Odor-driven attractor dynamics in the antennal lobe allow for simple and rapid olfactory pattern classification

The antennal lobe plays a central role for odor processing in insects, as demonstrated by electrophysiological and imaging experiments. Here we analyze the detailed temporal evolution of glomerular activity patterns in the antennal lobe of honeybees. We represent these spatiotemporal patterns as trajectories in a multidimensional space, where each dimension accounts for the activity of one glomerulus. Our data show that the trajectories reach odor-specific steady states (attractors) that correspond to stable activity patterns at about 1 second after stimulus onset. As revealed by a detailed mathematical investigation, the trajectories are characterized by different phases: response onset, steady-state plateau, response offset, and periods of spontaneous activity. An analysis based on support-vector machines quantifies the odor specificity of the attractors and the optimal time needed for odor discrimination. The results support the hypothesis of a spatial olfactory code in the antennal lobe and suggest a perceptron-like readout mechanism that is biologically implemented in a downstream network, such as the mushroom body

Puckering Free Energy of Pyranoses: an NMR and Metadynamics--Umbrella Sampling Investigation

We present the results of a combined metadynamics--umbrella sampling investigation of the puckered conformers of pyranoses described using the gromos 45a4 force field. The free energy landscape of Cremer--Pople puckering coordinates has been calculated for the whole series of alpha and beta aldohexoses, showing that the current force field parameters fail in reproducing proper puckering free energy differences between chair conformers. We suggest a modification to the gromos 45a4 parameter set which improves considerably the agreement of simulation results with theoretical and experimental estimates of puckering free energies. We also report on the experimental measurement of altrose conformers populations by means of NMR spectroscopy, which show good agreement with the predictions of current theoretical models

Depositional environment and source rock potential of Cenomanian and Turonian sedimentary rocks of the Tarfaya Basin, Southwest Morocco

Detailed organic and inorganic geochemical analyses were used to assess the depositional environment and source rock potential of the Cenomanian and Turonian oil shale deposits in the Tarfaya Basin. This study is based on core samples from the Tarfaya Sondage-4 well that penetrated over 300m of Mid Cretaceous organic matter-rich deposits. A total of 242 samples were analyzed for total organic and inorganic carbon and selected samples for total sulfur and major elements as well as for organic petrology, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, Curie-Point-pyrolysis-gaschromatography-Mass-Spectrometry and molecular geochemistry of solvent extracts. Based on major elements the lower Cenomanian differs from the other intervals by higher silicate and lower carbonate contents. Moreover, the molecular geochemistry suggests anoxic bottom marine water conditions during the Cenomanian-Turonian Boundary Event (CTBE; Oceanic Anoxic Event 2: OAE2). As a proxy for the Sorg/Corg ratio, the ratio total thiophenes/total benzenes compounds was calculated from pyrolysate compositions. The results suggest that Sorg/ Corg is low in the lower Cenomanian, moderate in the upper Cenomanian, very high in the CTBE (CenomanianTuronian Boundary Event) and high in the Turonian samples. Rock-Eval data reveal that the lower Cenomanian is a moderately organic carbon-rich source rock with good potential to generate oil and gas upon thermal maturation. On the other hand, the samples from the upper Cenomanian to Turonian exhibit higher organic carbon content and can be classified as oil-prone source rocks. Based on Tmax data, all rocks are thermally immature. The microscopic investigations suggest dominance of submicroscopic organic matter in all samples and different contents of bituminite and alginite. The lower Cenomanian samples have little visible organic matter and no bituminite. The upper Cenomanian and CTBE samples are poor in bituminite and have rare visible organic matter, whereas the Turonian samples change from bituminite-fair to bituminite-rich and to higher percentages of visible organic matter towards the younger interval. These differences in the organic matter type are attributed to i) early diagenetic kerogen sulfurization and ii) the upwelling depositional environment. Moreover, kerogen sulfurization was controlled by the relationship between carbonate, iron and sulfur as well as the organic matter. Thus, the organic carbon-rich deposits can be grouped into: i) low Sorg and moderately organic matter-rich oil prone source rocks, ii) moderate Sorg and organic-carbon-rich oil prone source rocks, iii) high Sorg and organic carbon-rich oil prone source rocks and iv) very high Sorg and organic carbon-rich oil prone source rocks, the latter representing the CTBE interval. Types 2 to 4 will generate sulfur-rich petroleum upon maturation or artificial oil shale retorting. This integrated organic and inorganic approach sheds light on the various processes leading to the development of the world-class oil shales deposited through the Cenomanian to Turonian. In addition, this study shows how the changes in the depositional environment might have controlled kerogen sulfurization and organic matter preservation and structure. This detailed approach provides a better understanding on source rock development during the Cenomanian to Turonian in a global context, as many of the geochemical features were identified worldwide for deposits related to OAE2

Depositional environment and source rock potential of Cenomanian and Turonian sedimentary rocks of the Tarfaya Basin, Southwest Morocco

Detailed organic and inorganic geochemical analyses were used to assess the depositional environment and source rock potential of the Upper Albian to Turonian oil shale deposits in the Tarfaya Basin. This study is based on core samples from the Tarfaya Sondage-4 well that penetrated over 300m of Mid Cretaceous organic matter-rich deposits. A total of 242 samples were analyzed for total organic and inorganic carbon and selected samples for total sulfur and major elements as well as for organic petrology, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, Curie-Point-pyrolysis-gas-chromatography-Mass-Spectrometry and molecular geochemistry of solvent extracts. Based on major elements the Albian and Lower Cenomanian differ from the other intervals by higher silicate and lower carbonate contents. Moreover, the molecular geochemistry suggests marine anoxic bottom water conditions during the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary event (CTBE; oceanic anoxic event 2: OAE2). As a proxy for the Sorg/Corg ratio, the ratio total thiophenes/total benzenes compounds was calculated from pyrolysate compositions. The results suggest that Sorg/Corg is low in the Albian, moderate in the Cenomanian, very high in the CTBE and high in the Turonian samples.  Rock-Eval data reveal that the Albian is a moderately organic carbon-rich source rock with good potential to generate oil and gas upon thermal maturation. On the other hand, the samples from the Cenomanian to the Turonian exhibit higher organic carbon contents and can be classified as oil-prone source rocks. Based on Tmax data, all rocks are thermally immature.The microscopic investigations suggest dominance of submicroscopic organic matter in all samples and different contents of bituminite and alginite. The Albian samples have little visible organic matter and no bituminite. The Cenomanian and CTBE samples are poor in bituminite and have rare visible organic matter, whereas the Turonian samples change from bituminite-fair to bituminite-rich and to higher percentages of visible organic matter towards the younger interval. These differences in the organic matter type are attributed to 1) early diagenetic kerogen sulfurization and 2) the upwelling depositional environment. Moreover, kerogen sulfurization was controlled by the relationship between carbonate, iron and sulfur as well as the organic matter. Thus, the organic carbon-rich deposits can be grouped into: 1) low Sorg and moderately organic matter-rich oil prone source rocks, 2) moderate Sorg and organic-carbon-rich oil prone source rocks, 3) high Sorg and organic carbon-rich oil prone source rocks and 4) very high Sorg and organic carbon-rich oil prone source rocks, the latter being represented by the CTBE. Types 2 to 4 will generate sulfur-rich petroleum upon maturation or artificial oil shale retorting

In situ measurements of tropospheric volcanic plumes in Ecuador and Colombia during TC

A NASA DC‐8 research aircraft penetrated tropospheric gas and aerosol plumes sourced from active volcanoes in Ecuador and Colombia during the Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4 ) mission in July–August 2007. The likely source volcanoes were Tungurahua (Ecuador) and Nevado del Huila (Colombia). The TC4 data provide rare insight into the chemistry of volcanic plumes in the tropical troposphere and permit a comparison of SO2 column amounts measured by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite with in situ SO2 measurements. Elevated concentrations of SO2, sulfate aerosol, and particles were measured by DC‐8 instrumentation in volcanic outflow at altitudes of 3–6 km. Estimated plume ages range from ∼2 h at Huila to ∼22–48 h downwind of Ecuador. The plumes contained sulfate‐rich accumulation mode particles that were variably neutralized and often highly acidic. A significant fraction of supermicron volcanic ash was evident in one plume. In‐plume O3 concentrations were ∼70%–80% of ambient levels downwind of Ecuador, but data are insufficient to ascribe this to O3 depletion via reactive halogen chemistry. The TC4 data record rapid cloud processing of the Huila volcanic plume involving aqueous‐phase oxidation of SO2 by H2O2, but overall the data suggest average in‐plume SO2 to sulfate conversion rates of ∼1%–2% h−1 . SO2 column amounts measured in the Tungurahua plume (∼0.1–0.2 Dobson units) are commensurate with average SO2 columns retrieved from OMI measurements in the volcanic outflow region in July 2007. The TC4 data set provides further evidence of the impact of volcanic emissions on tropospheric acidity and oxidizing capacit

In situ measurements of tropospheric volcanic plumes in Ecuador and Colombia during TC^4

A NASA DC-8 research aircraft penetrated tropospheric gas and aerosol plumes sourced from active volcanoes in Ecuador and Colombia during the Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC^4) mission in July–August 2007. The likely source volcanoes were Tungurahua (Ecuador) and Nevado del Huila (Colombia). The TC^4 data provide rare insight into the chemistry of volcanic plumes in the tropical troposphere and permit a comparison of SO_2 column amounts measured by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite with in situ SO_2 measurements. Elevated concentrations of SO_2, sulfate aerosol, and particles were measured by DC-8 instrumentation in volcanic outflow at altitudes of 3–6 km. Estimated plume ages range from ~2 h at Huila to ~22–48 h downwind of Ecuador. The plumes contained sulfate-rich accumulation mode particles that were variably neutralized and often highly acidic. A significant fraction of supermicron volcanic ash was evident in one plume. In-plume O_3 concentrations were ~70%–80% of ambient levels downwind of Ecuador, but data are insufficient to ascribe this to O_3 depletion via reactive halogen chemistry. The TC^4 data record rapid cloud processing of the Huila volcanic plume involving aqueous-phase oxidation of SO_2 by H_2O_2, but overall the data suggest average in-plume SO_2 to sulfate conversion rates of ~1%–2% h^(−1). SO_2 column amounts measured in the Tungurahua plume (~0.1–0.2 Dobson units) are commensurate with average SO_2 columns retrieved from OMI measurements in the volcanic outflow region in July 2007. The TC^4 data set provides further evidence of the impact of volcanic emissions on tropospheric acidity and oxidizing capacity

A 2-component μ\mu-Hunter-Saxton equation

In this paper, we propose a two-component generalization of the generalized Hunter-Saxton equation obtained in \cite{BLG2008}. We will show that this equation is a bihamiltonian Euler equation, and also can be viewed as a bi-variational equation

Dibromidobis(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-κN 2)cobalt(II)

In the mononuclear title complex, [CoBr2(C5H8N2)2], the CoII atom is coordinated by two N atoms from two monodentate 3,5-dimethyl­pyrazole ligands and two Br atoms in a highly distorted tetra­hedral geometry. In the crystal, the complex mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds into chains along [101]. An intra­molecular N—H⋯Br hydrogen bond is also present

Low heritability in pharmacokinetics of talinolol: a pharmacogenetic twin study on the heritability of the pharmacokinetics of talinolol, a putative probe drug of MDR1 and other membrane transporters

Abstract Background Efflux transporters like MDR1 and MRP2 may modulate the pharmacokinetics of about 50 % of all drugs. It is currently unknown how much of the variation in the activities of important drug membrane transporters like MDR1 or MRP2 is determined by genetic or by environmental factors. In this study we assessed the heritability of the pharmacokinetics of talinolol as a putative probe drug for MDR1 and possibly other membrane transporters. Methods Talinolol pharmacokinetics were investigated in a repeated dose study in 42 monozygotic and 13 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs. The oral clearance of talinolol was predefined as the primary parameter. Heritability was analyzed by structural equation modeling and by within- and between-subject variance and talinolol clearance was correlated with polymorphisms in MDR1, MRP2, BCRP, MDR5, OATP1B1, and OCT1. Results Talinolol clearance varied approximately ninefold in the studied sample of healthy volunteers. The correlation of clearances between siblings was not significantly different for the monozygotic and dizygotic pairs. All data analyses consistently showed that variation of talinolol pharmacokinetics was mainly determined by environmental effects. Structural equation modeling attributed 53.5 % of the variation of oral clearance to common environmental effects influencing both siblings to the same extent and 46.5 % to unique environmental effects randomly affecting individual subjects. Talinolol pharmacokinetics were significantly dependent on sex, body mass index, total protein consumption, and vegetable consumption. Conclusions The twin study revealed that environmental factors explained much more of the variation in pharmacokinetics of talinolol than genetic factors. Trial registration European clinical trials database number: EUDRA-CT 2008-006223-31. Registered 26 September 2008. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01845194