Thermodynamic Field Theory with the Iso-Entropic Formalism

A new formulation of the thermodynamic field theory (TFT) is presented. In this new version, one of the basic restriction in the old theory, namely a closed-form solution for the thermodynamic field strength, has been removed. In addition, the general covariance principle is replaced by Prigogine's thermodynamic covariance principle (TCP). The introduction of TCP required the application of an appropriate mathematical formalism, which has been referred to as the iso-entropic formalism. The validity of the Glansdorff-Prigogine Universal Criterion of Evolution, via geometrical arguments, is proven. A new set of thermodynamic field equations, able to determine the nonlinear corrections to the linear ("Onsager") transport coefficients, is also derived. The geometry of the thermodynamic space is non-Riemannian tending to be Riemannian for hight values of the entropy production. In this limit, we obtain again the same thermodynamic field equations found by the old theory. Applications of the theory, such as transport in magnetically confined plasmas, materials submitted to temperature and electric potential gradients or to unimolecular triangular chemical reactions can be found at references cited herein.Comment: 35 page

Experimental study of CO2 sequestration by ECBM recovery: the case of Sulcis coal.

An ECBM (Enhanced Coal Bed Methane) feasibility study started for the Sulcis Coal Province (SW Sardinia, Italy) in December 2004: geochemical, structural-geology, stratigraphic and reservoir engineering considerations are discussed. The first newly gathered experimental data are discussed, including: fluid geochemistry (major and minor elements, dissolved gases, C and He isotopic ratios) of the reservoir, coal composition and experimental data on CO2/CH4 adsorption on coal. A MapInfo GIS structure was built up including stratigraphical, geo-structural, hydrogeochemical, coal-compositional and environmental impact information as well as the CO2 sources location and typology. Even if these data could be preliminary with respect to the coal characteritics effectively located at the future injection depth, they highlighted both the challenging positive and negative aspects of the Sulcis Coal Province versus the exploitation of the ECBM technique. The most important objective of this phase I of the project is the selection of the best Sulcis ECBM test-pilot site, which will be followed (Phase II) by the choice of a scaled up site and possibly by a future network (Phase III). These phases are foreseen to be accompanied by the selection of progressively added CO2 industrial sources, to be used within the project economic spreadsheet model, actually in evolution. CO2 geological storage and CH4 production potentials in Sulcis have been grossly evaluated as a whole, in the frame of the Sardinia region CO2 sources, including the coal-fired power plants, both existent and foreseen (hundreds of millions of tonns of CO2 are possible to be stored underground in the next decades). The reservoir estimates, both for the CO2 injection and for the CH4 production are clearly involving to start the test-site phase exploitation, in the frame of an auspicabile international operative project

Assessing Environmental Governance of the Hudson River Valley: Application of an IPPEP Model

The process of obtaining effective implementation of environmental laws is a process of “environmental governance.” Law, including environmental law and other fields of law related to environmental law, is essential to frame, facilitate, and foster the major parties to correctly play their roles. This thesis has been articulated through a Model of Interactions of Parties in the Process of Environmental Protection (IPPEP Model), which has been developed by Professor Wang Xi of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, in the context of the People’s Republic of China. The IPPEP Model is a tool for observing and accessing environmental governance at work. It is being tested by regional studies in various locations, such as the United States, the State of New York, and in this IPPEP case study of New York’s Hudson River Valley. The IPPEP model being examined, however, has universal applicability. Use of this model can predict that environmental standards will fail to be observed when necessary “Third Parties” are weak or absent. A nation with a commitment to the “rule of law” will enact and apply necessary legal procedures to ensure that each party can take part in the system and perform their role effectively. Part I of this paper describes the IPPEP Model. Part II is a brief introduction to the history of Hudson River Valley. Part III introduces the major parties or players in the process of protecting Hudson River Valley. Part IV consists of five case studies applying the IPPEP Model in cases of Hudson River Valley conservation. Part V concludes the paper

Feasibility study (I stage) of CO2 geological storage by ECBM tecniques in the Sulcis Coal Province (SW Sardinia).

An ECBM feasibility study started for the Sulcis Coal Province (SW Sardinia, Italy): available geochemical, structural-geology, stratigraphic and reservoir engineering considerations as well as the newly gathered experimental data are discussed, including: fluid geochemistry (major and minor elements, dissolved gases, C and He isotopic ratios) of different strata/reservoir, coal composition and experimental data on CO2/CH4 adsorption-desorption on coal. A MapInfo GIS structure was built up including stratigraphic, geo-structural, hydro-geochemical, coal-compositional and environmental-impact information as well as the CO2 sources location and typology. Despite preliminary, these data highlighted both the challenging positive and negative aspects of the Sulcis Coal Province versus the exploitation of the ECBM technique. The most important objective of this phase I of the project is the selection of the best Sulcis ECBM test-pilot site, which will be followed (Phase II-2007) by the choice of a scaled up site and possibly by a future network (Phase III-2008). CO2 geological storage and CH4 production potentials in Sulcis have been grossly evaluated as a whole, in the frame of the Sardinia region CO2 sources, including the coal-fired power plants, both existent and foreseen (hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO2 are possible to be stored underground in the next decades).UnpublishedTrondheim, Norway4.4. Scenari e mitigazione del rischio ambientaleope

Feasibility study (I stage) of CO2 geological storage by ECBM tecniques in the Sulcis Coal Province (SW Sardinia).

An ECBM feasibility study started for the Sulcis Coal Province (SW Sardinia, Italy): available geochemical, structural-geology, stratigraphic and reservoir engineering considerations as well as the newly gathered experimental data are discussed, including: fluid geochemistry (major and minor elements, dissolved gases, C and He isotopic ratios) of different strata/reservoir, coal composition and experimental data on CO2/CH4 adsorption-desorption on coal. A MapInfo GIS structure was built up including stratigraphic, geo-structural, hydro-geochemical, coal-compositional and environmental-impact information as well as the CO2 sources location and typology. Despite preliminary, these data highlighted both the challenging positive and negative aspects of the Sulcis Coal Province versus the exploitation of the ECBM technique. The most important objective of this phase I of the project is the selection of the best Sulcis ECBM test-pilot site, which will be followed (Phase II-2007) by the choice of a scaled up site and possibly by a future network (Phase III-2008). CO2 geological storage and CH4 production potentials in Sulcis have been grossly evaluated as a whole, in the frame of the Sardinia region CO2 sources, including the coal-fired power plants, both existent and foreseen (hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO2 are possible to be stored underground in the next decades)

RNA polymerase II stalling promotes nucleosome occlusion and pTEFb recruitment to drive immortalization by Epstein-Barr virus

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immortalizes resting B-cells and is a key etiologic agent in the development of numerous cancers. The essential EBV-encoded protein EBNA 2 activates the viral C promoter (Cp) producing a message of ~120 kb that is differentially spliced to encode all EBNAs required for immortalization. We have previously shown that EBNA 2-activated transcription is dependent on the activity of the RNA polymerase II (pol II) C-terminal domain (CTD) kinase pTEFb (CDK9/cyclin T1). We now demonstrate that Cp, in contrast to two shorter EBNA 2-activated viral genes (LMP 1 and 2A), displays high levels of promoter-proximally stalled pol II despite being constitutively active. Consistent with pol II stalling, we detect considerable pausing complex (NELF/DSIF) association with Cp. Significantly, we observe substantial Cp-specific pTEFb recruitment that stimulates high-level pol II CTD serine 2 phosphorylation at distal regions (up to +75 kb), promoting elongation. We reveal that Cp-specific pol II accumulation is directed by DNA sequences unfavourable for nucleosome assembly that increase TBP access and pol II recruitment. Stalled pol II then maintains Cp nucleosome depletion. Our data indicate that pTEFb is recruited to Cp by the bromodomain protein Brd4, with polymerase stalling facilitating stable association of pTEFb. The Brd4 inhibitor JQ1 and the pTEFb inhibitors DRB and Flavopiridol significantly reduce Cp, but not LMP1 transcript production indicating that Brd4 and pTEFb are required for Cp transcription. Taken together our data indicate that pol II stalling at Cp promotes transcription of essential immortalizing genes during EBV infection by (i) preventing promoter-proximal nucleosome assembly and ii) necessitating the recruitment of pTEFb thereby maintaining serine 2 CTD phosphorylation at distal regions

Insetos em presépios e as "formigas vestidas" de Jules Martin (1832-1906): uma curiosa manufatura paulistana do final do século XIX

Encontrados no Brasil desde os primórdios da colonização portuguesa, os presépios logo tiveram de adaptar-se à realidade local, circunstância muito propícia ao aparecimento de concepções heterodoxas e ao emprego de elementos exóticos da fauna e flora de cada região. Como registros envolvendo insetos são muito pouco comuns, chama a atenção que fêmeas de saúva, Atta sp. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), tenham sido aproveitadas na composição de presépios no estado de São Paulo. Tendo subsistido pelo menos até a década 1960, os "presépios de formigas" existentes em cidades como Embu das Artes poderiam estar relacionados às "formigas vestidas" criadas por Jules Martin, curiosa manufatura paulistana do último quartel do século XIX.Present in Brazil since the beginning of Portuguese colonization, crèche nativity scenes were soon adapted to local reality, a propitious circumstance for the appearance of heterodox conceptions and the use of exotic elements of the fauna and flora peculiar to each region. As records about insects are very uncommon, it is noteworthy that females of leaf-cutting ants, Atta sp. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), were used to compose crèche nativity scenes in São Paulo State. Having subsisted at least up to the decade of 1960, the "ant crèches" of cities such as Embu das Artes could be related to the then famous "dressed ants" created by Jules Martin, a curious manufacture of the city of São Paulo in the last quarter of the 19th century

Spatial Orientation in Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Finding a given location can be based on a variety of strategies, for example on the estimation of spatial relations between landmarks, called spatial orientation. In galliform birds, spatial orientation has been demonstrated convincingly in very young domestic chicks. We wanted to know whether adult Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) without food deprivation are also able to use spatial orientation. The quails had to learn the relation of a food location with four conspicuous landmarks which were placed in the corners of a square shaped arena. They were trained to find mealworms in three adjacent food cups in a circle of 20 such cups. The rewarded feeders were located during training between the same two landmarks each of which showed a distinct pattern. When the birds had learned the task, all landmarks were displaced clockwise by 90 degrees. When tested in the new situation, all birds redirected their choices with respect to the landmark shift. In subsequent tests, however, the previously correct position was also chosen. According to our results, quails are using conspicuous landmarks as a first choice for orientation. The orientation towards the previously rewarded location, however, indicates that the neuronal representation of space which is used by the birds also includes more fine grain, less conspicuous cues, which are probably also taken into account in uncertain situations. We also presume that the rare orientation towards never rewarded feeders may be due to a foraging strategy instead of being mistakes

A Bipolar Clamp Mechanism for Activation of Jak-Family Protein Tyrosine Kinases

Most cell surface receptors for growth factors and cytokines dimerize in order to mediate signal transduction. For many such receptors, the Janus kinase (Jak) family of non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases are recruited in pairs and juxtaposed by dimerized receptor complexes in order to activate one another by trans-phosphorylation. An alternative mechanism for Jak trans-phosphorylation has been proposed in which the phosphorylated kinase interacts with the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of SH2-B, a unique adaptor protein with the capacity to homo-dimerize. Building on a rule-based kinetic modeling approach that considers the concerted nature and combinatorial complexity of modular protein domain interactions, we examine these mechanisms in detail, focusing on the growth hormone (GH) receptor/Jak2/SH2-Bβ system. The modeling results suggest that, whereas Jak2-(SH2-Bβ)2-Jak2 heterotetramers are scarcely expected to affect Jak2 phosphorylation, SH2-Bβ and dimerized receptors synergistically promote Jak2 trans-activation in the context of intracellular signaling. Analysis of the results revealed a unique mechanism whereby SH2-B and receptor dimers constitute a bipolar ‘clamp’ that stabilizes the active configuration of two Jak2 molecules in the same macro-complex

Stochastic Dynamical Structure (SDS) of Nonequilibrium Processes in the Absence of Detailed Balance. IV: Emerging of Stochastic Dynamical Equalities and Steady State Thermodynamics from Darwinian Dynamics

This is the fourth paper, the last one, on solution to the problem of absence of detailed balance in nonequilibrium processes. It is an approach based on another known universal dynamics: The evolutionary dynamics first conceived by Darwin and Wallace, referring to as Darwinian dynamics in the present paper, has been found to be universally valid in biology; The statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, while enormously successful in physics, have been in an awkward situation of wanting a consistent dynamical understanding; Here we present from a formal point of view an exploration of the connection between thermodynamics and Darwinian dynamics and a few related topics. We first show that the stochasticity in Darwinian dynamics implies the existence temperature, hence the canonical distribution of Boltzmann-Gibbs type. In term of relative entropy the Second Law of thermodynamics is dynamically demonstrated without detailed balance condition, and is valid regardless of size of the system. In particular, the dynamical component responsible for breaking detailed balance condition does not contribute to the change of the relative entropy. Two types of stochastic dynamical equalities of current interest are explicitly discussed in the present approach: One is based on Feynman-Kac formula and another is a generalization of Einstein relation. Both are directly accessible to experimental tests. Our demonstration indicates that Darwinian dynamics represents logically a simple and straightforward starting point for statistical mechanics and thermodynamics and is complementary to and consistent with conservative dynamics that dominates the physical sciences. Present exploration suggests the existence of a unified stochastic dynamical framework both near and far from equilibrium.Comment: latex, 49 page