587 research outputs found
Assessment and parameter identification of simplified models to describe the kinetics of semi continuous biomethane production from anaerobic digestion of green and food waste
Biochemical reactions occurring during anaerobic digestion have been modelled using reaction kinetic equations such as first-order, Contois and Monod which are then combined to form mechanistic models. This work considers models which include between one and three biochemical reactions to investigate if the choice of the reaction rate equation, complexity of the model structure as well as the inclusion of inhibition plays a key role in the ability of the model to describe the methane production from the semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of green waste (GW) and food waste (FW). A parameter estimation method was used to investigate the most important phenomena influencing the biogas production process. Experimental data were used to numerically estimate the model parameters and the quality of fit was quantified. Results obtained reveal that the model structure (i.e. number of reactions, inhibition) has a much stronger influence on the quality of fit compared with the choice of kinetic rate equations. In the case of GW there was only a marginal improvement when moving from a one to two reaction model, and none with inclusion of inhibition or three reactions. However, the behaviour of FW digestion was more complex and required either a two or three reaction model with inhibition functions for both ammonia and volatile fatty acids. Parameter values for the best fitting models are given for use by other authors
A lower limit on the dark particle mass from dSphs
We use dwarf spheroidal galaxies as a tool to attempt to put precise lower
limits on the mass of the dark matter particle, assuming it is a sterile
neutrino. We begin by making cored dark halo fits to the line of sight velocity
dispersions as a function of projected radius (taken from Walker et al. 2007)
for six of the Milky Way's dwarf spheroidal galaxies. We test Osipkov-Merritt
velocity anisotropy profiles, but find that no benefit is gained over constant
velocity anisotropy. In contrast to previous attempts, we do not assume any
relation between the stellar velocity dispersions and the dark matter ones, but
instead we solve directly for the sterile neutrino velocity dispersion at all
radii by using the equation of state for a partially degenerate neutrino gas
(which ensures hydrostatic equilibrium of the sterile neutrino halo). This
yields a 1:1 relation between the sterile neutrino density and velocity
dispersion, and therefore gives us an accurate estimate of the Tremaine-Gunn
limit at all radii. By varying the sterile neutrino particle mass, we locate
the minimum mass for all six dwarf spheroidals such that the Tremaine-Gunn
limit is not exceeded at any radius (in particular at the centre). We find
sizeable differences between the ranges of feasible sterile neutrino particle
mass for each dwarf, but interestingly there exists a small range 270-280eV
which is consistent with all dSphs at the 1- level.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl
Magnetic-interference patterns in Josephson junctions with d+is symmetry
The magnetic interference pattern and the spontaneous flux in unconventional
Josephson junctions of superconductors with d+is symmetry are calculated for
different reduced junction lengths and the relative factor of the d and s wave
components. This is a time reversal broken symmetry state. We study the
stability of the fractional vortex and antivortex which are spontaneously
formed and examine their evolution as we change the length and the relative
factor of d and s wave components. The asymmetry in the field modulated
diffraction pattern exists for lengths as long as L=10\lambda_J.Comment: 8 pages, 6 eps files, submitted to PR
Quasi-particle Lifetimes in a d_{x^2-y^2} Superconductor
We consider the lifetime of quasi-particles in a d-wave superconductor due to
scattering from antiferromagnetic spin-fluctuations, and explicitly separate
the contribution from Umklapp processes which determines the electrical
conductivity. Results for the temperature dependence of the total scattering
rate and the Umklapp scattering rate are compared with relaxation rates
obtained from thermal and microwave conductivity measurements, respectively.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
Transfer origins in the conjugative Enterococcus faecalis plasmids pAD1 and pAM373: identification of the pAD1 nic site, a specific relaxase and a possible TraG-like protein
The Enterococcus faecalis conjugative plasmids pAD1 and pAM373 encode a mating response to the peptide sex pheromones cAD1 and cAM373 respectively. Sequence determination of both plasmids has recently been completed with strong similarity evident over many of the structural genes related to conjugation. pAD1 has two origins of transfer, with oriT1 being located within the repA determinant, whereas the more efficiently utilized oriT2 is located between orf53 and orf57 , two genes found in the present study to be essential for conjugation. We have found a similarly located oriT to be present in pAM373. oriT2 corresponds to about 285âbp based on its ability to facilitate mobilization by pAD1 when ligated to the shuttle vector pAM401; however, it was not mobilized by pAM373. In contrast, a similarly ligated fragment containing the oriT of pAM373 did not facilitate mobilization by pAD1 but was efficiently mobilized by pAM373. The oriT sites of the two plasmids each contained a homologous large inverted repeat (spanning about 140âbp) adjacent to a series of non-homologous short (6âbp) direct repeats. A hybrid construction containing the inverted repeat of pAM373 and direct repeats of pAD1 was mobilized efficiently by pAD1 but not by pAM373, indicating a significantly greater degree of specificity is associated with the direct repeats. Mutational (deletion) analyses of the pAD1 oriT2 inverted repeat structure suggested its importance in facilitating transfer or perhaps ligation of the ends of the newly transferred DNA strand. Analyses showed that Orf57 (to be called TraX) is the relaxase, which was found to induce a specific nick in the large inverted repeat inside oriT ; the protein also facilitated site-specific recombination between two oriT2 sites. Orf53 (to be called TraW) exhibits certain structural similarities to TraG-like proteins, although there is little overall homology.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72536/1/j.1365-2958.2002.03007.x.pd
Surface and capillary transitions in an associating binary mixture model
We investigate the phase diagram of a two-component associating fluid mixture
in the presence of selectively adsorbing substrates. The mixture is
characterized by a bulk phase diagram which displays peculiar features such as
closed loops of immiscibility. The presence of the substrates may interfere the
physical mechanism involved in the appearance of these phase diagrams, leading
to an enhanced tendency to phase separate below the lower critical solution
point. Three different cases are considered: a planar solid surface in contact
with a bulk fluid, while the other two represent two models of porous systems,
namely a slit and an array on infinitely long parallel cylinders. We confirm
that surface transitions, as well as capillary transitions for a large
area/volume ratio, are stabilized in the one-phase region. Applicability of our
results to experiments reported in the literature is discussed.Comment: 12 two-column pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Physical
Review E; corrected versio
Indirect Dark Matter Detection from Dwarf Satellites: Joint Expectations from Astrophysics and Supersymmetry
We present a general methodology for determining the gamma-ray flux from
annihilation of dark matter particles in Milky Way satellite galaxies, focusing
on two promising satellites as examples: Segue 1 and Draco. We use the
SuperBayeS code to explore the best-fitting regions of the Constrained Minimal
Supersymmetric Standard Model (CMSSM) parameter space, and an independent MCMC
analysis of the dark matter halo properties of the satellites using published
radial velocities. We present a formalism for determining the boost from halo
substructure in these galaxies and show that its value depends strongly on the
extrapolation of the concentration-mass (c(M)) relation for CDM subhalos down
to the minimum possible mass. We show that the preferred region for this
minimum halo mass within the CMSSM with neutralino dark matter is ~10^-9-10^-6
solar masses. For the boost model where the observed power-law c(M) relation is
extrapolated down to the minimum halo mass we find average boosts of about 20,
while the Bullock et al (2001) c(M) model results in boosts of order unity. We
estimate that for the power-law c(M) boost model and photon energies greater
than a GeV, the Fermi space-telescope has about 20% chance of detecting a dark
matter annihilation signal from Draco with signal-to-noise greater than 3 after
about 5 years of observation
Identifying New Sources of Resistance to Brown Stem Rot in Soybean
Brown stem rot (BSR), caused by the fungus Phialophora gregata f. sp. sojae (Allington & D.W. Chamberlain) W. Gams (syn. Cadophora gregata), causes yield losses up to 38%. Three dominant BSR-resistant genes have been identified: Rbs1, Rbs2, and Rbs3. Additional BSR resistance loci will complement breeding efforts by expanding the soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genetic base. The objective of this research was to determine if PI 594637, PI 594638B, PI 594650A, and PI 594858B contained novel BSR resistance genes. The accessions were crossed to three genotypes with known BSR resistance genes and populations were developed for allelism studies. A minimum of 60 F2:3 families tracing to individual F2 plants in each population were used, and six seeds from each F2:3 family were tested. Resistant and susceptible controls and parents were also included. The BSR symptoms were assessed under growth chamber conditions 5 wk after inoculation by measuring foliar and stem severities and recovery of P. gregata from stem sections. Allelism tests of F2:3 plants from crosses of PI 594638B, PI 594858B, and PI 594650A with the resistant sources fit a 15:1 ratio, indicating that the resistant gene possessed by each of the PIs was nonallelic to Rbs1, Rbs2, and Rbs3. The three PIs contain at least one novel BSR resistance gene and have the potential to serve as donors to elite germplasm, increasing stability of host resistance to P. gregata. Allelism tests of PI 594637 segregated in a 3:1 ratio and no significant difference was found between PI 594637 and the susceptible controls, indicating that PI 594637 is susceptible to BSR
Froude supercritical flow processes and sedimentary structures: new insights from experiments with a wide range of grain sizes
Recognition of Froude supercritical flow deposits in environments that range from rivers to the ocean floor has triggered a surge of interest in their flow processes, bedforms and sedimentary structures. Interpreting these supercritical flow deposits is especially important because they often represent the most powerful flows in the geological record. Insights from experiments are key to reconstruct palaeoâflow processes from the sedimentary record. So far, all experimentally produced supercritical flow deposits are of a narrow grainâsize range (fine to medium sand), while deposits in the rock record often consist of a much wider grainâsize distribution. This paper presents results of supercriticalâflow experiments with a grainâsize distribution from clay to gravel. These experiments show that cyclic step instabilities can produce more complex and a larger variety of sedimentary structures than the previously suggested backsets and âscour and fillâ structures. The sedimentary structures are composed of irregular lenses, mounds and wedges with backsets and foresets, as well as undulating planar to lowâangle upstream and downstream dipping laminae. The experiments also demonstrate that the Froude number is not the only control on the sedimentary structures formed by supercriticalâflow processes. Additional controls include the size and migration rate of the hydraulic jump and the substrate cohesion. This study further demonstrates that Froude supercritical flow promotes suspension transport of all grain sizes, including gravels. Surprisingly, it was observed that all grain sizes were rapidly deposited just downstream of hydraulic jumps, including silt and clay. These results expand the range of dynamic mud deposition into supercriticalâflow conditions, where local transient shear stress reduction rather than overall flow waning conditions allow for deposition of fines. Comparison of the experimental deposits with outcrop datasets composed of conglomerates to mudstones, shows significant similarities and highlights the role of hydraulic jumps, rather than overall flow condition changes, in producing lithologically and geometrically complex stratigraphy
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