1,393 research outputs found
Phosphate limitation triggers the dissolution of precipitated iron by the marine bacterium Pseudovibrio sp. FO-BEG1
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for all living organisms. In bacteria, the preferential phosphorus source is phosphate, which is often a limiting macronutrient in many areas of the ocean. The geochemical cycle of phosphorus is strongly interconnected with the cycles of other elements and especially iron, because phosphate tends to adsorb onto iron minerals, such as iron oxide formed in oxic marine environments. Although the response to either iron or phosphate limitation has been investigated in several bacterial species, the metabolic interplay between these two nutrients has rarely been considered. In this study we evaluated the impact of phosphate limitation on the iron metabolism of the marine bacterium Pseudovibrio sp. FO-BEG1. We observed that phosphate limitation led to an initial decrease of soluble iron in the culture up to three times higher than under phosphate surplus conditions. Similarly, a decrease in soluble cobalt was more pronounced under phosphate limitation. These data point toward physiological changes induced by phosphate limitation that affect either the cellular surface and therefore the metal adsorption onto it or the cellular metal uptake. We discovered that under phosphate limitation strain FO-BEG1, as well as selected strains of the Roseobacter clade, secreted iron-chelating molecules. This leads to the hypothesis that these bacteria might release such molecules to dissolve iron minerals, such as iron-oxyhydroxide, in order to access the adsorbed phosphate. As the adsorption of phosphate onto iron minerals can significantly decrease phosphate concentrations in the environment, the observed release of iron-chelators might represent an as yet unrecognized link between the biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus and iron, and it suggests another biological function of iron-chelating molecules in addition to metal-scavenging
Persistence of Quantum Information
There is an increasing interest in the role of macroscopic environments to
our understanding of the basics of quantum theory. The knowledge of the
implications of the quantum theory to other theories, especially to the
statistical mechanics and the domain of validity has captivated scientists from
the beginning of quantum description. In such a context, the presence of an
environment is commonly thought as entanglement, decohering and mixing
properties of quantum system. Generically, an environment is assumed to be a
noisy reservoir or a heat bath. Whereas in common interpretation of statistical
mechanics the heat bath is unspecified, in quantum systems a heat bath can also
provide an indirect interaction between otherwise totally decoupled subsystems
and consequently a means to entangle them \cite{cdkl,dvclp,bfp}. In simple
example for the entanglement between two qubits due to the interaction with a
common heat bath has been explicitly shown in \cite{b}. Whereas in that paper
the bath is described by a collection of harmonic oscillators, it seems to be
more reasonable to specify the bath by stochastic forces represented by
stochastic fields. From a more general point of view we expect the bath should
be better described in a stochastic manner and not by deterministic forces. In
the present paper we consider a two level system (qubits) which are able to
perform flip processes by a coupling to classical stochastic fields. Thus we
bridge the gap between quantum and classical probability theory. This problem
is related to many other questions of quantum optics and quantum electronics
where quantum statistical aspects arising from the intrinsic quantum character
of the system while the possible time-dependence of system parameters may be
interpreted as the influence of classical thermal fluctuations.Comment: 5 page
Decontamination of black peppercorn (Piper nigrum L.) using microwave-generated low pressure air plasma
The preliminary results show that microwave-generated low pressure air plasmas could be a very efficient method for the decontamination of spices since the population of a microorganism (Bacillus subtilis) commonly found in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) was significantly reduced on test substrates in a very short period of time. Based on the experimental results, a laboratory apparatus was developed for the sterilisation of spices
Angular Momentum Evolution in Dark Matter Halos
We have analyzed high resolution N-body simulations of dark matter halos,
focusing specifically on the evolution of angular momentum. We find that not
only is individual particle angular momentum not conserved, but the angular
momentum of radial shells also varies over the age of the Universe by up to
factors of a few. We find that torques from external structure are the most
likely cause for this distribution shift. Since the model of adiabatic
contraction that is often applied to model the effects of galaxy evolution on
the dark-matter density profile in a halo assumes angular momentum
conservation, this variation implies that there is a fundamental limit on the
possible accuracy of the adiabatic contraction model in modeling the response
of DM halos to the growth of galaxies.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The central dark matter content of early-type galaxies: scaling relations and connections with star formation histories
We examine correlations between the masses, sizes, and star formation
histories for a large sample of low-redshift early-type galaxies, using a
simple suite of dynamical and stellar populations models. We confirm an
anti-correlation between size and stellar age, and survey for trends with the
central content of dark matter (DM). An average relation between central DM
density and galaxy size of ~ Reff^-2 provides the first clear
indication of cuspy DM haloes in these galaxies -- akin to standard LCDM haloes
that have undergone adiabatic contraction. The DM density scales with galaxy
mass as expected, deviating from suggestions of a universal halo profile for
dwarf and late-type galaxies. We introduce a new fundamental constraint on
galaxy formation by finding that the central DM fraction decreases with stellar
age. This result is only partially explained by the size-age dependencies, and
the residual trend is in the opposite direction to basic DM halo expectations.
Therefore we suggest that there may be a connection between age and halo
contraction, and that galaxies forming earlier had stronger baryonic feedback
which expanded their haloes, or else lumpier baryonic accretion that avoided
halo contraction. An alternative explanation is a lighter initial mass function
for older stellar populations.Comment: 24 pages, 23 figures. MNRAS, submitted with minor modifications
following referee report
Approaches in Sustainable, Biobased Multilayer Packaging Solutions
The depletion of fossil resources and the growing demand for plastic waste reduction has put industries and academic researchers under pressure to develop increasingly sustainable packaging solutions that are both functional and circularly designed. In this review, we provide an overview of the fundamentals and recent advances in biobased packaging materials, including new materials and techniques for their modification as well as their end-of-life scenarios. We also discuss the composition and modification of biobased films and multilayer structures, with particular attention to readily available drop-in solutions, as well as coating techniques. Moreover, we discuss end-of-life factors, including sorting systems, detection methods, composting options, and recycling and upcycling possibilities. Finally, regulatory aspects are pointed out for each application scenario and end-of-life option. Moreover, we discuss the human factor in terms of consumer perception and acceptance of upcycling
Streptomyces Exploration is Triggered by Fungal Interactions and Volatile Signals
It has long been thought that the life cycle of Streptomyces bacteria encompasses three developmental stages: vegetative hyphae, aerial hyphae and spores. Here, we show interactions between Streptomyces and fungi trigger a previously unobserved mode of Streptomyces development. We term these Streptomyces cells ‘explorers’, for their ability to adopt a non-branching vegetative hyphal conformation and rapidly transverse solid surfaces. Fungi trigger Streptomyces exploratory growth in part by altering the composition of the growth medium, and Streptomyces explorer cells can communicate this exploratory behaviour to other physically separated streptomycetes using an airborne volatile organic compound (VOC). These results reveal that interkingdom interactions can trigger novel developmental behaviours in bacteria, here, causing Streptomyces to deviate from its classically-defined life cycle. Furthermore, this work provides evidence that VOCs can act as long-range communication signals capable of propagating microbial morphological switches
The transition to parenthood following a history of childhood maltreatment: a review of the literature on prospective and new parents' experiences
Background: Becoming a parent is viewed as one of the most important transitions in one’s life. However, a history of childhood maltreatment may affect the adjustment to parenthood. Objective: The objective of this review was to synthesize the current evidence base to further our understanding of prospective and new parents’ experiences in the transition to parenthood (pregnancy to 2 years post-birth), in the context of having a childhood maltreatment history. Method: A scoping review of the literature was conducted using the following online databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycNET, and Published International Literature of Traumatic Stress. Results: The findings were synthesized into a four-component theoretical framework, which included mental health of the parent, physical changes, parental view of the child, and view of the self as a parent. A total of 69 papers, including 181,537 participants (of whom 30,482 mothers and 235 fathers had maltreatment histories), investigated the transition to parenthood. The majority of the studies showed that parents with a maltreatment history may suffer from a range of mental health problems during the transition to parenthood, experience more negative physical changes, and have more negative views of their child (or children). However, they reported both positive and negative experiences regarding their identity as a parent. Conclusions: The findings suggest that maltreatment is a risk factor for a more challenging transition to parenthood. Experiences of fathers with maltreatment histories merit more attention, as do those of parents in low- and middle-income countries. Future directions should include predictors of positive experiences and the development of early interventions to improve outcomes for this population
Sensitivity to Gravitational Waves from Compact Binary Coalescences Achieved during LIGO's Fifth and Virgo's First Science Run
We summarize the sensitivity achieved by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational
wave detectors for compact binary coalescence (CBC) searches during LIGO's
fifth science run and Virgo's first science run. We present noise spectral
density curves for each of the four detectors that operated during these
science runs which are representative of the typical performance achieved by
the detectors for CBC searches. These spectra are intended for release to the
public as a summary of detector performance for CBC searches during these
science runs.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure
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