491 research outputs found
Metabolism of alcaligenes denitrificans in biofilm vs planktonic cells
Aims: To compare the effect of phosphorous concentration (200 mg P 1-1 and 20 mg P 1-1) on
the denitrifying efficiency of Alcaligenes denitrificans when in the form of planktonic cells or in the form of a biofilm, and to select the most adequate C/N ratio.
Methods and Results: Two types of assays were carried out: with planktonic cells and with
cells in biofilm form. Anoxic bottles with the appropriate C/N and phosphorous concentration
were incubated at 30°C and submitted to orbital shaking at 150 rev min-1. The specific activity
of cells in biofilm form, in terms of substrate consumption, was significantly higher than cells in
planktonic form. With regard to the effect of increasing phosphorous concentration, an increase
in specific activity was also only evident when the cells were in biofilm form.
Conclusions: The two forms showed different performances and phosphorous concentration
only markedly affected the biofilm form.
Significance and Impact of the Study: The importance of the C/N/P ratio in the
denitrification process is demonstrated. As there was no report in the literature about the
stoichiometric relationship of heterotrophic denitrification with citrate, its stoichiometry,
including the requirement for cell synthesis, was determined.Instituto de Biotecnologia e QuĂmica Fina (IBQF).
PRAXIS XXI
Theoretical predictions for the direct detection of neutralino dark matter in the NMSSM
We analyse the direct detection of neutralino dark matter in the framework of
the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. After performing a detailed
analysis of the parameter space, taking into account all the available
constraints from LEPII, we compute the neutralino-nucleon cross section, and
compare the results with the sensitivity of detectors. We find that sizable
values for the detection cross section, within the reach of dark matter
detectors, are attainable in this framework. For example, neutralino-proton
cross sections compatible with the sensitivity of present experiments can be
obtained due to the exchange of very light Higgses with m_{h_1^0}\lsim 70
GeV. Such Higgses have a significant singlet composition, thus escaping
detection and being in agreement with accelerator data. The lightest neutralino
in these cases exhibits a large singlino-Higgsino composition, and a mass in
the range 50\lsim m_{\tilde\chi_1^0}\lsim 100 GeV.Comment: Final version to appear in JHEP. References added. LaTeX, 53 pages,
23 figure
Search for supersymmetry with a dominant R-parity violating LQDbar couplings in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130GeV to 172 GeV
A search for pair-production of supersymmetric particles under the assumption
that R-parity is violated via a dominant LQDbar coupling has been performed
using the data collected by ALEPH at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV.
The observed candidate events in the data are in agreement with the Standard
Model expectation. This result is translated into lower limits on the masses of
charginos, neutralinos, sleptons, sneutrinos and squarks. For instance, for
m_0=500 GeV/c^2 and tan(beta)=sqrt(2) charginos with masses smaller than 81
GeV/c^2 and neutralinos with masses smaller than 29 GeV/c^2 are excluded at the
95% confidence level for any generation structure of the LQDbar coupling.Comment: 32 pages, 30 figure
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