Resonance energy transfer and interface forces:Quantum electrodynamical analysis

On the propagation of radiation with a suitably resonant optical frequency through a dense chromophoric system - a doped solid for example - photon capture is commonly followed by one or more near-field transfers of the resulting optical excitation, usually to closely neighboring chromophores. Since the process results in a change to the local electronic environment, it can be expected to also shift the electromagnetic interactions between the participant optical units, producing modified inter-particle forces. Significantly, it emerges that energy transfer, when it occurs between chromophores or particles with electronically dissimilar properties (such as differing polarizabilities), engenders hitherto unreported changes in the local potential energy landscape. This paper reports the results of quantum electrodynamical calculations which cast a new light on the physical link between these features. The theory also elucidates a significant relationship with Casimir-Polder forces; it transpires that there are clear and fundamental links between dispersion forces and resonance energy transfer. Based on the results, we highlight specific effects that can be anticipated when laser light propagates through an interface between two absorbing media. Both steady-state and pulsed excitation conditions are modeled and the consequences for interface forces are subjected to detailed analysis

Ultra High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy of Matrix Mineral Grains in CM Chondrites: Preaccretionary or Parent Body Aqueous Processing?

CM chondrites are highly hydrated meteorites associated with a parent asteroid that has experienced significant aqueous processing. The meteoritic evidence indicates that these non-differentiated asteroids are formed by fine-grained minerals embedded in a nanometric matrix that preserves chemical clues of the forming environment. So far there are two hypothesis to explain the presence of hydrated minerals in the content of CM chondrites: one is based on textural features in chondrule-rim boundaries [1-3], and the other ‘preaccretionary’ hypothesis proposes the incorporation of hydrated phases from the protoplanetary disk [4-6]. The highly porous structure of these chondrites is inherited from the diverse materials present in the protoplanetary disk environment. These bodies were presumably formed by low relative velocity encounters that led to the accretion of silicate-rich chondrules, refractory Ca- and Al-rich inclusions (CAIs), metal grains, and the fine-grained materials forming the matrix. Owing to the presence of significant terrestrial water in meteorite finds [7], here we have focused on two CM chondrite falls with minimal terrestrial processing: Murchison and Cold Bokkeveld. Anhydrous carbonaceous chondrite matrices are usually represented by highly chemically unequilibrated samples that contain distinguishable stellar grains. Other chondrites have experienced hydration and chemical homogeneization that reveal parent body processes. We have studied CM chondrites because these meteorites have experienced variable hydration levels [8-10]. It is important to study the textural effects of aqueous alteration in the main minerals to decipher which steps and environments promote bulk chemistry changes, and create the distinctive alteration products. It is thought that aqueous alteration has particularly played a key role in modifying primordial bulk chemistry, and homogenizing the isotopic content of fine-grained matrix materials [7, 11, 12]. Fortunately, the mineralogy produced by parent-body and terrestrial aqueous alteration processes is distinctive [5, 11]

Electron bifurcation mechanism and homoacetogenesis explain products yields in mixed culture anaerobic fermentations

Anaerobic fermentation of organic wastes using microbial mixed cultures is a promising avenue to treat residues and obtain added-value products. However, the process has some important limitations that prevented so far any industrial application. One of the main issues is that we are not able to predict reliably the product spectrum (i.e. the stoichiometry of the process) because the complex microbial community behaviour is not completely understood. To address this issue, in this work we propose a new metabolic network of glucose fermentation by microbial mixed cultures that incorporates electron bifurcation and homoacetogenesis. Our methodology uses NADH balances to analyse published experimental data and evaluate the new stoichiometry proposed. Our results prove for the first time the inclusion of electron bifurcation in the metabolic network as a better description of the experimental results. Homoacetogenesis has been used to explain the discrepancies between observed and theoretically predicted yields of gaseous H2 and CO2 and it appears as the best solution among other options studied. Overall, this work supports the consideration of electron bifurcation as an important biochemical mechanism in microbial mixed cultures fermentations and underlines the importance of considering homoacetogenesis when analysing anaerobic fermentations

Extending FuzAtAnalyzer to approach the management of classical negation

FuzAtAnalyzer was conceived as a Java framework which goes beyond of classical tools in formal concept analysis. Specifically, it successfully incorporated the management of uncertainty by means of methods and tools from the area of fuzzy formal concept analysis. One limitation of formal concept analysis is that they only consider the presence of properties in the objects (positive attributes) as much in fuzzy as in crisp case. In this paper, a first step in the incorporation of negations is presented. Our aim is the treatment of the absence of properties (negative attributes). Specifically, we extend the framework by including specific tools for mining knowledge combining crisp positive and negative attributes.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Ancient Martian Floods in a Plausible Variable Climatic Environment as Revealed from the Sequential Growth of Allan Hills 84001 Carbonate Globules

No abstract available

La educación en valores como estrategia de desarrollo y consolidación de la persona moral

Se plantea la centralidad de los valores a través de una serie de reflexiones sociales y pedagógicas que pretenden conformar las líneas de actuación asociadas al afianzamiento y mejora de la personalidad moral. Resulta urgente procurar un desarrollo moral de la persona que se oriente en dos direcciones complementarias: una, hacia el logro de una felicidad interior no egoísta y otra, hacia la consecución de una felicidad fraternal y hospitalaria

The discovery of CRISPR in archaea and bacteria

CRISPR-Cas are self-/nonself-discriminating systems found in prokaryotic cells. They represent a remarkable example of molecular memory that is hereditarily transmitted. Their discovery can be considered as one of the first fruits of the systematic exploration of prokaryotic genomes. Although this genomic feature was serendipitously discovered in molecular biology studies, it was the availability of multiple complete genomes that shed light about their role as a genetic immune system. Here we tell the story of how this discovery originated and was slowly and painstakingly advanced to the point of understating the biological role of what initially was just an odd genomic feature.FJMM is funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (BIO2014-53029P) and the European Commission/Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (291815 Era-Net ANIHWA). FR-V is funded by projects MEDIMAX BFPU2013-48007-P from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, MaCuMBA Project 311975 of the European Commission FP7 and PROMETEO II/2014/012 project AQUAMET from the Generalitat Valenciana