Isolation of anaerobic, extremely thermophilic, sulphur metabolising archaebacteria from New Zealand hot springs

Enrichments of New Zealand geo-thermal samples, initiated in anaerobic sulphur-containing media and incubated at temperatures above 85°C, yielded rod and coccal shaped organisms which possessed archaebacterial characteristics. Pure cultures were isolated and characterised. Five of the seven isolates, which were rod-shaped organisms and did not have an obligate requirement for sulphur respiration, were similar to Ther-moproteus sp. but had more neutral pH optima for growth. Three of these five Thermoproteus sp. were obligate heterotrophs, which has not previously been reported. The two coccal isolates had an obligate requirement for sulphur as an electron acceptor and were similar to Desulfurococcus sp. but again with more neutral pH optima for growth

Relationship of postpartum interval to estrus, body condition score, milk yield and blood biochemical parameters in Surti buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The aim of the present investigation was to find out the relationship among postpartum interval to estrus, body condition score, milk yield and blood biochemical parameters of Surti buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). The study was conducted on sixteen clinically healthy Surti buffaloes (parity 1-7) with normal parturition. These animals were divided into two groups on the basis of their postpartum interval to estrus (PPIE). Group 1 animals had PPIE ? 50 days whereas group 2 had PPIE > 50 days. Body condition score (BCS), milk yield and Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture on days starting from 6th day after calving thereafter at fortnight interval till 90th day postpartum. Blood serum parameters such as glucose, total protein, blood urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, progesterone and estrogen were measured. Perusal of data revealed that animals having higher BCS on the day of estrus had significantly (P?0.05) shorter PPIE. There was non-significant effect of daily and cumulative 100 days milk yield on PPIE. Serum concentration of glucose and creatinine was significantly (P?0.05) higher for group 1 animals at most of the stages. There was non-significant difference between serum concentration of total protein, blood urea nitrogen and cholesterol between both the groups. Progesterone and Estradiol-17 ? concentrations were significantly (P?0.05) higher in group 1 animals than group 2 animals at different stages of this study

An eight-year climatology of the martian northern polar vortex

The martian polar atmosphere is characterised by the presence of polar vortices, regions of cold and isolated air over the winter poles common to planetary atmospheres. The polar vortices have important meteorological effects via their interactions with atmospheric tracers and the broader circulation. In turn, they have been shown to be affected by large atmospheric dust loadings such as from dust storms. We make use of an extensive reanalysis dataset of Mars’ weather and climate (Open access to Mars Assimilated Remote Soundings; OpenMARS) to investigate the seasonal and interannual behaviour of Mars’ northern polar vortex over eight recent martian years, Mars Years (MY) 28–35 (2006–2021). We find that the northern polar vortex shows a high degree of interannual repeatability in its structure and evolution, with the key exception of during the presence of large (regional and global scale) dust storms. Such storms cause significant perturbations to the northern polar vortex, compressing it towards the pole and reducing its radius. However, not all dust storms have equal impacts. We find that the seasonal timing of large dust storms appears to be the key factor determining their impacts on the northern polar vortex. Storms occurring closer to southern summer solstice have greater impacts than those occurring closer to equinox. We propose that this seasonal dependence is due to the structure of the background meridional circulation, which is at its greatest strength and latitudinal extension around southern summer solstice. The enhancement of this existing circulation by dust-induced heating allows greater impacts if the circulation is already stronger and more latitudinally extended, and impacts are likewise lesser if the storm occurs during a period with a weaker and less latitudinally extended circulation

Simultaneous Hot Gas Desulfurization and Improved Filtration

This research suggests the use of waste metal oxide materials for the removal of sulfur in hot gas streams as an alternative to either traditional calcium based sorbents, or regenerable metal oxide sorbents. When classified to a desired particle size and injected into a high temperature coal utilization process, such a ``once-through`` sorbent can effectively remove sulfur and simultaneously increase the permeability of dust collected at a downstream ceramic filter station in a highly cost effective manner. There is considerable technical and economic promise in the use of waste metal oxides for the removal of sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and hydrogen sulfide (H{sub 2}S) from coal gas streams containing these components, based upon results from tests under controlled laboratory conditions. Several waste metal oxides, including the oxides of iron, tin, and zinc, have been evaluated both individually and in combination to assess their capacity for sulfur capture in both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. Additionally, inert materials such as silica sand as well as more traditional materials such as dolomite and limestone, were evaluated as sorbents under identical test conditions to serve as reference data. Efforts also explored the overall domestic availability of the best performing waste metal oxide sorbents, taking into account their geographic distributions, intrinsic value, etc. to provide the groundwork for commercial implementation of a low cost, highly effective sulfur sorbent for eventual use in both coal combustion and coal gasification processes. Recent elevated temperature thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) testing of these samples, performed at the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), has further confirmed the trends in sulfur affinity which were observed in the preliminary testing

Simultaneous hot desulfurization and improved filtration

Coal reserves in the United States as well as abroad will remain unusable until technology is developed to meet both Clean Air Act mandates and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for particulate, SO{sub 2}, and NO{sub x}, emissions effectively and economically. Recent breakthroughs in particulate control, specifically ceramic filtration technology, have shown that NSPS limits on particulates can be achieved at high process temperatures, thereby minimizing thermal losses and system complexity. While both calcium based and regenerable metal oxide sorbents are currently utilized for sulfur mitigation, problems such as sintering, temperature limitations, physical attrition, and cost have limited their success. This research suggests the use of waste metal oxide materials for the removal of sulfur in hot gas streams as an alternative to either traditional calcium based sorbents, or regenerable metal oxide sorbents. When classified to a desired particle size and injected into a high temperature coal utilization process, such a `once-through` sorbent can effectively remove sulfur and simultaneously increase the permeability of dust collected at a downstream ceramic filter station in a highly cost effective manner. Several waste metal oxides, including the oxides of iron, tin, and zinc, have been evaluated both individually and in combination to assess their capacity for sulfur capture in both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. Additionally, inert materials such as silica sand as well as more traditional materials such as dolomite and limestone, were evaluated as sorbents under identical test conditions to serve as reference data

The first multi-wavelength campaign of AXP 4U 0142+61 from radio to hard X-rays

For the first time a quasi-simultaneous multi-wavelength campaign has been performed on an Anomalous X-ray Pulsar from the radio to the hard X-ray band. 4U 0142+61 was an INTEGRAL target for 1 Ms in July 2005. During these observations it was also observed in the X-ray band with Swift and RXTE, in the optical and NIR with Gemini North and in the radio with the WSRT. In this paper we present the source-energy distribution. The spectral results obtained in the individual wave bands do not connect smoothly; apparently components of different origin contribute to the total spectrum. Remarkable is that the INTEGRAL hard X-ray spectrum (power-law index 0.79 +/- 0.10) is now measured up to an energy of ~230 keV with no indication of a spectral break. Extrapolation of the INTEGRAL power-law spectrum to lower energies passes orders of magnitude underneath the NIR and optical fluxes, as well as the low ~30 microJy (2 sigma) upper limit in the radio band.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. To be published in the proceedings of the conference "Isolated Neutron Stars: from the Interior to the Surface" (April 24-28, 2006, London, UK), eds. S. Zane, R. Turolla and D. Pag

Plane-symmetric inhomogeneous magnetized viscous fluid universe with a variable Λ\Lambda

The behavior of magnetic field in plane symmetric inhomogeneous cosmological models for bulk viscous distribution is investigated. The coefficient of bulk viscosity is assumed to be a power function of mass density $(\xi =\xi_{0}\rho^{n})$. The values of cosmological constant for these models are found to be small and positive which are supported by the results from recent supernovae Ia observations. Some physical and geometric aspects of the models are also discussed.Comment: 18 pages, LaTex, no figur

Production and Decay of D_1(2420)^0 and D_2^*(2460)^0

We have investigated $D^{+}\pi^{-}$ and $D^{*+}\pi^{-}$ final states and observed the two established $L=1$ charmed mesons, the $D_1(2420)^0$ with mass $2421^{+1+2}_{-2-2}$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and width $20^{+6+3}_{-5-3}$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and the $D_2^*(2460)^0$ with mass $2465 \pm 3 \pm 3$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and width $28^{+8+6}_{-7-6}$ MeV/c$^{2}$. Properties of these final states, including their decay angular distributions and spin-parity assignments, have been studied. We identify these two mesons as the $j_{light}=3/2$ doublet predicted by HQET. We also obtain constraints on {\footnotesize $\Gamma_S/(\Gamma_S + \Gamma_D)$} as a function of the cosine of the relative phase of the two amplitudes in the $D_1(2420)^0$ decay.Comment: 15 pages in REVTEX format. hardcopies with figures can be obtained by sending mail to: [email protected]