Microbial carbonate build-ups at methane seeps near the upper boundary of the gas-hydrate stability zone in the Black Sea: results of EU project CRIMEA

Extensive dredging carried out in May-June 2004 in the deeper parts of the Dnepr paleo-delta area (NW Black Sea) yielded for the first time chimney-shaped carbonate microbial build-ups, which occur at methane seeps close to upper boundary of the gas-hydrate stability zone (~ 700 m). Carbonate samples taken with a benthic trawl represent fragments of the uppermost, middle and lowest parts of the build-up, which are similar to those found previously at the shallower and deeper methane seeps in the Black Sea. At the same time, the holed, plate-like carbonates in the lowest parts of the build-up provide first indications that gas channels are formed during the earliest growth phase of these microbial structures. Stable carbon isotope analyses of the carbonates from the uppermost fragments gave the d13C values ranging from -33.7 to -36.6 pro mil, while the d13C values of the lowermost fragments are significantly lighter, varying between -42.0 and -44.6 pro mil. Both these types of carbonates indicate that a major portion of the carbonate carbon originates from bacterial oxidation of the seeping methane. Oxygen isotopic values also show differences between the more irregular and porous samples from the uppermost part of the build-up, which are composed of a mixture of aragonite and Mg-calcite (d18O = 0.7 to 0.94 pro mil, and the only Mg-calcite cemented thin slabs of lowermost carbonates (d18O = 1.35 to 1.57 pro mil. The difference in d13C/d18O ratio found in the upper and lower parts of the build-up may reflect the changing of the water temperature and salinity during the chimney growth

Exploring the impact of 4IR on skills and personal qualities for future accountants: a proposed conceptual framework for university accounting education

The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) presents many opportunities and challenges in a digitised world of work. This paper draws on a systematic literature review of recent research published by accounting professional bodies outlining the impact of digital technologies on the accounting profession. By taking advantage of this work this study critically assesses the types of skills and personal qualities that graduates as future accountants will need and explores the implications for accounting education and university curricula. The analysis reveals that necessary skills for future accountants may be summarised into four categories: a) Ethical skills; b) Digital skills; c) Business skills; and d) Soft skills. The analysis reveals ‘adaptability’ and ‘lifelong approach to CPD’ as the two essential personal qualities for future accountants. The practical implications for university accounting education are summarised in a proposed conceptual framework. The proposed conceptual framework: 1) acts as a roadmap for universities to align their accounting curricula with the developments in professional body syllabi; 2) helps university accounting education teachers to update, enrich, and refocus their teaching and learning approach to the requirements of the 4IR; and 3) promotes the coordination and rationalisation of the skills and personal qualities currently pursued by employability agendas at university, course, and module levels

Regulation of immune cell function and differentiation by the NKG2D receptor

NKG2D is one of the most intensively studied immune receptors of the past decade. Its unique binding and signaling properties, expression pattern, and functions have been attracting much interest within the field due to its potent antiviral and anti-tumor properties. As an activating receptor, NKG2D is expressed on cells of the innate and adaptive immune system. It recognizes stress-induced MHC class I-like ligands and acts as a molecular sensor for cells jeopardized by viral infections or DNA damage. Although the activating functions of NKG2D have been well documented, recent analysis of NKG2D-deficient mice suggests that this receptor may have a regulatory role during NK cell development. In this review, we will revisit known aspects of NKG2D functions and present new insights in the proposed influence of this molecule on hematopoietic differentiation

7th Drug hypersensitivity meeting: part two

No abstract availabl

Search for the lepton flavour violating decay τ − → μ − μ + μ −

A search for the lepton flavour violating decay $\tau^-\to \mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $1.0\mathrm{\,fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $7\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$ and $2.0\mathrm{\,fb}^{-1}$ at $8\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$. No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at $90\%$ confidence level on the branching fraction, $\mathcal{B}(\tau^-\to \mu^-\mu^+\mu^-) < 4.6 \times 10^{-8}$.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, published as JHEP 02 (2015) 12

Search for decays of neutral beauty mesons into four muons

A search for the non-resonant decays $B^0_s \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}\mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ and $B^0 \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}\mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ is presented. The measurement is performed using the full Run 1 data set collected in proton-proton collisions by the LHCb experiment at the LHC. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of $1$ and $2~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8~\mathrm{TeV}$, respectively. No signal is observed and upper limits on the branching fractions of the non-resonant decays at $95\%$ confidence level are determined to be \mathcal{B}(B^0_s \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}\mu^{+}\mu^{-}) & < 2.5 \times 10^{-9} \mathcal{B}(B^0 \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}\mu^{+}\mu^{-}) & < 6.9 \times 10^{-10}.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2016-043.htm