Computers from plants we never made. Speculations

We discuss possible designs and prototypes of computing systems that could be based on morphological development of roots, interaction of roots, and analog electrical computation with plants, and plant-derived electronic components. In morphological plant processors data are represented by initial configuration of roots and configurations of sources of attractants and repellents; results of computation are represented by topology of the roots' network. Computation is implemented by the roots following gradients of attractants and repellents, as well as interacting with each other. Problems solvable by plant roots, in principle, include shortest-path, minimum spanning tree, Voronoi diagram, $\alpha$-shapes, convex subdivision of concave polygons. Electrical properties of plants can be modified by loading the plants with functional nanoparticles or coating parts of plants of conductive polymers. Thus, we are in position to make living variable resistors, capacitors, operational amplifiers, multipliers, potentiometers and fixed-function generators. The electrically modified plants can implement summation, integration with respect to time, inversion, multiplication, exponentiation, logarithm, division. Mathematical and engineering problems to be solved can be represented in plant root networks of resistive or reaction elements. Developments in plant-based computing architectures will trigger emergence of a unique community of biologists, electronic engineering and computer scientists working together to produce living electronic devices which future green computers will be made of.Comment: The chapter will be published in "Inspired by Nature. Computing inspired by physics, chemistry and biology. Essays presented to Julian Miller on the occasion of his 60th birthday", Editors: Susan Stepney and Andrew Adamatzky (Springer, 2017

No evidence for cerium dioxide nanoparticle translocation in maize plants

The rapidly increasing production of engineered nanoparticles has raised questions regarding their environmental impact and their mobility to overcome biological important barriers. Nanoparticles were found to cross different mammalian barriers, which is summarized under the term translocation. The present work investigates the uptake and translocation of cerium dioxide nanoparticles into maize plants as one of the major agricultural crops. Nanoparticles were exposed either as aerosol or as suspension. Our study demonstrates that 50 μg of cerium/g of leaves was either adsorbed or incorporated into maize leaves. This amount could not be removed by a washing step and did not depend on closed or open stomata investigated under dark and light exposure conditions. However, no translocation into newly grown leaves was found when cultivating the maize plants after airborne particle exposure. The use of inductively coupled mass spectrometer allowed detection limits of less than 1 ng of cerium/g of leaf. Exposure of plants to well-characterized nanoparticle suspensions in the irrigation water resulted also in no detectable translocation. These findings may indicate that the biological barriers of plants are more resistant against nanoparticle translocation than mammalian barriers

Abyssal peridotite Hf isotopes identify extreme mantle depletion

International audienceThe isotopic composition of radiogenic systems is a powerful tool to investigate Earth's evolution through time. Most of our understanding of the processes that affect the isotopic composition of the oceanic mantle comes from the study of basalts. Far fewer isotope analyses of actual oceanic mantle rocks (i.e. abyssal peridotites) exist, owing to their scarcity and often altered state. Here we present new Hf and Nd isotope analyses of clinopyroxene (cpx) from abyssal peridotites from the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean, the Southwest Indian ridge and the South Atlantic. The Hf and Nd isotope ratios in the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic peridotite cpx mostly overlap those of MORB, whereas coupled depletions in Nd and Hf isotope ratios in the Gakkel Ridge samples (epsilon(Hf) and epsilon(Nd) values of 60.4 and 20.5, respectively) extend the MORB and ocean island basalt (OIB) Hf Nd isotope array to considerably more depleted values. Some samples from the Gakkel Ridge range to extreme Hf isotope values up to epsilon(Hf) of 104, but lack the corresponding depletion in Nd isotopes (epsilon(Nd) of about 8). The Hf, rather than the Nd isotope ratios of the Gakkel Ridge peridotites correlate with major and trace element indices of depletion (e.g. Al(2)O(3) and Yb content, spinel Cr#) and their previously determined Os isotope ratios. Hence the Hf and Os isotope compositions of these samples preserve a record of ancient mantle depletion, whereas their Nd isotope signatures often do not. The example of the Gakkel Ridge peridotites suggests that the Sm/Nd and Nd isotope ratios in abyssal peridotites in general are very susceptible to resetting by melt-rock interaction, and that Nd isotope ratios in abyssal peridotites rarely preserve ancient mantle depletion to a similar extent as the Os and Hf isotope ratios. The oceanic mantle could thus range to more depleted Hf isotope signatures, and is thus isotopically more variable than inferred from oceanic basalts alone. MORB may therefore underestimate the average Hf and Nd isotope composition of the depleted mantle (DM), which may present an, as of yet, unrecognized obstacle for global mass balance models of Earth's differentiation. If the average DM is more depleted than MORB suggest, these models generally overestimate its mass fraction and would permit prolonged timescales for early Earth differentiation (>30 Ma

Determination of Reference Values for NIST SRM 610-617 Glasses Following ISO Guidelines

We present new reference values for the NIST SRM 610-617 glasses following ISO guidelines and the International Association of Geoanalysts' protocol. Uncertainties at the 95% confidence level (CL) have been determined for bulk- and micro-analytical purposes. In contrast to former compilation procedures, this approach delivers data that consider present-day requirements of data quality. New analytical data and the nearly complete data set of the GeoReM database were used for this study. Data quality was checked by the application of the Horwitz function and by a careful investigation of analytical procedures. We have determined quantitatively possible element inhomogeneities using different test portion masses of 1, 0.1 and 0.02μg. Although avoiding the rim region of the glass wafers, we found moderate inhomogeneities of several chalcophile/siderophile elements and gross inhomogeneities of Ni, Se, Pd and Pt at small test portion masses. The extent of inhomogeneity was included in the determination of uncertainties. While the new reference values agree with the NIST certified values with the one exception of Mn in SRM 610, they typically differ by as much as 10% from the Pearce (1997) values in current use. In a few cases (P, S, Cl, Ta, Re) the discrepancies are even higher.33 page(s

Determination of Reference Values for NIST SRM 610-617 Glasses Following ISO Guidelines

We present new reference values for the NIST SRM 610617 glasses following ISO guidelines and the International Association of Geoanalysts protocol. Uncertainties at the 95% confidence level (CL) have been determined for bulk- and micro-analytical purposes. In contrast to former compilation procedures, this approach delivers data that consider present-day requirements of data quality. New analytical data and the nearly complete data set of the GeoReM database were used for this study. Data quality was checked by the application of the Horwitz function and by a careful investigation of analytical procedures. We have determined quantitatively possible element inhomogeneities using different test portion masses of 1, 0.1 and 0.02 mu g. Although avoiding the rim region of the glass wafers, we found moderate inhomogeneities of several chalcophile/siderophile elements and gross inhomogeneities of Ni, Se, Pd and Pt at small test portion masses. The extent of inhomogeneity was included in the determination of uncertainties. While the new reference values agree with the NIST certified values with the one exception of Mn in SRM 610, they typically differ by as much as 10% from the Pearce (1997) values in current use. In a few cases (P, S, Cl, Ta, Re) the discrepancies are even higher.35439742

Cerium oxide nanoparticle uptake kinetics from the gas-phase into lung cells in vitro is transport limited

Nowadays, aerosol processes are widely used for the manufacture of nanoparticles (NPs), creating an increased occupational exposure risk of workers, laboratory personnel and scientists to airborne particles. There is evidence that possible adverse effects are linked with the accumulation of NPs in target cells, pointing out the importance of understanding the kinetics of particle internalization. In this context, the uptake kinetics of representative airborne NPs over 30 min and their internalization after 24 h post-exposure were investigated by the use of a recently established exposure system. This system combines the production of aerosolized cerium oxide (CeO(2)) NPs by flame spray synthesis with its simultaneous particle deposition from the gas-phase onto A549 lung cells, cultivated at the air-liquid interface. Particle uptake was quantified by mass spectrometry after several exposure times (0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 min). Over 35% of the deposited mass was found internalized after 10 min exposure, a value that increased to 60% after 30 min exposure. Following an additional 24 h post-incubation, a time span, after which adverse biological effects were observed in previous experiments, over 80% of total CeO(2) could be detected intracellularly. On the ultrastructural level, focal cerium aggregates were present on the apical surface of A549 cells and could also be localized intracellularly in vesicular structures. The uptake behaviour of aerosolized CeO(2) is in line with observations on cerium suspensions, where particle mass transport was identified as the rate-limiting factor for NP internalization