105 research outputs found
Evaluation of the ultimate performances of a Ca+ single-ion frequency standard
We numerically evaluate the expected performances of an optical frequency
standard at 729 nm based on a single calcium ion. The frequency stability is
studied through the Allan deviation and its dependence on the excitation method
(single Rabi pulse or two Ramsey pulses schemes) and the laser linewidth are
discussed. The minimum Allan deviation that can be expected is estimated to
with the
integration time. The frequency shifts induced by the environmental conditions
are evaluated to minimize the uncertainty of the proposed standard by chosing
the most suited environment for the ion. If using the odd isotope
Ca and a vessel cooled to 77 K, the expected relative shift is with an uncertainty of , mainly due to
the quadrupole shift induced by the unknown static electric field gradient .Comment: soumis le 27/07/04 a Physics Letters
Optical fibers with interferometric path length stability by controlled heating for transmission of optical signals and as components in frequency standards
We present a simple method to stabilize the optical path length of an optical
fiber to an accuracy of about 1/100 of the laser wavelength. We study the
dynamic response of the path length to modulation of an electrically conductive
heater layer of the fiber. The path length is measured against the laser
wavelength by use of the Pound-Drever-Hall method; negative feedback is applied
via the heater. We apply the method in the context of a cryogenic resonator
frequency standard.Comment: Expanded introduction and outlook. 9 pages, 5 figure
Reversible magnetic mercury extraction from water
A facile and efficient way to decontaminate mercury(II) polluted water with the aid of magnetic, highly stable and recyclable carbon coated cobalt (Co/C) nanoparticles is reported. Comparing non-functionalised Co/C nanomagnets with particles that were functionalised with amino moieties, the latter one proved to be more effective for scavenging mercury with respect to extraction capacity and recyclability. A novel nanoparticle–poly(ethyleneimine) hybrid (Co/C–PEI) prepared by direct ring opening polymerization of aziridine initiated by an amine functionalised nanoparticle surface led to a high capacity material (10 mmol amino groups per g nanomaterial) and thus proved to be the best material for scavenging toxic mercury at relevant concentrations (mg L−1/μg L−1) for at least 6 consecutive cycles. On a large-scale, 20 L of drinking water with an initial Hg2+ concentration of 30 μg L−1 can be decontaminated to the level acceptable for drinking water (≤2 μg L−1) with just 60 mg of Co/C–PEI particles
palaeoverse: A community‐driven R package to support palaeobiological analysis
1. The open-source programming language ‘R' has become a standard tool in the
palaeobiologist's toolkit. Its popularity within the palaeobiological community
continues to grow, with published articles increasingly citing the usage of R and R
packages. However, there are currently a lack of agreed standards for data preparation and available frameworks to support the implementation of such standards.
Consequently, data preparation workflows are often unclear and not reproducible, even when code is provided. Moreover, due to a lack of code accessibility and
documentation, palaeobiologists are often forced to ‘reinvent the wheel’ to find
solutions to issues already solved by other members of the community.
2. Here, we introduce palaeoverse, a community-driven R package to aid data preparation and exploration for quantitative palaeobiological research. The package is
freely available and has three core principles: (1) streamline data preparation and
analyses; (2) enhance code readability; and (3) improve reproducibility of results.
To develop these aims, we assessed the analytical needs of the broader palaeobiological community using an online survey, in addition to incorporating our own
experiences.
3. In this work, we first report the findings of the survey, which shaped the development of the package. Subsequently, we describe and demonstrate the functionality available in palaeoverse and provide usage examples. Finally, we discuss the resources we have made available for the community and our future plans for the
broader Palaeoverse project.
4. palaeoverse is a community-driven R package for palaeobiology, developed with
the intention of bringing palaeobiologists together to establish agreed standards
for high-quality quantitative research. The package provides a user-friendly platform for preparing data for analysis with well-documented open-source code to
enhance transparency. The functionality available in palaeoverse improves code
reproducibility and accessibility, which is beneficial for both the review process
and future research
Salivary Glucose Oxidase from Caterpillars Mediates the Induction of Rapid and Delayed-Induced Defenses in the Tomato Plant
Caterpillars produce oral secretions that may serve as cues to elicit plant defenses, but in other cases these secretions have been shown to suppress plant defenses. Ongoing work in our laboratory has focused on the salivary secretions of the tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa zea. In previous studies we have shown that saliva and its principal component glucose oxidase acts as an effector by suppressing defenses in tobacco. In this current study, we report that saliva elicits a burst of jasmonic acid (JA) and the induction of late responding defense genes such as proteinase inhibitor 2 (Pin2). Transcripts encoding early response genes associated with the JA pathway were not affected by saliva. We also observed a delayed response to saliva with increased densities of Type VI glandular trichomes in newly emerged leaves. Proteomic analysis of saliva revealed glucose oxidase (GOX) was the most abundant protein identified and we confirmed that it plays a primary role in the induction of defenses in tomato. These results suggest that the recognition of GOX in tomato may represent a case for effector-triggered immunity. Examination of saliva from other caterpillar species indicates that saliva from the noctuids Spodoptera exigua and Heliothis virescens also induced Pin2 transcripts
Absolute frequency measurement of the In clock transition with a mode-locked laser
The absolute frequency of the In -
clock transition at 237 nm was measured with an accuracy of 1.8 parts in
. Using a phase-coherent frequency chain, we compared the
- transition with a methane-stabilized He-Ne laser at 3.39 m
which was calibrated against an atomic cesium fountain clock. A frequency gap
of 37 THz at the fourth harmonic of the He-Ne standard was bridged by a
frequency comb generated by a mode-locked femtosecond laser. The frequency of
the In clock transition was found to be
kHz, the accuracy being limited by the uncertainty of the He-Ne laser
reference. This represents an improvement in accuracy of more than 2 orders of
magnitude on previous measurements of the line and now stands as the most
accurate measurement of an optical transition in a single ion.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures. accepted for publication in Opt. Let
Theory and applications of atomic and ionic polarizabilities
Atomic polarization phenomena impinge upon a number of areas and processes in
physics. The dielectric constant and refractive index of any gas are examples
of macroscopic properties that are largely determined by the dipole
polarizability. When it comes to microscopic phenomena, the existence of
alkaline-earth anions and the recently discovered ability of positrons to bind
to many atoms are predominantly due to the polarization interaction. An
imperfect knowledge of atomic polarizabilities is presently looming as the
largest source of uncertainty in the new generation of optical frequency
standards. Accurate polarizabilities for the group I and II atoms and ions of
the periodic table have recently become available by a variety of techniques.
These include refined many-body perturbation theory and coupled-cluster
calculations sometimes combined with precise experimental data for selected
transitions, microwave spectroscopy of Rydberg atoms and ions, refractive index
measurements in microwave cavities, ab initio calculations of atomic structures
using explicitly correlated wave functions, interferometry with atom beams, and
velocity changes of laser cooled atoms induced by an electric field. This
review examines existing theoretical methods of determining atomic and ionic
polarizabilities, and discusses their relevance to various applications with
particular emphasis on cold-atom physics and the metrology of atomic frequency
standards.Comment: Review paper, 44 page
Proteomic Insights into the Hidden World of Phloem Sap Feeding
The physical interface between a phloem-feeding insect and its host
plant is a single cell buried deep within the plant tissue. As such, the molecular
interactions between these notorious agricultural pests and the crop plants upon
which they feed are diffi cult to study. ‘Omic’ technologies have proved crucial in
revealing some of the fascinating detail of the molecular interplay between these
partners. Here we review the role of proteomics in identifying putative components
of the secreted saliva of phloem-feeding insects, particularly aphids, and discuss the
limited knowledge concerning the function of these proteins
Geographical trends in the yolk carotenoid composition of the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca)
Carotenoids in the egg yolks of birds are considered to be important antioxidants and immune stimulants during the rapid growth of embryos. Yolk carotenoid composition is strongly affected by the carotenoid composition of the female’s diet at the time of egg formation. Spatial and temporal differences in carotenoid availability may thus be reflected in yolk concentrations. To assess whether yolk carotenoid concentrations or carotenoid profiles show any large-scale geographical trends or differences among habitats, we collected yolk samples from 16 European populations of the pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca. We found that the concentrations and proportions of lutein and some other xanthophylls in the egg yolks decreased from Central Europe northwards. The most southern population (which is also the one found at the highest altitude) also showed relatively low carotenoid levels. Concentrations of β-carotene and zeaxanthin did not show any obvious geographical gradients. Egg yolks also contained proportionally more lutein and other xanthophylls in deciduous than in mixed or coniferous habitats. We suggest that latitudinal gradients in lutein and xanthophylls reflect the lower availability of lutein-rich food items in the northern F. hypoleuca populations and in montane southern populations, which start egg-laying earlier relative to tree phenology than the Central European populations. Similarly, among-habitat variation is likely to reflect the better availability of lutein-rich food in deciduous forests. Our study is the first to indicate that the concentration and profile of yolk carotenoids may show large-scale spatial variation among populations in different parts of the species’ geographical range. Further studies are needed to test the fitness effects of this geographical variation
The Tri-Trophic Interactions Hypothesis: Interactive Effects of Host Plant Quality, Diet Breadth and Natural Enemies on Herbivores
Several influential hypotheses in plant-herbivore and herbivore-predator interactions consider the interactive effects of plant quality, herbivore diet breadth, and predation on herbivore performance. Yet individually and collectively, these hypotheses fail to address the simultaneous influence of all three factors. Here we review existing hypotheses, and propose the tri-trophic interactions (TTI) hypothesis to consolidate and integrate their predictions. The TTI hypothesis predicts that dietary specialist herbivores (as compared to generalists) should escape predators and be competitively dominant due to faster growth rates, and that such differences should be greater on low quality (as compared to high quality) host plants. To provide a preliminary test of these predictions, we conducted an empirical study comparing the effects of plant (Baccharis salicifolia) quality and predators between a specialist (Uroleucon macolai) and a generalist (Aphis gossypii) aphid herbivore. Consistent with predictions, these three factors interactively determine herbivore performance in ways not addressed by existing hypotheses. Compared to the specialist, the generalist was less fecund, competitively inferior, and more sensitive to low plant quality. Correspondingly, predator effects were contingent upon plant quality only for the generalist. Contrary to predictions, predator effects were weaker for the generalist and on low-quality plants, likely due to density-dependent benefits provided to the generalist by mutualist ants. Because the TTI hypothesis predicts the superior performance of specialists, mutualist ants may be critical to A. gossypii persistence under competition from U. macolai. In summary, the integrative nature of the TTI hypothesis offers novel insight into the determinants of plant-herbivore and herbivore-predator interactions and the coexistence of specialist and generalist herbivores
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