Single particle characterization using the soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS)

Understanding the impact of atmospheric black carbon (BC) containing particles on human health and radiative forcing requires knowledge of the mixing state of BC, including the characteristics of the materials with which it is internally mixed. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time the capabilities of the Aerodyne Soot-Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer equipped with a light scattering module (LS-SP-AMS) to examine the mixing state of refractory BC (rBC) and other aerosol components in an urban environment (downtown Toronto). K-means clustering analysis was used to classify single particle mass spectra into chemically distinct groups. One resultant cluster is dominated by rBC mass spectral signals (C+1 to C+5) while the organic signals fall into a few major clusters, identified as hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA), and cooking emission organic aerosol (COA). A nearly external mixing is observed with small BC particles only thinly coated by HOA ( 28% by mass on average), while over 90% of the HOA-rich particles did not contain detectable amounts of rBC. Most of the particles classified into other inorganic and organic clusters were not significantly associated with BC. The single particle results also suggest that HOA and COA emitted from anthropogenic sources were likely major contributors to organic-rich particles with low to mid-range aerodynamic diameter (dva). The similar temporal profiles and mass spectral features of the organic clusters and the factors from a positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of the ensemble aerosol dataset validate the conventional interpretation of the PMF results

Teacher Retention Policy Coherence: An Analysis of Policies and Practices Across Federal, State, and Division Levels

As part of a larger MERC study, this report provides an overview of federal, state, and regional policies and practices relevant to teacher retention. Using key informant interviews and document analysis, the report addresses the following research questions: What teacher retention policies exist at the federal, state, and local levels? How are these policies structured at the state level and local levels? How do teacher retention policies vary across MERC divisions? Following the findings, the report presents recommendations for policy and practice

Phased Array Feed Calibration, Beamforming and Imaging

Phased array feeds (PAFs) for reflector antennas offer the potential for increased reflector field of view and faster survey speeds. To address some of the development challenges that remain for scientifically useful PAFs, including calibration and beamforming algorithms, sensitivity optimization, and demonstration of wide field of view imaging, we report experimental results from a 19 element room temperature L-band PAF mounted on the Green Bank 20-Meter Telescope. Formed beams achieved an aperture efficiency of 69% and system noise temperature of 66 K. Radio camera images of several sky regions are presented. We investigate the noise performance and sensitivity of the system as a function of elevation angle with statistically optimal beamforming and demonstrate cancelation of radio frequency interference sources with adaptive spatial filtering.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figure

Grasping rules and semiclassical limit of the geometry in the Ponzano-Regge model

We show how the expectation values of geometrical quantities in 3d quantum gravity can be explicitly computed using grasping rules. We compute the volume of a labelled tetrahedron using the triple grasping. We show that the large spin expansion of this value is dominated by the classical expression, and we study the next to leading order quantum corrections.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figur

Embryogenic cell suspensions for high-capacity genetic transformation and regeneration of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

Background Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a North American prairie grassland species, is a potential lignocellulosic biofuel feedstock owing to its wide adaptability and biomass production. Production and genetic manipulation of switchgrass should be useful to improve its biomass composition and production for bioenergy applications. The goal of this project was to develop a high-throughput stable switchgrass transformation method using Agrobacterium tumefaciens with subsequent plant regeneration. Results Regenerable embryogenic cell suspension cultures were established from friable type II callus-derived inflorescences using two genotypes selected from the synthetic switchgrass variety ‘Performer’ tissue culture lines 32 and 605. The cell suspension cultures were composed of a heterogeneous fine mixture culture of single cells and aggregates. Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain GV3101 was optimum to transfer into cells the pANIC-10A vector with a hygromycin-selectable marker gene and a pporRFP orange fluorescent protein marker gene at an 85% transformation efficiency. Liquid cultures gave rise to embryogenic callus and then shoots, of which up to 94% formed roots. The resulting transgenic plants were phenotypically indistinguishable from the non-transgenic parent lines. Conclusion The new cell suspension-based protocol enables high-throughput Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and regeneration of switchgrass in which plants are recovered within 6–7 months from culture establishment

Characterization of transport regimes and the polar dome during Arctic spring and summer using in situ aircraft measurements

Abstract. The springtime composition of the Arctic lower troposphere is to a large extent controlled by the transport of midlatitude air masses into the Arctic. In contrast, pre- cipitation and natural sources play the most important role during summer. Within the Arctic region sloping isentropes create a barrier to horizontal transport, known as the polar dome. The polar dome varies in space and time and exhibits a strong influence on the transport of air masses from mid- latitudes, enhancing transport during winter and inhibiting transport during summer. We analyzed aircraft-based trace gas measurements in the Arctic from two NETCARE airborne field campaigns (July 2014 and April 2015) with the Alfred Wegener Insti- tute Polar 6 aircraft, covering an area from Spitsbergen to Alaska (134 to 17◦ W and 68 to 83◦ N). Using these data we characterized the transport regimes of midlatitude air masses traveling to the high Arctic based on CO and CO2 mea- surements as well as kinematic 10 d back trajectories. We found that dynamical isolation of the high Arctic lower tro- posphere leads to gradients of chemical tracers reflecting dif- ferent local chemical lifetimes, sources, and sinks. In par- ticular, gradients of CO and CO2 allowed for a trace-gas- based definition of the polar dome boundary for the two mea- surement periods, which showed pronounced seasonal differences. Rather than a sharp boundary, we derived a transi- tion zone from both campaigns. In July 2014 the polar dome boundary was at 73.5◦ N latitude and 299–303.5 K potential temperature. During April 2015 the polar dome boundary was on average located at 66–68.5◦ N and 283.5–287.5 K. Tracer–tracer scatter plots confirm different air mass prop- erties inside and outside the polar dome in both spring and summer. Further, we explored the processes controlling the recent transport history of air masses within and outside the polar dome. Air masses within the springtime polar dome mainly experienced diabatic cooling while traveling over cold sur- faces. In contrast, air masses in the summertime polar dome were diabatically heated due to insolation. During both sea- sons air masses outside the polar dome slowly descended into the Arctic lower troposphere from above through ra- diative cooling. Ascent to the middle and upper troposphere mainly took place outside the Arctic, followed by a north- ward motion. Air masses inside and outside the polar dome were also distinguished by different chemical compositions of both trace gases and aerosol particles. We found that the fraction of amine-containing particles, originating from Arc- tic marine biogenic sources, is enhanced inside the polar dome. In contrast, concentrations of refractory black carbon are highest outside the polar dome, indicating remote pollu- tion sources. Synoptic-scale weather systems frequently disturb the transport barrier formed by the polar dome and foster ex- change between air masses from midlatitudes and polar re- gions. During the second phase of the NETCARE 2014 measurements a pronounced low-pressure system south of Resolute Bay brought inflow from southern latitudes, which pushed the polar dome northward and significantly affected trace gas mixing ratios in the measurement region. Mean CO mixing ratios increased from 77.9 ± 2.5 to 84.9 ± 4.7 ppbv between these two regimes. At the same time CO2 mix- ing ratios significantly decreased from 398.16 ± 1.01 to 393.81 ± 2.25 ppmv. Our results demonstrate the utility of applying a tracer-based diagnostic to determine the polar dome boundary for interpreting observations of atmospheric composition in the context of transport history

Biosynthesis of pleuromutilin congeners using an Aspergillus oryzae expression platform

Pleuromutilin is an antibiotic diterpenoid made by Clitopilus passeckerianus and related fungi, and it is the progenitor of a growing class of semi-synthetic antibiotics used in veterinary and human medicine. To harness the biotechnological potential of this natural product class, a full understanding of its biosynthetic pathway is essential. Previously, a linear pathway for pleuromutilin biosynthesis was established. Here we report two shunt pathways involving Pl-sdr and Pl-atf that were identified through the rational heterologous expression of combinations of pleuromutilin biosynthetic genes in Aspergillus oryzae. Three novel pleuromutilin congeners were isolated, and their antimicrobial activity was investigated, alongside that of an additional derivative produced through a semi-synthetic approach. It was observed that the absence of various functional groups – 3 ketone, 11 hydroxyl group or 21 ketone – from the pleuromutilin framework affected the antibacterial activity of pleuromutilin congeners. This study expands our knowledge on the biosynthesis of pleuromutilin and provides avenues for the development of novel pleuromutilin analogues by combining synthetic biology and synthetic chemistry