Lattice model of gas condensation within nanopores

We explore the thermodynamic behavior of gases adsorbed within a nanopore. The theoretical description employs a simple lattice gas model, with two species of site, expected to describe various regimes of adsorption and condensation behavior. The model includes four hypothetical phases: a cylindrical shell phase (S), in which the sites close to the cylindrical wall are occupied, an axial phase (A), in which sites along the cylinder's axis are occupied, a full phase (F), in which all sites are occupied, and an empty phase (E). We obtain exact results at T=0 for the phase behavior, which is a function of the interactions present in any specific problem. We obtain the corresponding results at finite T from mean field theory. Finally, we examine the model's predicted phase behavior of some real gases adsorbed in nanopores

Legume nodulation gene discovery

Legumes enter a complicated symbiotic relation with Rhizobium bacterium to initiate a nitrogen fixing root nodule. The process is genetically and environmentally regulated. Our group researches the genetic components controlling nodule initiation and the regulation of nodule number (autoregulation). Several genes were cloned and characterised by either positional cloning, sequence homology, EST based screens, and fast neutron deletion mutagenesis. We find an abundance of receptor kinases, phosphatases and transcription factors as well as transporters involved in the symbiosis. Expression profiling by qRT-PCR and use of promoter fusions complement the initial stages of the analysis for interactions of the molecular components