordination to one or both CopAab domains. At >1 Cu/CopAab, two distinct dimeric charge state envelopes were observed, corresponding to distinct conformations, each with Cu6(CopAab)2 as its major form. The influence of the physiologically relevant low molecular weight thiol bacillithiol (BSH) on Cu(I)-binding to CopAab was assessed. Dimeric CopAab persisted in the presence of BSH, with previously undetected Cu7(CopAab)2 and Cu6(CopAab)2(BSH) forms apparent
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