Spirochaeta americana sp. nov., a new haloalkaliphilic, obligately anaerobic spirochaete isolated from soda Mono Lake in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Pikuta, Elena V.; Bej, Asim K.; Marsic, Damien; Whitman, William B.; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul

2003-01-01

A novel, obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochaete, strain ASpG1(T), was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, USA. Cells of the Gram-negative strain were motile and spirochaete-shaped with sizes of 0.2-0.22 x 8-18 microm. Growth of the strain was observed between 10 and 44 degrees C (optimum 37 degrees C), in 2-12% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3% NaCl) and between pH 8 and 10.5 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel strain was strictly alkaliphilic, required high concentrations of carbonates in the medium and was capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch and D-mannitol. End products of glucose fermentation were H2, acetate, ethanol and formate. Strain ASpG(T) was resistant to kanamycin and rifampicin, but sensitive to gentamicin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. The G + C content of its DNA was 58.5 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization analysis of strain ASpG1(T) with its most closely related species, Spirochaeta alkalica Z-7491(T), revealed a hybridization value of only 48.7%. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, strain ASpG1(T) appears to represent a novel species of the genus Spirochaeta, for which the name Spirochaeta americana is proposed (type strain ASpG1(T) =ATCC BAA-392(T) = DSM 14872(T)).

Hypersalinity drives physiological and morphological changes in Limia perugiae (Poeciliidae)

PubMed Central

Tello, Oscar; Krieger, Jonathan; Marmolejo, Arlen; Weaver, Kathleen F.; Garcia, Jerome V.; Cruz, Alexander

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT A fundamental question in biology is how an organism's morphology and physiology are shaped by its environment. Here, we evaluate the effects of a hypersaline environment on the morphology and physiology of a population of livebearing fish in the genus Limia (Poeciliidae). We sampled from two populations of Limia perugiae (one freshwater and one hypersaline) in the southwest Dominican Republic. We evaluated relative abundance of osmoregulatory proteins using western blot analyses and used a geometric morphometric approach to evaluate fine-scale changes to size and shape. Our data show that gill tissue isolated from hypersaline fish contained approximately two and a half times higher expression of Na+/K+ ATPase proteins. We also show evidence for mitochondrial changes within the gills, with eight times more complex I and four times higher expression of ATP synthase within the gill tissue from the hypersaline population. The energetic consequences to Limia living in saline and hypersaline environments may be a driver for phenotypic diversity, reducing the overall body size and changing the relative size and shape of the head, as well as impeding the growth of secondary sex features among the males. PMID:27402966

Skeletal aragonite dissolution from hypersaline seawater: a hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qing Sun, S.

1992-05-01

Hypersaline seawater has often been invoked as a mechanism to explain the pervasive dolomitization of ancient platform carbonates, but its potential in causing skeletal aragonite dissolution of these carbonates has rarely been investigated. Previous experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that hypersaline seawater is undersaturated with respect to aragonite when evaporation reaches a certain degree. It is contended here that similar undersaturation could also have occurred in ancient evaporitic seas. Geological evidence from the Miocene carbonates of SE Spain, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea and Iraq suggests that this may have been the case. Despite differences in their geological settings, these carbonates have common diagenetic features including: (1) widespread dissolution of skeletal aragonite with little or no calcite cementation; and (2) pervasive dolomitization. Dolomite occurs as both a replacement of Mg calcite and mouldic pore-filling cement. The association of the dolomites with evaporites, their relatively heavy oxygen isotopic values and widespread distribution suggest a hypersaline seawater origin of these dolomites. Petrographic data indicate that skeletal aragonite was dissolved during dolomitization because the aragonite fossil moulds contain dolomite cements, but no pre-dolomitization calcite cements, implying that the dolomitizing fluids (hypersaline seawater) were probably undersaturated with respect to aragonite. The dissolved calcium may have been subsequently incorporated into the dolomite. This may help to explain the lack of calcite cementation despite the extensive skeletal aragonite dissolution.

Sublethal toxicity of chlorpyrifos to salmonid olfaction after hypersaline acclimation.

PubMed

Maryoung, Lindley A; Blunt, Brian; Tierney, Keith B; Schlenk, Daniel

2015-04-01

Salmonid habitats can be impacted by several environmental factors, such as salinization, which can also affect salmonid tolerance to anthropogenic stressors, such as pesticides. Previous studies have shown that hypersaline acclimation enhances the acute toxicity of certain organophosphate and carbamate pesticides to euryhaline fish; however, sublethal impacts have been far less studied. The current study aims to determine how hypersaline acclimation and exposure to the organophosphate chlorpyrifos (CPF) impact salmonid olfaction. Combined acclimation and exposure to CPF was shown to impact rainbow trout olfaction at the molecular, physiological, and behavioral levels. Concurrent exposure to hypersalinity and 0.5μg/L CPF upregulated four genes (chloride intracellular channel 4, G protein zgc:101761, calcium calmodulin dependent protein kinase II delta, and adrenergic alpha 2C receptor) that inhibit olfactory signal transduction. At the physiological level, hypersalinity and chlorpyrifos caused a decrease in sensory response to the amino acid l-serine and the bile salt taurocholic acid. Combined acclimation and exposure also negatively impacted behavior and reduced the avoidance of a predator cue (l-serine). Thus, acclimation to hypersaline conditions and exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of chlorpyrifos caused an inhibition of olfactory signal transduction leading to a decreased response to odorants and impairment of olfactory mediated behaviors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Natronobiforma cellulositropha gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel haloalkaliphilic member of the family Natrialbaceae (class Halobacteria) from hypersaline alkaline lakes.

PubMed

Sorokin, Dimitry Y; Khijniak, Tatiana V; Kostrikina, Nadezhda A; Elcheninov, Alexander G; Toshchakov, Stepan V; Bale, Nicole J; Damsté, Jaap S Sinninghe; Kublanov, Ilya V

2018-04-27

Six strains of extremely halophilic and alkaliphilic euryarchaea were enriched and isolated in pure culture from surface brines and sediments of hypersaline alkaline lakes in various geographical locations with various forms of insoluble cellulose as growth substrate. The cells are mostly flat motile rods with a thin monolayer cell wall while growing on cellobiose. In contrast, the cells growing with cellulose are mostly nonmotile cocci covered with a thick external EPS layer. The isolates, designated AArcel, are obligate aerobic heterotrophs with a narrow substrate spectrum. All strains can use insoluble celluloses, cellobiose, a few soluble glucans and xylan as their carbon and energy source. They are extreme halophiles, growing within the range from 2.5 to 4.8M total Na + (optimum at 4M) and obligate alkaliphiles, with the pH range for growth from 7.5 to 9.9 (optimum at 8.5-9). The core archaeal lipids of strain AArcel5 T were dominated by C 20 -C 20 dialkyl glycerol ether (DGE) (i.e. archaeol) and C 20 -C 25 DGE in nearly equal proportion. The 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that all six isolates belong to a single genomic species mostly related to the genera Saliphagus-Natribaculum-Halovarius. Taking together a substantial phenotypic difference of the new isolates from the closest relatives and the phylogenetic distance, it is concluded that the AArcel group represents a novel genus-level branch within the family Natrialbaceae for which the name Natronobiforma cellulositropha gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed with AArcel5 T as the type strain (JCM 31939 T =UNIQEM U972 T ). Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Spirochaeta Americana Sp. Nov., A new Haloalkaliphilic, Obligately Anaerobic Spirochete Isolated from Soda Mono Lake in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Pikuta, Elena V.; Bej, Asim K.; Marsic, Damien; Whitman, William B.; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A novel obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochete, strain ASpG1(sup T), was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, U.S.A. The Gram-negative cells are motile and spirochete-shaped with sizes of 0.2 - 0.22 X 8-15 microns. Growth was observed over the following ranges: temperature 10 C to 44 C; optimum +37 C; NaCl concentration 2 - 12 % (w/v); optimum NaCl3 % and pH 8 - 10.5; optimum pH 9.5. The novel isolate is strictly alkaliphilic, requires high concentrations of carbonate in the medium, and is capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch, and D-mannitol. The main end products of glucose fermentation are: H2, acetate, ethanol, and formate. Strain ASpG(sup T) is resistant to kanamycin, and rifampin, but sensitive to chloramphenicol, gentamycin and tetracycline. The G+C content of its DNA is 58.5 mol%, genome size is 2.98 x l0(exp 9) Daltons, Tm of the genomic DNA is 68 +/- 2 C, and DNA-DNA hybridization with the most closely related species, Spirocheta alkalica Strain Z-7491(sup T), exhibited 48.7% homology. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, the isolate appears to be a novel species of the genus Spirochaeta; and the name Spirochaeta americana sp. nov., is proposed for the taxon (type strain ASpG1(sup T) = ATCC BAA-392(sup T) = DSMZ 14872(sup T)).

Investigations of Methane Production in Hypersaline Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bebout, Brad M.

2015-01-01

The recent reports of methane in the atmosphere of Mars, as well as the findings of hypersaline paleo-environments on that planet, have underscored the need to evaluate the importance of biological (as opposed to geological) trace gas production and consumption. Methane in the atmosphere of Mars may be an indication of life but might also be a consequence of geologic activity and/or the thermal alteration of ancient organic matter. Hypersaline environments have now been reported to be extremely likely in several locations in our solar system, including: Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. Modern hypersaline microbial mat communities, (thought to be analogous to those present on the early Earth at a period of time when Mars was experiencing very similar environmental conditions), have been shown to produce methane. However, very little is known about the physical and/or biological controls imposed upon the rates at which methane, and other important trace gases, are produced and consumed in these environments. We describe here the results of our investigations of methane production in hypersaline environments, including field sites in Chile, Baja California Mexico, California, USA and the United Arab Emirates. We have measured high concentrations of methane in bubbles of gas produced both in the sediments underlying microbial mats, as well as in areas not colonized by microbial mats in the Guerrero Negro hypersaline ecosystem, Baja California Mexico, in Chile, and in salt ponds on the San Francisco Bay. The carbon isotopic (d13C) composition of the methane in the bubbles exhibited an extremely wide range of values, (ca. -75 per mille ca. -25 per mille). The hydrogen isotopic composition of the methane (d2H) ranged from -60 to -30per mille and -450 to -350per mille. These isotopic values are outside of the range of values normally considered to be biogenic, however incubations of the sediments in contact with these gas bubbles reveals that the methane is indeed being

Dissimilatory arsenate and sulfate reduction in sediments of two hypersaline, arsenic-rich soda lakes: Mono and Searles Lakes, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kulp, T.R.; Hoeft, S.E.; Miller, L.G.; Saltikov, C.; Murphy, J.N.; Han, S.; Lanoil, B.; Oremland, R.S.

2006-01-01

A radioisotope method was devised to study bacterial respiratory reduction of arsenate in sediments. The following two arsenic-rich soda lakes in California were chosen for comparison on the basis of their different salinities: Mono Lake (???90 g/liter) and Searles Lake (???340 g/liter). Profiles of arsenate reduction and sulfate reduction were constructed for both lakes. Reduction of [73As] arsenate occurred at all depth intervals in the cores from Mono Lake (rate constant [k] = 0.103 to 0.04 h-1) and Searles Lake (k = 0.012 to 0.002 h-1), and the highest activities occurred in the top sections of each core. In contrast, [35S] sulfate reduction was measurable in Mono Lake (k = 7.6 ?? 104 to 3.2 ?? 10-6 h-1) but not in Searles Lake. Sediment DNA was extracted, PCR amplified, and separated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to obtain phylogenetic markers (i.e., 16S rRNA genes) and a partial functional gene for dissimilatory arsenate reduction (arrA). The amplified arrA gene product showed a similar trend in both lakes; the signal was strongest in surface sediments and decreased to undetectable levels deeper in the sediments. More arrA gene signal was observed in Mono Lake and was detectable at a greater depth, despite the higher arsenate reduction activity observed in Searles Lake. A partial sequence (about 900 bp) was obtained for a clone (SLAS-3) that matched the dominant DGGE band found in deeper parts of the Searles Lake sample (below 3 cm), and this clone was found to be closely related to SLAS-1, a novel extremophilic arsenate respirer previously cultivated from Searles Lake. Copyright ?? 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Discovery of a hypersaline subglacial lake complex beneath Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic

PubMed Central

Blankenship, Donald D.; Schroeder, Dustin M.; Dowdeswell, Julian A.

2018-01-01

Subglacial lakes are unique environments that, despite the extreme dark and cold conditions, have been shown to host microbial life. Many subglacial lakes have been discovered beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland, but no spatially isolated water body has been documented as hypersaline. We use radio-echo sounding measurements to identify two subglacial lakes situated in bedrock troughs near the ice divide of Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic. Modeled basal ice temperatures in the lake area are no higher than −10.5°C, suggesting that these lakes consist of hypersaline water. This implication of hypersalinity is in agreement with the surrounding geology, which indicates that the subglacial lakes are situated within an evaporite-rich sediment unit containing a bedded salt sequence, which likely act as the solute source for the brine. Our results reveal the first evidence for subglacial lakes in the Canadian Arctic and the first hypersaline subglacial lakes reported to date. We conclude that these previously unknown hypersaline subglacial lakes may represent significant and largely isolated microbial habitats, and are compelling analogs for potential ice-covered brine lakes and lenses on planetary bodies across the solar system. PMID:29651462

Do copepods inhabit hypersaline waters worldwide? A short review and discussion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anufriieva, Elena V.

2015-11-01

A small number of copepod species have adapted to an existence in the extreme habitat of hypersaline water. 13 copepod species have been recorded in the hypersaline waters of Crimea (the largest peninsula in the Black Sea with over 50 hypersaline lakes). Summarizing our own and literature data, the author concludes that the Crimean extreme environment is not an exception: copepod species dwell in hypersaline waters worldwide. There are at least 26 copepod species around the world living at salinity above 100; among them 12 species are found at salinity higher than 200. In the Crimea Cletocamptus retrogressus is found at salinity 360×10-3 (with a density of 1 320 individuals/m3) and Arctodiaptomus salinus at salinity 300×10-3 (with a density of 343 individuals/m3). Those species are probably the most halotolerant copepod species in the world. High halotolerance of osmoconforming copepods may be explained by exoosmolyte consumption, mainly with food. High tolerance to many factors in adults, availability of resting stages, and an opportunity of long-distance transportation of resting stages by birds and/or winds are responsible for the wide geographic distribution of these halophilic copepods.

Genome Sequence of Sphingomonas sp. S17, Isolated from an Alkaline, Hyperarsenic, and Hypersaline Volcano-Associated Lake at High Altitude in the Argentinean Puna ▿

PubMed Central

Farias, Maria Eugenia; Revale, Santiago; Mancini, Estefania; Ordoñez, Omar; Turjanski, Adrian; Cortez, Néstor; Vazquez, Martin P.

2011-01-01

The high-altitude Andean lakes (HAAL) in the Argentinean Puna-high Andes region represent an almost unexplored ecosystem exposed to extreme conditions (high UV irradiation, hypersalinity, drastic temperature changes, desiccation, and high pH). Here we present the first genome sequence, a Sphingomonas sp., isolated from this extreme environment. PMID:21602338

What's Mono?

MedlinePlus

... mono? Have you ever heard of the "kissing disease"? If you said that it's mono, you're absolutely correct. But you don't get mono only from kissing. Infectious mononucleosis, called mono for short, is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is a type of herpes ...

On the origins of hypersaline groundwater in the Nile Delta aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Engelen, Joeri; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Kooi, Henk; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2018-05-01

The Nile Delta is essential to Egypt's agro- and socio-economy. Although surface water is the traditional source for Egypt's irrigation, the shallow fresh groundwater resources underlying the delta are increasingly burdened by groundwater pumping, which increases interest in the status of the groundwater resources. Groundwater up to three times more saline than sea water was found at 600 m depth. The occurrence of this hypersaline groundwater raises doubts on the often-made assumption in the literature that seawater is the only source of salt in the Nile Delta aquifer and makes further investigation necessary. Knowledge on the origin of this hypersaline groundwater is key in assessing the possibility of deep fresh groundwater pockets. In this paper we conducted computational analyses to assess possible origins using both analytical solutions and numerical models. It is concluded that the hypersaline groundwater can either originate from Quaternary free convection systems, or from compaction-induced upward salt transport of hypersaline groundwater that formed during the Messinian salinity crisis. Our results also indicate that with groundwater dating it is possible to discriminate between these two hypotheses. Furthermore, it is deduced that the hydrological connection between aquifer and sea is crucial to the hydrogeological functioning of the Nile Delta Aquifer.

Mechanisms of fenthion activation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) acclimated to hypersaline environments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lavado, Ramon; Rimoldi, John M.; Schlenk, Daniel

2009-03-01

Previous studies in rainbow trout have shown that acclimation to hypersaline environments enhances the toxicity to thioether organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. In order to determine the role of biotransformation in this process, the metabolism of the thioether organophosphate biocide, fenthion was evaluated in microsomes from gills, liver and olfactory tissues in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) acclimated to freshwater and 17 per mille salinity. Hypersalinity acclimation increased the formation of fenoxon and fenoxon sulfoxide from fenthion in liver microsomes from rainbow trout, but not in gills or in olfactory tissues. NADPH-dependent and independent hydrolysis was observed in all tissues, but onlymore » NADPH-dependent fenthion cleavage was differentially modulated by hypersalinity in liver (inhibited) and gills (induced). Enantiomers of fenthion sulfoxide (65% and 35% R- and S-fenthion sulfoxide, respectively) were formed in liver and gills. The predominant pathway of fenthion activation in freshwater appears to be initiated through initial formation of fenoxon which may be subsequently converted to the most toxic metabolite fenoxon R-sulfoxide. However, in hypersaline conditions both fenoxon and fenthion sulfoxide formation may precede fenoxon sulfoxide formation. Stereochemical evaluation of sulfoxide formation, cytochrome P450 inhibition studies with ketoconazole and immunoblots indicated that CYP3A27 was primarily involved in the enhancement of fenthion activation in hypersaline-acclimated fish with limited contribution of FMO to initial sulfoxidation.« less

Controls on the pH of hyper-saline lakes - A lesson from the Dead Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golan, Rotem; Gavrieli, Ittai; Ganor, Jiwchar; Lazar, Boaz

2016-01-01

The pH of aqueous environments is determined by the dominant buffer systems of the water, defined operationally as total alkalinity (TA). The major buffer systems in the modern ocean are carbonic and boric acids of which the species bicarbonate, carbonate and borate make up about 77%, 19% and 4% of the TA, respectively. During the course of seawater evaporation (e.g. lagoons) the residual brine loses considerable portion of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and carbonate alkalinity (CA) already at the early stages of evaporation. DIC and CA decrease due to massive precipitation of CaCO3, while total boron (TB) increases conservatively, turning borate to the dominant alkalinity species in marine derived brines. In the present work we assess the apparent dissociation constant value of boric acid (KB‧) in saline and hypersaline waters, using the Dead Sea (DS) as a case study. We explain the DS low pH (∼6.3) and the effect of the boric and carbonic acid pK‧-s on the behavior of the brine's buffer system, including the pH increase that results from brine dilution. The KB‧ in DS was estimated from TB, TA, DIC and pH data measured in this study and early empirical data on artificial DS brines containing just carbonic acid. The KB‧ value was corroborated by Pitzer ion interaction model calculations using PHREEQC thermodynamic code applied to the chemical composition of the DS. Our results show that KB‧ increases considerably with the brine's ionic strength, reaching in the DS to a factor of 100 higher than in ;mean; seawater. Based on theoretical calculations and analyses of other natural brines it is suggested that brines' composition is a major factor in determining the KB‧ value and in turn the pH of such brines. We show that the higher the proportion of divalent cations in the brine the higher the dissociation constants of the weak acids (presumably due to formation of complexes). The low pH of the Dead Sea is accordingly explained by its extremely

Bacillus arsenicoselenatis, sp. nov., and Bacillus selenitireducens, sp. nov.: Two haloalkaliphiles from Mono Lake, California that respire oxyanions of selenium and arsenic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Switzer, Blum J.; Burns, Bindi A.; Buzzelli, J.; Stolz, J.F.; Oremland, R.S.

1998-01-01

Two gram-positive anaerobic bacteria (strains E1H and MLS10) were isolated from the anoxic muds of Mono Lake, California, an alkaline, hypersaline, arsenic-rich water body. Both grew by dissimilatory reduction of As(V) to As(III) with the concomitant oxidation of lactate to acetate plus CO2. Bacillus arsenicoselenatis (strain E1H) is a spore-forming rod that also grew by dissimilatory reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV). Bacillus selenitireducens (strain MLS 10) is a short, non-spore-forming rod that grew by dissimilatory reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0). When the two isolates were cocultured, a complete reduction of Se(VI) to Se(0) was achieved. Both isolates are alkaliphiles and had optimal specific growth rates in the pH range of 8.5-10. Strain E1H had a salinity optimum at 60 g 1-1 NaCl, while strain MLS10 had optimal growth at lower salinities (24-60 g 1-1 NaCl). Both strains have limited abilities to grow with electron donors and acceptors other than those given above. Strain MLS10 demonstrated weak growth as a microaerophile and was also capable of fermentative growth on glucose, while strain E1H is a strict anaerobe. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed the two isolates with other Bacillus spp. in the low G+C gram-positive group of bacteria.

Microbial ecology of soda lakes: investigating sulfur and nitrogen cycling at Mono Lake, CA, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fairbanks, D.; Phillips, A. A.; Wells, M.; Bao, R.; Fullerton, K. M.; Stamps, B. W.; Speth, D. R.; Johnson, H.; Sessions, A. L.

2017-12-01

Soda lakes represent unique ecosystems characterized by extremes of pH, salinity and distinct geochemical cycling. Despite these extreme conditions, soda lakes are important repositories of biological adaptation and have a highly functional microbial system. We investigated the biogeochemical cycling of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in Mono Lake, California, located east of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Mono lake is characterized by hyperalkaline, hypersaline and high sulfate concentrations and can enter prolonged periods of meromixis due to freshwater inflow. Typically, the microbial sulfur cycle is highly active in soda lakes with both oxidation and reduction of sulfur compounds. However, the biological sulfur cycle is connected to many other main elemental cycles such as carbon, nitrogen and metals. Here we investigated the interaction between sulfur and nitrogen cycling in Mono lake using a combination of molecular, isotopic, and geochemical observations to explore the links between microbial phylogenetic composition and functionality. Metagenomic and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing were determined at two locations and five depths in May 2017. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis revealed organisms capable of both sulfur and nitrogen cycling. The relative abundance and distribution of functional genes (dsrA, soxAB, nifH, etc) were also determined. These genetic markers indicate the potential in situ relevance of specific carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur pathways in the water column prior to the transition to meromictic stratification. However, genes for sulfide oxidation, denitrification, and ammonification were present. Genome binning guided by the most abundant dsrA sequences, GC content, and abundance with depth identified a Thioalkalivibrio paradoxus bin containing genes capable of sulfur oxidation, denitrification, and nitrate reduction. The presence of a large number of sulfur and nitrogen cycling genes associated with Thioalkalivibrio paradoxus

Drilling the Mediterranean Messinian Evaporites to Answer Key Questions Related to Massive Microbial Dolomite Formation under Hypersaline Alkaline Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, Judith A.; Bontognali, Tomaso R. R.; Vasconcelos, Crisogono

2014-05-01

Deep-sea drilling in the Mediterranean during DSSP Leg 13 in 1970 revealed the basin-wide occurrence of a Messinian evaporite formation. This spectacular discovery was pursued further during a subsequent drilling program, DSDP Leg 42A, in 1975, which was designed, in part, to obtain continuous cores to study the evolution of the salinity crisis itself (Hsü, Montadert, et al., 1978). Specifically, drilling at a water depth of 4,088 m in the Ionian Sea, DSDP Site 374: Messina Abyssal Plain, penetrated about 80 m into the uppermost part of the Messinian upper evaporite formation. The sedimentary sequence comprises dolomitic mudstone overlying dolomitic mudstone/gypsum cycles, which in turn overlie anhydrite and halite. The non-fossiliferous dolomitic mudstone is generally rich in organic carbon, with TOC values ranging from 0.9% to 5.3%, of possible marine origin with a good source rock potential. Commonly laminated dolomitic mudstones contain preserved filamentous cyanobacterial remains suggesting that conditions were conducive for microbial mat growth. The Ca-dolomite, composed of fine-grained anhedral crystals in the size range of 2-4 μm, is probably a primary precipitate. The unusual interstitial brines of the dolomitic mudstone units have very high alkalinities with a low pH of 5 to 6. The Mg concentration (2250 mmoles/l) is extremely elevated, whereas the Ca concentration is nearly zero. Finally, the drilled evaporite sedimentary sequence was interpreted as being deposited in an alkaline lake/sea ("Lago Mare"), which covered the area during the latest Messinian. Projecting forward 40 years since the DSDP Leg 42A drilling campaign, research into the factors controlling dolomite precipitation under Earth surface conditions has led to the development of new models involving the metabolism of microorganisms and associated biofilms to overcome the kinetic inhibitions associated with primary dolomite precipitation. Together with laboratory experiments, microbial

Ophiuroids Discovered in the Middle Triassic Hypersaline Environment

PubMed Central

Salamon, Mariusz A.; Niedźwiedzki, Robert; Lach, Rafał; Brachaniec, Tomasz; Gorzelak, Przemysław

2012-01-01

Echinoderms have long been considered to be one of the animal phyla that is strictly marine. However, there is growing evidence that some recent species may live in either brackish or hypersaline environments. Surprisingly, discoveries of fossil echinoderms in non-(open)marine paleoenvironments are lacking. In Wojkowice Quarry (Southern Poland), sediments of lowermost part of the Middle Triassic are exposed. In limestone layer with cellular structures and pseudomorphs after gypsum, two dense accumulations of articulated ophiuroids (Aspiduriella similis (Eck)) were documented. The sediments with ophiuroids were formed in environment of increased salinity waters as suggested by paleontological, sedimentological, petrographical and geochemical data. Discovery of Triassic hypersaline ophiuroids invalidates the paleontological assumption that fossil echinoderms are indicators of fully marine conditions. Thus caution needs to be taken when using fossil echinoderms in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. PMID:23185442

Hypersaline sapropels act as hotspots for microbial dark matter

DOE PAGES

Andrei, Adrian -Stefan; Baricz, Andreea; Robeson, Michael Scott; ...

2017-07-21

Present-day terrestrial analogue sites are crucial ground truth proxies for studying life in geochemical conditions close to those assumed to be present on early Earth or inferred to exist on other celestial bodies (e.g. Mars, Europa). Although hypersaline sapropels are border-of-life habitats with moderate occurrence, their microbiological and physicochemical characterization lags behind. Here, we study the diversity of life under low water activity by describing the prokaryotic communities from two disparate hypersaline sapropels (Transylvanian Basin, Romania) in relation to geochemical milieu and pore water chemistry, while inferring their role in carbon cycling by matching taxa to known taxon-specific biogeochemical functions.more » Furthermore, the polyphasic approach combined deep coverage SSU rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics with RT-qPCR and physicochemical investigations. We found that sapropels developed an analogous elemental milieu and harbored prokaryotes affiliated with fifty-nine phyla, among which the most abundant were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi. Containing thirty-two candidate divisions and possibly undocumented prokaryotic lineages, the hypersaline sapropels were found to accommodate one of the most diverse and novel ecosystems reported to date and may contribute to completing the phylogenetic branching of the tree of life.« less

Discovery of anaerobic lithoheterotrophic haloarchaea, ubiquitous in hypersaline habitats

PubMed Central

Sorokin, Dimitry Y; Messina, Enzo; Smedile, Francesco; Roman, Pawel; Damsté, Jaap S Sinninghe; Ciordia, Sergio; Mena, Maria Carmen; Ferrer, Manuel; Golyshin, Peter N; Kublanov, Ilya V; Samarov, Nazar I; Toshchakov, Stepan V; La Cono, Violetta; Yakimov, Michail M

2017-01-01

Hypersaline anoxic habitats harbour numerous novel uncultured archaea whose metabolic and ecological roles remain to be elucidated. Until recently, it was believed that energy generation via dissimilatory reduction of sulfur compounds is not functional at salt saturation conditions. Recent discovery of the strictly anaerobic acetotrophic Halanaeroarchaeum compels to change both this assumption and the traditional view on haloarchaea as aerobic heterotrophs. Here we report on isolation and characterization of a novel group of strictly anaerobic lithoheterotrophic haloarchaea, which we propose to classify as a new genus Halodesulfurarchaeum. Members of this previously unknown physiological group are capable of utilising formate or hydrogen as electron donors and elemental sulfur, thiosulfate or dimethylsulfoxide as electron acceptors. Using genome-wide proteomic analysis we have detected the full set of enzymes required for anaerobic respiration and analysed their substrate-specific expression. Such advanced metabolic plasticity and type of respiration, never seen before in haloarchaea, empower the wide distribution of Halodesulfurarchaeum in hypersaline inland lakes, solar salterns, lagoons and deep submarine anoxic brines. The discovery of this novel functional group of sulfur-respiring haloarchaea strengthens the evidence of their possible role in biogeochemical sulfur cycling linked to the terminal anaerobic carbon mineralisation in so far overlooked hypersaline anoxic habitats. PMID:28106880

Hypersaline sapropels act as hotspots for microbial dark matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Andrei, Adrian -Stefan; Baricz, Andreea; Robeson, Michael Scott

Present-day terrestrial analogue sites are crucial ground truth proxies for studying life in geochemical conditions close to those assumed to be present on early Earth or inferred to exist on other celestial bodies (e.g. Mars, Europa). Although hypersaline sapropels are border-of-life habitats with moderate occurrence, their microbiological and physicochemical characterization lags behind. Here, we study the diversity of life under low water activity by describing the prokaryotic communities from two disparate hypersaline sapropels (Transylvanian Basin, Romania) in relation to geochemical milieu and pore water chemistry, while inferring their role in carbon cycling by matching taxa to known taxon-specific biogeochemical functions.more » Furthermore, the polyphasic approach combined deep coverage SSU rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics with RT-qPCR and physicochemical investigations. We found that sapropels developed an analogous elemental milieu and harbored prokaryotes affiliated with fifty-nine phyla, among which the most abundant were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Chloroflexi. Containing thirty-two candidate divisions and possibly undocumented prokaryotic lineages, the hypersaline sapropels were found to accommodate one of the most diverse and novel ecosystems reported to date and may contribute to completing the phylogenetic branching of the tree of life.« less

Microbial fuel cells in saline and hypersaline environments: Advancements, challenges and future perspectives.

PubMed

Grattieri, Matteo; Minteer, Shelley D

2018-04-01

This review is aimed to report the possibility to utilize microbial fuel cells for the treatment of saline and hypersaline solutions. An introduction to the issues related with the biological treatment of saline and hypersaline wastewater is reported, discussing the limitation that characterizes classical aerobic and anaerobic digestions. The microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology, and the possibility to be applied in the presence of high salinity, is discussed before reviewing the most recent advancements in the development of MFCs operating in saline and hypersaline conditions, with their different and interesting applications. Specifically, the research performed in the last 5years will be the main focus of this review. Finally, the future perspectives for this technology, together with the most urgent research needs, are presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resilience of estuarine phytoplankton and their temporal variability along salinity gradients during drought and hypersalinity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nche-Fambo, F. A.; Scharler, U. M.; Tirok, K.

2015-06-01

In South African estuaries, there is no knowledge on the resilience and variability in phytoplankton communities under conditions of hypersalinity, extended droughts and reverse salinity gradients. Phytoplankton composition, abundance and biomass vary with changes in environmental variables and taxa richness declines specifically under hypersaline conditions. This research thus investigated the phytoplankton community composition, its resilience and variability under highly variable and extreme environmental conditions in an estuarine lake system (Lake St. Lucia, South Africa) over one year. The lake system was characterised by a reverse salinity gradient with hypersalinity furthest from the estuarine inlet during the study period. During this study, 78 taxa were recorded: 56 diatoms, eight green algae, one cryptophyte, seven cyanobacteria and six dinoflagellates. Taxon variability and resilience depended on their ability to tolerate high salinities. Consequently, the phytoplankton communities as well as total abundance and biomass differed along the salinity gradient and over time with salinity as the main determinant. Cyanobacteria were dominant in hypersaline conditions, dinoflagellates in marine-brackish salinities, green algae and cryptophytes in lower salinities (brackish) and diatoms were abundant in marine-brackish salinities but survived in hypersaline conditions. Total abundance and biomass ranged from 3.66 × 103 to 1.11 × 109 Cells/L and 1.21 × 106 to 1.46 × 1010 pgC/L respectively, with the highest values observed under hypersaline conditions. Therefore, even under highly variable, extreme environmental conditions and hypersalinity the phytoplankton community as a whole was resilient enough to maintain a relatively high biomass throughout the study period. The resilience of few dominant taxa, such as Cyanothece, Spirulina, Protoperidinium and Nitzschia and the dominance of other common genera such as Chlamydomonas, Chroomonas, Navicula, Gyrosigma

The microbial arsenic cycle in Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oremland, Ronald S.; Stolz, John F.; Hollibaugh, James T.

2004-01-01

Significant concentrations of dissolved inorganic arsenic can be found in the waters of a number of lakes located in the western USA and in other water bodies around the world. These lakes are often situated in arid, volcanic terrain. The highest concentrations of arsenic occur in hypersaline, closed basin soda lakes and their remnant brines. Although arsenic is a well-known toxicant to eukaryotes and prokaryotes alike, some prokaryotes have evolved biochemical mechanisms to exploit arsenic oxyanions (i.e., arsenate and arsenite); they can use them either as an electron acceptor for anaerobic respiration (arsenate), or as an electron donor (arsenite) to support chemoautotrophic fixation of CO2 into cell carbon. Unlike in freshwater or marine ecosystems, these processes may assume quantitative significance with respect to the carbon cycle in arsenic-rich soda lakes. For the past several years our research has focused on the occurrence and biogeochemical manifestations of these processes in Mono Lake, a particularly arsenic-rich environment. Herein we review some of our findings concerning the biogeochemical arsenic cycle in this lake, with the hope that it may broaden the understanding of the influence of microorganisms upon the speciation of arsenic in more common, less “extreme” environments, such as drinking water aquifers.

Alginate-Encapsulated Bacteria for the Treatment of Hypersaline Solutions in Microbial Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Alkotaini, Bassam; Tinucci, Samantha L; Robertson, Stuart J; Hasan, Kamrul; Minteer, Shelley D; Grattieri, Matteo

2018-04-27

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) based on a new wild-type strain of Salinivibrio sp. allowed the self-sustained treatment of hypersaline solutions (100 g L -1 , 1.71 m NaCl), reaching a removal of (87±11) % of the initial chemical oxygen demand after five days of operation, being the highest value achieved for hypersaline MFC. The degradation process and the evolution of the open circuit potential of the MFCs were correlated, opening the possibility for online monitoring of the treatment. The use of alginate capsules to trap bacterial cells, increasing cell density and stability, resulted in an eightfold higher power output, together with a more stable system, allowing operation up to five months with no maintenance required. The reported results are of critical importance to efforts to develop a sustainable and cost-effective system that treats hypersaline waste streams and reduces the quantity of polluting compounds released. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mono Lake, California

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-24

In eastern California, along the western edge of the Great Basin, sits Mono Lake. This is a salty remnant of a wetter era. Estimates are that the lake existed for at least 760,000 years. Now surrounded by mountain ranges, however, Mono Lake has no outlet; water entering the lake can only evaporate away, so Mono Lake is saltier than the ocean. South of the lake appear some of the geologic features known as Mono Craters. Geologists estimate that the Mono Craters last erupted about 650 years ago. The image was acquired July 7, 2016, covers an area of 22.6 by 34 km, and is located at 37.9 degrees north, 119 degrees west. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21518

Phylogeny and ecology of the ubiquitous saprobe Cladosporium sphaerospermum, with descriptions of seven new species from hypersaline environments

PubMed Central

Zalar, P.; de Hoog, G.S.; Schroers, H.-J.; Crous, P.W.; Groenewald, J.Z.; Gunde-Cimerman, N.

2007-01-01

Saprobic Cladosporium isolates morphologically similar to C. sphaerospermum are phylogenetically analysed on the basis of DNA sequences of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster, including the internal transcribed spacer regions ITS1 and ITS2, the 5.8S rDNA (ITS) and the small subunit (SSU) rDNA as well as β-tubulin and actin gene introns and exons. Most of the C. sphaerospermum-like species show halotolerance as a recurrent feature. Cladosporium sphaerospermum, which is characterised by almost globose conidia, is redefined on the basis of its ex-neotype culture. Cladosporium dominicanum, C. psychrotolerans, C. velox, C. spinulosum and C. halotolerans, all with globoid conidia, are newly described on the basis of phylogenetic analyses and cryptic morphological and physiological characters. Cladosporium halotolerans was isolated from hypersaline water and bathrooms and detected once on dolphin skin. Cladosporium dominicanum and C. velox were isolated from plant material and hypersaline water. Cladosporium psychrotolerans, which grows well at 4 °C but not at 30 °C, and C. spinulosum, having conspicuously ornamented conidia with long digitate projections, are currently only known from hypersaline water. We also newly describe C. salinae from hypersaline water and C. fusiforme from hypersaline water and animal feed. Both species have ovoid to ellipsoid conidia and are therefore reminiscent of C. herbarum. Cladosporium langeronii (= Hormodendrum langeronii) previously described as a pathogen on human skin, is halotolerant but has not yet been recorded from hypersaline environments. PMID:18490999

How Is Mono Spread?

MedlinePlus

... How Is Mono Spread? Print My sister has mononucleosis. I drank out of her drink before we ... that I have mono now? – Kyle* Mono, or mononucleosis, is spread through direct contact with saliva. This ...

Microbial community structure and diversity within hypersaline Keke Salt Lake environments.

PubMed

Han, Rui; Zhang, Xin; Liu, Jing; Long, Qifu; Chen, Laisheng; Liu, Deli; Zhu, Derui

2017-11-01

Keke Salt Lake is located in the Qaidamu Basin of China. It is a unique magnesium sulfate-subtype hypersaline lake that exhibits a halite domain ecosystem, yet its microbial diversity has remained unstudied. Here, the microbial community structure and diversity was investigated via high-throughput sequencing of the V3-V5 regions of 16S rRNA genes. A high diversity of operational taxonomic units was detected for Bacteria and Archaea (734 and 747, respectively), comprising 21 phyla, 43 classes, and 201 genera of Bacteria and 4 phyla, 4 classes, and 39 genera of Archaea. Salt-saturated samples were dominated by the bacterial genera Bacillus (51.52%-58.35% relative abundance), Lactococcus (9.52%-10.51%), and Oceanobacillus (8.82%-9.88%) within the Firmicutes phylum (74.81%-80.99%), contrasting with other hypersaline lakes. The dominant Archaea belonged to the Halobacteriaceae family, and in particular, the genera (with an abundance of >10% of communities) Halonotius, Halorubellus, Halapricum, Halorubrum, and Natronomonas. Additionally, we report the presence of Nanohaloarchaeota and Woesearchaeota in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau lakes, which has not been previously documented. Total salinity (especially Mg 2+ , Cl - , Na + , and K + ) mostly correlated with taxonomic distribution across samples. These results expand our understanding of microbial resource utilization within hypersaline lakes and the potential adaptations of dominant microorganisms that allow them to inhabit such environments.

Methanogenic and Sulfate-Reducing Activities in a Hypersaline Microbial Mat and Associated Microbial Diversity.

PubMed

Cadena, Santiago; García-Maldonado, José Q; López-Lozano, Nguyen E; Cervantes, Francisco J

2018-05-01

Methanogenesis and sulfate reduction are important microbial processes in hypersaline environments. However, key aspects determining substrate competition between these microbial processes have not been well documented. We evaluated competitive and non-competitive substrates for stimulation of both processes through microcosm experiments of hypersaline microbial mat samples from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and we assessed the effect of these substrates on the microbial community composition. Methylotrophic methanogenesis evidenced by sequences belonging to methanogens of the family Methanosarcinaceae was found as the dominant methanogenic pathway in the studied hypersaline microbial mat. Nevertheless, our results showed that incubations supplemented with acetate and lactate, performed in absence of sulfate, also produced methane after 40 days of incubation, apparently driven by hydrogenotrophic methanogens affiliated to the family Methanomicrobiaceae. Sulfate reduction was mainly stimulated by addition of acetate and lactate; however, after 40 days of incubation, an increase of the H 2 S concentrations in microcosms amended with trimethylamine and methanol was also observed, suggesting that these substrates are putatively used for sulfate reduction. Moreover, 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed remarkable differences in the microbial community composition among experimental treatments. In the analyzed sample amended with acetate, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) belonging to the family Desulfobacteraceae were dominant, while members of Desulfohalobiaceae, Desulfomicrobiaceae, and Desulfovibrionaceae were found in the incubation with lactate. Additionally, we detected an unexpected high abundance of unclassified Hydrogenedentes (near 25%) in almost all the experimental treatments. This study contributes to better understand methanogenic and sulfate-reducing activities, which play an important role in the functioning of hypersaline environments.

Chemistry of modern sediments in a hypersaline lagoon, north of Jeddah, Red Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sayed, Mahmoud Kh.

1987-10-01

Previous studies of modern peritidal sedimentary environments of the Red Sea, such as hypersaline lagoons and sea-marginal flats, have concentrated on its northern part, particularly in the Gulf of Aqaba. However, little is known about lagoon sediments in other localities along the Red Sea coastal stretches. This paper deals with the chemical characteristics of the sediments of a hypersaline (Ras Hatiba) lagoon, north of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The chemistry of hypersaline lagoon sediments is considerably changed following the modifications to the water chemistry by evaporation and precipitation. Ras Hatiba lagoon is a hypersaline elongated water body connected to the Red Sea by a narrow and shallow opening. The total area of the lagoon is c. 30 km 2. Coarse bioclastic sands are dominant in the lagoon and mostly surround lithified calcareous grounds. However, fine silt and clay sediments are present in separate patches. The sediments are rich in carbonates (average 78·5%) and organic carbon (average 7·3%), although they are negatively correlated. Calcium (average 25·1%) and magnesium (average 10·8‰) show a similar distribution pattern in the lagoon sediments. Strontium (average 5·2‰) is positively correlated with calcium. Sodium and potassium are relatively highly concentrated in the sediments (average 118 ppm and 173 ppm, respectively). Magnesium and strontium are of prime importance in the process of mineralization and diagenesis. The sabkha formation surrounding the lagoon is of low carbonate and organic carbon content, compared with the lagoon sediments, whilst it is characterized by high magnesium, sodium and potassium concentrations. Ras Hatiba lagoon sediments and sabkha resemble those of the northern Red Sea in the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez and the Arabian Gulf in their major sedimentological and chemical characteristics.

On the origins of hypersaline groundwater in the Nile Delta Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Engelen, Joeri; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Kooi, Henk; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2017-04-01

The fresh groundwater resources in the Nile Delta, Egypt, are of eminent socio-economic importance. These resources are under major stress due to population growth, the anticipated sea level rise and increased groundwater extraction rates, making fresh water availability the most challenging issue in this area. Up till now, numerous groundwater studies mainly focused on sea water intrusion on the top 100m of the groundwater system and assumed salinities not exceeding that of Mediterranean sea water, as there was no knowledge on groundwater in the deeper coastal parts of the Quaternary Nile Delta aquifer (that ranges up to 1000m depth). Recently, however, the Egyptian Research Institute for Groundwater (RIGW) collected salinity measurements and found a widespread occurrence of "hypersaline" groundwater: groundwater with salinities largely exceeding that of sea water at 600m depth (Nofal et al., 2015). This hypersaline groundwater greatly influences flow patterns and the fresh water potential of the aquifer. This research focuses on the origins of the hypersaline groundwater and the possible processes causing its transport. We consider all relevant salinization processes in the Nile Delta aquifer, over a time domain of up to 2.5 million years, which is the time span in which the aquifer got deposited. The following hypotheses were investigated with a combination of analytical solutions and numerical modelling: upward salt transport due to a) molecular diffusion, b) thermal buoyancy, c) consolidation-induced advection and dispersion, or downward transport due to d) composition buoyancy (salt inversion). We conclude that hypotheses a) and b) can be rejected, but c) and d) are both possible with the available information. An enhanced chemical analysis is suggested for further research, to determine the origins of this hypersaline water. This information in combination with the conclusions drawn in this research will give more insight in the potential amount of non

Organismal and spatial partitioning of energy and macronutrient transformations within a hypersaline mat

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mobberley, Jennifer M.; Lindemann, Stephen R.; Bernstein, Hans C.

2017-03-21

Phototrophic mat communities are model ecosystems for studying energy cycling and elemental transformations because complete biogeochemical cycles occur over millimeter-to-centimeter scales. Characterization of energy and nutrient capture within hypersaline phototrophic mats has focused on specific processes and organisms, however little is known about community-wide distribution of and linkages between these processes. To investigate energy and macronutrient capture and flow through a structured community, the spatial and organismal distribution of metabolic functions within a compact hypersaline mat community from Hot Lake have been broadly elucidated through species-resolved metagenomics and geochemical, microbial diversity, and metabolic gradient measurements. Draft reconstructed genomes of abundantmore » organisms revealed three dominant cyanobacterial populations differentially distributed across the top layers of the mat suggesting niche separation along light and oxygen gradients. Many organisms contained diverse functional profiles, allowing for metabolic response to changing conditions within the mat. Organisms with partial nitrogen and sulfur metabolisms were widespread indicating dependence upon metabolite exchange. In addition, changes in community spatial structure were observed over the diel. These results indicate that organisms within the mat community have adapted to the temporally dynamic environmental gradients in this hypersaline mat through metabolic flexibility and fluid syntrophic interactions, including shifts in spatial arrangements.« less

A case for the protection of saline and hypersaline environments: a microbiological perspective.

PubMed

Paul, Varun G; Mormile, Melanie R

2017-08-01

Saline and hypersaline environments are known for their unique geochemical properties, microbial populations and aesthetic appeal. Microbial activities and a spectrum of diversity seen in hypersaline environments are distinct with many novel species being identified and reported on a regular basis. Many distinguishing characteristics about the adaptation, morphology, evolutionary history, and potential environmental and biotechnological applications of these organisms are continually investigated. An abundance of interdisciplinary activities and opportunities exist to explore and understand the importance of these environments that potentially hold promising solutions for current and future global issues. Therefore, it is critical to conserve these unique environments and limit the damage inflicted by anthropogenic influences. Increased salinization due to water diversions, undesired freshening, extensive mineral extraction, sewage effluents, pollution due to agricultural runoff and industrial processes, urbanization, and global climate change are factors negatively affecting hypersaline lakes and their surrounding environments. If these harmful effects continue to proceed at the current or even accelerated rates, irrevocable consequences for these environments will occur, resulting in the loss of potential opportunities to gain new knowledge of the biogeochemistry as well as beneficial microbial populations closely associated with these unique and interesting environments. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Contrasting taxonomic stratification of microbial communities in two hypersaline meromictic lakes

PubMed Central

Andrei, Adrian-Ştefan; Robeson, Michael S; Baricz, Andreea; Coman, Cristian; Muntean, Vasile; Ionescu, Artur; Etiope, Giuseppe; Alexe, Mircea; Sicora, Cosmin Ionel; Podar, Mircea; Banciu, Horia Leonard

2015-01-01

Hypersaline meromictic lakes are extreme environments in which water stratification is associated with powerful physicochemical gradients and high salt concentrations. Furthermore, their physical stability coupled with vertical water column partitioning makes them important research model systems in microbial niche differentiation and biogeochemical cycling. Here, we compare the prokaryotic assemblages from Ursu and Fara Fund hypersaline meromictic lakes (Transylvanian Basin, Romania) in relation to their limnological factors and infer their role in elemental cycling by matching taxa to known taxon-specific biogeochemical functions. To assess the composition and structure of prokaryotic communities and the environmental factors that structure them, deep-coverage small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA (rDNA) amplicon sequencing, community domain-specific quantitative PCR and physicochemical analyses were performed on samples collected along depth profiles. The analyses showed that the lakes harbored multiple and diverse prokaryotic communities whose distribution mirrored the water stratification patterns. Ursu Lake was found to be dominated by Bacteria and to have a greater prokaryotic diversity than Fara Fund Lake that harbored an increased cell density and was populated mostly by Archaea within oxic strata. In spite of their contrasting diversity, the microbial populations indigenous to each lake pointed to similar physiological functions within carbon degradation and sulfate reduction. Furthermore, the taxonomy results coupled with methane detection and its stable C isotope composition indicated the presence of a yet-undescribed methanogenic group in the lakes' hypersaline monimolimnion. In addition, ultrasmall uncultivated archaeal lineages were detected in the chemocline of Fara Fund Lake, where the recently proposed Nanohaloarchaeota phylum was found to thrive. PMID:25932617

Identification and Characterization of Bacteria in a Selenium-Contaminated Hypersaline Evaporation Pond

PubMed Central

de Souza, M. P.; Amini, A.; Dojka, M. A.; Pickering, I. J.; Dawson, S. C.; Pace, N. R.; Terry, N.

2001-01-01

Solar evaporation ponds are commonly used to reduce the volume of seleniferous agricultural drainage water in the San Joaquin Valley, Calif. These hypersaline ponds pose an environmental health hazard because they are heavily contaminated with selenium (Se), mainly in the form of selenate. Se in the ponds may be removed by microbial Se volatilization, a bioremediation process whereby toxic, bioavailable selenate is converted to relatively nontoxic dimethylselenide gas. In order to identify microbes that may be used for Se bioremediation, a 16S ribosomal DNA phylogenetic analysis of an aerobic hypersaline pond in the San Joaquin Valley showed that a previously unaffiliated group of uncultured bacteria (belonging to the order Cytophagales) was dominant, followed by a group of cultured γ-Proteobacteria which was closely related to Halomonas species. Se K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy of selenate-treated bacterial isolates showed that they accumulated a mixture of predominantly selenate and a selenomethionine-like species, consistent with the idea that selenate was assimilated via the S assimilation pathway. One of these bacterial isolates (Halomonas-like strain MPD-51) was the best candidate for the bioremediation of hypersaline evaporation ponds contaminated with high Se concentrations because it tolerated 2 M selenate and 32.5% NaCl, grew rapidly in media containing selenate, and accumulated and volatilized Se at high rates (1.65 μg of Se g of protein−1 h−1), compared to other cultured bacterial isolates. PMID:11525968

Geophysical Investigations of Hypersaline Subglacial Water Systems in the Canadian Arctic: A Planetary Analog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutishauser, A.; Sharp, M. J.; Blankenship, D. D.; Skidmore, M. L.; Grima, C.; Schroeder, D. M.; Greenbaum, J. S.; Dowdeswell, J. A.; Young, D. A.

2017-12-01

Robotic exploration and remote sensing of the solar system have identified the presence of liquid water beneath ice on several planetary bodies, with evidence for elevated salinity in certain cases. Subglacial water systems beneath Earth's glaciers and ice sheets may provide terrestrial analogs for microbial habitats in such extreme environments, especially those with higher salinity. Geological data suggest that several ice caps and glaciers in the eastern Canadian High Arctic are partially underlain by evaporite-rich sedimentary rocks, and subglacial weathering of these rocks is potentially conducive to the formation of hypersaline subglacial waters. Here, we combine airborne geophysical data with geological constraints to identify and characterize hypersaline subglacial water systems beneath ice caps in Canada's Queen Elizabeth Islands. High relative bedrock reflectivity and specularity anomalies that are apparent in radio-echo sounding data indicate multiple locations where subglacial water is present in areas where modeled ice temperatures at the glacier bed are well below the pressure melting point. This suggests that these water systems are hypersaline, with solute concentrations that significantly depress the freezing point of water. From combined interpretations of geological and airborne-magnetic data, we define the geological context within which these systems have developed, and identify possible solute-sources for the inferred brine-rich water systems. We also derive subglacial hydraulic potential gradients using airborne laser altimetry and ice thickness data, and apply water routing models to derive subglacial drainage pathways. These allow us to identify marine-terminating glaciers where outflow of the brine-rich waters may be anticipated. These hypersaline subglacial water systems beneath Canadian Arctic ice caps and glaciers may represent robust microbial habitats, and potential analogs for brines that may exist beneath ice masses on planetary

Effects of short-term hypersalinity exposure on the susceptibility to wasting disease in the subtropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum.

PubMed

Trevathan, Stacey M; Kahn, Amanda; Ross, Cliff

2011-09-01

Seagrass meadows are a vital component of coastal ecosystems and have experienced declines in abundance due to a series of environmental stressors including elevated salinity and incidence of disease. This study evaluated the impacts of short-term hypersalinity stress on the early stages of infection in Thalassia testudinum Banks ex König by assessing changes in cellular physiology and metabolism. Seagrass short shoots were exposed to ambient (30 psu) and elevated (45 psu) salinities for 7 days and subsequently infected for one week by the causative pathogen of wasting disease, Labyrinthula sp. The occurrence of wasting disease was significantly lower in the hypersalinity treatments. Additionally, while exposure to elevated salinity caused a reduction in chlorophyll a and b content, T. testudinum's health, in terms of photochemical efficiency, was not significantly compromised by hypersalinity or infection. In contrast, plant respiratory demand was significantly enhanced as a function of infection. Elevated salinity caused T. testudinum to significantly increase its in vivo H(2)O(2) concentrations to levels that exceeded those which inhibited Labyrinthula growth in a liquid in vitro assay. The results suggest that while short-term exposure to hypersalinity alters selected cellular processes this does not necessarily lead to an immediate increase in wasting disease susceptibility. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Microbial Diversity in a Hypersaline Sulfate Lake: A Terrestrial Analog of Ancient Mars

PubMed Central

Pontefract, Alexandra; Zhu, Ting F.; Walker, Virginia K.; Hepburn, Holli; Lui, Clarissa; Zuber, Maria T.; Ruvkun, Gary; Carr, Christopher E.

2017-01-01

Life can persist under severe osmotic stress and low water activity in hypersaline environments. On Mars, evidence for the past presence of saline bodies of water is prevalent and resulted in the widespread deposition of sulfate and chloride salts. Here we investigate Spotted Lake (British Columbia, Canada), a hypersaline lake with extreme (>3 M) levels of sulfate salts as an exemplar of the conditions thought to be associated with ancient Mars. We provide the first characterization of microbial structure in Spotted Lake sediments through metagenomic sequencing, and report a bacteria-dominated community with abundant Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes, as well as diverse extremophiles. Microbial abundance and functional comparisons reveal similarities to Ace Lake, a meromictic Antarctic lake with anoxic and sulfidic bottom waters. Our analysis suggests that hypersaline-associated species occupy niches characterized foremost by differential abundance of Archaea, uncharacterized Bacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Potential biosignatures in this environment are discussed, specifically the likelihood of a strong sulfur isotopic fractionation record within the sediments due to the presence of sulfate reducing bacteria. With its high sulfate levels and seasonal freeze-thaw cycles, Spotted Lake is an analog for ancient paleolakes on Mars in which sulfate salt deposits may have offered periodically habitable environments, and could have concentrated and preserved organic materials or their biomarkers over geologic time. PMID:29018418

Microbial Diversity in a Hypersaline Sulfate Lake: A Terrestrial Analog of Ancient Mars.

PubMed

Pontefract, Alexandra; Zhu, Ting F; Walker, Virginia K; Hepburn, Holli; Lui, Clarissa; Zuber, Maria T; Ruvkun, Gary; Carr, Christopher E

2017-01-01

Life can persist under severe osmotic stress and low water activity in hypersaline environments. On Mars, evidence for the past presence of saline bodies of water is prevalent and resulted in the widespread deposition of sulfate and chloride salts. Here we investigate Spotted Lake (British Columbia, Canada), a hypersaline lake with extreme (>3 M) levels of sulfate salts as an exemplar of the conditions thought to be associated with ancient Mars. We provide the first characterization of microbial structure in Spotted Lake sediments through metagenomic sequencing, and report a bacteria-dominated community with abundant Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes, as well as diverse extremophiles. Microbial abundance and functional comparisons reveal similarities to Ace Lake, a meromictic Antarctic lake with anoxic and sulfidic bottom waters. Our analysis suggests that hypersaline-associated species occupy niches characterized foremost by differential abundance of Archaea, uncharacterized Bacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Potential biosignatures in this environment are discussed, specifically the likelihood of a strong sulfur isotopic fractionation record within the sediments due to the presence of sulfate reducing bacteria. With its high sulfate levels and seasonal freeze-thaw cycles, Spotted Lake is an analog for ancient paleolakes on Mars in which sulfate salt deposits may have offered periodically habitable environments, and could have concentrated and preserved organic materials or their biomarkers over geologic time.

Carbonate microbialites and hardgrounds from Manito Lake, an alkaline, hypersaline lake in the northern Great Plains of Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Last, Fawn M.; Last, William M.; Halden, Norman M.

2010-03-01

Manito Lake is a large, perennial, Na-SO 4 dominated saline to hypersaline lake located in the northern Great Plains of western Canada. Significant water level decrease over the past several decades has led to reduction in volume and surface area, as well as an increase in salinity. The salinity has increased from 10 ppt to about 50 ppt TDS. This decrease in water level has exposed large areas of nearshore microbialites. These organogenic structures range in size from several cm to over a meter and often form large bioherms several meters high. They have various external morphologies, vary in mineralogical composition, and show a variety of internal fabrics from finely laminated to massive. In addition to microbiolities and bioherms, the littoral zone of Manito Lake contains a variety of carbonate hardgrounds, pavements, and cemented clastic sediments. Dolomite and aragonite are the most common minerals found in these shoreline structures, however, calcite after ikaite, monohydrocalcite, magnesian calcite, and hydromagnesite are also present. The dolomite is nonstoichiometric and calcium-rich; the magnesian calcite has about 17 mol% MgCO 3. AMS radiocarbon dating of paired organic matter and endogenic carbonate material confirms little or no reservoir affect. Although there is abundant evidence for modern carbonate mineral precipitation and microbialite formation, most of the larger microbialites formed between about 2300 and 1000 cal BP, whereas the hardgrounds, cements, and laminated crusts formed about 1000-500 cal BP.

[New isolation methods and phylogenetic diversity of actinobacteria from hypersaline beach in Aksu].

PubMed

Zhang, Yao; Xia, Zhanfeng; Cao, Xinbo; Li, Jun; Zhang, Lili

2013-08-04

We explored 4 new methods to improve the isolation of actinobacterial resources from high salt areas. Optimized media based on 4 new strategies were used for isolating actinobacteria from hypersaline beaches. Glycerin-arginine, trehalose-creatine, glycerol-asparticacid, mannitol-casein, casein-mannitol, mannitol-alanine, chitosan-asparagineand GAUZE' No. 1 were used as basic media. New isolation strategy includes 4 methods: ten-fold dilution culture, simulation of the original environment, actinobacterial culture guided by uncultured molecular technology detected, and reference of actinobacterial media for brackish marine environment. The 16S rRNA genes of the isolates were amplified with bacterial universal primers. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequences were compared with sequences obtained from GenBank databases. We constructed phylogenetic tree with the neighbor-joining method. No actinobacterial strains were isolated by 8 media of control group, while 403 strains were isolated by new strategies. The isolates by new methods were members of 14 genera (Streptomyces, Streptomonospora, Saccharomonospora, Plantactinospora, Nocardia, Amycolatopsis, Glycomyces, Micromonospora, Nocardiopsis, Isoptericola, Nonomuraea, Thermobifida, Actinopolyspora, Actinomadura) of 10 families in 8 suborders. The most abundant and diverse isolates were the two suborders of Streptomycineae (69.96%) and Streptosporangineaesuborder (9.68%) within the phylum Actinobacteria, including 9 potential novel species. New isolation methods significantly improved the actinobacterial culturability of hypersaline areas, and obtained many potential novel species, which provided a new and more effective way to isolate actinobacteria resources in hypersaline environments.

Lipid Biomarkers for a Hypersaline Microbial Mat Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahnke, Linda L.; Embaye, Tsege; Turk, Kendra A.

2003-01-01

The use of lipid biomarkers and their carbon isotopic compositions are valuable tools for establishing links to ancient microbial ecosystems. As witnessed by the stromatolite record, benthic microbial mats grew in shallow water lagoonal environments where microorganisms had virtually no competition apart from the harsh conditions of hypersalinity, desiccation and intense light. Today, the modern counterparts of these microbial ecosystems find appropriate niches in only a few places where extremes eliminate eukaryotic grazers. Answers to many outstanding questions about the evolution of microorganisms and their environments on early Earth are best answered through study of these extant analogs. Lipids associated with various groups of bacteria can be valuable biomarkers for identification of specific groups of microorganisms both in ancient organic-rich sedimentary rocks (geolipids) and contemporary microbial communities (membrane lipids). Use of compound specific isotope analysis adds additional refinement to the identification of biomarker source, so that it is possible to take advantage of the 3C-depletions associated with various functional groups of organisms (i.e. autotrophs, heterotrophs, methanotrophs, methanogens) responsible for the cycling of carbon within a microbial community. Our recent work has focused on a set of hypersaline evaporation ponds at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico which support the abundant growth of Microcoleus-dominated microbial mats. Specific biomarkers for diatoms, cyanobacteria, archaea, green nonsulfur (GNS), sulfate reducing, and methanotrophic bacteria have been identified. Analyses of the ester-bound fatty acids indicate a highly diverse microbial community, dominated by photosynthetic organisms at the surface.

Biogeographical patterns of bacterial and archaeal communities from distant hypersaline environments.

PubMed

Mora-Ruiz, M Del R; Cifuentes, A; Font-Verdera, F; Pérez-Fernández, C; Farias, M E; González, B; Orfila, A; Rosselló-Móra, R

2018-03-01

Microorganisms are globally distributed but new evidence shows that the microbial structure of their communities can vary due to geographical location and environmental parameters. In this study, 50 samples including brines and sediments from Europe, Spanish-Atlantic and South America were analysed by applying the operational phylogenetic unit (OPU) approach in order to understand whether microbial community structures in hypersaline environments exhibited biogeographical patterns. The fine-tuned identification of approximately 1000 OPUs (almost equivalent to "species") using multivariate analysis revealed regionally distinct taxa compositions. This segregation was more diffuse at the genus level and pointed to a phylogenetic and metabolic redundancy at the higher taxa level, where their different species acquired distinct advantages related to the regional physicochemical idiosyncrasies. The presence of previously undescribed groups was also shown in these environments, such as Parcubacteria, or members of Nanohaloarchaeota in anaerobic hypersaline sediments. Finally, an important OPU overlap was observed between anoxic sediments and their overlaying brines, indicating versatile metabolism for the pelagic organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Viruses Occur Incorporated in Biogenic High-Mg Calcite from Hypersaline Microbial Mats

PubMed Central

De Wit, Rutger; Gautret, Pascale; Bettarel, Yvan; Roques, Cécile; Marlière, Christian; Ramonda, Michel; Nguyen Thanh, Thuy; Tran Quang, Huy; Bouvier, Thierry

2015-01-01

Using three different microscopy techniques (epifluorescence, electronic and atomic force microscopy), we showed that high-Mg calcite grains in calcifying microbial mats from the hypersaline lake “La Salada de Chiprana”, Spain, contain viruses with a diameter of 50–80 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer analysis revealed that they contain nitrogen and phosphorus in a molar ratio of ~9, which is typical for viruses. Nucleic acid staining revealed that they contain DNA or RNA. As characteristic for hypersaline environments, the concentrations of free and attached viruses were high (>1010 viruses per g of mat). In addition, we showed that acid treatment (dissolution of calcite) resulted in release of viruses into suspension and estimated that there were ~15 × 109 viruses per g of calcite. We suggest that virus-mineral interactions are one of the possible ways for the formation of nano-sized structures often described as “nanobacteria” and that viruses may play a role in initiating calcification. PMID:26115121

Dispersion and transport of hypersaline gravity currents in the presence of internal waves at a pycnocline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogg, C. A. R.; Pietrasz, V. B.; Ouellette, N. T.; Koseff, J. R.

2015-12-01

Desalination of seawater offers a source of potable water in arid regions and during drought. However, hypersaline discharge from desalination facilities presents environmental risks, particularly to benthic organisms. The risks posed by salt levels and chemical additives, which can be toxic to local ecosystems, are typically mitigated by ensuring high levels of dilution close to the source. We report on laboratory flume experiments examining how internal waves at the pycnocline of a layered ambient density stratification influence the transport of hypersaline effluent moving as a gravity current down the slope. We found that some of the hypersaline fluid from the gravity current was diverted away from the slope into an intrusion along the pycnocline. A parametric study investigated how varying the energy of the internal wave altered the amount of dense fluid that was diverted into the pycnocline intrusion. The results are compared to an analytical framework that compares the incident energy in the internal wave to potential energy used in diluting the gravity current. These results are significant for desalination effluents because fluid diverted into the intrusion avoids the ecologically sensitive benthic layer and disperses more quickly than if it had continued to propagate along the bed.

Response of biotic communities to salinity changes in a Mediterranean hypersaline stream

PubMed Central

Velasco, Josefa; Millán, Andrés; Hernández, Juan; Gutiérrez, Cayetano; Abellán, Pedro; Sánchez, David; Ruiz, Mar

2006-01-01

Background This study investigates the relationship between salinity and biotic communities (primary producers and macroinvertebrates) in Rambla Salada, a Mediterranean hypersaline stream in SE Spain. Since the 1980's, the mean salinity of the stream has fallen from about 100 g L-1 to 35.5 g L-1, due to intensive irrigated agriculture in the watershed. Furthermore, large dilutions occur occasionally when the water irrigation channel suffers cracks. Results Along the salinity gradient studied (3.5 – 76.4 g L-1) Cladophora glomerata and Ruppia maritima biomass decreased with increasing salinity, while the biomass of epipelic algae increased. Diptera and Coleoptera species dominated the community both in disturbed as in re-established conditions. Most macroinvertebrates species found in Rambla Salada stream are euryhaline species with a broad range of salinity tolerance. Eight of them were recorded in natural hypersaline conditions (~100 g L-1) prior to important change in land use of the watershed: Ephydra flavipes, Stratyomis longicornis, Nebrioporus ceresyi, N. baeticus, Berosus hispanicus, Enochrus falcarius, Ochthebius cuprescens and Sigara selecta. However, other species recorded in the past, such as Ochthebius glaber, O. notabilis and Enochrus politus, were restricted to a hypersaline source or absent from Rambla Salada. The dilution of salinity to 3.5 – 6.8 gL-1 allowed the colonization of species with low salininty tolerance, such as Melanopsis praemorsa, Anax sp., Simulidae, Ceratopogonidae and Tanypodinae. The abundance of Ephydra flavipes and Ochthebius corrugatus showed a positive significant response to salinity, while Anax sp., Simulidae, S. selecta, N. ceresyi, N. baeticus, and B. hispanicus showed significant negative correlations. The number of total macroinvertebrate taxa, Diptera and Coleoptera species, number of families, Margalef's index and Shannon's diversity index decreased with increasing salinity. However, the rest of community

40 CFR 721.10505 - Phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and diesters with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and polyethylene glycol mono-C12...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and... Phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and diesters with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and polyethylene glycol mono-C12-16-alkyl... identified as phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and diesters with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and polyethylene glycol mono...

40 CFR 721.10505 - Phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and diesters with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and polyethylene glycol mono-C12...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and... Phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and diesters with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and polyethylene glycol mono-C12-16-alkyl... identified as phosphoric acid, mixed mono- and diesters with 2-ethyl-1-hexanol and polyethylene glycol mono...

How Long Is Mono Contagious?

MedlinePlus

... Here's how it works: Mono is short for mononucleosis . It's usually caused by an infection with the ... May 2018 More on this topic for: Teens Mononucleosis How Do Doctors Test for Mono? Can a ...

Geobiological Comparisons of Preservation Potential within Hypersaline Mineral-Microbe Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perl, S. M.; Celestian, A. J.; Vaishampayan, P.; Seuylemezian, A.; Mahseredjian, T.; Baxter, B.; Corsetti, F. A.

2017-12-01

The purpose of these investigations is to show comparative measurements between known biological sources of biomarkers and biosignatures and how they can be independently verified, within instrumentation limits, by laboratory investigations analogous to future surface missions to Mars and Europa. Precipitated hypersaline mineralogy can provide a biotic record of microbial activity and habitation within evaporating lake systems. The extent of microbial preservation is a direct relationship between the magnitudes of aqueous activity post-precipitation, original or in-situ biological habitats, dissolution events due to chemical weathering, and organic matter degradation due to UV exposure and desiccation. Chemical biomarkers and physical biosignatures to be quantified and correlated based from preserved DNA as the most sensitive biomarker to more recalcitrant biomarkers such as lipids and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). Moreover the timing of cell movement during nutrient cycling within specific evaporite minerals can be associated to the formation of physical biosignatures as a function of already active and abundant biomarkers allowing for relative timelines of biogenic actions (e.g., nutrient cycling, cell division) to be correlated together. Our investigation has compared hypersaline biotic activity within different photosynthetic and chemosynthetic settings to quantify preservation and detection profiles given measured DNA as the source validation standard and micron-scale Raman measurements for specific paleoenvironmental mineral sampling.

Diversity of virus-host systems in hypersaline Lake Retba, Senegal.

PubMed

Sime-Ngando, Télesphore; Lucas, Soizick; Robin, Agnès; Tucker, Kimberly Pause; Colombet, Jonathan; Bettarel, Yvan; Desmond, Elie; Gribaldo, Simonetta; Forterre, Patrick; Breitbart, Mya; Prangishvili, David

2011-08-01

Remarkable morphological diversity of virus-like particles was observed by transmission electron microscopy in a hypersaline water sample from Lake Retba, Senegal. The majority of particles morphologically resembled hyperthermophilic archaeal DNA viruses isolated from extreme geothermal environments. Some hypersaline viral morphotypes have not been previously observed in nature, and less than 1% of observed particles had a head-and-tail morphology, which is typical for bacterial DNA viruses. Culture-independent analysis of the microbial diversity in the sample suggested the dominance of extremely halophilic archaea. Few of the 16S sequences corresponded to known archeal genera (Haloquadratum, Halorubrum and Natronomonas), whereas the majority represented novel archaeal clades. Three sequences corresponded to a new basal lineage of the haloarchaea. Bacteria belonged to four major phyla, consistent with the known diversity in saline environments. Metagenomic sequencing of DNA from the purified virus-like particles revealed very few similarities to the NCBI non-redundant database at either the nucleotide or amino acid level. Some of the identifiable virus sequences were most similar to previously described haloarchaeal viruses, but no sequence similarities were found to archaeal viruses from extreme geothermal environments. A large proportion of the sequences had similarity to previously sequenced viral metagenomes from solar salterns. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Two Fixed Ratio Dilutions for Soil Salinity Monitoring in Hypersaline Wetlands

PubMed Central

Herrero, Juan; Weindorf, David C.; Castañeda, Carmen

2015-01-01

Highly soluble salts are undesirable in agriculture because they reduce yields or the quality of most cash crops and can leak to surface or sub-surface waters. In some cases salinity can be associated with unique history, rarity, or special habitats protected by environmental laws. Yet in considering the measurement of soil salinity for long-term monitoring purposes, adequate methods are required. Both saturated paste extracts, intended for agriculture, and direct surface and/or porewater salinity measurement, used in inundated wetlands, are unsuited for hypersaline wetlands that often are only occasionally inundated. For these cases, we propose the use of 1:5 soil/water (weight/weight) extracts as the standard for expressing the electrical conductivity (EC) of such soils and for further salt determinations. We also propose checking for ion-pairing with a 1:10 or more diluted extract in hypersaline soils. As an illustration, we apply the two-dilutions approach to a set of 359 soil samples from saline wetlands ranging in ECe from 2.3 dS m-1 to 183.0 dS m-1. This easy procedure will be useful in survey campaigns and in the monitoring of soil salt content. PMID:26001130

Two fixed ratio dilutions for soil salinity monitoring in hypersaline wetlands.

PubMed

Herrero, Juan; Weindorf, David C; Castañeda, Carmen

2015-01-01

Highly soluble salts are undesirable in agriculture because they reduce yields or the quality of most cash crops and can leak to surface or sub-surface waters. In some cases salinity can be associated with unique history, rarity, or special habitats protected by environmental laws. Yet in considering the measurement of soil salinity for long-term monitoring purposes, adequate methods are required. Both saturated paste extracts, intended for agriculture, and direct surface and/or porewater salinity measurement, used in inundated wetlands, are unsuited for hypersaline wetlands that often are only occasionally inundated. For these cases, we propose the use of 1:5 soil/water (weight/weight) extracts as the standard for expressing the electrical conductivity (EC) of such soils and for further salt determinations. We also propose checking for ion-pairing with a 1:10 or more diluted extract in hypersaline soils. As an illustration, we apply the two-dilutions approach to a set of 359 soil samples from saline wetlands ranging in ECe from 2.3 dS m(-1) to 183.0 dS m(-1). This easy procedure will be useful in survey campaigns and in the monitoring of soil salt content.

Hypersaline groundwater genesis assessment through a multidisciplinary approach: the case of Pozzo del Sale Spring (southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Celico, Fulvio; Capuano, Paolo; de Felice, Vincenzo; Naclerio, Gino

2008-11-01

A tool, based on a multidisciplinary field investigation approach for studying the characteristics of a hypersaline spring, was developed and its effectiveness tested on a spring in southern Italy; a preliminary model of the aquifer system at medium and local scale was derived. Hydrologic measurements, vertical electric soundings, and chemical and isotopic (δ18O, δ2H, 3H) analyses were undertaken, along with microbiological analyses and species identification. These demonstrate the coexistence of hypersaline and fresh water, generating a significant diversification of the groundwater hydrochemical signature. The isotopic signature shows that both types of water have a meteoric origin. Microbial contamination of fecal origin indicates the mixing of hyper- and low- saline water related to local infiltration. The hypersaline groundwater flows in confined horizons within a sequence that is mainly of fractured clays. These horizons are probably concentrated where well-developed fracture network and dissolution openings within evaporitic rocks enhance fluid flow. In a wider context, this study determines that microbiological pollution of saline groundwater may not be detected if using nonhalophilic bacterial indicators such as fecal coliforms. Fecal enterococci are better indicators, due to their higher halotolerance.

Oil-bioremediation potential of two hydrocarbonoclastic, diazotrophic Marinobacter strains from hypersaline areas along the Arabian Gulf coasts.

PubMed

Al-Mailem, D M; Eliyas, M; Radwan, S S

2013-05-01

Two halophilic, hydrocarbonoclastics bacteria, Marinobacter sedimentarum and M. flavimaris, with diazotrophic potential occured in hypersaline waters and soils in southern and northern coasts of Kuwait. Their numbers were in the magnitude of 10(3) colony forming units g(-1). The ambient salinity in the hypersaline environments was between 3.2 and 3.5 M NaCl. The partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of the two strains showed, respectively, 99 and 100% similarities to the sequences in the GenBank. The two strains failed to grow in the absence of NaCl, exhibited best growth and hydrocarbon biodegradation in the presence of 1 to 1.5 M NaCl, and still grew and maintained their hydrocarbonoclastic activity at salinities up to 5 M NaCl. Both species utilized Tween 80, a wide range of individual aliphatic hydrocarbons (C9-C40) and the aromatics benzene, biphenyl, phenanthrene, anthracene and naphthalene as sole sources of carbon and energy. Experimental evidence was provided for their nitrogen-fixation potential. The two halophilic Marinobacter strains successfully mineralized crude oil in nutrient media as well as in hypersaline soil and water microcosms without the use of any nitrogen fertilizers.

Magmatic gas emissions at Holocene volcanic features near Mono Lake, California, and their relation to regional magmatism

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergfeld, D.; Evans, William C.; Howle, James F.; Hunt, Andrew G.

2015-01-01

Silicic lavas have erupted repeatedly in the Mono Basin over the past few thousand years, forming the massive domes and coulees of the Mono Craters chain and the smaller island vents in Mono Lake. We report here on the first systematic study of magmatic CO2 emissions from these features, conducted during 2007–2010. Most notably, a known locus of weak steam venting on the summit of North Coulee is actually enclosed in a large area (~ 0.25 km2) of diffuse gas discharge that emits 10–14 t/d of CO2, mostly at ambient temperature. Subsurface gases sampled here are heavily air-contaminated, but after standard corrections are applied, show average δ13C-CO2 of − 4.72‰, 3He/4He of 5.89RA, and CO2/3He of 0.77 × 1010, very similar to the values in fumarolic gas from Mammoth Mountain and the Long Valley Caldera immediately to the south of the basin. If these values also characterize the magmatic gas source at Mono Lake, where CO2 is captured by the alkaline lake water, a magmatic CO2 upflow beneath the lake of ~ 4 t/d can be inferred. Groundwater discharge from the Mono Craters area transports ~ 13 t/d of 14C-dead CO2 as free gas and dissolved carbonate species, and adding in this component brings the estimated total magmatic CO2 output to 29 t/d for the two silicic systems in the Mono Basin. If these emissions reflect intrusion and degassing of underlying basalt with 0.5 wt.% CO2, a modest intrusion rate of 0.00075 km3/yr is indicated. Much higher intrusion rates are required to account for CO2 emissions from Mammoth Mountain and the West Moat of the Long Valley Caldera.

Modern Microbial Fossilization Processes as Signatures for Interpreting Ancient Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Microbial Forms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Penny A.; Wentworth, Susan J.; Nelman, Mayra; Byrne, Monica; Longazo, Teresa; Galindo, Charles; McKay, David S.; Sams, Clarence

2003-01-01

Terrestrial biotas from microbially dominated hypersaline environments will help us understand microbial fossilization processes. Hypersaline tolerant biota from Storr's Lake, San Salvador Island (Bahamas), Mono Lake (California), and the Dead Sea (Israel) represent marine and nonmarine sites for comparative studies of potential analogs for interpreting some Mars meteorites and Mars sample return rocks [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The purpose of this study is to compare microbial fossilization processes, the dominant associated minerals, and potential diagenic implications.

Cyanobacterial diversity and halotolerance in a variable hypersaline environment.

PubMed

Kirkwood, Andrea E; Buchheim, Julie A; Buchheim, Mark A; Henley, William J

2008-04-01

The Great Salt Plains (GSP) in north-central Oklahoma, USA is an expansive salt flat (approximately 65 km(2)) that is part of the federally protected Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. The GSP serves as an ideal environment to study the microbial diversity of a terrestrial, hypersaline system that experiences wide fluctuations in freshwater influx and diel temperature. Our study assessed cyanobacterial diversity at the GSP by focusing on the taxonomic and physiological diversity of GSP isolates, and the 16S rRNA phylogenetic diversity of isolates and environmental clones from three sites (north, central, and south). Taxonomic diversity of isolates was limited to a few genera (mostly Phormidium and Geitlerinema), but physiological diversity based on halotolerance ranges was strikingly more diverse, even between strains of the same phylotype. The phylogenetic tree revealed diversity that spanned a number of cyanobacterial lineages, although diversity at each site was dominated by only a few phylotypes. Unlike other hypersaline systems, a number of environmental clones from the GSP were members of the heterocystous lineage. Although a number of cyanobacterial isolates were close matches with prevalent environmental clones, it is not certain if these clones reflect the same halotolerance ranges of their matching isolates. This caveat is based on the notable disparities we found between strains of the same phylotype and their inherent halotolerance. Our findings support the hypothesis that variable or poikilotrophic environments promote diversification, and in particular, select for variation in ecotype more than phylotype.

Prokaryotic diversity in one of the largest hypersaline coastal lagoons in the world.

PubMed

Clementino, M M; Vieira, R P; Cardoso, A M; Nascimento, A P A; Silveira, C B; Riva, T C; Gonzalez, A S M; Paranhos, R; Albano, R M; Ventosa, A; Martins, O B

2008-07-01

Araruama Lagoon is an environment characterized by high salt concentrations. The low raining and high evaporation rates in this region favored the development of many salty ponds around the lagoon. In order to reveal the microbial composition of this system, we performed a 16S rRNA gene survey. Among archaea, most clones were related to uncultured environmental Euryarchaeota. In lagoon water, we found some clones related to Methanomicrobia and Methanothermococcus groups, while in the saline pond water members related to the genus Haloarcula were detected. Bacterial community was dominated by clones related to Gamma-proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Synechococcus in lagoon water, while Salinibacter ruber relatives dominated in saline pond. We also detected the presence of Alpha-proteobacteria, Pseudomonas-like bacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Only representatives of the genus Ralstonia were cosmopolitan, being observed in both systems. The detection of a substantial number of clones related to uncultured archaea and bacteria suggest that the hypersaline waters of Araruama harbor a pool of novel prokaryotic phylotypes, distinct from those observed in other similar systems. We also observed clones related to halophilic genera of cyanobacteria that are specific for each habitat studied. Additionally, two bacterioplankton molecular markers with ecological relevance were analyzed, one is linked to nitrogen fixation (nifH) and the other is linked to carbon fixation by bacterial photosynthesis, the protochlorophyllide genes, revealing a specific genetic distribution in this ecosystem. This is the first study of the biogeography and community structure of microbial assemblages in Brazilian tropical hypersaline environments. This work is directed towards a better understanding of the free-living prokaryotic diversity adapted to life in hypersaline waters.

Ecophysiological plasticity of shallow and deep populations of the Mediterranean seagrasses Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa in response to hypersaline stress.

PubMed

Sandoval-Gil, Jose Miguel; Ruiz, Juan Manuel; Marín-Guirao, Lázaro; Bernardeau-Esteller, Jaime; Sánchez-Lizaso, Jose Luis

2014-04-01

The differential expression of the plant phenotypic plasticity due to inter- and intraspecific divergences can determine the plant physiological tolerance under stress. In this work, we examined the interspecific ecophysiological plasticity that the main Mediterranean seagrass species with distinct marine environmental distribution (Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa) can exhibit in response to hypersaline stress. We also tested the potential implication of ecotypic intraspecific divergences in the development of such plasticities. To this end, plants from shallow (5-7 m) and deep (18-20 m) meadows of both were maintained under two salinity treatments (natural salinity level of 37, and hypersaline treatment of 43; Practical Salinity Scale) during a long-term experiment (i.e. 62 days) developed in a highly controlled mesocosm system. Hypersaline stress caused notable plastic physiological alterations in P. oceanica and C. nodosa, with appreciable inter- and intraspecific differences. Although both species were similarly able to osmoregulate by means of organic solute accumulation (proline and sugars) in response to hypersalinity stress, higher carbon balance reductions were detected in P. oceanica plants from the deep meadow and in shallower C. nodosa plants, due to both photosynthetic inhibition and enhancement of respiration. None of these deleterious effects were found in C. nodosa plants form the deeper meadow. Leaf photosynthetic pigments generally increased in P. oceanica from both depths, but light absorbance capacities by leaves and photosynthetic efficiency followed contrasting patterns, increasing and decreasing in plants from the deep and the shallow meadows, respectively, indicating distinct strategies to cope with photosynthetic dysfunctions. Despite the significant reduction of pigments in the shallower C. nodosa plants, their leaves were able to increase their light capture capacities under hypersaline stress, by means of particular leaf optics

Hypersalinity Acclimation Increases the Toxicity of the Insecticide Phorate in Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

PubMed Central

Lavado, Ramon; Maryoung, Lindley A.; Schlenk, Daniel

2012-01-01

Previous studies in euryhaline fish have shown that acclimation to hypersaline environments enhances the toxicity of thioether organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. To better understand the potential mechanism of enhanced toxicity, the effects of the organophosphate insecticide phorate were evaluated in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) maintained in freshwater (<0.5 g/L salinity) and 32 g/L salinity. The observed 96-h LC50 in freshwater fish (67.34 ± 3.41 μg/L) was significantly reduced to 2.07 ± 0.16 μg/L in hypersaline-acclimated fish. Because organophosphates often require bioactivation to elicit toxicity through acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, the in vitro biotransformation of phorate was evaluated in coho salmon maintained in different salinities in liver, gills, and olfactory tissues. Phorate sulfoxide was the predominant metabolite in each tissue but rates of formation diminished in a salinity-dependent manner. In contrast, formation of phorate-oxon (gill; olfactory tissues), phorate sulfone (liver), and phorate-oxon sulfoxide (liver; olfactory tissues) was significantly enhanced in fish acclimated to higher salinities. From previous studies, it was expected that phorate and phorate sulfoxide would be less potent AChE inhibitors than phorate-oxon, with phorate-oxon sulfoxide being the most potent of the compounds tested. This trend was confirmed in this study. In summary, these results suggest that differential expression and/or catalytic activities of Phase I enzymes may be involved to enhance phorate oxidative metabolism and subsequent toxicity of phorate to coho salmon under hypersaline conditions. The outcome may be enhanced fish susceptibility to anticholineterase oxon sulfoxides. PMID:21488666

Anaerobic oxidation of methane by sulfate in hypersaline groundwater of the Dead Sea aquifer

PubMed Central

Avrahamov, N; Antler, G; Yechieli, Y; Gavrieli, I; Joye, S B; Saxton, M; Turchyn, A V; Sivan, O

2014-01-01

Geochemical and microbial evidence points to anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) likely coupled with bacterial sulfate reduction in the hypersaline groundwater of the Dead Sea (DS) alluvial aquifer. Groundwater was sampled from nine boreholes drilled along the Arugot alluvial fan next to the DS. The groundwater samples were highly saline (up to 6300 mm chlorine), anoxic, and contained methane. A mass balance calculation demonstrates that the very low δ13CDIC in this groundwater is due to anaerobic methane oxidation. Sulfate depletion coincident with isotope enrichment of sulfur and oxygen isotopes in the sulfate suggests that sulfate reduction is associated with this AOM. DNA extraction and 16S amplicon sequencing were used to explore the microbial community present and were found to be microbial composition indicative of bacterial sulfate reducers associated with anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) driving AOM. The net sulfate reduction seems to be primarily controlled by the salinity and the available methane and is substantially lower as salinity increases (2.5 mm sulfate removal at 3000 mm chlorine but only 0.5 mm sulfate removal at 6300 mm chlorine). Low overall sulfur isotope fractionation observed (34ε = 17 ± 3.5‰) hints at high rates of sulfate reduction, as has been previously suggested for sulfate reduction coupled with methane oxidation. The new results demonstrate the presence of sulfate-driven AOM in terrestrial hypersaline systems and expand our understanding of how microbial life is sustained under the challenging conditions of an extremely hypersaline environment. PMID:25039851

Anaerobic oxidation of methane by sulfate in hypersaline groundwater of the Dead Sea aquifer.

PubMed

Avrahamov, N; Antler, G; Yechieli, Y; Gavrieli, I; Joye, S B; Saxton, M; Turchyn, A V; Sivan, O

2014-11-01

Geochemical and microbial evidence points to anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) likely coupled with bacterial sulfate reduction in the hypersaline groundwater of the Dead Sea (DS) alluvial aquifer. Groundwater was sampled from nine boreholes drilled along the Arugot alluvial fan next to the DS. The groundwater samples were highly saline (up to 6300 mm chlorine), anoxic, and contained methane. A mass balance calculation demonstrates that the very low δ(13) CDIC in this groundwater is due to anaerobic methane oxidation. Sulfate depletion coincident with isotope enrichment of sulfur and oxygen isotopes in the sulfate suggests that sulfate reduction is associated with this AOM. DNA extraction and 16S amplicon sequencing were used to explore the microbial community present and were found to be microbial composition indicative of bacterial sulfate reducers associated with anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) driving AOM. The net sulfate reduction seems to be primarily controlled by the salinity and the available methane and is substantially lower as salinity increases (2.5 mm sulfate removal at 3000 mm chlorine but only 0.5 mm sulfate removal at 6300 mm chlorine). Low overall sulfur isotope fractionation observed ((34) ε = 17 ± 3.5‰) hints at high rates of sulfate reduction, as has been previously suggested for sulfate reduction coupled with methane oxidation. The new results demonstrate the presence of sulfate-driven AOM in terrestrial hypersaline systems and expand our understanding of how microbial life is sustained under the challenging conditions of an extremely hypersaline environment. © 2014 The Authors. Geobiology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Expression of Key Ion Transporters in the Gill and Esophageal-Gastrointestinal Tract of Euryhaline Mozambique Tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus Acclimated to Fresh Water, Seawater and Hypersaline Water

PubMed Central

Li, Zhengjun; Lui, Eei Yin; Wilson, Jonathan M.; Ip, Yuen Kwong; Lin, Qingsong; Lam, Toong Jin; Lam, Siew Hong

2014-01-01

The ability of euryhaline Mozambique tilapia to tolerate extreme environmental salinities makes it an excellent model for investigating iono-regulation. This study aimed to characterize and fill important information gap of the expression levels of key ion transporters for Na+ and Cl− in the gill and esophageal-gastrointestinal tract of Mozambique tilapia acclimated to freshwater (0 ppt), seawater (30 ppt) and hypersaline (70 ppt) environments. Among the seven genes studied, it was found that nkcc2, nkcc1a, cftr, nka-α1 and nka-α3, were more responsive to salinity challenge than nkcc1b and ncc within the investigated tissues. The ncc expression was restricted to gills of freshwater-acclimated fish while nkcc2 expression was restricted to intestinal segments irrespective of salinity challenge. Among the tissues investigated, gill and posterior intestine were found to be highly responsive to salinity changes, followed by anterior and middle intestine. Both esophagus and stomach displayed significant up-regulation of nka-α1 and nka-α3, but not nkcc isoforms and cftr, in hypersaline-acclimated fish suggesting a response to hypersalinity challenge and involvement of other forms of transporters in iono-regulation. Changes in gene expression levels were partly corroborated by immunohistochemical localization of transport proteins. Apical expression of Ncc was found in Nka-immunoreactive cells in freshwater-acclimated gills while Nkcc co-localized with Nka-immunoreactive cells expressing Cftr apically in seawater- and hypersaline-acclimated gills. In the intestine, Nkcc-stained apical brush border was found in Nka-immunoreactive cells at greater levels under hypersaline conditions. These findings provided new insights into the responsiveness of these genes and tissues under hypersalinity challenge, specifically the posterior intestine being vital for salt absorption and iono-osmoregulation in the Mozambique tilapia; its ability to survive in hypersalinity may be in

Natronospira proteinivora gen. nov., sp. nov, an extremely salt-tolerant, alkaliphilic gammaproteobacterium from hypersaline soda lakes.

PubMed

Sorokin, Dimitry Y; Kublanov, Ilya V; Khijniak, Tatiana V

2017-08-01

Brine samples from Kulunda Steppe soda lakes (Altai, Russia) were inoculated into a hypersaline alkaline mineral medium with β-keratin (chicken feather) as a substrate. The micro-organisms dominating the enrichment culture were isolated by limiting serial dilution on the same medium with casein as a substrate. The cells of strain BSker1T were motile, curved rods. The strain was an obligately aerobic heterotroph utilizing proteins and peptides as growth substrates. The isolate was an obligate alkaliphile with a pH range for growth from pH 8.5 to 10.25 (optimum at pH 9.5), and it was extremely salt tolerant, growing with between 1 and 4.5 M total Na+ (optimally at 2-2.5 M). BSker1T had a unique composition of polar lipid fatty acids, dominated by two C17 species. The membrane polar lipids included multiple unidentified phospholipids and two aminolipids. According to phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, the isolate forms a novel branch within the family Ectothiorhodospiraceae (class Gammaproteobacteria) with the highest sequence similarity to the members of this family being 91 %. On the basis of distinct phenotypic and genotypic properties, strain BSker1T (=JCM 31341T=UNIQEM U1008T) is proposed to be classified as a representative of a novel genus and species, Natronospira proteinivora gen. nov., sp. nov.

Preserving the world second largest hypersaline lake under future irrigation and climate change.

PubMed

Shadkam, Somayeh; Ludwig, Fulco; van Vliet, Michelle T H; Pastor, Amandine; Kabat, Pavel

2016-07-15

Iran Urmia Lake, the world second largest hypersaline lake, has been largely desiccated over the last two decades resulting in socio-environmental consequences similar or even larger than the Aral Sea disaster. To rescue the lake a new water management plan has been proposed, a rapid 40% decline in irrigation water use replacing a former plan which intended to develop reservoirs and irrigation. However, none of these water management plans, which have large socio-economic impacts, have been assessed under future changes in climate and water availability. By adapting a method of environmental flow requirements (EFRs) for hypersaline lakes, we estimated annually 3.7·10(9)m(3) water is needed to preserve Urmia Lake. Then, the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrological model was forced with bias-corrected climate model outputs for both the lowest (RCP2.6) and highest (RCP8.5) greenhouse-gas concentration scenarios to estimate future water availability and impacts of water management strategies. Results showed a 10% decline in future water availability in the basin under RCP2.6 and 27% under RCP8.5. Our results showed that if future climate change is highly limited (RCP2.6) inflow can be just enough to meet the EFRs by implementing the reduction irrigation plan. However, under more rapid climate change scenario (RCP8.5) reducing irrigation water use will not be enough to save the lake and more drastic measures are needed. Our results showed that future water management plans are not robust under climate change in this region. Therefore, an integrated approach of future land-water use planning and climate change adaptation is therefore needed to improve future water security and to reduce the desiccating of this hypersaline lake. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Linking Archaeal Molecular Diversity and Lipid Biomarker Composition in a Hypersaline Microbial Mat Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahnke, Linda; Orphan, Victoria; Turk, Kendra; Embaye, Tsegereda; Kubo, Mike; Summons, Roger

2005-01-01

Lipid biomarkers for discrete microbial groups are a valuable tool for establishing links to ancient microbial ecosystems. Lipid biomarkers can establish organism source and function in contemporary microbial ecosystems (membrane lipids) and by analogy, potential relevance to the fossilized carbon skeletons (geolipids) extracted from ancient sedimentary rock. The Mars Exploration Rovers have provided clear evidence for an early wet Mars and the presence of hypersaline evaporitic basins. Ongoing work on an early Earth analog, the hypersaline benthic mats in Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, may provide clues to what may have evolved and flourished on an early wet Mars, if only for a short period. Cyanobacterial mats are a pertinent early Earth analog for consideration of evolutionary and microbial processes within the aerobic photosynthetic and adjacent anoxic layers. Fluctuations in physio-chemical parameters associated with spatial and temporal scales are expressed through vast microbial metabolic diversity. Our recent work hopes to establish the dynamic of archaeal diversity, particularly as it relates to methane production in this high sulfate environment, through the use of lipid biomarker and phylogenetic analyses. Archaeal 16s rRNA and mcrA gene assemblages, demonstrated distinct spatial separation over the 130 mm core of at least three distinct genera within the order Methanosarcinales, as well as an abundance of uncultured members of the Thermoplasmales and Crenarchaeota. Ether-bound lipid analysis identified abundant 0-alkyl and 0-isopranyl chains throughout the core, and the presence of sn-2 hydroxyarchaeol, a biomarker for methylotrophic methanogens. A unique ether isoprenoid chain, a C30:1 , possibly related to the geolipid squalane, a paleobiomarker associated with hypersaline environments, was most abundant within the oxic-anoxic transition zone.

In vitro study comparing the ability of mono-octanoin and mono-octanoin plus methyl tert-butyl ether to dissolve biliary stones.

PubMed

Tritapepe, R; Cesana, B

1996-01-01

This in vitro study compared the gallstone dissolution rates of mono-octanoin, mono-octanoin plus 10% distilled water, and mono-octanoin plus methyl tert-butyl ether 2:1. Sixteen stones were treated with each solvent at a slow perfusion rate of 3-4 ml/h and a rapid perfusion rate of 2.5 ml/30 min with 20-sec instillation/aspiration cycles, both with and without bile. The stones were weighed before, and 3, 6, 12 and 24 hrs after the start of treatment: the solvent was changed every 30 min. After 24 hrs of instillation/aspiration without bile, the mono-octanoin/methyl tert-butyl ether mixture reduced the weight of the stones by 93%, mono-octanoin plus water by 63%, and mono-octanoin alone by 52%; with bile, the figures were, respectively, 86%, 42% and 40%. The mono-octanoin/methyl tert-butyl ether mixture thus took approximately half the time needed by the other two preparations to dissolve the stones to the same extent, a finding which may be relevant for the clinical dissolution of bile duct stones.

Methanogenic diversity and activity in hypersaline sediments of the centre of the Napoli mud volcano, Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

Lazar, Cassandre Sara; Parkes, R John; Cragg, Barry A; L'Haridon, Stéphane; Toffin, Laurent

2011-08-01

Submarine mud volcanoes are a significant source of methane to the atmosphere. The Napoli mud volcano, situated in the brine-impacted Olimpi Area of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, emits mainly biogenic methane particularly at the centre of the mud volcano. Temperature gradients support the suggestion that Napoli is a cold mud volcano with moderate fluid flow rates. Biogeochemical and molecular genetic analyses were carried out to assess the methanogenic activity rates, pathways and diversity in the hypersaline sediments of the centre of the Napoli mud volcano. Methylotrophic methanogenesis was the only significant methanogenic pathway in the shallow sediments (0-40 cm) but was also measured throughout the sediment core, confirming that methylotrophic methanogens could be well adapted to hypersaline environments. Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was the dominant pathway below 50 cm; however, low rates of acetoclastic methanogenesis were also present, even in sediment layers with the highest salinity, showing that these methanogens can thrive in this extreme environment. PCR-DGGE and methyl coenzyme M reductase gene libraries detected sequences affiliated with anaerobic methanotrophs (mainly ANME-1) as well as Methanococcoides methanogens. Results show that the hypersaline conditions in the centre of the Napoli mud volcano influence active biogenic methane fluxes and methanogenic/methylotrophic diversity. © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

21 CFR 172.834 - Ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ethoxylated mono-and diglycerides (polyoxyethylene (20) mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids) (polyglycerate... labeling it shall be followed by either “polyoxyethylene (20) mono-and diglycerides of fatty acids” or... myristic acids; or (2) Direct esterification of glycerol with a mixture of primarily stearic, palmitic, and...

Isolation of hydrocarbon-degrading extremely halophilic archaea from an uncontaminated hypersaline pond (Camargue, France).

PubMed

Tapilatu, Yosmina H; Grossi, Vincent; Acquaviva, Monique; Militon, Cécile; Bertrand, Jean-Claude; Cuny, Philippe

2010-03-01

Little information exists about the ability of halophilic archaea present in hypersaline environments to degrade hydrocarbons. In order to identify the potential actors of hydrocarbon degradation in these environments, enrichment cultures were prepared using samples collected from a shallow crystallizer pond with no known contamination history in Camargue, France, with n-alkanes provided as source of carbon and energy. Five alkane-degrading halophilic archaeal strains were isolated: one (strain MSNC 2) was closely related to Haloarcula and three (strains MSNC 4, MSNC 14, and MSNC 16) to Haloferax. Biodegradation assays showed that depending on the strain, 32 to 95% (0.5 g/l) of heptadecane was degraded after 30 days of incubation at 40 degrees C in 225 g/l NaCl artificial medium. One of the strains (MSNC 14) was also able to degrade phenanthrene. This work clearly shows for the first time the potential role of halophilic archaea belonging to the genera Haloarcula and Haloferax in the degradation of hydrocarbons in both pristine and hydrocarbon-contaminated hypersaline environments.

Bacterial Community Response to Petroleum Hydrocarbon Amendments in Freshwater, Marine, and Hypersaline Water-Containing Microcosms

PubMed Central

Jurelevicius, Diogo; Alvarez, Vanessa Marques; Marques, Joana Montezano; de Sousa Lima, Laryssa Ribeiro Fonseca; Dias, Felipe de Almeida

2013-01-01

Hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial communities from freshwater, marine, and hypersaline Brazilian aquatic ecosystems (with water salinities corresponding to 0.2%, 4%, and 5%, respectively) were enriched with different hydrocarbons (heptadecane, naphthalene, or crude oil). Changes within the different microcosms of bacterial communities were analyzed using cultivation approaches and molecular methods (DNA and RNA extraction, followed by genetic fingerprinting and analyses of clone libraries based on the 16S rRNA-coding gene). A redundancy analysis (RDA) of the genetic fingerprint data and a principal component analysis (PCA) of the clone libraries revealed hydrocarbon-enriched bacterial communities specific for each ecosystem studied. However, within the same ecosystem, different bacterial communities were selected according to the petroleum hydrocarbon used. In general, the results demonstrated that Acinetobacter and Cloacibacterium were the dominant genera in freshwater microcosms; the Oceanospirillales order and the Marinobacter, Pseudomonas, and Cycloclasticus genera predominated in marine microcosms; and the Oceanospirillales order and the Marinobacter genus were selected in the different hydrocarbon-containing microcosms in hypersaline water. Determination of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in all microcosms after 32 days of incubation showed a decrease in the hydrocarbon concentration compared to that for the controls. A total of 50 (41.3%) isolates from the different hydrocarbon-contaminated microcosms were associated with the dominant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) obtained from the clone libraries, and their growth in the hydrocarbon contaminating the microcosm from which they were isolated as the sole carbon source was observed. These data provide insight into the general response of bacterial communities from freshwater, marine, and hypersaline aquatic ecosystems to petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. PMID:23872573

Hydrocarbon biodegradation in hypersaline environments.

PubMed

Ward, D M; Brock, T D

1978-02-01

When mineral oil, hexadecane, and glutamate were added to natural samples of varying salinity (3.3 to 28.4%) from salt evaporation ponds and Great Salt Lake, Utah, rates of metabolism of these compounds decreased as salinity increased. Rate limitations did not appear to relate to low oxygen levels or to the availability of organic nutrients. Some oxidation of l-[U-C]glutamic acid occurred even at extreme salinities, whereas oxidation of [1-C]hexadecane was too low to be detected. Gas chromatographic examination of hexane-soluble components of tar samples from natural seeps at Rozel Point in Great Salt Lake demonstrated no evidence of biological oxidation of isoprenoid alkanes subject to degradation in normal environments. Some hexane-soluble components of the same tar were altered by incubation in a low-salinity enrichment culture inoculated with garden soil. Attempts to enrich for microorganisms in saline waters able to use mineral oil as a sole source of carbon and energy were successful below, but not above, about 20% salinity. This study strongly suggests a general reduction of metabolic rate at extreme salinities and raises doubt about the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in hypersaline environments.

Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Hypersaline Environments

PubMed Central

Ward, David M.; Brock, T. D.

1978-01-01

When mineral oil, hexadecane, and glutamate were added to natural samples of varying salinity (3.3 to 28.4%) from salt evaporation ponds and Great Salt Lake, Utah, rates of metabolism of these compounds decreased as salinity increased. Rate limitations did not appear to relate to low oxygen levels or to the availability of organic nutrients. Some oxidation of l-[U-14C]glutamic acid occurred even at extreme salinities, whereas oxidation of [1-14C]hexadecane was too low to be detected. Gas chromatographic examination of hexane-soluble components of tar samples from natural seeps at Rozel Point in Great Salt Lake demonstrated no evidence of biological oxidation of isoprenoid alkanes subject to degradation in normal environments. Some hexane-soluble components of the same tar were altered by incubation in a low-salinity enrichment culture inoculated with garden soil. Attempts to enrich for microorganisms in saline waters able to use mineral oil as a sole source of carbon and energy were successful below, but not above, about 20% salinity. This study strongly suggests a general reduction of metabolic rate at extreme salinities and raises doubt about the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in hypersaline environments. PMID:16345276

Differences in lateral gene transfer in hypersaline versus thermal environments.

PubMed

Rhodes, Matthew E; Spear, John R; Oren, Aharon; House, Christopher H

2011-07-08

The role of lateral gene transfer (LGT) in the evolution of microorganisms is only beginning to be understood. While most LGT events occur between closely related individuals, inter-phylum and inter-domain LGT events are not uncommon. These distant transfer events offer potentially greater fitness advantages and it is for this reason that these "long distance" LGT events may have significantly impacted the evolution of microbes. One mechanism driving distant LGT events is microbial transformation. Theoretically, transformative events can occur between any two species provided that the DNA of one enters the habitat of the other. Two categories of microorganisms that are well-known for LGT are the thermophiles and halophiles. We identified potential inter-class LGT events into both a thermophilic class of Archaea (Thermoprotei) and a halophilic class of Archaea (Halobacteria). We then categorized these LGT genes as originating in thermophiles and halophiles respectively. While more than 68% of transfer events into Thermoprotei taxa originated in other thermophiles, less than 11% of transfer events into Halobacteria taxa originated in other halophiles. Our results suggest that there is a fundamental difference between LGT in thermophiles and halophiles. We theorize that the difference lies in the different natures of the environments. While DNA degrades rapidly in thermal environments due to temperature-driven denaturization, hypersaline environments are adept at preserving DNA. Furthermore, most hypersaline environments, as topographical minima, are natural collectors of cellular debris. Thus halophiles would in theory be exposed to a greater diversity and quantity of extracellular DNA than thermophiles.

MONO FOR CROSS-PLATFORM CONTROL SYSTEM ENVIRONMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nishimura, Hiroshi; Timossi, Chris

2006-10-19

Mono is an independent implementation of the .NET Frameworkby Novell that runs on multiple operating systems (including Windows,Linux and Macintosh) and allows any .NET compatible application to rununmodified. For instance Mono can run programs with graphical userinterfaces (GUI) developed with the C# language on Windows with VisualStudio (a full port of WinForm for Mono is in progress). We present theresults of tests we performed to evaluate the portability of our controlssystem .NET applications from MS Windows to Linux.

Microbial diversity associated with the anaerobic sediments of a soda lake (Mono Lake, California, USA).

PubMed

Rojas, Patricia; Rodríguez, Nuria; de la Fuente, Vicenta; Sánchez-Mata, Daniel; Amils, Ricardo; Sanz, José L

2018-06-01

Soda lakes are inhabited by important haloalkaliphilic microbial communities that are well adapted to these extreme characteristics. The surface waters of the haloalkaline Mono Lake (California, USA) are alkaline but, in contrast to its bottom waters, do not present high salinity. We have studied the microbiota present in the shoreline sediments of Mono Lake using next-generation sequencing techniques. The statistical indexes showed that Bacteria had a higher richness, diversity, and evenness than Archaea. Seventeen phyla and 8 "candidate divisions" were identified among the Bacteria, with a predominance of the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Among the Proteobacteria, there was a notable presence of Rhodoplanes and a high diversity of sulfate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria, in accordance with the high sulfate-reducing activity detected in soda lakes. Numerous families of bacterial fermenters were identified among the Firmicutes. The Bacteroides were represented by several environmental groups that have not yet been isolated. Since final organic matter in anaerobic environments with high sulfate contents is mineralized mainly by sulfate-reducing bacteria, very little methanogenic archaeal biodiversity was detected. Only 2 genera, Methanocalculus and Methanosarcina, were retrieved. The species similarities described indicate that a significant number of the operational taxonomic units identified may represent new species.

Moderately halophilic gram-positive cocci from hypersaline environments.

PubMed

Ventosa, A; Ramos-Cormenzana, A; Kocur, M

1983-01-01

38 strains of moderately halophilic Gram-positive, catalase-positive cocci were isolated from saline soils and the ponds of a solar saltern in Alicante (Spain). They were divided into three biochemically distinct groups. On the basis of the characteristics investigated the 25 strains of group I corresponded to Planococcus halophilus; the ten strains of group II were morphologically and biochemically similar to the species Sporosarcina halophila; group III, comprising three strains, differed strikingly from the previous groups in certain biochemical tests. These strains differed from the planococci and micrococci so far described and were tentatively designated as Planococcus sp. The results have shown that moderately halophilic Gram-positive, motile cocci, are frequent inhabitants of hypersaline environments. Copyright © 1983 Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart/New York. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Virus-Host and CRISPR Dynamics in Archaea-Dominated Hypersaline Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Emerson, Joanne B.; Andrade, Karen; Thomas, Brian C.

The study of natural archaeal assemblages requires community context, namely, a concurrent assessment of the dynamics of archaeal, bacterial, and viral populations. Here, we use filter size-resolved metagenomic analyses to report the dynamics of 101 archaeal and bacterial OTUs and 140 viral populations across 17 samples collected over different timescales from 2007–2010 from Australian hypersaline Lake Tyrrell (LT). All samples were dominated by Archaea (75–95%). Archaeal, bacterial, and viral populations were found to be dynamic on timescales of months to years, and different viral assemblages were present in planktonic, relative to host-associated (active and provirus) size fractions. Analyses of clusteredmore » regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) regions indicate that both rare and abundant viruses were targeted, primarily by lower abundance hosts. Although very few spacers had hits to the NCBI nr database or to the 140 LT viral populations, 21% had hits to unassembled LT viral concentrate reads. This suggests local adaptation to LT-specific viruses and/or undersampling of haloviral assemblages in public databases, along with successful CRISPR-mediated maintenance of viral populations at abundances low enough to preclude genomic assembly. This is the first metagenomic report evaluating widespread archaeal dynamics at the population level on short timescales in a hypersaline system.« less

Virus-Host and CRISPR Dynamics in Archaea-Dominated Hypersaline Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia

DOE PAGES

Emerson, Joanne B.; Andrade, Karen; Thomas, Brian C.; ...

2013-01-01

The study of natural archaeal assemblages requires community context, namely, a concurrent assessment of the dynamics of archaeal, bacterial, and viral populations. Here, we use filter size-resolved metagenomic analyses to report the dynamics of 101 archaeal and bacterial OTUs and 140 viral populations across 17 samples collected over different timescales from 2007–2010 from Australian hypersaline Lake Tyrrell (LT). All samples were dominated by Archaea (75–95%). Archaeal, bacterial, and viral populations were found to be dynamic on timescales of months to years, and different viral assemblages were present in planktonic, relative to host-associated (active and provirus) size fractions. Analyses of clusteredmore » regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) regions indicate that both rare and abundant viruses were targeted, primarily by lower abundance hosts. Although very few spacers had hits to the NCBI nr database or to the 140 LT viral populations, 21% had hits to unassembled LT viral concentrate reads. This suggests local adaptation to LT-specific viruses and/or undersampling of haloviral assemblages in public databases, along with successful CRISPR-mediated maintenance of viral populations at abundances low enough to preclude genomic assembly. This is the first metagenomic report evaluating widespread archaeal dynamics at the population level on short timescales in a hypersaline system.« less

Hypersaline Microbial Mat Lipid Biomarkers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahnke, Linda L.; Embaye, Tsegereda; Turk, Kendra A.; Summons, Roger E.

2002-01-01

Lipid biomarkers and compound specific isotopic abundances are powerful tools for studies of contemporary microbial ecosystems. Knowledge of the relationship of biomarkers to microbial physiology and community structure creates important links for understanding the nature of early organisms and paleoenvironments. Our recent work has focused on the hypersaline microbial mats in evaporation ponds at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Specific biomarkers for diatoms, cyanobacteria, archaea, green nonsulfur (GNS), sulfate reducing, sulfur oxidizing and methanotrophic bacteria have been identified. Analyses of the ester-bound fatty acids indicate a highly diverse microbial community, dominated by photosynthetic organisms at the surface. The delta C-13 of cyanobacterial biomarkers such as the monomethylalkanes and hopanoids are consistent with the delta C-13 measured for bulk mat (-10%o), while a GNS biomarker, wax esters (WXE), suggests a more depleted delta C-13 for GNS biomass (-16%o). This isotopic relationship is different than that observed in mats at Octopus Spring, Yellowstone National Park (YSNP) where GNS appear to grow photoheterotrophic ally. WXE abundance, while relatively low, is most pronounced in an anaerobic zone just below the cyanobacterial layer. The WXE isotope composition at GN suggests that these bacteria utilize photoautotrophy incorporating dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) via the 3-hydroxypropionate pathway using H2S or H2.

Hydrology and Salt Balance in a Large, Hypersaline Coastal Lagoon: Lagoa de Araruama, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kjerfve, Björn; Schettini, C. A. F.; Knoppers, Bastiaan; Lessa, Guilherme; Ferreira, H. O.

1996-06-01

Lagoa de Araruama in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a hypersaline coastal lagoon as a result of semi-arid climate conditions, a small drainage basin and a choked entrance channel. The lagoon has been continuously hypersaline for at least 4·5 centuries, but the mean salinity has varied substantially. It has recently decreased from 57 to 52 as indicated by density (salinity) measurements between 1965 and 1990. Analysis of more than 20 years of salinity time series data, in addition to monthly lagoon cruises to measure the spatial salinity distribution, indicate that the lagoon salinity largely fluctuates in response to the difference between evaporation and precipitation. The major factor explaining the long-term trend of decreasing salinity in the lagoon is the constant pumping of 1 m 3s -1of freshwater to the communities surrounding the lagoon from an adjacent watershed, and subsequent discharge of this water into Lagoa de Araruama. The net salt budget is primarily a balance between the advective import of salt from the coastal ocean and eddy diffusive export of salt to the ocean, although the extensive mining of salt from the lagoon during past decades is also a small but significant contribution to the salt budget. The flushing half-life is proposed as a useful time scale of water exchange, is calculated based on a combination of hydrological and tidal processes, and is excellent for comparison of lagoons and assessing water quality changes. The flushing half-life measures 83·5 days for Lagoa de Araruama, considerably longer than for most other coastal lagoons. The proposed dredging of a second ocean channel to Lagoa de Araruama is probably not a good idea. It is likely to accelerate the decrease of lagoon salinity and somewhat improve the lagoon water exchange. At the same time, this will eliminate the apparent buffering capacity provided by the hypersaline environment, and thus may potentially cause water quality problems.

Digital Bathymetric Model of Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raumann, Christian G.; Stine, Scott; Evans, Alexander; Wilson, Jerry

2002-01-01

In 1986 and 1987, Pelagos Corporation of San Diego (now Racal Pelagos) undertook a bathymetric survey of Mono Lake in eastern California for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP). The result of that survey was a series of maps at various scales and contour intervals. From these maps, the DWP hoped to predict consequences of the drop in lake level that resulted from their diversion of streams in the Mono Basin. No digital models, including shaded-relief and perspective-view renderings, were made from the data collected during the survey. With the permission of Pelagos Corporation and DWP, these data are used to produce a digital model of the floor of Mono Lake. The model was created using a geographic information system (GIS) to incorporate these data with new observations and measurements made in the field. This model should prove to be a valuable tool for enhanced visualization and analyses of the floor of Mono Lake.

21 CFR 184.1521 - Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and... derivatives of mono- and diglycerides. (a) Monosodium phophate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides are composed of glyceride derivatives formed by reacting mono- and diglycerides that are derived from edible...

Mono-W dark matter signals at the LHC: simplified model analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bell, Nicole F.; Cai, Yi; Leane, Rebecca K., E-mail: n.bell@unimelb.edu.au, E-mail: yi.cai@unimelb.edu.au, E-mail: rleane@physics.unimelb.edu.au

2016-01-01

We study mono-W signals of dark matter (DM) production at the LHC, in the context of gauge invariant renormalizable models. We analyze two simplified models, one involving an s-channel Z' mediator and the other a t-channel colored scalar mediator, and consider examples in which the DM-quark couplings are either isospin conserving or isospin violating after electroweak symmetry breaking. While previous work on mono-W signals have focused on isospin violating EFTs, obtaining very strong limits, we find that isospin violating effects are small once such physics is embedded into a gauge invariant simplified model. We thus find that the 8 TeVmore » mono-W results are much less constraining than those arising from mono-jet searches. Considering both the leptonic (mono-lepton) and hadronic (mono fat jet) decays of the W, we determine the 14 TeV LHC reach of the mono-W searches with 3000 fb{sup −1} of data. While a mono-W signal would provide an important complement to a mono-jet discovery channel, existing constraints on these models imply it will be a challenging signal to observe at the 14 TeV LHC.« less

Mono Lake, California as seen from STS-59

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-04-14

STS059-154-160 (9-20 April 1994) --- Orient with Mono Lake, California at the lower right; then the view is westward across the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin River drainage. A tiny network of ski trails can be seen on the Mono Lake side of the Sierras, on a line between Mono Lake and the snow-free San Joaquin headwaters. The ski trails mark Mammoth Mountain, where SRL investigators are studying microwave measurements of the water content of snowpacks. Linhof camera.

Magnetic and gravity studies of Mono Lake, east-central, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Athens, Noah D.; Ponce, David A.; Jayko, Angela S.; Miller, Matt; McEvoy, Bobby; Marcaida, Mae; Mangan, Margaret T.; Wilkinson, Stuart K.; McClain, James S.; Chuchel, Bruce A.; Denton, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

From August 26 to September 5, 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected more than 600 line-kilometers of shipborne magnetic data on Mono Lake, 20 line-kilometers of ground magnetic data on Paoha Island, 50 gravity stations on Paoha and Negit Islands, and 28 rock samples on Paoha and Negit Islands, in east-central California. Magnetic and gravity investigations were undertaken in Mono Lake to study regional crustal structures and to aid in understanding the geologic framework, in particular regarding potential geothermal resources and volcanic hazards throughout Mono Basin. Furthermore, shipborne magnetic data illuminate local structures in the upper crust beneath Mono Lake where geologic exposure is absent. Magnetic and gravity methods, which sense contrasting physical properties of the subsurface, are ideal for studying Mono Lake. Exposed rock units surrounding Mono Lake consist mainly of Quaternary alluvium, lacustrine sediment, aeolian deposits, basalt, and Paleozoic granitic and metasedimentary rocks (Bailey, 1989). At Black Point, on the northwest shore of Mono Lake, there is a mafic cinder cone that was produced by a subaqueous eruption around 13.3 ka. Within Mono Lake there are several small dacite cinder cones and flows, forming Negit Island and part of Paoha Island, which also host deposits of Quaternary lacustrine sediments. The typical density and magnetic properties of young volcanic rocks contrast with those of the lacustrine sediment, enabling us to map their subsurface extent.

Nutrient budgets and trophic state in a hypersaline coastal lagoon: Lagoa de Araruama, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souza, Marcelo F. L.; Kjerfve, Björn; Knoppers, Bastiaan; Landim de Souza, Weber F.; Damasceno, Raimundo N.

2003-08-01

Lagoa de Araruama in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a hypersaline lagoon with salinity varying spatially from 45 to 56. We collected water samples during monthly cruises throughout the lagoon, and along the streams feeding the system, from April 1991 to March 1992. Nutrients and other water quality parameters exhibited great spatial and temporal variations. Mass balance calculations indicate large amounts of anthropogenic nutrient inputs. The data indicate that the lagoon currently is oligotrophic but is in a state of transition to become a mesotrophic system. Molar dissolved inorganic nitrogen:dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIN/DIP) varied between 2.2:1 and 659:1 with a volume-weighted average of 22:1. The high DIN/DIP ratio contrasts with that found in nearby lagoons, suggesting that phytoplankton primary production is limited by phosphorus in Lagoa de Araruama. The major loss of DIP is apparently driven by biological assimilation and diagenic reactions in the sediments. Calculations indicate that the lagoon is slightly net autotrophic at +0.9 mol C m -2 yr -1. This suggests that the biomass of the primary producers is restricted by phosphorus availability. Phosphorus retention in the sediment and the hypersaline state of the lagoon prevent changes in autotrophic communities and the formation of eutrophic conditions.

Lipid Biomarkers for a Hypersaline Microbial Mat Community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahnke, Linda; Orphan, Victoria; Embaye, Tsegereda; Turk, Kendra; Kubo, Mike; Summons, Roger

2004-01-01

The use of lipid biomarkers and their carbon isotopic compositions are valuable tools for establishing links to ancient microbial ecosystems. Various lipids associated with specific microbial groups can serve as biomarkers for establishing organism source and function in contemporary microbial ecosystems (membrane lipids), and by analogy, potential relevance to ancient organic-rich sedimentary rocks (geolipids). As witnessed by the stromatolite record, benthic microbial mats grew in shallow water lagoonal environments. Our recent work has focused on lipid biomarker analysis of a potential analogue for such ancient mats growing in a set of hypersaline evaporation ponds at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The aerobic, surface layer of this mat (0 to 1 mm) contained a variety of ester-bound fatty acids (FA) representing a diverse bacterial population including cyanobacteria, sulphate reducers (SRB) and heterotrophs. Biomarkers for microeukaryotes detected in this layer included sterols, C-20 polyunsaturated FA and a highly branched isoprenoid, diagnostic for diatoms. Cyanobacteria were also indicated by the presence of a diagnostic set of mid-chain methylalkanes. C-28, to C-34 wax esters (WXE) present in relatively small amounts in the upper 3 mm of the mat are considered biomarkers for green non-sulphur bacteria. Ether-bound isoprenoids were also identified although in considerably lower abundance than ester-bound FA (approx. 1:l0). These complex ether lipids included archatol, hydroxyarchaeol and a C-40 tetraether, all in small amounts. After ether cleavage with boron tribromide, the major recovered isoprenyl was a C-30:1. This C(sub 30;1) yelded squalane after hydrogenation, a known geobiomarker for hypersaline environments in ancient oils and sediments. In this mat, it represents the dominant Archaeal population. The carbon isotopic composition of biomarker lipids were generally depleted relative to the bulk organic material (delta C-13 TOC -10%). Most

Mono Lake, California

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-10-01

STS068-150-020 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- An exceptionally clear, high-contrast view of the desert basins east and south of Mono Lake, California. Light clouds dot the mountain ranges; the clouds were transparent to radar beams from the Space Radar Laboratory 2 (SRL-2) payload.

21 CFR 172.824 - Sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates... sulfonates. The food additive sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates may be safely used in... statement declaring the presence of sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates. [42 FR 14491, Mar. 15...

Screening of polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing bacteria and PhaC-encoding genes in two hypersaline microbial mats from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

PubMed

Martínez-Gutiérrez, Carolina A; Latisnere-Barragán, Hever; García-Maldonado, José Q; López-Cortés, Alejandro

2018-01-01

Hypersaline microbial mats develop through seasonal and diel fluctuations, as well as under several physicochemical variables. Hence, resident microorganisms commonly employ strategies such as the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) in order to resist changing and stressful conditions. However, the knowledge of bacterial PHA production in hypersaline microbial mats has been limited to date, particularly in regard to medium-chain length PHAs (mcl-PHAs), which have biotechnological applications due to their plastic properties. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence for PHA production in two hypersaline microbial mats of Guerrero Negro, Mexico by searching for PHA granules and PHA synthase genes in isolated bacterial strains and environmental samples. Six PHA-producing strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing; three of them corresponded to a Halomonas sp. In addition, Paracoccus sp., Planomicrobium sp. and Staphylococcus sp. were also identified as PHA producers. Presumptive PHA granules and PHA synthases genes were detected in both sampling sites. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis showed that most of the phylotypes were distantly related to putative PhaC synthases class I sequences belonging to members of the classes Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria distributed within eight families, with higher abundances corresponding mainly to Rhodobacteraceae and Rhodospirillaceae. This analysis also showed that PhaC synthases class II sequences were closely related to those of Pseudomonas putida , suggesting the presence of this group, which is probably involved in the production of mcl-PHA in the mats. According to our state of knowledge, this study reports for the first time the occurrence of phaC and phaC1 sequences in hypersaline microbial mats, suggesting that these ecosystems may be a novel source for the isolation of short- and medium-chain length PHA producers.

Recent studies in microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in hypersaline environments

PubMed Central

Fathepure, Babu Z.

2014-01-01

Many hypersaline environments are often contaminated with petroleum compounds. Among these, oil and natural gas production sites all over the world and hundreds of kilometers of coastlines in the more arid regions of Gulf countries are of major concern due to the extent and magnitude of contamination. Because conventional microbiological processes do not function well at elevated salinities, bioremediation of hypersaline environments can only be accomplished using high salt-tolerant microorganisms capable of degrading petroleum compounds. In the last two decades, there have been many reports on the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in moderate to high salinity environments. Numerous microorganisms belonging to the domain Bacteria and Archaea have been isolated and their phylogeny and metabolic capacity to degrade a variety of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in varying salinities have been demonstrated. This article focuses on our growing understanding of bacteria and archaea responsible for the degradation of hydrocarbons under aerobic conditions in moderate to high salinity conditions. Even though organisms belonging to various genera have been shown to degrade hydrocarbons, members of the genera Halomonas Alcanivorax, Marinobacter, Haloferax, Haloarcula, and Halobacterium dominate the published literature. Despite rapid advances in understanding microbial taxa that degrade hydrocarbons under aerobic conditions, not much is known about organisms that carry out similar processes in anaerobic conditions. Also, information on molecular mechanisms and pathways of hydrocarbon degradation in high salinity is scarce and only recently there have been a few reports describing genes, enzymes and breakdown steps for some hydrocarbons. These limited studies have clearly revealed that degradation of oxygenated and non-oxygenated hydrocarbons by halophilic and halotolerant microorganisms occur by pathways similar to those found in non-halophiles. PMID:24795705

Anaerobic co-digestion of microalgal biomass and wheat straw with and without thermo-alkaline pretreatment.

PubMed

Solé-Bundó, Maria; Eskicioglu, Cigdem; Garfí, Marianna; Carrère, Hélène; Ferrer, Ivet

2017-08-01

This study aimed at analyzing the anaerobic co-digestion of microalgal biomass grown in wastewater and wheat straw. To this end, Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests were carried out testing different substrate proportions (20-80, 50-50 and 80-20%, on a volatile solid basis). In order to improve their biodegradability, the co-digestion of both substrates was also evaluated after applying a thermo-alkaline pretreatment (10% CaO at 75°C for 24h). The highest synergies in degradation rates were observed by adding at least 50% of wheat straw. Therefore, the co-digestion of 50% microalgae - 50% wheat straw was investigated in mesophilic lab-scale reactors. The results showed that the methane yield was increased by 77% with the co-digestion as compared to microalgae mono-digestion, while the pretreatment only increased the methane yield by 15% compared to the untreated mixture. Thus, the anaerobic co-digestion of microalgae and wheat straw was successful even without applying a thermo-alkaline pretreatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydroperiod enhancement using underground pipes for the efficient removal of hypersaline conditions in a semiarid coastal lagoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-Verdugo, Francisco; Ramírez-Barrón, Eduardo; Flores-de-Santiago, Francisco

2018-06-01

Pore-water hypersaline conditions are common in semiarid coastlines where freshwater availability is limited. Hence, hydroperiod (or flood regime), contributes to the regular supply of new water enhancing mangrove survival and growth. The purpose of this investigation was to assess pore-water salinity and hydroperiod variability of basin mangrove distribution by installing three underground PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipes connected to the main tidal channel. All pipes were placed perpendicular to the main channel for an annual cycle. Results indicated hydroperiod enhancement at the location of the underground pipes, compared to control stations. Overall, spring tides and rainy season played a key role in temporal hydroperiod variability. Indeed, the interior structure of the pipes allows rapid and continuous intrusion of new water into the saltpan during flood and ebb currents. After three months, pore-water salinity of 170 in the saltpan area was reduced to 80 at a distance of 2 m from the underground pipes. This study shows the applicability of underground pipes for the efficient removal of hypersaline conditions by enhancing tidal flow for possible recruitment of mangrove propagules in semiarid coastlines.

Exploration of Microbial Diversity and Community Structure of Lonar Lake: The Only Hypersaline Meteorite Crater Lake within Basalt Rock

PubMed Central

Paul, Dhiraj; Kumbhare, Shreyas V.; Mhatre, Snehit S.; Chowdhury, Somak P.; Shetty, Sudarshan A.; Marathe, Nachiket P.; Bhute, Shrikant; Shouche, Yogesh S.

2016-01-01

Lonar Lake is a hypersaline and hyperalkaline soda lake and the only meteorite impact crater in the world situated in basalt rocks. Although culture-dependent studies have been reported, a comprehensive understanding of microbial community composition and structure in Lonar Lake remains elusive. In the present study, microbial community structure associated with Lonar Lake sediment and water samples was investigated using high-throughput sequencing. Microbial diversity analysis revealed the existence of diverse, yet largely consistent communities. Proteobacteria (30%), Actinobacteria (24%), Firmicutes (11%), and Cyanobacteria (5%) predominated in the sequencing survey, whereas Bacteroidetes (1.12%), BD1-5 (0.5%), Nitrospirae (0.41%), and Verrucomicrobia (0.28%) were detected in relatively minor abundances in the Lonar Lake ecosystem. Within the Proteobacteria phylum, the Gammaproteobacteria represented the most abundantly detected class (21–47%) within sediment samples, but only a minor population in the water samples. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were found at significantly higher abundance (p ≥ 0.05) in sediment samples, whereas members of Actinobacteria, Candidate division TM7 and Cyanobacteria (p ≥ 0.05) were significantly abundant in water samples. Compared to the microbial communities of other hypersaline soda lakes, those of Lonar Lake formed a distinct cluster, suggesting a different microbial community composition and structure. Here we report for the first time, the difference in composition of indigenous microbial communities between the sediment and water samples of Lonar Lake. An improved census of microbial community structure in this Lake ecosystem provides a foundation for exploring microbial biogeochemical cycling and microbial function in hypersaline lake environments. PMID:26834712

Leaf Spectral Reflectance Shows Thalassia testudinum Seedlings More Sensitive to Hypersalinity than Hyposalinity.

PubMed

Durako, Michael J; Howarth, Jacqueline F

2017-01-01

Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) is the dominant and climax-successional seagrass species in the subtropical/tropical Atlantic and Caribbean region. Two die-offs of T. testudinum in Florida Bay, United States have raised concerns regarding the resilience of this species to environmental disturbances. Seedlings are important in recovery of T. testudinum , following disturbance events. Leaf spectral reflectance [ R (λ)] was measured in T. testudinum seedlings exposed for 2 weeks to three salinities (20, 35, and 50) and two light levels (full sun and 50-70% light reduction) in experimental mesocosms. Multivariate analyses indicated that hypersalinity had a greater effect on spectral reflectance than hyposalinity or light reduction. There was an increase in variability and flattening of reflectance spectra at the highest salinity. All three salinity treatments had distinct reflectance spectra across green wavelengths (530-580 nm), with additional discrimination between 20 versus 50 and 35 versus 50 treatments across red wavelengths (630-690 nm). Red:Green reflectance ratios were highest and photochemical reflective index values were lowest for the salinity 50 treatment, but were not significantly different between the salinity 20 and 35 treatments. The changes in the R (λ) spectra for the salinity 50 seedlings were consistent with previously observed reductions in leaf pigments and maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II. These observations indicate that leaf spectral reflectance is a sensitive indicator of plant stress in T. testudinum seedlings and that seedlings are more sensitive to short-term exposures to hypersalinity than hyposalinity.

Assembly-Driven Metagenomics of a Hypersaline Microbial Ecosystem (2013 DOE JGI Genomics of Energy and Environment 8th Annual User Meeting)

ScienceCinema

Allen, Eric

2018-02-05

Eric Allen of Scripps and UC San Diego on Assembly-driven metagenomics of a hypersaline microbial ecosystem at the 8th Annual Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting on March 27, 2013 in Walnut Creek, CA.

Assembly-Driven Metagenomics of a Hypersaline Microbial Ecosystem (2013 DOE JGI Genomics of Energy and Environment 8th Annual User Meeting)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Allen, Eric

2013-03-01

Eric Allen of Scripps and UC San Diego on Assembly-driven metagenomics of a hypersaline microbial ecosystem at the 8th Annual Genomics of Energy & Environment Meeting on March 27, 2013 in Walnut Creek, CA.

The Relationship between Mono-abundance and Mono-age Stellar Populations in the Milky Way Disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minchev, I.; Steinmetz, M.; Chiappini, C.; Martig, M.; Anders, F.; Matijevic, G.; de Jong, R. S.

2017-01-01

Studying the Milky Way disk structure using stars in narrow bins of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] has recently been proposed as a powerful method to understand the Galactic thick and thin disk formation. It has been assumed so far that these mono-abundance populations (MAPs) are also coeval, or mono-age, populations. Here we study this relationship for a Milky Way chemodynamical model and show that equivalence between MAPs and mono-age populations exists only for the high-[α/Fe] tail, where the chemical evolution curves of different Galactic radii are far apart. At lower [α/Fe]-values an MAP is composed of stars with a range in ages, even for small observational uncertainties and a small MAP bin size. Due to the disk inside-out formation, for these MAPs younger stars are typically located at larger radii, which results in negative radial age gradients that can be as large as 2 Gyr kpc-1. Positive radial age gradients can result for MAPs at the lowest [α/Fe] and highest [Fe/H] end. Such variations with age prevent the simple interpretation of observations for which accurate ages are not available. Studying the variation with radius of the stellar surface density and scale height in our model, we find good agreement to recent analyses of the APOGEE red-clump (RC) sample when 1-4 Gyr old stars dominate (as expected for the RC). Our results suggest that the APOGEE data are consistent with a Milky Way model for which mono-age populations flare for all ages. We propose observational tests for the validity of our predictions and argue that using accurate age measurements, such as from asteroseismology, is crucial for putting constraints on Galactic formation and evolution.

δ18O and Carbonate Clumped Isotopes as Proxies of Lake Level Change: Mono Lake Modern Sediments Inform Pleistocene Interpretations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westacott, S.; Ingalls, M.; Meixnerova, J.; Betts, M.; Lloyd, M. K.; Miller, L. G.; Sessions, A. L.; Trower, L.; Geobiology Course, A.

2017-12-01

In 1941 LA County began diverting water from the Mono Lake basin, causing lake level to fall dramatically until 1994 when diversion was substantially discontinued. High sedimentation rate (0.7 cm/yr) in combination with rapid, well-documented environmental change offers a unique opportunity to investigate the isotopic fingerprint of lake level change at a much finer scale than is typically accessible in the geologic record. δ18Ocarb can record lake level in a closed-basin system, but relies on knowing the relative contributions from carbonate precipitated from lake water and from authigenic carbonates, both of which are expected to exist in alkaline lake sediments. Here, we combine δ18Ocarb with clumped isotope thermometry (T(Δ47)) on a 70 cm sediment core to "unmix" the carbonate sources and reconstruct δ18Owater of Mono Lake over the past 116 years. Carbonate from the upper 10 cm of the sediment core yields a T(Δ47) of 26°C, reflecting surface water carbonate precipitation during late summer. Carbonates from sediment depths greater than 10cm yield a consistent T(Δ47) of 9.6°C, warmer than today's bottom waters, suggesting dissolution and reprecipitation of originally "warm" carbonate deposited from the water column alongside "cold" water of a different δ18Ow than Mono Lake surface water. A clumped isotope mixing model (Defliese & Lohmann, 2015) used to calculate the relative contributions of the two carbonate precipitates, corroborated by mirrored shifts in δ13Corg and δ13Ccarb down-core, suggests that about half of the carbonate found in the lower 60 cm of the sediment core is authigenic. As an example of how this strategy can be applied to older strata with looser constraints on primary composition, we also analysed the Pleistocene Wilson Creek Formation—lake sediments from Mono Lake's predecessor, Lake Russell. Although Pleistocene Lake Russell should have been cooler than modern Mono Lake, T(Δ47) values were similar to those of modern sediments

Methane as a biomarker in the search for extraterrestrial life: Lessons learned from Mars analog hypersaline environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bebout, B.; Tazaz, A.; Kelley, C. A.; Poole, J. A.; Davila, A.; Chanton, J.

2010-12-01

Methane released from discrete regions on Mars, together with previous reports of methane determined with ground-based telescopes, has revived the possibility of past or even extant life near the surface on Mars, since 90% of the methane on Earth has a biological origin. This intriguing possibility is supported by the abundant evidence of large bodies of liquid water, and therefore of conditions conducive to the origin of life, early in the planet's history. The detection and analysis of methane is at the core of NASA’s strategies to search for life in the solar system, and on extrasolar planets. Because methane is also produced abiotically, it is important to generate criteria to unambiguously assess biogenicity. The stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic signature of methane, as well as its ratio to other low molecular weight hydrocarbons (the methane/(ethane + propane) ratio: C1/(C2 + C3)), has been suggested to be diagnostic for biogenic methane. We report measurements of the concentrations and stable isotopic signature of methane from hypersaline environments. We focus on hypersaline environments because spectrometers orbiting Mars have detected widespread chloride bearing deposits resembling salt flats. Other evaporitic minerals, e.g., sulfates, are also abundant in several regions, including those studied by the Mars Exploration Rovers. The presence of evaporitic minerals, together with the known evolution of the Martian climate, from warmer and wetter to cold and hyper-arid, suggest that evaporitic and hypersaline environments were common in the past. Hypersaline environments examined to date include salt ponds located in Baja California, the San Francisco Bay, and the Atacama Desert. Methane was found in gas produced both in the sediments, and in gypsum- and halite-hosted (endolithic) microbial communities. Maximum methane concentrations were as high as 40% by volume. The methane carbon isotopic (δ13C) composition showed a wide range of values, from about

Assessment of the trophic state of a hypersaline-carbonatic environment: Vermelha Lagoon (Brazil)

PubMed Central

Martins, Maria Virginia Alves; Frontalini, Fabrizio; Ballalai, João M.; Belart, Pierre; Habib, Renan; Fontana, Luiz F.; Clemente, Iara M. M. M.; Lorini, Maria Lucia; Mendonça Filho, João G.; Laut, Vanessa M.; Figueiredo, Marcos de Souza Lima

2017-01-01

Vermelha Lagoon is a hypersaline shallow transitional ecosystem in the state of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This lagoon is located in the protected area of Massambaba, between the cities of Araruama and Saquarema (Brazil), and displays two quite uncommon particularities: it exhibits carbonate sedimentation and displays the development of Holocene stromatolites. Due to both particularities, the salt industry and property speculation have been, increasingly, generating anthropic pressures on this ecosystem. This study aims to apply a multiproxy approach to evaluate the trophic state of Vermelha Lagoon based on physicochemical parameters and geochemical data for the quantification and qualification of organic matter (OM), namely total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (TS), total phosphorus (TP) and biopolymeric carbon (BPC), including carbohydrates (CHO), lipids (LIP) and proteins (PTN). The CHO/TOC ratio values suggest that OM supplied to the sediment is of autochthonous origin and results, essentially, from microbial activity. The cluster analyses allowed the identification of four regions in Vermelha Lagoon. The Region I included stations located in shallow areas of the eastern sector of Vermelha lagoon affected by the impact of the artificial channel of connection with Araruama Lagoon. The Region II, under the influence of salt pans, is characterized by the highest values of BPC, namely CHO promoted by microbiological activity. The Region III include stations spread through the lagoon with high values of dissolved oxygen and lower values of TP. Stromatolites and microbial mattes growth was observed in some stations of this sector. Region IV, where the highest values of TOC and TS were found, represents depocenters of organic matter, located in general in depressed areas. Results of this work evidences that the Vermelha Lagoon is an eutrophic but alkaline and well oxygenated environment (at both water column and surface sediment) where the autotrophic activity is

Wind effects on prey availability: How northward migrating waders use brackish and hypersaline lagoons in the sivash, Ukraine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verkuil, Yvonne; Koolhaas, Anita; Van Der Winden, Jan

Large numbers of waders migrating northward in spring use the Sivash, a large system of shallow, brackish and hypersaline lagoons in the Black Sea and Azov Sea region (Ukraine). The bottoms of these lagoons are often uncovered by the wind. Hence, for waders the time and space available for feeding depend on wind conditions. In hypersaline lagoons the benthic and pelagic fauna was very poor, consisting mainly of chironomid larvae (0.19 g AFDM·m -2) and brine shrimps Artemia salina, respectively. Brine shrimp abundance was correlated with salinity, wind force, wind direction and water depth. Dunlin Calidris alpina and curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea were the only species feeding on brine shrimp. As brine shrimp densities are higher in deeper water, smaller waders such as broad-billed sandpipers Limicola falcinellus are too short-legged to reach exploitable densities of brine shrimp. In brackish lagoons the benthic and pelagic fauna was rich, consisting of polychaetes, bivalves, gastropods, chironomid larvae, isopods and amphipods (8.9 to 30.5 g AFDM·m -2), but there were no brine shrimps. Prey biomass increased with the distance from the coast, being highest on the site that was most frequently inundated. Dunlin, broad-billed sandpiper and grey plover Pluvialis squatarola were the most abundant birds in the brackish lagoon. Due to the effects of wind-tides only a small area was usually available as a feeding site. Gammarus insensibilis was the alternative prey resource in the water layer, and their density varied with wind direction in the same way as brine shrimp. Curlew sandpipers and dunlins in the hypersaline lagoons and broad-billed sandpipers in the brackish lagoons often changed feeding sites, probably following the variation in prey availability. Only because of the large size and variety of lagoons are waders in the Sivash always able to find good feeding sites.

Diversity of Bacillus-like organisms isolated from deep-sea hypersaline anoxic sediments

PubMed Central

Sass, Andrea M; McKew, Boyd A; Sass, Henrik; Fichtel, Jörg; Timmis, Kenneth N; McGenity, Terry J

2008-01-01

Background The deep-sea, hypersaline anoxic brine lakes in the Mediterranean are among the most extreme environments on earth, and in one of them, the MgCl2-rich Discovery basin, the presence of active microbes is equivocal. However, thriving microbial communities have been detected especially in the chemocline between deep seawater and three NaCl-rich brine lakes, l'Atalante, Bannock and Urania. By contrast, the microbiota of these brine-lake sediments remains largely unexplored. Results Eighty nine isolates were obtained from the sediments of four deep-sea, hypersaline anoxic brine lakes in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: l'Atalante, Bannock, Discovery and Urania basins. This culture collection was dominated by representatives of the genus Bacillus and close relatives (90% of all isolates) that were investigated further. Physiological characterization of representative strains revealed large versatility with respect to enzyme activities or substrate utilization. Two third of the isolates did not grow at in-situ salinities and were presumably present as endospores. This is supported by high numbers of endospores in Bannock, Discovery and Urania basins ranging from 3.8 × 105 to 1.2 × 106 g-1 dw sediment. However, the remaining isolates were highly halotolerant growing at salinities of up to 30% NaCl. Some of the novel isolates affiliating with the genus Pontibacillus grew well under anoxic conditions in sulfidic medium by fermentation or anaerobic respiration using dimethylsulfoxide or trimethylamine N-oxide as electron acceptor. Conclusion Some of the halophilic, facultatively anaerobic relatives of Bacillus appear well adapted to life in this hostile environment and suggest the presence of actively growing microbial communities in the NaCl-rich, deep-sea brine-lake sediments. PMID:18541011

Prophylactic treatment with alkaline phosphatase in cardiac surgery induces endogenous alkaline phosphatase release.

PubMed

Kats, Suzanne; Brands, Ruud; Hamad, Mohamed A Soliman; Seinen, Willem; Scharnhorst, Volkher; Wulkan, Raymond W; Schönberger, Jacques P; Oeveren, Wim van

2012-02-01

Laboratory and clinical data have implicated endotoxin as an important factor in the inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass. We assessed the effects of the administration of bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (bIAP), an endotoxin detoxifier, on alkaline phosphatase levels in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. A total of 63 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were enrolled and prospectively randomized. Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (n=32) or placebo (n=31) was administered as an intravenous bolus followed by continuous infusion for 36 hours. The primary endpoint was to evaluate alkaline phosphatase levels in both groups and to find out if administration of bIAP to patients undergoing CABG would lead to endogenous alkaline phosphatase release. No significant adverse effects were identified in either group. In all the 32 patients of the bIAP-treated group, we found an initial rise of plasma alkaline phosphatase levels due to bolus administration (464.27±176.17 IU/L). A significant increase of plasma alkaline phosphatase at 4-6 hours postoperatively was observed (354.97±95.00 IU/L) as well. Using LHA inhibition, it was shown that this second peak was caused by the generation of tissue non specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP-type alkaline phosphatase). Intravenous bolus administration plus 8 hours continuous infusion of alkaline phosphatase in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass results in endogenous alkaline phosphatase release. This endogenous alkaline phosphatase may play a role in the immune defense system.

Selective Mono-reduction of Pyrrole-2,5 and 2,4-Dicarboxylates.

PubMed

Yasui, Eiko; Tsuda, Jyunpei; Ohnuki, Satoshi; Nagumo, Shinji

2016-01-01

Pyrrole-2,5-dicarboxylates were rapidly and selectively reduced to the corresponding mono-alcohol using 3 eq of diisobutylaluminum hydride at 0°C. Pyrrole-2,4-dicarboxylate showed the same reactivity; however, the selectivity decreased with pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate. When the nitrogen atom of the pyrrole-2,5-dicarboxylate is protected with a benzyl group, selective mono-reduction does not occur. Considering that furan-2,5-dicarboxylates did not give the corresponding mono-alcohol under the same conditions, the unprotected nitrogen atom of pyrrole apparently plays an important role in this selective mono-reduction.

Leaf Spectral Reflectance Shows Thalassia testudinum Seedlings More Sensitive to Hypersalinity than Hyposalinity

PubMed Central

Durako, Michael J.; Howarth, Jacqueline F.

2017-01-01

Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) is the dominant and climax-successional seagrass species in the subtropical/tropical Atlantic and Caribbean region. Two die-offs of T. testudinum in Florida Bay, United States have raised concerns regarding the resilience of this species to environmental disturbances. Seedlings are important in recovery of T. testudinum, following disturbance events. Leaf spectral reflectance [R(λ)] was measured in T. testudinum seedlings exposed for 2 weeks to three salinities (20, 35, and 50) and two light levels (full sun and 50–70% light reduction) in experimental mesocosms. Multivariate analyses indicated that hypersalinity had a greater effect on spectral reflectance than hyposalinity or light reduction. There was an increase in variability and flattening of reflectance spectra at the highest salinity. All three salinity treatments had distinct reflectance spectra across green wavelengths (530–580 nm), with additional discrimination between 20 versus 50 and 35 versus 50 treatments across red wavelengths (630–690 nm). Red:Green reflectance ratios were highest and photochemical reflective index values were lowest for the salinity 50 treatment, but were not significantly different between the salinity 20 and 35 treatments. The changes in the R(λ) spectra for the salinity 50 seedlings were consistent with previously observed reductions in leaf pigments and maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II. These observations indicate that leaf spectral reflectance is a sensitive indicator of plant stress in T. testudinum seedlings and that seedlings are more sensitive to short-term exposures to hypersalinity than hyposalinity. PMID:28702044

Effect of hypersaline cooling canals on aquifer salinization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hughes, Joseph D.; Langevin, Christian D.; Brakefield-Goswami, Linzy

2010-01-01

The combined effect of salinity and temperature on density-driven convection was evaluated in this study for a large (28 km2) cooling canal system (CCS) at a thermoelectric power plant in south Florida, USA. A two-dimensional cross-section model was used to evaluate the effects of hydraulic heterogeneities, cooling canal salinity, heat transport, and cooling canal geometry on aquifer salinization and movement of the freshwater/saltwater interface. Four different hydraulic conductivity configurations, with values ranging over several orders of magnitude, were evaluated with the model. For all of the conditions evaluated, aquifer salinization was initiated by the formation of dense, hypersaline fingers that descended downward to the bottom of the 30-m thick aquifer. Saline fingers reached the aquifer bottom in times ranging from a few days to approximately 5 years for the lowest hydraulic conductivity case. Aquifer salinization continued after saline fingers reached the aquifer bottom and coalesced by lateral movement away from the site. Model results showed that aquifer salinization was most sensitive to aquifer heterogeneity, but was also sensitive to CCS salinity, temperature, and configuration.

Microbial ecology of deep-sea hypersaline anoxic basins.

PubMed

Merlino, Giuseppe; Barozzi, Alan; Michoud, Grégoire; Ngugi, David Kamanda; Daffonchio, Daniele

2018-07-01

Deep hypersaline anoxic basins (DHABs) are unique water bodies occurring within fractures at the bottom of the sea, where the dissolution of anciently buried evaporites created dense anoxic brines that are separated by a chemocline/pycnocline from the overlying oxygenated deep-seawater column. DHABs have been described in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea and the Red Sea. They are characterized by prolonged historical separation of the brines from the upper water column due to lack of mixing and by extreme conditions of salinity, anoxia, and relatively high hydrostatic pressure and temperatures. Due to these combined selection factors, unique microbial assemblages thrive in these polyextreme ecosystems. The topological localization of the different taxa in the brine-seawater transition zone coupled with the metabolic interactions and niche adaptations determine the metabolic functioning and biogeochemistry of DHABs. In particular, inherent metabolic strategies accompanied by genetic adaptations have provided insights on how prokaryotic communities can adapt to salt-saturated conditions. Here, we review the current knowledge of the diversity, genomics, metabolisms and ecology of prokaryotes in DHABs.

Rare earth element and uranium-thorium variations in tufa deposits from the Mono Basin, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilcox, E. S.; Tomascak, P. B.; Hemming, N.; Hemming, S. R.; Rasbury, T.; Stine, S.; Zimmerman, S. R.

2009-12-01

Samples of fossil tufa deposits from several localities in the Mono Basin, eastern California, were analyzed for trace element concentrations in order to better understand changes in lake composition in the past. These deposits were formed during the last glacial cycle, mostly during deglaciation (Benson et al., 1990, PPP). Three elevations are represented by the analyses. Samples from near Highway 167 were sampled between 2063 and 2069 m asl. Samples from near Thompson Road were sampled between 2015 and 2021 m. One layered mound was sampled at 1955 m. Concentrations of the lanthanide rare earth elements (REE), in particular the heavy/light (HREE/LREE) distributions, have been shown to be sensitive to alkalinity in modern saline lakes (e.g., Johannesson et al., 1994, GRL, 21, 773-776), and the same has been suggested for U/Th (Anderson et al., 1982, Science, 216, 514-516). Holocene to near-modern tufa towers exist in shallow water and around the current shoreline (1945 m). Tufa towers above 2000 m include a characteristic morphology termed thinolite, interpreted to represent pseudomorphs after the very cold water mineral ikaite. Most lower elevation towers do not have the thinolite morphology, but some layered tufa mounds at low elevations include several layers of thinolite, such as the one sampled for this project. Analyses were made on millimeter-scale bulk samples from tufa towers. Measurements were made on sample solutions with a Varian 820MS quadrupole ICP-MS. Mono Basin tufa samples have total REE concentrations ranging from 0.029 to 0.77 times average shales. Samples have flat to moderately HREE-enriched shale-normalized patterns with limited overall variability ([La/Lu]SN of 1.8 to 9.6) but with some variability in the slope of the HREE portion of the patterns. Tufa towers sampled from three elevations have (Gd/Lu)SN of 0.40 to 1.5. The REE patterns of most samples have small positive Ce anomalies, but a minority of samples, all from the layered tufa mound

Genetic structure and hierarchical population divergence history of Acer mono var. mono in South and Northeast China.

PubMed

Liu, Chunping; Tsuda, Yoshiaki; Shen, Hailong; Hu, Lijiang; Saito, Yoko; Ide, Yuji

2014-01-01

Knowledge of the genetic structure and evolutionary history of tree species across their ranges is essential for the development of effective conservation and forest management strategies. Acer mono var. mono, an economically and ecologically important maple species, is extensively distributed in Northeast China (NE), whereas it has a scattered and patchy distribution in South China (SC). In this study, the genetic structure and demographic history of 56 natural populations of A. mono var. mono were evaluated using seven nuclear microsatellite markers. Neighbor-joining tree and STRUCTURE analysis clearly separated populations into NE and SC groups with two admixed-like populations. Allelic richness significantly decreased with increasing latitude within the NE group while both allelic richness and expected heterozygosity showed significant positive correlation with latitude within the SC group. Especially in the NE region, previous studies in Quercus mongolica and Fraxinus mandshurica have also detected reductions in genetic diversity with increases in latitude, suggesting this pattern may be common for tree species in this region, probably due to expansion from single refugium following the last glacial maximum (LGM). Approximate Bayesian Computation-based analysis revealed two major features of hierarchical population divergence in the species' evolutionary history. Recent divergence between the NE group and the admixed-like group corresponded to the LGM period and ancient divergence of SC groups took place during mid-late Pleistocene period. The level of genetic differentiation was moderate (FST  = 0.073; G'ST  = 0.278) among all populations, but significantly higher in the SC group than the NE group, mirroring the species' more scattered distribution in SC. Conservation measures for this species are proposed, taking into account the genetic structure and past demographic history identified in this study.

Genetic Structure and Hierarchical Population Divergence History of Acer mono var. mono in South and Northeast China

PubMed Central

Shen, Hailong; Hu, Lijiang; Saito, Yoko; Ide, Yuji

2014-01-01

Knowledge of the genetic structure and evolutionary history of tree species across their ranges is essential for the development of effective conservation and forest management strategies. Acer mono var. mono, an economically and ecologically important maple species, is extensively distributed in Northeast China (NE), whereas it has a scattered and patchy distribution in South China (SC). In this study, the genetic structure and demographic history of 56 natural populations of A. mono var. mono were evaluated using seven nuclear microsatellite markers. Neighbor-joining tree and STRUCTURE analysis clearly separated populations into NE and SC groups with two admixed-like populations. Allelic richness significantly decreased with increasing latitude within the NE group while both allelic richness and expected heterozygosity showed significant positive correlation with latitude within the SC group. Especially in the NE region, previous studies in Quercus mongolica and Fraxinus mandshurica have also detected reductions in genetic diversity with increases in latitude, suggesting this pattern may be common for tree species in this region, probably due to expansion from single refugium following the last glacial maximum (LGM). Approximate Bayesian Computation-based analysis revealed two major features of hierarchical population divergence in the species’ evolutionary history. Recent divergence between the NE group and the admixed-like group corresponded to the LGM period and ancient divergence of SC groups took place during mid-late Pleistocene period. The level of genetic differentiation was moderate (FST = 0.073; G′ST = 0.278) among all populations, but significantly higher in the SC group than the NE group, mirroring the species’ more scattered distribution in SC. Conservation measures for this species are proposed, taking into account the genetic structure and past demographic history identified in this study. PMID:24498039

21 CFR 172.824 - Sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION (CONTINUED) FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED FOR DIRECT ADDITION TO FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.824 Sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates. The food additive sodium mono- and dimethyl naphthalene sulfonates may be safely used in...

Competition for electrons between mono-oxygenations of pyridine and 2-hydroxypyridine.

PubMed

Yang, Chao; Tang, Yingxia; Xu, Hua; Yan, Ning; Li, Naiyu; Zhang, Yongming; Rittmann, Bruce E

2018-05-21

Pyridine and its heterocyclic derivatives are widely encountered in industrial wastewaters, and they are relatively recalcitrant to biodegradation. Pyridine biodegradation is initiated by two mono-oxygenation reactions that compete for intracellular electron donor (2H). In our experiments, UV photolysis of pyridine generated succinate, whose oxidation augmented the intracellular electron donor and accelerated pyridine biodegradation and mineralization. The first mono-oxygenation reaction always was faster than the second one, because electrons provided by intracellular electron donors were preferentially utilized by the first mono-oxygenase; this was true even when the concentration of 2HP was greater than the concentration of pyridine. In addition, the first mono-oxygenation had faster kinetics because it had higher affinity for its substrate (pyridine), along with less substrate self-inhibition.

21 CFR 573.800 - Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.800 Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate. (a) The food additive polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate meets the following specifications...

21 CFR 573.800 - Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.800 Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate. (a) The food additive polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate meets the following specifications...

21 CFR 573.800 - Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.800 Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate. (a) The food additive polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate meets the following specifications...

21 CFR 573.800 - Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.800 Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate. (a) The food additive polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate meets the following specifications...

21 CFR 573.800 - Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.800 Polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate. (a) The food additive polyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleate meets the following specifications...

Sodium toxicity and pathology associated with exposure of waterfowl to hypersaline playa lakes of southeast New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meteyer, C.U.; Dubielzig, R.D.; Dein, F.J.; Baeten, L.A.; Moore, M.K.; Jehl, J.R.; Wesenberg, K.E.

1997-01-01

Cause of mortality was studied in waterfowl in hypersaline playa lakes of southeast New Mexico during spring and fall migration. Mortality was not common in wild ducks resting on the playas during good weather. However, when birds remained on the lakes for prolonged periods of time, such as during experimental trials and stormy weather, a heavy layer of salt precipitated on their feathers. Sodium toxicity was the cause of death for all experimental mallards housed on playa water and for 50% of the wild waterfowl found moribund or dead during the spring of 1995. Gross lesions included heavy salt precipitation on the feathers, ocular lens opacities, deeply congested brains, and dilated, thin-walled, fluid-filled cloacae. Microscopic lesions in the more severely affected birds included liquefaction of ocular lens cortex with lens fiber swelling and multifocal to diffuse ulcerative conjunctivitis with severe granulocytic inflammation, edema, and granulocytic vasculitis resulting in thrombosis. Inflammation similar to that seen in the conjunctiva occasionally involved the mucosa of the mouth, pharynx, nasal turbinates, cloaca, and bursa. Transcorneal movement of water in response to the hypersaline conditions on the playa lakes or direct contact with salt crystals could induce anterior segment dehydration of the aqueous humor and increased osmotic pressure on the lens, leading to cataract formation.

Evolution of genomic diversity and sex at extreme environments: Fungal life under hypersaline Dead Sea stress

PubMed Central

Kis-Papo, Tamar; Kirzhner, Valery; Wasser, Solomon P.; Nevo, Eviatar

2003-01-01

We have found that genomic diversity is generally positively correlated with abiotic and biotic stress levels (1–3). However, beyond a high-threshold level of stress, the diversity declines to a few adapted genotypes. The Dead Sea is the harshest planetary hypersaline environment (340 g·liter–1 total dissolved salts, ≈10 times sea water). Hence, the Dead Sea is an excellent natural laboratory for testing the “rise and fall” pattern of genetic diversity with stress proposed in this article. Here, we examined genomic diversity of the ascomycete fungus Aspergillus versicolor from saline, nonsaline, and hypersaline Dead Sea environments. We screened the coding and noncoding genomes of A. versicolor isolates by using >600 AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) markers (equal to loci). Genomic diversity was positively correlated with stress, culminating in the Dead Sea surface but dropped drastically in 50- to 280-m-deep seawater. The genomic diversity pattern paralleled the pattern of sexual reproduction of fungal species across the same southward gradient of increasing stress in Israel. This parallel may suggest that diversity and sex are intertwined intimately according to the rise and fall pattern and adaptively selected by natural selection in fungal genome evolution. Future large-scale verification in micromycetes will define further the trajectories of diversity and sex in the rise and fall pattern. PMID:14645702

Diversity of halophilic archaea from six hypersaline environments in Turkey.

PubMed

Ozcan, Birgul; Ozcengiz, Gulay; Coleri, Arzu; Cokmus, Cumhur

2007-06-01

The diversity of archaeal strains from six hypersaline environments in Turkey was analyzed by comparing their phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequences. Thirty-three isolates were characterized in terms of their phenotypic properties including morphological and biochemical characteristics, susceptibility to different antibiotics, and total lipid and plasmid contents, and finally compared by 16S rDNA gene sequences. The results showed that all isolates belong to the family Halobacteriaceae. Phylogenetic analyses using approximately 1,388 bp comparisions of 16S rDNA sequences demonstrated that all isolates clustered closely to species belonging to 9 genera, namely Halorubrum (8 isolates), Natrinema (5 isolates), Haloarcula (4 isolates), Natronococcus (4 isolates), Natrialba (4 isolates), Haloferax (3 isolates), Haloterrigena (3 isolates), Halalkalicoccus (1 isolate), and Halomicrobium (1 isolate). The results revealed a high diversity among the isolated halophilic strains and indicated that some of these strains constitute new taxa of extremely halophilic archaea.

21 CFR 573.820 - Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.820 Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates. The food additive polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates may be safely used as an emulsifier...

21 CFR 573.820 - Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.820 Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates. The food additive polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates may be safely used as an emulsifier...

21 CFR 573.820 - Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.820 Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates. The food additive polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates may be safely used as an emulsifier...

21 CFR 573.820 - Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.820 Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates. The food additive polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates may be safely used as an emulsifier...

21 CFR 573.820 - Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS FOOD ADDITIVES PERMITTED IN FEED AND DRINKING WATER OF ANIMALS Food Additive Listing § 573.820 Polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates. The food additive polyoxyethylene glycol (400) mono- and dioleates may be safely used as an emulsifier...

Roles of mono-ubiquitinated Smad4 in the formation of Smad transcriptional complexes.

PubMed

Wang, Bei; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Kato, Mitsuyasu

2008-11-14

TGF-beta activates receptor-regulated Smad (R-Smad) through phosphorylation by type I receptors. Activated R-Smad binds to Smad4 and the complex translocates into the nucleus and stimulates the transcription of target genes through association with co-activators including p300. It is not clear, however, how activated Smad complexes are removed from target genes. In this study, we show that TGF-beta enhances the mono-ubiquitination of Smad4. Smad4 mono-ubiquitination was promoted by p300 and suppressed by the c-Ski co-repressor. Smad4 mono-ubiquitination disrupted the interaction with Smad2 in the presence of constitutively active TGF-beta type I receptor. Furthermore, mono-ubiquitinated Smad4 was not found in DNA-binding Smad complexes. A Smad4-Ubiquitin fusion protein, which mimics mono-ubiquitinated Smad4, enhanced localization to the cytoplasm. These results suggest that mono-ubiquitination of Smad4 occurs in the transcriptional activator complex and facilitates the turnover of Smad complexes at target genes.

Continuous CO2 escape from the hypersaline Dead Sea caused by aragonite precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golan, Rotem; Lazar, Boaz; Wurgaft, Eyal; Lensky, Nadav; Ganor, Jiwchar; Gavrieli, Ittai

2017-06-01

Chemical precipitation of CaCO3 occurs in diverse marine and lacustrine environments. In the hypersaline Ca-chloride lakes that have been occupying the Dead Sea basin since the late Pleistocene, CaCO3 precipitated, mostly as aragonite. The aragonite sediments precipitated mainly during periods of high lake level stands as a result of mixing of bicarbonate-rich freshwater runoff with Dead Sea brine, that is Ca-rich and have high Mg/Ca ratio. During periods of arid conditions with limited freshwater inflow, water level declined, salinity increased and gypsum and halite became the dominant evaporitic minerals to precipitate. The present study investigates the carbon cycle of the Dead Sea under the current limited water and bicarbonate supply to the brine, representing periods of extremely arid conditions. The decrease of inflows to the Dead Sea in recent years stems mainly from diversion of freshwater from the drainage basin and results in dramatic water level decline and massive halite precipitation. During 2013-2014, bi-monthly depth profiles of total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its isotopic composition (δ13C) were conducted in the Dead Sea, from surface down to the bottom of the lake (290 m). Mass balance calculations conducted for the period 1993-2013 show that while inventories of conservative ions such as Mg2+ remained constant, the net DIC inventory of the lake decreased by ∼10%. DIC supply to the lake during this period, however, amounted to ∼10% of lake's inventory indicating that during 20 years, the lake lost ∼20% of its 1993s inventory. Compilation of historical data with our data shows that during the past two decades the lake's low DIC (∼1 mmol kg-1) and very high PCO2 (1800 ppm V) remained relatively constant, suggesting that a quasi-steady-state situation prevails. In spite of the surprisingly stable DIC and CO2 concentrations, during this 20 year period δ13CDIC increased significantly, from 1.4‰ to 2.7‰. An isotopic

Mono-isotope Prediction for Mass Spectra Using Bayes Network.

PubMed

Li, Hui; Liu, Chunmei; Rwebangira, Mugizi Robert; Burge, Legand

2014-12-01

Mass spectrometry is one of the widely utilized important methods to study protein functions and components. The challenge of mono-isotope pattern recognition from large scale protein mass spectral data needs computational algorithms and tools to speed up the analysis and improve the analytic results. We utilized naïve Bayes network as the classifier with the assumption that the selected features are independent to predict mono-isotope pattern from mass spectrometry. Mono-isotopes detected from validated theoretical spectra were used as prior information in the Bayes method. Three main features extracted from the dataset were employed as independent variables in our model. The application of the proposed algorithm to publicMo dataset demonstrates that our naïve Bayes classifier is advantageous over existing methods in both accuracy and sensitivity.

Functional Role of Native and Invasive Filter-Feeders, and the Effect of Parasites: Learning from Hypersaline Ecosystems.

PubMed

Sánchez, Marta I; Paredes, Irene; Lebouvier, Marion; Green, Andy J

2016-01-01

Filter-feeding organisms are often keystone species with a major influence on the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems. Studies of filtering rates in such taxa are therefore vital in order to understand ecosystem functioning and the impact of natural and anthropogenic stressors such as parasites, climate warming and invasive species. Brine shrimps Artemia spp. are the dominant grazers in hypersaline systems and are a good example of such keystone taxa. Hypersaline ecosystems are relatively simplified environments compared with much more complex freshwater and marine ecosystems, making them suitable model systems to address these questions. The aim of this study was to compare feeding rates at different salinities and temperatures between clonal A. parthenogenetica (native to Eurasia and Africa) and the invasive American brine shrimp A. franciscana, which is excluding native Artemia from many localities. We considered how differences observed in laboratory experiments upscale at the ecosystem level across both spatial and temporal scales (as indicated by chlorophyll-a concentration and turbidity). In laboratory experiments, feeding rates increased at higher temperatures and salinities in both Artemia species and sexes, whilst A. franciscana consistently fed at higher rates. A field study of temporal dynamics revealed significantly higher concentrations of chlorophyll-a in sites occupied by A. parthenogenetica, supporting our experimental findings. Artemia parthenogenetica density and biomass were negatively correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration at the spatial scale. We also tested the effect of cestode parasites, which are highly prevalent in native Artemia but much rarer in the invasive species. The cestodes Flamingolepis liguloides and Anomotaenia tringae decreased feeding rates in native Artemia, whilst Confluaria podicipina had no significant effect. Total parasite prevalence was positively correlated with turbidity. Overall, parasites are likely to reduce

Quorum-sensing inhibitory compounds from extremophilic microorganisms isolated from a hypersaline cyanobacterial mat.

PubMed

Abed, Raeid M M; Dobretsov, Sergey; Al-Fori, Marwan; Gunasekera, Sarath P; Sudesh, Kumar; Paul, Valerie J

2013-07-01

In this study, extremely halophilic and moderately thermophilic microorganisms from a hypersaline microbial mat were screened for their ability to produce antibacterial, antidiatom, antialgal, and quorum-sensing (QS) inhibitory compounds. Five bacterial strains belonging to the genera Marinobacter and Halomonas and one archaeal strain belonging to the genus Haloterrigena were isolated from a microbial mat. The strains were able to grow at a maximum salinity of 22-25 % and a maximum temperature of 45-60 °C. Hexanes, dichloromethane, and butanol extracts from the strains inhibited the growth of at least one out of nine human pathogens. Only butanol extracts of supernatants of Halomonas sp. SK-1 inhibited growth of the microalga Dunaliella salina. Most extracts from isolates inhibited QS of the acyl homoserine lactone producer and reporter Chromobacterium violaceum CV017. Purification of QS inhibitory dichloromethane extracts of Marinobacter sp. SK-3 resulted in isolation of four related diketopiperazines (DKPs): cyclo(L-Pro-L-Phe), cyclo(L-Pro-L-Leu), cyclo(L-Pro-L-isoLeu), and cyclo(L-Pro-D-Phe). QS inhibitory properties of these DKPs were tested using C. violaceum CV017 and Escherichia coli-based QS reporters (pSB401 and pSB1075) deficient in AHL production. Cyclo(L-Pro-L-Phe) and cyclo(L-Pro-L-isoLeu) inhibited QS-dependent production of violacein by C. violaceum CV017. Cyclo(L-Pro-L-Phe), cyclo(L-Pro-L-Leu), and cyclo(L-Pro-L-isoLeu) reduced QS-dependent luminescence of the reporter E. coli pSB401 induced by 3-oxo-C6-HSL. Our study demonstrated the ability of halophilic and moderately thermophilic strains from a hypersaline microbial mat to produce biotechnologically relevant compounds that could be used as antifouling agents.

Field observations of hypersaline runoff through a shallow estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Seyed Taleb; Siadatmousavi, Seyed Mostafa

2018-03-01

This study investigates a rare situation at the Mond River Estuary in the Persian Gulf, in which the classical estuarine density gradient coincides with hypersaline runoff entering from saline soils upstream of the estuary after severe precipitation. This builds a unique estuarine setting, where two salt water masses, one originating from the coastal ocean and the other being discharged from upstream confine a range of almost freshwater in the middle of estuary. This "freshwater lens estuary" (FLE) situation includes two saltwater sources with opposing senses of estuarine circulation. Therefore, the tidal damping by the strong river flood can occur, especially during neap tide when high Unsteadiness number (∼0.04) signified ebb oriented condition which was induced by straining residual lateral circulation near the FLE mouth. Transition from well-mixed to weak strain induced periodic stratification regimes indicated the importance of the spring-neap tidal variations. Close to the mouth, a 13.66-day periodic tidal asymmetry from the triad K1-O1-M2 (ebb-dominance during spring tide and flood-dominance in neap tide) was overcome by higher harmonics.

Roles of mono-ubiquitinated Smad4 in the formation of Smad transcriptional complexes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang Bei; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Kato, Mitsuyasu

2008-11-14

TGF-{beta} activates receptor-regulated Smad (R-Smad) through phosphorylation by type I receptors. Activated R-Smad binds to Smad4 and the complex translocates into the nucleus and stimulates the transcription of target genes through association with co-activators including p300. It is not clear, however, how activated Smad complexes are removed from target genes. In this study, we show that TGF-{beta} enhances the mono-ubiquitination of Smad4. Smad4 mono-ubiquitination was promoted by p300 and suppressed by the c-Ski co-repressor. Smad4 mono-ubiquitination disrupted the interaction with Smad2 in the presence of constitutively active TGF-{beta} type I receptor. Furthermore, mono-ubiquitinated Smad4 was not found in DNA-binding Smadmore » complexes. A Smad4-Ubiquitin fusion protein, which mimics mono-ubiquitinated Smad4, enhanced localization to the cytoplasm. These results suggest that mono-ubiquitination of Smad4 occurs in the transcriptional activator complex and facilitates the turnover of Smad complexes at target genes.« less

Molecular Ecology of Hypersaline Microbial Mats: Current Insights and New Directions.

PubMed

Wong, Hon Lun; Ahmed-Cox, Aria; Burns, Brendan Paul

2016-01-05

Microbial mats are unique geobiological ecosystems that form as a result of complex communities of microorganisms interacting with each other and their physical environment. Both the microorganisms present and the network of metabolic interactions govern ecosystem function therein. These systems are often found in a range of extreme environments, and those found in elevated salinity have been particularly well studied. The purpose of this review is to briefly describe the molecular ecology of select model hypersaline mat systems (Guerrero Negro, Shark Bay, S'Avall, and Kiritimati Atoll), and any potentially modulating effects caused by salinity to community structure. In addition, we discuss several emerging issues in the field (linking function to newly discovered phyla and microbial dark matter), which illustrate the changing paradigm that is seen as technology has rapidly advanced in the study of these extreme and evolutionally significant ecosystems.

Trimethylamine and Organic Matter Additions Reverse Substrate Limitation Effects on the δ13C Values of Methane Produced in Hypersaline Microbial Mats

PubMed Central

Nicholson, Brooke E.; Beaudoin, Claire S.; Detweiler, Angela M.; Bebout, Brad M.

2014-01-01

Methane production has been observed in a number of hypersaline environments, and it is generally thought that this methane is produced through the use of noncompetitive substrates, such as the methylamines, dimethylsulfide and methanol. Stable isotope measurements of the produced methane have also suggested that the methanogens are operating under conditions of substrate limitation. Here, substrate limitation in gypsum-hosted endoevaporite and soft-mat hypersaline environments was investigated by the addition of trimethylamine, a noncompetitive substrate for methanogenesis, and dried microbial mat, a source of natural organic matter. The δ13C values of the methane produced after amendments were compared to those in unamended control vials. At all hypersaline sites investigated, the δ13C values of the methane produced in the amended vials were statistically lower (by 10 to 71‰) than the unamended controls, supporting the hypothesis of substrate limitation at these sites. When substrates were added to the incubation vials, the methanogens within the vials fractionated carbon isotopes to a greater degree, resulting in the production of more 13C-depleted methane. Trimethylamine-amended samples produced lower methane δ13C values than the mat-amended samples. This difference in the δ13C values between the two types of amendments could be due to differences in isotope fractionation associated with the dominant methane production pathway (or substrate used) within the vials, with trimethylamine being the main substrate used in the trimethylamine-amended vials. It is hypothesized that increased natural organic matter in the mat-amended vials would increase fermentation rates, leading to higher H2 concentrations and increased CO2/H2 methanogenesis. PMID:25239903

Quaternary Eruptions of the Mono-Inyo Craters, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bursik, M. I.; Pouget, S.; Mangan, M.; Marcaida, M.; Vazquez, J. A.

2013-12-01

The eruptive products of the Mono-Inyo Craters volcanic chain include the tephra and associated volcanic rocks of Black Point, islands of Mono Lake, Mono Craters, Inyo Craters, late eruptions of Mammoth Mountain and Red Cones. Most of the eruptions were explosive, and generated numerous pyroclastic flows, surges and falls as well as the prominent domes and lava flows that now cover vents. The eruptions range in age from several hundred years to at least 60,000 yr BP. The Mono-Inyo tephras are dispersed throughout the Sierra Nevada and Basin and Range, providing key time-stratigraphic marker layers. Recent work has not only resulted in high-precision radiometric dating of many of the tephras, but also detailed geochemical data that for the first time provides fingerprinting sufficiently precise to discriminate among the tephras. Lithostratigraphy of many of the layers is herein described for the first time, based on careful sampling and description in the field, and laboratory grain size, grain shape and componentry analyses of the late Pleistocene tephras of the Wilson Creek Formation. Most of the Wilson Creek volcanic layers are fall deposits accumulated within paleolake Russell, which were generated by eruptions of variable intensity and influenced by paleowinds of different orientation. Prevailing winds were generally to the North and East, but often the Pleistocene layers less than 25 ka were dispersed to the West. Many of the fall layers show evidence of wave reworking, generally near the top, although in some cases it is pervasive. Only near the vent do some layers of apparent debris flow origin occur. Maximum pumice sizes range up to nearly 3 cm, and lithics range up to 1 cm in the rhyolitic fall beds, while thicknesses range up to c. 30 cm. These data are consistent with relatively low volume, subplinian style eruptive behavior for most of the life of the Mono-Inyo Craters.

A proteomic investigation of Fusobacterium nucleatum alkaline-induced biofilms

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Gram negative anaerobe Fusobacterium nucleatum has been implicated in the aetiology of periodontal diseases. Although frequently isolated from healthy dental plaque, its numbers and proportion increase in plaque associated with disease. One of the significant physico-chemical changes in the diseased gingival sulcus is increased environmental pH. When grown under controlled conditions in our laboratory, F. nucleatum subspecies polymorphum formed mono-culture biofilms when cultured at pH 8.2. Biofilm formation is a survival strategy for bacteria, often associated with altered physiology and increased virulence. A proteomic approach was used to understand the phenotypic changes in F. nucleatum cells associated with alkaline induced biofilms. The proteomic based identification of significantly altered proteins was verified where possible using additional methods including quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), enzyme assay, acidic end-product analysis, intracellular polyglucose assay and Western blotting. Results Of 421 proteins detected on two-dimensional electrophoresis gels, spot densities of 54 proteins varied significantly (p < 0.05) in F. nucleatum cultured at pH 8.2 compared to growth at pH 7.4. Proteins that were differentially produced in biofilm cells were associated with the functional classes; metabolic enzymes, transport, stress response and hypothetical proteins. Our results suggest that biofilm cells were more metabolically efficient than planktonic cells as changes to amino acid and glucose metabolism generated additional energy needed for survival in a sub-optimal environment. The intracellular concentration of stress response proteins including heat shock protein GroEL and recombinational protein RecA increased markedly in the alkaline environment. A significant finding was the increased abundance of an adhesin, Fusobacterial outer membrane protein A (FomA). This surface protein is known for its capacity to bind to a vast number of

Mineralogical, petrological and geochemical aspects of alkaline and alkaline-carbonatite associations from Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morbidelli, L.; Gomes, C. B.; Beccaluva, L.; Brotzu, P.; Conte, A. M.; Ruberti, E.; Traversa, G.

1995-12-01

A general description of Mesozoic and Tertiary (Fortaleza) Brazilian alkaline and alkaline-carbonatite districts is presented with reference to mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry and geochronology. It mainly refers to scientific results obtained during the last decade by an Italo-Brazilian research team. Alkaline occurrences are distributed across Brazilian territory from the southern (Piratini, Rio Grande do Sul State) to the northeastern (Fortaleza, Ceará State) regions and are mainly concentrated along the borders of the Paraná Basin generally coinciding with important tectonic lineaments. The most noteworthy characteristics of these alkaline and alkaline-carbonatite suites are: (i) prevalence of intrusive forms; (ii) abundance of cumulate assemblages (minor dunites, frequent clinopyroxenites and members of the ijolite series) and (iii) abundance of evolved rock-types. Many data demonstrate that crystal fractionation was the main process responsible for magma evolution of all Brazilian alkaline rocks. A hypothesis is proposed for the genesis of carbonatite liquids by immiscibility processes. The incidence of REE and trace elements for different major groups of lithotypes, belonging both to carbonatite-bearing and carbonatite-free districts, are documented. Sr and preliminary Nd isotopic data are indicative of a mantle origin for the least evolved magmas of all the studied occurrences. Mantle source material and melting models for the generation of the Brazilian alkaline magma types are also discussed.

Alkaline "Permanent" Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pacey, Antony

1991-01-01

Discussion of paper manufacturing processes and their effects on library materials focuses on the promotion of alkaline "permanent" paper, with less acid, by Canadian library preservation specialists. Standards for paper acidity are explained; advantages of alkaline paper are described, including decreased manufacturing costs; and…

Cyclic heliothermal behaviour of the shallow, hypersaline Lake Hayward, Western Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Turner, Jeffrey V.; Rosen, Michael R.; Coshell, Lee; Woodbury, Robert J.

2018-01-01

Lake Hayward is one of only about 30 hypersaline lakes worldwide that is meromictic and heliothermal and as such behaves as a natural salt gradient solar pond. Lake Hayward acts as a local groundwater sink, resulting in seasonally variable hypersaline lake water with total dissolved solids (TDS) in the upper layer (mixolimnion) ranging between 56 kg m−3 and 207 kg m−3 and the deeper layer (monimolimnion) from 153 kg m−3 to 211 kg m−3. This is up to six times the salinity of seawater and thus has the highest salinity of all eleven lakes in the Yalgorup National Park lake system. A program of continuously recorded water temperature profiles has shown that salinity stratification initiated by direct rainfall onto the lake’s surface and local runoff into the lake results in the onset of heliothermal conditions within hours of rainfall onset.The lake alternates between being fully mixed and becoming thermally and chemically stratified several times during the annual cycle, with the longest extended periods of heliothermal behaviour lasting 23 and 22 weeks in the winters of 1992 and 1993 respectively. The objective was to quantify the heat budgets of the cyclical heliothermal behaviour of Lake Hayward.During the period of temperature profile logging, the maximum recorded temperature of the monimolimnion was 42.6 °C at which time the temperature of the mixolimnion was 29.4 °C.The heat budget of two closed heliothermal cycles initiated by two rainfall events of 50 mm and 52 mm in 1993 were analysed. The cycles prevailed for 11 and 20 days respectively and the heat budget showed net heat accumulations of 34.2 MJ m−3 and 15.4 MJ m−3, respectively. The corresponding efficiencies of lake heat gain to incident solar energy were 0.17 and 0.18 respectively. Typically, artificial salinity gradient solar ponds (SGSP) have a solar radiation capture efficiencies ranging from 0.10 up to 0.30. Results from Lake Hayward have

Cyclic heliothermal behaviour of the shallow, hypersaline Lake Hayward, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Jeffrey V.; Rosen, Michael R.; Coshell, Lee; Woodbury, Robert J.

2018-05-01

Lake Hayward is one of only about 30 hypersaline lakes worldwide that is meromictic and heliothermal and as such behaves as a natural salt gradient solar pond. Lake Hayward acts as a local groundwater sink, resulting in seasonally variable hypersaline lake water with total dissolved solids (TDS) in the upper layer (mixolimnion) ranging between 56 kg m-3 and 207 kg m-3 and the deeper layer (monimolimnion) from 153 kg m-3 to 211 kg m-3. This is up to six times the salinity of seawater and thus has the highest salinity of all eleven lakes in the Yalgorup National Park lake system. A program of continuously recorded water temperature profiles has shown that salinity stratification initiated by direct rainfall onto the lake's surface and local runoff into the lake results in the onset of heliothermal conditions within hours of rainfall onset. The lake alternates between being fully mixed and becoming thermally and chemically stratified several times during the annual cycle, with the longest extended periods of heliothermal behaviour lasting 23 and 22 weeks in the winters of 1992 and 1993 respectively. The objective was to quantify the heat budgets of the cyclical heliothermal behaviour of Lake Hayward. During the period of temperature profile logging, the maximum recorded temperature of the monimolimnion was 42.6 °C at which time the temperature of the mixolimnion was 29.4 °C. The heat budget of two closed heliothermal cycles initiated by two rainfall events of 50 mm and 52 mm in 1993 were analysed. The cycles prevailed for 11 and 20 days respectively and the heat budget showed net heat accumulations of 34.2 MJ m-3 and 15.4 MJ m-3, respectively. The corresponding efficiencies of lake heat gain to incident solar energy were 0.17 and 0.18 respectively. Typically, artificial salinity gradient solar ponds (SGSP) have a solar radiation capture efficiencies ranging from 0.10 up to 0.30. Results from Lake Hayward have implications for comparative biogeochemistry and its

21 CFR 172.856 - Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and... CONSUMPTION Multipurpose Additives § 172.856 Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids. Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids may be safely used in food, subject to the...

The Comparative Osmoregulatory Ability of Two Water Beetle Genera Whose Species Span the Fresh-Hypersaline Gradient in Inland Waters (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Hydrophilidae)

PubMed Central

Pallarés, Susana; Arribas, Paula; Bilton, David T.; Millán, Andrés; Velasco, Josefa

2015-01-01

A better knowledge of the physiological basis of salinity tolerance is essential to understanding the ecology and evolutionary history of organisms that have colonized inland saline waters. Coleoptera are amongst the most diverse macroinvertebrates in inland waters, including saline habitats; however, the osmoregulatory strategies they employ to deal with osmotic stress remain unexplored. Survival and haemolymph osmotic concentration at different salinities were examined in adults of eight aquatic beetle species which inhabit different parts of the fresh—hypersaline gradient. Studied species belong to two unrelated genera which have invaded saline waters independently from freshwater ancestors; Nebrioporus (Dytiscidae) and Enochrus (Hydrophilidae). Their osmoregulatory strategy (osmoconformity or osmoregulation) was identified and osmotic capacity (the osmotic gradient between the animal’s haemolymph and the external medium) was compared between species pairs co-habiting similar salinities in nature. We show that osmoregulatory capacity, rather than osmoconformity, has evolved independently in these different lineages. All species hyperegulated their haemolymph osmotic concentration in diluted waters; those living in fresh or low-salinity waters were unable to hyporegulate and survive in hyperosmotic media (> 340 mosmol kg-1). In contrast, the species which inhabit the hypo-hypersaline habitats were effective hyporegulators, maintaining their haemolymph osmolality within narrow limits (ca. 300 mosmol kg-1) across a wide range of external concentrations. The hypersaline species N. ceresyi and E. jesusarribasi tolerated conductivities up to 140 and 180 mS cm-1, respectively, and maintained osmotic gradients over 3500 mosmol kg-1, comparable to those of the most effective insect osmoregulators known to date. Syntopic species of both genera showed similar osmotic capacities and in general, osmotic responses correlated well with upper salinity levels occupied by

Gas exchange on Mono Lake and Crowley Lake, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanninkhof, Rik; Ledwell, James R.; Broecker, Wallace S.

1987-01-01

Gas exchange coefficients (k) have been determined for freshwater Crowley Lake and saline Mono Lake through the use of a man-made purposefully injected gas, SF6. The concentration decreased from an initial value of 40 to 4 pmol/L for Mono Lake and from 20 to 1 pmol/L for Crowley lake over a period of 6 wks. Wind-speed (u) records from anemometers on the shore of each lake made it possible to determine the relationship between k and u. The average u and k values for the experiment were identical for the two lakes, despite the large chemical differences. It is estimated that, for the u values observed over Mono Lake from July to December 1984, the exchange of CO2 occurred 2.5 times faster than without chemical enhancement. This is a factor of 4 lower than needed to explain the high invasion rate of C-14 produced by nuclear bomb tests.

Novel polyethylene glycol derivative suitable for the preparation of mono-PEGylated protein.

PubMed

Yun, Qiang; Chen, Ting; Zhang, Guifeng; Bi, Jingxiu; Ma, Guanghui; Su, Zhiguo

2005-02-01

A novel methoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) derivative, containing a reactive group of 1-methyl pyridinium toluene-4-sulfonate, was synthesized and characterized. The mPEG derivative was successfully conjugated with two proteins: recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) and consensus interferon (C-IFN). Homogeneous mono-PEGylated proteins were obtained which were identified by high performance size-exclusion chromatography and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The biological activities of the mono-PEGylated rhG-CSF and the mono-PEGylated C-IFN were maintained at 90% and 88%, respectively.

Authigenic carbonate precipitation in Lake Acigöl, a hypersaline lake in southwestern Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balci, Nurgul; Menekse, Meryem; Gül Karagüler, Nevin; Seref Sönmez, M.; Meister, Patrick

2014-05-01

Lake Acigöl (Bitter Lake) is a hypersaline lake in southwestern Turkey at an elevation of 836 m above sea level showing authigenic precipitation of several different carbonate mineral phases. It is a perennial lake and closed drainage basin where a semiarid continental climate dominates. Due to the extreme water chemistry (salinity 8-200 mg/l; SO4 112-15232 mg/l; Cl 290-35320 mg/l; Mg, 82-3425 mg/l; Ca 102-745 mg/l) unique microorganisms flourish in the lake. We studied microbial diversity from enrichment cultures and performed precipitation experiments using similar water chemistry and adding bacterial enrichment cultures from lake sediments in order to elucidate whether the mineral assemblages found in the lake can be reproduced. Experiments using moderately halophilic bacteria obtained from the lake sediments demonstrate the formation of various calcium-/magnesium-carbonates: hydromagnesite, dypingite, huntite, monohydrocalcite and aragonite. The relative amounts of different mineral phases, particularly monohydrocalcite, hydromagnesite and dypingite, could be controlled by varying the sulphate concentration in the media from 0 to 56 mM. The similar mineral assemblages identified in the sediments of Lake Acigöl and in the experiments point to similar thermodynamic conditions and kinetics of crystal growth. In particular, the similar spherical morphology points to a rapid crystal growth under strong kinetic inhibition, possibly by organic polymers that are commonly produced by microbial communities. Our results demonstrate that the authigenic carbonate paragenesis of hypersaline lakes as Lake Acigöl can be reproduced in halophilic bacterial cultures. The exact thermodynamic conditions and precipitation kinetics under seasonally changing water chemistry or in batch experiment, however, still have to be constrained in order to establish a microbial model for carbonate precipitation in such environments.

Alloactinosynnema iranicum sp. nov., a rare actinomycete isolated from a hypersaline wetland, and emended description of the genus Alloactinosynnema.

PubMed

Nikou, Mahdi Moshtaghi; Ramezani, Mohaddaseh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Fazeli, Seyed Abolhassan Shahzadeh; Schumann, Peter; Spröer, Cathrin; Sánchez-Porro, Cristina; Ventosa, Antonio

2014-04-01

A Gram-staining-positive actinobacterial strain, Chem10(T), was isolated from soil around Inche-Broun hypersaline wetland in the north of Iran. Strain Chem10(T) was strictly aerobic, and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The isolate grew with 0-3 % NaCl, at 20-40 °C and at pH 6.0-8.0. The optimum temperature and pH for growth were 30 °C and pH 7.0, respectively. The cell wall of strain Chem10(T) contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as diamino acid and galactose, ribose and arabinose as whole-cell sugars. The polar lipid pattern contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Strain Chem10(T) synthesized cellular fatty acids of the straight-chain saturated and mono-unsaturated, and iso- and anteiso-branched types C14 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 1, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0, and the major respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 70.7 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain Chem10(T) belonged to the family Pseudonocardiaceae and showed the closest phylogenetic similarity to Alloactinosynnema album KCTC 19294(T) (98.3 %) and Actinokineospora cibodasensis DSM 45658(T) (97.9 %). DNA-DNA relatedness values between the novel strain and strains Alloactinosynnema album KCTC 19294(T) and Actinokineospora cibodasensis DSM 45658(T) were only 52 % and 23 %, respectively. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic characteristics and DNA-DNA hybridization data, a novel species of the genus Alloactinosynnema is proposed, Alloactinosynnema iranicum sp. nov. The type strain is Chem10(T) ( = IBRC-M 10403(T) = CECT 8209(T)). In addition, an emended description of the genus Alloactinosynnema is proposed.

Climatic change and evaporative processes in the development of Common Era hypersaline lakes, East Antarctica: A study of Lake Suribati

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakashima, H.; Seto, K.; Katsuki, K.; Kaneko, H.; yamada, K.; Imura, S.; Dettman, D. L.

2011-12-01

The Antarctic continent was uplifted by glacioisostatic rebound due to the regression of ice sheets after the last glacial period. Today's saline lakes were formed in shallow basins originally below sea level. Antarctic hypersaline lakes are formed by concentration of isolated seawater bodies as affected by recent climate change. Many saline lakes are found in the ice-free area of the Soya coast, East Antarctica. Lake Suribati is located in Sukarvsnes on the Soya coast. It is a hypersaline lake with maximum salinity ~200 psu, and an observable stable halocline at 7~12m depth. This study uses Lake Suribati sediment core Sr4C-01, collected by the 46th Japanese Antarctica Research Expedition, to examine the relationship of climatic change to evaporative processes and solute concentration in Lake Suribati in the Common Era. Sr4C-01 core was collected at 9.53m water depth in Lake Suribati in 2005 (core length is 63cm). This core primarily consists of black mud and laminated black organic mud. In the interval from 10 to 24cm below the sediment surface evaporite crystals occur. The age of the Sr4C-01 core bottom is estimated to be ~3,500 cal yrs BP, based on AMS carbon-14 dating at 6 core horizons. The evaporite crystals were indentified as aragonite based on XRD. Total inorganic carbon (TIC) content is low, around 0.5%, throughout the Sr4C-01 core, with higher values, approximately 1~4%, in two intervals, 57~52cm and 29~10cm core depth. Variation in CaO content tracks TIC content. We suggest that synchronous change in CaO and TIC contents indicate the vertical change in the amount of aragonite. Two intervals of evaporite precipition imply two intervals of evaporation and concentration of lake water. Hypersaline lake conditions did not occur soon after the isolation from the sea, rather these occurred under repeated concentration and dilution of lake water. Dilution of saline lake water could occur through the inflow of melt water from local snow or ice, indicating a warm

Preparation and characterization of carbon-supported sub-monolayer palladium decorated gold nanoparticles for the electro-oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, L. D.; Zhao, T. S.; Xu, J. B.; Liang, Z. X.

Carbon-supported gold nanoparticles (Au/C) are successfully decorated with mono- or sub-monolayer palladium atoms with different Pd/Au atomic ratios by a chemically epitaxial seeded growth method. TEM, UV-vis spectrometry and XRD techniques are used to characterize the particle size, dispersion, palladium coverage on gold seeds and crystal structures of the prepared catalysts. Cyclic voltammetric tests show that the Pd-decorated Au/C (denoted by Pd@Au/C) have higher specific activities than that of Pd/C for the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. This suggests that the Pd utilization is improved with such a surface-alloyed nanostructure. In addition, stable chronoamperometric responses are achieved with the so-prepared electrocatalysts during ethanol oxidation.

Water-quality data for selected sites on Reversed, Rush, and Alger Creeks and Gull and Silver Lakes, Mono County, California, April 1994 to March 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Bronwen; Rockwell, G.L.; Blodgett, J.C.

1995-01-01

Water-quality data for selected sites on Reversed, Rush, and Alger Creeks and Gull and Silver Lakes, Mono County, California, were collected from April 1994 to March 1995. Water samples were analyzed for major ions and trace elements, nutrients, methylene blue active substances, and oil and grease. Field measurements were made for discharge, specific conductance, pH, water temperature, barometric pressure, dissolved oxygen, and alkalinity. Additional data collected include vertical water profiles of specific conductance, pH, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen collected at 3.3-foot intervals for Gull and Silver Lakes; chlorophyll-a and -b concentrations and Secchi depth for Gull and Silver Lakes; sediment interstitial- water nutrient concentrations in cores from Gull Lake; and lake surface and volume of Gull and Silver Lakes.

Enhancement of low light level images using color-plus-mono dual camera.

PubMed

Jung, Yong Ju

2017-05-15

In digital photography, the improvement of imaging quality in low light shooting is one of the users' needs. Unfortunately, conventional smartphone cameras that use a single, small image sensor cannot provide satisfactory quality in low light level images. A color-plus-mono dual camera that consists of two horizontally separate image sensors, which simultaneously captures both a color and mono image pair of the same scene, could be useful for improving the quality of low light level images. However, an incorrect image fusion between the color and mono image pair could also have negative effects, such as the introduction of severe visual artifacts in the fused images. This paper proposes a selective image fusion technique that applies an adaptive guided filter-based denoising and selective detail transfer to only those pixels deemed reliable with respect to binocular image fusion. We employ a dissimilarity measure and binocular just-noticeable-difference (BJND) analysis to identify unreliable pixels that are likely to cause visual artifacts during image fusion via joint color image denoising and detail transfer from the mono image. By constructing an experimental system of color-plus-mono camera, we demonstrate that the BJND-aware denoising and selective detail transfer is helpful in improving the image quality during low light shooting.

Finite Element Analysis Of Structural And Magmatic Interactions At Mono Basin (California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Marra, D.; Manconi, A.; Battaglia, M.

2010-12-01

Mono Basin is a northward trending graben situated east of the Sierra Nevada and west of Cowtrack Mountains, extending from the northern edge of Long Valley Caldera towards the Bodie Hills. From a hydrographic perspective, the Mono Basin is defined by all streams that drain into Mono Lake. The Mono-Inyo Craters forms a prominent 25-km-long volcanic complex from the NW corner of Long Valley caldera to the southern edge of Mono Lake. The late Quaternary Hartley Springs fault occurs along the Sierran range front between June Lake and the northern border of Long Valley Caldera. Recently it has been proposed that the manifestation of the volcanic and of the tectonic activity in this area is likely interrelated. According to Bursik et al (2003), stratigraphic data suggest that during the North Mono-Inyo eruption sequence of ~1350 A.D., a series of strong earthquakes occurred across the end of the North Mono explosive phase and the beginning of the Inyo explosive phase. Moreover, geological and geomorphic features of the Hartley Springs fault are consistent with rupture of the fault during the eruption sequence. We use the Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate a three-dimensional model and investigate the feedback mechanism between dike intrusion and slip along the Hartley Springs fault. We first validate our numerical model against the Okada (1985) analytical solution for a homogeneous and elastic flat half-space. Subsequently, we evaluate the distribution of local stress changes to study the influence of the Inyo Dike intrusion in ~1350 A.D. on Hartley Springs fault, and how the fault slip may encourage the propagation of dikes towards the surface. To this end, we considered the standard Coulomb stress change as failure criterion. Finally, we analyze the effects of the topography and of vertical and lateral heterogeneities of the crust on the distribution of local and regional stress changes. In this presentation, we highlight the preliminary results of our analysis

Evaluation of the LIVE/DEAD BacLight Kit for Detection of Extremophilic Archaea and Visualization of Microorganisms in Environmental Hypersaline Samples

PubMed Central

Leuko, Stefan; Legat, Andrea; Fendrihan, Sergiu; Stan-Lotter, Helga

2004-01-01

Extremophilic archaea were stained with the LIVE/DEAD BacLight kit under conditions of high ionic strength and over a pH range of 2.0 to 9.3. The reliability of the kit was tested with haloarchaea following permeabilization of the cells. Microorganisms in hypersaline environmental samples were detectable with the kit, which suggests its potential application to future extraterrestrial halites. PMID:15528557

Alkaline pH sensor molecules.

PubMed

Murayama, Takashi; Maruyama, Ichiro N

2015-11-01

Animals can survive only within a narrow pH range. This requires continual monitoring of environmental and body-fluid pH. Although a variety of acidic pH sensor molecules have been reported, alkaline pH sensor function is not well understood. This Review describes neuronal alkaline pH sensors, grouped according to whether they monitor extracellular or intracellular alkaline pH. Extracellular sensors include the receptor-type guanylyl cyclase, the insulin receptor-related receptor, ligand-gated Cl- channels, connexin hemichannels, two-pore-domain K+ channels, and transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. Intracellular sensors include TRP channels and gap junction channels. Identification of molecular mechanisms underlying alkaline pH sensing is crucial for understanding how animals respond to environmental alkaline pH and how body-fluid pH is maintained within a narrow range. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Alkaline battery operational methodology

DOEpatents

Sholklapper, Tal; Gallaway, Joshua; Steingart, Daniel; Ingale, Nilesh; Nyce, Michael

2016-08-16

Methods of using specific operational charge and discharge parameters to extend the life of alkaline batteries are disclosed. The methods can be used with any commercial primary or secondary alkaline battery, as well as with newer alkaline battery designs, including batteries with flowing electrolyte. The methods include cycling batteries within a narrow operating voltage window, with minimum and maximum cut-off voltages that are set based on battery characteristics and environmental conditions. The narrow voltage window decreases available capacity but allows the batteries to be cycled for hundreds or thousands of times.

Diversity of Heterotrophic Protists from Extremely Hypersaline Habitats.

PubMed

Park, Jong Soo; Simpson, Alastair G B

2015-09-01

Heterotrophic protists (protozoa) are a diverse but understudied component of the biota of extremely hypersaline environments, with few data on molecular diversity within halophile 'species', and almost nothing known of their biogeographic distribution. We have garnered SSU rRNA gene sequences for several clades of halophilic protozoa from enrichments from waters of >12.5% salinity from Australia, North America, and Europe (6 geographic sites, 25 distinct samples). The small stramenopile Halocafeteria was found at all sites, but phylogenies did not show clear geographic clustering. The ciliate Trimyema was recorded from 6 non-European samples. Phylogenies confirmed a monophyletic halophilic Trimyema group that included possible south-eastern Australian, Western Australian and North American clusters. Several halophilic Heterolobosea were detected, demonstrating that Pleurostomum contains at least three relatively distinct clades, and increasing known continental ranges for Tulamoeba peronaphora and Euplaesiobystra hypersalinica. The unclassified flagellate Palustrimonas, found in one Australian sample, proves to be a novel deep-branching alveolate. These results are consistent with a global distribution of halophilic protozoa groups (∼ morphospecies), but the Trimyema case suggests that is worth testing whether larger forms exhibit biogeographic phylogenetic substructure. The molecular detection/characterization of halophilic protozoa is still far from complete at the clade level, let alone the 'species level'. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

PCNA mono-ubiquitination and activation of translesion DNA polymerases by DNA polymerase {alpha}.

PubMed

Suzuki, Motoshi; Niimi, Atsuko; Limsirichaikul, Siripan; Tomida, Shuta; Miao Huang, Qin; Izuta, Shunji; Usukura, Jiro; Itoh, Yasutomo; Hishida, Takashi; Akashi, Tomohiro; Nakagawa, Yoshiyuki; Kikuchi, Akihiko; Pavlov, Youri; Murate, Takashi; Takahashi, Takashi

2009-07-01

Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) involves PCNA mono-ubiquitination and TLS DNA polymerases (pols). Recent evidence has shown that the mono-ubiquitination is induced not only by DNA damage but also by other factors that induce stalling of the DNA replication fork. We studied the effect of spontaneous DNA replication errors on PCNA mono-ubiquitination and TLS induction. In the pol1L868F strain, which expressed an error-prone pol alpha, PCNA was spontaneously mono-ubiquitinated. Pol alpha L868F had a rate-limiting step at the extension from mismatched primer termini. Electron microscopic observation showed the accumulation of a single-stranded region at the DNA replication fork in yeast cells. For pol alpha errors, pol zeta participated in a generation of +1 frameshifts. Furthermore, in the pol1L868F strain, UV-induced mutations were lower than in the wild-type and a pol delta mutant strain (pol3-5DV), and deletion of the RAD30 gene (pol eta) suppressed this defect. These data suggest that nucleotide misincorporation by pol alpha induces exposure of single-stranded DNA, PCNA mono-ubiquitination and activates TLS pols.

Comparison between mono-bloc and bi-bloc mandibular advancement devices for obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Lee, Woo Hyun; Wee, Jee Hye; Lee, Chul Hee; Kim, Min-Su; Rhee, Chae-Seo; Yun, Pil-Young; Yoon, In-Young; Kim, Jeong-Whun

2013-11-01

Although mandibular advancement device (MAD) is widely used, there are a few papers comparing the efficacy and compliance at the same time according to the type of MAD. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and compliance between mono-bloc and bi-bloc MAD in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Ninety-three patients who treated with mono-bloc MAD and 60 patients with bi-bloc MAD from January 2007 through September 2011 were retrospectively enrolled. All the patients underwent full-night polysomnography(PSG) before and 3 months after MAD was applied. The response rate was significantly higher in the patients using mono-bloc than those using bi-bloc MAD (77.4 vs. 58.3 %; P = 0.012). In contrast, the compliance rate of MAD use was significantly higher in the patients using bi-bloc than those using mono-bloc MAD (68.8 vs. 83.3 %; P = 0.044) at 1 year. According to the severity of OSA, the response rate was significantly higher in severe OSA than in mild to moderate OSA (P = 0.033 for mono-bloc MAD and P = 0.048 for bi-bloc MAD). However, there was no difference in the compliance between mild to moderate OSA and severe OSA. Our study showed that mono-bloc MAD was superior to bi-bloc MAD in efficacy while bi-bloc MAD is superior to mono-bloc MAD in compliance. We propose that both the efficacy and compliance should be considered in using MAD for treatment of OSA.

TOXICOLOGY OF MONO- AND DI-ALKYLTIN CHLORIDES

EPA Science Inventory

Mono- and di-alkyltin chlorides are reactive compounds used in the production of stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics, primarily used for water distribution pipes. Health effects data were compiled or developed by the manufacturers for the EPA's HPV Challenge progra...

TOXICOLOGY OF MONO- AND DI-ALKYLTIN CHLORIDES.

EPA Science Inventory

Mono- and di-alkyltin chlorides are reactive compounds used in the production of stabilizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics, primarily used for water distribution pipes. Health effects data were compiled or developed by the manufacturers for the EPA's HPV Challenge progra...

Anodes for alkaline electrolysis

DOEpatents

Soloveichik, Grigorii Lev [Latham, NY

2011-02-01

A method of making an anode for alkaline electrolysis cells includes adsorption of precursor material on a carbonaceous material, conversion of the precursor material to hydroxide form and conversion of precursor material from hydroxide form to oxy-hydroxide form within the alkaline electrolysis cell.

Performance limits of tunnel transistors based on mono-layer transition-metal dichalcogenides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Xiang-Wei, E-mail: xwjiang@semi.ac.cn; Li, Shu-Shen; Synergetic Innovation Center of Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026

2014-05-12

Performance limits of tunnel field-effect transistors based on mono-layer transition metal dichalcogenides are investigated through numerical quantum mechanical simulations. The atomic mono-layer nature of the devices results in a much smaller natural length λ, leading to much larger electric field inside the tunneling diodes. As a result, the inter-band tunneling currents are found to be very high as long as ultra-thin high-k gate dielectric is possible. The highest on-state driving current is found to be close to 600 μA/μm at V{sub g} = V{sub d} = 0.5 V when 2 nm thin HfO{sub 2} layer is used for gate dielectric, outperforming most of the conventional semiconductor tunnelmore » transistors. In the five simulated transition-metal dichalcogenides, mono-layer WSe{sub 2} based tunnel field-effect transistor shows the best potential. Deep analysis reveals that there is plenty room to further enhance the device performance by either geometry, alloy, or strain engineering on these mono-layer materials.« less

Three-Dimensional Analysis of dike/fault interaction at Mono Basin (California) using the Finite Element Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Marra, D.; Battaglia, M.

2013-12-01

Mono Basin is a north-trending graben that extends from the northern edge of Long Valley caldera towards the Bodie Hills and is bounded by the Cowtrack Mountains on the east and the Sierra Nevada on the west. The Mono-Inyo Craters volcanic chain forms a north-trending zone of volcanic vents extending from the west moat of the Long Valley caldera to Mono Lake. The Hartley Springs fault transects the southern Mono Craters-Inyo Domes area between the western part of the Long Valley caldera and June Lake. Stratigraphic data suggest that a series of strong earthquakes occurred during the North Mono-Inyo eruption sequence of ~1350 A.D. The spatial and temporal proximity between Hartley Springs Fault motion and the North Mono-Inyo eruption sequence suggests a possible relation between seismic events and eruptions. We investigate the interactions between slip along the Hartley Springs fault and dike intrusion beneath the Mono-Inyo craters using a three-dimensional finite element model of the Mono Basin. We employ a realistic representation of the Basin that includes topography, vertical and lateral heterogeneities of the crust, contact relations between fault planes, and a physical model of the pressure required to propagate the dike. We estimate (a) the distribution of Coulomb stress changes to study the influence of dike intrusion on Hartley Springs fault, and (b) the local stress and volumetric dilatation changes to understand how fault slip may influence the propagation of a dike towards the surface.

Surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding: Buffering at intermediate alkaline pH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rudin, J.; Wasan, D.T.

1993-11-01

The alkaline flooding process involves injecting alkaline agents into the reservoir to produce more oil than is produced through conventional waterflooding. The interaction of the alkali in the flood water with the naturally occurring acids in the reservoir oil results in in-situ formation of soaps, which are partially responsible for lowering IFT and improving oil recovery. The extent to which IFT is lowered depends on the specific oil and injection water properties. Numerous investigators have attempted to clarify the relationship between system chemical composition and IFT. An experimental investigation of buffered alkaline flooding system chemistry was undertaken to determine themore » influence of various species present on interfacial tension (IFT) as a function of pH and ionic strength. IFT was found to go through an ultralow minimum in certain pH ranges. This synergism results from simultaneous adsorption of un-ionized and ionized acid species on the interface.« less

Drainage reversals in Mono Basin during the late pliocene and Pleistocene

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reheis, M.C.; Stine, S.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A. M.

2002-01-01

Mono Basin, on the eastern flank of the central Sierra Nevada, is the highest of the large hydrographically closed basins in the Basin and Range province. We use geomorphic features, shoreline deposits, and basalt-filled paleochannels to reconstruct an early to middle Pleistocene record of shorelines and changing spillways of Lake Russell in Mono Basin. During this period of time, Lake Russell repeatedly attained altitudes between 2205 and 2280 m-levels far above the present surface of Mono Lake (~1950 m) and above its last overflow level (2188 m). The spill point of Lake Russell shifted through time owing to late Tertiary and Quaternary faulting and volcanism. During the early Pleistocene, the lake periodically discharged through the Mount Hicks spillway on the northeastern rim of Mono Basin and flowed northward into the Walker Lake drainage basin via the East Walker River. Paleochannels recording such discharge were incised prior to 1.6 Ma, possibly between 1.6 and 1.3 Ma, and again after 1.3 Ma (ages of basaltic flows that plugged the paleochannels). Faulting in the Adobe Hills on the southeastern margin of the basin eventually lowered the rim in this area to below the altitude of the Mount Hicks spillway. Twice after 0.76 Ma, and possibly as late as after 0.1 Ma, Lake Russell discharged southward through the Adobe Hills spillway into the Owens-Death Valley system of lakes. This study supports a pre-Pleistocene aquatic connection through Mono Basin between the hydrologically distinct Lahontan and Owens-Death Valley systems, as long postulated by biologists, and also confirms a probable link during the Pleistocene for species adapted to travel upstream in fast-flowing water.

Microbial stratification and microbially catalyzed processes along a hypersaline chemocline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, A.; Joye, S. B.; Teske, A.

2017-12-01

Orca Basin is the largest deep hypersaline anoxic basin in the world, covering over 400 km2. Located at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, this body of water reaches depths of 200 meters and is 8 times denser (and more saline) than the overlying seawater. The sharp pycnocline prevents any significant vertical mixing and serves as a particle trap for sinking organic matter. These rapid changes in salinity, oxygen, organic matter, and other geochemical parameters present unique conditions for the microbial communities present. We collected samples in 10m intervals throughout the chemocline. After filtering the water, we used high-throughput bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the changing microbial community along the Orca Basin chemocline. The results reveal a dominance of microbial taxa whose biogeochemical function is entirely unknown. We then used metagenomic sequencing and reconstructed genomes for select samples, revealing the potential dominant metabolic processes in the Orca Basin chemocline. Understanding how these unique geochemical conditions shape microbial communities and metabolic capabilities will have implications for the ocean's biogeochemical cycles and the consequences of expanding oxygen minimum zones.

40 CFR 721.10398 - Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl),. alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic). 721.10398 Section 721.10398 Protection of...-ethanediyl),. alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic). (a) Chemical substance... poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (PMN P-10-495) is...

40 CFR 721.10398 - Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl),. alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic). 721.10398 Section 721.10398 Protection of...-ethanediyl),. alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic). (a) Chemical substance... poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (PMN P-10-495) is...

40 CFR 721.10398 - Poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl),. alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic). 721.10398 Section 721.10398 Protection of...-ethanediyl),. alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (generic). (a) Chemical substance... poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), .alpha., -monoalkyl ethers-.omega.-mono (hydrogen maleate)- (PMN P-10-495) is...

High-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Mono Basin-Long Valley Caldera region, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponce, D. A.; Mangan, M.; McPhee, D.

2013-12-01

A new high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Mono Basin-Long Valley Caldera region greatly enhances previous magnetic interpretations that were based on older, low-resolution, and regional aeromagnetic data sets and provides new insights into volcano-tectonic processes. The surveyed area covers a 8,750 km2 NNW-trending swath situated between the Sierra Nevada to the west and the Basin and Range Province to the east. The surveyed area includes the volcanic centers of Mono Lake, Mono-Inyo Craters, Mammoth Mountain, Devils Postpile, and Long Valley Caldera. The NW-trending eastern Sierra frontal fault zone crosses through the study area, including the active Mono Lake, Silver Lake, Hartley Springs, Laurel Creek, and Hilton Creek faults. Over 6,000 line-kilometers of aeromagnetic data were collected at a constant terrain clearance of 150 m, a flight-line spacing of 400 m, and a tie-line spacing of 4 km. Data were collected via helicopter with an attached stinger housing a magnetic sensor using a Scintrex CS-3 cesium magnetometer. In the northern part of the survey area, data improve the magnetic resolution of the individual domes and coulees along Mono Craters and a circular shaped magnetic anomaly that coincides with a poorly defined ring fracture mapped by Kistler (1966). Here, aeromagnetic data combined with other geophysical data suggests that Mono Craters may have preferentially followed a pre-existing plutonic basement feature that may have controlled the sickle shape of the volcanic chain. In the northeastern part of the survey, aeromagnetic data reveal a linear magnetic anomaly that correlates with and extends a mapped fault. In the southern part of the survey, in the Sierra Nevada block just south of Long Valley Caldera, aeromagnetic anomalies correlate with NNW-trending Sierran frontal faults rather than to linear NNE-trends observed in recent seismicity over the last 30 years. These data provide an important framework for the further analysis of the

Geo- and biogeochemical processes in a heliothermal hypersaline lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zachara, John M.; Moran, James J.; Resch, Charles T.; Lindemann, Stephen R.; Felmy, Andrew R.; Bowden, Mark E.; Cory, Alexandra B.; Fredrickson, James K.

2016-05-01

Water chemical variations were investigated over three annual hydrologic cycles in hypersaline, heliothermal, meromictic Hot Lake in north-central Washington State, USA. The lake contains diverse biota with dramatic zonation related to salinity and redox state. Water samples were collected at 10-cm depth intervals through the shallow lake (2.4 m) during 2012-2014, with comprehensive monitoring performed in 2013. Inorganic salt species, dissolved carbon forms (DOC, DIC), oxygen, sulfide, and methane were analyzed in lake water samples. Depth sonde measurements of pH and temperature were also performed to track their seasonal variations. A bathymetric survey of the lake was conducted to enable lake water volume and solute inventory calculations. Sediment cores were collected at low water and analyzed by X-ray diffraction to investigate sediment mineralogy. The primary dissolved salt in Hot Lake water was Mg2+-SO42- whereas sediments were dominated by gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O). Lake water concentrations increased with depth, reaching saturation with epsomite (MgSO4·7H2O) that was exposed at lake bottom. At maximum volume in spring, Hot Lake exhibited a relatively dilute mixolimnion; a lower saline metalimnion with stratified oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthetic microbiological communities; and a stable, hypersaline monimolimnion, separated from above layers by a chemocline, containing high levels of sulfide and methane. The thickness of the mixolimnion regulates a heliothermal effect that creates temperatures in excess of 60 °C in the underlying metalimnion and monimolimnion. The mixolimnion was dynamic in volume and actively mixed. It displayed large pH variations, in-situ calcium carbonate precipitation, and large evaporative volume losses. The depletion of this layer by fall allowed deeper mixing into the metalimnion, more rapid heat exchange, and lower winter lake temperatures. Solubility calculations indicate seasonal biogenic and thermogenic aragonite

Geo- and Biogeochemical Processes in a Heliothermal Hypersaline Lake

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zachara, John M.; Moran, James J.; Resch, Charles T.

Water chemical variations were investigated over three annual hydrologic cycles in hypersaline, heliothermal, meromictic Hot Lake in north-central Washington State, USA. The lake, originally studied by Anderson (1958), contains diverse biota with dramatic zonation related to salinity and redox state. Water samples were collected at 10 cm depth intervals through the shallow lake (2.4 m) at a consistent location during 2012-2014, with comprehensive monitoring performed in 2013. Inorganic salt species, total dissolved solids (TDS), dissolved carbon forms (DOC, DIC), oxygen, sulfide, and methane were analyzed in lake water samples. Depth sonde measurements of pH and temperature were also performed tomore » track their seasonal variations. A bathymetric survey of the lake was conducted to enable lake water volume and solute inventory calculations. Sediment cores were collected at low water and analyzed by x-ray diffraction to investigate sediment mineralogy. The primary dissolved salt in Hot Lake water was Mg2+-SO42- while sediments were dominated by gypsum (CaSO4•2H2O). Lake water concentrations increased with depth to reach saturation with epsomite that was exposed at lake bottom. At maximum volume in spring, Hot Lake exhibited a relatively dilute mixolimnion containing phyto- and zooplankton; a lower saline metalimnion with stratified oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthetic microbiologic communities; and a stable, hypersaline monimolimnion, separated from above layers by a chemocline, containing high levels of sulfide and methane. The thickness of the mixolimnion regulates a heliothermal effect which creates temperatures in excess of 60 oC in the underlying metalimnion and monimolimnion. The mixolimnion was dynamic and actively mixed. It displayed large pH variations, in-situ calcium carbonate precipitation, and large evaporative volume losses. The depletion of this ephemeral layer by fall allowed deeper mixing into the volume-stable lower mixolimnion, more rapid

Effect of alkaline addition on anaerobic sludge digestion with combined pretreatment of alkaline and high pressure homogenization.

PubMed

Fang, Wei; Zhang, Panyue; Zhang, Guangming; Jin, Shuguang; Li, Dongyi; Zhang, Meixia; Xu, Xiangzhe

2014-09-01

To improve anaerobic digestion efficiency, combination pretreatment of alkaline and high pressure homogenization was applied to pretreat sewage sludge. Effect of alkaline dosage on anaerobic sludge digestion was investigated in detail. SCOD of sludge supernatant significantly increased with the alkaline dosage increase after the combined pretreatment because of sludge disintegration. Organics were significantly degraded after the anaerobic digestion, and the maximal SCOD, TCOD and VS removal was 73.5%, 61.3% and 43.5%, respectively. Cumulative biogas production, methane content in biogas and biogas production rate obviously increased with the alkaline dosage increase. Considering both the biogas production and alkaline dosage, the optimal alkaline dosage was selected as 0.04 mol/L. Relationships between biogas production and sludge disintegration showed that the accumulative biogas was mainly enhanced by the sludge disintegration. The methane yield linearly increased with the DDCOD increase as Methane yield (ml/gVS)=4.66 DDCOD-9.69. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pediatric reference intervals for alkaline phosphatase.

PubMed

Zierk, Jakob; Arzideh, Farhad; Haeckel, Rainer; Cario, Holger; Frühwald, Michael C; Groß, Hans-Jürgen; Gscheidmeier, Thomas; Hoffmann, Reinhard; Krebs, Alexander; Lichtinghagen, Ralf; Neumann, Michael; Ruf, Hans-Georg; Steigerwald, Udo; Streichert, Thomas; Rascher, Wolfgang; Metzler, Markus; Rauh, Manfred

2017-01-01

Interpretation of alkaline phosphatase activity in children is challenging due to extensive changes with growth and puberty leading to distinct sex- and age-specific dynamics. Continuous percentile charts from birth to adulthood allow accurate consideration of these dynamics and seem reasonable for an analyte as closely linked to growth as alkaline phosphatase. However, the ethical and practical challenges unique to pediatric reference intervals have restricted the creation of such percentile charts, resulting in limitations when clinical decisions are based on alkaline phosphatase activity. We applied an indirect method to generate percentile charts for alkaline phosphatase activity using clinical laboratory data collected during the clinical care of patients. A total of 361,405 samples from 124,440 patients from six German tertiary care centers and one German laboratory service provider measured between January 2004 and June 2015 were analyzed. Measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity was performed on Roche Cobas analyzers using the IFCC's photometric method. We created percentile charts for alkaline phosphatase activity in girls and boys from birth to 18 years which can be used as reference intervals. Additionally, data tables of age- and sex-specific percentile values allow the incorporation of these results into laboratory information systems. The percentile charts provided enable the appropriate differential diagnosis of changes in alkaline phosphatase activity due to disease and changes due to physiological development. After local validation, integration of the provided percentile charts into result reporting facilitates precise assessment of alkaline phosphatase dynamics in pediatrics.

The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health?

PubMed Central

Schwalfenberg, Gerry K.

2012-01-01

This review looks at the role of an alkaline diet in health. Pubmed was searched looking for articles on pH, potential renal acid loads, bone health, muscle, growth hormone, back pain, vitamin D and chemotherapy. Many books written in the lay literature on the alkaline diet were also reviewed and evaluated in light of the published medical literature. There may be some value in considering an alkaline diet in reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases and further studies are warranted in this area of medicine. PMID:22013455

Modification and performance evaluation of a mono-valve engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrens, Justin W.

A four-stroke engine utilizing one tappet valve for both the intake and exhaust gas exchange processes has been built and evaluated. The engine operates under its own power, but has a reduced power capacity than the conventional 2-valve engine. The reduction in power is traced to higher than expected amounts of exhaust gases flowing back into the intake system. Design changes to the cylinder head will fix the back flow problems, but the future capacity of mono-valve engine technology cannot be estimated. The back flow of exhaust gases increases the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate and deteriorates combustion. Intake pressure data shows the mono-valve engine requires an advanced intake valve closing (IVC) time to prevent back flow of charge air. A single actuation camshaft with advanced IVC was tested in the mono-valve engine, and was found to improve exhaust scavenging at TDC and nearly eliminated all charge air back flow at IVC. The optimum IVC timing is shown to be approximately 30 crank angle degrees after BDC. The mono-valve cylinder head utilizes a rotary valve positioned above the tappet valve. The open spaces inside the rotary valveand between the rotary valve and tappet valve represent a common volume that needs to be reduced in order to reduce the base EGR rate. Multiple rotary valve configurations were tested, and the size of the common volume was found to have no effect on back flow but a direct effect on the EGR rate and engine performance. The position of the rotary valve with respect to crank angle has a direct effect on the scavenging process. Optimum scavenging occurs when the intake port is opened just after TDC.

Characterization and quantification of biochar alkalinity.

PubMed

Fidel, Rivka B; Laird, David A; Thompson, Michael L; Lawrinenko, Michael

2017-01-01

Lack of knowledge regarding the nature of biochar alkalis has hindered understanding of pH-sensitive biochar-soil interactions. Here we investigate the nature of biochar alkalinity and present a cohesive suite of methods for its quantification. Biochars produced from cellulose, corn stover and wood feedstocks had significant low-pK a organic structural (0.03-0.34 meq g -1 ), other organic (0-0.92 meq g -1 ), carbonate (0.02-1.5 meq g -1 ), and other inorganic (0-0.26 meq g -1 ) alkalinities. All four categories of biochar alkalinity contributed to total biochar alkalinity and are therefore relevant to pH-sensitive soil processes. Total biochar alkalinity was strongly correlated with base cation concentration, but biochar alkalinity was not a simple function of elemental composition, soluble ash, fixed carbon, or volatile matter content. More research is needed to characterize soluble biochar alkalis other than carbonates and to establish predictive relationships among biochar production parameters and the composition of biochar alkalis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 184.1505 - Mono- and diglycerides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... fatty acids include lauric, linoleic, myristic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic. Mono- and diglycerides are manufactured by the reaction of glycerin with fatty acids or the reaction of glycerin with triglycerides in the... fatty acids, and free glycerin that contains at least 90 percent-by-weight glycerides. (b) The...

21 CFR 184.1505 - Mono- and diglycerides.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Mono- and diglycerides. 184.1505 Section 184.1505 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION (CONTINUED) DIRECT FOOD SUBSTANCES AFFIRMED AS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE...

Microbial and Metabolic Diversity of the Alkaline Hot Springs of Paoha Island: A Late Archean and Proterozoic Ocean Analogue Environment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, I. S.; Demirel, C.; Hyde, A.; Motamedi, S.; Frantz, C. M.; Stamps, B. W.; Nunn, H. S.; Oremland, R. S.; Rosen, M.; Miller, L. G.; Corsetti, F. A.; Spear, J. R.

2016-12-01

Paoha Island formed 450 years ago within Mono Lake, California, as a result of magmatic activity in the underlying Long Valley Caldera. Previous studies of Paoha Island hot springs focused on the presence of novel organisms adapted to high levels of arsenic (114-138 µM). However, the microbial community structure, relationship with Mono Lake, and preservation potential of these communities remains largely unexplored. Here, we present water chemistry, 16S and 18S rRNA gene sequences, and metagenomic data for spring water and biofilms sampled on a recently exposed mudflat along the shoreline of Paoha Island. Spring waters were hypoxic, alkaline, and saline, had variable temperature (39-70 °C near spring sources) and high concentrations of arsenic, sulfide and reduced organic compounds. Thermodynamic modeling based on spring water chemistry indicated that sulfide and methane oxidation were the most energetically favorable respiratory metabolisms. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed distinct communities in different biofilms: red biofilms were dominated by arsenite-oxidizing phototrophs within the Ectothiorhodospiraceae, while OTUs most closely related to the cyanobacterial genus Arthrospira were present in green biofilms, as well as a large proportion of sequences assigned to sulfur-oxidizing bacteria. Metagenomic analysis identified genes related to arsenic resistance, arsenic oxidation/reduction, sulfur oxidation and photosynthesis. Eukaryotic rRNA gene sequencing analyses revealed few detectable taxa in spring biofilms and waters compared to Mono Lake; springs receiving splash from the lake were dominated by the alga Picocystis. The co-occurrence of hypoxia, high pH, and close proximity of anoxygenic and oxygenic phototrophic mats makes this site a potential Archean/Proterozoic analogue environment, but suggests that similar environments if preserved in the rock record, may not preserve evidence for community dynamics or the existence of photosynthetic metabolisms.

Metagenomic Insights into the Uncultured Diversity and Physiology of Microbes in Four Hypersaline Soda Lake Brines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vavourakis, Charlotte D.; Ghai, Rohit; Rodriguez-Valera, Francisco

Soda lakes are salt lakes with a naturally alkaline pH due to evaporative concentration of sodium carbonates in the absence of major divalent cations. Hypersaline soda brines harbor microbial communities with a high species- and strain-level archaeal diversity and a large proportion of still uncultured poly-extremophiles compared to neutral brines of similar salinities. We present the first "metagenomic snapshots" of microbial communities thriving in the brines of four shallow soda lakes from the Kulunda Steppe (Altai, Russia) covering a salinity range from 170 to 400 g/L. Both amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA fragments and direct metagenomic sequencing showed that themore » top-level taxa abundance was linked to the ambient salinity: Bacteroidetes, Alpha-, and Gamma-proteobacteria were dominant below a salinity of 250 g/L, Euryarchaeota at higher salinities. Within these taxa, amplicon sequences related to Halorubrum, Natrinema, Gracilimonas, purple non-sulfur bacteria (Rhizobiales, Rhodobacter, and Rhodobaca) and chemolithotrophic sulfur oxidizers (Thioalkalivibrio) were highly abundant. Twenty-four draft population genomes from novel members and ecotypes within the Nanohaloarchaea, Halobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were reconstructed to explore their metabolic features, environmental abundance and strategies for osmotic adaptation. The Halobacteria- and Bacteroidetes-related draft genomes belong to putative aerobic heterotrophs, likely with the capacity to ferment sugars in the absence of oxygen. Members from both taxonomic groups are likely involved in primary organic carbon degradation, since some of the reconstructed genomes encode the ability to hydrolyze recalcitrant substrates, such as cellulose and chitin. Putative sodium-pumping rhodopsins were found in both a Flavobacteriaceae- and a Chitinophagaceae-related draft genome. The predicted proteomes of both the latter and a Rhodothermace ae-related draft genome were indicative of a "salt-in" strategy of

Metagenomic Insights into the Uncultured Diversity and Physiology of Microbes in Four Hypersaline Soda Lake Brines

PubMed Central

Vavourakis, Charlotte D.; Ghai, Rohit; Rodriguez-Valera, Francisco; Sorokin, Dimitry Y.; Tringe, Susannah G.; Hugenholtz, Philip; Muyzer, Gerard

2016-01-01

Soda lakes are salt lakes with a naturally alkaline pH due to evaporative concentration of sodium carbonates in the absence of major divalent cations. Hypersaline soda brines harbor microbial communities with a high species- and strain-level archaeal diversity and a large proportion of still uncultured poly-extremophiles compared to neutral brines of similar salinities. We present the first “metagenomic snapshots” of microbial communities thriving in the brines of four shallow soda lakes from the Kulunda Steppe (Altai, Russia) covering a salinity range from 170 to 400 g/L. Both amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA fragments and direct metagenomic sequencing showed that the top-level taxa abundance was linked to the ambient salinity: Bacteroidetes, Alpha-, and Gamma-proteobacteria were dominant below a salinity of 250 g/L, Euryarchaeota at higher salinities. Within these taxa, amplicon sequences related to Halorubrum, Natrinema, Gracilimonas, purple non-sulfur bacteria (Rhizobiales, Rhodobacter, and Rhodobaca) and chemolithotrophic sulfur oxidizers (Thioalkalivibrio) were highly abundant. Twenty-four draft population genomes from novel members and ecotypes within the Nanohaloarchaea, Halobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were reconstructed to explore their metabolic features, environmental abundance and strategies for osmotic adaptation. The Halobacteria- and Bacteroidetes-related draft genomes belong to putative aerobic heterotrophs, likely with the capacity to ferment sugars in the absence of oxygen. Members from both taxonomic groups are likely involved in primary organic carbon degradation, since some of the reconstructed genomes encode the ability to hydrolyze recalcitrant substrates, such as cellulose and chitin. Putative sodium-pumping rhodopsins were found in both a Flavobacteriaceae- and a Chitinophagaceae-related draft genome. The predicted proteomes of both the latter and a Rhodothermaceae-related draft genome were indicative of a “salt-in” strategy of

Metagenomic Insights into the Uncultured Diversity and Physiology of Microbes in Four Hypersaline Soda Lake Brines

DOE PAGES

Vavourakis, Charlotte D.; Ghai, Rohit; Rodriguez-Valera, Francisco; ...

2016-02-25

Soda lakes are salt lakes with a naturally alkaline pH due to evaporative concentration of sodium carbonates in the absence of major divalent cations. Hypersaline soda brines harbor microbial communities with a high species- and strain-level archaeal diversity and a large proportion of still uncultured poly-extremophiles compared to neutral brines of similar salinities. We present the first "metagenomic snapshots" of microbial communities thriving in the brines of four shallow soda lakes from the Kulunda Steppe (Altai, Russia) covering a salinity range from 170 to 400 g/L. Both amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA fragments and direct metagenomic sequencing showed that themore » top-level taxa abundance was linked to the ambient salinity: Bacteroidetes, Alpha-, and Gamma-proteobacteria were dominant below a salinity of 250 g/L, Euryarchaeota at higher salinities. Within these taxa, amplicon sequences related to Halorubrum, Natrinema, Gracilimonas, purple non-sulfur bacteria (Rhizobiales, Rhodobacter, and Rhodobaca) and chemolithotrophic sulfur oxidizers (Thioalkalivibrio) were highly abundant. Twenty-four draft population genomes from novel members and ecotypes within the Nanohaloarchaea, Halobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were reconstructed to explore their metabolic features, environmental abundance and strategies for osmotic adaptation. The Halobacteria- and Bacteroidetes-related draft genomes belong to putative aerobic heterotrophs, likely with the capacity to ferment sugars in the absence of oxygen. Members from both taxonomic groups are likely involved in primary organic carbon degradation, since some of the reconstructed genomes encode the ability to hydrolyze recalcitrant substrates, such as cellulose and chitin. Putative sodium-pumping rhodopsins were found in both a Flavobacteriaceae- and a Chitinophagaceae-related draft genome. The predicted proteomes of both the latter and a Rhodothermace ae-related draft genome were indicative of a "salt-in" strategy of

Mono-hydroxy methoxychlor alters levels of key sex steroids and steroidogenic enzymes in cultured mouse antral follicles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, Zelieann R., E-mail: zelieann@gmail.co; Leslie, Traci C., E-mail: traci.leslie@gmail.co; Hatfield, Kimberly P., E-mail: kpm9786@yahoo.co

Methoxychlor (MXC) is an organochlorine pesticide that reduces fertility in female rodents by decreasing antral follicle numbers and increasing follicular death. MXC is metabolized in the body to mono-hydroxy MXC (mono-OH). Little is known about the effects of mono-OH on the ovary. Thus, this work tested the hypothesis that mono-OH exposure decreases production of 17{beta}-estradiol (E{sub 2}) by cultured mouse antral follicles. Antral follicles were isolated from CD-1 mice (age 35-39 days) and exposed to dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), or mono-OH (0.1-10 {mu}g/mL) for 96 h. Media and follicles were collected for analysis of sex steroid levels and mRNA expression, respectively. Mono-OHmore » treatment (10 {mu}g/mL) decreased E{sub 2} (DMSO: 3009.72 {+-} 744.99 ng/mL; mono-OH 0.1 {mu}g/mL: 1679.66 {+-} 461.99 ng/mL; 1 {mu}g/mL: 1752.72 {+-} 532.41 ng/mL; 10 {mu}g/mL: 45.89 {+-} 33.83 ng/mL), testosterone (DMSO: 15.43 {+-} 2.86 ng/mL; mono-OH 0.1 {mu}g/mL: 17.17 {+-} 4.71 ng/mL; 1 {mu}g/mL: 13.64 {+-} 3.53 ng/mL; 10 {mu}g/mL: 1.29 {+-} 0.23 ng/mL), androstenedione (DMSO: 1.92 {+-} 0.34 ng/mL; mono-OH 0.1 {mu}g/mL: 1.49 {+-} 0.43 ng/mL; 1 {mu}g/mL: 0.64 {+-} 0.31 ng/mL; 10 {mu}g/mL: 0.12 {+-} 0.06 ng/mL) and progesterone (DMSO: 24.11 {+-} 4.21 ng/mL; mono-OH 0.1 {mu}g/mL: 26.77 {+-} 4.41 ng/mL; 1 {mu}g/mL: 20.90 {+-} 3.75 ng/mL; 10 {mu}g/mL: 9.44 {+-} 2.97 ng/mL) levels. Mono-OH did not alter expression of Star, Hsd3b1, Hsd17b1 and Cyp1b1, but it did reduce levels of Cyp11a1, Cyp17a1 and Cyp19a1 mRNA. Collectively, these data suggest that mono-OH significantly decreases levels of key sex steroid hormones and the expression of enzymes required for steroidogenesis.« less

Age of the Mono Lake excursion and associated tephra

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.; Liddicoat, J.; Smoot, J.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Negrini, R.; Lund, S.

2003-01-01

The Mono Lake excursion (MLE) is an important time marker that has been found in lake and marine sediments across much of the Northern Hemisphere. Dating of this event at its type locality, the Mono Basin of California, has yielded controversial results with the most recent effort concluding that the MLE may actually be the Laschamp excursion (Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 197 (2002) 151). We show that a volcanic tephra (Ash #15) that occurs near the midpoint of the MLE has a date (not corrected for reservoir effect) of 28,620 ?? 300 14C yr BP (??? 32,400 GISP2 yr BP) in the Pyramid Lake Basin of Nevada. Given the location of Ash #15 and the duration of the MLE in the Mono Basin, the event occurred between 31,500 and 33,300 GISP2 yr BP, an age range consistent with the position and age of the uppermost of two paleointensity minima in the NAPIS-75 stack that has been associated with the MLE (Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. A 358 (2000) 1009). The lower paleointensity minimum in the NAPIS-75 stack is considered to be the Laschamp excursion (Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. A 358 (2000) 1009).

Bacterial oxidation of methyl bromide in Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Connell, T.L.; Joye, S.B.; Miller, L.G.; Oremland, R.S.

1997-01-01

The oxidation of methyl bromide (MeBr) in the water column of Mono Lake, CA, was studied by measuring the formation of H14CO3 from [14C]MeBr. Potential oxidation was detected throughout the water column, with highest rates occurring in the epilimnion (5-12 m depth). The oxidation of MeBr was eliminated by filter-sterilization, thereby demonstrating the involvement of bacteria. Vertical profiles of MeBr activity differed from those obtained for nitrification and methane oxidation, indicating that MeBr oxidation is not simply a co-oxidation process by either nitrifiers or methanotrophs. Furthermore, specific inhibitors of methane oxidation and/or nitrification (e.g., methyl fluoride, acetylene, allyl sulfide) had no effect upon the rate of MeBr oxidation in live samples. Of a variety of potential electron donors added to Mono Lake water, only trimethylamine resulted in the stimulation of MeBr oxidation. Cumulatively, these results suggest that the oxidation of MeBr in Mono Lake waters is attributable to trimethylamine-degrading methylotrophs. Neither methyl chloride nor methanol inhibited the oxidation of [14C]MeBr in live samples, indicating that these bacteria directly oxidized MeBr rather than the products of MeBr nucleophilic substitution reactions.

Sedimentology, Mineralogy, Morphology, and Characterization of Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria Communities from Modern Hypersaline Microbial Mats in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez Colon, B. J.; Rivera-Lopez, E. O.; Ramirez-Martinez, W. R.; Rios-Velazquez, C.; Perez-Valentin, K. A.

2017-12-01

Microbial mats are organosedimentary structures which house complex guilds of microbial communities, held together by a gelatinous exopolymeric substance (EPS). This biofilm contributes to the formation of laminations by binding and trapping sediments, as well as in-situ organomineralization. Microbial mats commonly thrive in extreme habitats, such as the hypersaline environments, which have been studied throughout several coastal regions in the Caribbean. This project aims to study the morphology, sedimentology, and mineralogy of five different modern hypersaline microbial mats from Puerto Rico and Anegada that have not yet been studied, to assess their differences/similarities. At the same time, we intent to isolate and characterize purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB), which is an anoxyphototrophic microorganism that contributes to the pink pigmentation observed in the second layer of a typical microbial mat. Different layers within each mat were separated, dissected and dissolved to remove all organic material. The resulting sediment was then analyzed mineralogically using X-ray diffraction, and used to make petrographic thin sections. To isolate PNSB candidates, serial dilutions followed by filtration were performed to extracted sections from the pink layer of each mat. The samples were planted in Petri dishes with marine media and placed in Anaerobic Jars. Colonies Descriptions, Gram stain and molecular analysis using 16S rDNA gene was performed. Preliminary results show a diversity of mat morphologies throughout the ponds, similar to what has been observed in other hypersaline ponds and marshes in the Caribbean. Sedimentary analysis shows that the mats from Puerto Rico have similar allochthonous material (e.g. Halimeda sp. fragments). Microcodium fabrics, conoform structures, and hemispheroidal morphologies were observed as well. In Anegada, lithified microbialites were observed in the Red Pond location. Mineralogically, all samples were similar except for the

Method for separating mono- and di-octylphenyl phosphoric acid esters

DOEpatents

Arnold, Jr., Wesley D.

1977-01-01

A method for separating mono-octylphenyl phosphoric acid ester and di-octylphenyl phosphoric acid ester from a mixture thereof comprises reacting the ester mixture with a source of lithium or sodium ions to form a mixture of the phosphate salts; contacting the salt mixture with an organic solvent which causes the dioctylphenyl phosphate salt to be dissolved in the organic solvent phase and the mono-octylphenyl phosphate salt to exist in a solid phase; separating the phases; recovering the phosphate salts from their respective phases; and acidifying the recovered salts to form the original phosphoric acid esters.

Tubes, Mono Jets, Squeeze Out and CME

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Longacre, R.

Glasma Flux Tubes, Mono Jets with squeeze out flow around them plus the Chiral Magnetic Effect(CME) are physical phenomenon that generate two particle correlation with respect to the reaction plane in mid-central 20% to 30% Au-Au collision √sNN = 200.0 GeV measured at RHIC.

Strenuous running exacerbates knee cartilage erosion induced by low amount of mono-iodoacetate in rats.

PubMed

Saito, Ryusuke; Muneta, Takeshi; Ozeki, Nobutake; Nakagawa, Yusuke; Udo, Mio; Yanagisawa, Katsuaki; Tsuji, Kunikazu; Tomita, Makoto; Koga, Hideyuki; Sekiya, Ichiro

2017-01-25

It is still debated whether strenuous running in the inflammatory phase produces beneficial or harmful effect in rat knees. We examined (1) the dropout rate of rats during a 30-km running protocol, (2) influences of strenuous running and/or low amounts of mono-iodoacetate injection on cartilage, and (3) the effect of strenuous running on synovitis. Rats were forced to run 30 km over 6 weeks and the dropout rate was examined. One week after 0.1 mg mono-iodoacetate was injected into the right knee, rats were forced to run either 15 km or not run at all over 3 weeks, after which knee cartilage was evaluated. Synovium at the infrapatellar fat pad was also examined histologically. Even though all 12 rats run up to 15 km, only 6 rats completed 30 km of running. Macroscopically, 0.1 mg mono-iodoacetate induced erosion at the tibial cartilage irrespective of 15 km of running. Histologically, 0.1 mg mono-iodoacetate induced loss of cartilage matrix in the tibial cartilage, and an additional 15 km of strenuous running significantly exacerbated the loss. Synovitis caused by mono-iodoacetate improved after running. Only 50% of rats completed 30 km of running because of foot problems. Strenuous running further exacerbated tibial cartilage erosion but did not influence synovitis induced by mono-iodoacetate.

[Technique of complex mammary irradiation: Mono-isocentric 3D conformational radiotherapy and helical tomotherapy].

PubMed

Vandendorpe, B; Guilbert, P; Champagne, C; Antoni, T; Nguyen, T D; Gaillot-Petit, N; Servagi Vernat, S

2017-12-01

To evaluate the dosimetric contribution of helical tomotherapy for breast cancers compared with conformal radiotherapy in mono-isocentric technique. For 23 patients, the dosimetric results in mono-isocentric 3D conformational radiotherapy did not satisfy the constraints either of target volumes nor organs at risk. A prospective dosimetric comparison between mono-isocentric 3D conformational radiotherapy and helical tomotherapy was therefore carried out. The use of helical tomotherapy showed a benefit in these 23 patients, with either an improvement in the conformity index or homogeneity, but with an increase in low doses. Of the 23 patients, two had pectus excavatum, five had past thoracic irradiation and two required bilateral irradiation. The other 14 patients had a combination of morphology and/or indication of lymph node irradiation. For these patients, helical tomotherapy was therefore preferred to mono-isocentric 3D conformational radiotherapy. Tomotherapy appears to provide better homogeneity and tumour coverage. This technique of irradiation may be justified in the case of morphological situations such as pectus exavatum and in complex clinical situations. In other cases, conformal radiotherapy in mono-isocentric technique remains to be favoured. Copyright © 2017 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 864.7660 - Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. 864.7660... Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. (a) Identification. A leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test is a device used to identify the enzyme leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in neutrophilic granulocytes (granular...

21 CFR 864.7660 - Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. 864.7660... Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. (a) Identification. A leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test is a device used to identify the enzyme leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in neutrophilic granulocytes (granular...

21 CFR 864.7660 - Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. 864.7660... Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test. (a) Identification. A leukocyte alkaline phosphatase test is a device used to identify the enzyme leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in neutrophilic granulocytes (granular...

Identification and Characterization of Extremophile Microorganisms with Significance to Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bej, Asim K.

2003-01-01

It is now well recognized that microorganisms thrive in extreme ecological conditions such as geothermal vents, polar region, acid and alkaline lakes, and the cold pressurized depth of the ocean floor of this planet. Morphological, physiological, biochemical and genetic adaptations to extreme environments by these extremophile microorganisms have generated immense interest amongst astrobiologists who increasingly believe in the existence of extraterrestrial life. The evidence collected by NASA's space probe Galileo suggested the presence of liquid water and volcanic activity on Mars and Jupiter's satellite Europa. Volcanic activity provides some of the heat necessary to keep the water on Europa from freezing that could provide important dissolved chemicals needed by living organisms. The possibility of the existence of hypersaline alkaline lakes and evaporites confined within closed volcanic basins and impact craters on Mars, and a layer of liquid water under the ice on Europa provide sufficient 'raison d'etre' to study microorganisms in similar extreme environments on Earth, which could provide us with a model that would help establish the existence of extraterrestrial life on other planetary bodies. The objectives of the summer research project were as follows: (1) application of molecular approaches to help establish new species of extremophile microorganisms isolated from a hypersaline alkaline lake; and (2) identification of a major cold-shock gene (cspA) homolog from a psychrotolerant microorganism, PmagG1.

SAR Imagery Applied to the Monitoring of Hyper-Saline Deposits: Death Valley Example (CA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lasne, Yannick; Paillou, Philippe; Freeman, Anthony; Chapman, Bruce

2009-01-01

The present study aims at understanding the influence of salinity on the dielectric constant of soils and then on the backscattering coeff cients recorded by airborne/spaceborne SAR systems. Based on dielectric measurements performed over hyper-saline deposits in Death Valley (CA), as well as laboratory electromagnetic characterization of salts and water mixtures, we used the dielectric constants as input parameters of analytical IEM simulations to model both the amplitude and phase behaviors of SAR signal at C, and L-bands. Our analytical simulations allow to reproduce specif c copolar signatures recorded in SAR data, corresponding to the Cottonball Basin saltpan. We also propose the copolar backscattering ratio and phase difference as indicators of moistened and salt-affected soils. More precisely, we show that these copolar indicators should allow to monitor the seasonal variations of the dielectric properties of saline deposits.

21 CFR 582.4505 - Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Emulsifying Agents § 582.4505 Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids. (a) Product. Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Emotions in freely varying and mono-pitched vowels, acoustic and EGG analyses.

PubMed

Waaramaa, Teija; Palo, Pertti; Kankare, Elina

2015-12-01

Vocal emotions are expressed either by speech or singing. The difference is that in singing the pitch is predetermined while in speech it may vary freely. It was of interest to study whether there were voice quality differences between freely varying and mono-pitched vowels expressed by professional actors. Given their profession, actors have to be able to express emotions both by speech and singing. Electroglottogram and acoustic analyses of emotional utterances embedded in expressions of freely varying vowels [a:], [i:], [u:] (96 samples) and mono-pitched protracted vowels (96 samples) were studied. Contact quotient (CQEGG) was calculated using 35%, 55%, and 80% threshold levels. Three different threshold levels were used in order to evaluate their effects on emotions. Genders were studied separately. The results suggested significant gender differences for CQEGG 80% threshold level. SPL, CQEGG, and F4 were used to convey emotions, but to a lesser degree, when F0 was predetermined. Moreover, females showed fewer significant variations than males. Both genders used more hypofunctional phonation type in mono-pitched utterances than in the expressions with freely varying pitch. The present material warrants further study of the interplay between CQEGG threshold levels and formant frequencies, and listening tests to investigate the perceptual value of the mono-pitched vowels in the communication of emotions.

Nucleotide sequences encoding a thermostable alkaline protease

DOEpatents

Wilson, David B.; Lao, Guifang

1998-01-01

Nucleotide sequences, derived from a thermophilic actinomycete microorganism, which encode a thermostable alkaline protease are disclosed. Also disclosed are variants of the nucleotide sequences which encode a polypeptide having thermostable alkaline proteolytic activity. Recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide may be obtained by culturing in a medium a host cell genetically engineered to contain and express a nucleotide sequence according to the present invention, and recovering the recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide from the culture medium.

The semisynthetic flavonoid monoHER sensitises human soft tissue sarcoma cells to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis via inhibition of nuclear factor-κB

PubMed Central

Jacobs, H; Bast, A; Peters, G J; van der Vijgh, W J F; Haenen, G R M M

2011-01-01

Background: Despite therapeutic advances, the prognosis of patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) remains extremely poor. The results of a recent clinical phase II study, evaluating the protective effects of the semisynthetic flavonoid 7-mono-O-(β-hydroxyethyl)-rutoside (monoHER) on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, suggest that monoHER enhances the antitumour activity of doxorubicin in STSs. Methods: To molecularly explain this unexpected finding, we investigated the effect of monoHER on the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin, and the potential involvement of glutathione (GSH) depletion and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inactivation in the chemosensitising effect of monoHER. Results: MonoHER potentiated the antitumour activity of doxorubicin in the human liposarcoma cell line WLS-160. Moreover, the combination of monoHER with doxorubicin induced more apoptosis in WLS-160 cells compared with doxorubicin alone. MonoHER did not reduce intracellular GSH levels. On the other hand, monoHER pretreatment significantly reduced doxorubicin-induced NF-κB activation. Conclusion: These results suggest that reduction of doxorubicin-induced NF-κB activation by monoHER, which sensitises cancer cells to apoptosis, is involved in the chemosensitising effect of monoHER in human liposarcoma cells. PMID:21245867

Dynamics of biogeochemical sulfur cycling in Mono Lake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, A. A.; Fairbanks, D.; Wells, M.; Fullerton, K. M.; Bao, R.; Johnson, H.; Speth, D. R.; Stamps, B. W.; Miller, L.; Sessions, A. L.

2017-12-01

Mono Lake, California is a closed-basin soda lake (pH 9.8) with high sulfate (120mM), and is an ideal natural laboratory for studying microbial sulfur cycling. Mono Lake is typically thermally stratified in summer while mixing completely in winter. However, large snowmelt inputs may induce salinity stratification that persists for up to five years, causing meromixis. During the California drought of 2014-16, the lake has mixed thoroughly each winter, but the abundant 2017 snowmelt may usher in a multi-year stratification. This natural experiment provides an opportunity to investigate the temporal relationship between microbial sulfur cycling and lake biogeochemistry. We analyzed water samples from five depths at two stations in May of 2017, before the onset of meromixis. Water column sulfate isotope values were generally constant with depth, centering at a δ34SVCDT of 17.39 ± 0.06‰. Organic sulfur isotopes were consistently lighter than lake sulfate, with a δ34SVCDT of 15.59 ± 0.56‰. This significant offset between organic and inorganic sulfur contradicts the minimal isotope effect associated with sulfate assimilation. Sediment push core organic values were further depleted, ranging between δ34SVCDT of -8.94‰ and +0.23‰, implying rapid turnover of Mono Lake sulfur pools. Both lipid biomarkers and 16S rRNA gene amplicons identify Picocystis salinarum, a unicellular green alga, as the dominant member of the microbial community. However, bacterial biomarkers and 16S rRNA genes point to microbes capable of sulfur cycling. We found that dsrA increased with depth (R2 = 0.9008, p < 0.05). Phylogenetic analysis clustered dsrA with reversible dissimilatory sulfite reductases, suggesting sulfide oxidation rather than sulfate reduction. These findings are only partially consistent with a previous observation of Mono Lake from 2012, which identified a zoned assemblage of sulfate reducers and sulfide oxidizers after >1 year of stratification. We saw no evidence in

Air quality in bedded mono-slope beef barns

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bedded mono-slope barns are becoming more common in the upper Midwest. Because these are new facilities, little research has been published regarding environmental quality, building management and animal performance in these facilities. A team of researchers from South Dakota State University, USDA ...

Second- and third-order nonlinear optical properties of unsubstituted and mono-substituted chalcones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abegão, Luis M. G.; Fonseca, Ruben D.; Santos, Francisco A.; Souza, Gabriela B.; Barreiros, André Luis B. S.; Barreiros, Marizeth L.; Alencar, M. A. R. C.; Mendonça, Cleber R.; Silva, Daniel L.; De Boni, Leonardo; Rodrigues, J. J.

2016-03-01

This work describes the second and third orders of nonlinear optics properties of unsubstituted chalcone (C15H12O) and mono-substituted chalcone (C16H14O2) in solution, using hyper-Rayleigh scattering and Z-Scan techniques to determine the first molecular hyperpolarizability (β) and the two-photon absorption (2PA) cross section respectively. β Values of 25.4 × 10-30 esu and 31.6 × 10-30 esu, for unsubstituted and mono-substituted chalcone, respectively, dissolved in methanol have been obtained. The highest values of 2PA cross-sections obtained were 9 GM and 14 GM for unsubstituted and mono-substituted chalcone, respectively. The experimental 2PA cross sections obtained for each chalcone are in good agreement with theoretical results.

Nucleotide sequences encoding a thermostable alkaline protease

DOEpatents

Wilson, D.B.; Lao, G.

1998-01-06

Nucleotide sequences, derived from a thermophilic actinomycete microorganism, which encode a thermostable alkaline protease are disclosed. Also disclosed are variants of the nucleotide sequences which encode a polypeptide having thermostable alkaline proteolytic activity. Recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide may be obtained by culturing in a medium a host cell genetically engineered to contain and express a nucleotide sequence according to the present invention, and recovering the recombinant thermostable alkaline protease or recombinant polypeptide from the culture medium. 3 figs.

Clark Canyon (Mono County) Riparian Demonstration Area

Treesearch

John W. Key; Mark A. Gish

1989-01-01

The Clark Canyon riparian demonstration area was established in 1984 within the East Walker River subbasin of Mono County, California. Destabilization of the meadow sections of the stream and the upper stream reaches contributed to an increase of suspended sediments, turbidity, and stream channel widening in the lower stream reaches where a viable population of rainbow...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethylene Glycol Mono Butyl ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has finalized the Toxicological Review of Ethylene Glycol Mono Butyl Ether: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Now final, this assessment may be used by EPA’s program and regional offices to inform decisions to protect human health. N/A

The effect of trace element addition to mono-digestion of grass silage at high organic loading rates.

PubMed

Wall, David M; Allen, Eoin; Straccialini, Barbara; O'Kiely, Padraig; Murphy, Jerry D

2014-11-01

This study investigated the effect of trace element addition to mono-digestion of grass silage at high organic loading rates. Two continuous reactors were compared. The first mono-digested grass silage whilst the second operated in co-digestion, 80% grass silage with 20% dairy slurry (VS basis). The reactors were run for 65weeks with a further 5weeks taken for trace element supplementation for the mono-digestion of grass silage. The co-digestion reactor reported a higher biomethane efficiency (1.01) than mono-digestion (0.90) at an OLR of 4.0kgVSm(-3)d(-1) prior to addition of trace elements. Addition of cobalt, iron and nickel, led to an increase in the SMY in mono-digestion of grass silage by 12% to 404LCH4kg(-1)VS and attained a biomethane efficiency of 1.01. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mono and bimetallic nanoparticles of gold, silver and palladium-catalyzed NADH oxidation-coupled reduction of Eosin-Y

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhanalakshmi, J.; Venkatesan, P.

2011-02-01

Mono metallic (Au, Ag, Pd) and bimetallic (Au-Ag, Ag-Pd, Au-Pd) with 1:1 mol stoichiometry, nanoparticles are synthesized using one-pot, temperature controlled chemical method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the capping agent. The particle sizes (Au = 5.6, Ag = 5.0, Pd = 6.0, Au-Ag = 9.2, Ag-Pd = 9.6, Au-Pd = 9.4 nm) are characterized by UV-Vis, HRTEM, and XRD measurements, respectively. CTAB bindings onto mono and bimetallic nanoparticles are analyzed by FTIR spectra. The catalytic activities of mono and bimetallic nanoparticles are tested on the reaction between NADH oxidation and Eosin-Y reduction. The effects of base, pH, ionic strength, nature of mono and bimetallic catalysts are studied and the reaction conditions are optimized. Bimetallic nanoparticles exhibited better catalysis than the mono metallic nanoparticles, which may be due to the electronic effects of the core to shell metal atoms.

Hypersalinity reduces the risk of cyanide toxicosis to insectivorous bats interacting with wastewater impoundments at gold mines.

PubMed

Griffiths, Stephen R; Donato, David B; Lumsden, Linda F; Coulson, Graeme

2014-01-01

Wildlife and livestock that ingest bioavailable cyanide compounds in gold mining tailings dams are known to experience cyanide toxicosis. Elevated levels of salinity in open impoundments have been shown to prevent wildlife cyanide toxicosis by reducing drinking and foraging. This finding appears to be consistent for diurnal wildlife interacting with open impoundments, however the risks to nocturnal wildlife of cyanide exposure are unknown. We investigated the activity of insectivorous bats in the airspace above both fresh (potable to wildlife) and saline water bodies at two gold mines in the goldfields of Western Australian. During this study, cyanide-bearing solutions stored in open impoundments at both mine sites were hypersaline (range=57,000-295,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS)), well above known physiological tolerance of any terrestrial vertebrate. Bats used the airspace above each water body monitored, but were more active at fresh than saline water bodies. In addition, considerably more terminal echolocation buzz calls were recorded in the airspace above fresh than saline water bodies at both mine sites. However, it was not possible to determine whether these buzz calls corresponded to foraging or drinking bouts. No drinking bouts were observed in 33 h of thermal video footage recorded at one hypersaline tailings dam, suggesting that this water is not used for drinking. There is no information on salinity tolerances of bats, but it could be assumed that bats would not tolerate salinity in drinking water at concentrations greater than those documented as toxic for saline-adapted terrestrial wildlife. Therefore, when managing wastewater impoundments at gold mines to avoid wildlife mortalities, adopting a precautionary principle, bats are unlikely to drink solutions at salinity levels ≥50,000 mg/L TDS. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Oxidation of ammonia and methane in an alkaline, saline lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Joye, S.B.; Connell, T.L.; Miller, L.G.; Oremland, R.S.; Jellison, R.S.

1999-01-01

The oxidation of ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) was investigated in an alkaline saline lake, Mono Lake, California (U.S.A.). Ammonia oxidation was examined in April and July 1995 by comparing dark 14CO2 fixation rates in the presence or absence of methyl fluoride (MeF), an inhibitor of NH3 oxidation. Ammonia oxidizer-mediated dark 14CO2 fixation rates were similar in surface (5-7 m) and oxycline (11-15 m) waters, ranging between 70-340 and 89-186 nM d-1, respectively, or 1-7% of primary production by phytoplankton. Ammonia oxidation rates ranged between 580-2,830 nM d-1 in surface waters and 732-1,548 nM d-1 in oxycline waters. Methane oxidation was examined using a 14CH4 tracer technique in July 1994, April 1995, and July 1995. Methane oxidation rates were consistently higher in July, and rates in oxycline and anaerobic bottom waters (0.5-37 and 7-48 nM d-1, respectively) were 10-fold higher than those in aerobic surface waters (0.04-3.8 nM d-1). The majority of CH4 oxidation, in terms of integrated activity, occurred within anoxic bottom waters. Water column oxidation reduced the potential lake-atmosphere CH4 flux by a factor of two to three. Measured oxidation rates and water column concentrations were used to estimate the biological turnover times of NH3 and CH4. The NH3 pool turns over rapidly, on time scales of 0.8 d in surface waters and 10 d within the oxycline, while CH4 is cycled on 103-d time scales in surface waters and 102-d time scales within oxycline and bottom waters. Our data suggest an important role for NH3 oxidation in alkaline, saline lakes since the process converts volatile NH3 to soluble NO2-, thereby reducing loss via lake-atmosphere exchange and maintaining nitrogen in a form that is readily available to phytoplankton.

Net alkalinity and net acidity 2: Practical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, C.S.; Cravotta, C.A.

2005-01-01

The pH, alkalinity, and acidity of mine drainage and associated waters can be misinterpreted because of the chemical instability of samples and possible misunderstandings of standard analytical method results. Synthetic and field samples of mine drainage having various initial pH values and concentrations of dissolved metals and alkalinity were titrated by several methods, and the results were compared to alkalinity and acidity calculated based on dissolved solutes. The pH, alkalinity, and acidity were compared between fresh, unoxidized and aged, oxidized samples. Data for Pennsylvania coal mine drainage indicates that the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5-4) or near neutral (pH 6-7); ??? 25% of the samples had pH values between 5 and 6. Following oxidation, no samples had pH values between 5 and 6. The Standard Method Alkalinity titration is constrained to yield values >0. Most calculated and measured alkalinities for samples with positive alkalinities were in close agreement. However, for low-pH samples, the calculated alkalinity can be negative due to negative contributions by dissolved metals that may oxidize and hydrolyze. The Standard Method hot peroxide treatment titration for acidity determination (Hot Acidity) accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete degassing of CO2 and oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates either the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. The Hot Acidity directly measures net acidity (= -net alkalinity). Samples that had near-neutral pH after oxidation had negative Hot Acidity; samples that had pH < 6.3 after oxidation had positive Hot Acidity. Samples with similar pH values before oxidation had dissimilar Hot Acidities due to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. Hot Acidity was approximately equal to net acidity calculated based on initial pH and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the

Evaluation of Alkaline Cleaner Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Partz, Earl

1998-01-01

Alkaline cleaners used to process aluminum substrates have contained chromium as the corrosion inhibitor. Chromium is a hazardous substance whose use and control are described by environmental laws. Replacement materials that have the characteristics of chromated alkaline cleaners need to be found that address both the cleaning requirements and environmental impacts. This report will review environmentally friendly candidates evaluated as non-chromium alkaline cleaner replacements and methods used to compare those candidates one versus another. The report will also list characteristics used to select candidates based on their declared contents. It will also describe and evaluate methods used to discriminate among the large number of prospective candidates.

Imaging the magmatic system of Mono Basin, California with magnetotellurics in three--dimensions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peacock, Jared R.; Mangan, Margaret T.; McPhee, Darcy K.; Ponce, David A.

2015-01-01

A three–dimensional (3D) electrical resistivity model of Mono Basin in eastern California unveils a complex subsurface filled with zones of partial melt, fluid–filled fracture networks, cold plutons, and regional faults. In 2013, 62 broadband magnetotelluric (MT) stations were collected in an array around southeastern Mono Basin from which a 3D electrical resistivity model was created with a resolvable depth of 35 km. Multiple robust electrical resistivity features were found that correlate with existing geophysical observations. The most robust features are two 300 ± 50 km3 near-vertical conductive bodies (3–10 Ω·m) that underlie the southeast and north-eastern margin of Mono Craters below 10 km depth. These features are interpreted as magmatic crystal–melt mush zones of 15 ± 5% interstitial melt surrounded by hydrothermal fluids and are likely sources for Holocene eruptions. Two conductive east–dipping structures appear to connect each magma source region to the surface. A conductive arc–like structure (< 0.9 Ω·m) links the northernmost mush column at 10 km depth to just below vents near Panum Crater, where the high conductivity suggests the presence of hydrothermal fluids. The connection from the southernmost mush column at 10 km depth to below South Coulée is less obvious with higher resistivity (200 Ω·m) suggestive of a cooled connection. A third, less constrained conductive feature (4–10 Ω·m) 15 km deep extending to 35 km is located west of Mono Craters near the eastern front of the Sierra Nevada escarpment, and is coincident with a zone of sporadic, long–period earthquakes that are characteristic of a fluid-filled (magmatic or metamorphic) fracture network. A resistive feature (103–105 Ω·m) located under Aeolian Buttes contains a deep root down to 25 km. The eastern edge of this resistor appears to structurally control the arcuate shape of Mono Craters. These observations have been combined to form a new conceptual model

Mono-X versus direct searches: simplified models for dark matter at the LHC

DOE PAGES

Liew, Seng Pei; Papucci, Michele; Vichi, Alessandro; ...

2017-06-15

We consider simplified models for dark matter (DM) at the LHC, focused on mono-Higgs, -Z or -b produced in the final state. Our primary purpose is to study the LHC reach of a relatively complete set of simplified models for these final states, while comparing the reach of the mono-X DM search against direct searches for the mediating particle. We find that direct searches for the mediating particle, whether in di-jets, jets+E T, multi-b+E T, or di-boson+E T, are usually stronger. We draw attention to the cases that the mono-X search is strongest, which include regions of parameter space inmore » inelastic DM, two Higgs doublet, and squark mediated production models with a compressed spectrum.« less

Mono-X versus direct searches: simplified models for dark matter at the LHC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liew, Seng Pei; Papucci, Michele; Vichi, Alessandro

We consider simplified models for dark matter (DM) at the LHC, focused on mono-Higgs, -Z or -b produced in the final state. Our primary purpose is to study the LHC reach of a relatively complete set of simplified models for these final states, while comparing the reach of the mono-X DM search against direct searches for the mediating particle. We find that direct searches for the mediating particle, whether in di-jets, jets+E T, multi-b+E T, or di-boson+E T, are usually stronger. We draw attention to the cases that the mono-X search is strongest, which include regions of parameter space inmore » inelastic DM, two Higgs doublet, and squark mediated production models with a compressed spectrum.« less

21 CFR 172.856 - Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and... diesters of fats and fatty acids. Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids may be safely used in food, subject to the following prescribed conditions: (a) They are produced from edible fats...

21 CFR 172.856 - Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and... diesters of fats and fatty acids. Propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids may be safely used in food, subject to the following prescribed conditions: (a) They are produced from edible fats...

Microbial diversity in a permanently cold and alkaline environment in Greenland.

PubMed

Glaring, Mikkel A; Vester, Jan K; Lylloff, Jeanette E; Al-Soud, Waleed Abu; Sørensen, Søren J; Stougaard, Peter

2015-01-01

The submarine ikaite columns located in the Ikka Fjord in Southern Greenland represent a unique, permanently cold (less than 6°C) and alkaline (above pH 10) environment and are home to a microbial community adapted to these extreme conditions. The bacterial and archaeal community inhabiting the ikaite columns and surrounding fjord was characterised by high-throughput pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Analysis of the ikaite community structure revealed the presence of a diverse bacterial community, both in the column interior and at the surface, and very few archaea. A clear difference in overall taxonomic composition was observed between column interior and surface. Whereas the surface, and in particular newly formed ikaite material, was primarily dominated by Cyanobacteria and phototrophic Proteobacteria, the column interior was dominated by Proteobacteria and putative anaerobic representatives of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The results suggest a stratification of the ikaite columns similar to that of classical soda lakes, with a light-exposed surface inhabited by primary producers and an anoxic subsurface. This was further supported by identification of major taxonomic groups with close relatives in soda lake environments, including members of the genera Rhodobaca, Dethiobacter, Thioalkalivibrio and Tindallia, as well as very abundant groups related to uncharacterised environmental sequences originally isolated from Mono Lake in California.

Mono Lake excursion recorded in sediment of the Santa Clara Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mankinen, Edward A.; Wentworth, Carl M.

2004-01-01

Two intervals recording anomalous paleomagnetic inclinations were encountered in the top 40 meters of research drill hole CCOC in the Santa Clara Valley, California. The younger of these two intervals has an age of 28,090 ± 330 radiocarbon years B.P. (calibrated age ∼32.8 ka). This age is in excellent agreement with the latest estimate for the Mono Lake excursion at the type locality and confirms that the excursion has been recorded by sediment in the San Francisco Bay region. The age of an anomalous inclination change below the Mono Lake excursion was not directly determined, but estimates of sedimentation rates indicate that the geomagnetic behavior it represents most likely occurred during the Mono Lake/Laschamp time interval (∼45–28 ka). If true, it may represent one of several recurring fluctuations of magnetic inclination during an interval of a weak geomagnetic dipole, behavior noted in other studies in the region.

Seasonality of cavitation and frost fatigue in Acer mono Maxim.

PubMed

Zhang, Wen; Feng, Feng; Tyree, Melvin T

2017-12-08

Although cavitation is common in plants, it is unknown whether the cavitation resistance of xylem is seasonally constant or variable. We tested the changes in cavitation resistance of Acer mono before and after a controlled cavitation-refilling and freeze-thaw cycles for a whole year. Cavitation resistance was determined from 'vulnerability curves' showing the percent loss of conductivity versus xylem tension. Cavitation fatigue was defined as a reduction of cavitation resistance following a cavitation-refilling cycle, whereas frost fatigue was caused by a freeze-thaw cycle. A. mono developed seasonal changes in native embolisms; values were relatively high during winter but relatively low and constant throughout the growing season. Cavitation fatigue occurred and changed seasonally during the 12-month cycle; the greatest fatigue response occurred during summer and the weakest during winter, and the transitions occurred during spring and autumn. A. mono was highly resistant to frost damage during the relatively mild winter months; however, a quite different situation occurred during the growing season, as the seasonal trend of frost fatigue was strikingly similar to that of cavitation fatigue. Seasonality changes in cavitation resistance may be caused by seasonal changes in the mechanical properties of the pit membranes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of mono-dispersed cubic BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hai, Chunxi; Inukai, Koji; Takahashi, Yosuke

2014-09-15

Mono-dispersed BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles have been prepared via the assistance of capping agent poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). - Highlights: • BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles with single cubic crystal structure. • Poor dispersibility of nanoparticles has been overcome by in situ modification way. • Growth competition between BaTiO3 core and polymer shell. - Abstract: In this study, poly(vinylpyrrolidone)-assisted synthesis of mono-dispersed BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles have been reported. The various processing parameters, namely, refluxing temperature, KOH concentration, and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) concentration, have been varied, and the effects on the growth of BaTiO{sub 3} particles have been analyzed systematically. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that poly(vinylpyrrolidone) did notmore » affect the crystal structure, but rather influenced the crystal lattice structure. In addition, the use of surfactant poly(vinylpyrrolidone) hindered the agglomeration of the nanoparticles, and facilitated the formation of mono-dispersed core–shell organic/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite. Furthermore, the mineralizer KOH promoted the dissolution of reactants and promoted the crystallization of BaTiO{sub 3} particles. Accordingly, the dissolution-precipitation scheme was believed to be the mechanism underlying the formation of BaTiO{sub 3} particles. This was further substantiated by the experimental observations, which indicated that the nucleation and crystallization of the particles was affected by the KOH concentration in the reaction system. Finally, the formation of mono-dispersed core–shell nanocomposites proceeded via reaction limited cluster aggregation. We believe that the method proposed in this study could be extended for the synthesis of mono-dispersed nanoparticles for industrial applications.« less

Phosphatidylinositol anchor of HeLa cell alkaline phosphatase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jemmerson, R.; Low, M.G.

1987-09-08

Alkaline phosphatase from cancer cells, HeLa TCRC-1, was biosynthetically labeled with either /sup 3/H-fatty acids or (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography of immunoprecipitated material. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) released a substantial proportion of the /sup 3/H-fatty acid label from immunoaffinity-purified alkaline phosphatase but had no effect on the radioactivity of (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine-labeled material. PI-PLC also liberated catalytically active alkaline phosphatase from viable cells, and this could be selectively blocked by monoclonal antibodies to alkaline phosphatase. However, the alkaline phosphatase released from /sup 3/H-fatty acid labeled cells by PI-PLC was not radioactive. By contrast,more » treatment with bromelain removed both the /sup 3/H-fatty acid and the (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine label from purified alkaline phosphatase. Subtilisin was also able to remove the (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine label from the purified alkaline phosphatase. The /sup 3/H radioactivity in alkaline phosphatase purified from (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine-labeled cells comigrated with authentic (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine by anion-exchange chromatography after acid hydrolysis. The data suggest that the /sup 3/H-fatty acid and (/sup 3/H)ethanolamine are covalently attached to the carboxyl-terminal segment since bromelain and subtilisin both release alkaline phosphatase from the membrane by cleavage at that end of the polypeptide chain. The data are consistent with findings for other proteins recently shown to be anchored in the membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol structure and indicate that a similar structure contributes to the membrane anchoring of alkaline phosphatase.« less

MonoSLAM: real-time single camera SLAM.

PubMed

Davison, Andrew J; Reid, Ian D; Molton, Nicholas D; Stasse, Olivier

2007-06-01

We present a real-time algorithm which can recover the 3D trajectory of a monocular camera, moving rapidly through a previously unknown scene. Our system, which we dub MonoSLAM, is the first successful application of the SLAM methodology from mobile robotics to the "pure vision" domain of a single uncontrolled camera, achieving real time but drift-free performance inaccessible to Structure from Motion approaches. The core of the approach is the online creation of a sparse but persistent map of natural landmarks within a probabilistic framework. Our key novel contributions include an active approach to mapping and measurement, the use of a general motion model for smooth camera movement, and solutions for monocular feature initialization and feature orientation estimation. Together, these add up to an extremely efficient and robust algorithm which runs at 30 Hz with standard PC and camera hardware. This work extends the range of robotic systems in which SLAM can be usefully applied, but also opens up new areas. We present applications of MonoSLAM to real-time 3D localization and mapping for a high-performance full-size humanoid robot and live augmented reality with a hand-held camera.

Differential catalytic promiscuity of the alkaline phosphatase superfamily bimetallo core reveals mechanistic features underlying enzyme evolution

DOE PAGES

Sunden, Fanny; AlSadhan, Ishraq; Lyubimov, Artem; ...

2017-10-25

Members of enzyme superfamilies specialize in different reactions but often exhibit catalytic promiscuity for one another's reactions, consistent with catalytic promiscuity as an important driver in the evolution of new enzymes. Wanting to understand how catalytic promiscuity and other factors may influence evolution across a superfamily, we turned to the well-studied alkaline phosphatase (AP) superfamily, comparing three of its members, two evolutionarily distinct phosphatases and a phosphodiesterase. Here, we mutated distinguishing active-site residues to generate enzymes that had a common Zn 2+ bimetallo core but little sequence similarity and different auxiliary domains. We then tested the catalytic capabilities of thesemore » pruned enzymes with a series of substrates. A substantial rate enhancement of ~1011-fold for both phosphate mono- and diester hydrolysis by each enzyme indicated that the Zn 2+ bimetallo core is an effective mono/di-esterase generalist and that the bimetallo cores were not evolutionarily tuned to prefer their cognate reactions. In contrast, our pruned enzymes were ineffective sulfatases, and this limited promiscuity may have provided a driving force for founding the distinct one-metal-ion branch that contains all known AP superfamily sulfatases. Finally, our pruned enzymes exhibited 10 7–10 8-fold phosphotriesterase rate enhancements, despite absence of such enzymes within the AP superfamily. We speculate that the superfamily active-site architecture involved in nucleophile positioning prevents accommodation of the additional triester substituent. Overall, we suggest that catalytic promiscuity, and the ease or difficulty of remodeling and building onto existing protein scaffolds, have greatly influenced the course of enzyme evolution. Uncovering principles and properties of enzyme function, promiscuity, and repurposing provides lessons for engineering new enzymes.« less

Differential catalytic promiscuity of the alkaline phosphatase superfamily bimetallo core reveals mechanistic features underlying enzyme evolution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sunden, Fanny; AlSadhan, Ishraq; Lyubimov, Artem

Members of enzyme superfamilies specialize in different reactions but often exhibit catalytic promiscuity for one another's reactions, consistent with catalytic promiscuity as an important driver in the evolution of new enzymes. Wanting to understand how catalytic promiscuity and other factors may influence evolution across a superfamily, we turned to the well-studied alkaline phosphatase (AP) superfamily, comparing three of its members, two evolutionarily distinct phosphatases and a phosphodiesterase. Here, we mutated distinguishing active-site residues to generate enzymes that had a common Zn 2+ bimetallo core but little sequence similarity and different auxiliary domains. We then tested the catalytic capabilities of thesemore » pruned enzymes with a series of substrates. A substantial rate enhancement of ~1011-fold for both phosphate mono- and diester hydrolysis by each enzyme indicated that the Zn 2+ bimetallo core is an effective mono/di-esterase generalist and that the bimetallo cores were not evolutionarily tuned to prefer their cognate reactions. In contrast, our pruned enzymes were ineffective sulfatases, and this limited promiscuity may have provided a driving force for founding the distinct one-metal-ion branch that contains all known AP superfamily sulfatases. Finally, our pruned enzymes exhibited 10 7–10 8-fold phosphotriesterase rate enhancements, despite absence of such enzymes within the AP superfamily. We speculate that the superfamily active-site architecture involved in nucleophile positioning prevents accommodation of the additional triester substituent. Overall, we suggest that catalytic promiscuity, and the ease or difficulty of remodeling and building onto existing protein scaffolds, have greatly influenced the course of enzyme evolution. Uncovering principles and properties of enzyme function, promiscuity, and repurposing provides lessons for engineering new enzymes.« less

Increased river alkalinization in the Eastern U.S.

PubMed

Kaushal, Sujay S; Likens, Gene E; Utz, Ryan M; Pace, Michael L; Grese, Melissa; Yepsen, Metthea

2013-09-17

The interaction between human activities and watershed geology is accelerating long-term changes in the carbon cycle of rivers. We evaluated changes in bicarbonate alkalinity, a product of chemical weathering, and tested for long-term trends at 97 sites in the eastern United States draining over 260,000 km(2). We observed statistically significant increasing trends in alkalinity at 62 of the 97 sites, while remaining sites exhibited no significant decreasing trends. Over 50% of study sites also had statistically significant increasing trends in concentrations of calcium (another product of chemical weathering) where data were available. River alkalinization rates were significantly related to watershed carbonate lithology, acid deposition, and topography. These three variables explained ~40% of variation in river alkalinization rates. The strongest predictor of river alkalinization rates was carbonate lithology. The most rapid rates of river alkalinization occurred at sites with highest inputs of acid deposition and highest elevation. The rise of alkalinity in many rivers throughout the Eastern U.S. suggests human-accelerated chemical weathering, in addition to previously documented impacts of mining and land use. Increased river alkalinization has major environmental implications including impacts on water hardness and salinization of drinking water, alterations of air-water exchange of CO2, coastal ocean acidification, and the influence of bicarbonate availability on primary production.

40 CFR 721.522 - Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5,-trimethylhexyl) ether.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.522 Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3...) The chemical substance identified as oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5...

40 CFR 721.522 - Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5,-trimethylhexyl) ether.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.522 Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3...) The chemical substance identified as oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5...

40 CFR 721.522 - Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5,-trimethylhexyl) ether.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.522 Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3...) The chemical substance identified as oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5...

40 CFR 721.522 - Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5,-trimethylhexyl) ether.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.522 Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3...) The chemical substance identified as oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5...

40 CFR 721.522 - Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5,-trimethylhexyl) ether.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.522 Oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3...) The chemical substance identified as oxirane, methyl-, polymer with oxirane, mono(3,5,5...

Intramolecular aggregation and optical limiting properties of triazine-linked mono-, bis- and tris-phthalocyanines.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Zhang, Tao; Wang, Shuangqing; Hu, Rui; Li, Shayu; Ma, Jin Shi; Yang, Guoqiang

2015-10-05

A series of triazine-linked mono-, bis- and tris-phthalocyanines are synthesized, intramolecular aggregation is found in bis- and tris-phthalocyanines via π-π stacking interaction. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal the formation of the intramolecular aggregation. The spectrographic, photophysical and nonlinear optical properties of these compounds are adjusted for the formation of the intramolecular aggregation. The bis-phthalocyanine dimer presents smaller fluorescence quantum yield, lower triplet formation yield and the triplet-minus-ground state extinction coefficient, which causes poorer optical limiting performance. It is interesting that the tris-phthalocyanine is composed of a mono-phthalocyanine part and a bis-phthalocyanine part, the optical limiting property of the tris-phthalocyanine is similar to that of mono-phthalocyanine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coupling alkaline pre-extraction with alkaline-oxidative post-treatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentability.

PubMed

Liu, Tongjun; Williams, Daniel L; Pattathil, Sivakumar; Li, Muyang; Hahn, Michael G; Hodge, David B

2014-04-03

A two-stage chemical pretreatment of corn stover is investigated comprising an NaOH pre-extraction followed by an alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) post-treatment. We propose that conventional one-stage AHP pretreatment can be improved using alkaline pre-extraction, which requires significantly less H2O2 and NaOH. To better understand the potential of this approach, this study investigates several components of this process including alkaline pre-extraction, alkaline and alkaline-oxidative post-treatment, fermentation, and the composition of alkali extracts. Mild NaOH pre-extraction of corn stover uses less than 0.1 g NaOH per g corn stover at 80°C. The resulting substrates were highly digestible by cellulolytic enzymes at relatively low enzyme loadings and had a strong susceptibility to drying-induced hydrolysis yield losses. Alkaline pre-extraction was highly selective for lignin removal over xylan removal; xylan removal was relatively minimal (~20%). During alkaline pre-extraction, up to 0.10 g of alkali was consumed per g of corn stover. AHP post-treatment at low oxidant loading (25 mg H2O2 per g pre-extracted biomass) increased glucose hydrolysis yields by 5%, which approached near-theoretical yields. ELISA screening of alkali pre-extraction liquors and the AHP post-treatment liquors demonstrated that xyloglucan and β-glucans likely remained tightly bound in the biomass whereas the majority of the soluble polymeric xylans were glucurono (arabino) xylans and potentially homoxylans. Pectic polysaccharides were depleted in the AHP post-treatment liquor relative to the alkaline pre-extraction liquor. Because the already-low inhibitor content was further decreased in the alkaline pre-extraction, the hydrolysates generated by this two-stage pretreatment were highly fermentable by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that were metabolically engineered and evolved for xylose fermentation. This work demonstrates that this two-stage pretreatment process is well suited for

Coupling alkaline pre-extraction with alkaline-oxidative post-treatment of corn stover to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentability

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background A two-stage chemical pretreatment of corn stover is investigated comprising an NaOH pre-extraction followed by an alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) post-treatment. We propose that conventional one-stage AHP pretreatment can be improved using alkaline pre-extraction, which requires significantly less H2O2 and NaOH. To better understand the potential of this approach, this study investigates several components of this process including alkaline pre-extraction, alkaline and alkaline-oxidative post-treatment, fermentation, and the composition of alkali extracts. Results Mild NaOH pre-extraction of corn stover uses less than 0.1 g NaOH per g corn stover at 80°C. The resulting substrates were highly digestible by cellulolytic enzymes at relatively low enzyme loadings and had a strong susceptibility to drying-induced hydrolysis yield losses. Alkaline pre-extraction was highly selective for lignin removal over xylan removal; xylan removal was relatively minimal (~20%). During alkaline pre-extraction, up to 0.10 g of alkali was consumed per g of corn stover. AHP post-treatment at low oxidant loading (25 mg H2O2 per g pre-extracted biomass) increased glucose hydrolysis yields by 5%, which approached near-theoretical yields. ELISA screening of alkali pre-extraction liquors and the AHP post-treatment liquors demonstrated that xyloglucan and β-glucans likely remained tightly bound in the biomass whereas the majority of the soluble polymeric xylans were glucurono (arabino) xylans and potentially homoxylans. Pectic polysaccharides were depleted in the AHP post-treatment liquor relative to the alkaline pre-extraction liquor. Because the already-low inhibitor content was further decreased in the alkaline pre-extraction, the hydrolysates generated by this two-stage pretreatment were highly fermentable by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that were metabolically engineered and evolved for xylose fermentation. Conclusions This work demonstrates that this two

One-step selection of Vaccinia virus-binding DNA aptamers by MonoLEX

PubMed Central

Nitsche, Andreas; Kurth, Andreas; Dunkhorst, Anna; Pänke, Oliver; Sielaff, Hendrik; Junge, Wolfgang; Muth, Doreen; Scheller, Frieder; Stöcklein, Walter; Dahmen, Claudia; Pauli, Georg; Kage, Andreas

2007-01-01

Background As a new class of therapeutic and diagnostic reagents, more than fifteen years ago RNA and DNA aptamers were identified as binding molecules to numerous small compounds, proteins and rarely even to complete pathogen particles. Most aptamers were isolated from complex libraries of synthetic nucleic acids by a process termed SELEX based on several selection and amplification steps. Here we report the application of a new one-step selection method (MonoLEX) to acquire high-affinity DNA aptamers binding Vaccinia virus used as a model organism for complex target structures. Results The selection against complete Vaccinia virus particles resulted in a 64-base DNA aptamer specifically binding to orthopoxviruses as validated by dot blot analysis, Surface Plasmon Resonance, Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and real-time PCR, following an aptamer blotting assay. The same oligonucleotide showed the ability to inhibit in vitro infection of Vaccinia virus and other orthopoxviruses in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion The MonoLEX method is a straightforward procedure as demonstrated here for the identification of a high-affinity DNA aptamer binding Vaccinia virus. MonoLEX comprises a single affinity chromatography step, followed by subsequent physical segmentation of the affinity resin and a single final PCR amplification step of bound aptamers. Therefore, this procedure improves the selection of high affinity aptamers by reducing the competition between aptamers of different affinities during the PCR step, indicating an advantage for the single-round MonoLEX method. PMID:17697378

Carbon-encapsulated nickel-cobalt alloys nanoparticles fabricated via new post-treatment strategy for hydrogen evolution in alkaline media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Hailing; Youliwasi, Nuerguli; Zhao, Lei; Chai, Yongming; Liu, Chenguang

2018-03-01

This paper addresses a new post-treatment strategy for the formation of carbon-encapsulated nickel-cobalt alloys nanoparticles, which is easily controlled the performance of target products via changing precursor composition, calcination conditions (e.g., temperature and atmosphere) and post-treatment condition. Glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified by the as-obtained carbon-encapsulated mono- and bi-transition metal nanoparticles exhibit excellent electro-catalytic activity for hydrogen production in alkaline water electrolysis. Especially, Ni0.4Co0.6@N-Cs800-b catalyst prepared at 800 °C under an argon flow exhibited the best electrocatalytic performance towards HER. The high HER activity of the Ni0.4Co0.6@N-Cs800-b modified electrode is related to the appropriate nickel-cobalt metal ratio with high crystallinity, complete and homogeneous carbon layers outside of the nickel-cobalt with high conductivity and the synergistic effect of nickel-cobalt alloys that also accelerate electron transfer process.

Identification and characterization of miRNAs and targets in flax (Linum usitatissimum) under saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stresses.

PubMed

Yu, Ying; Wu, Guangwen; Yuan, Hongmei; Cheng, Lili; Zhao, Dongsheng; Huang, Wengong; Zhang, Shuquan; Zhang, Liguo; Chen, Hongyu; Zhang, Jian; Guan, Fengzhi

2016-05-27

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in responses to biotic and abiotic stress and have been characterized in a large number of plant species. Although flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is one of the most important fiber and oil crops worldwide, no reports have been published describing flax miRNAs (Lus-miRNAs) induced in response to saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stresses. In this work, combined small RNA and degradome deep sequencing was used to analyze flax libraries constructed after alkaline-salt stress (AS2), neutral salt stress (NSS), alkaline stress (AS), and the non-stressed control (CK). From the CK, AS, AS2, and NSS libraries, a total of 118, 119, 122, and 120 known Lus-miRNAs and 233, 213, 211, and 212 novel Lus-miRNAs were isolated, respectively. After assessment of differential expression profiles, 17 known Lus-miRNAs and 36 novel Lus-miRNAs were selected and used to predict putative target genes. Gene ontology term enrichment analysis revealed target genes that were involved in responses to stimuli, including signaling and catalytic activity. Eight Lus-miRNAs were selected for analysis using qRT-PCR to confirm the accuracy and reliability of the miRNA-seq results. The qRT-PCR results showed that changes in stress-induced expression profiles of these miRNAs mirrored expression trends observed using miRNA-seq. Degradome sequencing and transcriptome profiling showed that expression of 29 miRNA-target pairs displayed inverse expression patterns under saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stresses. From the target prediction analysis, the miR398a-targeted gene codes for a copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, and the miR530 has been shown to explicitly target WRKY family transcription factors, which suggesting that these two micRNAs and their targets may significant involve in the saline, alkaline, and saline-alkaline stress response in flax. Identification and characterization of flax miRNAs, their target genes, functional annotations, and gene

Posttranslational heterogeneity of bone alkaline phosphatase in metabolic bone disease.

PubMed

Langlois, M R; Delanghe, J R; Kaufman, J M; De Buyzere, M L; Van Hoecke, M J; Leroux-Roels, G G

1994-09-01

Bone alkaline phosphatase is a marker of osteoblast activity. In order to study the posttranscriptional modification (glycosylation) of bone alkaline phosphatase in bone disease, we investigated the relationship between mass and catalytic activity of bone alkaline phosphatase in patients with osteoporosis and hyperthyroidism. Serum bone alkaline phosphatase activity was measured after lectin precipitation using the Iso-ALP test kit. Mass concentration of bone alkaline phosphatase was determined with an immunoradiometric assay (Tandem-R Ostase). In general, serum bone alkaline phosphatase mass and activity concentration correlated well. The activity : mass ratio of bone alkaline phosphatase was low in hyperthyroidism. Activation energy of the reaction catalysed by bone alkaline phosphatase was high in osteoporosis and in hyperthyroidism. Experiments with neuraminidase digestion further demonstrated that the thermodynamic heterogeneity of bone alkaline phosphatase can be explained by a different glycosylation of the enzyme.

Isotopic Composition of Methane and Inferred Methanogenic Substrates Along a Salinity Gradient in a Hypersaline Microbial Mat System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potter, Elyn G.; Bebout, Brad M.; Kelley, Cheryl A.

2009-05-01

The importance of hypersaline environments over geological time, the discovery of similar habitats on Mars, and the importance of methane as a biosignature gas combine to compel an understanding of the factors important in controlling methane released from hypersaline microbial mat environments. To further this understanding, changes in stable carbon isotopes of methane and possible methanogenic substrates in microbial mat communities were investigated as a function of salinity here on Earth. Microbial mats were sampled from four different field sites located within salterns in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Salinities ranged from 50 to 106 parts per thousand (ppt). Pore water and microbial mat samples were analyzed for the carbon isotopic composition of dissolved methane, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and mat material (particulate organic carbon or POC). The POC δ13C values ranged from -6.7 to -13.5%, and DIC δ13C values ranged from -1.4 to -9.6%. These values were similar to previously reported values. The δ13C values of methane ranged from -49.6 to -74.1%; the methane most enriched in 13C was obtained from the highest salinity area. The apparent fractionation factors between methane and DIC, and between methane and POC, within the mats were also determined and were found to change with salinity. The apparent fractionation factors ranged from 1.042 to 1.077 when calculated using DIC and from 1.038 to 1.068 when calculated using POC. The highest-salinity area showed the least fractionation, the moderate-salinity area showed the highest fractionation, and the lower-salinity sites showed fractionations that were intermediate. These differences in fractionation are most likely due to changes in the dominant methanogenic pathways and substrates used at the different sites because of salinity differences.

Isotopic composition of methane and inferred methanogenic substrates along a salinity gradient in a hypersaline microbial mat system.

PubMed

Potter, Elyn G; Bebout, Brad M; Kelley, Cheryl A

2009-05-01

The importance of hypersaline environments over geological time, the discovery of similar habitats on Mars, and the importance of methane as a biosignature gas combine to compel an understanding of the factors important in controlling methane released from hypersaline microbial mat environments. To further this understanding, changes in stable carbon isotopes of methane and possible methanogenic substrates in microbial mat communities were investigated as a function of salinity here on Earth. Microbial mats were sampled from four different field sites located within salterns in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Salinities ranged from 50 to 106 parts per thousand (ppt). Pore water and microbial mat samples were analyzed for the carbon isotopic composition of dissolved methane, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and mat material (particulate organic carbon or POC). The POC delta(13)C values ranged from -6.7 to -13.5 per thousand, and DIC delta(13)C values ranged from -1.4 to -9.6 per thousand. These values were similar to previously reported values. The delta(13)C values of methane ranged from -49.6 to -74.1 per thousand; the methane most enriched in (13)C was obtained from the highest salinity area. The apparent fractionation factors between methane and DIC, and between methane and POC, within the mats were also determined and were found to change with salinity. The apparent fractionation factors ranged from 1.042 to 1.077 when calculated using DIC and from 1.038 to 1.068 when calculated using POC. The highest-salinity area showed the least fractionation, the moderate-salinity area showed the highest fractionation, and the lower-salinity sites showed fractionations that were intermediate. These differences in fractionation are most likely due to changes in the dominant methanogenic pathways and substrates used at the different sites because of salinity differences.

Behavioral ecology of American Pikas (Ochotona princeps) at Mono Craters, California: living on the edge

Treesearch

Andrew T. Smith; John D. Nagy; Connie Millar

2016-01-01

The behavioral ecology of the American pika (Ochotona princeps) was investigated at a relatively hot south-facing, low-elevation site in the Mono Craters, California, a habitat quite different from the upper montane regions more typically inhabited by this species and where most prior investigations have been conducted. Mono Craters pikas exhibited...

Alkaline polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cell applications.

PubMed

Wang, Yan-Jie; Qiao, Jinli; Baker, Ryan; Zhang, Jiujun

2013-07-07

In this review, we examine the most recent progress and research trends in the area of alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) development in terms of material selection, synthesis, characterization, and theoretical approach, as well as their fabrication into alkaline PEM-based membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and the corresponding performance/durability in alkaline polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Respective advantages and challenges are also reviewed. To overcome challenges hindering alkaline PEM technology advancement and commercialization, several research directions are then proposed.

Evidence of in situ microbial activity and sulphidogenesis in perennially sub-0 °C and hypersaline sediments of a high Arctic permafrost spring.

PubMed

Lamarche-Gagnon, Guillaume; Comery, Raven; Greer, Charles W; Whyte, Lyle G

2015-01-01

The lost hammer (LH) spring perennially discharges subzero hypersaline reducing brines through thick layers of permafrost and is the only known terrestrial methane seep in frozen settings on Earth. The present study aimed to identify active microbial communities that populate the sediments of the spring outlet, and verify whether such communities vary seasonally and spatially. Microcosm experiments revealed that the biological reduction of sulfur compounds (SR) with hydrogen (e.g., sulfate reduction) was potentially carried out under combined hypersaline and subzero conditions, down to -20 °C, the coldest temperature ever recorded for SR. Pyrosequencing analyses of both 16S rRNA (i.e., cDNA) and 16S rRNA genes (i.e., DNA) of sediments retrieved in late winter and summer indicated fairly stable bacterial and archaeal communities at the phylum level. Potentially active bacterial and archaeal communities were dominated by clades related to the T78 Chloroflexi group and Halobacteria species, respectively. The present study indicated that SR, hydrogenotrophy (possibly coupled to autotrophy), and short-chain alkane degradation (other than methane), most likely represent important, previously unaccounted for, metabolic processes carried out by LH microbial communities. Overall, the obtained findings provided additional evidence that the LH system hosts active communities of anaerobic, halophilic, and cryophilic microorganisms despite the extreme conditions in situ.

New thiol-responsive mono-cleavable block copolymer micelles labeled with single disulfides.

PubMed

Sourkohi, Behnoush Khorsand; Schmidt, Rolf; Oh, Jung Kwon

2011-10-18

Thiol-responsive symmetric triblock copolymers having single disulfide linkages in the middle blocks (called mono-cleavable block copolymers, ss-ABP(2)) were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization in the presence of a disulfide-labeled difunctional Br-initiator. These brush-like triblock copolymers consist of a hydrophobic polyacrylate block having pendent oligo(propylene oxide) and a hydrophilic polymethacrylate block having pendent oligo(ethylene oxide). Gel permeation chromatography and (1)H NMR results confirmed the synthesis of well-defined mono-cleavable block copolymers and revealed that polymerizations were well controlled. Because of amphiphilic nature, these copolymers self-assembled to form colloidally stable micelles above critical micellar concentration of 0.032 mg · mL(-1). In response to reductive reactions, disulfides in thiol-responsive micelles were cleaved. Atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis suggested that the cleavage of disulfides caused dissociation of micelles to smaller-sized assembled structures in water. Moreover, in a biomedical perspective, the mono-cleavable block copolymer micelles are not cytotoxic and thus biocompatible. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Spatial distribution of Chloroflexus-like bacteria in the hypersaline artificial microbial mat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachar, A.; Polerecky, L.; Vamvakopoulos, K.; de Beer, D.; Jonkers, H. M.

An artificial microbial mat grown in a mesocosm originated from the Hypersaline Lake of La Salada de Chiprana NE Spain was examined with respect to its organism s spatial distribution via high resolution methods A special attention was given to the elucidative Chloroflexus -like bacteria on which spatial distribution data is not available We have characterized this thick 1cm and developed mat for photopigments HPLC and obtained the general pigment distribution pattern Furthermore fiberoptic and photosynthetic microsensor measurements gave inner light attenuations and flux rates of oxygen within the different layers respectively Using fluorescence and spectral imaging we were able to detect characteristic pigmentation in the different layers FISH probes targeting Chloroflexus -like bacteria confirmed the visualization techniques and showed a single hybridized layer below the cyanobacterial layer as did the HPLC fiberoptic microsensor and fluorescence imaging We conclude that Chloroflexus -like bacteria are located below the cyanobacterial layer and above the purple sulfur bacteria and for the firs time we are able to show it by different independent state of the art techniques These approaches can be important for rapid community investigations within a millimeter scale microniches

Primary and heterotrophic productivity relate to multikingdom diversity in a hypersaline mat

PubMed Central

Brislawn, Colin J.; Dana, Karl; Flores-Wentz, Tobias; Cory, Alexandra B.; Fansler, Sarah J.; Fredrickson, James K.; Moran, James J.

2017-01-01

Abstract Benthic microbial ecosystems are widespread yet knowledge gaps still remain on the relationships between the diversity of species across kingdoms and productivity. Here, we ask two fundamental questions: (i) How does species diversity relate to the rates of primary and heterotrophic productivity? (ii) How do diel variations in light-energy inputs influence productivity and microbiome diversity? To answer these questions, microbial mats from a magnesium sulfate hypersaline lake were used to establish microcosms. Both the number and relatedness between bacterial and eukaryotic taxa in the microbiome were assayed via amplicon-based sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes over two diel cycles. These results correlated with biomass productivity obtained from substrate-specific 13C stable isotope tracers that enabled comparisons between primary and heterotrophic productivity. Both bacterial and eukaryotic species richness and evenness were related only to the rates of 13C-labeled glucose and acetate biomass incorporation. Interestingly, measures of these heterotrophic relationships changed from positive and negative correlations depending on carbon derived from glucose or acetate, respectively. The bacterial and eukaryotic diversity of this ecosystem is also controlled, in part, from energy constraints imposed by changing irradiance over a diel cycle. PMID:29045626

Two coarse pyroclastic flow deposits, northern Mono-Inyo Craters, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennen, R. L.; Bursik, M. I.; Stokes, P. J.; Lagamba, M.; Fontanella, N.; Hintz, A. R.; Jayko, A. S.

2010-12-01

The ~1350 A.D., rhyolitic North Mono eruption, Mono-Inyo Craters, CA, included the extrusion and destruction of Panum Dome and associated clastic deposits. Overlying the tephras of the North Mono sequence, the Panum deposits include a block-and-ash flow (BAF) deposit, covering ~3.5 km2. Blocks within the deposit are typically lithic rhyolite and banded gray micro-vesicular glass, showing white, almost powdery marks ranging from circular to linear in shape. These marks are interpreted as friction marks resulting from collisions between clasts. The deposit also contains bread-crusted obsidians with pressed-in clasts as well as reticulite with a bread-crusted surface texture. Near the centerline of the deposit is a ridge-topping train of jigsaw fractured blocks, often with reddish-orange alteration. One house sized jigsaw block sits upstream of a long, thinning pile of reddish orange debris; this “flow shadow” indicates that the block remained relatively stationary while the block and ash flow continued to propagate around it. The bread-crusted reticulite is most common at proximal localities. It is proposed that the dome destruction included a debris avalanche emplacing the train of jigsaw fractured blocks and creating a topographic high, the block-and-ash flow (the farthest reaching deposit from this event) which flowed around the debris avalanche deposits, and a final “lateral expansion” of a magma foam, creating the reticulite seen concentrated at proximal locations. Another coarse pyroclastic flow (here termed the “lower blast deposit”) underlies the North Mono tephra. It is more obsidian rich and finer grained than the Panum BAF. The lower blast deposit may have originated from Pumice Pit vent, which is now capped with an older dome ~0.5 km southeast of Panum. The lower blast deposit extends farther from the Panum vent than does the Panum BAF deposit, and apparently was mistaken for the Panum BAF deposit by previous workers. Hence the run

A mono harvest of California black oak acorns

Treesearch

Jonathan W. Long; Ron W. Goode

2017-01-01

In about 1925 or 1926, Margaret Baty, a tribal member of Big Sandy Rancheria, displayed a collection of acorns from California black oak (Quercus kelloggii, wi-yap' in Mono) and an acorn cooking basket. This photograph, taken by George Holt and courtesy of the Flegal Collection of the Jesse Peter Museum at Santa Rosa Junior College,...

Net alkalinity and net acidity 1: Theoretical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, C.S.; Cravotta, C.A.

2005-01-01

Net acidity and net alkalinity are widely used, poorly defined, and commonly misunderstood parameters for the characterization of mine drainage. The authors explain theoretical expressions of 3 types of alkalinity (caustic, phenolphthalein, and total) and acidity (mineral, CO2, and total). Except for rarely-invoked negative alkalinity, theoretically defined total alkalinity is closely analogous to measured alkalinity and presents few practical interpretation problems. Theoretically defined "CO 2-acidity" is closely related to most standard titration methods with an endpoint pH of 8.3 used for determining acidity in mine drainage, but it is unfortunately named because CO2 is intentionally driven off during titration of mine-drainage samples. Using the proton condition/mass- action approach and employing graphs to illustrate speciation with changes in pH, the authors explore the concept of principal components and how to assign acidity contributions to aqueous species commonly present in mine drainage. Acidity is defined in mine drainage based on aqueous speciation at the sample pH and on the capacity of these species to undergo hydrolysis to pH 8.3. Application of this definition shows that the computed acidity in mg L -1 as CaCO3 (based on pH and analytical concentrations of dissolved FeII, FeIII, Mn, and Al in mg L -1):aciditycalculated=50{1000(10-pH)+[2(FeII)+3(FeIII)]/56+2(Mn)/ 55+3(Al)/27}underestimates contributions from HSO4- and H+, but overestimates the acidity due to Fe3+ and Al3+. However, these errors tend to approximately cancel each other. It is demonstrated that "net alkalinity" is a valid mathematical construction based on theoretical definitions of alkalinity and acidity. Further, it is shown that, for most mine-drainage solutions, a useful net alkalinity value can be derived from: (1) alkalinity and acidity values based on aqueous speciation, (2) measured alkalinity minus calculated acidity, or (3) taking the negative of the value obtained in a

The control of mono-articular muscles in multijoint leg extensions in man.

PubMed Central

van Ingen Schenau, G J; Dorssers, W M; Welter, T G; Beelen, A; de Groot, G; Jacobs, R

1995-01-01

1. Movements often require control of direction and a magnitude of force exerted externally on the environment. Bi-articular upper leg muscles appear to play a unique role in the regulation of the net torques about the hip and knee joints, necessary for the control of this external force. 2. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the mono-articular muscles act as work generators in powerful dynamic leg extensions, which means that they should be activated primarily in the phases during which they can contribute to work, irrespective of the net joint torques required to control the external force. 3. Cycling movements of six trained subjects were analysed by means of inverse dynamics, yielding net joint torques as well as activity patterns and shortening velocities of four mono- and four bi-articular leg muscles. 4. The results show that the mono-articular muscles exert force only in the phase in which these muscles shorten, whereas this appears not to be the case for the bi-articular muscles. 5. Reciprocal patterns of activation of the rectus femoris and hamstring muscles appear to tune the distribution of net joint torques about the hip and knee joints, necessary to control the (changing) direction of the force on the pedal. 6. An analysis of running in man and additional related literature based on animal studies appears to provide further support for the hypothesis that mono- and bi-articular muscles have essentially different roles in these powerful multijoint leg extension tasks. PMID:7602524

Francisella DnaK Inhibits Tissue-nonspecific Alkaline Phosphatase*

PubMed Central

Arulanandam, Bernard P.; Chetty, Senthilnath Lakshmana; Yu, Jieh-Juen; Leonard, Sean; Klose, Karl; Seshu, Janakiram; Cap, Andrew; Valdes, James J.; Chambers, James P.

2012-01-01

Following pulmonary infection with Francisella tularensis, we observed an unexpected but significant reduction of alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme normally up-regulated following inflammation. However, no reduction was observed in mice infected with a closely related Gram-negative pneumonic organism (Klebsiella pneumoniae) suggesting the inhibition may be Francisella-specific. In similar fashion to in vivo observations, addition of Francisella lysate to exogenous alkaline phosphatase (tissue-nonspecific isozyme) was inhibitory. Partial purification and subsequent proteomic analysis indicated the inhibitory factor to be the heat shock protein DnaK. Incubation with increasing amounts of anti-DnaK antibody reduced the inhibitory effect in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, DnaK contains an adenosine triphosphate binding domain at its N terminus, and addition of adenosine triphosphate enhances dissociation of DnaK with its target protein, e.g. alkaline phosphatase. Addition of adenosine triphosphate resulted in decreased DnaK co-immunoprecipitated with alkaline phosphatase as well as reduction of Francisella-mediated alkaline phosphatase inhibition further supporting the binding of Francisella DnaK to alkaline phosphatase. Release of DnaK via secretion and/or bacterial cell lysis into the extracellular milieu and inhibition of plasma alkaline phosphatase could promote an orchestrated, inflammatory response advantageous to Francisella. PMID:22923614

Francisella DnaK inhibits tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase.

PubMed

Arulanandam, Bernard P; Chetty, Senthilnath Lakshmana; Yu, Jieh-Juen; Leonard, Sean; Klose, Karl; Seshu, Janakiram; Cap, Andrew; Valdes, James J; Chambers, James P

2012-10-26

Following pulmonary infection with Francisella tularensis, we observed an unexpected but significant reduction of alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme normally up-regulated following inflammation. However, no reduction was observed in mice infected with a closely related gram-negative pneumonic organism (Klebsiella pneumoniae) suggesting the inhibition may be Francisella-specific. In similar fashion to in vivo observations, addition of Francisella lysate to exogenous alkaline phosphatase (tissue-nonspecific isozyme) was inhibitory. Partial purification and subsequent proteomic analysis indicated the inhibitory factor to be the heat shock protein DnaK. Incubation with increasing amounts of anti-DnaK antibody reduced the inhibitory effect in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, DnaK contains an adenosine triphosphate binding domain at its N terminus, and addition of adenosine triphosphate enhances dissociation of DnaK with its target protein, e.g. alkaline phosphatase. Addition of adenosine triphosphate resulted in decreased DnaK co-immunoprecipitated with alkaline phosphatase as well as reduction of Francisella-mediated alkaline phosphatase inhibition further supporting the binding of Francisella DnaK to alkaline phosphatase. Release of DnaK via secretion and/or bacterial cell lysis into the extracellular milieu and inhibition of plasma alkaline phosphatase could promote an orchestrated, inflammatory response advantageous to Francisella.

Chemical modeling for precipitation from hypersaline hydrofracturing brines.

PubMed

Zermeno-Motante, Maria I; Nieto-Delgado, Cesar; Cannon, Fred S; Cash, Colin C; Wunz, Christopher C

2016-10-15

Hypersaline hydrofracturing brines host very high salt concentrations, as high as 120,000-330,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS), corresponding to ionic strengths of 2.1-5.7 mol/kg. This is 4-10 times higher than for ocean water. At such high ionic strengths, the conventional equations for computing activity coefficients no longer apply; and the complex ion-interactive Pitzer model must be invoked. The authors herein have used the Pitzer-based PHREEQC computer program to compute the appropriate activity coefficients when forming such precipitates as BaSO4, CaSO4, MgSO4, SrSO4, CaCO3, SrCO3, and BaCO3 in hydrofracturing waters. The divalent cation activity coefficients (γM) were computed in the 0.1 to 0.2 range at 2.1 mol/kg ionic strength, then by 5.7 mol/kg ionic strength, they rose to 0.2 for Ba(2+), 0.6 for Sr(2+), 0.8 for Ca(2+), and 2.1 for Mg(2+). Concurrently, the [Formula: see text] was 0.02-0.03; and [Formula: see text] was 0.01-0.02. While employing these Pitzer-derived activity coefficients, the authors then used the PHREEQC model to characterize precipitation of several of these sulfates and carbonates from actual hydrofracturing waters. Modeled precipitation matched quite well with actual laboratory experiments and full-scale operations. Also, the authors found that SrSO4 effectively co-precipitated radium from hydrofracturing brines, as discerned when monitoring (228)Ra and other beta-emitting species via liquid scintillation; and also when monitoring gamma emissions from (226)Ra. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Let's think in alkaline phosphatase at heart function.

PubMed

Martins, Maria João; Azevedo, Isabel

2010-10-08

In their recent paper, Cheung et al [B.M. Cheung, K.L. Ong, L.Y. Wong, Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and peripheral arterial disease in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004. Int J Cardiol 2008 (Electronic publication ahead of print)] described a significant association between serum alkaline phosphatase levels and low ankle-brachial blood pressure index, a risk factor for cardiovascular pathology. We had verified that alkaline phosphatase is present at the rat heart, showing a distribution compatible with cardiomyocyte sarcoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, several drugs with cardiac effect were shown to interfere with heart alkaline phosphatase activity. We therefore propose that alkaline phosphatase may be a local regulator at heart function and a putative target for therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alkaline sorbent injection for mercury control

DOEpatents

Madden, Deborah A.; Holmes, Michael J.

2003-01-01

A mercury removal system for removing mercury from combustion flue gases is provided in which alkaline sorbents at generally extremely low stoichiometric molar ratios of alkaline earth or an alkali metal to sulfur of less than 1.0 are injected into a power plant system at one or more locations to remove at least between about 40% and 60% of the mercury content from combustion flue gases. Small amounts of alkaline sorbents are injected into the flue gas stream at a relatively low rate. A particulate filter is used to remove mercury-containing particles downstream of each injection point used in the power plant system.

Alkaline sorbent injection for mercury control

DOEpatents

Madden, Deborah A.; Holmes, Michael J.

2002-01-01

A mercury removal system for removing mercury from combustion flue gases is provided in which alkaline sorbents at generally extremely low stoichiometric molar ratios of alkaline earth or an alkali metal to sulfur of less than 1.0 are injected into a power plant system at one or more locations to remove at least between about 40% and 60% of the mercury content from combustion flue gases. Small amounts of alkaline sorbents are injected into the flue gas stream at a relatively low rate. A particulate filter is used to remove mercury-containing particles downstream of each injection point used in the power plant system.

Inorganic-organic separators for alkaline batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheibley, D. W. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

A flexible separator is reported for use between the electrodes of Ni-Cd and Ni-Zn batteries using alkaline electrolytes. The separator was made by coating a porous substrate with a battery separator composition. The coating material included a rubber-based resin copolymer, a plasticizer and inorganic and organic fillers which comprised 55% by volume or less of the coating as finally dried. One or more of the filler materials, whether organic or inorganic, is preferably active with the alkaline electrolyte to produce pores in the separator coating. The plasticizer was an organic material which is hydrolyzed by the alkaline electrolyte to improve conductivity of the separator coating.

Oil recovery by alkaline waterflooding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cooke, C.E. Jr.; Williams, R.E.; Kolodzie, P.A.

1974-01-01

Flooding of oil containing organic acids with alkaline water under favorable conditions can result in recovery of around 50% of the residual oil left in a watered-out model. A high recovery efficiency results from the formation of a bank of viscous water-in-oil emulsion as surface active agents (soaps) are created by reactions of base in the water with the organic acids in the oil. The type and amount of organic acids in the oil, the pH and salt content of the water, and the amount of fines in the porous medium are the primary factors which determine the amount ofmore » additional oil recovered by this method. Interaction of alkaline water with reservoir rock largely determines the amount of chemical needed to flood a reservoir. Laboratory investigations using synthetic oils and crude oils show the importance of oil-water and liquid-solid interfacial properties to the results of an alkaline waterflood. A small field test demonstrated that emulsion banks can be formed in the reservoir and that chemical costs can be reasonable in selected reservoirs. Although studies have provided many qualitative guide lines for evaluating the feasibility of alkaline waterflooding, the economic attractiveness of the process must be considered on an individual reservoir.« less

Mono-Energy Coronary Angiography with a Compact Synchrotron Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eggl, Elena; Mechlem, Korbinian; Braig, Eva; Kulpe, Stephanie; Dierolf, Martin; Günther, Benedikt; Achterhold, Klaus; Herzen, Julia; Gleich, Bernhard; Rummeny, Ernst; Noёl, Peter B.; Pfeiffer, Franz; Muenzel, Daniela

2017-02-01

X-ray coronary angiography is an invaluable tool for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. However, the use of iodine-based contrast media can be contraindicated for patients who present with chronic renal insufficiency or with severe iodine allergy. These patients could benefit from a reduced contrast agent concentration, possibly achieved through application of a mono-energetic x-ray beam. While large-scale synchrotrons are impractical for daily clinical use, the technology of compact synchrotron sources strongly advanced during the last decade. Here we present a quantitative analysis of the benefits a compact synchrotron source can offer in coronary angiography. Simulated projection data from quasi-mono-energetic and conventional x-ray tube spectra is used for a CNR comparison. Results show that compact synchrotron spectra would allow for a significant reduction of contrast media. Experimentally, we demonstrate the feasibility of coronary angiography at the Munich Compact Light Source, the first commercial installation of a compact synchrotron source.

Hans Georg Trüper (1936–2016) and His Contributions to Halophile Research

PubMed Central

Oren, Aharon

2016-01-01

Prof. Hans Georg Trüper, one of the most important scientists in the field of halophile research, passed away on 9 March 2016 at the age of 79. I here present a brief obituary with special emphasis on Prof. Trüper’s contributions to our understanding of the halophilic prokaryotes and their adaptations to life in hypersaline environments. He has pioneered the study of the halophilic anoxygenic phototrophic sulfur bacteria of the Ectothiorhodospira—Halorhodospira group. Some of the species he and his group isolated from hypersaline and haloalkaline environments have become model organisms for the study of the mechanisms of haloadaptation: the functions of three major organic compounds – glycine betaine, ectoine, and trehalose – known to serve as “compatible solutes” in halophilic members of the Bacteria domain, were discovered during studies of these anoxygenic phototrophs. Prof. Trüper’s studies of hypersaline alkaline environments in Egypt also led to the isolation of the first known extremely halophilic archaeon (Natronomonas pharaonis). The guest editors dedicate this special volume of Life to the memory of Prof. Hans Georg Trüper. PMID:27187481

Constraints on evaporation and dilution of terminal, hypersaline lakes under negative water balance: The Dead Sea, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zilberman, Tami; Gavrieli, Ittai; Yechieli, Yoseph; Gertman, Isaac; Katz, Amitai

2017-11-01

The response of hypersaline terminal lakes to negative water balance was investigated by studying brines evaporating to extreme salinities in sinkholes along the western coast of the Dead Sea and during on-site evaporation experiments of the Dead Sea brine. Density and temperature were determined in the field and all samples were analyzed for their major and a few minor solutes. The activity of H2O (aH2O) in the brines was calculated, and the degree of evaporation (DE) was established using Sr2+as a conservative solute. The relations between density and water activity were obtained by polynomial regression, and the relation between the lake's volume and level was established using Hall's (1996) hypsographic model for the Dead Sea basin. Relating the results to the modern, long-term relative humidity (RH) over the basin shows that (a) The lowermost attainable level of a terminal lake undergoing evaporation with no inflow is dictated by the median RH; this level represents equilibrium between the brine's aH2O and RH; (b) Small, saline water bodies with high surface to volume ratios (A/V), such as the hypersaline brines in the sinkholes, are very sensitive to short term changes in RH; in these, the brines' aH2O closely follows the seasonal changes; (c) the level decline of the Dead Sea due to evaporation under present climatic conditions and assuming no inflow to the lake may continue down to 516-537 m below mean sea level (bmsl), corresponding to a water activity range of 0.46-0.39 in its brine, in equilibrium with the overlying relative air humidity; this suggests that the lake level cannot drop more than ∼100 m from its present level; and (d) The maximum RH values that existed over the precursor lake of the Dead Sea (Lake Lisan) during geologically reconstructed minima levels can be similarly calculated.

Radiocarbon constraints on fossil thinolite tufa formation in the Mono Basin, CA, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leroy, S. L.; Zimmerman, S. R.; Hemming, S. R.; Stine, S.; Guilderson, T. P.

2009-12-01

Mono Lake is a terminal lake located at the western edge of the Great Basin, and is famous for its tufa towers. Thinolite, which is thought to be a CaCO3 pseudomorph of ikaite, is found around the Mono Basin in many fossil tufa towers, particularly at elevations above 2000 meters. The subaqueous parent mineral ikaite forms at low temperatures (< 6 °C) (Bischoff et al., 1993) and requires specific water chemistry. Previous radiocarbon dating of fossil tufa towers around the Mono Basin has yielded a rather small range of ages for the highest elevation towers, between 11.8 and 14.1 14C kyr BP (no corrections for reservoir effects have been made). A thinolite fan collected from outcrops in Mill Creek, just north of the current Mono Lake yielded an age of 10,690 ± 45 14C yr BP (12,750 ± 80 cal yr BP), consistent with a ca. 1000 year reservoir age and coincidence with thinolite crystals found in a core from the northwestern embayment of Mono Lake (Davis, 1999, QR), and thus correlating with the Younger Dryas cooling event as exhibited in the GISP2 δ18O record. While most of the thinolite textures are found at high elevations, we sampled a mound at 1955 meters (near the current shoreline, north of the lake and just east of Black Point) that has many concentric layers, some containing thinolite textures. Although tufa mounds can form very rapidly, the location at low elevation and the presence of at least 19 distinct layers led us to consider that this mound might represent a long term record of Mono Lake’s chemistry. The new data confirm that the mound formed over a long period within the last glacial cycle, with ages ranging beyond the current limits of measurement (>34 kyr) to as young as 15.5 14C kyr BP. In general there is a consistent stratigraphic trend of ages within the mound, but the thinolite ages are anomalously young and one thinolite sample shows a large age reversal. The best estimate of the age of the precipitation of this tufa mound is given by the

Microbial Diversity in a Permanently Cold and Alkaline Environment in Greenland

PubMed Central

Glaring, Mikkel A.; Vester, Jan K.; Lylloff, Jeanette E.; Abu Al-Soud, Waleed; Sørensen, Søren J.; Stougaard, Peter

2015-01-01

The submarine ikaite columns located in the Ikka Fjord in Southern Greenland represent a unique, permanently cold (less than 6°C) and alkaline (above pH 10) environment and are home to a microbial community adapted to these extreme conditions. The bacterial and archaeal community inhabiting the ikaite columns and surrounding fjord was characterised by high-throughput pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Analysis of the ikaite community structure revealed the presence of a diverse bacterial community, both in the column interior and at the surface, and very few archaea. A clear difference in overall taxonomic composition was observed between column interior and surface. Whereas the surface, and in particular newly formed ikaite material, was primarily dominated by Cyanobacteria and phototrophic Proteobacteria, the column interior was dominated by Proteobacteria and putative anaerobic representatives of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The results suggest a stratification of the ikaite columns similar to that of classical soda lakes, with a light-exposed surface inhabited by primary producers and an anoxic subsurface. This was further supported by identification of major taxonomic groups with close relatives in soda lake environments, including members of the genera Rhodobaca, Dethiobacter, Thioalkalivibrio and Tindallia, as well as very abundant groups related to uncharacterised environmental sequences originally isolated from Mono Lake in California. PMID:25915866

Alkaline Phosphatase: MedlinePlus Lab Test Information

MedlinePlus

... Test Information → Alkaline Phosphatase URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/alkalinephosphatase.html Alkaline Phosphatase To ... 2017 Mar 13]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/liverfunctiontests/ Centers for ...

Immobilization of alkaline phosphatase on solid surface through self-assembled monolayer and by active-site protection.

PubMed

Gao, En-Feng; Kang, Kyung Lhi; Kim, Jeong Hee

2014-06-01

Retaining biological activity of a protein after immobilization is an important issue and many studies reported to enhance the activity of proteins after immobilization. We recently developed a new immobilization method of enzyme using active-site protection and minimization of the cross-links between enzyme and surface with a DNA polymerase as a model system. In this study, we extended the new method to an enzyme with a small mono-substrate using alkaline phosphatase (AP) as another model system. A condition to apply the new method is that masking agents, in this case its own substrate needs to stay at the active-site of the enzyme to be immobilized in order to protect the active-site during the harsh immobilization process. This could be achieved by removal of essential divalent ion, Zn2+ that is required for full enzyme activity of AP from the masking solution while active-site of AP was protected with p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP). Approximately 40% of the solution-phase activity was acquired with active-site protected immobilized AP. In addition to protection active-site of AP, the number of immobilization links was kinetically controlled. When the mole fraction of the activated carboxyl group of the linker molecule in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 12-mercaptododecanoic acid and 6-mercapto-1-ethanol was varied, 10% of 12-mercaptododecanoic acid gave the maximum enzyme activity. Approximately 51% increase in enzyme activity of the active-site protected AP was observed compared to that of the unprotected group. It was shown that the concept of active-site protection and kinetic control of the number of covalent immobilization bonds can be extended to enzymes with small mono-substrates. It opens the possibility of further extension of the new methods of active-site protection and kinetic control of immobilization bond to important enzymes used in research and industrial fields.

The Effects of Operational Parameters on a Mono-wire Cutting System: Efficiency in Marble Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmazkaya, Emre; Ozcelik, Yilmaz

2016-02-01

Mono-wire block cutting machines that cut with a diamond wire can be used for squaring natural stone blocks and the slab-cutting process. The efficient use of these machines reduces operating costs by ensuring less diamond wire wear and longer wire life at high speeds. The high investment costs of these machines will lead to their efficient use and reduce production costs by increasing plant efficiency. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the cutting performance parameters of mono-wire cutting machines in terms of rock properties and operating parameters. This study aims to investigate the effects of the wire rotational speed (peripheral speed) and wire descending speed (cutting speed), which are the operating parameters of a mono-wire cutting machine, on unit wear and unit energy, which are the performance parameters in mono-wire cutting. By using the obtained results, cuttability charts for each natural stone were created on the basis of unit wear and unit energy values, cutting optimizations were performed, and the relationships between some physical and mechanical properties of rocks and the optimum cutting parameters obtained as a result of the optimization were investigated.

21 CFR 862.1050 - Alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system... Test Systems § 862.1050 Alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system. (a) Identification. An alkaline phosphatase or isoenzymes test system is a device intended to measure alkaline phosphatase or its isoenzymes...

Modeling of point defects and rare gas incorporation in uranium mono-carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chartier, A.; Van Brutzel, L.

2007-02-01

An embedded atom method (EAM) potential has been established for uranium mono-carbide. This EAM potential was fitted on structural properties of metallic uranium and uranium mono-carbide. The formation energies of point defects, as well as activation energies for self migration, have been evaluated in order to cross-check the suitability of the potential. Assuming that the carbon vacancies are the main defects in uranium mono-carbide compounds, the migration paths and energies are consistent with experimental data selected by Catlow[C.R.A. Catlow, J. Nucl. Mater. 60 (1976) 151]. The insertion and migration energies for He, Kr and Xe have also been evaluated with available inter-atomic potentials [H.H. Andersen, P. Sigmund, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 38 (1965) 238]. Results show that the most stable defect configuration for rare gases is within uranium vacancies. The migration energy of an interstitial Xe is 0.5 eV, in agreement with the experimental value of 0.5 eV [Hj. Matzke, Science of advanced LMFBR fuels, Solid State Physics, Chemistry and Technology of Carbides, Nitrides and Carbonitrides of Uranium and Plutonium, North-Holland, 1986].

Acidity and alkalinity in mine drainage: Theoretical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirby, Carl S.; Cravotta,, Charles A.

2004-01-01

Acidity, net acidity, and net alkalinity are widely used parameters for the characterization of mine drainage, but these terms are not well defined and are often misunderstood. Incorrect interpretation of acidity, alkalinity, and derivative terms can lead to inadequate treatment design or poor regulatory decisions. We briefly explain derivations of theoretical expressions of three types of alkalinities (caustic, phenolphthalein, and total) and acidities (mineral, CO2, and total). Theoretically defined total alkalinity is closely analogous to measured alkalinity and presents few practical interpretation problems. Theoretically defined “CO2- acidity” is closely related to most standard titration methods used for mine drainage with an endpoint pH of 8.3, but it presents numerous interpretation problems, and it is unfortunately named because CO2 is intentionally driven off during titration of mine-drainage samples. Using the proton condition/massaction approach and employing graphs for visualization, we explore the concept of principal components and how to assign acidity contributions to solution species, including aqueous complexes, commonly found in mine drainage. We define a comprehensive theoretical definition of acidity in mine drainage on the basis of aqueous speciation at the sample pH and the capacity of these species to undergo hydrolysis to pH 8.3. This definition indicates the computed acidity in milligrams per liter (mg L-1 ) as CaCO3 (based on pH and analytical concentrations of dissolved FeIII , FeII , Mn, and Al in mg L-1 ): Aciditycomputed = 50. (10(3-pH) + 3.CFeIII/55.8 + 2.CFeII/55.8 + 2.CMn/54.9 + 3.CAl/27.0) underestimates contributions from HSO4 - and H+ , but overestimates the acidity due to Fe3+. These errors tend to approximately cancel each other. We demonstrate that “net alkalinity” is a valid mathematical construction based on theoretical definitions of alkalinity and acidity. We demonstrate that, for most mine-drainage solutions, a

Biofilm formation and disinfectant resistance of Salmonella sp. in mono- and dual-species with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

Pang, X Y; Yang, Y S; Yuk, H G

2017-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate the biofilm formation and disinfectant resistance of Salmonella cells in mono- and dual-species biofilms with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and to investigate the role of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the protection of biofilms against disinfection treatment. The populations of Salmonella in mono- or dual-species biofilms with P. aeruginosa on stainless steel (SS) coupons were determined before and after exposure to commercial disinfectant, 50 μg ml -1 chlorine or 200 μg ml -1 Ecolab ® Whisper™ V (a blend of four effective quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC)). In addition, EPS amount from biofilms was quantified and biofilm structures were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Antagonistic interactions between Salmonella and P. aeruginosa resulted in lower planktonic population level of Salmonella, and lower density in dual-species biofilms compared to mono-species biofilms. The presence of P. aeruginosa significantly enhanced disinfectant resistance of S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis biofilm cells for 2 days, and led to an average of 50% increase in polysaccharides amount in dual-species biofilms than mono-species biofilms of Salmonella. Microscopy observation showed the presence of large microcolonies covered by EPS in dual-species biofilms but not in mono-species ones. The presence of P. aeruginosa in dual-species culture inhibited the growth of Salmonella cells in planktonic phase and in biofilms, but protected Salmonella cells in biofilms from disinfection treatment, by providing more production of EPS in dual-species biofilms than mono-species ones. This study provides insights into inter-species interaction, with regard to biofilm population dynamics and disinfectant resistance. Thus, a sanitation protocol should be designed considering the protective role of secondary species to pathogens in biofilms on SS surface which has been widely used at food surfaces and manufacturers. © 2017 The Society

Development of highly reliable static random access memory for 40-nm embedded split gate-MONOS flash memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Shin-ichi; Maekawa, Kei-ichi; Kawashima, Yoshiyuki; Shiba, Kazutoshi; Sugiyama, Hideki; Inoue, Masao; Nishida, Akio

2015-04-01

High quality static random access memory (SRAM) for 40-nm embedded MONOS flash memory with split gate (SG-MONOS) was developed. Marginal failure, which results in threshold voltage/drain current tailing and outliers of SRAM transistors, occurs when using a conventional SRAM structure. These phenomena can be explained by not only gate depletion but also partial depletion and percolation path formation in the MOS channel. A stacked poly-Si gate structure can suppress these phenomena and achieve high quality SRAM without any defects in the 6σ level and with high affinity to the 40-nm SG-MONOS process was developed.

Field measurement of alkalinity and pH

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, Ivan

1964-01-01

The behavior of electrometric pH equipment under field conditions departs from the behavior predicted from Nernst's law. The response is a linear function of pH, and hence measured pH values may be corrected to true pH if the instrument is calibrated with two reference solutions for each measurement. Alkalinity titrations may also be made in terms of true pH. Standard methods, such as colorimetric titrations, were rejected as unreliable or too cumbersome for rapid field use. The true pH of the end point of the alkalinity titration as a function of temperature, ionic strength, and total alkalinity has been calculated. Total alkalinity in potable waters is the most important factor influencing the end point pH, which varies from 5.38 (0 ? C, 5 ppm (parts per million) HC0a-) to 4.32 (300 ppm HC0a-,35 ? C), for the ranges of variables considered. With proper precautions, the pH may be determined to =i:0.02 pH and the alkalinity to =i:0.6 ppm HCO3- for many naturally occurring bodies of fresh water.

Correlation of Late-Pleistocene Lake-Level Oscillations in Mono Lake, California, with North Atlantic Climate Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benson, Larry V.; Lund, Steve P.; Burdett, James W.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Rose, Timothy P.; Smoot, Joseph P.; Schwartz, Martha

1998-01-01

Oxygen-18 ( 18O) values of sediment from the Wilson Creek Formation, Mono Basin, California, indicate three scales of temporal variation (Dansgaard-Oeschger, Heinrich, and Milankovitch) in the hydrologic balance of Mono Lake between 35,400 and 12,900 14C yr B.P. During this interval, Mono Lake experienced four lowstands each lasting from 1000 to 2000 yr. The youngest lowstand, which occurred between 15,500 and 14,000 14C yr B.P., was nearly synchronous with a desiccation of Owens Lake, California. Paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) data indicate that three of four persistent lowstands occurred at the same times as Heinrich events H1, H2, and H4. 18O data indicate the two highest lake levels occurred ˜18,000 and ˜13,100 14C yr B.P., corresponding to passages of the mean position of the polar jet stream over the Mono Basin. Extremely low values of total inorganic carbon between 26,000 and 14,000 14C yr B.P. indicate glacial activity, corresponding to a time when summer insolation was much reduced.

Diclofenac salts. III. Alkaline and earth alkaline salts.

PubMed

Fini, Adamo; Fazio, Giuseppe; Rosetti, Francesca; Angeles Holgado, M; Iruín, Ana; Alvarez-Fuentes, Josefa

2005-11-01

Diclofenac salts containing the alkaline and two earth alkaline cations have been prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDAX spectroscopy; and by thermal and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA): all of them crystallize as hydrate when precipitated from water. The salts dehydrate at room temperature and more easily on heating, but recovery the hydration, when placed in a humid environment. X-ray diffraction spectra suggest that on dehydration new peaks appear on diffractograms and the lattice of the salts partially looses crystallinity. This phenomenon is readily visible in the case of the calcium and magnesium salts, whose thermograms display a crystallization exotherm, before melting or decomposing at temperatures near or above 200 degrees C; these last salts appear to form solvates, when prepared from methanol. The thermogram of each salt shows a complex endotherm of dehydration about 100 degrees C; the calcium salt displays two endotherms, well separated at about 120 and 160 degrees C, which disappear after prolonged heating. Decomposition exotherms, before or soon after the melting, appear below 300 degrees C. The ammonium salt is thermally unstable and, when heated to start dehydration, dissociates and leaves acidic diclofenac.

Temperature Dependence of Mineral Solubility in Water. Part 3. Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Sulfates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumgalz, B. S.

2018-06-01

The databases of alkaline and alkaline earth sulfate solubilities in water at various temperatures were created using experimental data from the publications over about the last two centuries. Statistical critical evaluation of the created databases was produced since there were enough independent data sources to justify such evaluation. The reliable experimental data were adequately described by polynomial expressions over various temperature ranges. Using the Pitzer approach for ionic activity and osmotic coefficients, the thermodynamic solubility products for the discussed minerals have been calculated at various temperatures and represented by polynomial expressions.

Temperature Dependence of Mineral Solubility in Water. Part 2. Alkaline and Alkaline Earth Bromides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumgalz, B. S.

2018-03-01

Databases of alkaline and alkaline earth bromide solubilities in water at various temperatures were created using experimental data from publications over about the last two centuries. Statistical critical evaluation of the created databases was produced since there were enough independent data sources to justify such evaluation. The reliable experimental data were adequately described by polynomial expressions over various temperature ranges. Using the Pitzer approach for ionic activity and osmotic coefficients, the thermodynamic solubility products for the discussed bromide minerals have been calculated at various temperature intervals and also represented by polynomial expressions.

Geochemistry of dissolved gases in the hypersaline Orca basin. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiesenburg, D.A.

1980-12-01

Hypersaline, anoxic waters significantly affect the biogeochemistry of dissolved gases in the Orca Basin (Northern Gulf of Mexico). The high stability of the Orca brine pool makes it an ideal laboratory for studying production and consumption of dissolved gases during anaerobic decomposition. Depth distributions were determined for nitrogen, oxygen, argon, methane, ethane, propane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrous oxide. Physical stratification of the water column strongly influences Orca Basin gas distributions. The high salinity brine (approx. 250%) is internally well mixed due to convective overturning, but transfer across the brine-sea water interface is controlled by molecular diffusion. With a molecularmore » diffusivity of 0.00001 sq cm/sec, it will take 1,000,000 years for all salts to diffuse from the basin. Heat diffuses faster than salt and is lost from the basin at a rate of 0.5 microcal sq cm/sec. If geothermal heat input from the sediments is slightly higher, this input could account for the higher temperature in the brine (5.6C) compared to the deep Gulf waters (4.2 C). This study has shown the utility of dissolved gases in examining water chemistry of unusual areas. Since sources of dissolved gases are independent of the sources of major ions in solution, calculations of gas distributions on a salt-free basis are useful in examining production and consumption processes.« less

A Comparative Study: Taxonomic Grouping of Alkaline Protease Producing Bacilli.

PubMed

Tekin, Nilgun; Cihan, Arzu Coleri; Karaca, Basar; Cokmus, Cumhur

2017-03-30

Alkaline proteases have biotechnological importance due to their activity and stability at alkaline pH. 56 bacteria, capable of growing under alkaline conditions were isolated and their alkaline protease activities were carried out at different parameters to determine their optimum alkaline protease production conditions. Seven isolates were showed higher alkaline protease production capacity than the reference strains. The highest alkaline protease producing isolates (103125 U/g), E114 and C265, were identified as Bacillus licheniformis with 99.4% and Bacillus mojavensis 99.8% based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, respectively. Interestingly, the isolates identified as Bacillus safensis were also found to be high alkaline protease producing strains. Genotypic characterizations of the isolates were also determined by using a wide range of molecular techniques (ARDRA, ITS-PCR, (GTG)5-PCR, BOX-PCR). These different techniques allowed us to differentiate the alkaliphilic isolates and the results were in concurrence with phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA genes. While ITS-PCR provided the highest correlation with 16S rRNA groups, (GTG)5-PCR showed the highest differentiation at species and intra-species level. In this study, each of the biotechnologically valuable alkaline protease producing isolates was grouped into their taxonomic positions with multi-genotypic analyses.

Arsenic, Anaerobes, and Autotrophy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oremland, R. S.

2008-12-01

That microbes have resistance to the toxic arsenic oxyanions arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)] has been recognized for some time. More recently it was shown that certain prokaryotes can demonstrate As- dependent growth by conserving the energy gained from the aerobic oxidation of As(III) to As(V), or from the reduction of As(V) to As(III) under anaerobic conditions. During the course of our field studies of two alkaline, hypersaline soda lakes (Mono Lake and Searles Lake, CA) we have discovered several new anaerobic chemo- and photo-autotrophic bacteria that can center their energy gain around the redox reactions between As(III) and As(V). Alkalilimnicola ehrlichii, isolated from the water column of Mono Lake is a nitrate-respiring, As(III)-oxidizing chemoautotroph of the gamma-proteobacteria that has a highly flexible metabolism. It can function either as a facultative anaerobe or as a chemo-autotroph, or as a heterotroph (Hoeft et al., 2007). In contrast, strain MLMS-1 of the delta-proteobacteria was also isolated from Mono Lake, but to date is the first example of an obligate As(V)-respirer that is also an obligate chemo-autotroph, gaining its energy via the oxidation of sulfide to sulfate (Hoeft et al., 2004). Strain SLAS-1, isolated from salt-saturated Searles Lake is a member of the Halananerobiales, and can either grow as a heterotroph (lactate e-donor) or chemo- autotroph (sulfide e-donor) while respiring As(V). The fact that it can achieve this feat at salt-saturation (~ 340 g/L) makes it a true extremophile (Oremland et. al., 2005). Finally, strain PHS-1 isolated from a hot spring on Paoha island in Mono Lake is the first example of a photosynthetic bacterium of the gamma- proteobacteria able to link its growth to As(III)-dependent anoxygenic photosynthesis (Kulp et al., 2008). These novel microbes give us new insights into the evolution of arsenic-based metabolism and their role in the biogeochemical cycling of this toxic element. Hoeft, S.E., et

Zirconia coating stabilized super-iron alkaline cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xingwen; Licht, Stuart

A low-level zirconia coating significantly stabilizes high energy alkaline super-iron cathodes, and improves the energy storage capacity of super-iron batteries. Zirconia coating is derived from ZrCl 4 in an organic medium through the conversion of ZrCl 4 to ZrO 2. In alkaline battery system, ZrO 2 provides an intact shield for the cathode materials and the hydroxide shuttle through the coating sustains alkaline cathode redox chemistry. Most super-iron cathodes are solid-state stable, such as K 2FeO 4 and Cs 2FeO 4, but tend to be passivated in alkaline electrolyte due to the formation of Fe(III) over layer. Zirconia coating effectively enhances the stability of these super-iron cathodes. However, for solid-state unstable super-iron cathode (e.g. BaFeO 4), only a little stabilization effect of zirconia coating is observed.

Pregnenolone co-treatment partially restores steroidogenesis, but does not prevent growth inhibition and increased atresia in mouse ovarian antral follicles treated with mono-hydroxy methoxychlor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Craig, Zelieann R., E-mail: zelieann@illinois.edu; Hannon, Patrick R., E-mail: phannon2@illinois.edu; Flaws, Jodi A., E-mail: jflaws@illinois.edu

Mono-hydroxy methoxychlor (mono-OH MXC) is a metabolite of the pesticide, methoxychlor (MXC). Although MXC is known to decrease antral follicle numbers, and increase follicle death in rodents, not much is known about the ovarian effects of mono-OH MXC. Previous studies indicate that mono-OH MXC inhibits mouse antral follicle growth, increases follicle death, and inhibits steroidogenesis in vitro. Further, previous studies indicate that CYP11A1 expression and production of progesterone (P{sub 4}) may be the early targets of mono-OH MXC in the steroidogenic pathway. Thus, this study tested whether supplementing pregnenolone, the precursor of progesterone and the substrate for HSD3B, would preventmore » decreased steroidogenesis, inhibited follicle growth, and increased follicle atresia in mono-OH MXC-treated follicles. Mouse antral follicles were exposed to vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide), mono-OH MXC (10 μg/mL), pregnenolone (1 μg/mL), or mono-OH MXC and pregnenolone together for 96 h. Levels of P{sub 4}, androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), estrone (E{sub 1}), and 17β-estradiol (E{sub 2}) in media were determined, and follicles were processed for histological evaluation of atresia. Pregnenolone treatment alone stimulated production of all steroid hormones except E{sub 2}. Mono-OH MXC-treated follicles had decreased sex steroids, but when given pregnenolone, produced levels of P{sub 4}, A, T, and E{sub 1} that were comparable to those in vehicle-treated follicles. Pregnenolone treatment did not prevent growth inhibition and increased atresia in mono-OH MXC-treated follicles. Collectively, these data support the idea that the most upstream effect of mono-OH MXC on steroidogenesis is by reducing the availability of pregnenolone, and that adding pregnenolone may not be sufficient to prevent inhibited follicle growth and survival. - Highlights: • Mono-OH MXC inhibited antral follicle steroidogenesis, growth, and survival. • Pregnenolone partially restored

Primary and heterotrophic productivity relate to multikingdom diversity in a hypersaline mat

DOE PAGES

Bernstein, Hans C.; Brislawn, Colin J.; Dana, Karl; ...

2017-10-17

Benthic microbial ecosystems are widespread yet knowledge gaps still remain on the relationships between the diversity of species across kingdoms and productivity. Here, we ask two fundamental questions: (i) How does species diversity relate to the rates of primary and heterotrophic productivity? (ii) How do diel variations in light-energy inputs influence productivity and microbiome diversity? To answer these questions, microbial mats from a magnesium sulfate hypersaline lake were used to establish microcosms. Both the number and relatedness between bacterial and eukaryotic taxa in the microbiome were assayed via amplicon-based sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes over two diel cycles.more » These results correlated with biomass productivity obtained from substrate-specific 13C stable isotope tracers that enabled comparisons between primary and heterotrophic productivity. Both bacterial and eukaryotic species richness and evenness were related only to the rates of 13C-labeled glucose and acetate biomass incorporation. Interestingly, measures of these heterotrophic relationships changed from positive and negative correlations depending on carbon derived from glucose or acetate, respectively. The bacterial and eukaryotic diversity of this ecosystem is also controlled, in part, from energy constraints imposed by changing irradiance over a diel cycle.« less

Primary and heterotrophic productivity relate to multikingdom diversity in a hypersaline mat

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernstein, Hans C.; Brislawn, Colin J.; Dana, Karl

Benthic microbial ecosystems are widespread yet knowledge gaps still remain on the relationships between the diversity of species across kingdoms and productivity. Here, we ask two fundamental questions: (i) How does species diversity relate to the rates of primary and heterotrophic productivity? (ii) How do diel variations in light-energy inputs influence productivity and microbiome diversity? To answer these questions, microbial mats from a magnesium sulfate hypersaline lake were used to establish microcosms. Both the number and relatedness between bacterial and eukaryotic taxa in the microbiome were assayed via amplicon-based sequencing of 16S and 18S rRNA genes over two diel cycles.more » These results correlated with biomass productivity obtained from substrate-specific 13C stable isotope tracers that enabled comparisons between primary and heterotrophic productivity. Both bacterial and eukaryotic species richness and evenness were related only to the rates of 13C-labeled glucose and acetate biomass incorporation. Interestingly, measures of these heterotrophic relationships changed from positive and negative correlations depending on carbon derived from glucose or acetate, respectively. The bacterial and eukaryotic diversity of this ecosystem is also controlled, in part, from energy constraints imposed by changing irradiance over a diel cycle.« less

Global Variability and Changes in Ocean Total Alkalinity from Aquarius Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fine, R. A.; Willey, D. A.; Millero, F. J., Jr.

2016-02-01

To document effects of ocean acidification it is important to have an understanding of the processes and parameters that influence alkalinity. Alkalinity is a gauge on the ability of seawater to neutralize acids. We use Aquarius satellite data, which allow unprecedented global mapping of surface total alkalinity as it correlates strongly with salinity and to a lesser extent with temperature. Spatial variability in total alkalinity and salinity exceed temporal variability, the latter includes seasonal and differences compared to climatological data. The northern hemisphere has more spatial and monthly variability in total alkalinity and salinity, while less variability in Southern Ocean alkalinity is due to less salinity variability and upwelling of waters enriched in alkalinity. Satellite alkalinity data are providing a global baseline that can be used for comparing with future carbon data, and for evaluating spatial and temporal variability and past trends. For the first time it is shown that recent satellite derived total alkalinity in the subtropics have increased as compared with climatological data; this is reflective of large scale changes in the global water cycle. Total alkalinity increases imply increased dissolution of calcareous minerals and difficulty for calcifying organisms to make their shells.

Geochemical fingerprinting of Wilson Creek formation tephra layers (Mono Basin, California) using titanomagnetite compositions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marcaida, Mae; Mangan, Margaret T.; Vazquez, Jorge A.; Bursik, Marcus; Lidzbarski, Marsha I.

2014-01-01

Nineteen tephra layers within the Wilson Creek formation near Mono Lake provide a record of late Pleistocene to early Holocene volcanic activity from the nearby Mono Craters and are important chronostratigraphic markers for paleomagnetic, paleoclimatic, and paleoecologic studies. These stratigraphically important tephra deposits can be geochemically identified using compositions of their titanomagnetite phenocrysts. Titanomagnetite compositions display a broad range (XUsp 0.26–0.39), which allow the tephra layers to be distinguished despite the indistinguishable major-element glass compositions (76–77 wt% SiO2) of their hosts. The concentrations of Ti and Fe in titanomagnetite display geochemical and stratigraphic groupings that allow clear discrimination between older (> 57 ka) and younger (2O3 contents. In addition, a few tephra layers can be correlated to their source vents by their titanomagnetite compositions. The unique geochemical fingerprint of the Mono Craters-sourced titanomagnetites also allows the discrimination of two tephra layers apparently sourced from nearby Mammoth Mountain volcano in Long Valley.

40 CFR 721.1729 - Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with... acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol mono Me ether... identified as boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

40 CFR 721.1729 - Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with... acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol mono Me ether... identified as boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

40 CFR 721.1729 - Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with... acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol mono Me ether... identified as boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

40 CFR 721.1729 - Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with... acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol mono Me ether... identified as boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

40 CFR 721.1729 - Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with... acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol mono Me ether... identified as boric acid (H3BO3), mixed esters with polyethylene glycol mono-Bu ether and polyethylene glycol...

Treatment outcome of patients with isoniazid mono-resistant tuberculosis.

PubMed

Chien, J-Y; Chen, Y-T; Wu, S-G; Lee, J-J; Wang, J-Y; Yu, C-J

2015-01-01

Isoniazid mono-resistance is the most common first-line drug resistance in tuberculosis (TB), but its treatment outcome remains unclear. From January 2004 to October 2011, 425 (5.1%) of 8414 patients with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB from four hospitals in Taiwan were identified as having isoniazid mono-resistant TB. Among them, 395 (92.9%) were included and followed up for 2 years after complete treatment. Although 328 (83.0%) patients were successfully treated, 67 (17.0%) had unfavourable outcomes, including death in 56 (14.2%) and treatment failure in 11 (2.8%). The treatment success rate was similar in patients with high-level and low-level isoniazid-resistant TB (82.2% versus 83.4%, p 0.785) and among those taking anti-TB treatment with and without isoniazid (83.1% versus 83.0%, p 1.000). Patients without rifampicin interruption had lower risk of unfavourable outcome (14.3% versus 37.0%, p <0.001), especially those with low-level isoniazid resistance (11.5% versus 56.5%, p <0.001). Supplementation with a new-generation fluoroquinolone improved treatment success (60.0% versus 12.5%, p 0.003). The presence of cavitary lesions was significantly associated with a higher relapse rate (4.1% versus 0.0%, p 0.006) and extended treatment of 7-9, 10-12 and >12 months had less relapse than 6-month treatment (3.2%, 0%, 3.7% and 25.0%, respectively, p 0.037). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that co-morbidity with cancer (hazard ratio, 2.43) and rifampicin interruption (hazard ratio 1.91) were independent factors associated with unfavourable outcomes. Treatment throughout with rifampicin and extended treatment for cavitary disease are crucial for improving outcomes in patients with isoniazid mono-resistant TB. Copyright © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Mono-PEGylated Growth Hormone Releasing Peptide-2 and Investigation of its Biological Activity.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaoyu; Xu, Beihua; Zhou, Ziniu

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate an efficient synthetic route to the mono-PEGylated growth hormone releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2) and its biological activity in vivo. The commercially available key PEGylating reagent, mPEG-NHS ester, was successfully utilized to the synthesis of mono-PEGylated GHRP-2, during which the PEGylation profiles of GHRP-2 were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The product was purified by cation exchange chromatography, and its biological activity was conducted in rats. The desired mono-PEGylated GHRP-2 as the major product was readily obtained in anhydrous aprotic solvent, such as dimethyl formamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), when the molar ratio of mPEG-NHS ester to GHRP-2 was fixed to be 0.8:1. The products were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The evaluation of the biological activity for the products showed that the mono-PEGylated GHRP-2 gave a more stable activity than GHRP-2, suggesting that PEGylation led to the increase in the half-life of GHRP-2 in plasma without greatly impairing the biological activity. PEGylation of the GHRP-2 is a good choice for the development of the GHRP-2 applications.

Process for extracting technetium from alkaline solutions

DOEpatents

Moyer, Bruce A.; Sachleben, Richard A.; Bonnesen, Peter V.

1995-01-01

A process for extracting technetium values from an aqueous alkaline solution containing at least one alkali metal hydroxide and at least one alkali metal nitrate, the at least one alkali metal nitrate having a concentration of from about 0.1 to 6 molar. The solution is contacted with a solvent consisting of a crown ether in a diluent for a period of time sufficient to selectively extract the technetium values from the aqueous alkaline solution. The solvent containing the technetium values is separated from the aqueous alkaline solution and the technetium values are stripped from the solvent.

Alkaline tolerant dextranase from streptomyces anulatus

DOEpatents

Decker, Stephen R.; Adney, William S.; Vinzant, Todd B.; Himmel, Michael E.

2003-01-01

A process for production of an alkaline tolerant dextranase enzyme comprises culturing a dextran-producing microorganism Streptomyces anulatus having accession no. ATCC PTA-3866 to produce an alkaline tolerant dextranase, Dex 1 wherein the protein in said enzyme is characterized by a MW of 63.3 kDa and Dex 2 wherein its protein is characterized by a MW of 81.8 kDa.

40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

40 CFR 420.110 - Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... alkaline cleaning subcategory. 420.110 Section 420.110 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Alkaline Cleaning Subcategory § 420.110 Applicability; description of the alkaline cleaning subcategory... alkaline cleaning baths to remove mineral and animal fats or oils from the steel, and those rinsing...

Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of benthic microbial ecosystems at La Brava, a hypersaline lake at Salar de Atacama, Chile.

PubMed

Farias, Maria Eugenia; Rasuk, Maria Cecilia; Gallagher, Kimberley L; Contreras, Manuel; Kurth, Daniel; Fernandez, Ana Beatriz; Poiré, Daniel; Novoa, Fernando; Visscher, Pieter T

2017-01-01

Benthic microbial ecosystems of Laguna La Brava, Salar de Atacama, a high altitude hypersaline lake, were characterized in terms of bacterial and archaeal diversity, biogeochemistry, (including O2 and sulfide depth profiles and mineralogy), and physicochemical characteristics. La Brava is one of several lakes in the Salar de Atacama where microbial communities are growing in extreme conditions, including high salinity, high solar insolation, and high levels of metals such as lithium, arsenic, magnesium, and calcium. Evaporation creates hypersaline conditions in these lakes and mineral precipitation is a characteristic geomicrobiological feature of these benthic ecosystems. In this study, the La Brava non-lithifying microbial mats, microbialites, and rhizome-associated concretions were compared to each other and their diversity was related to their environmental conditions. All the ecosystems revealed an unusual community where Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Acetothermia, Firmicutes and Planctomycetes were the most abundant groups, and cyanobacteria, typically an important primary producer in microbial mats, were relatively insignificant or absent. This suggests that other microorganisms, and possibly novel pathways unique to this system, are responsible for carbon fixation. Depth profiles of O2 and sulfide showed active production and respiration. The mineralogy composition was calcium carbonate (as aragonite) and increased from mats to microbialites and rhizome-associated concretions. Halite was also present. Further analyses were performed on representative microbial mats and microbialites by layer. Different taxonomic compositions were observed in the upper layers, with Archaea dominating the non-lithifying mat, and Planctomycetes the microbialite. The bottom layers were similar, with Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota and Planctomycetes as dominant phyla. Sequences related to Cyanobacteria were very scarce. These systems may contain previously uncharacterized

Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical characteristics of benthic microbial ecosystems at La Brava, a hypersaline lake at Salar de Atacama, Chile

PubMed Central

Rasuk, Maria Cecilia; Gallagher, Kimberley L.; Contreras, Manuel; Kurth, Daniel; Fernandez, Ana Beatriz; Poiré, Daniel; Novoa, Fernando; Visscher, Pieter T.

2017-01-01

Benthic microbial ecosystems of Laguna La Brava, Salar de Atacama, a high altitude hypersaline lake, were characterized in terms of bacterial and archaeal diversity, biogeochemistry, (including O2 and sulfide depth profiles and mineralogy), and physicochemical characteristics. La Brava is one of several lakes in the Salar de Atacama where microbial communities are growing in extreme conditions, including high salinity, high solar insolation, and high levels of metals such as lithium, arsenic, magnesium, and calcium. Evaporation creates hypersaline conditions in these lakes and mineral precipitation is a characteristic geomicrobiological feature of these benthic ecosystems. In this study, the La Brava non-lithifying microbial mats, microbialites, and rhizome-associated concretions were compared to each other and their diversity was related to their environmental conditions. All the ecosystems revealed an unusual community where Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Acetothermia, Firmicutes and Planctomycetes were the most abundant groups, and cyanobacteria, typically an important primary producer in microbial mats, were relatively insignificant or absent. This suggests that other microorganisms, and possibly novel pathways unique to this system, are responsible for carbon fixation. Depth profiles of O2 and sulfide showed active production and respiration. The mineralogy composition was calcium carbonate (as aragonite) and increased from mats to microbialites and rhizome-associated concretions. Halite was also present. Further analyses were performed on representative microbial mats and microbialites by layer. Different taxonomic compositions were observed in the upper layers, with Archaea dominating the non-lithifying mat, and Planctomycetes the microbialite. The bottom layers were similar, with Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota and Planctomycetes as dominant phyla. Sequences related to Cyanobacteria were very scarce. These systems may contain previously uncharacterized

Assessing ocean alkalinity for carbon sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renforth, Phil; Henderson, Gideon

2017-09-01

Over the coming century humanity may need to find reservoirs to store several trillions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from fossil fuel combustion, which would otherwise cause dangerous climate change if it were left in the atmosphere. Carbon storage in the ocean as bicarbonate ions (by increasing ocean alkalinity) has received very little attention. Yet recent work suggests sufficient capacity to sequester copious quantities of CO2. It may be possible to sequester hundreds of billions to trillions of tons of C without surpassing postindustrial average carbonate saturation states in the surface ocean. When globally distributed, the impact of elevated alkalinity is potentially small and may help ameliorate the effects of ocean acidification. However, the local impact around addition sites may be more acute but is specific to the mineral and technology. The alkalinity of the ocean increases naturally because of rock weathering in which >1.5 mol of carbon are removed from the atmosphere for every mole of magnesium or calcium dissolved from silicate minerals (e.g., wollastonite, olivine, and anorthite) and 0.5 mol for carbonate minerals (e.g., calcite and dolomite). These processes are responsible for naturally sequestering 0.5 billion tons of CO2 per year. Alkalinity is reduced in the ocean through carbonate mineral precipitation, which is almost exclusively formed from biological activity. Most of the previous work on the biological response to changes in carbonate chemistry have focused on acidifying conditions. More research is required to understand carbonate precipitation at elevated alkalinity to constrain the longevity of carbon storage. A range of technologies have been proposed to increase ocean alkalinity (accelerated weathering of limestone, enhanced weathering, electrochemical promoted weathering, and ocean liming), the cost of which may be comparable to alternative carbon sequestration proposals (e.g., $20-100 tCO2-1). There are still many

Increased CD56(bright) NK cells in HIV-HCV co-infection and HCV mono-infection are associated with distinctive alterations of their phenotype.

PubMed

Bhardwaj, Suvercha; Ahmad, Fareed; Wedemeyer, Heiner; Cornberg, Marcus; Schulze Zur Wiesch, Julian; van Lunzen, Jan; Sarin, Shiv K; Schmidt, Reinhold E; Meyer-Olson, Dirk

2016-04-18

HIV-HCV co-infection is associated with accelerated progression to hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma than HCV mono-infection. The contribution of innate immunity during HIV-HCV co-infection has been a relatively under-investigated area. Natural killer (NK) cells are pivotal sentinels of innate immunity against viruses and tumour cells. In this study we evaluated the effect of HIV-HCV co-infection on peripheral blood NK cell subsets with emphasis on the phenotype of CD56(bright) NK cells. Sixty patients were included in the study; HIV mono-infected (n = 12), HCV mono-infected (n = 15), HCV-HIV co-infected (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 16). PBMCs were isolated and immunophenotyping of NK cells was performed by flowcytometry. We observed an expansion of CD56(bright) NK cell subset in HIV-HCV co-infection as compared to healthy controls and HIV mono-infected group. All the infected groups had an upregulated expression of the activating receptor NKG2D on CD56(bright) NK cells in comparison to healthy controls while not differing amongst themselves. The expression of NKp46 in HIV-HCV co-infected group was significantly upregulated as compared to both HIV as well as HCV mono-infections while NKp30 expression in the HIV-HCV co-infected group significantly differed as compared to HIV mono-infection. The CD56(bright) NK cell subset was activated in HIV-HCV co-infection as assessed by the expression of CD69 as compared to healthy controls but was significantly downregulated in comparison to HIV mono-infection. CD95 expression on CD56(bright) NK cells followed the same pattern where there was an increased expression of CD95 in HIV mono-infection and HIV-HCV co-infection as compared to healthy controls. In contrast to CD69 expression, CD95 expression in HCV mono-infection was decreased when compared to HIV mono-infection and HIV-HCV co-infection. Finally, expression of CXCR3 on CD56(bright) NK cells was increased in HIV-HCV co-infection in comparison

Fusion of agarase and neoagarobiose hydrolase for mono-sugar production from agar.

PubMed

Alkotaini, Bassam; Han, Nam Soo; Kim, Beom Soo

2017-02-01

In enzymatic saccharification of agar, endo- and exo-agarases together with neoagarobiose hydrolase (NABH) are important key enzymes for the sequential hydrolysis reactions. In this study, a bifunctional endo/exo-agarase was fused with NABH for production of mono-sugars (D-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose) from agar using only one fusion enzyme. Two fusion enzymes with either bifunctional agarase (Sco3476) or NABH (Zg4663) at the N-terminus, Sco3476-Zg4663 (SZ) and Zg4663-Sco3476 (ZS), were constructed. Both fusion enzymes exhibited their optimal agarase and NABH activities at 40 and 35 °C, respectively. Fusions SZ and ZS enhanced the thermostability of the NABH activity, while only fusion SZ showed a slight enhancement in the NABH catalytic efficiency (K cat /K M ) from 14.8 (mg/mL) -1  s -1 to 15.8 (mg/mL) -1  s -1 . Saccharification of agar using fusion SZ resulted in 2-fold higher mono-sugar production and 3-fold lower neoagarobiose accumulation when compared to the physical mixture of Sco3476 and Zg4663. Therefore, this fusion has the potential to reduce enzyme production cost, decrease intermediate accumulation, and increase mono-sugar yield in agar saccharification.

Correlation of Late-Pleistocene Lake-Level Oscillations in Mono Lake, California, with North Atlantic Climate Events

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.V.; Lund, S.P.; Burdett, J.W.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Rose, T.P.; Smoot, J.P.; Schwartz, M.

1998-01-01

Oxygen-18 (18O) values of sediment from the Wilson Creek Formation, Mono Basin, California, indicate three scales of temporal variation (Dansgaard-Oeschger, Heinrich, and Milankovitch) in the hydrologic balance of Mono Lake between 35,400 and 12,900 14C yr B.P. During this interval, Mono Lake experienced four lowstands each lasting from 1000 to 2000 yr. The youngest low-stand, which occurred between 15,500 and 14,000 14C yr B.P., was nearly synchronous with a desiccation of Owens Lake, California. Paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) data indicate that three of four persistent lowstands occurred at the same times as Heinrich events H1, H2, and H4. 18O data indicate the two highest lake levels occurred ???18,000 and ???13,100 14C yr B.P., corresponding to passages of the mean position of the polar jet stream over the Mono Basin. Extremely low values of total inorganic carbon between 26,000 and 14,000 14C yr B.P. indicate glacial activity, corresponding to a time when summer insolation was much reduced. ?? 1998 University of Washington.

21 CFR 582.4505 - Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids. 582.4505 Section 582.4505 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Emulsifying Agents § 582.4505 Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

21 CFR 582.4505 - Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids. 582.4505 Section 582.4505 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Emulsifying Agents § 582.4505 Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

21 CFR 582.4505 - Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids. 582.4505 Section 582.4505 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Emulsifying Agents § 582.4505 Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

21 CFR 582.4505 - Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming acids. 582.4505 Section 582.4505 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION... GENERALLY RECOGNIZED AS SAFE Emulsifying Agents § 582.4505 Mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

Dust Generation Resulting from Desiccation of Playa Systems: Studies on Mono and Owens Lakes, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gill, Thomas Edward

1995-01-01

Playas, evaporites, and aeolian sediments frequently are linked components within the Earth system. Anthropogenic water diversions from terminal lakes form playas that release fugitive dust. These actions, documented worldwide, simulate aeolian processes activated during palaeoclimatic pluvial/interpluvial transitions, and have significant environmental impacts. Pluvial lakes Russell and Owens in North America's Great Basin preceded historic Mono and Owens Lakes, now desiccated by water diversions into dust-generating, evaporite -encrusted playas. Geochemical and hydrologic cycles acting on the Owens (Dry) Lake playa form three distinct crust types each year. Although initial dust production results from deflation of surface efflorescences after the playa dries, most aerosols are created by saltation abrasion of salt/silt/clay crusts at crust/ sand sheet contacts. The warm-season, clastic "cemented" crust is slowest to degrade into dust. If the playa surface is stabilized by an unbroken, non-efflorescent crust, dust formation is discouraged. When Mono Lake's surFace elevation does not exceed 1951 meters (6400 feet), similar processes will also generate dust from its saline lower playa. Six factors--related to wind, topography, groundwater, and sediments--control dust formation at both playas. These factors were combined into a statistical model relating suspended dust concentrations to playa/lake morphometry. The model shows the extent and severity of Mono Lake dust storms expands significantly below the surface level 6376 feet (1943.5 meters). X-ray diffraction analysis of Mono Basin soils, playa sediments, and aerosols demonstrates geochemical cycling of materials through land, air and water during Mono Lake's 1982 low stand. Soils and clastic playa sediments contain silicate minerals and tephra. Saline groundwater deposited calcite, halite, thenardite, gaylussite, burkeite and glauberite onto the lower playa. Aerosols contained silicate minerals (especially

Preparation of W/CuCrZr mono-block test mock-up using vacuum brazing technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premjit Singh, K.; Khirwadkar, S.; Bhope, Kedar; Patel, Nikunj; Mokaria, Prakash

2017-04-01

Development of the joining for W/CuCrZr mono-block PFC test mock-up is an interesting area in Fusion R&D. W/Cu bimetallic material has been prepared using OFHC Copper casting approach on the radial surface of W mono-block tile surface. The W/Cu bimetallic material has been joined with CuCrZr tube (heat sink) material with the vacuum brazing route. Vacuum brazing of W/Cu-CuCrZr has been performed @ 970°C for 10 min using NiCuMn-37 filler material under deep vacuum environment (10-6 mbar). Graphite fixture was used for OFHC Copper casting and vacuum brazing experiments. The joint integrity of W/Cu-CuCrZr mono-block mock-up of W/Cu and Cu-CuCrZr interface has been checked using ultrasonic immersion technique. The result of the experimental work is presented in the paper.

'Click'-xylosides as initiators of the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans: Comparison of mono-xylosides with xylobiosides.

PubMed

Chatron-Colliet, Aurore; Brusa, Charlotte; Bertin-Jung, Isabelle; Gulberti, Sandrine; Ramalanjaona, Nick; Fournel-Gigleux, Sylvie; Brézillon, Stéphane; Muzard, Murielle; Plantier-Royon, Richard; Rémond, Caroline; Wegrowski, Yanusz

2017-03-01

Different mono-xylosides and their corresponding xylobiosides obtained by a chemo-enzymatic approach featuring various substituents attached to a triazole ring were probed as priming agents for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biosynthesis in the xylosyltransferase-deficient pgsA-745 Chinese hamster ovary cell line. Xylosides containing a hydrophobic aglycone moiety were the most efficient priming agents. Mono-xylosides induced higher GAG biosynthesis in comparison with their corresponding xylobiosides. The influence of the degree of polymerization of the carbohydrate part on the priming activity was investigated through different experiments. We demonstrated that in case of mono-xylosides, the cellular uptake as well as the affinity and the catalytic efficiency of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase 7 were higher than for xylobiosides. Altogether, these results indicate that hydrophobicity of the aglycone and degree of polymerization of glycone moiety were critical factors for an optimal priming activity for GAG biosynthesis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

[A Generator of Mono-energetic Electrons for Response Test of Charged Particle Detectors.].

PubMed

Matsubayashi, Fumiyasu; Yoshida, Katsuhide; Maruyama, Koichi

2005-01-01

We designed and fabricated a generator of mono-energetic electrons for the response test of charged particle detectors, which is used to measure fragmented particles of the carbon beam for cancer therapy. Mono-energetic electrons are extracted from (90)Sr by analyzing the energy of beta rays in the generator with a magnetic field. We evaluated performance parameters of the generator such as the absolute energy, the energy resolution and the counting rates of extracted electrons. The generator supplies mono-energetic electrons from 0.5MeV to 1.7MeV with the energy resolution of 20% in FWHM at higher energies than 1.0MeV. The counting rate of electrons is 400cpm at the maximum when the activity of (90)Sr is 298kBq. The generator was used to measure responses of fragmented-particle detectors and to determine the threshold energy of the detectors. We evaluated the dependence of pulse height variation on the detector position and the threshold energy by using the generator. We concluded this generator is useful for the response test of general charged particle detectors.

In vitro quantification of the performance of model-based mono-planar and bi-planar fluoroscopy for 3D joint kinematics estimation.

PubMed

Tersi, Luca; Barré, Arnaud; Fantozzi, Silvia; Stagni, Rita

2013-03-01

Model-based mono-planar and bi-planar 3D fluoroscopy methods can quantify intact joints kinematics with performance/cost trade-off. The aim of this study was to compare the performances of mono- and bi-planar setups to a marker-based gold-standard, during dynamic phantom knee acquisitions. Absolute pose errors for in-plane parameters were lower than 0.6 mm or 0.6° for both mono- and bi-planar setups. Mono-planar setups resulted critical in quantifying the out-of-plane translation (error < 6.5 mm), and bi-planar in quantifying the rotation along bone longitudinal axis (error < 1.3°). These errors propagated to joint angles and translations differently depending on the alignment of the anatomical axes and the fluoroscopic reference frames. Internal-external rotation was the least accurate angle both with mono- (error < 4.4°) and bi-planar (error < 1.7°) setups, due to bone longitudinal symmetries. Results highlighted that accuracy for mono-planar in-plane pose parameters is comparable to bi-planar, but with halved computational costs, halved segmentation time and halved ionizing radiation dose. Bi-planar analysis better compensated for the out-of-plane uncertainty that is differently propagated to relative kinematics depending on the setup. To take its full benefits, the motion task to be investigated should be designed to maintain the joint inside the visible volume introducing constraints with respect to mono-planar analysis.

Alkaline quinone flow battery.

PubMed

Lin, Kaixiang; Chen, Qing; Gerhardt, Michael R; Tong, Liuchuan; Kim, Sang Bok; Eisenach, Louise; Valle, Alvaro W; Hardee, David; Gordon, Roy G; Aziz, Michael J; Marshak, Michael P

2015-09-25

Storage of photovoltaic and wind electricity in batteries could solve the mismatch problem between the intermittent supply of these renewable resources and variable demand. Flow batteries permit more economical long-duration discharge than solid-electrode batteries by using liquid electrolytes stored outside of the battery. We report an alkaline flow battery based on redox-active organic molecules that are composed entirely of Earth-abundant elements and are nontoxic, nonflammable, and safe for use in residential and commercial environments. The battery operates efficiently with high power density near room temperature. These results demonstrate the stability and performance of redox-active organic molecules in alkaline flow batteries, potentially enabling cost-effective stationary storage of renewable energy. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Genomic comparison between members of the Salinibacteraceae family, and description of a new species of Salinibacter (Salinibacter altiplanensis sp. nov.) isolated from high altitude hypersaline environments of the Argentinian Altiplano.

PubMed

Viver, Tomeu; Orellana, Luis; González-Torres, Pedro; Díaz, Sara; Urdiain, Mercedes; Farías, María Eugenia; Benes, Vladimir; Kaempfer, Peter; Shahinpei, Azadeh; Ali Amoozegar, Mohammad; Amann, Rudolf; Antón, Josefa; Konstantinidis, Konstantinos T; Rosselló-Móra, Ramon

2018-05-01

The application of tandem MALDI-TOF MS screening with 16S rRNA gene sequencing of selected isolates has been demonstrated to be an excellent approach for retrieving novelty from large-scale culturing. The application of such methodologies in different hypersaline samples allowed the isolation of the culture-recalcitrant Salinibacter ruber second phylotype (EHB-2) for the first time, as well as a new species recently isolated from the Argentinian Altiplano hypersaline lakes. In this study, the genome sequences of the different species of the phylum Rhodothermaeota were compared and the genetic repertoire along the evolutionary gradient was analyzed together with each intraspecific variability. Altogether, the results indicated an open pan-genome for the family Salinibacteraceae, as well as the codification of relevant traits such as diverse rhodopsin genes, CRISPR-Cas systems and spacers, and one T6SS secretion system that could give ecological advantages to an EHB-2 isolate. For the new Salinibacter species, we propose the name Salinibacter altiplanensis sp. nov. (the designated type strain is AN15 T =CECT 9105 T =IBRC-M 11031 T ). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Microbial Species Richness and Metabolic Activities in Hypersaline Microbial Mats: Insight into Biosignature Formation Through Lithification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgartner, Laura K.; Dupraz, Christophe; Buckley, Daniel H.; Spear, John R.; Pace, Norman R.; Visscher, Pieter T.

2009-11-01

Microbial mats in the hypersaline lake of Salt Pan, Eleuthera, Bahamas, display a gradient of lithification along a transect from the center to the shore of the lake. These mats exist under similar geochemical conditions, with light quantity and quality as the sole major environmental difference. Therefore, we hypothesized that the microbial community may be driving the differences in lithification and, by extension, mineral biosignature formation. The lithifying and non-lithifying mat communities were compared (via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, 485 and 464 sequences, respectively) over both temporal and spatial scales. Seven bacterial groups dominated in all the microbial mat libraries: bacteriodetes, alphaproteobacteria, deltaproetobacteria, chloroflexi, spirochaetes, cyanobacteria, and planctomycetes. The mat communities were all significantly different over space, time, and lithification state. Species richness is significantly higher in the non-lithifying mats, potentially due to differences in mat structure and activity. This increased richness may impact lithification and, hence, biosignature production.

Technetium recovery from high alkaline solution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nash, Charles A.

2016-07-12

Disclosed are methods for recovering technetium from a highly alkaline solution. The highly alkaline solution can be a liquid waste solution from a nuclear waste processing system. Methods can include combining the solution with a reductant capable of reducing technetium at the high pH of the solution and adding to or forming in the solution an adsorbent capable of adsorbing the precipitated technetium at the high pH of the solution.

Ethanol production from bamboo using mild alkaline pre-extraction followed by alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment.

PubMed

Yuan, Zhaoyang; Wen, Yangbing; Kapu, Nuwan Sella

2018-01-01

A sequential two-stage pretreatment process comprising alkaline pre-extraction and alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreatment (AHP) was investigated to convert bamboo carbohydrates into bioethanol. The results showed that mild alkaline pre-extraction using 8% (w/w) sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at 100°C for 180min followed by AHP pretreatment with 4% (w/w) hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) was sufficient to generate a substrate that could be efficiently digested with low enzyme loadings. Moreover, alkali pre-extraction enabled the use of lower H 2 O 2 charges in AHP treatment. Two-stage pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis with only 9FPU/g cellulose led to the recovery of 87% of the original sugars in the raw feedstock. The use of the pentose-hexose fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR8u strain enabled the utilization of 95.7% sugars in the hydrolysate to reach 4.6%w/v ethanol titer. The overall process also enabled the recovery of 62.9% lignin and 93.8% silica at high levels of purity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of Mono- and Dual-Victims of Cybergrooming and Cyberbullying: Evidence from Four Countries.

PubMed

Wachs, Sebastian; Whittle, Helen C; Hamilton-Giachritsis, Catherine; Wolf, Karsten D; Vazsonyi, Alexander T; Junger, Marianne

2018-02-01

Today's adolescents grow up using information and communication technologies as an integral part of their everyday life. This affords them with extensive opportunities, but also exposes them to online risks, such as cybergrooming and cyberbullying victimization. The aims of this study were to investigate correlates of cybergrooming and cyberbullying victimization and examine whether victims of both cybergrooming and cyberbullying (dual-cybervictims) show higher involvement in compulsive Internet use (CIU) and troubled offline behavior (TOB) compared to victims of either cybergrooming or cyberbullying (mono-cybervictims). The sample consisted of 2,042 Dutch, German, Thai, and U.S. adolescents (age = 11-17 years; M = 14.2; SD = 1.4). About every ninth adolescent (10.9 percent) reported either mono- or dual-cybervictimization. Second, both CIU and TOB were associated with all three types of cybervictimization, and finally, both CIU and TOB were more strongly linked to dual-cybervictimization than to both forms of mono-cybervictimization. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the associations between different forms of cybervictimization and psychological health and behavior problems among adolescents.

Calcic amphiboles in calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas: thermobarometric and chemometric empirical equations valid up to 1,130°C and 2.2 GPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ridolfi, Filippo; Renzulli, Alberto

2012-05-01

The following article presents constraints of the stability of Mg-rich (Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) > 0.5) calcic amphibole in both calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas, testing of previous thermobarometers, and formulation of new empirical equations that take into consideration a large amount of literature data (e.g. more than one thousand amphibole compositions among experimental and natural crystals). Particular care has been taken in choosing a large number of natural amphiboles and selecting quality experimental data from literature. The final database of experimental data, composed of 61 amphiboles synthesized in the ranges of 800-1,130°C and 130-2,200 MPa, indicates that amphibole crystallization occurs in a horn-like P- T stability field limited by two increasing curves (i.e. the thermal stability and an upper limit), which should start to bend back to higher pressures. Among calcic amphiboles, magnesiohornblendes and tschermakitic pargasites are only found in equilibrium with calc-alkaline melts and crystallize at relatively shallow conditions ( P up to ~1 GPa). Kaersutite and pargasite are species almost exclusively found in alkaline igneous products, while magnesiohastingsite is equally distributed in calc-alkaline and alkaline rocks. The reliability of previous amphibole applications was checked using the selected experimental database. The results of this testing indicate that none of the previous thermobarometers can be successfully used to estimate the P, T and fO2 in a wide range of amphibole crystallization conditions. Multivariate least-square analyses of experimental amphibole compositions and physico-chemical parameters allowed us to achieve a new thermobarometric model that gives reasonably low uncertainties ( T ± 23.5°C, P ± 11.5%, H2Omelt ± 0.78wt%) for calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas in a wide range of P- T conditions (up to 1,130°C and 2,200 MPa) and ΔNNO values (±0.37 log units) up to 500 MPa. The AK-[4]Al relation in amphibole can be readily

Flow dynamics in hyper-saline aquifers: hydro-geophysical monitoring and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haaken, Klaus; Piero Deidda, Gian; Cassiani, Giorgio; Deiana, Rita; Putti, Mario; Paniconi, Claudio; Scudeler, Carlotta; Kemna, Andreas

2017-03-01

Saline-freshwater interaction in porous media is a phenomenon of practical interest particularly for the management of water resources in arid and semi-arid environments, where precious freshwater resources are threatened by seawater intrusion and where storage of freshwater in saline aquifers can be a viable option. Saline-freshwater interactions are controlled by physico-chemical processes that need to be accurately modeled. This in turn requires monitoring of these systems, a non-trivial task for which spatially extensive, high-resolution non-invasive techniques can provide key information. In this paper we present the field monitoring and numerical modeling components of an approach aimed at understanding complex saline-freshwater systems. The approach is applied to a freshwater injection experiment carried out in a hyper-saline aquifer near Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). The experiment was monitored using time-lapse cross-hole electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). To investigate the flow dynamics, coupled numerical flow and transport modeling of the experiment was carried out using an advanced three-dimensional (3-D) density-driven flow-transport simulator. The simulation results were used to produce synthetic ERT inversion results to be compared against real field ERT results. This exercise demonstrates that the evolution of the freshwater bulb is strongly influenced by the system's (even mild) hydraulic heterogeneities. The example also highlights how the joint use of ERT imaging and gravity-dependent flow and transport modeling give fundamental information for this type of study.

Discomfort from an Alkaline Formulation Delivered Subcutaneously in Humans

PubMed Central

Ward, W. Kenneth; Castle, Jessica R.; Branigan, Deborah L.; Massoud, Ryan G.; Youssef, Joseph El

2013-01-01

Background and Objective There is a paucity of data regarding tolerability of alkaline drugs administered subcutaneously. The aim of this study was to assess the tolerability of alkaline preparations of human albumin delivered subcutaneously to healthy humans. Methods We compared the tolerability of neutral versus alkaline (pH 10) formulations of human albumin in ten volunteers. With an intent to minimize the time required to reach physiological pH after injection, the alkaline formulation was buffered with a low concentration of glycine (20 mmol/L). Each formulation was given at two rates: over 5 seconds and over 60 seconds. A six-point scale was used to assess discomfort. Results For slow injections, there was a significant difference between pH 7.4 and pH 10 injections (0.4 ± 0.2 vs 1.1 ± 0.2, mean ± SEM; p = 0.025), though the degree of discomfort at pH 10 injections was only ‘mild or slight’. For fast injections, the difference between neutral and alkaline formulations was of borderline significance. Inflammation and oedema, as judged by a physician, were very minimal for all injections, irrespective of pH. Conclusion For subcutaneous drug administration (especially when delivered slowly), there was more discomfort associated with alkaline versus neutral formulations of albumin, though the discomfort was mild. This study suggests that there is little discomfort and inflammation resulting from subcutaneous administration of protein drugs formulated with weak buffers at alkaline pH. PMID:22568666

Safety of an alkalinizing buffer designed for inhaled medications in humans.

PubMed

Davis, Michael D; Walsh, Brian K; Dwyer, Scott T; Combs, Casey; Vehse, Nico; Paget-Brown, Alix; Pajewski, Thomas; Hunt, John F

2013-07-01

Airway acidification plays a role in disorders of the pulmonary tract. We hypothesized that the inhalation of alkalinized glycine buffer would measurably alkalinize the airways without compromising lung function or causing adverse events. We evaluated the safety of an inhaled alkaline glycine buffer in both healthy subjects and in subjects with stable obstructive airway disease. This work includes 2 open-label safety studies. The healthy controls were part of a phase 1 safety study of multiple inhalations of low-dose alkaline glycine buffer; nebulized saline was used as a comparator in 8 of the healthy controls. Subsequently, a phase 2 study in subjects with stable obstructive airway disease was completed using a single nebulized higher-dose strategy of the alkaline inhalation. We studied 20 non-smoking adults (10 healthy controls and 10 subjects with obstructive airway disease), both at baseline and after inhalation of alkaline buffer. We used spirometry and vital signs as markers of clinical safety. We used changes in fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) pH as surrogate markers of airway pH modification. Alkaline glycine inhalation was tolerated by all subjects in both studies, with no adverse effects on spirometric parameters or vital signs. Airway alkalinization was confirmed by a median increase in EBC pH of 0.235 pH units (IQR 0.56-0.03, P = .03) in subjects after inhalation of the higher-dose alkaline buffer (2.5 mL of 100 mmol/L glycine). Alkalinization of airway lining fluid is accomplished with inhalation of alkaline glycine buffer and causes no adverse effects on pulmonary function or vital signs.

Mono-Amine Functionalized Phthalocyanines: Mwave-Assisted Solid-Phase Synthesis and Bioconjugation Strategies

PubMed Central

Erdem, S. Sibel; Nesterova, Irina V.; Soper, Steven A.; Hammer, Robert P.

2009-01-01

Phthalocyanines (Pcs) are excellent candidates for use as fluors for near-infrared (near-IR) fluorescent tagging of biomolecules for a wide variety of bioanalytical applications. Mono-functionalized Pcs, having two different types of peripheral substitutents; one for covalent conjugation of the Pc to biomolecules and others to improve the solubility of the macrocycle, ideally suit for the desired applications. To date, difficulties faced during the purification of the mono-functionalized Pcs limited their usage in various types of applications. Herein are reported a new synthetic method for rapid synthesis of the target Pcs and bioconjugation techniques for labeling of the oligonucleotides with the near-IR flours. A novel synthetic route was developed utilizing a hydrophilic, polyethylene glycol-based (PEG) support with an acid labile Rink Amide linker. The Pcs were functionalized with an amine group for covalent conjugation purposes and were decorated with short PEG chains, serving as solubilizing groups. Mwave-assisted solid-phase synthetic method was successfully applied to obtain pure asymmetrically-substituted mono-amine functionalized Pcs in a short period of time. Three different bioconjugation techniques, reductive amination, amidation and Huisgen cycloaddition, were employed for covalent conjugation of Pcs to oligonucleotides. The described μwave-assisted bioconjugation methods give an opportunity to synthesize and isolate the Pc-oligonucleotide conjugate in a few hours. PMID:19911767

Assessing the potential of Landsat 8 OLI for retrieving salinity in the hypersaline Arabian Gulf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jun; Temimi, Marouane

2016-04-01

The Arabian Gulf, located in an arid region in the Middle East, has high salinity that can exceed 43 practical salinity units (psu) due to its special conditions, such as high evaporation, low precipitation, and desalination discharge. In this study, a regional algorithm was developed to retrieve salinity using in situ measurements conducted between June 2013 and November 2014 along the western coast of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). A multivariate linear regression model using the visible bands of Operational Land Imager (OLI) was proposed and indicated good performance with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.7. The algorithm was then applied to an OLI scene, which revealed the spatial distribution of salinity over the study area. The findings are favorable for better interpretation of the complex water mass exchange between the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman through the Strait of Hormuz, validating salinity from numerical models, studying the effects of anthropogenic activities and climate change on ecosystem in the hypersaline Arabian Gulf, etc.

TMC-1 mediates alkaline sensation in C. elegans through nociceptive neurons

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiang; Li, Guang; Liu, Jie; Liu, Jianfeng; Xu, X.Z. Shawn

2016-01-01

Noxious pH triggers pungent taste and nocifensive behavior. While the mechanisms underlying acidic pH sensation has been extensively characterized, little is known about how animals sense alkaline pH in the environment. TMC genes encode a family of evolutionarily conserved membrane proteins, whose functions are largely unknown. Here, we characterize C. elegans TMC-1 which was suggested to form a Na+-sensitive channel mediating salt chemosensation. Interestingly, we find that TMC-1 is required for worms to avoid noxious alkaline environment. Alkaline pH evokes an inward current in nociceptive neurons, which is primarily mediated by TMC-1 and to a lesser extent by the TRP channel OSM-9. However, unlike OSM-9 which is sensitive to both acidic and alkaline pH, TMC-1 is only required for alkali-activated current, revealing a specificity for alkaline sensation. Ectopic expression of TMC-1 confers alkaline sensitivity to alkali-insensitive cells. Our results identify an unexpected role for TMCs in alkaline sensation and nociception. PMID:27321925

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

Dynamic Properties of the Alkaline Vesicle Population at Hippocampal Synapses

PubMed Central

Röther, Mareike; Brauner, Jan M.; Ebert, Katrin; Welzel, Oliver; Jung, Jasmin; Bauereiss, Anna; Kornhuber, Johannes; Groemer, Teja W.

2014-01-01

In compensatory endocytosis, scission of vesicles from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm is a prerequisite for intravesicular reacidification and accumulation of neurotransmitter molecules. Here, we provide time-resolved measurements of the dynamics of the alkaline vesicle population which appears upon endocytic retrieval. Using fast perfusion pH-cycling in live-cell microscopy, synapto-pHluorin expressing rat hippocampal neurons were electrically stimulated. We found that the relative size of the alkaline vesicle population depended significantly on the electrical stimulus size: With increasing number of action potentials the relative size of the alkaline vesicle population expanded. In contrast to that, increasing the stimulus frequency reduced the relative size of the population of alkaline vesicles. Measurement of the time constant for reacification and calculation of the time constant for endocytosis revealed that both time constants were variable with regard to the stimulus condition. Furthermore, we show that the dynamics of the alkaline vesicle population can be predicted by a simple mathematical model. In conclusion, here a novel methodical approach to analyze dynamic properties of alkaline vesicles is presented and validated as a convenient method for the detection of intracellular events. Using this method we show that the population of alkaline vesicles is highly dynamic and depends both on stimulus strength and frequency. Our results implicate that determination of the alkaline vesicle population size may provide new insights into the kinetics of endocytic retrieval. PMID:25079223

Alkaline β-fructofuranosidases of tuberous roots: Possible physiological function.

PubMed

Ricardo, C P

1974-12-01

Alkaline invertase of roots of carrot (Daucus carota L.) did not hydrolyze raffinose while the acid invertase from the same tissue showed with this sugar ca. 60% of the activity found with sucrose. The activity of the two invertases was inhibited by fructose to a different extent, the K i value being ca. 4×10(-2) M and 3×10(-1)M, respectively, for the alkaline and the acid invertases from the roots of both carrot and turnip (Brassica rapa L.). It is proposed that fructose inhibition of acid invertase is of no physiological significance but that, in contrast, hexoses might regulate the activity of alkaline invertase.Comparing several species and cultivars, it was found that the content of reducing sugars and the activity of alkaline invertase of mature tuberous roots showed a positive correlation. This indicates that alkaline invertase may participate in the regulation of the hexose level of the cell, as was previously suggested for sugar-cane. A scheme is presented which proposes a way of participation of alkaline invertase in such a regulation, assuming that this enzyme is located in the cytoplasm and acid invertase is membrane-bound and mainly located at the cell surface.

Overexpression of Human Bone Alkaline Phosphatase in Pichia Pastoris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karr, Laurel; Malone, Christine, C.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Pichiapastoris expression system was utilized to produce functionally active human bone alkaline phosphatase in gram quantities. Bone alkaline phosphatase is a key enzyme in bone formation and biomineralization, yet important questions about its structural chemistry and interactions with other cellular enzymes in mineralizing tissues remain unanswered. A soluble form of human bone alkaline phosphatase was constructed by deletion of the 25 amino acid hydrophobic C-terminal region of the encoding cDNA and inserted into the X-33 Pichiapastoris strain. An overexpression system was developed in shake flasks and converted to large-scale fermentation. Alkaline phosphatase was secreted into the medium to a level of 32mgAL when cultured in shake flasks. Enzyme activity was 12U/mg measured by a spectrophotometric assay. Fermentation yielded 880mgAL with enzymatic activity of 968U/mg. Gel electrophoresis analysis indicates that greater than 50% of the total protein in the fermentation is alkaline phosphatase. A purification scheme has been developed using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by hydrophobic interaction chromatography. We are currently screening crystallization conditions of the purified recombinant protein for subsequent X-ray diffraction analyses. Structural data should provide additional information on the role of alkaline phosphatase in normal bone mineralization and in certain bone mineralization anomalies.

Archaeal populations in hypersaline sediments underlying orange microbial mats in the Napoli mud volcano.

PubMed

Lazar, Cassandre Sara; L'haridon, Stéphane; Pignet, Patricia; Toffin, Laurent

2011-05-01

Microbial mats in marine cold seeps are known to be associated with ascending sulfide- and methane-rich fluids. Hence, they could be visible indicators of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and methane cycling processes in underlying sediments. The Napoli mud volcano is situated in the Olimpi Area that lies on saline deposits; from there, brine fluids migrate upward to the seafloor. Sediments associated with a brine pool and microbial orange mats of the Napoli mud volcano were recovered during the Medeco cruise. Based on analysis of RNA-derived sequences, the "active" archaeal community was composed of many uncultured lineages, such as rice cluster V or marine benthic group D. Function methyl coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) genes were affiliated with the anaerobic methanotrophic Archaea (ANME) of the ANME-1, ANME-2a, and ANME-2c groups, suggesting that AOM occurred in these sediment layers. Enrichment cultures showed the presence of viable marine methylotrophic Methanococcoides in shallow sediment layers. Thus, the archaeal community diversity seems to show that active methane cycling took place in the hypersaline microbial mat-associated sediments of the Napoli mud volcano.

Microbial weeds in hypersaline habitats: the enigma of the weed-like Haloferax mediterranei.

PubMed

Oren, Aharon; Hallsworth, John E

2014-10-01

Heterotrophic prokaryotic communities that inhabit saltern crystallizer ponds are typically dominated by two species, the archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi and the bacterium Salinibacter ruber, regardless of location. These organisms behave as 'microbial weeds' as defined by Cray et al. (Microb Biotechnol 6: 453-492, 2013) that possess the biological traits required to dominate the microbiology of these open habitats. Here, we discuss the enigma of the less abundant Haloferax mediterranei, an archaeon that grows faster than any other, comparable extreme halophile. It has a wide window for salt tolerance, can grow on simple as well as on complex substrates and degrade polymeric substances, has different modes of anaerobic growth, can accumulate storage polymers, produces gas vesicles, and excretes halocins capable of killing other Archaea. Therefore, Hfx. mediterranei is apparently more qualified as a 'microbial weed' than Haloquadratum and Salinibacter. However, the former differs because it produces carotenoid pigments only in the lower salinity range and lacks energy-generating retinal-based, light-driven ion pumps such as bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin. We discuss these observations in relation to microbial weed biology in, and the open-habitat ecology of, hypersaline systems. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Late Pleistocene eruptive history of the Mono Craters rhyolites, eastern California, from U-Th dating of explosive and effusive products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcaida, M.; Vazquez, J. A.; Calvert, A. T.; Miller, J. S.

2016-12-01

During late Pleistocene-Holocene time, repeated explosive and effusive eruptions of high-silica rhyolite magma south of Mono Lake, California, have produced a chain of massive domes known as the Mono Craters and a time-series of tephra deposits preserved in sediments of the Wilson Creek formation of ancestral Mono Lake. The record of late Holocene volcanism at Mono Craters is relatively well constrained by tephrostratigraphy and 14C dating, and the timing of late Pleistocene eruptions is similarly well constrained by tephrochronology and magnetostratigraphy of the Wilson Creek formation. However, the chronology of eruptions for the Mono Craters chain, comprising at least 28 individual domes, has thus far been based on age estimates from hydration rind dating of obsidian that is highly dependent on local calibration. We constrain the timing of late Pleistocene dome emplacement by linking independently dated Wilson Creek tephras to their dome equivalents in the Mono Craters using combined titanomagnetite geochemistry and U-Th geochronology. Ion microprobe 238U-230Th dating of unpolished allanite and zircon rims gives isochron dates of ca. 42 ka, ca. 38 ka, ca. 26 ka, and ca. 20 ka for domes 19, 24, 31 (newly recognized), and 11 of the Mono Craters, respectively. These domes are biotite-bearing rhyolites with titanomagnetites that are compositionally identical to those from several Wilson Creek tephras. Specifically, we correlate Ash 15, Ash 7, and Ash 3 of the Wilson Creek formation to domes 19, 31, and 11 of the Mono Craters, respectively, based on matching titanomagnetite compositions and indistinguishable U-Th ages. 40Ar/39Ar dating of single sanidines from domes 19 and 31 yield mean dates that are 10 k.y. older than their corresponding U-Th dates, likely due to excess argon from melt inclusions and/or incompletely re-equilibrated antecrysts. Based on our new U-Th isochron date of ca. 34 ka for allanite-zircon from Ash 8 pumice and the ca. 26-27 ka age of Ash 7

Capillary Electrophoresis of Mono- and Oligosaccharides.

PubMed

Toppazzini, Mila; Coslovi, Anna; Rossi, Marco; Flamigni, Anna; Baiutti, Edi; Campa, Cristiana

2016-01-01

This chapter reports an overview of the recent advances in the analysis of mono- and oligosaccharides by capillary electrophoresis (CE); furthermore, relevant reviews and research articles recently published in the field are tabulated. Additionally, pretreatments and procedures applied to uncharged and acidic carbohydrates (i.e., monosaccharides and lower oligosaccharides carrying carboxylate, sulfate, or phosphate groups) are described.Representative examples of such procedures are reported in detail, upon describing robust methodologies for the study of (1) neutral oligosaccharides derivatized by reductive amination and by formation of glycosylamines; (2) sialic acid derivatized with 2-aminoacridone, released from human serum immunoglobulin G; (3) anomeric couples of neutral glycosides separated using borate-based buffers; (4) unsaturated, underivatized oligosaccharides from lyase-treated alginate.

Structural requirements for the cytoprotective actions of mono-unsaturated fatty acids in the pancreatic β-cell line, BRIN-BD11

PubMed Central

Dhayal, S; Welters, H J; Morgan, N G

2008-01-01

Background and purpose: Exposure of pancreatic β-cells to long-chain free fatty acids leads to differential responses according to the chain length and degree of unsaturation. In particular, long-chain saturated molecules such as palmitate (C16:0) cause apoptosis, whereas equivalent mono-unsaturated species (for example, palmitoleate (C16:1)) are not overtly toxic. Moreover, mono-unsaturates exert a powerful cytoprotective response against a range of proapoptotic stimuli. However, the structural requirements that determine cytoprotection have not been determined and form the basis of the present study. Experimental approach: BRIN-BD11 and INS-1 β-cells were exposed either to the saturated fatty acid palmitate, or to serum withdrawal, to mediate cytotoxicity. The protective effects of a wide range of mono-unsaturated fatty acid derivatives were tested in cytotoxicity assays. Effector caspase activity was also measured and correlated with viability. Key results: The cytotoxic actions of palmitate were inhibited dose-dependently by long-chain mono-unsaturated fatty acids with a defined potency order C18:1>C16:1≫C14:1. The configuration of the double bond was also important with cis forms being more potent than trans forms. Alkylated mono-unsaturated fatty-acid derivates were also cytoprotective, although their efficacy declined as the alkyl chain length increased. Cytoprotection was achieved rapidly on addition of mono-unsaturates and correlated with a rapid and dramatic inhibition of caspase-3/7 activity in palmitate-treated cells. Conclusions and implications: The data reveal the structural requirements that dictate the cytoprotective actions of mono-unsaturated fatty acids in pancreatic β-cells. Metabolic activation is not required and the data point at the potential involvement of a fatty acid receptor in mediating cytoprotection. PMID:18297101

Diversity and stratification of archaea in a hypersaline microbial mat.

PubMed

Robertson, Charles E; Spear, John R; Harris, J Kirk; Pace, Norman R

2009-04-01

The Guerrero Negro (GN) hypersaline microbial mats have become one focus for biogeochemical studies of stratified ecosystems. The GN mats are found beneath several of a series of ponds of increasing salinity that make up a solar saltern fed from Pacific Ocean water pumped from the Laguna Ojo de Liebre near GN, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Molecular surveys of the laminated photosynthetic microbial mat below the fourth pond in the series identified an enormous diversity of bacteria in the mat, but archaea have received little attention. To determine the bulk contribution of archaeal phylotypes to the pond 4 study site, we determined the phylogenetic distribution of archaeal rRNA gene sequences in PCR libraries based on nominally universal primers. The ratios of bacterial/archaeal/eukaryotic rRNA genes, 90%/9%/1%, suggest that the archaeal contribution to the metabolic activities of the mat may be significant. To explore the distribution of archaea in the mat, sequences derived using archaeon-specific PCR primers were surveyed in 10 strata of the 6-cm-thick mat. The diversity of archaea overall was substantial albeit less than the diversity observed previously for bacteria. Archaeal diversity, mainly euryarchaeotes, was highest in the uppermost 2 to 3 mm of the mat and decreased rapidly with depth, where crenarchaeotes dominated. Only 3% of the sequences were specifically related to known organisms including methanogens. While some mat archaeal clades corresponded with known chemical gradients, others did not, which is likely explained by heretofore-unrecognized gradients. Some clades did not segregate by depth in the mat, indicating broad metabolic repertoires, undersampling, or both.

Contemporaneous eruption of calc-alkaline and alkaline lavas in a continental arc (Eastern Mexican Volcanic Belt): chemically heterogeneous but isotopically homogeneous source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco-Núñez, Gerardo; Righter, Kevin; Chesley, John; Siebert, Lee; Aranda-Gómez, José Jorge

2005-11-01

Nearly contemporaneous eruption of alkaline and calc-alkaline lavas occurred about 900 years BP from El Volcancillo paired vent, located behind the volcanic front in the Mexican Volcanic Belt (MVB). Emission of hawaiite (Toxtlacuaya) was immediately followed by calc-alkaline basalt (Río Naolinco). Hawaiites contain olivine microphenocrysts (Fo67-72), plagioclase (An56-60) phenocrysts, have 4-5 wt% MgO and 49.6-50.9 wt% SiO2. In contrast, calc-alkaline lavas contain plagioclase (An64-72) and olivine phenocrysts (Fo81-84) with spinel inclusions, and have 8-9 wt% MgO and 48.4-49.4 wt% SiO2. The most primitive lavas in the region (Río Naolinco and Cerro Colorado) are not as primitive as parental melts in other arcs, and could represent either (a) variable degrees of melting of a subduction modified, garnet-bearing depleted mantle source, followed by AFC process, or (b) melting of two distinct mantle sources followed by AFC processes. These two hypotheses are evaluated using REE, HFSE, and Sr, Os and Pb isotopic data. The Toxtlacuaya flow and the Y & I lavas can be generated by combined fractional crystallization and assimilation of gabbroic granulite, starting with a parental liquid similar to the Cerro Colorado basalt. Although calc-alkaline and alkaline magmas commonly occur together in other areas of the MVB, evidence for subduction component in El Volcancillo magmas is minimal and limited to <1%, which is a unique feature in this region further from the trench. El Volcancillo lavas were produced from two different magma batches: we surmise that the injection of calc-alkaline magma into an alkaline magma chamber triggered the eruption of hawaiites. Our results suggest that the subalkaline and hawaiitic lavas were formed by different degrees of partial melting of a similar, largely depleted mantle source, followed by later AFC processes. This model is unusual for arcs, where such diversity is usually explained by melting of heterogeneous (enriched and depleted) and

40 CFR 721.1645 - Benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methyl-, reaction products with oxirane mono[(C10-16-alkyloxy)methyl...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...-, reaction products with oxirane mono[(C10-16-alkyloxy)methyl] derivatives and 2,2,4(or 2,4,4)-trimethyl-1,6... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.1645 Benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methyl-, reaction products with oxirane...-methyl-, reaction products with oxirane mono[(C10-16-alkyloxy)methyl] derivatives and 2,2,4(or 2,4,4...

40 CFR 721.1645 - Benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methyl-, reaction products with oxirane mono[(C10-16-alkyloxy)methyl...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-, reaction products with oxirane mono[(C10-16-alkyloxy)methyl] derivatives and 2,2,4(or 2,4,4)-trimethyl-1,6... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.1645 Benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methyl-, reaction products with oxirane...-methyl-, reaction products with oxirane mono[(C10-16-alkyloxy)methyl] derivatives and 2,2,4(or 2,4,4...

Hydroxide Self-Feeding High-Temperature Alkaline Direct Formate Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Li, Yinshi; Sun, Xianda; Feng, Ying

2017-05-22

Conventionally, both the thermal degradation of the anion-exchange membrane and the requirement of additional hydroxide for fuel oxidation reaction hinder the development of the high-temperature alkaline direct liquid fuel cells. The present work addresses these two issues by reporting a polybenzimidazole-membrane-based direct formate fuel cell (DFFC). Theoretically, the cell voltage of the high-temperature alkaline DFFC can be as high as 1.45 V at 90 °C. It has been demonstrated that a proof-of-concept alkaline DFFC without adding additional hydroxide yields a peak power density of 20.9 mW cm -2 , an order of magnitude higher than both alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells and alkaline direct methanol fuel cells, mainly because the hydrolysis of formate provides enough OH - ions for formate oxidation reaction. It was also found that this hydroxide self-feeding high-temperature alkaline DFFC shows a stable 100 min constant-current discharge at 90 °C, proving the conceptual feasibility. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

When can ocean acidification impacts be detected from decadal alkalinity measurements?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, B. R.; Frölicher, T. L.; Dunne, J. P.; Rodgers, K. B.; Slater, R. D.; Sarmiento, J. L.

2016-04-01

We use a large initial condition suite of simulations (30 runs) with an Earth system model to assess the detectability of biogeochemical impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on the marine alkalinity distribution from decadally repeated hydrographic measurements such as those produced by the Global Ship-Based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP). Detection of these impacts is complicated by alkalinity changes from variability and long-term trends in freshwater and organic matter cycling and ocean circulation. In our ensemble simulation, variability in freshwater cycling generates large changes in alkalinity that obscure the changes of interest and prevent the attribution of observed alkalinity redistribution to OA. These complications from freshwater cycling can be mostly avoided through salinity normalization of alkalinity. With the salinity-normalized alkalinity, modeled OA impacts are broadly detectable in the surface of the subtropical gyres by 2030. Discrepancies between this finding and the finding of an earlier analysis suggest that these estimates are strongly sensitive to the patterns of calcium carbonate export simulated by the model. OA impacts are detectable later in the subpolar and equatorial regions due to slower responses of alkalinity to OA in these regions and greater seasonal equatorial alkalinity variability. OA impacts are detectable later at depth despite lower variability due to smaller rates of change and consistent measurement uncertainty.

Natural Oxidation of Bromide to Bromine in Evaporated Dead Sea Brines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrieli, Ittai; Golan, Rotem; Lazar, Boaz; Baer, Gidi; Zakon, Yevgeni; Ganor, Jiwchar

2016-04-01

Highly evaporated Dead Sea brines are found in isolated sinkholes along the Dead Sea. Many of these brines reach densities of over 1.3 kg/L and pH<5 and are the product of evaporation of Dead Sea brine that drain into the sinkholes. The low pH and the reddish to brownish hue of these brines were an enigma until recently. Despite the rather high total alkalinity (TA) of the Dead Sea (3.826 mmol/kg) the pH of the Dead Sea brine is known to be slightly acidic with a value of ~6.3. In comparison, seawater with the same alkalinity would have a pH value well above 8.3, meaning that H+ activity is 100 fold lower than that of Dead Sea brine. In the present work we assess the apparent dissociation constant value of boric acid (K`B) for the Dead Sea brine and use it to explain the brine's low pH value. We then show that pH decreases further as the brine evaporates and salinity increases. Finally we explain the reddish hue of the hypersaline brines in the sinkholes as due to the presence of dissolved bromine. The latter is the product of oxidation of dissolved bromide, a process that is enabled by the low pH of the hypersaline brines and their high bromide concentration.

Characterization of Human Bone Alkaline Phosphatase in Pichia Pastoris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, Christine C.; Ciszak, Eva; Karr, Laurel J.

1999-01-01

A soluble form of human bone alkaline phosphatase has been expressed in a recombinant strain of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. We constructed a plasmid containing cDNA encoding for human bone alkaline phosphatase, with the hydrophobic carboxyl terminal portion deleted. Alkaline phosphatase was secreted into the medium to a level of 32mg/L when cultured in shake flasks, and enzyme activity was 12U/mg, as measured by a spectrophotometric assay. By conversion to a fermentation system, a yield of 880mg/L has been achieved with an enzyme activity of 968U/mg. By gel electrophoresis analysis, it appears that greater than 50% of the total protein in the fermentation media is alkaline phosphatase. Although purification procedures are not yet completely optimized, they are expected to include filtration, ion exchange and affinity chromatography. Our presentation will focus on the purification and crystallization results up to the time of the conference. Structural data should provide additional information on the role of alkaline phosphatase in normal bone mineralization and in certain bone mineralization anomalies.

Contemporaneous alkaline and calc-alkaline series in Central Anatolia (Turkey): Spatio-temporal evolution of a post-collisional Quaternary basaltic volcanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogan-Kulahci, Gullu Deniz; Temel, Abidin; Gourgaud, Alain; Varol, Elif; Guillou, Hervé; Deniel, Catherine

2018-05-01

This study focuses on spatio-temporal evolution of basaltic volcanism in the Central Anatolian post-collisional Quaternary magmatic province which developed along a NE-SW orientation in Turkey. This magmatic province consists of the stratovolcanoes Erciyes (ES) and Hasandag (HS), and the basaltic volcanic fields of Obruk-Zengen (OZ) and Karapınar (KA). The investigated samples range between basic to intermediate in composition (48-56 wt% SiO2), and exhibit calc-alkaline affinity at ES whereas HS, OZ and KA are alkaline in composition. Based on new Ksbnd Ar ages and major element data, the oldest basaltic rock of ES is 1700 ± 40 ka old and exhibits alkaline character, whereas the youngest basaltic trachyandesite is 12 ± 5 ka old and calc-alkaline in composition. Most ES basaltic rocks are younger than 350 ka. All samples dated from HS are alkaline basalts, ranging from 543 ± 12 ka to 2 ± 7 ka old. With the exception of one basalt, all HS basalts are 100 ka or younger in age. Ksbnd Ar ages range from 797 ± 20 ka to 66 ± 7 ka from OZ. All the basalt samples are alkaline in character and are older than the HS alkaline basalts, with the exception of the youngest samples. The oldest and youngest basaltic samples from KA are 280 ± 7 ka and 163 ± 10 ka, respectively, and are calc-alkaline in character. Based on thermobarometric estimates samples from OZ exhibit the highest cpx-liqidus temperature and pressure. For all centers the calculated crystallization depths are between 11 and 28 km and increase from NE to SW. Multistage crystallization in magma chamber(s) located at different depths can explain this range in pressure. Harker variation diagrams coupled with least-squares mass balance calculations support fractional crystallization for ES and, to lesser extend for HS, OZ and KA. All basaltic volcanic rocks of this study are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and light rare earth elements (LREE). The lack of negative anomalies for high field

Ash production and dispersal from sustained low-intensity Mono-Inyo eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, Benjamin A.; Manga, Michael; Andrews, Benjamin

2016-08-01

Recent rhyolitic volcanism has demonstrated that prolonged low-intensity ash venting may accompany effusive dome formation. We examine the possibility and some consequences of episodes of extended, weak ash venting at the rhyolitic Mono-Inyo chain in Eastern California. We describe ash-filled cracks within one of the youngest domes, Panum Crater, which provide a textural record of ash venting during dome effusion. We use synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography to characterize the particles in these tuffisites. Particle sizes in well-sorted tuffisite layers agree well with grain size distributions observed during weak ash venting at Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, and yield approximate upper and lower bounds on gas velocity and mass flux during the formation of those layers. We simulate ash dispersal with Ash3d to assess the consequences of long-lived Mono-Inyo ash venting for ash deposition and the accompanying volcanic hazards. Our results highlight the sensitivity of large-scale outcomes of volcanic eruptions to small-scale processes.

21 CFR 582.4521 - Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. 582.4521 Section 582.4521 Food and... Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. (a) Product. Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or...

21 CFR 582.4521 - Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. 582.4521 Section 582.4521 Food and... Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. (a) Product. Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or...

21 CFR 582.4521 - Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. 582.4521 Section 582.4521 Food and... Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. (a) Product. Monosodium phosphate derivatives of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or...

Osteoblast Differentiation on Collagen Scaffold with Immobilized Alkaline Phosphatase.

PubMed

Jafary, F; Hanachi, P; Gorjipour, K

2017-01-01

In tissue engineering, scaffold characteristics play an important role in the biological interactions between cells and the scaffold. Cell adhesion, proliferation, and activation depend on material properties used for the fabrication of scaffolds. In the present investigation, we used collagen with proper characteristics including mechanically stability, biodegradability and low antigenicity. Optimization of the scaffold was done by immobilization of alkaline phosphatase on the collagen surface via cross-linking method, because this enzyme is one of the most important markers of osteoblast, which increases inorganic phosphate concentration and promote mineralization of bone formation. Alkaline phosphatase was immobilized on a collagen surface by 1-ethyl-3-(dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride, as a reagent. Then, rat mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in osteogenic medium in control and treated groups. The osteogenesis-related genes were compared between treatments (differentiated cells with immobilized alkaline phosphatase/collagen scaffold) and control groups (differentiated cells on collagen surface without alkaline phosphatase) on days 3 and 7 by quantitative real-time PCR (QIAGEN software). Several genes, including alkaline phosphatase, collagen type I and osteocalcine associated with calcium binding and mineralization, showed upregulation in expression during the first 3 days, whereas tumor necrosis factor-α, acting as an inhibitor of differentiation, was down-regulated during osteogenesis. Collagen scaffold with immobilized alkaline phosphatase can be utilized as a good candidate for enhancing the differentiation of osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cells.

Structural Analysis of Alkaline β-Mannanase from Alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5: Implications for Adaptation to Alkaline Conditions

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yueju; Zhang, Yunhua; Cao, Yang; Qi, Jianxun; Mao, Liangwei; Xue, Yanfen; Gao, Feng; Peng, Hao; Wang, Xiaowei; Gao, George F.; Ma, Yanhe

2011-01-01

Significant progress has been made in isolating novel alkaline β-mannanases, however, there is a paucity of information concerning the structural basis for alkaline tolerance displayed by these β-mannanases. We report the catalytic domain structure of an industrially important β-mannanase from the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. N16-5 (BSP165 MAN) at a resolution of 1.6 Å. This enzyme, classified into subfamily 8 in glycosyl hydrolase family 5 (GH5), has a pH optimum of enzymatic activity at pH 9.5 and folds into a classic (β/α)8-barrel. In order to gain insight into molecular features for alkaline adaptation, we compared BSP165 MAN with previously reported GH5 β-mannanases. It was revealed that BSP165 MAN and other subfamily 8 β-mannanases have significantly increased hydrophobic and Arg residues content and decreased polar residues, comparing to β-mannanases of subfamily 7 or 10 in GH5 which display optimum activities at lower pH. Further, extensive structural comparisons show alkaline β-mannanases possess a set of distinctive features. Position and length of some helices, strands and loops of the TIM barrel structures are changed, which contributes, to a certain degree, to the distinctly different shaped (β/α)8-barrels, thus affecting the catalytic environment of these enzymes. The number of negatively charged residues is increased on the molecular surface, and fewer polar residues are exposed to the solvent. Two amino acid substitutions in the vicinity of the acid/base catalyst were proposed to be possibly responsible for the variation in pH optimum of these homologous enzymes in subfamily 8 of GH5, identified by sequence homology analysis and pK a calculations of the active site residues. Mutational analysis has proved that Gln91 and Glu226 are important for BSP165 MAN to function at high pH. These findings are proposed to be possible factors implicated in the alkaline adaptation of GH5 β-mannanases and will help to further understanding of alkaline

Anti-inflammatory agents and monoHER protect against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and accumulation of CML in mice

PubMed Central

Bruynzeel, A M E; Abou El Hassan, M A; Schalkwijk, C; Berkhof, J; Bast, A; Niessen, H W M; van der Vijgh, W J F

2007-01-01

Cardiac damage is the major limiting factor for the clinical use of doxorubicin (DOX). Preclinical studies indicate that inflammatory effects may be involved in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Nɛ-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) is suggested to be generated subsequent to oxidative stress, including inflammation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether CML increased in the heart after DOX and whether anti-inflammatory agents reduced this effect in addition to their possible protection on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. These effects were compared with those of the potential cardioprotector 7-monohydroxyethylrutoside (monoHER). BALB/c mice were treated with saline, DOX alone or DOX preceded by ketoprofen (KP), dexamethasone (DEX) or monoHER. Cardiac damage was evaluated according to Billingham. Nɛ-(carboxymethyl) lysine was quantified immunohistochemically. Compared to saline, a 21.6-fold increase of damaged cardiomyocytes was observed in mice treated with DOX (P<0.001). Addition of KP, DEX or monoHER before DOX significantly reduced the mean ratio of abnormal cardiomyocytes in comparison to mice treated with DOX alone (P⩽0.02). In addition, DOX induced a significant increase in the number of CML-stained intramyocardial vessels per mm2 (P=0.001) and also in the intensity of CML staining (P=0.001) compared with the saline-treated group. Nɛ-(carboxymethyl) lysine positivity was significantly reduced (P⩽0.01) by DOX-DEX, DOX-KP and DOX-monoHER. These results confirm that inflammation plays a role in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity, which is strengthened by the observed DOX-induced accumulation of CML, which can be reduced by anti-inflammatory agents and monoHER. PMID:17325706

Photo-modulation of the spin Hall conductivity of mono-layer transition metal dichalcogenides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sengupta, Parijat; Bellotti, Enrico

2016-05-23

We report on a possible optical tuning of the spin Hall conductivity in mono-layer transition metal dichalcogenides. Light beams of frequencies much higher than the energy scale of the system (the off-resonant condition) do not excite electrons but rearrange the band structure. The rearrangement is quantitatively established using the Floquet formalism. For such a system of mono-layer transition metal dichalcogenides, the spin Hall conductivity (calculated with the Kubo expression in presence of disorder) exhibits a drop at higher frequencies and lower intensities. Finally, we compare the spin Hall conductivity of the higher spin-orbit coupled WSe{sub 2} to MoS{sub 2}; themore » spin Hall conductivity of WSe{sub 2} was found to be larger.« less

VSL#3 probiotic upregulates intestinal mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase and reduces inflammation.

PubMed

Soo, I; Madsen, K L; Tejpar, Q; Sydora, B C; Sherbaniuk, R; Cinque, B; Di Marzio, L; Cifone, M Grazia; Desimone, C; Fedorak, R N

2008-03-01

Alkaline sphingomyelinase, an enzyme found exclusively in bile and the intestinal brush border, hydrolyzes sphingomyelin into ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate, thereby inducing epithelial apoptosis. Reduced levels of alkaline sphingomyelinase have been found in premalignant and malignant intestinal epithelia and in ulcerative colitis tissue. Probiotic bacteria can be a source of sphingomyelinase. To determine the effect of VSL#3 probiotic therapy on mucosal levels of alkaline sphingomyelinase, both in a mouse model of colitis and in patients with ulcerative colitis. Interleukin-10 gene-deficient (IL10KO) and wild type control mice were treated with VSL#3 (10(9) colony-forming units per day) for three weeks, after which alkaline sphingomyelinase activity was measured in ileal and colonic tissue. As well, 15 patients with ulcerative colitis were treated with VSL#3 (900 billion bacteria two times per day for five weeks). Alkaline sphingomyelinase activity was measured through biopsies and comparison of ulcerative colitis disease activity index scores obtained before and after treatment. Lowered alkaline sphingomyelinase levels were seen in the colon (P=0.02) and ileum (P=0.04) of IL10KO mice, as compared with controls. Treatment of these mice with VSL#3 resulted in upregulation of mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity in both the colon (P=0.04) and the ileum (P=0.01). VSL#3 treatment of human patients who had ulcerative colitis decreased mean (+/- SEM) ulcerative colitis disease activity index scores from 5.3+/-1.8946 to 0.70+/-0.34 (P=0.02) and increased mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity. Mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity is reduced in the intestine of IL10KO mice with colitis and in humans with ulcerative colitis. VSL#3 probiotic therapy upregulates mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity.

Alkaline nanoparticle coatings improve resin bonding of 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate-conditioned zirconia.

PubMed

Qian, Mengke; Lu, Zhicen; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Huaiqin; Xie, Haifeng

Creating an alkaline environment prior to 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate (MDP) conditioning improves the resin bonding of zirconia. The present study evaluated the effects of four alkaline coatings with different water solubilities and pH values on resin bonding of MDP-conditioned zirconia. Two alkaline nanoparticle coatings were studied in particular. Thermodynamics calculations were performed to evaluate the strengths of MDP-tetragonal phase zirconia chemical bonds at different pH values. Zirconia surfaces with and without alkaline coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM)/energy dispersive spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; alkaline coatings included NaOH, Ca(OH) 2 , nano-MgO, and nano-Zr(OH) 4 . A shear bond strength (SBS) test was performed to evaluate the effects of the four alkaline coatings on bonding; the alkaline coatings were applied to the surfaces prior to conditioning the zirconia with MDP-containing primers. Gibbs free energies of the MDP-tetragonal zirconia crystal model coordination reaction in different pH environments were -583.892 (NaOH), -569.048 [Ca(OH) 2 ], -547.393 (MgO), and -530.279 kJ/mol [Zr(OH) 4 ]. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the alkaline coatings improved bonding in the following order: NaOH > Ca(OH) 2 > MgO > Zr(OH) 4 . Statistical analysis of SBS tests showed a different result. SBSs were significantly different in groups that had different alkaline coatings, but it was not influenced by different primers. All four alkaline coatings increased SBS compared to control groups. Of the four coatings, nano-Zr(OH) 4 and -MgO showed higher SBS. Therefore, preparing nano-Zr(OH) 4 or -MgO coatings prior to conditioning with MDP-containing primers may potentially improve resin bonding of zirconia in the clinic.

Alkaline nanoparticle coatings improve resin bonding of 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate-conditioned zirconia

PubMed Central

Qian, Mengke; Lu, Zhicen; Chen, Chen; Zhang, Huaiqin; Xie, Haifeng

2016-01-01

Creating an alkaline environment prior to 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogenphosphate (MDP) conditioning improves the resin bonding of zirconia. The present study evaluated the effects of four alkaline coatings with different water solubilities and pH values on resin bonding of MDP-conditioned zirconia. Two alkaline nanoparticle coatings were studied in particular. Thermodynamics calculations were performed to evaluate the strengths of MDP-tetragonal phase zirconia chemical bonds at different pH values. Zirconia surfaces with and without alkaline coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM)/energy dispersive spectrometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; alkaline coatings included NaOH, Ca(OH)2, nano-MgO, and nano-Zr(OH)4. A shear bond strength (SBS) test was performed to evaluate the effects of the four alkaline coatings on bonding; the alkaline coatings were applied to the surfaces prior to conditioning the zirconia with MDP-containing primers. Gibbs free energies of the MDP-tetragonal zirconia crystal model coordination reaction in different pH environments were −583.892 (NaOH), −569.048 [Ca(OH)2], −547.393 (MgO), and −530.279 kJ/mol [Zr(OH)4]. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the alkaline coatings improved bonding in the following order: NaOH > Ca(OH)2 > MgO > Zr(OH)4. Statistical analysis of SBS tests showed a different result. SBSs were significantly different in groups that had different alkaline coatings, but it was not influenced by different primers. All four alkaline coatings increased SBS compared to control groups. Of the four coatings, nano-Zr(OH)4 and -MgO showed higher SBS. Therefore, preparing nano-Zr(OH)4 or -MgO coatings prior to conditioning with MDP-containing primers may potentially improve resin bonding of zirconia in the clinic. PMID:27785013

Pairing preferences of the model mono-valence mono-atomic ions investigated by molecular simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Qiang; Department of Chemistry, Bohai University, Jinzhou 121000; Zhang, Ruiting

2014-05-14

We carried out a series of potential of mean force calculations to study the pairing preferences of a series of model mono-atomic 1:1 ions with evenly varied sizes. The probabilities of forming the contact ion pair (CIP) and the single water separate ion pair (SIP) were presented in the two-dimensional plots with respect to the ion sizes. The pairing preferences reflected in these plots largely agree with the empirical rule of matching ion sizes in the small and big size regions. In the region that the ion sizes are close to the size of the water molecule; however, a significantmore » deviation from this conventional rule is observed. Our further analysis indicated that this deviation originates from the competition between CIP and the water bridging SIP state. The competition is mainly an enthalpy modulated phenomenon in which the existing of the water bridging plays a significant role.« less

IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethylene Glycol Mono-Butyl ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA released the draft report, Toxicological Review for Ethylene Glycol Mono-Butyl Ether , that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the IRIS Assessment Development Process. Comments received from other Federal agencies and White House Offices are provided below with external peer review panel comments. EPA is conducting a peer review of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of EGBE that will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database.

Biosynthesis and Degradation of Mono-, Oligo-, and Polysaccharides: Introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Iain B. H.

Glycomolecules, whether they be mono-, oligo-, or polysaccharides or simple glycosides, are—as any biological molecules—the products of biosynthetic processes; on the other hand, at the end of their lifespan, they are also subject to degradation. The beginning point, biochemically, is the fixation of carbon by photosynthesis; subsequent metabolism in plants and other organisms results in the generation of the various monosaccharides. These must be activated—typically as nucleotide sugars or lipid-phosphosugars—before transfer by glycosyltransferases can take place in order to produce the wide variety of oligo- and polysaccharides seen in Nature; complicated remodelling processes may take place—depending on the pathway—which result in partial trimming of a precursor by glycosidases prior to the addition of further monosaccharide units. Upon completion of the 'life' of a glycoconjugate, glycosidases will degrade the macromolecule finally into monosaccharide units which can be metabolized or salvaged for incorporation into new glycan chains. In modern glycoscience, a wide variety of methods—genetic, biochemical, analytical—are being employed in order to understand these various pathways and to place them within their biological and medical context. In this chapter, these processes and relevant concepts and methods are introduced, prior to elaboration in the subsequent more specialized chapters on biosynthesis and degradation of mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides.

Low-heat, mild alkaline pretreatment of switchgrass for anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Jin, Guang; Bierma, Tom; Walker, Paul M

2014-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of alkaline pretreatment under mild heat conditions (100°C or 212°F) on the anaerobic co-digestion of switchgrass. The effects of alkaline concentration, types of alkaline, heating time and rinsing were evaluated. In addition to batch studies, continuous-feed studies were performed in triplicate to identify potential digester operational problems caused by switchgrass co-digestion while accounting for uncertainty due to digester variability. Few studies have examined anaerobic digestion of switchgrass or the effects of mild heating to enhance alkaline pretreatment prior to biomass digestion. Results indicate that pretreatment can significantly enhance digestion of coarse-ground (≤ 0.78 cm particle size) switchgrass. Energy conversion efficiency as high as 63% was observed, and was comparable or superior to fine-grinding as a pretreatment method. The optimal NaOH concentration was found to be 5.5% (wt/wt alkaline/biomass) with a 91.7% moisture level. No evidence of operational problems such as solids build-up, poor mixing, or floating materials were observed. These results suggest the use of waste heat from a generator could reduce the concentration of alkaline required to adequately pretreat lignocellulosic feedstock prior to anaerobic digestion.

Cation exchange properties of zeolites in hyper alkaline aqueous media.

PubMed

Van Tendeloo, Leen; de Blochouse, Benny; Dom, Dirk; Vancluysen, Jacqueline; Snellings, Ruben; Martens, Johan A; Kirschhock, Christine E A; Maes, André; Breynaert, Eric

2015-02-03

Construction of multibarrier concrete based waste disposal sites and management of alkaline mine drainage water requires cation exchangers combining excellent sorption properties with a high stability and predictable performance in hyper alkaline media. Though highly selective organic cation exchange resins have been developed for most pollutants, they can serve as a growth medium for bacterial proliferation, impairing their long-term stability and introducing unpredictable parameters into the evolution of the system. Zeolites represent a family of inorganic cation exchangers, which naturally occur in hyper alkaline conditions and cannot serve as an electron donor or carbon source for microbial proliferation. Despite their successful application as industrial cation exchangers under near neutral conditions, their performance in hyper alkaline, saline water remains highly undocumented. Using Cs(+) as a benchmark element, this study aims to assess the long-term cation exchange performance of zeolites in concrete derived aqueous solutions. Comparison of their exchange properties in alkaline media with data obtained in near neutral solutions demonstrated that the cation exchange selectivity remains unaffected by the increased hydroxyl concentration; the cation exchange capacity did however show an unexpected increase in hyper alkaline media.

Spirochaeta Americana sp. Nov., A New Haloalkaliphilic, Obligately Anaerobic Spirochaete Isolated from Soda Mona Lake in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoover, Richard B.; Pikuta, Elena V.; Bej, Asim K.; Marsic, Damien; Whitman, William B.; Tang, Jane; Krader, Paul

2003-01-01

A novel, obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, haloalkaliphilic spirochaete, strain ASpG1(sup T), was isolated from sediments of the alkaline, hypersaline Mono Lake in California, USA. Cells of the Gram-negative strain were motile and spirochaete-shaped with sizes of 0.2-0.22 x 8-18 microns. Growth of the strain was observed between 10 and 44 C (optimum 37 C), in 2-12% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3 % NaCl) and between pH 8 and 10.5 (optimum pH 9.5). The novel strain was strictly alkaliphilic, required high concentrations of carbonates in the medium and was capable of utilizing D-glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose, starch and D-mannitol. End products of glucose fermentation were H2, acetate, ethanol and formate. Strain ASpG1(sup T) was resistant to kanamycin and rifampicin, but sensitive to gentamicin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. The G + C content of its DNA was 58.5 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization analysis of strain ASpG1(sup T) with its most closely related species, Spirochaeta alkalica Z-7491(sup T) revealed a hybridization value of only 48.7 %. On the basis of its physiological and molecular properties, strain ASpG1(sup T) appears to represent a novel species of the genus Spirochaeta, for which the name Spirochaeta americana is proposed (type strain ASpG1(sup T) = ATCC 13AA-392(sup T) = DSM 14872(sup T)).

Sulfide as a Chemoautotrophic Electron Donor for Dissimilatory Arsenate Reduction in Mono Lake, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoeft, S. E.; Kulp, T. R.; Stolz, J. S.; Oremland, R. S.

2003-12-01

In aqueous systems, arsenic occurs as arsenate [As(V)] or as arsenite [As(III)], with the latter form being more toxic and mobile. Mono Lake, California is a meromictic soda lake (pH = 9.8; salinity = 70-90 g/L) with exceptionally high arsenic content ( ˜200 μ M), a consequence of hydrothermal inputs combined with evaporative concentration. Previous work has shown that arsenic speciation changes from As(V) to the more reduced As(III) with vertical transition from the lake's surface oxic waters to its unmixed, anoxic bottom waters and that dissimilatory reduction is responsible for the observed change in arsenic speciation. Rates of in situ dissimilatory As(V) reduction measured by radiotracer ( ˜1- 6 μ mol/L/d) were estimated to be significant enough to mineralize up to 14% of annual primary productivity. Subsequent lab-based investigations with As(V)-amended ( ˜1-2 mM) bottom water displayed significantly higher rates (150-260 μ mol/L/d) of As(V) reduction and were not limited by the availability of organic electron donors such as acetate, lactate, malate and glucose. The focus of this study was to identify a natural source of electrons for As(V) reduction in Mono Lake. While Mono Lake contains plentiful dissolved organic carbon ( ˜7 mM) this material is usually refractory and resistant to bacterial oxidation. Alternatively, the anoxic bottom waters contain high concentrations of sulfide ions ( ˜1-2 mM) that could potentially serve as an electron donor for dissimilatory As(V) reduction. In a time course experiment with As(V)-amended Mono Lake bottom water, we observed oxidation of sulfide linked to the reduction of As(V) to As(III). This reaction did not occur in filter sterilized controls and sulfide loss did not occur in samples lacking As(V). In bottom water amended with additional sulfide (total = 6 mM) and As(V), we observed a linear relationship between rates of dissimilatory As(V) reduction and As(V) concentration. The highest rate observed under

[Improvement of symptoms in mild hyperthyroidism with an extract of Lycopus europaeus (Thyreogutt® mono)].

PubMed

Eiling, Rudolf; Wieland, Veronika; Niestroj, Michael

2013-02-01

Extracts of Lycopus europaeus are used clinically for the control of vegetative and irritative symptoms in mild hyperthyroidism. This study assessed the effects and safety of an extract of Lycopus europaeus (Thyreogutt® mono tablets or drops) in a general practice setting. The study was conducted as an open post-marketing surveillance study consisting of three cohorts, i.e. a prolective assessment in patients receiving Thyreogutt® mono for 4 weeks, a retrolective documentation of data from patients who had received at least one course (4 weeks) of Thyreogutt® mono therapy during the previous 2 years, and a control cohort receiving no drug treatment. Assessments comprised symptoms of mild hyperthyroidism, laboratory tests of thyroid function and adverse events surveillance. Response was defined as normal thyroid hormone values at the end of therapy or a reduction of at least 20% in the number of symptoms after treatment. Responder rates were calculated. Four hundred and three patients with mild symptomatic hyperthyroidism were observed. The prolective assessment included 146 patients, the retrolective assessment 171 patients, and the control cohort 86 untreated patients. The responder rate was 72.6% in the prolective assessment and 96.5% in the retrolective assessment whereas the responder rate in the untreated control cohort amounted to 41.2%. No adverse events were reported. The extract of Lycopus europaeus was well tolerated and associated with a statistically significant and clinically relevant improvement of the symptoms in mild hyperthyroidism. The improvement was markedly better in both Thyreogutt® mono cohorts than in the control cohort.

A macro-enzyme cause of an isolated increase of alkaline phosphatase.

PubMed

Cervinski, Mark A; Lee, Hong Kee; Martin, Isabella W; Gavrilov, Dimitar K

2015-02-02

Macroenzyme complexes of serum enzymes and antibody can increase the circulating enzymatic activity and may lead to unnecessary additional testing and procedures. Laboratory physicians and scientists need to be aware of techniques to identify macroenzyme complexes when suspected. To investigate the possibility of a macro-alkaline phosphatase in the serum of a 74 year old male with persistently increased alkaline phosphatase we coupled a protein A/G agarose affinity chromatography technique with isoenzyme electrophoresis to look for the presence of macro-alkaline phosphatase. The majority of the alkaline phosphatase activity in the patient's serum sample was bound to the column and only a minor fraction (25%) of alkaline phosphatase activity was present in the column flow-through. The alkaline phosphatase activity was also found to co-elute with the immunoglobulins in the patient sample. The alkaline phosphatase activity in a control serum sample concurrently treated in the same manner did not bind to the column and was found in the column flow-through. The use of protein A/G agarose affinity chromatography is a rapid and simple method that can be applied to the investigation of other macro-enzyme complexes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mono- and multimeric ferrocene congeners of quinoline-based polyamines as potential antiparasitics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A series of mono- and multimeric polyamine-containing ferrocenyl complexes bearing a quinoline motif were prepared. The complexes were characterised by standard techniques. The molecular structure of the monomeric salicylaldimine derivative was elucidated using single crystal X-ray diffraction and w...

Alkalinity-salinity relationship in the Chesapeake Bay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cintrón Del Valle, S. M.; Najjar, R.; Herrmann, M.; Goldberger, S.; Stets, E.

2016-12-01

Estuaries are a significant source of atmospheric CO2, a major greenhouse gas. However, it is not known whether the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, is a source or sink of CO2. Extensive pH measurements in the Bay offer the possibility of estimating the air-water CO2 flux if robust relationships between alkalinity, the acid neutralizing capacity of a water body, and salinity can be established. Here we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the alkalinity-salinity relationship in the Chesapeake Bay based on more than 18,000 alkalinity measurements made between 1985 and 2015. It was found that seven segments of the Bay could be grouped into three different linear functions, suggesting that alkalinity is conserved in the Bay and has properties that change depending on the freshwater endmember (the riverine source). The highest freshwater endmember was 1.21 mol m-3 for the Potomac River, the lowest one was 0.41 mol m-3 for the York and Rappahannock Rivers, and an intermediate freshwater endmember was 0.79 mol m-3 for the remaining four segments. For some segments, most notably the Potomac River, the scatter of the data increases with decreasing salinity, which is due, in part, to seasonal and interannual variations in the freshwater endmember.

Alkaline Activator Impact on the Geopolymer Binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Błaszczyński, Tomasz Z.; Król, Maciej R.

2017-10-01

Concrete structures are constantly moving in the direction of improving the durability. Durability depends on many factors, which are the composition of concrete mix, the usage of additives and admixtures and the place, where material will work and carry the load. The introduction of new geopolymer binders for geopolymer structures adds a new aspect that is type of used activator. This substance with strongly alkaline reaction is divided because of the physical state, the alkaline degree and above all the chemical composition. Taking into account, that at present the geopolymer binders are made essentially from waste materials or by-products from the combustion of coal or iron ore smelting, unambiguous determination of the effect of the activator on the properties of the geopolymer material requires a number of trials, researches and observation. This paper shows the influence of the most alkaline activators on the basic parameters of the durability of geopolymer binders. In this study there were used highly alkaline hydroxides, water glasses and granules, which are waste materials in a variety of processes taking place in chemical plants. As the substrate of geopolymer binders there were used fly ash which came from coal and high calcareous ash from the burning of lignite.

Probing lysine mono-methylation in histone H3 tail peptides with an abiotic receptor coupled to a non-plasmonic resonator.

PubMed

Bontempi, N; Biavardi, E; Bordiga, D; Candiani, G; Alessandri, I; Bergese, P; Dalcanale, E

2017-06-29

Binder and effector molecules that allow studying and manipulating epigenetic processes are of biological relevance and pose severe technical challenges. We report the first example of a synthetic receptor able to recognize mono-methylated lysines in a histone H3 tail peptide, which has relevant functions in epigenetic regulation. Recognition is robust and specific regardless of the position and the number of mono-methylated lysines along the polypeptide chain. The peptide is first captured in solution by a tetraphosphonate cavitand (Tiiii) that selectively binds its Lys-NMe + moieties. Separation from solution and detection of the peptide-Tiiii complexes is then enabled in one single step by an all dielectric SiO 2 -TiO 2 core-shell resonator (T-rex), which captures the complex and operates fully reproducible signal transduction by non-plasmonic surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) without degrading the complex. The realized abiotic probe is able to distinguish multiple mono-methylated peptides from the single mono-methylated ones.

A method for making an alkaline battery electrode plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chida, K.; Ezaki, T.

1983-01-01

A method is described for making an alkaline battery electrode plate where the desired active substances are filled into a nickel foam substrate. In this substrate an electrolytic oxidation reduction occurs in an alkaline solution containing lithium hydroxide.

Elevated serum level of human alkaline phosphatase in obesity.

PubMed

Khan, Abdul Rehman; Awan, Fazli Rabbi; Najam, Syeda Sadia; Islam, Mehboob; Siddique, Tehmina; Zain, Maryam

2015-11-01

To investigate a correlation between serum alkaline phosphatase level and body mass index in human subjects. The comparative cross-sectional study was carried out at the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad, Pakistan, from April 2012 to June 2013. Blood serum alkaline phosphatase levels were estimated and the subjects were divided into three sub-groups on the basis of their body mass. normal weight (<25kg/m2), overweight (25-27kg/m2) and obese (>27kg/m2) subjects. The serum samples were used for the estimation of clinically important biochemical parameters, using commercial kits on clinical chemistry analyser. Of the 197 subjects, 97(49%) were obese and 100(51%) were non-obese. The serum alkaline phosphatase level increased in obese (214±6.4 IU/L) compared to the non-obese subjects (184.5±5 IU/L). Furthermore, a significant linear relationship (r=0.3;p-0.0001) was found between serum alkaline phosphatase and body mass index. Other biochemical variables were not correlated to the body mass index. Over activity and higher amounts of alkaline phosphatase were linked to the development of obesity.

Diel Metagenomics and Metatranscriptomics of Elkhorn Slough Hypersaline Microbial Mat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Detweiler, A. M.; Everroad, R. C.; Bebout, L. E.; Weber, P. K.; Pett-Ridge, J.; Bebout, B.

2014-12-01

To understand the variation in gene expression associated with the daytime oxygenic phototrophic and nighttime fermentation regimes seen in hypersaline microbial mats, a contiguous mat piece was subjected to sampling at regular intervals over a 24-hour diel period. Additionally, to understand the impact of sulfate reduction on biohydrogen consumption, molybdate was added to a parallel experiment in the same run. 4 metagenome and 12 metatranscriptome Illumina HiSeq lanes were completed over day / night, and control / molybdate experiments. Preliminary comparative examination of noon and midnight metatranscriptomic samples mapped using bowtie2 to reference genomes has revealed several notable results about the dominant mat-building cyanobacterium Microcoleus chthonoplastes PCC 7420. Dominant cyanobacterium M. chthonoplastes PCC 7420 shows expression in several pathways for nitrogen scavenging, including nitrogen fixation. Reads mapped to M. chthonoplastes PCC 7420 shows expression of two starch storage and utilization pathways, one as a starch-trehalose-maltose-glucose pathway, another through UDP-glucose-cellulose-β-1,4 glucan-glucose pathway. The overall trend of gene expression was primarily light driven up-regulation followed by down-regulation in dark, while much of the remaining expression profile appears to be constitutive. Co-assembly of quality-controlled reads from 4 metagenomes was performed using Ray Meta with progressively smaller K-mer sizes, with bins identified and filtered using principal component analysis of coverages from all libraries and a %GC filter, followed by reassembly of the remaining co-assembly reads and binned reads. Despite having relatively similar abundance profiles in each metagenome, this binning approach was able to distinctly resolve bins from dominant taxa, but also sulfate reducing bacteria that are desired for understanding molybdate inhibition. Bins generated from this iterative assembly process will be used for downstream

Polyvinyl alcohol battery separator containing inert filler. [alkaline batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheibley, D. W.; Hsu, L. C.; Manzo, M. A. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol battery separator is disclosed. A particulate filler, inert to alkaline electrolyte of an alkaline battery, is incorporated in the separator in an amount of 1-20% by weight, based on the weight of the polyvinyl alcohol, and is dispersed throughout the product. Incorporation of the filler enhances performance and increases cycle life of alkaline batteries when compared with batteries containing a similar separator not containing filler. Suitable fillers include titanates, silicates, zirconates, aluminates, wood floor, lignin, and titania. Particle size is not greater than about 50 microns.

Pulsed electromagnetic field affects intrinsic and endoplasmatic reticulum apoptosis induction pathways in MonoMac6 cell line culture.

PubMed

Kaszuba-Zwoinska, J; Chorobik, P; Juszczak, K; Zaraska, W; Thor, P J

2012-10-01

Current studies were aimed to elucidate influence of pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation on cell viability and apoptosis induction pathways. For the experimental model we have chosen monocytic cell line MonoMac6 and several apoptosis inducers with different mechanism of death induction like puromycin, colchicine, cyclophosphamide, minocycline and hydrogen peroxide. MonoMac6 cell line was grown at density 1x10(5) cells/well in 96-well culture plates. To induce cell death cell cultures were treated with different apoptosis inducers like puromycin, colchicine, cyclophosphamide, minocycline, hydrogen peroxide and at the same time with pulsed electromagnetic field 50 Hz, 45±5 mT (PEMF) for 4 hour per each stimulation, three times, in 24 hours intervals. Afterwards, cells were harvested for flow cytometry analysis of cell viability measured by annexin V-APC labeled and propidium iodide staining. Expression of apoptosis related genes was evaluated by semi quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay. NuPAGE Novex Western blot analysis was carried out for apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) abundance in cytosolic and nuclear extracts of MonoMac6 cells. Puromycin, colchicine and minocycline activated cells and simultaneously treated with PEMF have shown out diminished percentage of annexinV positive (AnV+) cells comparing to controls without PEMF stimulation. MonaMac6 cells puromycin/colchicyne and PEMF treated were to a higher extent double stained (AnV+,PI+), which means increased late apoptotic as well as necrotic (PI+) cells, than non-stimulated controls. On the other hand, minocycline activated cells prior to PEMF treatment showed diminished amount of apoptotic and necrotic (annexin V, annexin V and propidium iodide, propidium iodide positive staining) cells. The opposite effect of PEMF on the percentage of annexin V positively stained cells has been achieved after treatment of MonoMac6 culture with cyclophoshamide and hydrogen peroxide. PEMF enhanced early

A Tephra Database With an Intelligent Correlation System, Mono-Inyo Volcanic Chain, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bursik, M.; Rogova, G.

2004-12-01

We are assembling a web-accessible, relational database of information on past eruptions of the Mono-Inyo volcanic chain, eastern California. The PostgreSQL database structure follows the North American Data Model and CordLink. The database allows us to extract the features diagnostic of particular pyroclastic layers, as well as lava domes and flows. The features include depth in the section, layer thickness and internal stratigraphy, mineral assemblage, major and trace element composition, tephra componentry and granulometry, and radiocarbon age. Our working hypotheses are that 1) the database will prove useful for unraveling the complex recent volcanic history of the Mono-Inyo chain 2) aided by the use of an intelligent correlation system integrated into the database system. The Mono-Inyo chain consists of domes, craters and flows that stretch for 50 km north-south, subparallel to the Sierran range front fault system. Almost all eruptions within the chain probably occurred less than 50,000 years ago. Because of the variety of magma and eruption types, and the migration of source regions in time and space, it is nontrivial to discern patterns of behaviour. We have explored the use of multiple artificial neural networks combined within the framework of the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence to construct a hybrid information processing system as an aid in the correlation of Mono-Inyo pyroclastic layers. It is hoped that such a system could provide information useful to discerning eruptive patterns that would otherwise be difficult to sort and categorize. In a test case on tephra layers at known sites, the intelligent correlation system was able to categorize observations correctly 96% of the time. In a test case with layers at one unknown site, and using a pairwise comparison of the unknown site with the known sites, a one-to-one correlation between the unknown site and the known sites was found to sometimes be poor. Such a result could be used to aid a

Production of bioethanol and value added compounds from wheat straw through combined alkaline/alkaline-peroxide pretreatment.

PubMed

Yuan, Zhaoyang; Wen, Yangbing; Li, Guodong

2018-07-01

An efficient scheme was developed for the conversion of wheat straw (WS) into bioethanol, silica and lignin. WS was pre-extracted with 0.2 mol/L sodium hydroxide at 30 °C for 5 h to remove about 91% of initial silica. Subsequently, the alkaline-pretreated solids were subjected to alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) pretreatment with 40 mg hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )/g biomass at 50 °C for 7 h to prepare highly digestible substrate. The results of enzymatic hydrolysis demonstrated that the sequential alkaline-AHP pretreated WS was efficiently hydrolyzed at 10% (w/v) solids loading using an enzyme dosage of 10 mg protein/g glucan. The total sugar conversion of 92.4% was achieved. Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) was applied to produce ethanol from the two-stage pretreated substrate using Saccharomyces cerevisiae SR8u strain. Ethanol with concentration of 31.1 g/L was produced. Through the proposed process, about 86.4% and 54.1% of the initial silica and lignin were recovered, respectively. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bi-articular Knee-Ankle-Foot Exoskeleton Produces Higher Metabolic Cost Reduction than Weight-Matched Mono-articular Exoskeleton.

PubMed

Malcolm, Philippe; Galle, Samuel; Derave, Wim; De Clercq, Dirk

2018-01-01

The bi-articular m. gastrocnemius and the mono-articular m. soleus have different and complementary functions during walking. Several groups are starting to use these biological functions as inspiration to design prostheses with bi-articular actuation components to replace the function of the m. gastrocnemius. Simulation studies indicate that a bi-articular configuration and spring that mimic the m. gastrocnemius could be beneficial for orthoses or exoskeletons. Our aim was to test the effect of a bi-articular and spring configuration that mimics the m. gastrocnemius and compare this to a no-spring and mono-articular configuration. We tested nine participants during walking with knee-ankle-foot exoskeletons with dorsally mounted pneumatic muscle actuators. In the bi-articular plus spring condition the pneumatic muscles were attached to the thigh segment with an elastic cord. In the bi-articular no-spring condition the pneumatic muscles were also attached to the thigh segment but with a non-elastic cord. In the mono-articular condition the pneumatic muscles were attached to the shank segment. We found the highest reduction in metabolic cost of 13% compared to walking with the exoskeleton powered-off in the bi-articular plus spring condition . Possible explanations for this could be that the exoskeleton delivered the highest total positive work in this condition at the ankle and the knee and provided more assistance during the isometric phase of the biological plantarflexors. As expected we found that the bi-articular conditions reduced m. gastrocnemius EMG more than the mono-articular condition but this difference was not significant. We did not find that the mono-articular condition reduces the m. soleus EMG more than the bi-articular conditions . Knowledge of specific effects of different exoskeleton configurations on metabolic cost and muscle activation could be useful for providing customized assistance for specific gait impairments.

Bi-articular Knee-Ankle-Foot Exoskeleton Produces Higher Metabolic Cost Reduction than Weight-Matched Mono-articular Exoskeleton

PubMed Central

Malcolm, Philippe; Galle, Samuel; Derave, Wim; De Clercq, Dirk

2018-01-01

The bi-articular m. gastrocnemius and the mono-articular m. soleus have different and complementary functions during walking. Several groups are starting to use these biological functions as inspiration to design prostheses with bi-articular actuation components to replace the function of the m. gastrocnemius. Simulation studies indicate that a bi-articular configuration and spring that mimic the m. gastrocnemius could be beneficial for orthoses or exoskeletons. Our aim was to test the effect of a bi-articular and spring configuration that mimics the m. gastrocnemius and compare this to a no-spring and mono-articular configuration. We tested nine participants during walking with knee-ankle-foot exoskeletons with dorsally mounted pneumatic muscle actuators. In the bi-articular plus spring condition the pneumatic muscles were attached to the thigh segment with an elastic cord. In the bi-articular no-spring condition the pneumatic muscles were also attached to the thigh segment but with a non-elastic cord. In the mono-articular condition the pneumatic muscles were attached to the shank segment. We found the highest reduction in metabolic cost of 13% compared to walking with the exoskeleton powered-off in the bi-articular plus spring condition. Possible explanations for this could be that the exoskeleton delivered the highest total positive work in this condition at the ankle and the knee and provided more assistance during the isometric phase of the biological plantarflexors. As expected we found that the bi-articular conditions reduced m. gastrocnemius EMG more than the mono-articular condition but this difference was not significant. We did not find that the mono-articular condition reduces the m. soleus EMG more than the bi-articular conditions. Knowledge of specific effects of different exoskeleton configurations on metabolic cost and muscle activation could be useful for providing customized assistance for specific gait impairments. PMID:29551959

Acid transformation of bauxite residue: Conversion of its alkaline characteristics.

PubMed

Kong, Xiangfeng; Li, Meng; Xue, Shengguo; Hartley, William; Chen, Chengrong; Wu, Chuan; Li, Xiaofei; Li, Yiwei

2017-02-15

Bauxite residue (BR) is a highly alkaline solid hazardous waste produced from bauxite processing for alumina production. Alkaline transformation appears to reduce the environmental risk of bauxite residue disposal areas (BRDAs) whilst potentially providing opportunities for the sustainable reuse and on-going management of BR. Mineral acids, a novel citric acid and a hybrid combination of acid-gypsum treatments were investigated for their potential to reduce residue pH and total alkalinity and transform the alkaline mineral phase. XRD results revealed that with the exception of andradite, the primary alkaline solid phases of cancrinite, grossular and calcite were transformed into discriminative products based on the transformation used. Supernatants separated from BR and transformed bauxite residue (TBR) displayed distinct changes in soluble Na, Ca and Al, and a reduction in pH and total alkalinity. SEM images suggest that mineral acid transformations promote macro-aggregate formation, and the positive promotion of citric acid, confirming the removal or reduction in soluble and exchangeable Na. NEXAFS analysis of Na K-edge revealed that the chemical speciation of Na in TBRs was consistent with BR. Three acid treatments and gypsum combination had no effect on Na speciation, which affects the distribution of Na revealed by sodium STXM imaging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainable Hypersaline Microbial Fuel Cells: Inexpensive Recyclable Polymer Supports for Carbon Nanotube Conductive Paint Anodes.

PubMed

Grattieri, Matteo; Shivel, Nelson D; Sifat, Iram; Bestetti, Massimiliano; Minteer, Shelley D

2017-05-09

Microbial fuel cells are an emerging technology for wastewater treatment, but to be commercially viable and sustainable, the electrode materials must be inexpensive, recyclable, and reliable. In this study, recyclable polymeric supports were explored for the development of anode electrodes to be applied in single-chamber microbial fuel cells operated in field under hypersaline conditions. The support was covered with a carbon nanotube (CNT) based conductive paint, and biofilms were able to colonize the electrodes. The single-chamber microbial fuel cells with Pt-free cathodes delivered a reproducible power output after 15 days of operation to achieve 12±1 mW m -2 at a current density of 69±7 mA m -2 . The decrease of the performance in long-term experiments was mostly related to inorganic precipitates on the cathode electrode and did not affect the performance of the anode, as shown by experiments in which the cathode was replaced and the fuel cell performance was regenerated. The results of these studies show the feasibility of polymeric supports coated with CNT-based paint for microbial fuel cell applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Archaeal Populations in Hypersaline Sediments Underlying Orange Microbial Mats in the Napoli Mud Volcano▿†

PubMed Central

Lazar, Cassandre Sara; L'Haridon, Stéphane; Pignet, Patricia; Toffin, Laurent

2011-01-01

Microbial mats in marine cold seeps are known to be associated with ascending sulfide- and methane-rich fluids. Hence, they could be visible indicators of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and methane cycling processes in underlying sediments. The Napoli mud volcano is situated in the Olimpi Area that lies on saline deposits; from there, brine fluids migrate upward to the seafloor. Sediments associated with a brine pool and microbial orange mats of the Napoli mud volcano were recovered during the Medeco cruise. Based on analysis of RNA-derived sequences, the “active” archaeal community was composed of many uncultured lineages, such as rice cluster V or marine benthic group D. Function methyl coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) genes were affiliated with the anaerobic methanotrophic Archaea (ANME) of the ANME-1, ANME-2a, and ANME-2c groups, suggesting that AOM occurred in these sediment layers. Enrichment cultures showed the presence of viable marine methylotrophic Methanococcoides in shallow sediment layers. Thus, the archaeal community diversity seems to show that active methane cycling took place in the hypersaline microbial mat-associated sediments of the Napoli mud volcano. PMID:21335391

Structure of the Mina Deflection in Mono Lake, CA: Inferences from Paleoseismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sangani, Radhika Chandrakant

Walker Lane, a zone of transcurrent faulting along the Sierran range front, is dominated by NNW trending normal faults. Within the Walker Lane, the Mina Deflection is a region of structural anomaly, where a significant component of regional displacement and seismicity is transferred from NNW-trending faults to ENE-trending faults of the Excelsior-Coledale domain. Geographically, the western boundary of the Mina Deflection lies along the western margin of Mono Basin. This is kinematically implied by the distributed tensional and shear stress in the NNW- and ENE- trending faults of the region. Transfer of strain from the NNW-trending, right-lateral oblique slip faults to the ENE-trending, primarily left-lateral faults is poorly understood. The nature of this transfer is complicated by the presence of the young volcanics of Mono Lake at the stepover bend. I undertook detailed study of the sub-km scale geometry and kinematics of the stepover bend, and its relation to nearby recent magmatic fluid flow within the Mono Lake. Fault orientations, slip rates and ages of most recent events allow for understanding strain transfer between faulting and volcanism. The results suggest that strain is transferred from the outer arc to the inner arc of the stepover bend. Within the inner arc, the magmatism on Paoha Island seems to have arisen from a sill-like intrusion. Furthermore, strain transfer is accomplished through sets of faults and fissures that variously act as large-scale Reidel shears and tension gashes allowing the migration of magmatic fluids from depth.

Quantitative Proteomics Reveals Membrane Protein-Mediated Hypersaline Sensitivity and Adaptation in Halophilic Nocardiopsis xinjiangensis.

PubMed

Zhang, Yao; Li, Yanchang; Zhang, Yongguang; Wang, Zhiqiang; Zhao, Mingzhi; Su, Na; Zhang, Tao; Chen, Lingsheng; Wei, Wei; Luo, Jing; Zhou, Yanxia; Xu, Yongru; Xu, Ping; Li, Wenjun; Tao, Yong

2016-01-04

The genus Nocardiopsis is one of the most dominant Actinobacteria that survives in hypersaline environments. However, the adaptation mechanisms for halophilism are still unclear. Here, we performed isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification based quantitative proteomics to investigate the functions of the membrane proteome after salt stress. A total of 683 membrane proteins were identified and quantified, of which 126 membrane proteins displayed salt-induced changes in abundance. Intriguingly, bioinformatics analyses indicated that these differential proteins showed two expression patterns, which were further validated by phenotypic changes and functional differences. The majority of ABC transporters, secondary active transporters, cell motility proteins, and signal transduction kinases were up-regulated with increasing salt concentration, whereas cell differentiation, small molecular transporter (ions and amino acids), and secondary metabolism proteins were significantly up-regulated at optimum salinity, but down-regulated or unchanged at higher salinity. The small molecule transporters and cell differentiation-related proteins acted as sensing proteins that played a more important biological role at optimum salinity. However, the ABC transporters for compatible solutes, Na(+)-dependent transporters, and cell motility proteins acted as adaptive proteins that actively counteracted higher salinity stress. Overall, regulation of membrane proteins may provide a major protection strategy against hyperosmotic stress.

Alkaline and non-aqueous proton-conducting pouch-cell batteries

DOEpatents

Young, Kwo-hsiung; Nei, Jean; Meng, Tiejun

2018-01-02

Provided are sealed pouch-cell batteries that are alkaline batteries or non-aqueous proton-conducing batteries. A pouch cell includes a flexible housing such as is used for pouch cell construction where the housing is in the form of a pouch, a cathode comprising a cathode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an anode comprising an anode active material suitable for use in an alkaline battery, an electrolyte that is optionally an alkaline or proton-conducting electrolyte, and wherein the pouch does not include or require a safety vent or other gas absorbing or releasing system as the anode active material and the cathode active material do not increase the internal atmospheric pressure any more than 2 psig during cycling. The batteries provided function contrary to the art recognized belief that such battery systems were impossible due to unacceptable gas production during cycling.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Ethylene Glycol Mono Butyl Ether (Egbe) (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has finalized the Toxicological Review of Ethylene Glycol Mono Butyl Ether: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Now final, this assessment may be used by EPA’s program and regional offices to inform decisions to protect human health.

Maillard reaction products of rice protein hydrolysates with mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rice protein, a byproduct of rice syrup production, is abundant but, its lack of functionality prevents its wide use as a food ingredient. Maillard reaction products of (MRPs) hydrolysates from the limited hydrolysis of rice protein (LHRP) and various mono-, oligo- and polysaccharides were evaluat...

Novel surface-active oligofructose fatty acid mono-esters by enzymatic esterification.

PubMed

van Kempen, Silvia E H J; Boeriu, Carmen G; Schols, Henk A; de Waard, Pieter; van der Linden, Erik; Sagis, Leonard M C

2013-06-01

This article describes the synthesis of a series of oligofructose monoesters with fatty acids of different chain length (C8, C12, C16 and C18) to obtain food-grade surfactants with a range of amphiphilicity. Reactions were performed in a mixture of DMSO/Bu(t)OH (10/90 v/v) at 60°C and catalysed by immobilised Candida antarctica lipase B. MALDI-TOF-MS analysis showed that the crude reaction products were mixtures of unmodified oligofructose and mostly mono-esters. The conversion into mono-esters increased with the length of the fatty acid chain, reflecting the specificity of the lipase towards more lipophilic substrates. Reverse phase solid phase extraction was used to fractionate the products, which lead to sufficient purity (>93%) of the fatty acid esters for functionality testing. It was shown that derivatives of longer (C16 and C18) fatty acids were more efficient in lowering surface tension and gave a much higher dilatational modulus than derivatives of the shorter (C8 and C12) fatty acids. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 582.4101 - Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. 582.4101 Section 582.4101 Food and... Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. (a) Product. Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

21 CFR 582.4101 - Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. 582.4101 Section 582.4101 Food and... Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. (a) Product. Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

21 CFR 582.4101 - Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. 582.4101 Section 582.4101 Food and... Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or edible fat-forming fatty acids. (a) Product. Diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fats or oils, or...

40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... BPT, BAT, BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... BPT, BAT, BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... BPT, BAT, BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to...

40 CFR 434.40 - Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... alkaline mine drainage subcategory. 434.40 Section 434.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., BCT LIMITATIONS AND NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Alkaline Mine Drainage § 434.40 Applicability; description of the alkaline mine drainage subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to...

Orogenic potassic mafic magmatism, a product of alkaline-peraluminous mixing ? Variscan 'calc-alkaline' rocks from the Central Iberian and Ossa Morena Zones, Central Spain.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scarrow, Jane H.; Cambeses, Aitor; Bea, Fernando; Montero, Pilar; Molina, José F.; Moreno, Juan Antonio

2013-04-01

Orogenic magmatic rocks provide information about mantle and crust melt-generation and -interaction processes. In this context, minor potassic mafic stocks which are formed of enriched mantle and crustal components and are common as late-orogenic intrusions in granitic plutons give insight into the timing of new crust formation and crustal recycling. Potassic mafic stocks are prevalent, albeit low volume, constituents of granite batholiths all through the European Variscan (350-280 Ma). In the Central Iberia Zone, Spanish Central System, crustal-melt, S-type, granitoid plutons are intruded by minor concomitant ultramafic-intermediate appinitic-vaugneritic stocks. Notwithstanding their whole-rock calc-alkaline composition, the stocks apparently did not have a subduction-related origin. Recent studies have attributed their genesis to mixing of alkaline mantle and peraluminous crustal melts. Their primary alkaline character, as indicated by amphibole and biotite mineral chemistry data, points, rather, towards an extension-related genesis. In the Ossa Morena Zone, south of the Central Iberian Zone, the igneous rocks also have a whole-rock calc-alkaline composition which has been considered to be the result of northward subduction of the South Portuguese Zone. Nevertheless, identification of a 'sill' of significant volume of mafic magma in the middle crust, the ´IBERSEIS reflective body', in a seismic profile across the Ossa Morena and South Portuguese Zones has cast doubt upon the calc-alkaline magmatism-subduction model; leading, instead, to the magmatism being attributed to intra-orogenic extension related to a mantle plume active from 340 Ma to 330 Ma. The aim here, then, is to reinvestigate the petrogenesis and age of the calc-alkaline rocks of the Ossa Morena Zone to determine their tectonomagmatic context be it subduction-, plume- or extension-related, and establish what they may reveal about mantle-crust interactions. Focussing, initially, on the Valencia del

Alkaline flooding for enhanced oil recovery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gittler, W.E.

1983-09-01

There are over 12 active projects of varying size using one of 3 major types of alkaline agents. These include sodium silicate, caustic soda, and soda ash. Among the largest pilots currently is the THUMS project in the Wilmington field, California. Plans called for the injection of a 4% weight concentration of sodium orthosilicate over a 60% PV. Through the first 3 yr, over 27 million bbl of chemicals have been injected. Gulf Oil is operating several alkaline floods, one of which is located off shore in the Quarantine Bay field, Louisiana. In this pilot, sodium hydroxide in a weightmore » concentration of 5 to 12% is being injected. Belco Petroleum Corp. has reported that their pilot operating in the Isenhour Unit in Wyoming is using a .5% weight concentration of soda ash in conjunction with a polymer. Other uses for alkaline agents in chemical flooding include the use of silicate as a preflush or sacrificial agent in micellar/polymer and surfactant recovery systems. In addition, caustic has been tested in the surface-mixed caustic emulsion process while orthosilicate has been tested in a recovery method known as mobility-controlled caustic floods.« less

Chemistry and Environments of Dolomitization —A Reappraisal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machel, Hans-G.; Mountjoy, Eric W.

1986-05-01

Dolomitization of calcium carbonate can best be expressed by mass transfer reactions that allow for volume gain, preservation, or loss during the replacement process. Experimental data, as well as textures and porosities of natural dolomites, indicate that these reactions must include CO 32- and/or HCO 3- supplied by the solution to the reaction site. Since dolomite formation is thermodynamically favoured in solutions of (a) low Ca 2+/Mg 2+ ratios, (b) low Ca 2+/CO 32- (or Ca 2+/HCO 3-) ratios, and (c) high temperatures, the thermodynamic stability for the system calcite-dolomite-water is best represented in a diagram with these three parameters as axes. Kinetic considerations favour dolomitization under the same conditions, and additionally at low as well as at high salinities. If thermodynamic and kinetic considerations are combined, the following conditions and environments are considered chemically conducive to dolomitization: (1) environments of any salinity above thermodynamic and kinetic saturation with respect to dolomite (i.e. freshwater/seawater mixing zones, normal saline to hypersaline subtidal environments, hypersaline supratidal environments, schizohaline environments); (2) alkaline environments (i.e. those under the influence of bacterial reduction and/or fermentation processes, or with high input of alkaline continental groundwaters); and (3) many environments with temperatures greater than about 50°C (subsurface and hydrothermal environments). Whether or not massive, replacive dolostones are formed in these environments depends on a sufficient supply of magnesium, and thus on hydrologic parameters. Most massive dolostones, particularly those consisting of shallowing-upward cycles and capped by regional unconformities, have been interpreted to be formed according to either the freshwater/seawater mixing model or the sabkha with reflux model. However, close examination of natural mixing zones and exposed evaporitic environments reveals that the

DECHLORINATION ACTIVITY (CROSS-ACCLIMATION) OF FRESHWATER SEDIMENTS ADAPTED TO MONO- AND DI-CHLOROPHENOLS

EPA Science Inventory

The reductive dechlorination of chlorophenols (CPs) in sediment slurries (10% solids) adapted to dechlorinate mono- and di-CPs (DCP) was investigated to define the regiospecificity of the dechlorination reaction. nadapted sediment slurries amended with various ortho-substituted C...

Alkaline Phosphatase, Soluble Extracellular Adenine Nucleotides, and Adenosine Production after Infant Cardiopulmonary Bypass

PubMed Central

Davidson, Jesse A.; Urban, Tracy; Tong, Suhong; Twite, Mark; Woodruff, Alan

2016-01-01

Rationale Decreased alkaline phosphatase activity after infant cardiac surgery is associated with increased post-operative cardiovascular support requirements. In adults undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, alkaline phosphatase infusion may reduce inflammation. Mechanisms underlying these effects have not been explored but may include decreased conversion of extracellular adenine nucleotides to adenosine. Objectives 1) Evaluate the association between alkaline phosphatase activity and serum conversion of adenosine monophosphate to adenosine after infant cardiac surgery; 2) assess if inhibition/supplementation of serum alkaline phosphatase modulates this conversion. Methods and Research Pre/post-bypass serum samples were obtained from 75 infants <4 months of age. Serum conversion of 13C5-adenosine monophosphate to 13C5-adenosine was assessed with/without selective inhibition of alkaline phosphatase and CD73. Low and high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (simulating normal/stress concentrations) were used. Effects of alkaline phosphatase supplementation on adenosine monophosphate clearance were also assessed. Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity were strongly correlated with changes in 13C5-adenosine production with or without CD73 inhibition (r = 0.83; p<0.0001). Serum with low alkaline phosphatase activity (≤80 U/L) generated significantly less 13C5-adenosine, particularly in the presence of high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (10.4μmol/L vs 12.9μmol/L; p = 0.0004). Inhibition of alkaline phosphatase led to a marked decrease in 13C5-adenosine production (11.9μmol/L vs 2.7μmol/L; p<0.0001). Supplementation with physiologic dose human tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase or high dose bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase doubled 13C5-adenosine monophosphate conversion to 13C5-adenosine (p<0.0001). Conclusions Alkaline phosphatase represents the primary serum ectonucleotidase after infant cardiac surgery and low post

Alkaline Phosphatase, Soluble Extracellular Adenine Nucleotides, and Adenosine Production after Infant Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

PubMed

Davidson, Jesse A; Urban, Tracy; Tong, Suhong; Twite, Mark; Woodruff, Alan; Wischmeyer, Paul E; Klawitter, Jelena

2016-01-01

Decreased alkaline phosphatase activity after infant cardiac surgery is associated with increased post-operative cardiovascular support requirements. In adults undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, alkaline phosphatase infusion may reduce inflammation. Mechanisms underlying these effects have not been explored but may include decreased conversion of extracellular adenine nucleotides to adenosine. 1) Evaluate the association between alkaline phosphatase activity and serum conversion of adenosine monophosphate to adenosine after infant cardiac surgery; 2) assess if inhibition/supplementation of serum alkaline phosphatase modulates this conversion. Pre/post-bypass serum samples were obtained from 75 infants <4 months of age. Serum conversion of 13C5-adenosine monophosphate to 13C5-adenosine was assessed with/without selective inhibition of alkaline phosphatase and CD73. Low and high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (simulating normal/stress concentrations) were used. Effects of alkaline phosphatase supplementation on adenosine monophosphate clearance were also assessed. Changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity were strongly correlated with changes in 13C5-adenosine production with or without CD73 inhibition (r = 0.83; p<0.0001). Serum with low alkaline phosphatase activity (≤80 U/L) generated significantly less 13C5-adenosine, particularly in the presence of high concentration 13C5-adenosine monophosphate (10.4μmol/L vs 12.9μmol/L; p = 0.0004). Inhibition of alkaline phosphatase led to a marked decrease in 13C5-adenosine production (11.9μmol/L vs 2.7μmol/L; p<0.0001). Supplementation with physiologic dose human tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase or high dose bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase doubled 13C5-adenosine monophosphate conversion to 13C5-adenosine (p<0.0001). Alkaline phosphatase represents the primary serum ectonucleotidase after infant cardiac surgery and low post-operative alkaline phosphatase activity leads to

Alkaline Capacitors Based on Nitride Nanoparticles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldissi, Matt

2003-01-01

High-energy-density alkaline electrochemical capacitors based on electrodes made of transition-metal nitride nanoparticles are undergoing development. Transition- metal nitrides (in particular, Fe3N and TiN) offer a desirable combination of high electrical conductivity and electrochemical stability in aqueous alkaline electrolytes like KOH. The high energy densities of these capacitors are attributable mainly to their high capacitance densities, which, in turn, are attributable mainly to the large specific surface areas of the electrode nanoparticles. Capacitors of this type could be useful as energy-storage components in such diverse equipment as digital communication systems, implanted medical devices, computers, portable consumer electronic devices, and electric vehicles.

Method of increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth sorbents

DOEpatents

Shearer, J.A.; Turner, C.B.; Johnson, I.

1980-03-13

A system and method for increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth carbonates to scrub sulfur dioxide produced during the fluidized bed combustion of coal in which partially sulfated alkaline earth carbonates are hydrated in a fluidized bed to crack the sulfate coating and convert the alkaline earth oxide to the hydroxide. Subsequent dehydration of the sulfate-hydroxide to a sulfate-oxide particle produces particles having larger pore size, increased porosity, decreased grain size and additional sulfation capacity. A continuous process is disclosed.

Method of increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth sorbents

DOEpatents

Shearer, John A.; Turner, Clarence B.; Johnson, Irving

1982-01-01

A system and method for increasing the sulfation capacity of alkaline earth carbonates to scrub sulfur dioxide produced during the fluidized bed combustion of coal in which partially sulfated alkaline earth carbonates are hydrated in a fluidized bed to crack the sulfate coating and convert the alkaline earth oxide to the hydroxide. Subsequent dehydration of the sulfate-hydroxide to a sulfate-oxide particle produces particles having larger pore size, increased porosity, decreased grain size and additional sulfation capacity. A continuous process is disclosed.

Increasing Alkalinity Export from Large Russian Arctic Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, T.; Zhulidov, A. V.; Gurtovaya, T. Y.; Spencer, R. G.

2017-12-01

Riverine carbonate alkalinity (HCO3- and CO32-) sourced from chemical weathering of minerals on land represents a significant sink for atmospheric CO2 over geologic timescales. The flux of alkalinity from rivers in the Arctic depends on precipitation, permafrost extent and thaw, groundwater flow paths, and surface vegetation, all of which are changing under a warming climate. Here we show that over the past four decades, the export of alkalinity from the Ob' and Yenisei Rivers has more than doubled. The increase is likely due to a combination of increasing precipitation and permafrost thaw in the watersheds, which lengthens hydrologic flow paths and increases residence time in soils. These trends have broad implications for the rate of carbon sequestration on land and the delivery of buffering capacity to the Arctic Ocean.

Hoops and Mono-Slopes: What We Have Learned About Management and Performance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the past ten years, Iowa beef feedlots have striven to improve environmental management. To reduce the potential for feedlot run-off, there has been increased interest in feeding animals in deep-bedded enclosed facilities. Two types of deep-bedded facilities – hoop barns and mono-slope barns – ...

Serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels are associated with severe chronic periodontitis.

PubMed

Caúla, A L; Lira-Junior, R; Tinoco, E M B; Fischer, R G

2015-12-01

Periodontitis may alter systemic homeostasis and influence creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between severe chronic periodontitis and serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. One hundred patients were evaluated, 66 with severe chronic periodontitis (test group) and 34 periodontally healthy controls (control group). Medical, demographic and periodontal parameters were registered. Blood sample was collected after an overnight fast and serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels were determined. There were significant differences between test and control groups in ethnicity, gender and educational level (p < 0.05). Patients with periodontitis showed a lower mean creatinine level (p < 0.05) and higher mean alkaline phosphatase level (p < 0.001) than the control group. There were significant correlations between periodontal parameters and serum creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels. Severe chronic periodontitis was associated to lower creatinine and higher alkaline phosphatase levels. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantitation of Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzymes Using Agarose Containing Wheat Germ Lectin

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

Gunshot M 40 179 150 16 13 0 Altered Mental Status M 39 1683 1650 0 33 0 Anemia, Chronic Dis. F 82 220 156 27 37 0 Arthritis , Rheumatoid M 70 79 26 0 53 0...34 5 Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzyme Study on 210 Patients with Elevated Total Alkaline Phosphatase...46 6 Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzyme Clinical Correlation Summary on 6 Distinct Disease Categories Containing 131 Patients

Dynamics of mono- and dual-species biofilm formation and interactions between Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria.

PubMed

Makovcova, Jitka; Babak, Vladimir; Kulich, Pavel; Masek, Josef; Slany, Michal; Cincarova, Lenka

2017-07-01

Microorganisms are not commonly found in the planktonic state but predominantly form dual- and multispecies biofilms in almost all natural environments. Bacteria in multispecies biofilms cooperate, compete or have neutral interactions according to the involved species. Here, the development of mono- and dual-species biofilms formed by Staphylococcus aureus and other foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis, potentially pathogenic Raoultella planticola and non-pathogenic Escherichia coli over the course of 24, 48 and 72 h was studied. Biofilm formation was evaluated by the crystal violet assay (CV), enumeration of colony-forming units (CFU cm -2 ) and visualization using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In general, Gram-negative bacterial species and S. aureus interacted in a competitive manner. The tested Gram-negative bacteria grew better in mixed dual-species biofilms than in their mono-species biofilms as determined using the CV assay, CFU ml -2 enumeration, and CLSM and SEM visualization. In contrast, the growth of S. aureus biofilms was reduced when cultured in dual-species biofilms. CLSM images revealed grape-like clusters of S. aureus and monolayers of Gram-negative bacteria in both mono- and dual-species biofilms. S. aureus clusters in dual-species biofilms were significantly smaller than clusters in S. aureus mono-species biofilms. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 is a non-virulent strain suitable for mono-rhamnolipids production.

PubMed

Grosso-Becerra, María-Victoria; González-Valdez, Abigail; Granados-Martínez, María-Jessica; Morales, Estefanía; Servín-González, Luis; Méndez, José-Luis; Delgado, Gabriela; Morales-Espinosa, Rosario; Ponce-Soto, Gabriel-Yaxal; Cocotl-Yañez, Miguel; Soberón-Chávez, Gloria

2016-12-01

Rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa are biosurfactants with a high biotechnological potential, but their extensive commercialization is limited by the potential virulence of P. aeruginosa and by restrictions in producing these surfactants in heterologous hosts. In this work, we report the characterization of P. aeruginosa strain ATCC 9027 in terms of its genome-sequence, virulence, antibiotic resistance, and its ability to produce mono-rhamnolipids when carrying plasmids with different cloned genes from the type strain PAO1. The genes that were expressed from the plasmids are those coding for enzymes involved in the synthesis of this biosurfactant (rhlA and rhlB), as well as the gene that codes for the RhlR transcriptional regulator. We confirm that strain ATCC 9027 forms part of the PA7 clade, but contrary to strain PA7, it is sensitive to antibiotics and is completely avirulent in a mouse model. We also report that strain ATCC 9027 mono-rhamnolipid synthesis is limited by the expression of the rhlAB-R operon. Thus, this strain carrying the rhlAB-R operon produces similar rhamnolipids levels as PAO1 strain. We determined that strain ATCC 9027 with rhlAB-R operon was not virulent to mice. These results show that strain ATCC 9027, expressing PAO1 rhlAB-R operon, has a high biotechnological potential for industrial mono-rhamnolipid production.

Ocean alkalinity and the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caldeira, K. G.; Rampino, Michael R.

1988-01-01

A biogeochemical cycle model resolving ocean carbon and alkalinity content is applied to the Maestrichtian and Danian. The model computes oceanic concentrations and distributions of Ca(2+), Mg(2+), and Sigma-CO2. From these values an atmospheric pCO2 value is calculated, which is used to estimate rates of terrestrial weathering of calcite, dolomite, and calcium and magnesium silicates. Metamorphism of carbonate rocks and the subsequent outgassing of CO2 to the atmosphere are parameterized in terms of carbonate rock reservoir sizes, total land area, and a measure of overall tectonic activity, the sea-floor generation rate. The ocean carbon reservoir computed by the model is used with Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) C-13 data to estimate organic detrital fluxes under a variety of ocean mixing rate assumptions. Using Redfield ratios, the biogenic detrital flux estimate is used to partition the ocean carbon and alkalinity reservoirs between the mixed layer and deep ocean. The calcite flux estimate and carbonate ion concentrations are used to determine the rate of biologically mediated CaCO3 titration. Oceanic productivity was severely limited for approximately 500 kyr following the K/T boundary resulting in significant increases in total ocean alkalinity. As productivity returned to the ocean, excess carbon and alkalinity was removed from the ocean as CaCO3. Model runs indicate that this resulted in a transient imbalance in the other direction. Ocean chemistry returned to near-equilibrium by about 64 mybp.

Block Copolymers for Alkaline Fuel Cell Membrane Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-30

temperature fuel cells including proton exchange membrane fuel cell ( PEMFC ) and alkaline fuel cell (AFC) with operation temperature usually lower than 120...advantages over proton exchange membrane fuel cells ( PEMFCs ) resulting in the popularity of AFCs in the US space program.[8-11] The primary benefit AFC...offered over PEMFC is better electrochemical kinetics on the anode and cathode under the alkaline environment, which results in the ability to use

The Chemistry of Paper Preservation Part 4. Alkaline Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Henry A.

1997-01-01

Discusses the problem of the inherent instability of paper due to the presence of acids that catalyze the hydrolytic degradation of cellulose. Focuses on the chemistry involved in the sizing of both acid and alkaline papers and the types of fillers used. Discusses advantages and problems of alkaline papermaking. Contains 48 references. (JRH)

Removal of plutonium and americium from alkaline waste solutions

DOEpatents

Schulz, Wallace W.

1979-01-01

High salt content, alkaline waste solutions containing plutonium and americium are contacted with a sodium titanate compound to effect removal of the plutonium and americium from the alkaline waste solution onto the sodium titanate and provide an effluent having a radiation level of less than 10 nCi per gram alpha emitters.

Alkaline earth filled nickel skutterudite antimonide thermoelectrics

DOEpatents

Singh, David Joseph

2013-07-16

A thermoelectric material including a body centered cubic filled skutterudite having the formula A.sub.xFe.sub.yNi.sub.zSb.sub.12, where A is an alkaline earth element, x is no more than approximately 1.0, and the sum of y and z is approximately equal to 4.0. The alkaline earth element includes guest atoms selected from the group consisting of Be, Mb, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra and combinations thereof. The filled skutterudite is shown to have properties suitable for a wide variety of thermoelectric applications.

40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

40 CFR 721.4668 - Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.4668 Hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions. (a... hydrated alkaline earth metal salts of metalloid oxyanions (PMN P-94-1557) is subject to reporting under...

Leachable Li and Mg Evidence for Hydrological Changes in the Mono Basin, CA, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahajpal, R.; Hemming, N.; Zimmerman, S. R.; Hemming, S. R.

2007-12-01

Hydrology in closed basin lakes, such as Mono Lake of the US western Great Basin, is sensitive to regional climate changes. Lake level history of the Mono Basin has been put into a precise age framework using the paleomagnetic intensity of the Wilson Creek Formation sediments to North Atlantic records, and accordingly Greenland's GISP2 oxygen isotope record (Zimmerman et al., 2006, EPSL, v. 252, pp. 94- 106). This allows correlation of the lake level indicators and Greenland climate at high resolution. The physical evidence for lake level, based on the association of strata in near shore terraces, can be confidently correlated to proxies of lake chemistry preserved in the strata. We have tested the application of leachable Li, following the procedure developed by Bischoff et al. (1997, Quaternary Research, v. 48, pp. 313-325) for Owens Lake. At Owens Lake there is a positive correlation between salinity based on diatoms with leachable Li concentrations. In contrast, at Mono Lake the leachable Li concentration follows the bulk carbonate concentration, generally correlating low lake levels (high salinity) with low leachable Li concentrations. Our preferred explanation for both the carbonate and leachable Li concentrations is based on the fact that the Mono Basin rarely overflows, and therefore precipitation of minerals during evaporation leads to chemical divides (Garrels and Mackenzie., 1967, in "Equilibrium Concepts in Natural Water Systems", W. Stumm, Ed., pp. 222-242). As Li behaves conservatively compared to elements like Ca2+ and Mg2+, it might be expected that the leachable Li would be higher when lake level is lower. However, the host for the Li appears to be Mg-smectite. Therefore, the concentration of leachable Li in the sediment is controlled by the concentration of Mg-smectite, as well as the Li/Mg of the water from which the Mg- smectite precipitated and the Kd of the Li into the Mg-smectite. We are studying the Li and Mg systematics of these samples in

Reductive dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride using buffered alkaline ascorbic acid.

PubMed

Lin, Ya-Ting; Liang, Chenju

2015-10-01

Alkaline ascorbic acid (AA) was recently discovered as a novel in-situ chemical reduction (ISCR) reagent for remediating chlorinated solvents in the subsurface. For this ISCR process, the maintenance of an alkaline pH is essential. This study investigated the possibility of the reduction of carbon tetrachloride (CT) using alkaline AA solution buffered by phosphate and by NaOH. The results indicated that CT was reduced by AA, and chloroform (CF) was a major byproduct at a phosphate buffered pH of 12. However, CT was completely reduced by AA in 2M NaOH without CF formation. In the presence of iron/soil minerals, iron could be reduced by AA and Fe(2+) tends to precipitate on the mineral surface to accelerate CT degradation. A simultaneous transfer of hydrogenolysis and dichloroelimination would occur under phosphate buffered pH 12. This implies that a high alkaline environment is a crucial factor for maintaining the dominant pathway of two electron transfer from dianionic AA to dehydroascorbic acid, and to undergo dichloroelimination of CT. Moreover, threonic acid and oxalic acid were identified to be the major AA decomposition products in alkaline solutions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Holocene Depositional History of Shad Pond, a Hypersaline Coastal Lagoon, Eleuthera, Bahamas and Its Influence on Lucayan Occupation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boush, L. E.; Fentress, S.; Conroy, M.; Cook, A.; Miseridina, D.; Buynevich, I. V.; Myrbo, A.; Brown, E. T.; Berman, M.; Gnivecki, P.; Kjellmark, E.; Savarese, M.; Brady, K.

2013-12-01

Shad Pond, an enclosed hypersaline lagoon on the southeastern tip of Eleuthera, Bahamas reveals a ~5000-year record of hurricane activity, as well as sea-level and climate change history. Three sediment cores recovered 1.04-2.54 m of sediment over bedrock along a transect perpendicular to shoreline. Sediment composition and grain size, loss on ignition, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements of the cores along with dune transects and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles adjacent to the lake provide a comprehensive dataset to interpret the history of this coastal basin. The sedimentary sequence was composed of alternating lithofacies that included microbial mats, sand, and peat. Laminated mats often alternated with sandy layers in thin to medium-bedded units. Two peat layers were found in the basal part of the shore-distal core (Site 1) between 1.82-2.40 m and 2.53-2.54 m and were separated by a 13-cm-thick gray mud layer. In general, organic matter and carbonate content tracked granulometry and composition in all cores. High-resolution XRF scans of Ca and Sr at Site 1 show elevated levels ~3,700 cal yBP, which correlate with the top of the peat layer, but these elemental concentrations vary at Site 3. XRF measurements of Fe indicate a dust flux that has been recorded regionally throughout the Caribbean. Dune transects and GPR profiles indicate a phased history of the pond, beginning with initial stages as an open lagoon dominated by red mangrove, with black mangrove and buttonwood also present. The lake likely closed at approximately 3,700 cal yBP indicated by the transition between the upper peat and microbial mat layers. This could have been due to increased storm events in a regime of rising sea level. Aeolian aggradation continued to heighten the barrier between the bedrock headlands to its present position. Hurricane overwash deposits punctuated the algal mat accumulation throughout this time period. Present-day hypersaline conditions sustain algal mats

Polyelectrolyte Properties in Mono and Multi-Valent Ionic Media: Brushes and Complex Coacervates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farina, Robert M.

Materials composed of polyelectrolytes have unique and interesting physical properties resulting primarily from their charged monomer segments. Polyelectrolytes, which exist in many different biological and industrial forms, have also been shown to be highly responsive to external environmental changes. Here, two specific polyelectrolyte systems, brushes and complex coacervates, are discussed in regards to how their properties can be tailored by adjusting the surrounding ionic environment with mono and multi-valent ions. End-tethered polyelectrolyte brushes, which constitute an interesting and substantial portion of polyelectrolyte applications, are well known for their ability to provide excellent lubrication and low friction when coated onto surfaces (e.g. articular cartilage and medical devices), as well as for their ability to stabilize colloidal particles in solution (e.g. paint and cosmetic materials). These properties have been extensively studied with brushes in pure mono-valent ionic media. However, polyelectrolyte brush interactions with multi-valent ions in solution are much less understood, although highly relevant considering mono and multi-valent counterions are present in most applications. Even at very low concentrations of multi-valent ions in solution, dramatic polyelectrolyte brush physical property changes can occur, resulting in collapsed chains which also adhere to one another via multi-valent bridging. Here, the strong polyelectrolyte poly(sodium styrene sulfonate) was studied using the Surface Forces Apparatus (SFA) and electrochemistry in order to investigate brush height and intermolecular interactions between two brushes as a function of multi-valent counterion population inside a brush. Complex coacervates are formed when polyanions and polycations are mixed together in proper conditions of an aqueous solution. This mixing results in a phase separation of a polymer-rich, coacervate phase composed of a chain network held together via

Transition from alkaline to calc-alkaline volcanism during evolution of the Paleoproterozoic Francevillian basin of eastern Gabon (Western Central Africa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiéblemont, Denis; Bouton, Pascal; Préat, Alain; Goujou, Jean-Christian; Tegyey, Monique; Weber, Francis; Ebang Obiang, Michel; Joron, Jean Louis; Treuil, Michel

2014-11-01

We report new geochemical data for the volcanic and subvolcanic rocks associated with the evolution of the Francevillian basin of eastern Gabon during Paleoproterozoic times (c. 2.1-2 Ga). Filling of this basin has proceeded through four main sedimentary or volcano-sedimentary episodes, namely FA, FB, FC and FD. Volcanism started during the FB episode being present only in the northern part of the basin (Okondja sub-basin). This volcanism is ultramafic to trachytic in composition and displays a rather constant alkaline geochemical signature. This signature is typical of a within-plate environment, consistent with the rift-setting generally postulated for the Francevillian basin during the FB period. Following FB, the FC unit is 10-20 m-thick silicic horizon (jasper) attesting for a massive input of silica in the basin. Following FC, the FD unit is a c. 200-400 m-thick volcano-sedimentary sequence including felsic tuffs and epiclastic rocks. The geochemical signatures of these rocks are totally distinct from those of the FB alkaline lavas. High Th/Ta and La/Ta ratios attest for a calc-alkaline signature and slight fractionation between heavy rare-earth suggests melting at a rather low pressure. Such characteristics are comparable to those of felsic lavas associated with the Taupo zone of New Zealand, a modern ensialic back-arc basin. Following FD, the FE detrital unit is defined only in the Okondja region, probably associated with a late-stage collapse of the northern part of the basin. It is suggested that the alkaline to calc-alkaline volcanic transition reflects the evolution of the Francevillian basin from a diverging to a converging setting, in response to the onset of converging movements in the Eburnean Belt of Central Africa.

Dairy products and the French paradox: Could alkaline phosphatases play a role?

PubMed

Lallès, Jean-Paul

2016-07-01

The French paradox - high saturated fat consumption but low incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality - is still unresolved and continues to be a matter of debate and controversy. Recently, it was hypothesised that the high consumption of dairy products, and especially cheese by the French population might contribute to the explanation of the French paradox, in addition to the "(red) wine" hypothesis. Most notably this would involve milk bioactive peptides and biomolecules from cheese moulds. Here, we support the "dairy products" hypothesis further by proposing the "alkaline phosphatase" hypothesis. First, intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), a potent endogenous anti-inflammatory enzyme, is directly stimulated by various components of milk (e.g. casein, calcium, lactose and even fat). This enzyme dephosphorylates and thus detoxifies pro-inflammatory microbial components like lipopolysaccharide, making them unable to trigger inflammatory responses and generate chronic low-grade inflammation leading to insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity, known risk factors for CVD. Various vitamins present in high amounts in dairy products (e.g. vitamins A and D; methyl-donors: folate and vitamin B12), and also fermentation products such as butyrate and propionate found e.g. in cheese, all stimulate intestinal alkaline phosphatase. Second, moulded cheeses like Roquefort contain fungi producing an alkaline phosphatase. Third, milk itself contains a tissue nonspecific isoform of alkaline phosphatase that may function as IAP. Milk alkaline phosphatase is present in raw milk and dairy products increasingly consumed in France. It is deactivated by pasteurization but it can partially reactivate after thermal treatment. Experimental consolidation of the "alkaline phosphatase" hypothesis will require further work including: systematic alkaline phosphatase activity measurements in dairy products, live dairy ferments and

Dynamics of Molecular Hydrogen in Hypersaline Microbial Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoehler, Tori M.; Bebout, Brad M.; Visscher, Pieter T.; DesMarais, David J.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Early Earth microbial communities that centered around the anaerobic decomposition of organic molecular hydrogen as a carrier of electrons, regulator of energy metabolism, and facilitator of syntroph'c microbial interactions. The advent of oxygenic photosynthetic organisms added a highly dynamic and potentially dominant term to the hydrogen economy of these communities. We have examined the daily variations of hydrogen concentrations in cyanobacteria-dominated microbial mats from hypersaline ponds in Baja California Sur, Mexico. These mats bring together phototrophic and anaerobic bacteria (along with virtually all other trophic groups) in a spatially ordered and chemically dynamic matrix that provides a good analog for early Earth microbial ecosystems. Hydrogen concentrations in the photic zone of the mat can be three orders of magnitude or more higher than in the photic zone, which are, in turn, an order of magnitude higher than in the unconsolidated sediments underlying the mat community. Within the photic zone, hydrogen concentrations can fluctuate dramatically during the diel (24 hour day-night) cycle, ranging from less than 0.001% during the day to nearly 10% at night. The resultant nighttime flux of hydrogen from the mat to the environment was up to 17% of the daytime oxygen flux. The daily pattern observed is highly dependent on cyanobacterial species composition within the mat, with Lyngbya-dominated systems having a much greater dynamic range than those dominated by Microcoleus; this may relate largely to differing degrees of nitrogen-fixing and fermentative activity in the two mats. The greatest H2 concentrations and fluxes were observed in the absence of oxygen, suggesting an important potential feedback control in the context of the evolution of atmospheric composition. The impact of adding this highly dynamic photosynthetic term to the hydrogen economy of early microbial ecosystems must have been substantial. From an evolutionary standpoint, the H2

Alkalinity production in intertidal sands intensified by lugworm bioirrigation.

PubMed

Rao, Alexandra M F; Malkin, Sairah Y; Montserrat, Francesc; Meysman, Filip J R

2014-07-05

Porewater profiles and sediment-water fluxes of oxygen, nutrients, pH, calcium, alkalinity, and sulfide were measured in intertidal sandflat sediments from the Oosterschelde mesotidal lagoon (The Netherlands). The influence of bioturbation and bioirrigation by the deep-burrowing polychaete Arenicola marina on the rates and sources of benthic alkalinity generation was examined by comparing measurements in intact and defaunated sediment cores before and after the addition of A. marina in summer and fall 2011. Higher organic matter remineralization rates, shallower O 2 penetration, and greater sediment-water solute fluxes were observed in summer, consistent with higher sediment community metabolic rates at a higher temperature. Lugworm activity stimulated porewater exchange (5.1 × in summer, 1.9 × in fall), organic matter remineralization (6.2 × in summer, 1.9 × in fall), aerobic respiration (2.4 × in summer, 2.1 × in fall), alkalinity release (4.7 × in summer, 4.0 × in fall), nutrient regeneration, and iron cycling. The effects of lugworm activity on net sediment-water fluxes were similar but more pronounced in summer than in fall. Alkalinity release in fall was entirely driven by metabolic carbonate dissolution, while this process explained between 22 and 69% of total alkalinity production in summer, indicating the importance of other processes in this season. By enhancing organic matter remineralization and the reoxidation of reduced metabolites by the sediment microbial community, lugworm activity stimulated the production of dissolved inorganic carbon and metabolic acidity, which in turn enhanced metabolic CaCO 3 dissolution efficiency. In summer, evidence of microbial long distance electron transport (LDET) was observed in defaunated sediment. Thus, alkalinity production by net carbonate dissolution was likely supplemented by anaerobic respiration and LDET in summer.

Chapter A6. Section 6.6. Alkalinity and Acid Neutralizing Capacity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rounds, Stewart A.; Wilde, Franceska D.

2002-01-01

Alkalinity (determined on a filtered sample) and Acid Neutralizing Capacity (ANC) (determined on a whole-water sample) are measures of the ability of a water sample to neutralize strong acid. Alkalinity and ANC provide information on the suitability of water for uses such as irrigation, determining the efficiency of wastewater processes, determining the presence of contamination by anthropogenic wastes, and maintaining ecosystem health. In addition, alkalinity is used to gain insights on the chemical evolution of an aqueous system. This section of the National Field Manual (NFM) describes the USGS field protocols for alkalinity/ANC determination using either the inflection-point or Gran function plot methods, including calculation of carbonate species, and provides guidance on equipment selection.

De Novo Transcriptional Analysis of Alfalfa in Response to Saline-Alkaline Stress.

PubMed

An, Yi-Min; Song, Li-Li; Liu, Ying-Rui; Shu, Yong-Jun; Guo, Chang-Hong

2016-01-01

Saline-alkaline stress, caused by high levels of harmful carbonate salts and high soil pH, is a major abiotic stress that affects crop productivity. Alfalfa is a widely cultivated perennial forage legume with some tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, especially to saline-alkaline stress. To elucidate the mechanism underlying plant saline-alkaline tolerance, we conducted transcriptome analysis of whole alfalfa seedlings treated with saline-alkaline solutions for 0 day (control), 1 day (short-term treatment), and 7 days (long-term treatment) using ion torrent sequencing technology. A transcriptome database dataset of 53,853 unigenes was generated, and 2,286 and 2,233 genes were differentially expressed in the short-term and long-term treatment, respectively. Gene ontology analysis revealed 14 highly enriched pathways and demonstrated the differential response of metabolic pathways between the short-term and long-term treatment. The expression levels of 109 and 96 transcription factors were significantly altered significantly after 1 day and 7 days of treatment, respectively. Specific responses of peroxidase, flavonoids, and the light pathway component indicated that the antioxidant capacity was one of the central mechanisms of saline-alkaline stress tolerance response in alfalfa. Among the 18 differentially expressed genes examined by real time PCR, the expression levels of eight genes, including inositol transporter, DNA binding protein, raffinose synthase, ferritin, aldo/keto reductase, glutathione S-transferase, xyloglucan endotrans glucosylase, and a NAC transcription factor, exhibited different patterns in response to saline and alkaline stress. The expression levels of the NAC transcription factor and glutathione S-transferase were altered significantly under saline stress and saline-alkaline stress; they were upregulated under saline-alkaline stress and downregulated under salt stress. Physiology assays showed an increased concentration of reactive oxygen

De Novo Transcriptional Analysis of Alfalfa in Response to Saline-Alkaline Stress

PubMed Central

An, Yi-Min; Song, Li-Li; Liu, Ying-Rui; Shu, Yong-Jun; Guo, Chang-Hong

2016-01-01

Saline-alkaline stress, caused by high levels of harmful carbonate salts and high soil pH, is a major abiotic stress that affects crop productivity. Alfalfa is a widely cultivated perennial forage legume with some tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, especially to saline-alkaline stress. To elucidate the mechanism underlying plant saline-alkaline tolerance, we conducted transcriptome analysis of whole alfalfa seedlings treated with saline-alkaline solutions for 0 day (control), 1 day (short-term treatment), and 7 days (long-term treatment) using ion torrent sequencing technology. A transcriptome database dataset of 53,853 unigenes was generated, and 2,286 and 2,233 genes were differentially expressed in the short-term and long-term treatment, respectively. Gene ontology analysis revealed 14 highly enriched pathways and demonstrated the differential response of metabolic pathways between the short-term and long-term treatment. The expression levels of 109 and 96 transcription factors were significantly altered significantly after 1 day and 7 days of treatment, respectively. Specific responses of peroxidase, flavonoids, and the light pathway component indicated that the antioxidant capacity was one of the central mechanisms of saline-alkaline stress tolerance response in alfalfa. Among the 18 differentially expressed genes examined by real time PCR, the expression levels of eight genes, including inositol transporter, DNA binding protein, raffinose synthase, ferritin, aldo/keto reductase, glutathione S-transferase, xyloglucan endotrans glucosylase, and a NAC transcription factor, exhibited different patterns in response to saline and alkaline stress. The expression levels of the NAC transcription factor and glutathione S-transferase were altered significantly under saline stress and saline-alkaline stress; they were upregulated under saline-alkaline stress and downregulated under salt stress. Physiology assays showed an increased concentration of reactive oxygen

Extracellular Alkalinization as a Defense Response in Potato Cells.

PubMed

Moroz, Natalia; Fritch, Karen R; Marcec, Matthew J; Tripathi, Diwaker; Smertenko, Andrei; Tanaka, Kiwamu

2017-01-01

A quantitative and robust bioassay to assess plant defense response is important for studies of disease resistance and also for the early identification of disease during pre- or non-symptomatic phases. An increase in extracellular pH is known to be an early defense response in plants. In this study, we demonstrate extracellular alkalinization as a defense response in potatoes. Using potato suspension cell cultures, we observed an alkalinization response against various pathogen- and plant-derived elicitors in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also assessed the defense response against a variety of potato pathogens, such as protists ( Phytophthora infestans and Spongospora subterranea ) and fungi ( Verticillium dahliae and Colletotrichum coccodes ). Our results show that extracellular pH increases within 30 min in proportion to the number of pathogen spores added. Consistently with the alkalinization effect, the higher transcription level of several defense-related genes and production of reactive oxygen species was observed. Our results demonstrate that the alkalinization response is an effective marker to study early stages of defense response in potatoes.

Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer.

PubMed

Fenton, Tanis R; Huang, Tian

2016-06-13

To evaluate the evidence for a causal relationship between dietary acid/alkaline and alkaline water for the aetiology and treatment of cancer. A systematic review was conducted on published and grey literature separately for randomised intervention and observational studies with either varying acid-base dietary intakes and/or alkaline water with any cancer outcome or for cancer treatment. Incidence of cancer and outcomes of cancer treatment. 8278 citations were identified, and 252 abstracts were reviewed; 1 study met the inclusion criteria and was included in this systematic review. No randomised trials were located. No studies were located that examined dietary acid or alkaline or alkaline water for cancer treatment. The included study was a cohort study with a low risk of bias. This study revealed no association between the diet acid load with bladder cancer (OR=1.15: 95% CI 0.86 to 1.55, p=0.36). No association was found even among long-term smokers (OR=1.72: 95% CI 0.96 to 3.10, p=0.08). Despite the promotion of the alkaline diet and alkaline water by the media and salespeople, there is almost no actual research to either support or disprove these ideas. This systematic review of the literature revealed a lack of evidence for or against diet acid load and/or alkaline water for the initiation or treatment of cancer. Promotion of alkaline diet and alkaline water to the public for cancer prevention or treatment is not justified. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

40 CFR 747.115 - Mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... solely for research and development have the same meaning as in § 720.3 of this chapter. (2) Metalworking... processor or distributor may not use the substance except in small quantities solely for research and... substance known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid has...

40 CFR 747.115 - Mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... solely for research and development have the same meaning as in § 720.3 of this chapter. (2) Metalworking... processor or distributor may not use the substance except in small quantities solely for research and... substance known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid has...

40 CFR 747.115 - Mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... solely for research and development have the same meaning as in § 720.3 of this chapter. (2) Metalworking... processor or distributor may not use the substance except in small quantities solely for research and... substance known to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid has...

The dynamic changes and interactional networks of prokaryotic community between co-digestion and mono-digestions of corn stalk and pig manure.

PubMed

Wang, Min; Zhang, Xueying; Zhou, Jun; Yuan, Yuexiang; Dai, Yumei; Li, Dong; Li, Zhidong; Liu, Xiaofeng; Yan, Zhiying

2017-02-01

Anaerobic co-digestion is considered to be an efficient way to improve the biogas production. The abundance, dynamic and interactional networks of prokaryotic community were investigated between co-digestion and mono-digestions of corn stalk and pig manure in mesophilic batch test. Co-digestion showed higher methane production, and contributed to suitable microenvironment as well as stable prokaryotic community structure. The highest methane production was achieved with the highest relative abundance of Methanosaeta. Prokaryotic community in mono-digestions might inhibited by FA or FVFA. The functional modules in co-digestion and mono-digestion of pig manure clustered together with bigger size and higher degree, and the connections of metabolic functions were better-organized, which means high-efficient utilization of substrate and prevention of the two digestion systems crash. The partial mantel tests showed the functional modules were significantly affected by environmental factors. These results further explained that why co-digestion was more efficient than mono-digestion owing to suitable microenvironment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal Alkalinity in Central Nepal Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, M. J.; Derry, L. A.

2002-12-01

Numerous hot springs flow along the base of the Himalayan front, at or near the Main Central Thrust, in the Narayani drainage of central Nepal. The springs are found in a narrow zone characterized by rapid uplift and high incision rates. In this zone, hot rocks are brought to the near-surface where they interact with meteoric waters to produce the hydrothermal system. Water-rock interaction produces springs with high solute loads (TDS up to 8000 mg/L.) The springs drive significant chemical anomalies (e.g. Cl, Na, K and Ge) in the rivers that flow through the hydrothermal zone In order to quantify the impact the springs have on the river chemistry, the spring discharge must be estimated. Direct measurement of the spring discharge is difficult, as the springs often flow within the stream bed itself or are inaccessible. We take advantage of the wide disparity in stream vs. hydrothermal [Ge] to calculate spring discharge by chemical mass balance. The hot springs have [Ge] up to 684 nmol/kg and Ge/Si ratios from 200 to 1000 μmol/mol while river waters have [Ge] near 0.15 nmol/kg and Ge/Si ratios near 0.5 μmol/mol, typical of non-polluted rivers. The discharge calculated from the Ge mass balance for individual springs ranges from 0.03 x 106 to 5.6 x 106 m3/yr, and accounts for a small percentage of the total river discharge (0.03% to 1.9%). The hot spring discharge for all of central Nepal is around 1.5x108 m3/yr, 0.5% of the Narayani river discharge. Distinguishing between silicate and carbonate sources is important to assessing the role of weathering on atmospheric CO2 levels and the relative contributions of silicate and carbonate alkalinity in central Nepal rivers are still not well resolved. The hot springs derive up to 100% of their alkalinity from silicate sources. Using the discharge estimates for the springs, we find that the sum of the silicate alkalinity fluxes from all the spring systems is 2.8 x 108 mol/yr. This implies that the hot springs deliver around

Mono- and tetra-substituted zinc(II) phthalocyanines containing morpholinyl moieties: Synthesis, antifungal photodynamic activities, and structure-activity relationships.

PubMed

Zheng, Bi-Yuan; Ke, Mei-Rong; Lan, Wen-Liang; Hou, Lu; Guo, Jun; Wan, Dong-Hua; Cheong, Ling-Zhi; Huang, Jian-Dong

2016-05-23

A series of zinc(II) phthalocyanines (ZnPcs) mono-substituted and tetra-substituted with morpholinyl moieties and their quaternized derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their antifungal photodynamic activities toward Candida albicans. The α-substituted, quaternized, and mono-substituted ZnPcs are found to have higher antifungal photoactivity than β-substituted, neutral, and tetra-substituted counterparts. The cationic α-mono-substituted ZnPc (6a) exhibits the highest photocytotoxicity. Moreover, it is more potent than axially di-substituted analogue. The different photocytotoxicities of these compounds have also been rationalized by investigating their spectroscopic and photochemical properties, aggregation trend, partition coefficients, and cellular uptake. The IC90 value of 6a against C. albicans cells is as low as 3.3 μM with a light dose of 27 J cm(-2), meaning that 6a is a promising candidate as the antifungal photosensitizer for future investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Multiple evidence for methylotrophic methanogenesis as the dominant methanogenic pathway in hypersaline sediments from the Orca Basin, Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Guang-Chao; Elling, Felix J.; Nigro, Lisa M.; Samarkin, Vladimir; Joye, Samantha B.; Teske, Andreas; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe

2016-08-01

Among the most extreme habitats on Earth, dark, deep, anoxic brines host unique microbial ecosystems that remain largely unexplored. As the terminal step of anaerobic degradation of organic matter, methanogenesis is a potentially significant but poorly constrained process in deep-sea hypersaline environments. We combined biogeochemical and phylogenetic analyses with incubation experiments to unravel the origin of methane in the hypersaline sediments of Orca Basin in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Substantial concentrations of methane, up to 3.4 mM, coexisted with high concentrations of sulfate from 16 to 43 mM in two sediment cores retrieved from the northern and southern parts of Orca Basin. The strong depletion of 13C in methane (-77‰ to -89‰) points towards a biological source. While low concentrations of competitive substrates limited the significance of hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogenesis, the presence of non-competitive methylated substrates (methanol, trimethylamine, dimethyl sulfide, dimethylsulfoniopropionate) supported the potential for methane generation through methylotrophic methanogenesis. Thermodynamic calculations demonstrated that hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogenesis were unlikely to occur under in situ conditions, while methylotrophic methanogenesis from a variety of substrates was highly favorable. Likewise, carbon isotope relationships between methylated substrates and methane suggested methylotrophic methanogenesis was the major source of methane. Stable and radio-isotope tracer experiments with 13C-labeled bicarbonate, acetate and methanol and 14C-labeled methylamine indicated that methylotrophic methanogenesis was the predominant methanogenic pathway. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, halophilic methylotrophic methanogens related to the genus Methanohalophilus dominated the benthic archaeal community in the northern basin and also occurred in the southern basin. High abundances of methanogen lipid biomarkers such as

Mineralogy and Microbial Diversity of the Microbialites in the Hypersaline Storr's Lake, the Bahamas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Varun G.; Wronkiewicz, David J.; Mormile, Melanie R.; Foster, Jamie S.

2016-04-01

Microbialites found in the low-light-intensity, hypersaline waters of Storr's Lake (SL), San Salvador Island, the Bahamas, were investigated with respect to their morphology, mineralogy, and microbial diversity. Previously described microbialite morphologies, as well as a newly identified "multi-cuspate" morphology, were observed at various depths. Electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of angular, blocky, and needle-shaped crystals with mineralized cyanobacterial filaments and remains of exopolymeric substances. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the presence of both Mg-calcite and aragonite in the plateau-mushroom and pinnacle mound microbialites, whereas only Mg-calcite was identified in the other microbialite morphotypes. A comprehensive molecular analysis using barcoded pyrosequencing of five different microbial mat communities identified at least 12 dominant bacterial phyla. Cyanobacteria were generally low in abundance and ranged from ˜0.01% in the deeper pinnacle mounds to ˜3.2% in the shallow calcareous knobs. Other photosynthetic members included green nonsulfur bacteria of the phylum Chloroflexi and purple sulfur bacteria of the class Gammaproteobacteria. All mat types contained significant amounts of sulfate-reducing and dehalogenating bacteria. The low light intensity reaching the deeper microbialites, the lack of dominant cyanobacteria, and the abundance of sulfate reducers and Chloroflexi collectively suggest that sulfate reduction and anoxygenic photosynthetic processes influence the carbonate biomineralization process in these systems.

Acidity and Alkalinity in mine drainage: Practical considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta, III, Charles A.; Kirby, Carl S.

2004-01-01

In this paper, we emphasize that the Standard Method hot peroxide treatment procedure for acidity determination (hot acidity) directly measures net acidity or net alkalinity, but that more than one water-quality measure can be useful as a measure of the severity of acid mine drainage. We demonstrate that the hot acidity is related to the pH, alkalinity, and dissolved concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al in fresh mine drainage. We show that the hot acidity accurately indicates the potential for pH to decrease to acidic values after complete oxidation of Fe and Mn, and it indicates the excess alkalinity or that required for neutralization of the sample. We show that the hot acidity method gives consistent, interpretable results on fresh or aged samples. Regional data for mine-drainage quality in Pennsylvania indicated the pH of fresh samples was predominantly acidic (pH 2.5 to 4) or near neutral (pH 6 to 7); approximately 25 percent of the samples had intermediate pH values. This bimodal frequency distribution of pH was distinctive for fully oxidized samples; oxidized samples had acidic or near-neutral pH, only. Samples that had nearneutral pH after oxidation had negative hot acidity; samples that had acidic pH after oxidation had positive hot acidity. Samples with comparable pH values had variable hot acidities owing to variations in their alkalinities and dissolved Fe, Mn, and Al concentrations. The hot acidity was comparable to net acidity computed on the basis of initial pH and concentrations of Fe, Mn, and Al minus the initial alkalinity. Acidity computed from the pH and dissolved metals concentrations, assuming equivalents of 2 per mole of Fe and Mn and 3 per mole of Al, was comparable to that computed on the basis of aqueous species and FeII/FeIII. Despite changes in the pH, alkalinity, and metals concentrations, the hot acidities were comparable for fresh and aged samples. Thus, meaningful “net” acidity can be determined from a measured hot acidity or by

Microbial communities inhabiting hypersaline microbial mats from the Abu Dhabi sabkha

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrade, Luiza; Dutton, Kirsten; Paul, Andreas; van der Land, Cees; Sherry, Angela; Lokier, Stephen; Head, Ian

2017-04-01

Microbial mats are organo-sedimentary structures that are typically found in areas with extreme environmental conditions. Since these ecosystems are considered to be representative of the oldest forms of life on Earth, the study of microbial mats can inform our understanding of the development of life early in the history of our planet. In this study, we used hypersaline microbial mats from the Abu Dhabi sabkha (coastal salt flats). Cores of microbial mats (ca. 90 mm depth) were collected within an intertidal region. The cores were sliced into layers 2-3 mm thick and genomic DNA was extracted from each layer. A fragment of the 16S rRNA encoding gene was amplified in all DNA extracts, using barcoded primers, and the amplicons sequenced with the Ion Torrent platform to investigate the composition of the microbial communities down the depth of the cores. Preliminary results revealed a high proportion of Archaea (15.5-40.8% abundance) in all layers, with Halobacteria appearing to be more significant in the first 40 mm (0.4-10.3% of the total microbial community). Members of the Deltaproteobacteria were dominant in almost all layers of the microbial mat (≤ 48.6% relative abundance); however this dominance was not reflected in the first 8 mm, where the abundance was less than 2%. Chloroflexi and Anaerolinea, representing 93% of bacterial abundance, dominated the first 8 mm depth and decreased at greater depth (≤ 3% relative abundance). Cyanobacteria were found only in the top 10 mm, with unexpected low abundance (≤ 3% of the total number of reads). These results show a vertical zonation of microbial communities and processes in the microbial mats. Further analyses are underway to investigate if these patterns are repeated at other sites along a transect of the sabkha, and to relate the microbial composition to the physical-chemical conditions of the sites.

The origin of life in alkaline hydrothermal vents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sojo, V.; Herschy, B.; Whicher, A.; Camprubí, E.; Lane, N.

2016-12-01

The origin of life remains one of Science's greatest unresolved questions. The answer will no doubt involve almost all the basic disciplines, including Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, and Biology. Chiefly, it is the link between the latter two that must be elucidated: how geochemistry gave rise to biochemistry. Serpentinizing systems such as alkaline hydrothermal vents offer the most robust combination of conditions to have hosted the origin of life on the early Earth, while bearing many parallels to modern living cells. Stark gradients of concentration, pH, oxidation/reduction, and temperature provided the ability to synthesise and concentrate organic products, drive polymerisation reactions, and develop an autotrophic lifestyle independent of foreign sources of organics. In the oxygen-depleted waters of the Hadean, alkaline vents would have acted as electrochemical flow reactors, in which alkaline fluids saturated in H2 mixed with the relatively acidic CO2-rich waters of the ocean, through interconnected micropores made of thin inorganic walls containing catalytic Fe(Ni)S minerals. Perhaps not coincidentally, the unit cells of these Fe(Ni)S minerals closely resemble the active sites of crucial ancestral bioenergetic enzymes. Meanwhile, differences in pH across the thin barriers produced natural proton gradients similar to those used for carbon fixation in modern archaea and bacteria. At the earliest stages, the problem of the origin of life is the problem of the origin of carbon fixation. I will discuss work over the last decade that suggests several possible hypotheses for how simple one-carbon molecules could have given rise to more complex organics, particularly within a serpentinizing alkaline hydrothermal vent. I will discuss the perplexing differences in carbon and energy metabolism in methanogenic archaea and acetogenic bacteria, thought to be the earliest representatives of each domain, to propose a possible ancestral mechanism of CO2 reduction in

Chlorotrimethylsilane activation of acylcyanamides for the synthesis of mono-N-acylguanidines

PubMed Central

Haussener, Travis J.; Mack, James B. C.

2011-01-01

A simple and efficient one-pot method for the synthesis of mono-protected guanidines is presented. Treatment of an acylcyanamide with chlorotrimethylsilane generates a reactive N-silylcarbodiimide capable of guanylating a variety of amines. Typically the reaction is complete in 15 min for primary and secondary aliphatic amines at rt. Hindered amines and anilines are also competent nucleophiles but require extended reaction times. PMID:21732649

The nest predator assemblage for songbirds in Mono Lake basin riparian habitats

Treesearch

Quresh S. Latif; Sacha K. Heath; Grant Ballard

2012-01-01

Because nest predation strongly limits avian fitness, ornithologists identify nest predators to inform ecological research and conservation. During 2002–2008, we used both video-monitoring of natural nests and direct observations of predation to identify nest predators of open-cup nesting riparian songbirds along tributaries of Mono Lake, California. Video cameras at...

40 CFR 747.115 - Mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... subject to this section: P-84-529, mixed mono and diamides of an organic acid. (b) Definitions... used in or as a metalworking fluid, which includes as one of its components P-84-529, is prohibited... metalworking fluid a product containing P-84-529 is prohibited from adding any nitrosating agent to the product...

Isonicotinohydrazones as inhibitors of alkaline phosphatase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase.

PubMed

Channar, Pervaiz Ali; Shah, Syed Jawad Ali; Hassan, Sidra; Nisa, Zaib Un; Lecka, Joanna; Sévigny, Jean; Bajorath, Jürgen; Saeed, Aamer; Iqbal, Jamshed

2017-03-01

A series of isonicotinohydrazide derivatives was synthesized and tested against recombinant human and rat ecto-5'-nucleotidases (h-e5'NT and r-e5'NT) and alkaline phosphatase isozymes including both bovine tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase (b-TNAP) and tissue-specific calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase (c-IAP). These enzymes are implicated in vascular calcifications, hypophosphatasia, solid tumors, and cancers, such as colon, lung, breast, pancreas, and ovary. All tested compounds were active against both enzymes. The most potent inhibitor of h-e5'NT was derivative (E)-N'-(1-(3-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)ethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3j), whereas derivative (E)-N'-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3g) exhibited significant inhibitory activity against r-e5'NT. In addition, the derivative (E)-N'-(4'-chlorobenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3a) was most potent inhibitor against calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase and the derivative (E)-N'-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide (3g) was found to be most potent inhibitor of bovine tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase. Furthermore, putative binding modes of potent compounds against e5'NT (human and rat e5'NT) and AP (including b-TNAP and c-IAP) were determined computationally. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

[Synthesis and biological activity of 2,3-secotriterpene acid mono- and diamides].

PubMed

Tolmacheva, I A; Igosheva, E V; Vikharev, Iu B; Grishko, V V; Savinova, O V; Boreko, E I; Eremin, V F

2013-01-01

Four types of amide (C3; C28; C3-C28) conjugates based on 2,3-seco-18alphaH-oleanane and 2,3-secolupane mono- and dicarboxylic acids were synthesized. The range of diamide derivatives was supplemented with C3-C3' and C28-C28' dicondensed amides with two A-secotriterpene backbones educed by reacting monocarboxylic A-secoacids with biogenic amino acid lysine. Compounds with inhibitory action against herpes virus reproduction (EC50 8.7 and 4.1 McM) were found among the synthesized mono- and diamide derivatives containing an ethyl-beta-alaninate fragment. It has been ascertained that diamide with ethyl-beta-alaninate fragment combines anti-herpes virus properties and anti-HIV activity (EC50 5.1 McM). For active compounds, the maximum non-toxic concentration (MNTC)/EC50 ratios ranges from 9.7 to 40.8. The synthesized amide conjugates do not exhibit any marked cytotoxic effects against human tumor cell lines rabdomiosarcoma RD TE32, A549 lung carcinoma and melanoma MS.

Increased enterocyte production in gnotobiotic rats mono-associated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.

PubMed

Banasaz, M; Norin, E; Holma, R; Midtvedt, T

2002-06-01

There is increasing scientific and commercial interest in using beneficial microorganisms (i.e., probiotics) to enhance intestinal health. Of the numerous microbial strains examined, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG has been most extensively studied. Daily intake of L. rhamnosus GG shortens the course of rotavirus infection by mechanisms that have not been fully elucidated. Comparative studies with germfree and conventional rats have shown that the microbial status of an animal influences the intestinal cell kinetics and morphology. The present study was undertaken to study whether establishment of L. rhamnosus GG as a mono-associate in germfree rats influences intestinal cell kinetics and morphology. L. rhamnosus GG was easily established in germfree rats. After 3 days of mono-association, the rate of mitoses in the upper part of the small intestine (jejunum 1) increased as much as 14 and 22% compared to the rates in germfree and conventional counterparts, respectively. The most striking alteration in morphology was an increase in the number of cells in the villi. We hypothesis that the compartmentalized effects of L. rhamnosus GG may represent a reparative event for the mucosa.

[Effects of alkaline fertilizer on cadmium content in rice and paddy soil.

PubMed

Zhang, Liang Liang; Fan, Xiao Lin; Zhang, Li Dan; Liu, Fang

2016-03-01

A field plot trial was conducted at Songbai Village, Chenzhou, Hunan Province to exa-mine the effects of alkaline fertilizer with and without combination application of bacterial regent on cadmium accumulation in rice and paddy soil. Compared with the conventional fertilizer, the alkaline fertilizer reduced the available cadmium content in soil at the tillering, filling and the harvest stages by 8.3%, 6.7% and 16.4% respectively. Compared with the Cd content in soil before transplanting, it was reduced by 7.2% at harvest time in alkaline fertilizer treatment, while increased by 11.0% in the conventional fertilizer treatment. The available cadmium content in soil was increased by 1.2% to 23.3% by bacterial regent. Compared with the conventional fertilizer, the cadmium content of root, stem sheath, leaf, grain and brown rice of the alkaline fertilizer treatment reduced by 54.9%, 56.6%, 41.8%, 62.7% and 67.6% respectively. The alkaline fertilizer treatment combined with bacterial regent increased the cadmium content of brown rice by 63.2%. It was concluded that the alkaline fertilizer could significantly reduce the available cadmium content in both soil and the different organs of the rice, however, when it was combined with bacterial regent together, the effect of alkaline fertilizer to reduce Cd content of brown rice would be declined.

Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells stably working at 80 °C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Hanqing; Li, Qihao; Hu, Meixue; Xiao, Li; Lu, Juntao; Zhuang, Lin

2018-06-01

Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells are a new class of polymer electrolyte fuel cells that fundamentally enables the use of nonprecious metal catalysts. The cell performance mostly relies on the quality of alkaline polymer electrolytes, including the ionic conductivity and the chemical/mechanical stability. For a long time, alkaline polymer electrolytes are thought to be too weak in stability to allow the fuel cell to be operated at elevated temperatures, e.g., above 60 °C. In the present work, we report a progress in the state-of-the-art alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cell technology. By using a newly developed alkaline polymer electrolyte, quaternary ammonia poly (N-methyl-piperidine-co-p-terphenyl), which simultaneously possesses high ionic conductivity and excellent chemical/mechanical stability, the fuel cell can now be stably operated at 80 °C with high power density. The peak power density reaches ca. 1.5 W/cm2 at 80 °C with Pt/C catalysts used in both the anode and the cathode. The cell works stably in a period of study over 100 h.

Investigations of the Origin of the Magnetic Remanence in Late Pleistocene Lacustrine Sediments in the Mono Basin, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasquez, N.; Corley, A. D.

2015-12-01

In the Mono Basin, CA, fine sand, silt, and volcanic ash deposited in Pleistocene Lake Russell is exposed on the margin of Mono Lake, and on Paoha Island in the lake. The silt records the Mono Lake Excursion (MLE: Denham and Cox, 1971) and several tens of thousands of years of paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV: Denham and Cox, 1971; Liddicoat, 1976; Lund et al., 1988). The sediment is believed to be an accurate recorder of PSV because the MLE has the same signal at widely separated localities in the basin (Denham, 1974; Liddicoat and Coe, 1979; Liddicoat, 1992) with the exception at wave-cut cliffs on the southeast side of the lake (Coe and Liddicoat, 1994). Magnetite, titanomagnetite, and titanomaghemite are present in the sediment (Denham and Cox, 1971; Liddicoat, 1976; Liddicoat and Coe, 1979), which is glacial flour from the adjacent Sierra Nevada (Lajoie, 1968). X-rays of the sediment and lineation measurements show patterns of normal bedding with layers aligned such that the minimum axes are within 5-10 degrees of normal bedding, with 10 percent foliation and 1 percent lineation (Coe and Liddicoat, 1994). We explore reasons for the difference in part of the PSV record at the wave-cut cliffs beyond the interpretation of Coe and Liddicoat (1994) that paleomagnetic field strength is a controlling factor. Possibilities include the sedimentation rate - at localities on the margin of Mono Lake the rate is about 60 percent less than at the wave-cut cliffs - and lithology of the sediment. At Mill Creek on the northwest side of Mono Lake, the non-magnetic sediment fraction is coarser-grained than at the wave-cut cliffs by a factor of about two, and there is a similar difference in the total inorganic carbon (TIC) percentage by weight for the two localities. (Spokowski et al., 2011) Studies of the sediment at two localities in the basin where the Hilina Pali Excursion (Teanby et al., 2002) might be recorded (Wilson Creek and South Shore Cliffs; Liddicoat and Coe

Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and The Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

2005-10-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or more efficient areal sweep efficiency for those with high permeability contrast ''thief zones''. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or those with thief zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. A priormore » fluid-fluid report discussed interaction of different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions as in the fluid-fluid analyses. Aluminum-polyacrylamide, flowing gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions of either pH 10.5 or 12.9. Chromium acetate-polyacrylamide flowing and rigid flowing gels are stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Rigid flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels maintained permeability reduction better than flowing chromium acetate-polyacrylamide gels. Silicate-polyacrylamide gels are not stable with subsequent injection of either a pH 10.5 or a 12.9 alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution. Chromium acetate-xanthan gum rigid gels are not stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. Resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were stable to subsequent alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution injection. When evaluated in a dual core configuration, injected fluid flows into the core with the greatest effective permeability to the injected fluid. The same gel stability trends to

Cementitious porous pavement in stormwater quality control: pH and alkalinity elevation.

PubMed

Kuang, Xuheng; Sansalone, John

2011-01-01

A certain level of alkalinity acts as a buffer and maintains the pH value in a stable range in water bodies. With rapid urban development, more and more acidic pollutants flow to watersheds with runoff and drop alkalinity to a very low level and ultimately degrade the water environment. Cementitious porous pavement is an effective tool for stormwater acidic neutralization. When stormwater infiltrates cement porous pavement (CPP) materials, alkalinity and pH will be elevated due to the basic characteristics of cement concrete. The elevated alkalinity will neutralize acids in water bodies and maintain the pH in a stable level as a buffer. It is expected that CPP materials still have a certain capability of alkalinity elevation after years of service, which is important for CPP as an effective tool for stormwater management. However, few previous studies have reported on how CPP structures would elevate runoff alkalinity and pH after being exposed to rainfall-runoff for years. In this study, three groups of CPP specimens, all exposed to rainfall-runoff for 3 years, were used to test the pH and alkalinity elevation properties. It was found that runoff pH values were elevated from 7.4 to the range of 7.8-8.6 after infiltrating through the uncoated specimens, and from 7.4 to 8.5-10.7 after infiltrating through aluminum-coated specimens. Runoff alkalinity elevation efficiencies are 11.5-14.5% for uncoated specimens and 42.2% for coated specimens. The study shows that CPP is an effective passive unit operation for stormwater acid neutralization in our built environment.

Anaerobic digestion of thermal-alkaline-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residues for methane production.

PubMed

Li, Guixia; Zhong, Weizhang; Wang, Rui; Chen, Jiaqi; Li, Zaixing

2017-08-01

Optimum anaerobic conditions of cephalosporin bacterial residues after thermal-alkaline pretreatment were determined by orthogonal experiments. And through biochemical methane potential tests (BMPs) for cephalosporin bacterial residues, the ability for bacterial degradation of cephalosporin was also evaluated. The thermal-alkaline pretreatment with the optimum values of 6% NaOH at 105 °C for 15 min significantly improved digestion performance. With the thermal-alkaline pretreatment, the specific methane yield of the pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residue increased by 254.79% compared with that of the un-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residue. The results showed that anaerobic digestion of thermal-alkaline-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residues could be one of the options for efficient methane production and waste treatment. This work investigates the thermal-alkaline pretreatment of cephalosporin bacterial residues, which can increase their methane yield by 254.79% compared with no pretreatment. The digestion performance is significantly improved under the condition of 6% NaOH at 105 °C for 15 min. The results show that anaerobic digestion of thermal-alkaline-pretreated cephalosporin bacterial residues could be one of the options for efficient methane production and waste treatment.

Increased performance of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells under alkaline conditions.

PubMed

Rago, Laura; Baeza, Juan A; Guisasola, Albert

2016-06-01

This work reports the first successful enrichment and operation of alkaline bioelectrochemical systems (microbial fuel cells, MFC, and microbial electrolysis cells, MEC). Alkaline (pH=9.3) bioelectrochemical hydrogen production presented better performance (+117%) compared to conventional neutral conditions (2.6 vs 1.2 litres of hydrogen gas per litre of reactor per day, LH2·L(-1)REACTOR·d(-1)). Pyrosequencing results of the anodic biofilm showed that while Geobacter was mainly detected under conventional neutral conditions, Geoalkalibacter sp. was highly detected in the alkaline MFC (21%) and MEC (48%). This is the first report of a high enrichment of Geoalkalibacter from an anaerobic mixed culture using alkaline conditions in an MEC. Moreover, Alkalibacter sp. was highly present in the anodic biofilm of the alkaline MFC (37%), which would indicate its potentiality as a new exoelectrogen. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crustal structure between Lake Mead, Nevada, and Mono Lake, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Lane R.

1964-01-01

Interpretation of a reversed seismic-refraction profile between Lake Mead, Nevada, and Mono Lake, California, indicates velocities of 6.15 km/sec for the upper layer of the crust, 7.10 km/sec for an intermediate layer, and 7.80 km/sec for the uppermost mantle. Phases interpreted to be reflections from the top of the intermediate layer and the Mohorovicic discontinuity were used with the refraction data to calculate depths. The depth to the Moho increases from about 30 km near Lake Mead to about 40 km near Mono Lake. Variations in arrival times provide evidence for fairly sharp flexures in the Moho. Offsets in the Moho of 4 km at one point and 2 1/2 km at another correspond to large faults at the surface, and it is suggested that fracture zones in the upper crust may displace the Moho and extend into the upper mantle. The phase P appears to be an extension of the reflection from the top of the intermediate layer beyond the critical angle. Bouguer gravity, computed for the seismic model of the crust, is in good agreement with the measured Bouguer gravity. Thus a model of the crustal structure is presented which is consistent with three semi-independent sources of geophysical data: seismic-refraction, seismic-reflection, and gravity.

A late Pleistocene tephra layer in the southern Great Basin and Colorado Plateau derived from Mono Craters, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madsen, D.B.; Sarna-Wojcicki, A. M.; Thompson, R.S.

2002-01-01

A newly identified tephra in stratified deposits in southwestern Utah, dated ???14,000 14C yr B.P., may aid in correlating late Pleistocene deposits across parts of the southern Great Basin and west-central Colorado Plateau. Geochemical analyses of the ash suggest the tephra originated from Mono Craters, California, and most probably correlates with Wilson Creek ash #3. Because the ash is 2 mm thick ???550 km from its source, the event may have been larger than others correlated to Mono Craters eruptions. ?? 2002 University of Washington.

Proposal for a standardised identification of the mono-exponential terminal phase for orally administered drugs.

PubMed

Scheerans, Christian; Derendorf, Hartmut; Kloft, Charlotte

2008-04-01

The area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUC(0-inf)) is generally considered to be the most appropriate measure of total drug exposure for bioavailability/bioequivalence studies of orally administered drugs. However, the lack of a standardised method for identifying the mono-exponential terminal phase of the concentration-time curve causes variability for the estimated AUC(0-inf). The present investigation introduces a simple method, called the two times t(max) method (TTT method) to reliably identify the mono-exponential terminal phase in the case of oral administration. The new method was tested by Monte Carlo simulation in Excel and compared with the adjusted r squared algorithm (ARS algorithm) frequently used in pharmacokinetic software programs. Statistical diagnostics of three different scenarios, each with 10,000 hypothetical patients showed that the new method provided unbiased average AUC(0-inf) estimates for orally administered drugs with a monophasic concentration-time curve post maximum concentration. In addition, the TTT method generally provided more precise estimates for AUC(0-inf) compared with the ARS algorithm. It was concluded that the TTT method is a most reasonable tool to be used as a standardised method in pharmacokinetic analysis especially bioequivalence studies to reliably identify the mono-exponential terminal phase for orally administered drugs showing a monophasic concentration-time profile.

Energetics of Amino Acid Synthesis in Alkaline Hydrothermal Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitadai, Norio

2015-12-01

Alkaline hydrothermal systems have received considerable attention as candidates for the origin and evolution of life on the primitive Earth. Nevertheless, sufficient information has not yet been obtained for the thermodynamic properties of amino acids, which are necessary components for life, at high temperatures and alkaline pH. These properties were estimated using experimental high-temperature volume and heat capacity data reported in the literature for several amino acids, together with correlation algorithms and the revised Helgeson-Kirkham-Flowers (HKF) equations of state. This approach enabled determination of a complete set of the standard molal thermodynamic data and the revised HKF parameters for the 20 protein amino acids in their zwitterionic and ionization states. The obtained dataset was then used to evaluate the energetics of amino acid syntheses from simple inorganic precursors (CO2, H2, NH3 and H2S) in a simulated alkaline hydrothermal system on the Hadean Earth. Results show that mixing between CO2-rich seawater and the H2-rich hydrothermal fluid can produce energetically favorable conditions for amino acid syntheses, particularly in the lower-temperature region of such systems. Together with data related to the pH and temperature dependences of the energetics of amino acid polymerizations presented in earlier reports, these results suggest the following. Hadean alkaline hydrothermal settings, where steep pH and temperature gradients may have existed between cool, slightly acidic Hadean ocean water and hot, alkaline hydrothermal fluids at the vent-ocean interface, may be energetically the most suitable environment for the synthesis and polymerization of amino acids.

Energetics of Amino Acid Synthesis in Alkaline Hydrothermal Environments.

PubMed

Kitadai, Norio

2015-12-01

Alkaline hydrothermal systems have received considerable attention as candidates for the origin and evolution of life on the primitive Earth. Nevertheless, sufficient information has not yet been obtained for the thermodynamic properties of amino acids, which are necessary components for life, at high temperatures and alkaline pH. These properties were estimated using experimental high-temperature volume and heat capacity data reported in the literature for several amino acids, together with correlation algorithms and the revised Helgeson-Kirkham-Flowers (HKF) equations of state. This approach enabled determination of a complete set of the standard molal thermodynamic data and the revised HKF parameters for the 20 protein amino acids in their zwitterionic and ionization states. The obtained dataset was then used to evaluate the energetics of amino acid syntheses from simple inorganic precursors (CO2, H2, NH3 and H2S) in a simulated alkaline hydrothermal system on the Hadean Earth. Results show that mixing between CO2-rich seawater and the H2-rich hydrothermal fluid can produce energetically favorable conditions for amino acid syntheses, particularly in the lower-temperature region of such systems. Together with data related to the pH and temperature dependences of the energetics of amino acid polymerizations presented in earlier reports, these results suggest the following. Hadean alkaline hydrothermal settings, where steep pH and temperature gradients may have existed between cool, slightly acidic Hadean ocean water and hot, alkaline hydrothermal fluids at the vent-ocean interface, may be energetically the most suitable environment for the synthesis and polymerization of amino acids.

Development of an alkaline/surfactant/polymer compositional reservoir simulator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhuyan, D.

1989-01-01

The mathematical formulation of a generalized three-dimensional compositional reservoir simulator for high-pH chemical flooding processes is presented in this work. The model assumes local thermodynamic equilibrium with respect to both reaction chemistry and phase behavior and calculates equilibrium electrolyte and phase compositions as a function of time and position. The reaction chemistry considers aqueous electrolytic chemistry, precipitation/dissolution of minerals, ion exchange reactions on matrix surface, reaction of acidic components of crude oil with the bases in the aqueous solution and cation exchange reactions with the micelles. The simulator combines this detailed reaction chemistry associated with these processes with the extensivemore » physical and flow property modeling schemes of an existing chemical flood simulator (UTCHEM) to model the multiphase, multidimensional displacement processes. The formulation of the chemical equilibrium model is quite general and is adaptable to simulate a variety of chemical descriptions. In addition to its use in the simulation of high-pH chemical flooding processes, the model will find application in the simulation of other reactive flow problems like the ground water contamination, reinjection of produced water, chemical waste disposal, etc. in one, two or three dimensions and under multiphase flow conditions. In this work, the model is used to simulate several hypothetical cases of high-pH chemical floods, which include cases from a simple alkaline preflush of a micellar/polymer flood to surfactant enhanced alkaline-polymer flooding and the results are analyzed. Finally, a few published alkaline, alkaline-polymer and surfactant-alkaline-polymer corefloods are simulated and compared with the experimental results.« less

Analysis of serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases.

PubMed

Kojima, K; Ohno, K; Kanemoto, H; Goto-Koshino, Y; Fukushima, K; Tsujimoto, H

2017-05-01

To reveal the relationship between canine corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme activity and hepatobiliary diseases. Retrospective analysis of the relationship between serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase activity and diagnosis, serum cortisol concentration and alanine transferase activity in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases. Dogs with a history of glucocorticoid administration were excluded. Seventy-two dogs with hepatobiliary diseases were analysed. The serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase concentration was increased in dogs with hepatobiliary diseases. There was no correlation between serum cortisol concentration and serum corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase percentage or activity. Dogs with hepatobiliary disease can exhibit high serum alkaline phosphatase activity even if the dogs have not been administrated glucocorticoids and the serum cortisol concentration is normal. © 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Analysis of differentially expressed genes and adaptive mechanisms of Prunus triloba Lindl. under alkaline stress.

PubMed

Liu, Jia; Wang, Yongqing; Li, Qingtian

2017-01-01

Prunus triloba Lindl. is a naturally salt-alkaline-tolerant plant with several unique characteristics, and it can be used as the rootstock of Chinese plum ( Prunus salicina Lindl.) in saline-alkaline soils. To comprehensively investigate the alkaline acclimation mechanisms in P. triloba , a series of analyses were conducted under alkaline stress, including analyses of the kinetics of molecular and physiological changes, and leaf microstructure. To understand the kinetics of molecular changes under short-term alkaline stress, we used Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform to identify alkaline stress-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in P. triloba . Approximately 53.0 million high-quality clean reads were generated from 59.6 million raw reads, and a total of 124,786 unigenes were obtained after de novo assembly of P. triloba transcriptome data. After alkaline stress treatment, a total of 8948 unigenes were identified as DEGs. Based on these DEGs, a Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis was conducted, suggesting that 28 genes may play an important role in the early alkaline stress response. In addition, analysis of DEGs with the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) revealed that pathways were significant at different treatment time points. A significant positive correlation was found between the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results and the RNA-Seq data for seven alkaline-related genes, confirming the reliability of the RNA-Seq results. Based on physiological analysis of P. triloba in response to long-term alkaline stress, we found that the internal microstructures of the leaves of P. triloba changed to adapt to long-term alkaline stress. Various physiological indexes indicated that the degree of membrane injury increased with increasing duration of alkaline stress, affecting photosynthesis in P. triloba seedlings. This represents the first investigation into the physiology and transcriptome of P. triloba in response to alkaline stress. The results

Proteomic analysis of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in neutral and alkaline conditions.

PubMed

Gonzales-Siles, Lucia; Karlsson, Roger; Kenny, Diarmuid; Karlsson, Anders; Sjöling, Åsa

2017-01-07

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhea in children and travelers to endemic areas. Secretion of the heat labile AB 5 toxin (LT) is induced by alkaline conditions. In this study, we determined the surface proteome of ETEC exposed to alkaline conditions (pH 9) as compared to neutral conditions (pH 7) using a LPI Hexalane FlowCell combined with quantitative proteomics. Relative quantitation with isobaric labeling (TMT) was used to compare peptide abundance and their corresponding proteins in multiple samples at MS/MS level. For protein identification and quantification samples were analyzed using either a 1D-LCMS or a 2D-LCMS approach. Strong up-regulation of the ATP synthase operon encoding F1Fo ATP synthase and down-regulation of proton pumping proteins NuoF, NuoG, Ndh and WrbA were detected among proteins involved in regulating the proton and electron transport under alkaline conditions. Reduced expression of proteins involved in osmotic stress was found at alkaline conditions while the Sec-dependent transport over the inner membrane and outer membrane protein proteins such as OmpA and the β-Barrel Assembly Machinery (BAM) complex were up-regulated. ETEC exposed to alkaline environments express a specific proteome profile characterized by up-regulation of membrane proteins and secretion of LT toxin. Alkaline microenvironments have been reported close to the intestinal epithelium and the alkaline proteome may hence represent a better view of ETEC during infection.

Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and the Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

2005-12-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or reservoirs with different sand lenses with high permeability contrast. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more crude oil than waterflooding froin swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or reservoirs with high permeability contrast zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction withmore » different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium-polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions

Transtensional deformation and structural control of contiguous but independent magmatic systems: Mono-Inyo Craters, Mammoth Mountain, and Long Valley Caldera, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Riley, P.; Tikoff, B.; Hildreth, Wes

2012-01-01

The Long Valley region of eastern California (United States) is the site of abundant late Tertiary–present magmatism, including three geochemically distinct stages of magmatism since ca. 3 Ma: Mammoth Mountain, the Mono-Inyo volcanic chain, and Long Valley Caldera. We propose two tectonic models, one explaining the Mammoth Mountain–Mono-Inyo magmatism and the other explaining the presence of Long Valley Caldera. First, the ongoing Mammoth Mountain–Mono-Inyo volcanic chain magmatism is explained by a ridge-transform-ridge system, with the Mono-Inyo volcanic chain acting as one ridge segment and the South Moat fault acting as a transform fault. Implicit in this first model is that this region of eastern California is beginning to act as an incipient plate boundary. Second, the older Long Valley Caldera system is hypothesized to occur in a region of enhanced extension resulting from regional fault block rotation, specifically involving activation of the sinistral faults of the Mina deflection. The tectonic models are consistent with observed spatial and temporal differences in the geochemistry of the regional magmas, and the westward progression of magmatism since ca. 12 Ma.

Coupling the Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Technology and The Gelation Technology to Maximize Oil Production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malcolm Pitts; Jie Qi; Dan Wilson

2005-12-01

Gelation technologies have been developed to provide more efficient vertical sweep efficiencies for flooding naturally fractured oil reservoirs or reservoirs with different sand lenses with high permeability contrast. The field proven alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology economically recovers 15% to 25% OOIP more crude oil than waterflooding from swept pore space of an oil reservoir. However, alkaline-surfactant-polymer technology is not amenable to naturally fractured reservoirs or reservoirs with high permeability contrast zones because much of injected solution bypasses target pore space containing oil. This work investigates whether combining these two technologies could broaden applicability of alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding into these reservoirs. Fluid-fluid interaction withmore » different gel chemical compositions and alkaline-surfactant-polymer solution with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9 have been tested. Aluminum-polyacrylamide gels are not stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions at any pH. Chromium-polyacrylamide gels with polymer to chromium ion ratios of 25 or greater were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions if solution pH was 10.6 or less. When the polymer to chromium ion was 15 or less, chromium-polyacrylamide gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values up to 12.9. Chromium-xanthan gum gels were stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values of 12.9 at the polymer to chromium ion ratios tested. Silicate-polyacrylamide, resorcinol-formaldehyde, and sulfomethylated resorcinol-formaldehyde gels were also stable to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Iron-polyacrylamide gels were immediately destroyed when contacted with any of the alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions with pH values ranging from 9.2 to 12.9. Gel solutions under dynamic conditions of linear corefloods showed similar stability to alkaline-surfactant-polymer solutions

Effect of aluminum phosphate on alkaline phosphatase activity of polyurethane foam immobilized cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Ramalingam, N; Prasanna, B Gowtham

2006-09-01

The impact of insoluble phosphorus such as aluminum and rock phosphate on alkaline phosphatase activity of polyurethane foam immobilized cyanobacteria was assessed. Polyurethane foam immobilized Nodularia recorded the highest alkaline phosphatase activity of 9.04 (m. mol p-nitrophenol released h(-1) mg(-1) protein) in vitro. A higher concentration of aluminum phosphate was recorded a 25% reduction in alkaline phosphatase activity, ammonia content, and available phosphorus in culture filtrate of polyurethane foam immobilized cyanobacteria. In general, immobilized cyanobacteria exhibited a higher alkaline phosphatase activity in rock phosphate than aluminum phosphate.

Hydrogen in Mono-Atomic Gold Wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, Robert N.; Sherbakov, Andrew G.; Landman, Uzi; Hakkinen, Hannu

2004-03-01

Results of ab-initio scalar relativistic density functional calculations of the interaction between a mono-atomic gold wire (suspended between two gold tips) and a hydrogen molecule, at various stages of wire stretching, are presented. The hydrogen molecule does not bind to the wire until the wire is sufficiently stretched, i.e. starting to break, at which time the molecule inserts itself into the wire restoring a fraction of the conductance quantum g. With subsequent compression of the wire the axis of the molecule gradually tips away from the wire axis until it becomes "quasi-dissociated" with the H-H axis perpendicular to the wire. At this point the conductance almost vanishes, while for the bare wire the conductance at this tip-to-tip separation is close to 1g. These results, and the frequency of various vibrational modes of the hydrogen molecule, are compared with recent experimental and theoretical work involving platinum wires.

Alternative Alkaline Conditioning of Amidoxime Based Adsorbent for Uranium Extraction from Seawater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Das, S.; Liao, W. -P.; Flicker Byers, M.

2016-04-20

Alkaline conditioning of the amidoxime based adsorbents is a significant step in the preparation of the adsorbent for uranium uptake from seawater. The effects of various alkaline conditioning parameters such as the type of alkaline reagent, reaction temperature, and reaction time were investigated with respect to uranium adsorption capacity from simulated seawater (spiked with 8 ppm uranium) and natural seawater (from Sequim Bay, WA). An adsorbent (AF1) was prepared at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory by radiation-induced graft polymerization (RIGP) with acrylonitrile and itaconic acid onto high-surface-area polyethylene fibers. For the AF1 adsorbent, sodium hydroxide emerged as a better reagentmore » for alkaline conditioning over potassium hydroxide, which has typically been used in previous studies, because of higher uranium uptake capacity and lower cost over the other candidate alkaline reagents investigated in this study. Use of sodium hydroxide in place of potassium hydroxide is shown to result in a 21-30% decrease in the cost of uranium recovery.« less