Ant-mediated effects on spruce litter decomposition, solution chemistry, and microbial activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stadler, B.; Schramm, Andreas; Kalbitz, K.

2006-01-01

the effects of ants and aphid honeydew on litter solution of Norway spruce, microbial enzyme activities, and needle decomposition in a field and greenhouse experiment during summer 2003. In the field, low ant densities had relatively little effects on litter solution 30 cm away from a tree trunk...... and %N were not affected by ants or honeydew. Our results suggest that ants have a distinct and immediate effect on solution composition and microbial activity in the litter layer indicating accelerated litter decay whereas the effect of honeydew was insignificant. Keywords: Ants; Decomposition; Formica......Forest management practices often generate clear-cut patches, which may be colonized by ants not present in the same densities in mature forests. In addition to the associated changes in abiotic conditions ants can initiate processes, which do not occur in old-growth stands. Here, we analyse...

Utilization and control of ecological interactions in polymicrobial infections and community-based microbial cell factories.

Science.gov (United States)

Wigneswaran, Vinoth; Amador, Cristina Isabel; Jelsbak, Lotte; Sternberg, Claus; Jelsbak, Lars

2016-01-01

Microbial activities are most often shaped by interactions between co-existing microbes within mixed-species communities. Dissection of the molecular mechanisms of species interactions within communities is a central issue in microbial ecology, and our ability to engineer and control microbial communities depends, to a large extent, on our knowledge of these interactions. This review highlights the recent advances regarding molecular characterization of microbe-microbe interactions that modulate community structure, activity, and stability, and aims to illustrate how these findings have helped us reach an engineering-level understanding of microbial communities in relation to both human health and industrial biotechnology.

Utilization and control of ecological interactions in polymicrobial infections and community-based microbial cell factories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wigneswaran, Vinoth; Amador Hierro, Cristina Isabel; Jelsbak, Lotte

2016-01-01

Microbial activities are most often shaped by interactions between co-existing microbes within mixed-species communities. Dissection of the molecular mechanisms of species interactions within communities is a central issue in microbial ecology, and our ability to engineer and control microbial co...

The mother-offspring dyad: microbial transmission, immune interactions and allergy development.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenmalm, M C

2017-12-01

The increasing prevalence of allergy in affluent countries may be caused by reduced intensity and diversity of microbial stimulation, resulting in abnormal postnatal immune maturation. Most studies investigating the underlying immunomodulatory mechanisms have focused on postnatal microbial exposure, for example demonstrating that the gut microbiota differs in composition and diversity during the first months of life in children who later do or do not develop allergic disease. However, it is also becoming increasingly evident that the maternal microbial environment during pregnancy is important in childhood immune programming, and the first microbial encounters may occur already in utero. During pregnancy, there is a close immunological interaction between the mother and her offspring, which provides important opportunities for the maternal microbial environment to influence the immune development of the child. In support of this theory, combined pre- and postnatal supplementations seem to be crucial for the preventive effect of probiotics on infant eczema. Here, the influence of microbial and immune interactions within the mother-offspring dyad on childhood allergy development will be discussed. In addition, how perinatal transmission of microbes and immunomodulatory factors from mother to offspring may shape appropriate immune maturation during infancy and beyond, potentially via epigenetic mechanisms, will be examined. Deeper understanding of these interactions between the maternal and offspring microbiome and immunity is needed to identify efficacious preventive measures to combat the allergy epidemic. © 2017 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Dynamic Assessment of Microbial Ecology (DAME): A web app for interactive analysis and visualization of microbial sequencing data

Science.gov (United States)

Dynamic Assessment of Microbial Ecology (DAME) is a shiny-based web application for interactive analysis and visualization of microbial sequencing data. DAME provides researchers not familiar with R programming the ability to access the most current R functions utilized for ecology and gene sequenci...

Microbial brokers of insect-plant interactions revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Angela E

2013-07-01

Recent advances in sequencing methods have transformed the field of microbial ecology, making it possible to determine the composition and functional capabilities of uncultured microorganisms. These technologies have been instrumental in the recognition that resident microorganisms can have profound effects on the phenotype and fitness of their animal hosts by modulating the animal signaling networks that regulate growth, development, behavior, etc. Against this backdrop, this review assesses the impact of microorganisms on insect-plant interactions, in the context of the hypothesis that microorganisms are biochemical brokers of plant utilization by insects. There is now overwhelming evidence for a microbial role in insect utilization of certain plant diets with an extremely low or unbalanced nutrient content. Specifically, microorganisms enable insect utilization of plant sap by synthesizing essential amino acids. They also can broker insect utilization of plant products of extremely high lignocellulose content, by enzymatic breakdown of complex plant polysaccharides, nitrogen fixation, and sterol synthesis. However, the experimental evidence for microbial-mediated detoxification of plant allelochemicals is limited. The significance of microorganisms as brokers of plant utilization by insects is predicted to vary, possibly widely, as a result of potentially complex interactions between the composition of the microbiota and the diet and insect developmental age or genotype. For every insect species feeding on plant material, the role of resident microbiota as biochemical brokers of plant utilization is a testable hypothesis.

Recent advances in dental biofilm: impacts of microbial interactions on the biofilm ecology and pathogenesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yung-Hua Li

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The human oral cavity is a complex ecosystem harboring hundreds species of microbes that are largely living on the tooth surfaces as dental biofilms. Most microbes in dental biofilms promote oral health by stimulating the immune system or by preventing invasion of pathogens. Species diversity, high cell density and close proximity of cells are typical of life in dental biofilms, where microbes interact with each other and develop complex interactions that can be either competitive or cooperative. Competition between species is a well-recognized ecological force to drive microbial metabolism, species diversity and evolution. However, it was not until recently that microbial cooperative activities are also recognized to play important roles in microbial physiology and ecology. Importantly, these interactions profoundly affect the overall biomass, function, diversity and the pathogenesis in dental biofilms. It is now recognized that every human body contains a personalized oral microbiome that is essential to maintaining the oral health. Remarkably, the indigenous species in dental biofilms often maintain a relatively stable and harmless relationship with the host, despite regular exposure to environmental perturbations and the host defense factors. Such stability or homeostasis results from a dynamic balance of microbial-microbial and microbial-host interactions. Under certain circumstances, however, the homeostasis may breakdown, predisposing a site to diseases. In this review, we describe several examples of microbial interactions and their impacts on the homeostasis and pathogenesis of dental biofilms. We hope to encourage research on microbial interactions in the regulation of the homeostasis in biofilms.

Interactions between microbial-feeding and predatory soil fauna trigger N2O emissions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thakur, M.P.; Groenigen, van J.W.; Kuiper, I.; Deyn, de G.B.

2014-01-01

Recent research has shown that microbial-feeding invertebrate soil fauna species can significantly contribute to N2O emissions. However, in soil food webs microbial-feeding soil fauna interact with each other and with their predators, which affects microbial activity. To date we lack empirical tests

What can we learn from the microbial ecological interactions associated with polymicrobial diseases?

Science.gov (United States)

Antiabong, J F; Boardman, W; Ball, A S

2014-03-15

Periodontal diseases in humans and animals are model polymicrobial diseases which are associated with a shift in the microbial community structure and function; there is therefore a need to investigate these diseases from a microbial ecological perspective. This review highlights three important areas of microbial ecological investigation of polymicrobial diseases and the lessons that could be learnt: (1) identification of disease-associated microbes and the implications for choice of anti-infective treatment; (2) the implications associated with vaccine design and development and (3) application of the dynamics of microbial interaction in the discovery of novel anti-infective agents. This review emphasises the need to invigorate microbial ecological approaches to the study of periodontal diseases and other polymicrobial diseases for greater understanding of the ecological interactions between and within the biotic and abiotic factors of the environment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel co-culture plate enables growth dynamic-based assessment of contact-independent microbial interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas J Moutinho

Full Text Available Interactions between microbes are central to the dynamics of microbial communities. Understanding these interactions is essential for the characterization of communities, yet challenging to accomplish in practice. There are limited available tools for characterizing diffusion-mediated, contact-independent microbial interactions. A practical and widely implemented technique in such characterization involves the simultaneous co-culture of distinct bacterial species and subsequent analysis of relative abundance in the total population. However, distinguishing between species can be logistically challenging. In this paper, we present a low-cost, vertical membrane, co-culture plate to quantify contact-independent interactions between distinct bacterial populations in co-culture via real-time optical density measurements. These measurements can be used to facilitate the analysis of the interaction between microbes that are physically separated by a semipermeable membrane yet able to exchange diffusible molecules. We show that diffusion across the membrane occurs at a sufficient rate to enable effective interaction between physically separate cultures. Two bacterial species commonly found in the cystic fibrotic lung, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia, were co-cultured to demonstrate how this plate may be implemented to study microbial interactions. We have demonstrated that this novel co-culture device is able to reliably generate real-time measurements of optical density data that can be used to characterize interactions between microbial species.

Modelling microbial interactions and food structure in predictive microbiology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Malakar, P.K.

2002-01-01

Keywords: modelling, dynamic models, microbial interactions, diffusion, microgradients, colony growth, predictive microbiology.

Growth response of microorganisms in foods is a complex process. Innovations in food production and preservation techniques have resulted in adoption of

Power output of microbial fuel cell emphasizing interaction of anodic binder with bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hongying; Liao, Bo; Xiong, Juan; Zhou, Xingwang; Zhi, Huozhen; Liu, Xiang; Li, Xiaoping; Li, Weishan

2018-03-01

Electrochemically active biofilm is necessary for the electron transfer between bacteria and anodic electrode in microbial fuel cells and selecting the type of anodic electrode material that favours formation of electrochemically active biofilm is crucial for the microbial fuel cell operation. We report a new finding that the interaction of anodic binder with bacteria plays more important role than its hydrophilicity for forming an electrochemically active biofilm, which is emphasized by applying poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin) as an anodic binder of the microbial fuel cell based on carbon nanotubes as anodic electrode and Escherichia coli as bacterium. The physical characterizations and electrochemical measurements demonstrate that poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin) exhibits a strong interaction with bacteria and thus provides the microbial fuel cell with excellent power density output. The MFC using poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin) reaches a maximum power density output of 3.8 W m-2. This value is larger than that of the MFCs using polytetrafluoroethylene that has poorer hydrophilicity, or polyvinyl alcohol that has better hydrophilicity but exhibits weaker interaction with bacteria than poly(bisphenol A-co-epichorohydrin).

Soil Microbes and soil microbial proteins: interactions with clay minerals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spence, A.; Kelleher, B. P.

2009-01-01

Bacterial enumeration in soil environments estimates that the population may reach approximately 10 1 0 g - 1 of soil and comprise up to 90% of the total soil microbial biomass. Bacteria are present in soils as single cells or multicell colonies and often strongly adsorb onto mineral surfaces such as sand and clay. The interactions of microbes and microbial biomolecules with these minerals have profound impacts on the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. (Author)

Microbial genome-enabled insights into plant-microorganism interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Guttman, David S; McHardy, Alice C; Schulze-Lefert, Paul

2014-12-01

Advances in genome-based studies on plant-associated microorganisms have transformed our understanding of many plant pathogens and are beginning to greatly widen our knowledge of plant interactions with mutualistic and commensal microorganisms. Pathogenomics has revealed how pathogenic microorganisms adapt to particular hosts, subvert innate immune responses and change host range, as well as how new pathogen species emerge. Similarly, culture-independent community profiling methods, coupled with metagenomic and metatranscriptomic studies, have provided the first insights into the emerging field of research on plant-associated microbial communities. Together, these approaches have the potential to bridge the gap between plant microbial ecology and plant pathology, which have traditionally been two distinct research fields.

Biotic interactions reduce microbial carbon use efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Bradford, M.; Maynard, D. S.

2017-12-01

The efficiency by which microbes decompose organic matter governs the amount of carbon that is retained in microbial biomass versus lost to the atmosphere as respiration. This carbon use efficiency (CUE) is affected by various abiotic conditions, such as temperature and nutrient availability. In biogeochemical model simulations, CUE is a key variable regulating how much soil carbon is stored or lost from ecosystems under simulated global changes, such as climate warming. Theoretically, the physiological costs of biotic interactions such as competition should likewise alter CUE, yet the direction and magnitude of these costs are untested. Here we conduct a microcosm experiment to quantify how competitive interactions among saprotrophic fungi alter growth, respiration, and CUE. Free-living decomposer fungi representing a broad range of traits and phylogenies were grown alone, in pairwise competition, and in multi-species (up to 15) communities. By combing culturing and stable carbon isotope approaches, we could resolve the amount of carbon substrate allocated to fungal biomass versus respiration, and so estimate CUE. By then comparing individual performance to community-level outcomes, we show that species interactions induce consistent declines in CUE, regardless of abiotic conditions. Pairwise competition lowers CUE by as much as 25%, with the magnitude of these costs equal to or greater than the observed variation across abiotic conditions. However, depending on the competitive network structure, increasing species richness led to consistent gains or declines in CUE. Our results suggest that the extent to which microbial-mediated carbon fluxes respond to environmental change may be influenced strongly by competitive interactions. As such, knowledge of abiotic conditions and community composition is necessary to confidently project CUE and hence ecosystem carbon dynamics.

Microbial communities in bentonite formations and their interactions with uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López-Fernández, Margarita; Fernández-Sanfrancisco, Omar; Moreno-García, Alberto; Martín-Sánchez, Inés; Sánchez-Castro, Iván; Merroun, Mohamed Larbi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Microbial diversity of Spanish bentonites was studied. • High number of aerobe and facultative anaerobe microbes were isolated from bentonites. • Natural bentonite microbes are able to tolerate high U concentrations. • U is immobilized by the cells of the strain Rhodotorula mucilaginosa BII-R8 as U(VI) phosphates. - Abstract: A reliable performance assessment of deep geological disposal of nuclear waste depends on better knowledge of radionuclide interactions with natural microbes of geological formations (granitic rock, clay, salts) used to host these disposal systems. In Spain, clay deposits from Cabo de Gata region, Almeria, are investigated for this purpose. The present work characterizes the culture-dependent microbial diversity of two bentonite samples (BI and BII) recovered from Spanish clay deposits. The evaluation of aerobe and facultative anaerobe microbial populations shows the presence of a high number of cultivable bacteria (e.g. Stenotrophomonas, Micrococcus, Arthrobacter, Kocuria, Sphingomonas, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, etc.) affiliated to three phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. In addition, a pigmented yeast strain BII-R8 related to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was also recovered from these formations. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of uranium for the growth of these natural isolates were found to range from 4 to 10.0 mM. For instance, strain R. mucilaginosa BII-R8 was shown to tolerate up to 8 mM of U. Flow cytometry studies indicated that the high U tolerance of this yeast isolate is a biologically mediated process. Microscopically dense intracellular and cell wall-bound precipitates were observed by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy-High-Angle Annular Dark-Field (STEM-HAADF). Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) element-distribution maps showed the presence of U and P within these accumulates, indicating the ability of cells to precipitate U as U(VI) phosphate minerals. Fundamental understanding of the

Microbial communities in bentonite formations and their interactions with uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

López-Fernández, Margarita; Fernández-Sanfrancisco, Omar; Moreno-García, Alberto; Martín-Sánchez, Inés; Sánchez-Castro, Iván; Merroun, Mohamed Larbi, E-mail: merroun@ugr.es

2014-10-15

Highlights: • Microbial diversity of Spanish bentonites was studied. • High number of aerobe and facultative anaerobe microbes were isolated from bentonites. • Natural bentonite microbes are able to tolerate high U concentrations. • U is immobilized by the cells of the strain Rhodotorula mucilaginosa BII-R8 as U(VI) phosphates. - Abstract: A reliable performance assessment of deep geological disposal of nuclear waste depends on better knowledge of radionuclide interactions with natural microbes of geological formations (granitic rock, clay, salts) used to host these disposal systems. In Spain, clay deposits from Cabo de Gata region, Almeria, are investigated for this purpose. The present work characterizes the culture-dependent microbial diversity of two bentonite samples (BI and BII) recovered from Spanish clay deposits. The evaluation of aerobe and facultative anaerobe microbial populations shows the presence of a high number of cultivable bacteria (e.g. Stenotrophomonas, Micrococcus, Arthrobacter, Kocuria, Sphingomonas, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, etc.) affiliated to three phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. In addition, a pigmented yeast strain BII-R8 related to Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was also recovered from these formations. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of uranium for the growth of these natural isolates were found to range from 4 to 10.0 mM. For instance, strain R. mucilaginosa BII-R8 was shown to tolerate up to 8 mM of U. Flow cytometry studies indicated that the high U tolerance of this yeast isolate is a biologically mediated process. Microscopically dense intracellular and cell wall-bound precipitates were observed by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy-High-Angle Annular Dark-Field (STEM-HAADF). Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) element-distribution maps showed the presence of U and P within these accumulates, indicating the ability of cells to precipitate U as U(VI) phosphate minerals. Fundamental understanding of the

Microbial endocrinology: Host-microbiota neuroendocrine interactions influencing brain and behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyte, Mark

2014-01-01

The ability of microorganisms, whether present as commensals within the microbiota or introduced as part of a therapeutic regimen, to influence behavior has been demonstrated by numerous laboratories over the last few years. Our understanding of the mechanisms that are responsible for microbiota-gut-brain interactions is, however, lacking. The complexity of the microbiota is, of course, a contributing factor. Nonetheless, while microbiologists approaching the issue of microbiota-gut-brain interactions in the behavior well recognize such complexity, what is often overlooked is the equal complexity of the host neurophysiological system, especially within the gut which is differentially innervated by the enteric nervous system. As such, in the search for common mechanisms by which the microbiota may influence behavior one may look for mechanisms which are shared by both host and microbiota. Such interkingdom signaling can be found in the shared production of neurochemical mediators that are found in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The study of the production and recognition of neurochemicals that are exactly the same in structure to those produced in the vertebrate organisms is known as microbial endocrinology. The examination of the microbiota from the vantage point of host-microbiota neuroendocrine interactions cannot only identify new microbial endocrinology-based mechanisms by which the microbiota can influence host behavior, but also lead to the design of interventions in which the composition of the microbiota may be modulated in order to achieve a specific microbial endocrinology-based profile beneficial to overall host behavior.

Hydrogen Generation in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Electrolysis Cells Using a Heat-Regenerated Salt Solution

KAUST Repository

Nam, Joo-Youn; Cusick, Roland D.; Kim, Younggy; Logan, Bruce E.

2012-01-01

Hydrogen gas can be electrochemically produced in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells (MRECs) using current derived from organic matter and salinity-gradient energy such as river water and seawater solutions. Here, it is shown

In vitro efficacy of an anti-microbial solution in prevention of micro ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aim: To evaluate the In vitro efficacy of a new biologically acceptable Anti Microbial-Solution (AMS) for prevention of colonization of polymeric denture base materials. Materials and methods: Sample discs of 6.25mm in diameter and 2mm thick were sectioned from molded rods using two types of Poly Methylmethacrylate ...

Inferring Microbial Interactions in the Gut of the Hong Kong Whipping Frog (Polypedates megacephalus) and a Validation Using Probiotics

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Francis Cheng-Hsuan; Shaw, Grace Tzun-Wen; Weng, Chieh-Yin; Yang, Yi-Ju; Wang, Daryi

2017-01-01

The concerted activity of intestinal microbes is crucial to the health and development of their host organisms. Investigation of microbial interactions in the gut should deepen our understanding of how these micro-ecosystems function. Due to advances in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies, various bioinformatic strategies have been proposed to investigate these microbial interactions. However, due to the complexity of the intestinal microbial community and difficulties in monitoring their interactions, at present there is a gap between the theory and biological application. In order to construct and validate microbial relationships, we first induce a community shift from simple to complex by manipulating artificial hibernation (AH) in the treefrog Polypedates megacephalus. To monitor community growth and microbial interactions, we further performed a time-course screen using a 16S rRNA amplicon approach and a Lotka-Volterra model. Lotka-Volterra models, also known as predator–prey equations, predict the dynamics of microbial communities and how communities are structured and sustained. An interaction network of gut microbiota at the genus level in the treefrog was constructed using Metagenomic Microbial Interaction Simulator (MetaMIS) package. The interaction network obtained had 1,568 commensal, 1,737 amensal, 3,777 mutual, and 3,232 competitive relationships, e.g., Lactococcus garvieae has a commensal relationship with Corynebacterium variabile. To validate the interacting relationships, the gut microbe composition was analyzed after probiotic trials using single strain (L. garvieae, C. variabile, and Bacillus coagulans, respectively) and a combination of L. garvieae, C. variabile, and B. coagulans, because of the cooperative relationship among their respective genera identified in the interaction network. After a 2 week trial, we found via 16S rRNA amplicon analysis that the combination of cooperative microbes yielded significantly higher probiotic

Microbial interactions involving sulfur bacteria : implications for the ecology and evolution of bacterial communities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Overmann, J; van Gemerden, H

2000-01-01

A major goal of microbial ecology is the identification and characterization of those microorganisms which govern transformations in natural ecosystems. This review summarizes our present knowledge of microbial interactions in the natural sulfur cycle. Central to the discussion is the recent

Volcano-ice interaction as a microbial habitat on Earth and Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Cousins, Claire R; Crawford, Ian A

2011-09-01

Volcano-ice interaction has been a widespread geological process on Earth that continues to occur to the present day. The interaction between volcanic activity and ice can generate substantial quantities of liquid water, together with steep thermal and geochemical gradients typical of hydrothermal systems. Environments available for microbial colonization within glaciovolcanic systems are wide-ranging and include the basaltic lava edifice, subglacial caldera meltwater lakes, glacier caves, and subsurface hydrothermal systems. There is widespread evidence of putative volcano-ice interaction on Mars throughout its history and at a range of latitudes. Therefore, it is possible that life on Mars may have exploited these habitats, much in the same way as has been observed on Earth. The sedimentary and mineralogical deposits resulting from volcano-ice interaction have the potential to preserve evidence of any indigenous microbial populations. These include jökulhlaup (subglacial outflow) sedimentary deposits, hydrothermal mineral deposits, basaltic lava flows, and subglacial lacustrine deposits. Here, we briefly review the evidence for volcano-ice interactions on Mars and discuss the geomicrobiology of volcano-ice habitats on Earth. In addition, we explore the potential for the detection of these environments on Mars and any biosignatures these deposits may contain.

Synthetic microbial ecology and the dynamic interplay between microbial genotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolinšek, Jan; Goldschmidt, Felix; Johnson, David R

2016-11-01

Assemblages of microbial genotypes growing together can display surprisingly complex and unexpected dynamics and result in community-level functions and behaviors that are not readily expected from analyzing each genotype in isolation. This complexity has, at least in part, inspired a discipline of synthetic microbial ecology. Synthetic microbial ecology focuses on designing, building and analyzing the dynamic behavior of ‘ecological circuits’ (i.e. a set of interacting microbial genotypes) and understanding how community-level properties emerge as a consequence of those interactions. In this review, we discuss typical objectives of synthetic microbial ecology and the main advantages and rationales of using synthetic microbial assemblages. We then summarize recent findings of current synthetic microbial ecology investigations. In particular, we focus on the causes and consequences of the interplay between different microbial genotypes and illustrate how simple interactions can create complex dynamics and promote unexpected community-level properties. We finally propose that distinguishing between active and passive interactions and accounting for the pervasiveness of competition can improve existing frameworks for designing and predicting the dynamics of microbial assemblages.

Microbial Herd Protection Mediated by Antagonistic Interaction in Polymicrobial Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Megan J. Q.; Liang, Xiaoye; Smart, Matt; Tang, Le; Moore, Richard; Ingalls, Brian

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In host and natural environments, microbes often exist in complex multispecies communities. The molecular mechanisms through which such communities develop and persist, despite significant antagonistic interactions between species, are not well understood. The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a lethal weapon commonly employed by Gram-negative bacteria to inhibit neighboring species through the delivery of toxic effectors. It is well established that intraspecies protection is conferred by immunity proteins that neutralize effector toxicities. In contrast, the mechanisms for interspecies protection are not clear. Here we use two T6SS-active antagonistic bacterial species, Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio cholerae, to demonstrate that interspecies protection is dependent on effectors. A. hydrophila and V. cholerae do not share conserved immunity genes but could coexist equally in a mixture. However, mutants lacking the T6SS or effectors were effectively eliminated by the competing wild-type strain. Time-lapse microscopic analyses showed that mutually lethal interactions drive the segregation of mixed species into distinct single-species clusters by eliminating interspersed single cells. Cluster formation provides herd protection by abolishing lethal interactions inside each cluster and restricting the interactions to the boundary. Using an agent-based modeling approach, we simulated the antagonistic interactions of two hypothetical species. The resulting simulations recapitulated our experimental observations. These results provide mechanistic insights regarding the general role of microbial weapons in determining the structures of complex multispecies communities. IMPORTANCE Investigating the warfare of microbes allows us to better understand the ecological relationships in complex microbial communities such as the human microbiota. Here we use the T6SS, a deadly bacterial weapon, as a model to demonstrate the importance of lethal interactions in

Utilization and control of ecological interactions in polymicrobial infections and community-based microbial cell factories [version 1; referees: 3 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinoth Wigneswaran

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Microbial activities are most often shaped by interactions between co-existing microbes within mixed-species communities. Dissection of the molecular mechanisms of species interactions within communities is a central issue in microbial ecology, and our ability to engineer and control microbial communities depends, to a large extent, on our knowledge of these interactions. This review highlights the recent advances regarding molecular characterization of microbe-microbe interactions that modulate community structure, activity, and stability, and aims to illustrate how these findings have helped us reach an engineering-level understanding of microbial communities in relation to both human health and industrial biotechnology.

Microbial herd protection mediated by antagonistic interaction in polymicrobial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Megan; Liang, Xiaoye; Smart, Matt; Tang, Le; Moore, Richard; Ingalls, Brian; Dong, Tao G

2016-09-16

In the host and natural environments, microbes often exist in complex multispecies communities. The molecular mechanisms through which such communities develop and persist - despite significant antagonistic interactions between species - are not well understood. The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a lethal weapon commonly employed by Gram-negative bacteria to inhibit neighboring species through delivery of toxic effectors. It is well established that intra-species protection is conferred by immunity proteins that neutralize effector toxicities. By contrast, the mechanisms for interspecies protection are not clear. Here we use two T6SS active antagonistic bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila (AH) and Vibrio cholerae (VC), to demonstrate that interspecies protection is dependent on effectors. AH and VC do not share conserved immunity genes but could equally co-exist in a mixture. However, mutants lacking the T6SS or effectors were effectively eliminated by the other competing wild type. Time-lapse microscopy analyses show that mutually lethal interactions drive the segregation of mixed species into distinct single-species clusters by eliminating interspersed single cells. Cluster formation provides herd protection by abolishing lethal interaction inside each cluster and restricting it to the boundary. Using an agent-based modeling approach, we simulated the antagonistic interactions of two hypothetical species. The resulting simulations recapitulate our experimental observation. These results provide mechanistic insights for the general role of microbial weapons in determining the structures of complex multispecies communities. Investigating the warfare of microbes allows us to better understand the ecological relationships in complex microbial communities such as the human microbiota. Here we use the T6SS, a deadly bacterial weapon, as a model to demonstrate the importance of lethal interactions in determining community structures and exchange of genetic materials

Visualization of Metabolic Interaction Networks in Microbial Communities Using VisANT 5.0.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian R Granger

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The complexity of metabolic networks in microbial communities poses an unresolved visualization and interpretation challenge. We address this challenge in the newly expanded version of a software tool for the analysis of biological networks, VisANT 5.0. We focus in particular on facilitating the visual exploration of metabolic interaction between microbes in a community, e.g. as predicted by COMETS (Computation of Microbial Ecosystems in Time and Space, a dynamic stoichiometric modeling framework. Using VisANT's unique metagraph implementation, we show how one can use VisANT 5.0 to explore different time-dependent ecosystem-level metabolic networks. In particular, we analyze the metabolic interaction network between two bacteria previously shown to display an obligate cross-feeding interdependency. In addition, we illustrate how a putative minimal gut microbiome community could be represented in our framework, making it possible to highlight interactions across multiple coexisting species. We envisage that the "symbiotic layout" of VisANT can be employed as a general tool for the analysis of metabolism in complex microbial communities as well as heterogeneous human tissues. VisANT is freely available at: http://visant.bu.edu and COMETS at http://comets.bu.edu.

Visualization of Metabolic Interaction Networks in Microbial Communities Using VisANT 5.0.

Science.gov (United States)

Granger, Brian R; Chang, Yi-Chien; Wang, Yan; DeLisi, Charles; Segrè, Daniel; Hu, Zhenjun

2016-04-01

The complexity of metabolic networks in microbial communities poses an unresolved visualization and interpretation challenge. We address this challenge in the newly expanded version of a software tool for the analysis of biological networks, VisANT 5.0. We focus in particular on facilitating the visual exploration of metabolic interaction between microbes in a community, e.g. as predicted by COMETS (Computation of Microbial Ecosystems in Time and Space), a dynamic stoichiometric modeling framework. Using VisANT's unique metagraph implementation, we show how one can use VisANT 5.0 to explore different time-dependent ecosystem-level metabolic networks. In particular, we analyze the metabolic interaction network between two bacteria previously shown to display an obligate cross-feeding interdependency. In addition, we illustrate how a putative minimal gut microbiome community could be represented in our framework, making it possible to highlight interactions across multiple coexisting species. We envisage that the "symbiotic layout" of VisANT can be employed as a general tool for the analysis of metabolism in complex microbial communities as well as heterogeneous human tissues. VisANT is freely available at: http://visant.bu.edu and COMETS at http://comets.bu.edu.

Energy Capture from Thermolytic Solutions in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Cells

KAUST Repository

Cusick, R. D.

2012-03-01

Reverse electrodialysis allows for the capture of energy from salinity gradients between salt and fresh waters, but potential applications are currently limited to coastal areas and the need for a large number of membrane pairs. Using salt solutions that could be continuously regenerated with waste heat (≥40°C) and conventional technologies would allow much wider applications of salinity-gradient power production. We used reverse electrodialysis ion-exchange membrane stacks in microbial reverse- electrodialysis cells to efficiently capture salinity-gradient energy from ammonium bicarbonate salt solutions. The maximum power density using acetate reached 5.6 watts per square meter of cathode surface area, which was five times that produced without the dialysis stack, and 3.0 ± 0.05 watts per square meter with domestic wastewater. Maximum energy recovery with acetate reached 30 ± 0.5%.

Effects of interactions between Collembola and soil microbial community on the degradation of glyphosate-based herbicide

Science.gov (United States)

Wee, J.; Lee, Y. S.; Son, J.; Kim, Y.; Nam, T. H.; Cho, K.

2017-12-01

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide because of its broad spectrum activity and effectiveness, however, little is known about adverse effects on non-target species and their interactions. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of glyphosate on interactions between Collembola and soil microbial community and the effect of Collembola on degradation of glyphosate. The experiment carried out in PS container filled with 30g of soil according to OECD 232 guidelines. Investigating the effects of soil microbial community and Collembola on degradation of glyphosate, we prepared defaunated field soil (only maintaining soil microbial community, sampling in May and September, 2016.) and autoclaved soil with 0, 10, 30 adults of Paronychiurus kimi (Collembola) respectively. Survived adults and hatched juveniles of P. kimi were counted after 28-day exposures in both soils spiked with 100 mg/kg of glyphosate. Glyphosate in soil of 7, 14, 21, 28 days after spiking of glyphosate based herbicide was analyzed by spectrophotometer (Jan et al., 2009). Also soil microbial community structure was investigated using phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) composition analysis of soils following the procedures given by the Sherlock Microbial Identification System (MIDI Inc., Newark, DE). Glyphosate (100mg/kg soil) has no effects on reproduction and survival of P. kimi in any soils. Also, glyphosate in soils with Collembola was more rapidly degraded. Rapid increase of soil microbial biomass(PLFAs) was shown in soil with Collembola addition. This result showed that glyphosate affected interactions between Collembola and soil microorganisms, and also soil microbial community affected by Collembola changed degradation of glyphosate.

Interactive microbial distribution analysis using BioAtlas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Jesper; List, Markus; Baumbach, Jan

2017-01-01

body maps and (iii) user-defined maps. It further allows for (iv) uploading of own sample data, which can be placed on existing maps to (v) browse the distribution of the associated taxonomies. Finally, BioAtlas enables users to (vi) contribute custom maps (e.g. for plants or animals) and to map...... to analyze microbial distribution in a location-specific context. BioAtlas is an interactive web application that closes this gap between sequence databases, taxonomy profiling and geo/body-location information. It enables users to browse taxonomically annotated sequences across (i) the world map, (ii) human...

GENOME-BASED MODELING AND DESIGN OF METABOLIC INTERACTIONS IN MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radhakrishnan Mahadevan

2012-10-01

With the advent of genome sequencing, omics technologies, bioinformatics and genome-scale modeling, researchers now have unprecedented capabilities to analyze and engineer the metabolism of microbial communities. The goal of this review is to summarize recent applications of genome-scale metabolic modeling to microbial communities. A brief introduction to lumped community models is used to motivate the need for genome-level descriptions of individual species and their metabolic interactions. The review of genome-scale models begins with static modeling approaches, which are appropriate for communities where the extracellular environment can be assumed to be time invariant or slowly varying. Dynamic extensions of the static modeling approach are described, and then applications of genome-scale models for design of synthetic microbial communities are reviewed. The review concludes with a summary of metagenomic tools for analyzing community metabolism and an outlook for future research.

Abundant Interaction Solutions of Sine-Gordon Equation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DaZhao Lü

2012-01-01

Full Text Available With the help of computer symbolic computation software (e.g., Maple, abundant interaction solutions of sine-Gordon equation are obtained by means of a constructed Wronskian form expansion method. The method is based upon the forms and structures of Wronskian solutions of sine-Gordon equation, and the functions used in the Wronskian determinants do not satisfy linear partial differential equations. Such interaction solutions are difficultly obtained via other methods. And the method can be automatically carried out in computer.

Soil solution extraction techniques for microbial ecotoxicity testing: a comparative evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiensing, T; Preston, S; Strachan, N; Paton, G I

2001-02-01

The suitability of two different techniques (centrifugation and Rhizon sampler) for obtaining the interstitial pore water of soil (soil solution), integral to the ecotoxicity assessment of metal contaminated soil, were investigated by combining chemical analyses and a luminescence-based microbial biosensor. Two different techniques, centrifugation and Rhizon sampler, were used to extract the soil solution from Insch (a loamy sand) and Boyndie (a sandy loam) soils, which had been amended with different concentrations of Zn and Cd. The concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), major anions (F- , CI-, NO3, SO4(2-)) and major cations (K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) in the soil solutions varied depending on the extraction technique used. Overall, the concentrations of Zn and Cd were significantly higher in the soil solution extracted using the centrifugation technique compared with that extracted using the Rhizon sampler technique. Furthermore, the differences observed between the two extraction techniques depended on the type of soil from which the solution was being extracted. The luminescence-based biosensor Escherichia coli HB101 pUCD607 was shown to respond to the free metal concentrations in the soil solutions and showed that different toxicities were associated with each soil, depending on the technique used to extract the soil solution. This study highlights the need to characterise the type of extraction technique used to obtain the soil solution for ecotoxicity testing in order that a representative ecotoxicity assessment can be carried out.

Genome-based Modeling and Design of Metabolic Interactions in Microbial Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahadevan, Radhakrishnan; Henson, Michael A

2012-01-01

Biotechnology research is traditionally focused on individual microbial strains that are perceived to have the necessary metabolic functions, or the capability to have these functions introduced, to achieve a particular task. For many important applications, the development of such omnipotent microbes is an extremely challenging if not impossible task. By contrast, nature employs a radically different strategy based on synergistic combinations of different microbial species that collectively achieve the desired task. These natural communities have evolved to exploit the native metabolic capabilities of each species and are highly adaptive to changes in their environments. However, microbial communities have proven difficult to study due to a lack of suitable experimental and computational tools. With the advent of genome sequencing, omics technologies, bioinformatics and genome-scale modeling, researchers now have unprecedented capabilities to analyze and engineer the metabolism of microbial communities. The goal of this review is to summarize recent applications of genome-scale metabolic modeling to microbial communities. A brief introduction to lumped community models is used to motivate the need for genome-level descriptions of individual species and their metabolic interactions. The review of genome-scale models begins with static modeling approaches, which are appropriate for communities where the extracellular environment can be assumed to be time invariant or slowly varying. Dynamic extensions of the static modeling approach are described, and then applications of genome-scale models for design of synthetic microbial communities are reviewed. The review concludes with a summary of metagenomic tools for analyzing community metabolism and an outlook for future research.

Species Coexistence in Nitrifying Chemostats: A Model of Microbial Interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxime Dumont

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In a previous study, the two nitrifying functions (ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB or nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB of a nitrification reactor—operated continuously over 525 days with varying inputs—were assigned using a mathematical modeling approach together with the monitoring of bacterial phylotypes. Based on these theoretical identifications, we develop here a chemostat model that does not explicitly include only the resources’ dynamics (different forms of soluble nitrogen but also explicitly takes into account microbial inter- and intra-species interactions for the four dominant phylotypes detected in the chemostat. A comparison of the models obtained with and without interactions has shown that such interactions permit the coexistence of two competing ammonium-oxidizing bacteria and two competing nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in competition for ammonium and nitrite, respectively. These interactions are analyzed and discussed.

Interactions between plant and rhizosphere microbial communities in a metalliferous soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epelde, Lur; Becerril, Jose M.; Barrutia, Oihana; Gonzalez-Oreja, Jose A.; Garbisu, Carlos

2010-01-01

In the present work, the relationships between plant consortia, consisting of 1-4 metallicolous pseudometallophytes with different metal-tolerance strategies (Thlaspi caerulescens: hyperaccumulator; Jasione montana: accumulator; Rumex acetosa: indicator; Festuca rubra: excluder), and their rhizosphere microbial communities were studied in a mine soil polluted with high levels of Cd, Pb and Zn. Physiological response and phytoremediation potential of the studied pseudometallophytes were also investigated. The studied metallicolous populations are tolerant to metal pollution and offer potential for the development of phytoextraction and phytostabilization technologies. T. caerulescens appears very tolerant to metal stress and most suitable for metal phytoextraction; the other three species enhance soil functionality. Soil microbial properties had a stronger effect on plant biomass rather than the other way around (35.2% versus 14.9%). An ecological understanding of how contaminants, ecosystem functions and biological communities interact in the long-term is needed for proper management of these fragile metalliferous ecosystems. - Rhizosphere microbial communities in highly polluted mine soils are determinant for the growth of pseudometallophytes.

Bioremediation of PAHs and VOCs: Advances in clay mineral-microbial interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Bhabananda; Sarkar, Binoy; Rusmin, Ruhaida; Naidu, Ravi

2015-12-01

Bioremediation is an effective strategy for cleaning up organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Advanced bioremediation implies that biotic agents are more efficient in degrading the contaminants completely. Bioremediation by microbial degradation is often employed and to make this process efficient, natural and cost-effective materials can serve as supportive matrices. Clay/modified clay minerals are effective adsorbents of PAHs/VOCs, and readily available substrate and habitat for microorganisms in the natural soil and sediment. However, the mechanism underpinning clay-mediated biodegradation of organic compounds is often unclear, and this requires critical investigation. This review describes the role of clay/modified clay minerals in hydrocarbon bioremediation through interaction with microbial agents in specific scenarios. The vision is on a faster, more efficient and cost-effective bioremediation technique using clay-based products. This review also proposes future research directions in the field of clay modulated microbial degradation of hydrocarbons. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactions between plant and rhizosphere microbial communities in a metalliferous soil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Epelde, Lur [NEIKER-Tecnalia, Department of Ecosystems, c/Berreaga 1, E-48160 Derio (Spain); Becerril, Jose M.; Barrutia, Oihana [Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, P.O. Box 644, E-48080 Bilbao (Spain); Gonzalez-Oreja, Jose A. [NEIKER-Tecnalia, Department of Ecosystems, c/Berreaga 1, E-48160 Derio (Spain); Garbisu, Carlos, E-mail: cgarbisu@neiker.ne [NEIKER-Tecnalia, Department of Ecosystems, c/Berreaga 1, E-48160 Derio (Spain)

2010-05-15

In the present work, the relationships between plant consortia, consisting of 1-4 metallicolous pseudometallophytes with different metal-tolerance strategies (Thlaspi caerulescens: hyperaccumulator; Jasione montana: accumulator; Rumex acetosa: indicator; Festuca rubra: excluder), and their rhizosphere microbial communities were studied in a mine soil polluted with high levels of Cd, Pb and Zn. Physiological response and phytoremediation potential of the studied pseudometallophytes were also investigated. The studied metallicolous populations are tolerant to metal pollution and offer potential for the development of phytoextraction and phytostabilization technologies. T. caerulescens appears very tolerant to metal stress and most suitable for metal phytoextraction; the other three species enhance soil functionality. Soil microbial properties had a stronger effect on plant biomass rather than the other way around (35.2% versus 14.9%). An ecological understanding of how contaminants, ecosystem functions and biological communities interact in the long-term is needed for proper management of these fragile metalliferous ecosystems. - Rhizosphere microbial communities in highly polluted mine soils are determinant for the growth of pseudometallophytes.

Prebiotics Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Consortium of the Infant Gut Microbiome.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Daniel A; Pinto, Francisco; Ovalle, Aline; Thomson, Pamela; Garrido, Daniel

2017-10-04

Composition of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet. Milk or formula oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, bioactives that promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. The influence of prebiotics on microbial interactions is not well understood. Here we investigated the transformation of prebiotics by a consortium of four representative species of the infant gut microbiome, and how their interactions changed with dietary substrates. First, we optimized a culture medium resembling certain infant gut parameters. A consortium containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis , Bacteroides vulgatus , Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus was grown on fructooligosaccharides (FOS) or 2'-fucosyllactose (2FL) in mono- or co-culture. While Bi. infantis and Ba. vulgatus dominated growth on 2FL, their combined growth was reduced. Besides, interaction coefficients indicated strong competition, especially on FOS. While FOS was rapidly consumed by the consortium, B. infantis was the only microbe displaying significant consumption of 2FL. Acid production by the consortium resembled the metabolism of microorganisms dominating growth in each substrate. Finally, the consortium was tested in a bioreactor, observing similar predominance but more pronounced acid production and substrate consumption. This study indicates that the chemical nature of prebiotics modulate microbial interactions in a consortium of infant gut species.

Prebiotics Mediate Microbial Interactions in a Consortium of the Infant Gut Microbiome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel A. Medina

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Composition of the gut microbiome is influenced by diet. Milk or formula oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, bioactives that promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. The influence of prebiotics on microbial interactions is not well understood. Here we investigated the transformation of prebiotics by a consortium of four representative species of the infant gut microbiome, and how their interactions changed with dietary substrates. First, we optimized a culture medium resembling certain infant gut parameters. A consortium containing Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, Bacteroides vulgatus, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus was grown on fructooligosaccharides (FOS or 2′-fucosyllactose (2FL in mono- or co-culture. While Bi. infantis and Ba. vulgatus dominated growth on 2FL, their combined growth was reduced. Besides, interaction coefficients indicated strong competition, especially on FOS. While FOS was rapidly consumed by the consortium, B. infantis was the only microbe displaying significant consumption of 2FL. Acid production by the consortium resembled the metabolism of microorganisms dominating growth in each substrate. Finally, the consortium was tested in a bioreactor, observing similar predominance but more pronounced acid production and substrate consumption. This study indicates that the chemical nature of prebiotics modulate microbial interactions in a consortium of infant gut species.

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kim

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Biological soil crusts (biocrusts are self-organised thin assemblies of microbes, lichens, and mosses that are ubiquitous in arid regions and serve as important ecological and biogeochemical hotspots. Biocrust ecological function is intricately shaped by strong gradients of water, light, oxygen, and dynamics in the abundance and spatial organisation of the microbial community within a few millimetres of the soil surface. We report a mechanistic model that links the biophysical and chemical processes that shape the functioning of biocrust representative microbial communities that interact trophically and respond dynamically to cycles of hydration, light, and temperature. The model captures key features of carbon and nitrogen cycling within biocrusts, such as microbial activity and distribution (during early stages of biocrust establishment under diurnal cycles and the associated dynamics of biogeochemical fluxes at different hydration conditions. The study offers new insights into the highly dynamic and localised processes performed by microbial communities within thin desert biocrusts.

Hydration status and diurnal trophic interactions shape microbial community function in desert biocrusts

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Minsu; Or, Dani

2017-12-01

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are self-organised thin assemblies of microbes, lichens, and mosses that are ubiquitous in arid regions and serve as important ecological and biogeochemical hotspots. Biocrust ecological function is intricately shaped by strong gradients of water, light, oxygen, and dynamics in the abundance and spatial organisation of the microbial community within a few millimetres of the soil surface. We report a mechanistic model that links the biophysical and chemical processes that shape the functioning of biocrust representative microbial communities that interact trophically and respond dynamically to cycles of hydration, light, and temperature. The model captures key features of carbon and nitrogen cycling within biocrusts, such as microbial activity and distribution (during early stages of biocrust establishment) under diurnal cycles and the associated dynamics of biogeochemical fluxes at different hydration conditions. The study offers new insights into the highly dynamic and localised processes performed by microbial communities within thin desert biocrusts.

Effects of soil depth and plant-soil interaction on microbial community in temperate grasslands of northern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Xiaodong; Zhang, Naili; Zeng, Hui; Wang, Wei

2018-07-15

Although the patterns and drivers of soil microbial community composition are well studied, little is known about the effects of plant-soil interactions and soil depth on soil microbial distribution at a regional scale. We examined 195 soil samples from 13 sites along a climatic transect in the temperate grasslands of northern China to measure the composition of and factors influencing soil microbial communities within a 1-m soil profile. Soil microbial community composition was measured using phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) analysis. Fungi predominated in topsoil (0-10 cm) and bacteria and actinomycetes in deep soils (40-100 cm), independent of steppe types. This variation was explained by contemporary environmental factors (including above- and below-ground plant biomass, soil physicochemical and climatic factors) >58% in the 0-40 cm of soil depth, but soils. Interestingly, when we considered the interactive effects between plant traits (above ground biomass and root biomass) and soil factors (pH, clay content, and soil total carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous), we observed a significant interaction effect occurring at depths of 10-20 cm soil layer, due to different internal and external factors of the plant-soil system along the soil profile. These results improve understanding of the drivers of soil microbial community composition at regional scales. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Viruses Compensate for Microbial Metabolism in Virus-Host Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Tianliang; Li, Hongyun; Zhang, Xiaobo

2017-07-11

Viruses are believed to be responsible for the mortality of host organisms. However, some recent investigations reveal that viruses may be essential for host survival. To date, it remains unclear whether viruses are beneficial or harmful to their hosts. To reveal the roles of viruses in the virus-host interactions, viromes and microbiomes of sediment samples from three deep-sea hydrothermal vents were explored in this study. To exclude the influence of exogenous DNAs on viromes, the virus particles were purified with nuclease (DNase I and RNase A) treatments and cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation. The metagenomic analysis of viromes without exogenous DNA contamination and microbiomes of vent samples indicated that viruses had compensation effects on the metabolisms of their host microorganisms. Viral genes not only participated in most of the microbial metabolic pathways but also formed branched pathways in microbial metabolisms, including pyrimidine metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; nitrogen metabolism and assimilation pathways of the two-component system; selenocompound metabolism; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism. As is well known, deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems exist in relatively isolated environments which are barely influenced by other ecosystems. The metabolic compensation of hosts mediated by viruses might represent a very important aspect of virus-host interactions. IMPORTANCE Viruses are the most abundant biological entities in the oceans and have very important roles in regulating microbial community structure and biogeochemical cycles. The relationship between virus and host microbes is broadly thought to be that of predator and prey. Viruses can lyse host cells to control microbial population sizes and affect community structures of hosts by killing specific microbes. However, viruses also influence their hosts through manipulation of bacterial metabolism. We found

Dynamic assessment of microbial ecology (DAME): a web app for interactive analysis and visualization of microbial sequencing data.

Science.gov (United States)

Piccolo, Brian D; Wankhade, Umesh D; Chintapalli, Sree V; Bhattacharyya, Sudeepa; Chunqiao, Luo; Shankar, Kartik

2018-03-15

Dynamic assessment of microbial ecology (DAME) is a Shiny-based web application for interactive analysis and visualization of microbial sequencing data. DAME provides researchers not familiar with R programming the ability to access the most current R functions utilized for ecology and gene sequencing data analyses. Currently, DAME supports group comparisons of several ecological estimates of α-diversity and β-diversity, along with differential abundance analysis of individual taxa. Using the Shiny framework, the user has complete control of all aspects of the data analysis, including sample/experimental group selection and filtering, estimate selection, statistical methods and visualization parameters. Furthermore, graphical and tabular outputs are supported by R packages using D3.js and are fully interactive. DAME was implemented in R but can be modified by Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and JavaScript. It is freely available on the web at https://acnc-shinyapps.shinyapps.io/DAME/. Local installation and source code are available through Github (https://github.com/bdpiccolo/ACNC-DAME). Any system with R can launch DAME locally provided the shiny package is installed. bdpiccolo@uams.edu.

Syntrophic interactions and mechanisms underpinning anaerobic methane oxidation: targeted metaproteogenomics, single-cell protein detection and quantitative isotope imaging of microbial consortia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orphan, Victoria Jeanne [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States). Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences

2014-11-26

Syntrophy and mutualism play a central role in carbon and nutrient cycling by microorganisms. Yet, our ability to effectively study symbionts in culture has been hindered by the inherent interdependence of syntrophic associations, their dynamic behavior, and their frequent existence at thermodynamic limits. Now solutions to these challenges are emerging in the form of new methodologies. Developing strategies that establish links between the identity of microorganisms and their metabolic potential, as well as techniques that can probe metabolic networks on a scale that captures individual molecule exchange and processing, is at the forefront of microbial ecology. Understanding the interactions between microorganisms on this level, at a resolution previously intractable, will lead to our greater understanding of carbon turnover and microbial community resilience to environmental perturbations. In this project, we studied an enigmatic syntrophic association between uncultured methane-oxidizing archaea and sulfate-reducing bacteria. This environmental archaeal-bacterial partnership represents a globally important sink for methane in anoxic environments. The specific goals of this project were organized into 3 major tasks designed to address questions relating to the ecophysiology of these syntrophic organisms under changing environmental conditions (e.g. different electron acceptors and nutrients), primarily through the development of microanalytical imaging methods which enable the visualization of the spatial distribution of the partners within aggregates, consumption and exchange of isotopically labeled substrates, and expression of targeted proteins identified via metaproteomics. The advanced tool set developed here to collect, correlate, and analyze these high resolution image and isotope-based datasets from methane-oxidizing consortia has the potential to be widely applicable for studying and modeling patterns of activity and interactions across a broad range of

Microbial mutualism at a distance: The role of geometry in diffusive exchanges

Science.gov (United States)

Peaudecerf, François J.; Bunbury, Freddy; Bhardwaj, Vaibhav; Bees, Martin A.; Smith, Alison G.; Goldstein, Raymond E.; Croze, Ottavio A.

2018-02-01

The exchange of diffusive metabolites is known to control the spatial patterns formed by microbial populations, as revealed by recent studies in the laboratory. However, the matrices used, such as agarose pads, lack the structured geometry of many natural microbial habitats, including in the soil or on the surfaces of plants or animals. Here we address the important question of how such geometry may control diffusive exchanges and microbial interaction. We model mathematically mutualistic interactions within a minimal unit of structure: two growing reservoirs linked by a diffusive channel through which metabolites are exchanged. The model is applied to study a synthetic mutualism, experimentally parametrized on a model algal-bacterial co-culture. Analytical and numerical solutions of the model predict conditions for the successful establishment of remote mutualisms, and how this depends, often counterintuitively, on diffusion geometry. We connect our findings to understanding complex behavior in synthetic and naturally occurring microbial communities.

Solute-matrix and Solute-Solute Interactions during Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Sea Buckthorn Leaves

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sajfrtová, Marie; Sovová, Helena

2012-01-01

Roč. 42, SI (2012), s. 1682-1691 E-ISSN 1877-7058. [International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering CHISA 2012 and 15th Conference PRES 2012 /20./. Prague, 25.08.2012-29.08.2012] R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TA01010578 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : supercritical fluid extraction * sea buckthom leaves * solute-solute interaction Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering

BioAtlas: Interactive web service for microbial distribution analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Jesper; List, Markus; Baumbach, Jan

Massive amounts of 16S rRNA sequencing data have been stored in publicly accessible databases, such as GOLD, SILVA, GreenGenes (GG), and the Ribosomal Database Project (RDP). Many of these sequences are tagged with geo-locations. Nevertheless, researchers currently lack a user-friendly tool...... to analyze microbial distribution in a location-specific context. BioAtlas is an interactive web application that closes this gap between sequence databases, taxonomy profiling and geo/body-location information. It enables users to browse taxonomically annotated sequences across (i) the world map, (ii) human...

Interactions in the Geo-Biosphere: Processes of Carbonate Precipitation in Microbial Mats

Science.gov (United States)

Dupraz, C.; Visscher, P. T.

2009-12-01

Microbial communities are situated at the interface between the biosphere, the lithosphere and the hydrosphere. These microbes are key players in the global carbon cycle, where they influence the balance between the organic and inorganic carbon reservoirs. Microbial populations can be organized in microbial mats, which can be defined as organosedimentary biofilms that are dominated by cyanobacteria, and exhibit tight coupling of element cycles. Complex interactions between mat microbes and their surrounding environment can result in the precipitation of carbonate minerals. This process refers as ‘organomineralization sensu lato' (Dupraz et al. in press), which differs from ‘biomineralization’ (e.g., in shells and bones) by lacking genetic control on the mineral product. Organomineralization can be: (1) active, when microbial metabolic reactions are responsible for the precipitation (“biologically-induced” mineralization) or (2) passive, when mineralization within a microbial organic matrix is environmentally driven (e.g., through degassing or desiccation) (“biologically-influenced” mineralization). Studying microbe-mineral interactions is essential to many emerging fields of the biogeoscience, such as the study of life in extreme environments (e.g, deep biosphere), the origin of life, the search for traces of extraterrestrial life or the seek of new carbon sink. This research approach combines sedimentology, biogeochemistry and microbiology. Two tightly coupled components that control carbonate organomineralization s.l.: (1) the alkalinity engine and (2) the extracellular organic matter (EOM), which is ultimately the location of mineral nucleation. Carbonate alkalinity can be altered both by microbial metabolism and environmental factors. In microbial mats, the net accumulation of carbonate minerals often reflect the balance between metabolic activities that consume/produce CO2 and/or organic acids. For example, photosynthesis and sulfate reduction

Microbial interactions in drinking water biofilms

OpenAIRE

Simões, Lúcia C.; Simões, M.; Vieira, M. J.

2007-01-01

Drinking water distribution networks may be viewed as a large reactor where a number of chemical and microbiological processes are taking place. Control of microbial growth in drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) often achieved through the addition of disinfectants, is essential to limit the spread of waterborne pathogens. However, microorganisms can resist disinfection through protection within biofilms and resistant host cells. Recent studies into the microbial ecology ...

Aqueous solutions/nuclear glasses interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delage, F.; Advocat, T.; Vernaz, E.; Crovisier, J.L.

1991-01-01

Interactions results of the borosilicate glass used in radioactive wastes confinement and aqueous solutions at various temperature and PH show that for the glass components: - the release rate evolution follows an Arrhenius law, - in acid PH, there is a selective dissolution, - in basic PH, there is a stoechiometric dissolution [fr

Opalescence in monoclonal antibody solutions and its correlation with intermolecular interactions in dilute and concentrated solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Raut, Ashlesha S; Kalonia, Devendra S

2015-04-01

Opalescence indicates physical instability of a formulation because of the presence of aggregates or liquid-liquid phase separation in solution and has been reported for monoclonal antibody (mAb) formulations. Increased solution opalescence can be attributed to attractive protein-protein interactions (PPIs). Techniques including light scattering, AUC, or membrane osmometry are routinely employed to measure PPIs in dilute solutions, whereas opalescence is seen at relatively higher concentrations, where both long- and short-range forces contribute to overall PPIs. The mAb molecule studied here shows a unique property of high opalescence because of liquid-liquid phase separation. In this study, opalescence measurements are correlated to PPIs measured in diluted and concentrated solutions using light scattering (kD ) and high-frequency rheology (G'), respectively. Charges on the molecules were calculated using zeta potential measurements. Results indicate that high opalescence and phase separation are a result of the attractive interactions in solution; however, the presence of attractive interactions do not always imply phase separation. Temperature dependence of opalescence suggests that thermodynamic contribution to opalescence is significant and Tcloud can be utilized as a potential tool to assess attractive interactions in solution. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Gammarus-Microbial Interactions: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Nelson

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Gammarus spp. are typically classified as shredders under the functional feeding group classification. In the wild and in the laboratory, Gammarus spp. will often shred leaves, breaking them down into finer organic matter fractions. However, leaf litter is a poor quality food source (i.e., high C : N and C : P ratios and very little leaf material is assimilated by shredders. In freshwater habitats leaf litter is colonized rapidly (within ∼1-2 weeks by aquatic fungi and bacteria, making the leaves more palatable and nutritious to consumers. Several studies have shown that Gammarus spp. show preference for conditioned leaves over nonconditioned leaves and certain fungal species to others. Furthermore, Gammarus spp. show increased survival and growth rates when fed conditioned leaves compared to non-conditioned leaves. Thus, Gammarus spp. appear to rely on the microbial biofilm associated with leaf detritus as a source of carbon and/or essential nutrients. Also, Gammarus spp. can have both positive and negative effects on the microbial communities on which they fed, making them an important component of the microbial loop in aquatic ecosystems.

Systems Level Dissection of Anaerobic Methane Cycling: Quantitative Measurements of Single Cell Ecophysiology, Genetic Mechanisms, and Microbial Interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orphan, Victoria [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Tyson, Gene [University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia; Meile, Christof [University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; McGlynn, Shawn [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Yu, Hang [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Chadwick, Grayson [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Marlow, Jeffrey [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Trembath-Reichert, Elizabeth [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Dekas, Anne [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Hettich, Robert [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Pan, Chongle [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ellisman, Mark [University of California San Diego; Hatzenpichler, Roland [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Skennerton, Connor [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); Scheller, Silvan [California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)

2017-12-25

The global biological CH4 cycle is largely controlled through coordinated and often intimate microbial interactions between archaea and bacteria, the majority of which are still unknown or have been only cursorily identified. Members of the methanotrophic archaea, aka ‘ANME’, are believed to play a major role in the cycling of methane in anoxic environments coupled to sulfate, nitrate, and possibly iron and manganese oxides, frequently forming diverse physical and metabolic partnerships with a range of bacteria. The thermodynamic challenges overcome by the ANME and their bacterial partners and corresponding slow rates of growth are common characteristics in anaerobic ecosystems, and, in stark contrast to most cultured microorganisms, this type of energy and resource limited microbial lifestyle is likely the norm in the environment. While we have gained an in-depth systems level understanding of fast-growing, energy-replete microorganisms, comparatively little is known about the dynamics of cell respiration, growth, protein turnover, gene expression, and energy storage in the slow-growing microbial majority. These fundamental properties, combined with the observed metabolic and symbiotic versatility of methanotrophic ANME, make these cooperative microbial systems a relevant (albeit challenging) system to study and for which to develop and optimize culture-independent methodologies, which enable a systems-level understanding of microbial interactions and metabolic networks. We used an integrative systems biology approach to study anaerobic sediment microcosms and methane-oxidizing bioreactors and expanded our understanding of the methanotrophic ANME archaea, their interactions with physically-associated bacteria, ecophysiological characteristics, and underlying genetic basis for cooperative microbial methane-oxidation linked with different terminal electron acceptors. Our approach is inherently multi-disciplinary and multi-scaled, combining transcriptional and

Temperature regulates deterministic processes and the succession of microbial interactions in anaerobic digestion process

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lin, Qiang; De Vrieze, J.; Li, Ch.; Li, J.; Li, J.; Yao, M.; Heděnec, Petr; Li, H.; Li, T.; Rui, J.; Frouz, Jan; Li, X.

2017-01-01

Roč. 123, October (2017), s. 134-143 ISSN 0043-1354 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : anaerobic digestion * deterministic process * microbial interactions * modularity * temperature gradient Subject RIV: DJ - Water Pollution ; Quality OBOR OECD: Water resources Impact factor: 6.942, year: 2016

Dependence of Interaction Free Energy between Solutes on an External Electrostatic Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pei-Kun Yang

2013-07-01

Full Text Available To explore the athermal effect of an external electrostatic field on the stabilities of protein conformations and the binding affinities of protein-protein/ligand interactions, the dependences of the polar and hydrophobic interactions on the external electrostatic field, −Eext, were studied using molecular dynamics (MD simulations. By decomposing Eext into, along, and perpendicular to the direction formed by the two solutes, the effect of Eext on the interactions between these two solutes can be estimated based on the effects from these two components. Eext was applied along the direction of the electric dipole formed by two solutes with opposite charges. The attractive interaction free energy between these two solutes decreased for solutes treated as point charges. In contrast, the attractive interaction free energy between these two solutes increased, as observed by MD simulations, for Eext = 40 or 60 MV/cm. Eext was applied perpendicular to the direction of the electric dipole formed by these two solutes. The attractive interaction free energy was increased for Eext = 100 MV/cm as a result of dielectric saturation. The force on the solutes along the direction of Eext computed from MD simulations was greater than that estimated from a continuum solvent in which the solutes were treated as point charges. To explore the hydrophobic interactions, Eext was applied to a water cluster containing two neutral solutes. The repulsive force between these solutes was decreased/increased for Eext along/perpendicular to the direction of the electric dipole formed by these two solutes.

Solute–Solute Interaction In α IRON: The Status QUO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Numakura H.

2015-09-01

Full Text Available An overview is presented on the interaction of substitutional solutes with carbon and nitrogen in α iron, which is an important factor in controlling the properties of steels. Starting from a simple model of trapping of the interstitial solute atoms by substitutional solute atoms, the principles of experimental methods for quantitative studies are described, focussing on the Snoek relaxation and solubility measurements, and the knowledge acquired by such experiments is reviewed. An account of recent theoretical approaches to the interaction is also given.

Microbial Fluid-Rock Interactions in Chalk Samples and Salinity Factor in Divalent Ca2+ ions Release for Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery Purposes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jimoh, Ismaila Adetunji; Rudyk, Svetlana Nikolayevna; Søgaard, Erik Gydesen

2011-01-01

In this study, laboratory experiments were performed on chalk samples from Danish sector of the North Sea to study microbial fluid-rock interactions with carbonate rock and to evaluate the dissolution of rock matrix (CaCO3). Result showed that the average concentration of Ca2+ ions after microbia...

Bulk viscosity, interaction and the viability of phantom solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leyva, Yoelsy; Sepulveda, Mirko [Universidad de Tarapaca, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Arica (Chile)

2017-06-15

We study the dynamics of a bulk viscosity model in the Eckart approach for a spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) Universe. We have included radiation and dark energy, assumed as perfect fluids, and dark matter treated as an imperfect fluid having bulk viscosity. We also introduce an interaction term between the dark matter and dark energy components. Considering that the bulk viscosity is proportional to the dark matter energy density and imposing a complete cosmological dynamics, we find bounds on the bulk viscosity in order to reproduce a matter-dominated era (MDE). This constraint is independent of the interaction term. Some late time phantom solutions are mathematically possible. However, the constraint imposed by a MDE restricts the interaction parameter, in the phantom solutions, to a region consistent with a null value, eliminating the possibility of late time stable solutions with w < -1. From the different cases that we study, the only possible scenario, with bulk viscosity and interaction term, belongs to the quintessence region. In the latter case, we find bounds on the interaction parameter compatible with latest observational data. (orig.)

Beneficial and Harmful Interactions of Antibiotics with Microbial Pathogens and the Host Innate Immune System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald Anderson

2010-05-01

Full Text Available In general antibiotics interact cooperatively with host defences, weakening and decreasing the virulence of microbial pathogens, thereby increasing vulnerability to phagocytosis and eradication by the intrinsic antimicrobial systems of the host. Antibiotics, however, also interact with host defences by several other mechanisms, some harmful, others beneficial. Harmful activities include exacerbation of potentially damaging inflammatory responses, a property of cell-wall targeted agents, which promotes the release of pro-inflammatory microbial cytotoxins and cell-wall components. On the other hand, inhibitors of bacterial protein synthesis, especially macrolides, possess beneficial anti-inflammatory/cytoprotective activities, which result from interference with the production of microbial virulence factors/cytotoxins. In addition to these pathogen-directed, anti-inflammatory activities, some classes of antimicrobial agent possess secondary anti-inflammatory properties, unrelated to their conventional antimicrobial activities, which target cells of the innate immune system, particularly neutrophils. This is a relatively uncommon, potentially beneficial property of antibiotics, which has been described for macrolides, imidazole anti-mycotics, fluoroquinolones, and tetracyclines. Although of largely unproven significance in the clinical setting, increasing awareness of the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties of antibiotics may contribute to a more discerning and effective use of these agents.

On condensation driven by electrostatic interactions in macroionic solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badirkhan, Z.; Tosi, M.P.

1989-04-01

Liquid-vapour phase separation, as it normally follows from attractive interactions, is demonstrated under pure Coulomb interactions for the primitive model of macroionic solutions in the mean spherical approximation and related to observations on dilute solutions of highly charged latex particles. It is stressed that the corresponding effective pair potential between macro-ions is of the DLVO repulsive type. (author). 14 refs, 2 figs

Solvent - solute interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urbanczyk, A.; Kalinowski, M.K.

1983-01-01

The electronic absorption spectrum of vanadyl acetylacetonate has been studied in 15 organic solvents. It has been found that wavenumbers and molar absorptivities of the long-wavelength bands (d-d transitions) can be well described by a complementary Lewis acid-base model including Gutmann's donor number [Gutmann V., Wychera E., Inorg. Nucl. Chem. Letters 2, 257 (1966)] and acceptor number [Mayer U., Gutmann V., Gerger W., Monatsh. Chem. 106, 1235 (1975)] of a solvent. This model describes also the solvent effect of the hyperfine splitting constant, Asub(iso)( 51 V), from e.s.r. spectra of VOacac 2 . These observations are discussed in terms of the donor-acceptor concept for solvent-solute interactions. (Author)

The influence of soil organic carbon on interactions between microbial parameters and metal concentrations at a long-term contaminated site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muhlbachova, G. [Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06 Prague 6, Ruzyne (Czech Republic); Sagova-Mareckova, M., E-mail: sagova@vurv.cz [Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06 Prague 6, Ruzyne (Czech Republic); Omelka, M. [Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Dept. of Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Prague 8, Karlin (Czech Republic); Szakova, J.; Tlustos, P. [Czech University of Life Sciences, Department of Agroenvironmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Prague 6, Suchdol (Czech Republic)

2015-01-01

The effects of lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic and copper deposits on soil microbial parameters were investigated at a site exposed to contamination for over 200 years. Soil samples were collected in triplicates at 121 sites differing in contamination and soil organic carbon (SOC). Microbial biomass, respiration, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient were determined and correlated with total and extractable metal concentrations in soil. The goal was to analyze complex interactions between toxic metals and microbial parameters by assessing the effect of soil organic carbon in the relationships. The effect of SOC was significant in all interactions and changed the correlations between microbial parameters and metal fractions from negative to positive. In some cases, the effect of SOC was combined with that of clay and soil pH. In the final analysis, dehydrogenase activity was negatively correlated to total metal concentrations and acetic acid extractable metals, respiration and metabolic quotient were to ammonium nitrate extractable metals. Dehydrogenase activity was the most sensitive microbial parameter correlating most frequently with contamination. Total and extractable zinc was most often correlated with microbial parameters. The large data set enabled robust explanation of discrepancies in organic matter functioning occurring frequently in analyzing of contaminated soil processes. - Highlights: • Soil organic carbon affected all interactions between metals and microorganisms. • Soil organic carbon adjustment changed correlations from positive to negative. • Ammonium nitrate extractable metals were the most influencing fraction. • Dehydrogenase activity was the most affected soil parameter. • Zinc was the most toxic metal among studied metals.

The influence of soil organic carbon on interactions between microbial parameters and metal concentrations at a long-term contaminated site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhlbachova, G.; Sagova-Mareckova, M.; Omelka, M.; Szakova, J.; Tlustos, P.

2015-01-01

The effects of lead, zinc, cadmium, arsenic and copper deposits on soil microbial parameters were investigated at a site exposed to contamination for over 200 years. Soil samples were collected in triplicates at 121 sites differing in contamination and soil organic carbon (SOC). Microbial biomass, respiration, dehydrogenase activity and metabolic quotient were determined and correlated with total and extractable metal concentrations in soil. The goal was to analyze complex interactions between toxic metals and microbial parameters by assessing the effect of soil organic carbon in the relationships. The effect of SOC was significant in all interactions and changed the correlations between microbial parameters and metal fractions from negative to positive. In some cases, the effect of SOC was combined with that of clay and soil pH. In the final analysis, dehydrogenase activity was negatively correlated to total metal concentrations and acetic acid extractable metals, respiration and metabolic quotient were to ammonium nitrate extractable metals. Dehydrogenase activity was the most sensitive microbial parameter correlating most frequently with contamination. Total and extractable zinc was most often correlated with microbial parameters. The large data set enabled robust explanation of discrepancies in organic matter functioning occurring frequently in analyzing of contaminated soil processes. - Highlights: • Soil organic carbon affected all interactions between metals and microorganisms. • Soil organic carbon adjustment changed correlations from positive to negative. • Ammonium nitrate extractable metals were the most influencing fraction. • Dehydrogenase activity was the most affected soil parameter. • Zinc was the most toxic metal among studied metals

Automated DNA extraction platforms offer solutions to challenges of assessing microbial biofouling in oil production facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Oldham, Athenia L; Drilling, Heather S; Stamps, Blake W; Stevenson, Bradley S; Duncan, Kathleen E

2012-11-20

The analysis of microbial assemblages in industrial, marine, and medical systems can inform decisions regarding quality control or mitigation. Modern molecular approaches to detect, characterize, and quantify microorganisms provide rapid and thorough measures unbiased by the need for cultivation. The requirement of timely extraction of high quality nucleic acids for molecular analysis is faced with specific challenges when used to study the influence of microorganisms on oil production. Production facilities are often ill equipped for nucleic acid extraction techniques, making the preservation and transportation of samples off-site a priority. As a potential solution, the possibility of extracting nucleic acids on-site using automated platforms was tested. The performance of two such platforms, the Fujifilm QuickGene-Mini80™ and Promega Maxwell®16 was compared to a widely used manual extraction kit, MOBIO PowerBiofilm™ DNA Isolation Kit, in terms of ease of operation, DNA quality, and microbial community composition. Three pipeline biofilm samples were chosen for these comparisons; two contained crude oil and corrosion products and the third transported seawater. Overall, the two more automated extraction platforms produced higher DNA yields than the manual approach. DNA quality was evaluated for amplification by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and end-point PCR to generate 454 pyrosequencing libraries for 16S rRNA microbial community analysis. Microbial community structure, as assessed by DGGE analysis and pyrosequencing, was comparable among the three extraction methods. Therefore, the use of automated extraction platforms should enhance the feasibility of rapidly evaluating microbial biofouling at remote locations or those with limited resources.

Simultaneous pollutant removal and electricity generation in denitrifying microbial fuel cell with boric acid-borate buffer solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Gang; Zhang, Shaohui; Li, Meng; Wei, Yan

2015-01-01

A double-chamber denitrifying microbial fuel cell (MFC), using boric acid-borate buffer solution as an alternative to phosphate buffer solution, was set up to investigate the influence of buffer solution concentration, temperature and external resistance on electricity generation and pollutant removal efficiency. The result revealed that the denitrifying MFC with boric acid-borate buffer solution was successfully started up in 51 days, with a stable cell voltage of 205.1 ± 1.96 mV at an external resistance of 50 Ω. Higher concentration of buffer solution favored nitrogen removal and electricity generation. The maximum power density of 8.27 W/m(3) net cathodic chamber was obtained at a buffer solution concentration of 100 mmol/L. An increase in temperature benefitted electricity generation and nitrogen removal. A suitable temperature for this denitrifying MFC was suggested to be 25 °C. Decreasing the external resistance favored nitrogen removal and organic matter consumption by exoelectrogens.

Plastic potential: how the phenotypes and adaptations of pathogens are influenced by microbial interactions within plants.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Keeffe, Kayleigh R; Carbone, Ignazio; Jones, Corbin D; Mitchell, Charles E

2017-08-01

Predicting the effects of plant-associated microbes on emergence, spread, and evolution of plant pathogens demands an understanding of how pathogens respond to these microbes at two levels of biological organization: that of an individual pathogen and that of a pathogen population across multiple individual plants. We first examine the plastic responses of individual plant pathogens to microbes within a shared host, as seen through changes in pathogen growth and multiplication. We then explore the limited understanding of how within-plant microbial interactions affect pathogen populations and discuss the need to incorporate population-level observations with population genomic techniques. Finally, we suggest that integrating across levels will further our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary impacts of within-plant microbial interactions on pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-centric resolution of microbial diversity, metabolism and interactions in anaerobic digestion.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanwonterghem, Inka; Jensen, Paul D; Rabaey, Korneel; Tyson, Gene W

2016-09-01

Our understanding of the complex interconnected processes performed by microbial communities is hindered by our inability to culture the vast majority of microorganisms. Metagenomics provides a way to bypass this cultivation bottleneck and recent advances in this field now allow us to recover a growing number of genomes representing previously uncultured populations from increasingly complex environments. In this study, a temporal genome-centric metagenomic analysis was performed of lab-scale anaerobic digesters that host complex microbial communities fulfilling a series of interlinked metabolic processes to enable the conversion of cellulose to methane. In total, 101 population genomes that were moderate to near-complete were recovered based primarily on differential coverage binning. These populations span 19 phyla, represent mostly novel species and expand the genomic coverage of several rare phyla. Classification into functional guilds based on their metabolic potential revealed metabolic networks with a high level of functional redundancy as well as niche specialization, and allowed us to identify potential roles such as hydrolytic specialists for several rare, uncultured populations. Genome-centric analyses of complex microbial communities across diverse environments provide the key to understanding the phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of these interactive communities. © 2016 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Microbial electrode sensor for alcohols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hikuma, M [Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Kawasaki, Japan; Kubo, T; Yasuda, T; Karube, I; Suzuki, S

1979-10-01

A microbial electrode consisting of immobilized microorganisms, a gas permeable Teflon membrane, and an oxygen electrode was prepared for the continuous determination of methyl and ethyl alcohols. Immobilized Trichosporon brassicae was employed for a microbial electrode sensor for ethyl alcohol. When a sample solution containing ethyl alcohol was injected into a microbial electrode system, the current of the electrode decreased markedly with time until a steady state was reached. The response time was within 10 min by the steady state method and within 6 min by the pulse method. A linear relationship was observed between the current decrease and the concentration of ethyl alcohol below 22.5 mg/liter. The current was reproducible within +- 6% of the relative error when a sample solution containing 16.5 mg/liter ethyl alcohol. The standard deviation was 0.5 mg/liter in 40 experiments. The selectivity of the microbial electrode sensor for ethyl alcohol was satisfactory. The microbial electrode sensor was applied to a fermentation broth of yeasts and satisfactory comparative results were obtained (correlation coefficient 0.98). The current output of the microbial electrode sensor was almost constant for more than three weeks and 2100 assays. A microbial electrode sensor using immobilized bacteria for methyl alcohol was also described.

Photodynamic therapy versus ultrasonic irrigation: interaction with endodontic microbial biofilm, an ex vivo study.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhammad, Omid H; Chevalier, Marlene; Rocca, Jean-Paul; Brulat-Bouchard, Nathalie; Medioni, Etienne

2014-06-01

Photodynamic therapy was introduced as an adjuvant to conventional chemo-mechanical debridement during endodontic treatment to overcome the persistence of biofilms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of photodynamic therapy (PDT) to disrupt an experimental microbial biofilm inside the root canal in a clinically applicable working time. Thirty extracted teeth were prepared and then divided in three groups. All samples were infected with an artificially formed biofilm made of Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus salivarius, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia bacteria. First group was treated with Aseptim Plus® photo-activated (LED) disinfection system, second group by a 650 nm Diode Laser and Toluidine blue as photosensitizer, and the third group, as control group, by ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) using EDTA 17% and NaOCl 2.6% solutions. The working time for all three groups was fixed at 3 min. Presence or absence of biofilm was assessed by aerobic and anaerobic cultures. There was no statistically significant difference between results obtained from groups treated by Aseptim Plus® and Diode Laser (Pirrigation and NaOCl and EDTA solutions had the best results (Pendodontic artificial microbial biofilm and could not inhibit bacterial growth in a clinically favorable working time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamical interactions between solute and solvent studied by nonlinear infrared spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, K.; Tominaga, K.

2006-01-01

Interactions between solute and solvent play an important role in chemical reaction dynamics and in many relaxation processes in condensed phases. Recently third-order nonlinear infrared (IR) spectroscopy has shown to be useful to investigate solute-solvent interaction and dynamics of the vibrational transition. These studies provide detailed information on the energy relaxation of the vibrationally excited state, and the time scale and the magnitude of the time correlation functions of the vibrational frequency fluctuations. In this work we have studied vibrational energy relaxation (VER) of solutions and molecular complexes by nonlinear IR spectroscopy, especially IR pump-probe method, to understand the microscopic interactions in liquids. (authors)

Nonautonomous discrete bright soliton solutions and interaction management for the Ablowitz-Ladik equation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Fajun

2015-03-01

We present the nonautonomous discrete bright soliton solutions and their interactions in the discrete Ablowitz-Ladik (DAL) equation with variable coefficients, which possesses complicated wave propagation in time and differs from the usual bright soliton waves. The differential-difference similarity transformation allows us to relate the discrete bright soliton solutions of the inhomogeneous DAL equation to the solutions of the homogeneous DAL equation. Propagation and interaction behaviors of the nonautonomous discrete solitons are analyzed through the one- and two-soliton solutions. We study the discrete snaking behaviors, parabolic behaviors, and interaction behaviors of the discrete solitons. In addition, the interaction management with free functions and dynamic behaviors of these solutions is investigated analytically, which have certain applications in electrical and optical systems.

Ions in solution basic principles of chemical interactions

CERN Document Server

Burgess, J

1999-01-01

This outline of the principles and chemical interactions in inorganic solution chemistry delivers a course module in an area of considerable complexity. Problems with solutions and tutorial hints to test comprehension have been added as a feature to check readers' understanding and assist self-study. Exercises and projects are also provided to help readers deepen and extend their knowledge and understanding. Inorganic solution chemistry is treated thoroughly Emphasis is placed upon NMR, UV-VIS, IR Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and such topics as acid-base behaviour, stability constants and kinetics.

Interactions between selected PAHs and the microbial community in rhizosphere of a paddy soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Yu H; Yang, Xue Y

2009-01-15

This study investigated the interaction of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), i.e., naphthalene (NAP), phenanthrene (PHN), and pyrene (PYR), with the microbial community in the rhizosphere of a paddy soil and the influence of the rice (Oryza sativa) rhizosphere on the microbial community structure. A range of initial NAP, PHN and PYR levels in soil (50-200, 18-72, and 6.6-26.6 mg kg(-1), respectively) were prepared and the soil samples were then aged for 4 months (to yield PAH concentrations at 1.02-1.42, 1.32-4.77, and 2.98-18.5 mg kg(-)(1), respectively) before the soil samples were planted with rice seedlings. The microbial phospholipid-fatty-acid (PLFA) patterns in PAH-contaminated soils were analyzed to elucidate the changes of the microbial biomass and community composition. Results indicated that at the applied concentrations the PAHs were not toxic to rice seedlings, as evidenced by no growth inhibition during the 8-week planting period. However, the microbial biomass, as revealed by PLFAs, decreased significantly with increasing PAH concentration in both rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils. The PAHs in soils were obviously toxic to microorganisms, and the toxicity of PHN was greater than PYR due likely to the higher PHN bioavailability. Total PLFAs in rhizospheric soils were profoundly higher than those in non-rhizospheric soils, suggesting that the inhibitive effect of PAHs on microbial activities was alleviated by the rice roots. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the PLFA signatures revealed pronounced changes in PLFA pattern in rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils with or without spiked PAHs. Using the PLFA patterns as a biomarker, it was found that Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to PAHs than Gram-negative bacteria, and the rhizosphere of rice roots stimulated the growth of aerobic bacteria.

Microbial Energy Conversion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buckley, Merry [American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Washington, DC (United States); Wall, Judy D. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)

2006-10-01

The American Academy of Microbiology convened a colloquium March 10-12, 2006, in San Francisco, California, to discuss the production of energy fuels by microbial conversions. The status of research into various microbial energy technologies, the advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches, research needs in the field, and education and training issues were examined, with the goal of identifying routes for producing biofuels that would both decrease the need for fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, the choices for providing energy are limited. Policy makers and the research community must begin to pursue a broader array of potential energy technologies. A diverse energy portfolio that includes an assortment of microbial energy choices will allow communities and consumers to select the best energy solution for their own particular needs. Funding agencies and governments alike need to prepare for future energy needs by investing both in the microbial energy technologies that work today and in the untested technologies that will serve the world’s needs tomorrow. More mature bioprocesses, such as ethanol production from starchy materials and methane from waste digestors, will find applications in the short term. However, innovative techniques for liquid fuel or biohydrogen production are among the longer term possibilities that should also be vigorously explored, starting now. Microorganisms can help meet human energy needs in any of a number of ways. In their most obvious role in energy conversion, microorganisms can generate fuels, including ethanol, hydrogen, methane, lipids, and butanol, which can be burned to produce energy. Alternatively, bacteria can be put to use in microbial fuel cells, where they carry out the direct conversion of biomass into electricity. Microorganisms may also be used some day to make oil and natural gas technologies more efficient by sequestering carbon or by assisting in the recovery of oil and

A Visualization Technique for Accessing Solution Pool in Interactive Methods of Multiobjective Optimization

OpenAIRE

Filatovas, Ernestas; Podkopaev, Dmitry; Kurasova, Olga

2015-01-01

Interactive methods of multiobjective optimization repetitively derive Pareto optimal solutions based on decision maker’s preference information and present the obtained solutions for his/her consideration. Some interactive methods save the obtained solutions into a solution pool and, at each iteration, allow the decision maker considering any of solutions obtained earlier. This feature contributes to the flexibility of exploring the Pareto optimal set and learning about the op...

Microbial trophic interactions and mcrA gene expression in monitoring of anaerobic digesters

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado, Alejandra; Montañez-Hernández, Lilia E.; Palacio-Molina, Sandra L.; Oropeza-Navarro, Ricardo; Luévanos-Escareño, Miriam P.; Balagurusamy, Nagamani

2014-01-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process where different trophic groups of microorganisms break down biodegradable organic materials in the absence of oxygen. A wide range of AD technologies is being used to convert livestock manure, municipal and industrial wastewaters, and solid organic wastes into biogas. AD gains importance not only because of its relevance in waste treatment but also because of the recovery of carbon in the form of methane, which is a renewable energy and is used to generate electricity and heat. Despite the advances on the engineering and design of new bioreactors for AD, the microbiology component always poses challenges. Microbiology of AD processes is complicated as the efficiency of the process depends on the interactions of various trophic groups involved. Due to the complex interdependence of microbial activities for the functionality of the anaerobic bioreactors, the genetic expression of mcrA, which encodes a key enzyme in methane formation, is proposed as a parameter to monitor the process performance in real time. This review evaluates the current knowledge on microbial groups, their interactions, and their relationship to the performance of anaerobic biodigesters with a focus on using mcrA gene expression as a tool to monitor the process. PMID:25429286

Microbial trophic interactions and mcrA gene expression in monitoring of anaerobic digesters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandra eAlvarado

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Anaerobic digestion (AD is a biological process where different trophic groups of microorganisms break down biodegradable organic materials in the absence of oxygen. A wide range of anaerobic digestion technologies is being used to convert livestock manure, municipal and industrial wastewaters, and solid organic wastes into biogas. AD gains importance not only because of its relevance in waste treatment but also because of the recovery of carbon in the form of methane, which is a renewable energy and is used to generate electricity and heat. Despite the advances on the engineering and design of new bioreactors for anaerobic digestion, the microbiology component always poses challenges. Microbiology of AD processes is complicated as the efficiency of the process depends on the interactions of various trophic groups involved. Due to the complex interdependence of microbial activities for the functionality of the anaerobic bioreactors, the genetic expression of mcrA, which encodes a key enzyme in methane formation, is proposed as a parameter to monitor the process performance in real time. This review evaluates the current knowledge on microbial groups, their interactions and their relationship to the performance of anaerobic biodigesters with a focus on using mcrA gene expression as a tool to monitor the process.

Calorimetric study of interaction of barium hydroxide with diluted solutions of hydrofluoric acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurbanov, A.R.; Sharipov, D.Sh.

1993-01-01

Present article is devoted to calorimetric study of interaction of barium hydroxide with diluted solutions of hydrofluoric acid. The calorimetric study of interaction of barium hydroxide with diluted solutions of hydrofluoric acid was carried out in order to determine the thermal effects of reactions. The results of interaction of Ba(OH) 4 ·8H 2 O with 5, 10, and 20% solution of hydrofluoric acid were considered.

Associative Interactions in Crowded Solutions of Biopolymers Counteract Depletion Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Groen, Joost; Foschepoth, David; te Brinke, Esra; Boersma, Arnold J; Imamura, Hiromi; Rivas, Germán; Heus, Hans A; Huck, Wilhelm T S

2015-10-14

The cytosol of Escherichia coli is an extremely crowded environment, containing high concentrations of biopolymers which occupy 20-30% of the available volume. Such conditions are expected to yield depletion forces, which strongly promote macromolecular complexation. However, crowded macromolecule solutions, like the cytosol, are very prone to nonspecific associative interactions that can potentially counteract depletion. It remains unclear how the cytosol balances these opposing interactions. We used a FRET-based probe to systematically study depletion in vitro in different crowded environments, including a cytosolic mimic, E. coli lysate. We also studied bundle formation of FtsZ protofilaments under identical crowded conditions as a probe for depletion interactions at much larger overlap volumes of the probe molecule. The FRET probe showed a more compact conformation in synthetic crowding agents, suggesting strong depletion interactions. However, depletion was completely negated in cell lysate and other protein crowding agents, where the FRET probe even occupied slightly more volume. In contrast, bundle formation of FtsZ protofilaments proceeded as readily in E. coli lysate and other protein solutions as in synthetic crowding agents. Our experimental results and model suggest that, in crowded biopolymer solutions, associative interactions counterbalance depletion forces for small macromolecules. Furthermore, the net effects of macromolecular crowding will be dependent on both the size of the macromolecule and its associative interactions with the crowded background.

MICROBIAL CELL-SURFACE HYDROPHOBICITY - THE INVOLVEMENT OF ELECTROSTATIC INTERACTIONS IN MICROBIAL ADHESION TO HYDROCARBONS (MATH)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

GEERTSEMADOORNBUSCH, GI; VANDERMEI, HC; BUSSCHER, HJ

Microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons (MATH) is the most commonly used method to determine microbial cell surface hydrophobicity. Since, however, the assay is based on adhesion, it is questionable whether the results reflect only the cell surface hydrophobicity or an interplay of hydrophobicity and

Microbially-Enhanced Redox Solution Reoxidation for Sour Natural Gas Sweetening

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kenneth Brezinsky

2008-01-15

The specific objective of this project are to advance the technology and improve the economics of the commercial iron-based chelate processes such as LO-CAT II and SulFerox process utilizing biologically enhanced reoxidation of the redox solutions used in these processes. The project is based on the use of chelated ferric iron as the catalyst for the production of elemental sulfur, and then oxidizing bacteria, such as Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans (ATCC 23270) as an oxidizer. The regeneration of Fe{sup 3+} - chelate is accomplished by the use of these same microbes under mild conditions at 25-30 C and at atmospheric pressure to minimize the chelate degradation process. The pH of the redox solution was observed to be a key process parameter. Other parameters such as temperature, total iron concentration, gas to liquid ratio and bacterial cell densities also influence the overall process. The second part of this project includes experimental data and a kinetic model of microbial H{sub 2}S removal from sour natural gas using thiobacillus species. In the experimental part, a series of experiments were conducted with a commercial chelated iron catalyst at pH ranges from 8.7 to 9.2 using a total iron concentration range from 925 ppm to 1050 ppm in the solution. Regeneration of the solution was carried out by passing air through the solution. Iron oxidizing bacteria were used at cell densities of 2.3 x 10{sup 7}cells/ml for optimum effective performance. In the modeling part, oxidation of Fe{sup 2+} ions by the iron oxidizing bacteria - Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans was studied for application to a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The factors that can directly affect the oxidation rate such as dilution rate, temperature, and pH were analyzed. The growth of the microorganism was assumed to follow Monod type of growth kinetics. Dilution rate had influence on the rate of oxidation of ferrous iron. Higher dilution rates caused washout of the biomass. The oxidation rate was

Effects of solute-solute interactions on protein stability studied using various counterions and dendrimers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Curtiss P Schneider

Full Text Available Much work has been performed on understanding the effects of additives on protein thermodynamics and degradation kinetics, in particular addressing the Hofmeister series and other broad empirical phenomena. Little attention, however, has been paid to the effect of additive-additive interactions on proteins. Our group and others have recently shown that such interactions can actually govern protein events, such as aggregation. Here we use dendrimers, which have the advantage that both size and surface chemical groups can be changed and therein studied independently. Dendrimers are a relatively new and broad class of materials which have been demonstrated useful in biological and therapeutic applications, such as drug delivery, perturbing amyloid formation, etc. Guanidinium modified dendrimers pose an interesting case given that guanidinium can form multiple attractive hydrogen bonds with either a protein surface or other components in solution, such as hydrogen bond accepting counterions. Here we present a study which shows that the behavior of such macromolecule species (modified PAMAM dendrimers is governed by intra-solvent interactions. Attractive guanidinium-anion interactions seem to cause clustering in solution, which inhibits cooperative binding to the protein surface but at the same time, significantly suppresses nonnative aggregation.

Molecular Theory and the Effects of Solute Attractive Forces on Hydrophobic Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhari, Mangesh I; Rempe, Susan B; Asthagiri, D; Tan, L; Pratt, L R

2016-03-03

The role of solute attractive forces on hydrophobic interactions is studied by coordinated development of theory and simulation results for Ar atoms in water. We present a concise derivation of the local molecular field (LMF) theory for the effects of solute attractive forces on hydrophobic interactions, a derivation that clarifies the close relation of LMF theory to the EXP approximation applied to this problem long ago. The simulation results show that change from purely repulsive atomic solute interactions to include realistic attractive interactions diminishes the strength of hydrophobic bonds. For the Ar-Ar rdfs considered pointwise, the numerical results for the effects of solute attractive forces on hydrophobic interactions are opposite in sign and larger in magnitude than predicted by LMF theory. That comparison is discussed from the point of view of quasichemical theory, and it is suggested that the first reason for this difference is the incomplete evaluation within LMF theory of the hydration energy of the Ar pair. With a recent suggestion for the system-size extrapolation of the required correlation function integrals, the Ar-Ar rdfs permit evaluation of osmotic second virial coefficients B2. Those B2's also show that incorporation of attractive interactions leads to more positive (repulsive) values. With attractive interactions in play, B2 can change from positive to negative values with increasing temperatures. This is consistent with the puzzling suggestions of decades ago that B2 ≈ 0 for intermediate cases of temperature or solute size. In all cases here, B2 becomes more attractive with increasing temperature.

Microbial ecology-based engineering of Microbial Electrochemical Technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Christin; Korth, Benjamin; Harnisch, Falk

2018-01-01

Microbial ecology is devoted to the understanding of dynamics, activity and interaction of microorganisms in natural and technical ecosystems. Bioelectrochemical systems represent important technical ecosystems, where microbial ecology is of highest importance for their function. However, whereas aspects of, for example, materials and reactor engineering are commonly perceived as highly relevant, the study and engineering of microbial ecology are significantly underrepresented in bioelectrochemical systems. This shortfall may be assigned to a deficit on knowledge and power of these methods as well as the prerequisites for their thorough application. This article discusses not only the importance of microbial ecology for microbial electrochemical technologies but also shows which information can be derived for a knowledge-driven engineering. Instead of providing a comprehensive list of techniques from which it is hard to judge the applicability and value of information for a respective one, this review illustrates the suitability of selected techniques on a case study. Thereby, best practice for different research questions is provided and a set of key questions for experimental design, data acquisition and analysis is suggested. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Perspectives and Challenges of Microbial Application for Crop Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Timmusk, Salme; Behers, Lawrence; Muthoni, Julia; Muraya, Anthony; Aronsson, Anne-Charlotte

2017-01-01

Global population increases and climate change pose a challenge to worldwide crop production. There is a need to intensify agricultural production in a sustainable manner and to find solutions to combat abiotic stress, pathogens, and pests. Plants are associated with complex microbiomes, which have an ability to promote plant growth and stress tolerance, support plant nutrition, and antagonize plant pathogens. The integration of beneficial plant-microbe and microbiome interactions may represent a promising sustainable solution to improve agricultural production. The widespread commercial use of the plant beneficial microorganisms will require a number of issues addressed. Systems approach using microscale information technology for microbiome metabolic reconstruction has potential to advance the microbial reproducible application under natural conditions. PMID:28232839

A critical review on the interaction of substrate nutrient balance and microbial community structure and function in anaerobic co-digestion.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Rong; Zhang, Kai; Liu, Pu; Khan, Aman; Xiong, Jian; Tian, Fake; Li, Xiangkai

2018-01-01

Anaerobic co-digestion generally results in a higher yield of biogas than mono-digestion, hence co-digestion has become a topic of general interest in recent studies of anaerobic digestion. Compared with mono-digestion, co-digestion utilizes multiple substrates. The balance of substrate nutrient in co-digestion comprises better adjustments of C/N ratio, pH, moisture, trace elements, and dilution of toxic substances. All of these changes could result in positive shifts in microbial community structure and function in the digestion processes and consequent augmentation of biogas production. Nevertheless, there have been few reviews on the interaction of nutrient and microbial community in co-digestions. The objective of this review is to investigate recent achievements and perspectives on the interaction of substrate nutrient balance and microbial community structure and function. This may provide valuable information on the optimization of combinations of substrates and prediction of bioreactor performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial ecology of fermentative hydrogen producing bioprocesses: useful insights for driving the ecosystem function.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabrol, Lea; Marone, Antonella; Tapia-Venegas, Estela; Steyer, Jean-Philippe; Ruiz-Filippi, Gonzalo; Trably, Eric

2017-03-01

One of the most important biotechnological challenges is to develop environment friendly technologies to produce new sources of energy. Microbial production of biohydrogen through dark fermentation, by conversion of residual biomass, is an attractive solution for short-term development of bioH2 producing processes. Efficient biohydrogen production relies on complex mixed communities working in tight interaction. Species composition and functional traits are of crucial importance to maintain the ecosystem service. The analysis of microbial community revealed a wide phylogenetic diversity that contributes in different-and still mostly unclear-ways to hydrogen production. Bridging this gap of knowledge between microbial ecology features and ecosystem functionality is essential to optimize the bioprocess and develop strategies toward a maximization of the efficiency and stability of substrate conversion. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the most up-to-date biodata available and discuss the main microbial community features of biohydrogen engineered ecosystems, with a special emphasis on the crucial role of interactions and the relationships between species composition and ecosystem service. The elucidation of intricate relationships between community structure and ecosystem function would make possible to drive ecosystems toward an improved functionality on the basis of microbial ecology principles. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cosmological solutions in string theory with dilaton self interaction potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, C.; Pimentel, L.O.

2003-01-01

In this work we present homogeneous and isotropic cosmological solutions for the low energy limit of string theory with a self interacting potential for the scalar field. For a potential that is a linear combination of two exponential, a family of exact solutions are found for the different spatial curvatures. Among this family a non singular accelerating solution for positive curvature is singled out and the violation of the energy conditions for that solution is studied, and also its astrophysical consequences. The string coupling for this solution is finite. (Author)

Principles of interactions in non-aqueous electrolyte solutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lyklema, J.

2013-01-01

In this paper a review is presented on the molecular interactions in non-aqueous media of low dielectric permittivity. Qualitative and quantitative distinctions with aqueous solutions are emphasized. The reviewed themes include dispersion forces, dissociation and association equilibria,

Approximate Solutions of Interactive Dynamic Influence Diagrams Using Model Clustering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeng, Yifeng; Doshi, Prashant; Qiongyu, Cheng

2007-01-01

Interactive dynamic influence diagrams (I-DIDs) offer a transparent and semantically clear representation for the sequential decision-making problem over multiple time steps in the presence of other interacting agents. Solving I-DIDs exactly involves knowing the solutions of possible models...

Influence of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose-sodium laurylsulfate interaction on rheological properties of the solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šaletić Jelena V.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Interactions between the polymers and surfactants in solution have widely been investigated because of their scientific and technological importance. These interactions can be utilized to modify the physicochemical properties of system in many food products, pharmaceutical formulations, personal care products, paints, pesticides, etc. Interaction between nonionic polymer - hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC and anionic surfactant - sodium laurylsulfate (SDS in solution has been investigated in this paper by rheological measurements. Rheological measurements are performed by rotational viscometer at 20°C and changes of rheological characteristics of HPMC solutions (0.5-1.5% with increasing SDS concentrations (0-4.0% were determined. The results of these investigations showed that viscosity of the solution is dependant on HPMC-SDS interaction. At particular SDS concentration viscosity increases, reach maximum and after that decreases until reach constant value. From the viscosity changes the characteristic concentrations of SDS, critical aggregation concentration (cac and polymer saturation point (psp, were determined. These concentrations are in linear relationships with HPMC concentrations. Rheological properties of the solution are strong influenced by HPMC-SDS interaction and exhibits more or less pronounced pseudoplastic behavior, which changes to Newtonian one after the psp has been reached.

Enthalpic characteristics of interactions occurring between an ascorbic acid and some saccharides in aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terekhova, Irina V.; Kulikov, Oleg V.; Titova, Elena S.

2004-01-01

The enthalpies of solution of mono- and disaccharides were measured in water and aqueous ascorbic acid solutions at 298.15 K using a calorimeter of solution. Enthalpies of transfer of saccharides from water to aqueous ascorbic acid solutions were derived, and enthalpic coefficients of pair interaction h xy were calculated according to MacMillan-Mayer theory. Interactions of ascorbic acid with D-fructose and sucrose are energetically favorable and characterized by negative h xy coefficients while h xy for the interactions occurring between ascorbic acid and α-D glucose, D-galactose and maltose are positive. The obtained results are interpreted in terms of the influence of structure and solvation of solutes on the thermodynamic parameters of their interaction in solutions

Mechanistic links between gut microbial community dynamics, microbial functions and metabolic health

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Connie WY; Lam, Yan Y; Holmes, Andrew J

2014-01-01

Gut microbes comprise a high density, biologically active community that lies at the interface of an animal with its nutritional environment. Consequently their activity profoundly influences many aspects of the physiology and metabolism of the host animal. A range of microbial structural components and metabolites directly interact with host intestinal cells and tissues to influence nutrient uptake and epithelial health. Endocrine, neuronal and lymphoid cells in the gut also integrate signals from these microbial factors to influence systemic responses. Dysregulation of these host-microbe interactions is now recognised as a major risk factor in the development of metabolic dysfunction. This is a two-way process and understanding the factors that tip host-microbiome homeostasis over to dysbiosis requires greater appreciation of the host feedbacks that contribute to regulation of microbial community composition. To date, numerous studies have employed taxonomic profiling approaches to explore the links between microbial composition and host outcomes (especially obesity and its comorbidities), but inconsistent host-microbe associations have been reported. Available data indicates multiple factors have contributed to discrepancies between studies. These include the high level of functional redundancy in host-microbiome interactions combined with individual variation in microbiome composition; differences in study design, diet composition and host system between studies; and inherent limitations to the resolution of rRNA-based community profiling. Accounting for these factors allows for recognition of the common microbial and host factors driving community composition and development of dysbiosis on high fat diets. New therapeutic intervention options are now emerging. PMID:25469018

Late time solution for interacting scalar in accelerating spaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prokopec, Tomislav, E-mail: t.prokopec@uu.nl [Institute for Theoretical Physics, Spinoza Institute and EMME$\\Phi$, Utrecht University, Postbus 80.195, Utrecht, 3508 TD The Netherlands (Netherlands)

2015-11-01

We consider stochastic inflation in an interacting scalar field in spatially homogeneous accelerating space-times with a constant principal slow roll parameter ε. We show that, if the scalar potential is scale invariant (which is the case when scalar contains quartic self-interaction and couples non-minimally to gravity), the late-time solution on accelerating FLRW spaces can be described by a probability distribution function (PDF) ρ which is a function of φ/H only, where φ=φ( x-vector ) is the scalar field and H=H(t) denotes the Hubble parameter. We give explicit late-time solutions for ρarrow ρ{sub ∞}(φ/H), and thereby find the order ε corrections to the Starobinsky-Yokoyama result. This PDF can then be used to calculate e.g. various n-point functions of the (self-interacting) scalar field, which are valid at late times in arbitrary accelerating space-times with ε= constant.

What is microbial community ecology?

Science.gov (United States)

Konopka, Allan

2009-11-01

The activities of complex communities of microbes affect biogeochemical transformations in natural, managed and engineered ecosystems. Meaningfully defining what constitutes a community of interacting microbial populations is not trivial, but is important for rigorous progress in the field. Important elements of research in microbial community ecology include the analysis of functional pathways for nutrient resource and energy flows, mechanistic understanding of interactions between microbial populations and their environment, and the emergent properties of the complex community. Some emergent properties mirror those analyzed by community ecologists who study plants and animals: biological diversity, functional redundancy and system stability. However, because microbes possess mechanisms for the horizontal transfer of genetic information, the metagenome may also be considered as a community property.

Microbial processes in coastal pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capone, D.G.; Bauer, J.E.

1992-01-01

In this chapter, the authors describe the nature and range of some of the interactions that can occur between the microbiota and environmental contaminants in coastal areas. The implications of such interactions are also discussed. Pollutant types include inorganic nutrients, heavy metals, bulk organics, organic contaminants, pathogenic microorganisms and microbial pollutants. Both the effects of pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons on natural microbial populations and the mitigation of contaminant effects by complexation and biodegradation are considered. Finally, several areas of emerging concerns are presented that involve a confluence of biogeochemistry, microbial ecology and applied and public health microbiology. These concerns range in relevance from local/regional to oceanic/global scales. 308 ref

Microbial contamination of contact lenses, lens care solutions, and their accessories: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Szczotka-Flynn, Loretta B; Pearlman, Eric; Ghannoum, Mahmoud

2010-03-01

A contact lens (CL) can act as a vector for microorganisms to adhere to and transfer to the ocular surface. Commensal microorganisms that uneventfully cohabitate on lid margins and conjunctivae and potential pathogens that are found transiently on the ocular surface can inoculate CLs in vivo. In the presence of reduced tissue resistance, these resident microorganisms or transient pathogens can invade and colonize the cornea or conjunctiva to produce inflammation or infection. The literature was reviewed and used to summarize the findings over the last 30 years on the identification, enumeration, and classification of microorganisms adherent to CLs and their accessories during the course of normal wear and to hypothesize the role that these microorganisms play in CL infection and inflammation. Lens handling greatly increases the incidence of lens contamination, and the ocular surface has a tremendous ability to destroy organisms. However, even when removed aseptically from the eye, more than half of lenses are found to harbor microorganisms, almost exclusively bacteria. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci are most commonly cultured from worn lenses; however, approximately 10% of lenses harbor Gram-negative and highly pathogenic species, even in asymptomatic subjects. In storage cases, the incidence of positive microbial bioburden is also typically greater than 50%. All types of care solutions can become contaminated, including up to 30% of preserved products. The process of CL-related microbial keratitis and inflammation is thought to be preceded by the presence or transfer or both of microorganisms from the lens to the ocular surface. Thus, this detailed understanding of lens-related bioburden is important in the understanding of factors associated with infectious and inflammatory complications. Promising mechanisms to prevent bacterial colonization on lenses and lens cases are forthcoming, which may decrease the incidence of microbially driven CL complications.

Microbial interactions with the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and their dependence on temperature

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dziallas, Claudia; Grossart, Hans-Peter

2012-01-01

and their associated community often masked this temperature effect. Both macro- and microenvironment of active cyanobacterial strains were characterized by high pH and oxygen values creating a unique habitat that potentially affects microbial diversity and function. For example, archaea including ‘anaerobic......Associated heterotrophic bacteria alter the microenvironment of cyanobacteria and potentially influence cyanobacterial development. Therefore, we studied interactions of the unicellular freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa with heterotrophic bacteria. The associated bacterial community...... was greatly driven by temperature as seen by DNA Wngerprinting. However, the associated microbes also closely interacted with the cyanobacteria indicating changing ecological consequence of the associated bacterial community with temperature. Whereas concentration of dissolved organic carbon in cyanobacterial...

A Quantum Dot with Spin-Orbit Interaction--Analytical Solution

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, B.; Roy, B.

2009-01-01

The practical applicability of a semiconductor quantum dot with spin-orbit interaction gives an impetus to study analytical solutions to one- and two-electron quantum dots with or without a magnetic field.

Iodine and microbial interactions in an organic soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheppard, M.I.; Hawkins, J.L.

1995-01-01

Iodine-129 in groundwater discharging from a geological disposal vault could accumulate in wetlands by chemical sorption onto low pH, highly organic solid surfaces or by direct or indirect microbial processes. Previous work indicated that saturation of anion sorption sites, microbial toxicity, or swamping of the I reduction/oxidation reaction decreased the retention of a wetland sphagnum for iodine with increased iodine porewater concentrations. Bog water and peat of an iodine-rich bog were studied to elucidate the role of micro-organisms in the retention and accumulation of iodine in a temperate wetland. (author)

A Mesoscopic Model for Protein-Protein Interactions in Solution

OpenAIRE

Lund, Mikael; Jönsson, Bo

2003-01-01

Protein self-association may be detrimental in biological systems, but can be utilized in a controlled fashion for protein crystallization. It is hence of considerable interest to understand how factors like solution conditions prevent or promote aggregation. Here we present a computational model describing interactions between protein molecules in solution. The calculations are based on a molecular description capturing the detailed structure of the protein molecule using x-ray or nuclear ma...

Solid/solution Cu fractionations/speciation of a Cu contaminated soil after pilot-scale electrokinetic remediation and their relationships with soil microbial and enzyme activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Quanying; Zhou Dongmei; Cang Long; Li Lianzhen; Wang Peng

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the detailed metal speciation/fractionations of a Cu contaminated soil before and after electrokinetic remediation as well as their relationships with the soil microbial and enzyme activities. Significant changes in the exchangeable and adsorbed-Cu fractionations occurred after electrokinetic treatment, while labile soil Cu in the solution had a tendency to decrease from the anode to the cathode, and the soil free Cu 2+ ions were mainly accumulated in the sections close to the cathode. The results of regression analyses revealed that both the soil Cu speciation in solution phase and the Cu fractionations in solid phase could play important roles in the changes of the soil microbial and enzyme activities. Our findings suggest that the bioavailability of soil heavy metals and their ecotoxicological effects on the soil biota before and after electroremediation can be better understood in terms of their chemical speciation and fractionations. - The assessment of the roles of soil solution speciation and solid-phase fractionations in metal bioavailability after electrokinetic remediation deserves close attention.

Viral dark matter and virus–host interactions resolved from publicly available microbial genomes

Science.gov (United States)

Roux, Simon; Hallam, Steven J; Woyke, Tanja; Sullivan, Matthew B

2015-01-01

The ecological importance of viruses is now widely recognized, yet our limited knowledge of viral sequence space and virus–host interactions precludes accurate prediction of their roles and impacts. In this study, we mined publicly available bacterial and archaeal genomic data sets to identify 12,498 high-confidence viral genomes linked to their microbial hosts. These data augment public data sets 10-fold, provide first viral sequences for 13 new bacterial phyla including ecologically abundant phyla, and help taxonomically identify 7–38% of ‘unknown’ sequence space in viromes. Genome- and network-based classification was largely consistent with accepted viral taxonomy and suggested that (i) 264 new viral genera were identified (doubling known genera) and (ii) cross-taxon genomic recombination is limited. Further analyses provided empirical data on extrachromosomal prophages and coinfection prevalences, as well as evaluation of in silico virus–host linkage predictions. Together these findings illustrate the value of mining viral signal from microbial genomes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.08490.001 PMID:26200428

Thermodynamics of hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions of organic solutes in solutions of imidazolium based ionic liquids: “Structure-property” relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varfolomeev, Mikhail A.; Khachatrian, Artashes A.; Akhmadeev, Bulat S.; Solomonov, Boris N.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Solution enthalpies of organic solutes in imidazolium based ionic liquids were measured. • van der Waals interactions scale of imidazolium based ionic liquids was proposed. • Enthalpies of solvation of organic solutes in ionic liquids were determined. • Hydrogen bond enthalpies of organic solutes with ionic liquids were calculated. • Relationships between structure of ionic liquids and thermochemical data were obtained. - Abstract: In the present work thermochemistry of intermolecular interactions of organic compounds in solutions of imidazolium based ionic liquids (ILs) has been studied using solution calorimetry method. Enthalpies of solution at infinite dilution of non-polar (alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons) and polar (alcohols, amides, and etc.) organic solutes in two ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate were measured at 298.15 K. The scale of van der Waals interactions of imidazolium based ILs has been proposed on the basis of solution enthalpies of n-alkanes in their media. The effect of the cation and anion structure of ILs on the enthalpies of solvation was analyzed. Enthalpies of hydrogen bonding of organic solutes with imidazolium based ILs were determined. It has been shown that these values are close to zero for proton acceptor solutes. At the same time, enthalpies of hydrogen bonding of proton donor solutes with ionic liquids are increased depending the anion: tetrafluoroborate ≈ bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide < 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl sulfate < trifluoromethanesulfonate. Enthalpies of van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding in the solutions of imidazolium based ionic liquids were compared with the same data for molecular solvents.

Thermodynamics of hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions of organic solutes in solutions of imidazolium based ionic liquids: “Structure-property” relationships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varfolomeev, Mikhail A., E-mail: vma.ksu@gmail.com; Khachatrian, Artashes A.; Akhmadeev, Bulat S.; Solomonov, Boris N.

2016-06-10

Highlights: • Solution enthalpies of organic solutes in imidazolium based ionic liquids were measured. • van der Waals interactions scale of imidazolium based ionic liquids was proposed. • Enthalpies of solvation of organic solutes in ionic liquids were determined. • Hydrogen bond enthalpies of organic solutes with ionic liquids were calculated. • Relationships between structure of ionic liquids and thermochemical data were obtained. - Abstract: In the present work thermochemistry of intermolecular interactions of organic compounds in solutions of imidazolium based ionic liquids (ILs) has been studied using solution calorimetry method. Enthalpies of solution at infinite dilution of non-polar (alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons) and polar (alcohols, amides, and etc.) organic solutes in two ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate were measured at 298.15 K. The scale of van der Waals interactions of imidazolium based ILs has been proposed on the basis of solution enthalpies of n-alkanes in their media. The effect of the cation and anion structure of ILs on the enthalpies of solvation was analyzed. Enthalpies of hydrogen bonding of organic solutes with imidazolium based ILs were determined. It has been shown that these values are close to zero for proton acceptor solutes. At the same time, enthalpies of hydrogen bonding of proton donor solutes with ionic liquids are increased depending the anion: tetrafluoroborate ≈ bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide < 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl sulfate < trifluoromethanesulfonate. Enthalpies of van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonding in the solutions of imidazolium based ionic liquids were compared with the same data for molecular solvents.

Interactions between halloysite nanotubes and poly(styrene sulfonate) in solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jae Heon; Ryu, Jung Ju; Shin, Joo Huei; Lee, Hoik; Sohn, Dae Won [Dept. of Chemistry and Research Institute for Convergence of Basic Science, Hanyang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ick Soo [Nano Fusion Technology Research Lab, Division of Frontier Fibers, Institute for Fiber Engineering (IFES), Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research (ICCER), Shinshu University, Nagano (Japan)

2017-01-15

The interaction between halloysite nanotubes (HNT) and poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) in aqueous solution was investigated by dynamic light scattering. Dynamic behavior of HNT/PSS was observed with different salt, HNT, and PSS concentrations. The HNT colloids were stabilized by PSS over a wide range of HNT concentrations, and HNT suspension in dilute solution formed stable HNT/PSS particles. On the other hand, HNT particles aggregated as sediments at higher concentrations due to strong attraction among HNT rods, and HNT aggregates were stabilized by additional PSS. The interactions between HNT and PSS are described by the van der Waals–London force (VDWL). The stabilization process of HNT/PSS particles in salt solution was proposed by comparing the hydrodynamic radii and apparent intensities of samples. The results demonstrate that electrostatic, steric, and depletion stabilization processes are responsible for the stable dispersion of HNT even at high concentration.

Massive bosons interacting with gravity: No standard solutions in Robertson-Walker space-time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zecca, A.

2009-01-01

The problem of the interaction of boson and gravitational field is formulated in the Robertson-Walker space-time. It consist the simultaneous solution of the boson and of the Einstein field equation whose source is the energy momentum tensor of the boson field. By direct verification it is shown that the problem does not admit solutions in the class of massive standard solutions, previously determined, of the boson field equation. Also there cannot be solutions, in case of massive interacting boson, that are superpositions of standard solutions. The case of massless boson field is left open. The result is essentially due to the very special form of the Einstein tensor in Robertson-Walker metric.

Hydrophobic interactions between polymethacrylic acid and sodium laureth sulfate in aqueous solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Yaremko, Z. M.; Fedushinskaya, L. B.; Burka, O. A.; Soltys, M. N.

2014-09-01

The role of hydrophobic interaction in the development of associative processes is demonstrated, based on the concentration dependences of the viscosity and pH of binary solutions of polymethacrylic acid as an anionic polyelectrolyte and sodium laureth sulfate as an anionic surfactant. It is found that the inflection point on the dependence of the difference between the pH values of binary solutions of polymethacrylic acid and sodium laureth sulfate on the polyelectrolyte concentration is a criterion for determining the predominant contribution from hydrophobic interaction, as is the inflection point on the dependence of pH of individual solutions of polymethacrylic acid on the polyelectrolyte concentration.

Final Report - Montana State University - Microbial Activity and Precipitation at Solution-Solution Mixing Zones in Porous Media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerlach, Robin [Montana State University

2014-10-31

Background. The use of biological and chemical processes that degrade or immobilize contaminants in subsurface environments is a cornerstone of remediation technology. The enhancement of biological and chemical processes in situ, involves the transport, displacement, distribution and mixing of one or more reactive agents. Biological and chemical reactions all require diffusive transport of solutes to reaction sites at the molecular scale and accordingly, the success of processes at the meter-scale and larger is dictated by the success of phenomena that occur at the micron-scale. However, current understanding of scaling effects on the mixing and delivery of nutrients in biogeochemically dynamic porous media systems is limited, despite the limitations this imposes on the efficiency and effectiveness of the remediation challenges at hand. Objectives. We therefore proposed to experimentally characterize and computationally describe the growth, evolution, and distribution of microbial activity and mineral formation as well as changes in transport processes in porous media that receive two or more reactive amendments. The model system chosen for this project was based on a method for immobilizing 90Sr, which involves stimulating microbial urea hydrolysis with ensuing mineral precipitation (CaCO3), and co-precipitation of Sr. Studies at different laboratory scales were used to visualize and quantitatively describe the spatial relationships between amendment transport and consumption that stimulate the production of biomass and mineral phases that subsequently modify the permeability and heterogeneity of porous media. Biomass growth, activity, and mass deposition in mixing zones was investigated using two-dimensional micro-model flow cells as well as flow cells that could be analyzed using synchrotron-based x-ray tomography. Larger-scale flow-cell experiments were conducted where the spatial distribution of media properties, flow, segregation of biological activity and

Microbial diversity in opalinus clay and interaction of dominant microbial strains with actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moll, Henry; Luetke, Laura; Bachvarova, Velina; Steudtner, Robin; Geissler, Andrea; Krawczyk-Baersch, Evelyn; Selenska-Pobell, Sonja; Bernhardt, Gert

2013-01-01

For the first time microbial tDNA could be isolated from 50 g unperturbed Mont Terri Opalinus Clay. Based on the analysis of the tDNA the bacterial diversity of the unperturbed clay is dominated by representatives of Firmicutes, Betaproteobacteria, and Bacteriodetes. Firmicutes also dominate after treatment of the clay with R2A medium. Bacteria isolated from Mont Terri Opalinus Clay on R2A medium were related to Sporomusa spp., Paenibacillus spp., and Clostridium spp. All further investigations are concentrated on the unique isolates Sporomusa sp. MT-2 and Paenibacillus sp. MT-2. Cells of the type Sporomusa sp. MT-2 and Paenibacillus sp. MT-2 were comprehensively analyzed in terms of growing, morphology, functional groups of the cell envelope, and cell membrane structure. Strong actinide(An)/lanthanide(Ln)-interactions with the Opalinus Clay isolates and the Aespoe-strain Pseudomonas fluorescens (CCUG 32456) could be determined within a broad pH range (2-8). The metals bind as a function of pH on protonated phosphoryl, carboxyl and deprotonated phosphoryl sites of the respective cell membrane. The thermodynamic surface complexation constants of bacterial An/Ln-species were determined and can be used in modeling programs. Depending on the used An different interaction mechanisms were found (U(VI): biosorption, partly biomineralisation; Cm(III): biosorption, indications for embedded Cm(III); Pu: biosorption, bioreduction and indications for embedded Pu). Different strategies of coping with U(VI) were observed comparing P. fluorescens planktonic cells and biofilms under the chosen experimental conditions. An enhanced capability of the biofilm to form meta-autunite in comparison to the planktonic cells was proven. Conclusively, the P. fluorescens biofilm is more efficient in U(VI) detoxification. In conclusion, Mont Terri Opalinus Clay contains bacterial communities, that may influence the speciation and hence the migration behavior of selected An/Ln under

Microbial diversity in opalinus clay and interaction of dominant microbial strains with actinides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moll, Henry; Luetke, Laura; Bachvarova, Velina; Steudtner, Robin; Geissler, Andrea; Krawczyk-Baersch, Evelyn; Selenska-Pobell, Sonja; Bernhardt, Gert

2013-07-01

For the first time microbial tDNA could be isolated from 50 g unperturbed Mont Terri Opalinus Clay. Based on the analysis of the tDNA the bacterial diversity of the unperturbed clay is dominated by representatives of Firmicutes, Betaproteobacteria, and Bacteriodetes. Firmicutes also dominate after treatment of the clay with R2A medium. Bacteria isolated from Mont Terri Opalinus Clay on R2A medium were related to Sporomusa spp., Paenibacillus spp., and Clostridium spp. All further investigations are concentrated on the unique isolates Sporomusa sp. MT-2 and Paenibacillus sp. MT-2. Cells of the type Sporomusa sp. MT-2 and Paenibacillus sp. MT-2 were comprehensively analyzed in terms of growing, morphology, functional groups of the cell envelope, and cell membrane structure. Strong actinide(An)/lanthanide(Ln)-interactions with the Opalinus Clay isolates and the Aespoe-strain Pseudomonas fluorescens (CCUG 32456) could be determined within a broad pH range (2-8). The metals bind as a function of pH on protonated phosphoryl, carboxyl and deprotonated phosphoryl sites of the respective cell membrane. The thermodynamic surface complexation constants of bacterial An/Ln-species were determined and can be used in modeling programs. Depending on the used An different interaction mechanisms were found (U(VI): biosorption, partly biomineralisation; Cm(III): biosorption, indications for embedded Cm(III); Pu: biosorption, bioreduction and indications for embedded Pu). Different strategies of coping with U(VI) were observed comparing P. fluorescens planktonic cells and biofilms under the chosen experimental conditions. An enhanced capability of the biofilm to form meta-autunite in comparison to the planktonic cells was proven. Conclusively, the P. fluorescens biofilm is more efficient in U(VI) detoxification. In conclusion, Mont Terri Opalinus Clay contains bacterial communities, that may influence the speciation and hence the migration behavior of selected An/Ln under

Microbial ecosystem constructed in water for successful organic hydroponics

OpenAIRE

Makoto Shinohara; Hiromi Ohmori; Yoichi Uehara

2008-01-01

Conventional hydroponics systems generally use only chemical fertilisers, not organic ones, since there are no microbial ecosystems present in such systems to mineralise organic compounds to inorganic nutrients. Addition of organic compounds to the hydroponic solution generally has phytotoxic effects and causes poor plant growth. We developed a novel hydroponic culture method using organic fertiliser. A microbial ecosystem was constructed in hydroponic solution by regulating the amounts of or...

Note: Nonpolar solute partial molar volume response to attractive interactions with water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, Steven M.; Ashbaugh, Henry S., E-mail: hanka@tulane.edu [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118 (United States)

2014-01-07

The impact of attractive interactions on the partial molar volumes of methane-like solutes in water is characterized using molecular simulations. Attractions account for a significant 20% volume drop between a repulsive Weeks-Chandler-Andersen and full Lennard-Jones description of methane interactions. The response of the volume to interaction perturbations is characterized by linear fits to our simulations and a rigorous statistical thermodynamic expression for the derivative of the volume to increasing attractions. While a weak non-linear response is observed, an average effective slope accurately captures the volume decrease. This response, however, is anticipated to become more non-linear with increasing solute size.

Note: Nonpolar solute partial molar volume response to attractive interactions with water.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Steven M; Ashbaugh, Henry S

2014-01-07

The impact of attractive interactions on the partial molar volumes of methane-like solutes in water is characterized using molecular simulations. Attractions account for a significant 20% volume drop between a repulsive Weeks-Chandler-Andersen and full Lennard-Jones description of methane interactions. The response of the volume to interaction perturbations is characterized by linear fits to our simulations and a rigorous statistical thermodynamic expression for the derivative of the volume to increasing attractions. While a weak non-linear response is observed, an average effective slope accurately captures the volume decrease. This response, however, is anticipated to become more non-linear with increasing solute size.

Prediction of thermodynamic instabilities of protein solutions from simple protein–protein interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D’Agostino, Tommaso; Solana, José Ramón; Emanuele, Antonio

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We propose a model of effective protein–protein interaction embedding solvent effects. ► A previous square-well model is enhanced by giving to the interaction a free energy character. ► The temperature dependence of the interaction is due to entropic effects of the solvent. ► The validity of the original SW model is extended to entropy driven phase transitions. ► We get good fits for lysozyme and haemoglobin spinodal data taken from literature. - Abstract: Statistical thermodynamics of protein solutions is often studied in terms of simple, microscopic models of particles interacting via pairwise potentials. Such modelling can reproduce the short range structure of protein solutions at equilibrium and predict thermodynamics instabilities of these systems. We introduce a square well model of effective protein–protein interaction that embeds the solvent’s action. We modify an existing model [45] by considering a well depth having an explicit dependence on temperature, i.e. an explicit free energy character, thus encompassing the statistically relevant configurations of solvent molecules around proteins. We choose protein solutions exhibiting demixing upon temperature decrease (lysozyme, enthalpy driven) and upon temperature increase (haemoglobin, entropy driven). We obtain satisfactory fits of spinodal curves for both the two proteins without adding any mean field term, thus extending the validity of the original model. Our results underline the solvent role in modulating or stretching the interaction potential

Pfaffian Solutions and Resonant Interaction Properties of a Coupled BKP Lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Hai-Qiong; Yu Guo-Fu

2014-01-01

In this paper, we give a coupled lattice equation with the help of Hirota operators, which comes from a special BKP lattice. Two-soliton and three-soliton solutions to the coupled system are constructed. Furthermore, resonant interaction of the two-soliton solution is analyzed in detail. Under some special resonant condition, it is shown that low soliton can propagate faster than high one. Finally, the N-soliton solution is presented in the Pfaffian form. (general)

Interaction mode and nanoparticle formation of bovine serum albumin and anthocyanin in three buffer solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Rui; Dong, Xueyan; Song, Lanlan; Jing, Hao

2014-01-01

Investigation of interaction mode of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anthocyanin (ACN) in different solutions will help us understand the interaction mechanism and functional change of bioactive small molecule and biomacromolecule. This study investigated the binding mode, including binding constant, number of binding sites, binding force of BSA and ACN interaction in three buffer solutions of phosphate (PBS), sodium chloride (NaCl), and PBS-NaCl, using fluorescence spectroscopy and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. Formation and characteristics of BSA–ACN complex were also investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that ACN could interact with BSA at both tyrosine (Tyr) and tryptophan (Trp) residues through both hydrogen bonds and van der Waals force, and the same binding mode was seen in dH 2 O and three buffer solutions. The value of binding constant K was decreased as the temperature increased from 298 K to 308 K, and the decreasing degree was in the order of dH 2 O (9.0×10 4 )>NaCl (2.64×10 4 )/PBS (2.37×10 4 )>PBS-NaCl (0.88×10 4 ), which was inversely correlated with the ionic strength of the buffer solutions of PBS-NaCl>NaCl>PBS. It indicated that stability of BSA–ACN complex was affected most in dH 2 O than in three buffer solutions. The BSA and ACN interaction led to formation of BSA–ACN nanoparticles. The sizes of BSA–ACN nanoparticles in dH 2 O were smaller than that in three buffer solutions, which correlated with stronger binding force between BSA and ACN in dH 2 O than in three buffer solutions at room temperature (25 °C, 298 K). - Highlights: • We report the influences of four solutions on the BSA–ACN interaction. • We report the relationship between BSA–ACN interaction and particle size of complex. • The stability of BSA–ACN complex was affected most in dH 2 O than in buffer solutions

Microbial electrosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xiaohu; Angelidaki, Irini; Zhang, Yifeng

2016-01-01

Microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cell (MREC) as a novel type of microbial electrochemical technologies has been proposed to produce H2 and CH4. In this study, we developed MREC to produce the strong oxidant H2O2. In the MREC, electrical potential generated by the exoelectrogens...... and the salinity-gradient between sea water and river water were utilized to drive the high-rate H2O2 production without external power supply. Operational parameters such as air flow rate, pH, cathodic potential, flow rate of high and low concentration solution were investigated. The optimal H2O2 production were...

Urban Transit System Microbial Communities Differ by Surface Type and Interaction with Humans and the Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Tiffany; Joice, Regina; Vallarino, Jose; Abu-Ali, Galeb; Hartmann, Erica M; Shafquat, Afrah; DuLong, Casey; Baranowski, Catherine; Gevers, Dirk; Green, Jessica L; Morgan, Xochitl C; Spengler, John D; Huttenhower, Curtis

2016-01-01

Public transit systems are ideal for studying the urban microbiome and interindividual community transfer. In this study, we used 16S amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing to profile microbial communities on multiple transit surfaces across train lines and stations in the Boston metropolitan transit system. The greatest determinant of microbial community structure was the transit surface type. In contrast, little variation was observed between geographically distinct train lines and stations serving different demographics. All surfaces were dominated by human skin and oral commensals such as Propionibacterium , Corynebacterium , Staphylococcus , and Streptococcus . The detected taxa not associated with humans included generalists from alphaproteobacteria, which were especially abundant on outdoor touchscreens. Shotgun metagenomics further identified viral and eukaryotic microbes, including Propionibacterium phage and Malassezia globosa . Functional profiling showed that Propionibacterium acnes pathways such as propionate production and porphyrin synthesis were enriched on train holding surfaces (holds), while electron transport chain components for aerobic respiration were enriched on touchscreens and seats. Lastly, the transit environment was not found to be a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes. Our results suggest that microbial communities on transit surfaces are maintained from a metapopulation of human skin commensals and environmental generalists, with enrichments corresponding to local interactions with the human body and environmental exposures. IMPORTANCE Mass transit environments, specifically, urban subways, are distinct microbial environments with high occupant densities, diversities, and turnovers, and they are thus especially relevant to public health. Despite this, only three culture-independent subway studies have been performed, all since 2013 and all with widely differing designs and conclusions. In this study, we

Viral coinfection is shaped by host ecology and virus-virus interactions across diverse microbial taxa and environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-Muñoz, Samuel L

2017-01-01

Infection of more than one virus in a host, coinfection, is common across taxa and environments. Viral coinfection can enable genetic exchange, alter the dynamics of infections, and change the course of viral evolution. Yet, a systematic test of the factors explaining variation in viral coinfection across different taxa and environments awaits completion. Here I employ three microbial data sets of virus-host interactions covering cross-infectivity, culture coinfection, and single-cell coinfection (total: 6,564 microbial hosts, 13,103 viruses) to provide a broad, comprehensive picture of the ecological and biological factors shaping viral coinfection. I found evidence that ecology and virus-virus interactions are recurrent factors shaping coinfection patterns. Host ecology was a consistent and strong predictor of coinfection across all three data sets: cross-infectivity, culture coinfection, and single-cell coinfection. Host phylogeny or taxonomy was a less consistent predictor, being weak or absent in the cross-infectivity and single-cell coinfection models, yet it was the strongest predictor in the culture coinfection model. Virus-virus interactions strongly affected coinfection. In the largest test of superinfection exclusion to date, prophage sequences reduced culture coinfection by other prophages, with a weaker effect on extrachromosomal virus coinfection. At the single-cell level, prophage sequences eliminated coinfection. Virus-virus interactions also increased culture coinfection with ssDNA-dsDNA coinfections >2× more likely than ssDNA-only coinfections. The presence of CRISPR spacers was associated with a ∼50% reduction in single-cell coinfection in a marine bacteria, despite the absence of exact spacer matches in any active infection. Collectively, these results suggest the environment bacteria inhabit and the interactions among surrounding viruses are two factors consistently shaping viral coinfection patterns. These findings highlight the role of

Spray-on polyvinyl alcohol separators and impact on power production in air-cathode microbial fuel cells with different solution conductivities

KAUST Repository

Hoskins, Daniel L.

2014-11-01

© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. Separators are used to protect cathodes from biofouling and to avoid electrode short-circuiting, but they can adversely affect microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance. A spray method was used to apply a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) separator to the cathode. Power densities were unaffected by the PVA separator (339 ± 29 mW/m2), compared to a control lacking a separator in a low conductivity solution (1mS/cm) similar to wastewater. Power was reduced with separators in solutions typical of laboratory tests (7-13 mS/cm), compared to separatorless controls. The PVA separator produced more power in a separator assembly (SEA) configuration (444 ± 8 mW/m2) in the 1mS/cm solution, but power was reduced if a PVA or wipe separator was used in higher conductivity solutions with either Pt or activated carbon catalysts. Spray and cast PVA separators performed similarly, but the spray method is preferred as it was easier to apply and use.

Final Report: Molecular Basis for Microbial Adhesion and Geochemical Surface Reactions: A Study Across Scales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dixon, David Adams [The University of Alabama

2013-06-27

Computational chemistry was used to help provide a molecular level description of the interactions of Gram-negative microbial membranes with subsurface materials. The goal is to develop a better understanding of the molecular processes involved in microbial metal binding, microbial attachment to mineral surfaces, and, eventually, oxidation/reduction reactions (electron transfer) that can occur at these surfaces and are mediated by the bacterial exterior surface. The project focused on the interaction of the outer microbial membrane, which is dominated by an exterior lipopolysaccharide (LPS) portion, of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with the mineral goethite and with solvated ions in the environment. This was originally a collaborative project with T.P. Straatsma and B. Lowery of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The University of Alabama effort used electronic structure calculations to predict the molecular behavior of ions in solution and the behavior of the sugars which form a critical part of the LPS. The interactions of the sugars with metal ions are expected to dominate much of the microscopic structure and transport phenomena in the LPS. This work, in combination with the molecular dynamics simulations of Straatsma and the experimental electrochemistry and microscopy measurements of Lowry, both at PNNL, is providing new insights into the detailed molecular behavior of these membranes in geochemical environments. The effort at The University of Alabama has three components: solvation energies and structures of ions in solution, prediction of the acidity of the critical groups in the sugars in the LPS, and binding of metal ions to the sugar anions. An important aspect of the structure of the LPS membrane as well as ion transport in the LPS is the ability of the sugar side groups such as the carboxylic acids and the phosphates to bind positively charged ions. We are studying the acidity of the acidic side groups in order to better understand the ability of

Interaction of gypsum with lead in aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astilleros, J.M.; Godelitsas, A.; Rodriguez-Blanco, J.D.; Fernandez-Diaz, L.; Prieto, M.; Lagoyannis, A.; Harissopulos, S.

2010-01-01

Sorption processes on mineral surfaces are a critical factor in controlling the distribution and accumulation of potentially harmful metals in the environment. This work investigates the effectiveness of gypsum (CaSO 4 .2H 2 O) to sequester Pb. The interaction of gypsum fragments with Pb-bearing solutions (10, 100 and 1000 mg/L) was monitored by performing macroscopic batch-type experiments conducted at room temperature. The aqueous phase composition was periodically determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), Ion Chromatography (IC) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Regardless of the [Pb aq ] initial , a [Pb aq ] final aq ] initial ≥ 100 mg/L and significantly slower (t > 1 week) for [Pb aq ] initial = 10 mg/L. Speciation calculations revealed that after a long time of interaction (1 month), all the solutions reached equilibrium with respect to both gypsum and anglesite. For [Pb aq ] initial ≥ 100 mg/L, sorption takes place mainly via the rapid dissolution of gypsum and the simultaneous formation of anglesite both on the gypsum surface and in the bulk solution. In the case of [Pb aq ] initial = 10 mg/L, no anglesite precipitation was observed, but surface spectroscopy (proton Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy, p-RBS) confirmed the formation of Pb-bearing surface layers on the (0 1 0) gypsum surface in this case also. This study shows that the surface of gypsum can play an important role in the attenuation of Pb in contaminated waters.

Influence of Solvent-Solvent and Solute-Solvent Interaction Properties on Solvent-Mediated Potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Shiqi

2005-01-01

A recently proposed universal calculational recipe for solvent-mediated potential is applied to calculate excess potential of mean force between two large Lennard-Jones (LJ) or hard core attractive Yukawa particles immersed in small LJ solvent bath at supercritical state. Comparison between the present prediction with a hypernetted chain approximation adopted for solute-solute correlation at infinitely dilute limit and existing simulation data shows high accuracy for the region with large separation, and qualitative reliability for the solute particle contact region. The calculational simplicity of the present recipe allows for a detailed investigation on the effect of the solute-solvent and solvent-solvent interaction details on the excess potential of mean force. The resultant conclusion is that gathering of solvent particles near a solute particle leads to repulsive excess PMF, while depletion of solvent particles away from the solute particle leads to attractive excess PMF, and minor change of the solvent-solvent interaction range has large influence on the excess PMF.

Measure solutions for non-local interaction PDEs with two species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francesco, Marco Di [Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Fagioli, Simone [DISIM—Department of Information Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics, University of L' Aquila, Via Vetoio 1 (Coppito) 67100 L' Aquila (AQ) (Italy)

2013-10-01

This paper presents a systematic existence and uniqueness theory of weak measure solutions for systems of non-local interaction PDEs with two species, which are the PDE counterpart of systems of deterministic interacting particles with two species. The main motivations behind those models arise in cell biology, pedestrian movements, and opinion formation. In case of symmetrizable systems (i.e. with cross-interaction potentials one multiple of the other), we provide a complete existence and uniqueness theory within (a suitable generalization of) the Wasserstein gradient flow theory in Ambrosio et al (2008 Gradient Flows in Metric Spaces and in the Space of Probability Measures (Lectures in Mathematics ETH Zürich) 2nd edn (Basel: Birkhäuser)) and Carrillo et al (2011 Duke Math. J. 156 229–71), which allows the consideration of interaction potentials with a discontinuous gradient at the origin. In the general case of non-symmetrizable systems, we provide an existence result for measure solutions which uses a semi-implicit version of the Jordan–Kinderlehrer–Otto (JKO) scheme (Jordan et al 1998 SIAM J. Math. Anal. 29 1–17), which holds in a reasonable non-smooth setting for the interaction potentials. Uniqueness in the non-symmetrizable case is proven for C{sup 2} potentials using a variant of the method of characteristics. (paper)

Measure solutions for non-local interaction PDEs with two species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francesco, Marco Di; Fagioli, Simone

2013-01-01

This paper presents a systematic existence and uniqueness theory of weak measure solutions for systems of non-local interaction PDEs with two species, which are the PDE counterpart of systems of deterministic interacting particles with two species. The main motivations behind those models arise in cell biology, pedestrian movements, and opinion formation. In case of symmetrizable systems (i.e. with cross-interaction potentials one multiple of the other), we provide a complete existence and uniqueness theory within (a suitable generalization of) the Wasserstein gradient flow theory in Ambrosio et al (2008 Gradient Flows in Metric Spaces and in the Space of Probability Measures (Lectures in Mathematics ETH Zürich) 2nd edn (Basel: Birkhäuser)) and Carrillo et al (2011 Duke Math. J. 156 229–71), which allows the consideration of interaction potentials with a discontinuous gradient at the origin. In the general case of non-symmetrizable systems, we provide an existence result for measure solutions which uses a semi-implicit version of the Jordan–Kinderlehrer–Otto (JKO) scheme (Jordan et al 1998 SIAM J. Math. Anal. 29 1–17), which holds in a reasonable non-smooth setting for the interaction potentials. Uniqueness in the non-symmetrizable case is proven for C 2 potentials using a variant of the method of characteristics. (paper)

Investigating the impact of microbial interactions with geologic media on geophysical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Caroline Ann

The goals of this study were to investigate the effect of: (1) microbial metabolic byproducts, microbial growth, and biofilm formation on the low frequency electrical properties of porous media, (2) biofilm formation on acoustic wave properties, and (3) the natural electrical (self-potential) signatures associated with an in-situ biological permeable reactive barrier (PRB). The results suggest: (1) increases in electrolytic conductivity are consistent with increased concentrations of organic acids and biosurfactants; (2) mineral weathering promoted by organic acids causes increases in electrolytic conductivity, concomitant with increases in major cation concentrations; (3) interfacial conductivity generally parallels microbial cell concentrations and biofilm formation; (4) variations in microbial growth and biofilms causes spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the elastic properties of porous media; (5) SP signatures associated with the injection of groundwater into an in-situ biological PRB are dominated by diffusion potentials induced by the injections. The results suggest that electrolytic conductivity may be useful as an indicator of metabolism, while interfacial conductivity may be used as proxy indicator for microbial growth and biofilm formation in porous media. In addition, acoustic measurements may provide diagnostic spatiotemporal data for the validation of bioclogging models/simulations. Collectively, this study provides further evidence that geophysical measurements are sensitive to microbial-induced changes to geologic media, and may be useful for the detection and monitoring of subsurface microbial growth, activity, and distribution such as in microbial enhanced oil recovery, assessing biofilm barriers used for contaminant remediation, or as sealants for reservoirs in CO2 sequestration studies.

Microbial Inoculants and Their Impact on Soil Microbial Communities: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darine Trabelsi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The knowledge of the survival of inoculated fungal and bacterial strains in field and the effects of their release on the indigenous microbial communities has been of great interest since the practical use of selected natural or genetically modified microorganisms has been developed. Soil inoculation or seed bacterization may lead to changes in the structure of the indigenous microbial communities, which is important with regard to the safety of introduction of microbes into the environment. Many reports indicate that application of microbial inoculants can influence, at least temporarily, the resident microbial communities. However, the major concern remains regarding how the impact on taxonomic groups can be related to effects on functional capabilities of the soil microbial communities. These changes could be the result of direct effects resulting from trophic competitions and antagonistic/synergic interactions with the resident microbial populations, or indirect effects mediated by enhanced root growth and exudation. Combination of inoculants will not necessarily produce an additive or synergic effect, but rather a competitive process. The extent of the inoculation impact on the subsequent crops in relation to the buffering capacity of the plant-soil-biota is still not well documented and should be the focus of future research.

Scalar, electromagnetic, and gravitational fields interaction: Particlelike solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bronnikov, K.A.; Melnikov, V.N.; Shikin, G.N.; Staniukovich, K.P.

1979-01-01

Particlelike static spherically symmetric solutions to massless scalar and electromagnetic field equations combined with gravitational field equations are considered. Two criteria for particlelike solutions are formulated: the strong one (solutions are required to be singularity free) and the weak one (singularities are admitted but the total energy and material field energy should be finite). Exact solutions for the following physical systems are considered with their own gravitational field: (i) linear scalar (minimally coupled or conformal) plus electromagnetic field; (ii) the same fields with a bare mass source in the form of charged incoherent matter distributions; (iii) nonlinear electromagnetic field with an abritrary dependence on the invariant F/sub alphabeta/F/sup alphabeta/; and (iv) directly interacting scalar and electromagnetic fields. Case (i) solutions are not particlelike (except those with horizons, in which static regions formally satisfy the weak criterion). For systems (ii), examples of nonsingular models are constructed, in particular, a model for a particle--antiparticle pair of a Wheeler-handle type, without scalar field and explict electric charges. Besides, a number of limitations upon nonsingular model parameters is indicated. Systems (iii) are proved to violate the strong criterion for any type of nonlinearity but can satisfy the weak criterion (e.g., the Born--Infeld nonlinearity). For systems (iv) some particlelike solutions by the weak criterion are constructed and a regularizing role of gravitation is demonstrated. Finally, an example of a field system satisfying the strong criterion is given

Caffeine and Sugars Interact in Aqueous Solutions: A Simulation and NMR Study

OpenAIRE

Tavagnacco, Letizia; Engström, Olof; Schnupf, Udo; Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Himmel, Michael; Widmalm, Göran; Cesàro, Attilio; Brady, John W.

2012-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on several systems of caffeine interacting with simple sugars. These included a single caffeine molecule in a 3 molal solution of α-D-glucopyranose, at a caffeine concentration of 0.083 molal; a single caffeine in a 3 molal solution of β-D-glucopyranose, and a single caffeine molecule in a 1.08 molal solution of sucrose (table sugar). Parallel Nuclear Magnetic Resonance titration experiments were carried out on the same solutions under similar c...

Lump solutions with interaction phenomena in the (2+1)-dimensional Ito equation

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Li; Yu, Zong-Bing; Tian, Shou-Fu; Feng, Lian-Li; Li, Jin

2018-03-01

In this paper, we consider the (2+1)-dimensional Ito equation, which was introduced by Ito. By considering the Hirota’s bilinear method, and using the positive quadratic function, we obtain some lump solutions of the Ito equation. In order to ensure rational localization and analyticity of these lump solutions, some sufficient and necessary conditions are provided on the parameters that appeared in the solutions. Furthermore, the interaction solutions between lump solutions and the stripe solitons are discussed by combining positive quadratic function with exponential function. Finally, the dynamic properties of these solutions are shown via the way of graphical analysis by selecting appropriate values of the parameters.

Retention and transport of an anaerobic trichloroethene dechlorinating microbial culture in anaerobic porous media.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Huixin; Ulrich, Ania C; Liu, Yang

2015-06-01

The influence of solution chemistry on microbial transport was examined using the strictly anaerobic trichloroethene (TCE) bioaugmentation culture KB-1(®). A column was employed to determine transport behaviors and deposition kinetics of three distinct functional species in KB-1(®), Dehalococcoides, Geobacter, and Methanomethylovorans, over a range of ionic strengths under a well-controlled anaerobic condition. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was utilized to enumerate cell concentration and complementary techniques were implemented to evaluate cell surface electrokinetic potentials. Solution chemistry was found to positively affect the deposition rates, which was consistent with calculated Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) interaction energies. Retained microbial profiles showed spatially constant colloid deposition rate coefficients, in agreement with classical colloid filtration theory (CFT). It was interesting to note that the three KB-1(®) species displayed similar transport and retention behaviors under the defined experimental conditions despite their different cell electrokinetic properties. A deeper analysis of cell characteristics showed that factors, such as cell size and shape, concentration, and motility were involved in determining adhesion behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Above- and belowground linkages in Sphagnum peatland: climate warming affects plant-microbial interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jassey, Vincent E J; Chiapusio, Geneviève; Binet, Philippe; Buttler, Alexandre; Laggoun-Défarge, Fatima; Delarue, Frédéric; Bernard, Nadine; Mitchell, Edward A D; Toussaint, Marie-Laure; Francez, André-Jean; Gilbert, Daniel

2013-03-01

Peatlands contain approximately one third of all soil organic carbon (SOC). Warming can alter above- and belowground linkages that regulate soil organic carbon dynamics and C-balance in peatlands. Here we examine the multiyear impact of in situ experimental warming on the microbial food web, vegetation, and their feedbacks with soil chemistry. We provide evidence of both positive and negative impacts of warming on specific microbial functional groups, leading to destabilization of the microbial food web. We observed a strong reduction (70%) in the biomass of top-predators (testate amoebae) in warmed plots. Such a loss caused a shortening of microbial food chains, which in turn stimulated microbial activity, leading to slight increases in levels of nutrients and labile C in water. We further show that warming altered the regulatory role of Sphagnum-polyphenols on microbial community structure with a potential inhibition of top predators. In addition, warming caused a decrease in Sphagnum cover and an increase in vascular plant cover. Using structural equation modelling, we show that changes in the microbial food web affected the relationships between plants, soil water chemistry, and microbial communities. These results suggest that warming will destabilize C and nutrient recycling of peatlands via changes in above- and belowground linkages, and therefore, the microbial food web associated with mosses will feedback positively to global warming by destabilizing the carbon cycle. This study confirms that microbial food webs thus constitute a key element in the functioning of peatland ecosystems. Their study can help understand how mosses, as ecosystem engineers, tightly regulate biogeochemical cycling and climate feedback in peatlands. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Ultrafast spontaneous emission modulation of graphene quantum dots interacting with Ag nanoparticles in solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Jianwei [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Research Center of Quantum Macro-Phenomenon and Application, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210 (China); Lu, Jian, E-mail: luj@sari.ac.cn; Wang, Zhongyang, E-mail: wangzy@sari.ac.cn [Research Center of Quantum Macro-Phenomenon and Application, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210 (China); Wang, Liang [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Tian, Linfan [Research Center of Quantum Macro-Phenomenon and Application, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210 (China); School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210 (China); Deng, Xingxia [Research Center of Quantum Macro-Phenomenon and Application, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210 (China); School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Tian, Lijun [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Pan, Dengyu [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China)

2016-07-11

We investigated the strong interaction between graphene quantum dots and silver nanoparticles in solution using time-resolved photoluminescence techniques. In solution, the silver nanoparticles are surrounded by graphene quantum dots and interacted with graphene quantum dots through exciton-plasmon coupling. An ultrafast spontaneous emission process (lifetime 27 ps) was observed in such a mixed solution. This ultrafast lifetime corresponds to the emission rate exceeding 35 GHz, with the purcell enhancement by a factor of ∼12. These experiment results pave the way for the realization of future high speed light sources applications.

Microbial plankton communities in the coastal southeastern Black Sea: biomass, composition and trophic interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulgen Aytan

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Summary: We investigated biomass and composition of the pico-, nano- and microplankton communities in a coastal station of the southeastern Black Sea during 2011. We also examined trophic interactions within these communities from size-fractionated dilution experiments in February, June and December. Autotrophic and heterotrophic biomasses showed similar seasonal trends, with a peak in June, but heterotrophs dominated throughout the year. Autotrophic biomass was mainly comprised by nanoflagellates and diatoms in the first half of the year, and by dinoflagellates and Synechococcus spp. in the second half. Heterotrophic biomass was mostly dominated by heterotrophic bacteria, followed by nanoflagellates and microzooplankton. Dilution experiments suggest that nano- and microzooplankton were significant consumers of autotrophs and heterotrophic bacteria. More than 100% of bacterial production was consumed by grazers in all experiments, while 46%, 21% and 30% of daily primary production were consumed in February, June and December, respectively. In February, autotrophs were the main carbon source, but in December, it was heterotrophic bacteria. An intermediate situation was observed in June, with similar carbon flows from autotrophs and heterotrophic bacteria. Size-fraction dilution experiments suggested that heterotrophic nanoflagellates are an important link between the high heterotrophic bacterial biomass and microzooplankton. In summary, these results indicate that nano- and microzooplankton were responsible for comprising a significant fraction of total microbial plankton biomass, standing stocks, growth and grazing processes. This suggests that in 2011, the microbial food web was an important compartment of the planktonic food web in the coastal southeastern Black Sea. Keywords: Phytoplankton, Microzooplankton, Carbon biomass, Microbial food web, Grazing, Black Sea

Effect of co-existing plant specie on soil microbial activity under heavy metal stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nwuche, C. O.; Ugoji, E. O.

2010-01-01

The influence of plant primary compounds on the activity of soil microbial communities under heavy metal stress was studied in a pot-culture field experiment conducted in a green house. Amaranthus spinosus was cultivated in an agricultural soil previously amended in the laboratory with solutions of different trace elements in two separate treatment modes: singly and in combination. Culture-independent metabolism based indices such as the rate of carbon and nitrogen mineralization, microbial biomass carbon and soil basal respiration were monitored fortnightly over a period of six weeks. Result shows that plant detritus have significant modifying effect on soil microbe-metal interactions. Data on microbial and biochemical processes in the respective mesocosms did not vary from control; not even in mesocosms containing very high concentrations of copper, zinc and nickel. The soil microbial biomass carbon and the rate of carbon and nitrogen cycling were not impeded by the respective metal treatment while the respiration responses increased as a result of increase in metabolic activity of the soil microbes. The plant based substrates enabled the soil microflora to resist high metal contamination because of its tendency to absorb large amounts of inorganic cations.

Assorted interactions of amino acids prevailing in aqueous vitamin C solutions probed by physicochemical and ab-initio contrivances

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Koyeli; Roy, Milan Chandra; Rajbanshi, Biplab; Roy, Mahendra Nath

2017-11-01

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of molecular interaction prevailing in tyrosine and tryptophan in aqueous solution of vitamin C have been probed by thermophysical properties. The apparent molar volume (ϕV), viscosity B-coefficient, molal refraction (RM) of tyrosine and tryptophan have been studied in aqueous vitamin C solutions at diverse temperatures via Masson equation which deduced solute-solvent and solute-solute interactions, respectively. Spectroscopic study along with physicochemical and computational techniques provides lots of interesting and highly significant insights of the model biological systems. The overall results established strong solute-solvent interactions between studied amino acids and vitamin C mixture in the ternary solutions.

Reprint of Design of synthetic microbial communities for biotechnological production processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jagmann, Nina; Philipp, Bodo

2014-12-20

In their natural habitats microorganisms live in multi-species communities, in which the community members exhibit complex metabolic interactions. In contrast, biotechnological production processes catalyzed by microorganisms are usually carried out with single strains in pure cultures. A number of production processes, however, may be more efficiently catalyzed by the concerted action of microbial communities. This review will give an overview of organismic interactions between microbial cells and of biotechnological applications of microbial communities. It focuses on synthetic microbial communities that consist of microorganisms that have been genetically engineered. Design principles for such synthetic communities will be exemplified based on plausible scenarios for biotechnological production processes. These design principles comprise interspecific metabolic interactions via cross-feeding, regulation by interspecific signaling processes via metabolites and autoinducing signal molecules, and spatial structuring of synthetic microbial communities. In particular, the implementation of metabolic interdependencies, of positive feedback regulation and of inducible cell aggregation and biofilm formation will be outlined. Synthetic microbial communities constitute a viable extension of the biotechnological application of metabolically engineered single strains and enlarge the scope of microbial production processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interaction Between Cyanine Dye IR-783 and Polystyrene Nanoparticles in Solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yunzhi; Xu, Hui; Casabianca, Leah B

2018-05-17

The interactions between small molecule drugs or dyes and nanoparticles are important to the use of nanoparticles in medicine. Noncovalent adsorption of dyes on nanoparticle surfaces is also important to the development of nanoparticle dual-use imaging contrast agents. In the present work, solution-state NMR is used to examine the noncovalent interaction between a near-infrared cyanine dye and the surface of polystyrene nanoparticles in solution. Using 1D proton NMR, we can approximate the number of dye molecules that associate with each nanoparticle for different sized nanoparticles. Saturation-Transfer Difference (STD)-NMR was also used to show that protons near the positively-charged nitrogen in the dye are more strongly associated with the negatively-charged nanoparticle surface than protons near the negatively-charged sulfate groups of the dye. The methods described here can be used to study similar drug or dye molecules interacting with the surface of organic nanoparticles. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Weak solutions for Euler systems with non-local interactions

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Carrillo, J. A.; Feireisl, Eduard; Gwiazda, P.; Swierczewska-Gwiazda, A.

2017-01-01

Roč. 95, č. 3 (2017), s. 705-724 ISSN 0024-6107 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 320078 - MATHEF Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : Euler system * dissipative solutions * Newtonian interaction Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics OBOR OECD: Pure mathematics Impact factor: 0.895, year: 2016 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1112/jlms.12027/abstract

Volumetric, ultrasonic and viscometric studies of solute–solute and solute–solvent interactions of l-threonine in aqueous-sucrose solutions at different temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nain, Anil Kumar; Pal, Renu; Neetu

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The study reports density, ultrasonic speed and viscosity data of l-threonine in aqueous-sucrose solutions. • The study elucidates interactions of l-threonine with sucrose in aqueous media. • Provides data to estimate physicochemical properties of proteins in these media. • Correlates physicochemical properties of l-threonine with its behaviour in aqueous-sucrose solutions. -- Abstract: Densities, ρ of solutions of l-threonine in aqueous-sucrose solvents 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of sucrose, w/w in water at T = (293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 318.15) K; and ultrasonic speeds, u and viscosities, η of these solutions at 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, and 318.15 K were measured at atmospheric pressure. From these experimental results, the apparent molar volume, V ϕ , limiting apparent molar volume, V ϕ ∘ and the slope, S v , apparent molar compressibility, K s,ϕ , limiting apparent molar compressibility, K s,ϕ ∘ and the slope, S k , transfer volume, V ϕ,tr ∘ , transfer compressibility, K s,ϕ,tr ∘ , limiting apparent molar expansivity, E ϕ ∘ , Hepler’s constant, (∂ 2 V ϕ ∘ /dT 2 ), Falkenhagen coefficient, A, Jones–Dole coefficient, B and hydration number, n H have been calculated. The results have been interpreted in terms of solute–solvent and solute–solute interactions in these systems. The Gibbs energies of activation of viscous flow per mole of solvent, Δμ 1 ∘number sign and per mole of solute, Δμ 2 ∘number sign were also calculated and discussed in terms of transition state theory. It has been observed that there exist strong solute–solvent interactions in these systems and these interactions increase with increase in sucrose concentration in solution

Anode microbial communities produced by changing from microbial fuel cell to microbial electrolysis cell operation using two different wastewaters

KAUST Repository

Kiely, Patrick D.; Cusick, Roland; Call, Douglas F.; Selembo, Priscilla A.; Regan, John M.; Logan, Bruce E.

2011-01-01

Conditions in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) differ from those in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) due to the intrusion of oxygen through the cathode and the release of H2 gas into solution. Based on 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, anode communities in reactors fed acetic acid decreased in species richness and diversity, and increased in numbers of Geobacter sulfurreducens, when reactors were shifted from MFCs to MECs. With a complex source of organic matter (potato wastewater), the proportion of Geobacteraceae remained constant when MFCs were converted into MECs, but the percentage of clones belonging to G. sulfurreducens decreased and the percentage of G. metallireducens clones increased. A dairy manure wastewater-fed MFC produced little power, and had more diverse microbial communities, but did not generate current in an MEC. These results show changes in Geobacter species in response to the MEC environment and that higher species diversity is not correlated with current. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Energy Capture from Thermolytic Solutions in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Cells

KAUST Repository

Cusick, R. D.; Kim, Y.; Logan, B. E.

2012-01-01

that could be continuously regenerated with waste heat (≥40°C) and conventional technologies would allow much wider applications of salinity-gradient power production. We used reverse electrodialysis ion-exchange membrane stacks in microbial reverse

Interaction of gypsum with lead in aqueous solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Astilleros, J.M., E-mail: jmastill@geo.ucm.es [Dpto. Cristalografia y Mineralogia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Jose Antonio Novais, 2, E-28040 Madrid (Spain); Godelitsas, A. [Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli Zographou, 15784 Athens (Greece); Rodriguez-Blanco, J.D. [School of Earth and Environments, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Fernandez-Diaz, L. [Dpto. Cristalografia y Mineralogia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Jose Antonio Novais, 2, E-28040 Madrid (Spain); Prieto, M. [Dpto. de Geologia, Universidad de Oviedo, E-30005 Oviedo (Spain); Lagoyannis, A.; Harissopulos, S. [Tandem Accelerator Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear Physics, NCSR ' Demokritos' , GR-15310 Attiki (Greece)

2010-07-15

Sorption processes on mineral surfaces are a critical factor in controlling the distribution and accumulation of potentially harmful metals in the environment. This work investigates the effectiveness of gypsum (CaSO{sub 4}.2H{sub 2}O) to sequester Pb. The interaction of gypsum fragments with Pb-bearing solutions (10, 100 and 1000 mg/L) was monitored by performing macroscopic batch-type experiments conducted at room temperature. The aqueous phase composition was periodically determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS), Ion Chromatography (IC) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Regardless of the [Pb{sub aq}]{sub initial}, a [Pb{sub aq}]{sub final} < 4 mg/L was always reached. The uptake process was fast (t < 1 h) for [Pb{sub aq}]{sub initial} {>=} 100 mg/L and significantly slower (t > 1 week) for [Pb{sub aq}]{sub initial} = 10 mg/L. Speciation calculations revealed that after a long time of interaction (1 month), all the solutions reached equilibrium with respect to both gypsum and anglesite. For [Pb{sub aq}]{sub initial} {>=} 100 mg/L, sorption takes place mainly via the rapid dissolution of gypsum and the simultaneous formation of anglesite both on the gypsum surface and in the bulk solution. In the case of [Pb{sub aq}]{sub initial} = 10 mg/L, no anglesite precipitation was observed, but surface spectroscopy (proton Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy, p-RBS) confirmed the formation of Pb-bearing surface layers on the (0 1 0) gypsum surface in this case also. This study shows that the surface of gypsum can play an important role in the attenuation of Pb in contaminated waters.

Interaction between two parallel plates covered with a polyelectrolyte brush layer in an electrolyte solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohshima, Hiroyuki

An approximate analytic expression is derived for the interaction energy between two parallel plates covered with a polyelectrolyte brush layer in an electrolyte solution. The interaction energy has three components: electrostatic interaction energy between two brush layers before and after their contact, steric interaction energy between two brush layers after their contact, and the van der Waals interaction energy between the cores of the plates. It is shown that these three components are of the same order of magnitude and contribute equally to the total interaction energy between two polyelectrolyte-coated plates in an electrolyte solution. On the basis of Derjaguin's approximation, an approximate expression for the interaction energy between two spherical particles covered with polyelectrolyte brush layers is also derived.

The interactive microbial ocean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brussaard, C.P.D.; Bidle, K.D.; Pedrós-Alió, C.; Legrand, C.

2016-01-01

Marine microorganisms inhabit diverse environments and interact over different spatial and temporal scales. To fully understand how these interactions shape genome structures, cellular responses, lifestyles, community ecology and biogeochemical cycles, integration of diverse approaches and data is

Interaction of natural borates with potassium hydroxide solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azarova, L.A.; Vinogradov, E.E.; Kudinov, I.B.; Panasyuk, G.P.; Danilov, V.P.

2000-01-01

Interaction of natural borates - inyoite, ulexite and hydroboracite MgCa[B 3 O 4 (OH) 3 ] 2 ·3H 2 O with KOH solution is studied at 50 Deg C by the methods of chemical, x- ray phase, differential thermal analyses and IR spectroscopy. IR spectra points out on island character of forming borates and confirms the data of x-ray phase and chemical analyses about presence of asharite and calcium hydrous borate in resulting products. Hydroboracite (chain structure) under the action of potassium hydroxide passes into borates of magnesium and calcium with island structure and in this case boron transforms partially into liquid phase. When potassium hydroxide interacts with inyoite and ulexite calcium hydroxide and roentgenoamorphous boron-containing product precipitate [ru

Elimination of biofilm and microbial contamination reservoirs in hospital washbasin U-bends by automated cleaning and disinfection with electrochemically activated solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Swan, J S; Deasy, E C; Boyle, M A; Russell, R J; O'Donnell, M J; Coleman, D C

2016-10-01

Washbasin U-bends are reservoirs of microbial contamination in healthcare environments. U-Bends are constantly full of water and harbour microbial biofilm. To develop an effective automated cleaning and disinfection system for U-bends using two solutions generated by electrochemical activation of brine including the disinfectant anolyte (predominantly hypochlorous acid) and catholyte (predominantly sodium hydroxide) with detergent properties. Initially three washbasin U-bends were manually filled with catholyte followed by anolyte for 5min each once weekly for five weeks. A programmable system was then developed with one washbasin that automated this process. This U-bend had three cycles of 5min catholyte followed by 5min anolyte treatment per week for three months. Quantitative bacterial counts from treated and control U-bends were determined on blood agar (CBA), R2A, PAS, and PA agars following automated treatment and on CBA and R2A following manual treatment. The average bacterial density from untreated U-bends throughout the study was >1×10(5) cfu/swab on all media with Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounting for ∼50% of counts. Manual U-bend electrochemically activated (ECA) solution treatment reduced counts significantly (<100cfu/swab) (P<0.01 for CBA; P<0.005 for R2A). Similarly, counts from the automated ECA-treatment U-bend were significantly reduced with average counts for 35 cycles on CBA, R2A, PAS, and PA of 2.1±4.5 (P<0.0001), 13.1±30.1 (P<0.05), 0.7±2.8 (P<0.001), and 0 (P<0.05) cfu/swab, respectively. P. aeruginosa was eliminated from all treated U-bends. Automated ECA treatment of washbasin U-bends consistently minimizes microbial contamination. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry method to measure a selected panel of uremic retention solutes derived from endogenous and colonic microbial metabolism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loor, Henriette de; Poesen, Ruben [KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Nephrology, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium); De Leger, Wout; Dehaen, Wim [KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Department of Chemistry, Division of Molecular Design and Synthesis, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium); Augustijns, Patrick [KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Drug Delivery and Disposition, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium); Evenepoel, Pieter [KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Nephrology, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium); University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium); Meijers, Björn, E-mail: bjorn.meijers@uzleuven.be [KU Leuven – University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Nephrology, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium); University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, B-3000 Leuven (Belgium)

2016-09-14

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease, which is, at least partly, mediated by the accumulation of so-called uremic retention solutes. Although there has been an increasing interest in the behavior of these solutes, derived from both the endogenous and colonic microbial metabolism, methods to simultaneously and accurately measure a broad panel of relevant uremic retention solutes remain scarce. We developed a highly sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. A high throughput sample preparation was used with extraction of analytes from 50 μl serum using Ostro plate technology. For most solutes, stable isotopes labelled metabolites were used as internal standards. Chromatography was achieved using an Acquity UPLC CSH Fluoro Phenyl column. The total run time was 8 min, the mobile phase was a gradient of 0.1% formic acid in Milli-Q water and pure methanol at a flow rate of 0.5 ml min{sup −1}. Detection was performed using a tandem mass spectrometer with alternated positive and negative electrospray ionization. Calibration curves were linear for all solutes. Precision was assessed according to the NCCLS EP5-T guideline, being below 15% for all metabolites. Mean recoveries were between 83 and 104% for all metabolites. The validated method was successfully applied in a cohort of 488 patients with CKD. We developed and validated a sensitive and robust UPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of 15 uremic retention solutes derived from endogenous and colonic microbial metabolism. This method allows for studying the behavior and relevance of these solutes in patients with CKD. - Highlights: • Simultaneous quantification of fifteen relevant uremic retention solutes. • Comprehensive validation, highly sensitive and high through-put LC-MSMS method. • Comparison of different blood tubes. • Freeze-thaw stability. • Successful implementation in a

Microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells for the production of bioelectricity and biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Minghua; Yang, Jie; Wang, Hongyu; Jin, Tao; Xu, Dake; Gu, Tingyue

2013-01-01

Today's global energy crisis requires a multifaceted solution. Bioenergy is an important part of the solution. The microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology stands out as an attractive potential technology in bioenergy. MFCs can convert energy stored in organic matter directly into bioelectricity. MFCs can also be operated in the electrolysis mode as microbial electrolysis cells to produce bioproducts such as hydrogen and ethanol. Various wastewaters containing low-grade organic carbons that are otherwise unutilized can be used as feed streams for MFCs. Despite major advances in the past decade, further improvements in MFC power output and cost reduction are needed for MFCs to be practical. This paper analysed MFC operating principles using bioenergetics and bioelectrochemistry. Several major issues were explored to improve the MFC performance. An emphasis was placed on the use of catalytic materials for MFC electrodes. Recent advances in the production of various biomaterials using MFCs were also investigated.

Effectiveness of beneficial plant-microbe interactions under hypobaric and hypoxic conditions in an advanced life support system

Science.gov (United States)

MacIntyre, Olathe; Stasiak, Michael; Cottenie, Karl; Trevors, Jack; Dixon, Mike

An assembled microbial community in the hydroponics solution of an advanced life support system may improve plant performance and productivity in three ways: (1) exclusion of plant pathogens from the initial community, (2) resistance to infection, and (3) plant-growth promotion. However, the plant production area is likely to have a hypobaric (low pressure) and hypoxic (low oxygen) atmosphere to reduce structural mass and atmosphere leakage, and these conditions may alter plant-microbe interactions. Plant performance and productivity of radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv. Cherry Bomb II) grown under hypobaric and hypoxic conditions were investigated at the University of Guelph's Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility. Changes in the microbial communities that routinely colonized the re-circulated nutrient solution, roots, and leaves of radishes in these experiments were quantified in terms of similarity in community composition, abundance of bacteria, and community diversity before and after exposure to hypobaric and hypoxic conditions relative to communities maintained at ambient growth conditions. The microbial succession was affected by extreme hypoxia (2 kPa oxygen partial pressure) while hypobaria as low as 10 kPa total pressure had little effect on microbial ecology. There were no correlations found between the physiological profile of these unintentional microbial communities and radish growth. The effects of hypobaric and hypoxic conditions on specific plant-microbe interactions need to be determined before beneficial gnotobiotic communities can be developed for use in space. The bacterial strains Tal 629 of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and WCS417 of Pseudomonas fluorescens, and the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. raphani will be used in future experiments. B. japonicum Tal 629 promotes radish growth in hydroponics systems and P. fluorescens WCS417 induces systemic resistance to fusarium wilt (F. oxysporum f. sp. raphani) in radish under ambient

Metal-Microbial Interactions in Toronto Sunnyside Beach: Impact on Water Quality and Public Health

Science.gov (United States)

Plach, J. M.; Elliott, A.; Warren, L. A.

2009-05-01

Assessing recreational water quality requires a fundamental understanding of metal-microbial interactions and the key biogeochemical processes occurring in urban public beaches. Metals play an important role in the distribution and virulence (e.g. resistance) of microorganisms in water systems. In turn, microorganisms have a significant influence on metal cycling, thus affecting metal mobility, bioavailability and toxicity in the aquatic environment. Bacteria adhere to floc, small suspended mineral-bacterial aggregates, in aquatic systems resulting in high-density floc-associated bacterial biofilm communities. These nanoparticulate bacterial microhabitats are important environmental sinks for metals and potential reservoirs for antibiotic resistant and pathogenic bacteria. The objectives of this study are to identify and quantify (1) metal distributions among suspended floc, bed sediment and water-column aqueous compartments (2) important biogeochemical processes influencing metal cycling and (3) linkages between floc metals and the occurrence of floc associated antibiotic resistant bacteria and pathogens across a series of variably contaminated aquatic systems. Results of this project will provide new diagnostic indicators of pathogens in recreational water systems and aid in the development of public health policies to improve water quality and reduce water borne infectious disease. Here, results will be presented assessing the metal and microbial community dynamics in samples collected from Toronto's Sunnyside Beach (May 13 and August 20), an urban public beach on Lake Ontario. Water column, floc and bed sediments near and offshore were analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics and metal concentrations. Floc were imaged using DAPI and FISH to assess microbial community structure. Results to date, characterizing the linkages amongst bacteria, metal contaminant concentrations and sediment partitioning and system physico-chemical conditions will be discussed.

Expanding Upon the MEMS Framework: How Temperature Impacts Organo-Mineral Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, K.; Waring, B. G.

2017-12-01

Microbial substrate use efficiency (SUE; the fraction of substrate carbon (C) incorporated into biomass vs. respired) affects the development of soil organic matter (SOM). An emerging theoretical model (the Microbial Efficiency-Matrix Stabilization (MEMS) framework) posits that microbial SUE acts as a filter for plant litter inputs, whereby a larger proportion of microbial products are synthesized from labile (and not recalcitrant) plant substrates. Thus, SOM stability depends on both the efficiency of microbial anabolism as well as the degree to which microbial products stabilize within the mineral soil matrix. In this study, we performed a laboratory microcosm experiment using diverse soils collected in Utah to test how substrate complexity, soil mineralogy, and temperature interact to control SOM formation. Prior to microcosm setup, we first removed organic C from our field soils by washing with concentrated hypochlorite solution. Microcosms were then assembled by mixing C-free soil with one of three substrates (glucose, cellulose, and lignin), and placed in incubators set to different temperatures (18°, 28°, and 38°C). Respiration rates were then estimated by periodically sampling headspace CO2 concentrations in each microcosm. Prior to C removal, we found that field soils exhibited distinct properties ranging from clay-rich vertisols (55:27:18, sand:silt:clay; 1.1% C), to loamy-sand entisols (85:11:4; 0.3% C), and organic-rich mollisols (79:17:4; 1.7% C). In the incubation experiment, consistent with enzyme kinetics theory, respiration rates increased as a function of incubation temperature (p soil effects (including interactions with temperature and substrate) were less clear. Together these results build upon the MEMS framework by highlighting the importance of organo-mineral interactions and temperature as controls on soil C cycling.

Investigations to explore interactions in (polyhydroxy solute + L-ascorbic acid + H2O) solutions at different temperatures: Calorimetric and viscometric approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banipal, Parampaul K.; Sharma, Mousmee; Aggarwal, Neha; Banipal, Tarlok S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The hydrophilic-hydrophilic interactions predominate at low temperatures. • Enthalpy change for polyol is less exothermic than its parent saccharide. • Δ dil C o p,2,m values suggest structural increase in presence of L-ascorbic acid. • Solutes act as kosmotropes in L-ascorbic acid (aq) solutions as indicated by dB/dT. - Abstract: Isothermal titration micro-calorimeter has been used to measure the enthalpy change (q) of polyhydroxy solutes [(+)-D-xylose, xylitol, (+)-D-glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, (+)-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, and (+)-maltose monohydrate] in water and in (0.05, 0.15, and 0.25) mol·kg −1 L-ascorbic acid (aq) solutions at (288.15, 298.15, 308.15, and 318.15) K. Limiting enthalpies of dilution (Δ dil H°) of these solutes were calculated from heat evolved/absorbed during calorimetric experiments. Further thermodynamic quantities such as limiting enthalpies of dilution of transfer (Δ tr Δ dil H°), change in heat capacity (Δ dil C o p,2,m ), and pair (h AB ) and triplet (h ABB ) enthalpic interaction coefficients were also calculated and used to explore the nature of interactions of solutes with cosolute (L-ascorbic acid). The Jones-Dole viscosity B-coefficients for (+)-D-xylose, xylitol, (+)-D-galactose, galactitol, (+)-D-glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, (+)-methyl-α-D-glucopyranoside, and (+)-maltose monohydrate in water and in (0.05, 0.15, 0.25, and 0.35) mol·kg −1 L-ascorbic acid (aq) solutions have been determined from viscosity (η) data measured over temperature range (288.15–318.15) K and at pressure, P = 101.3 kPa. The temperature dependence of B-coefficients (dB/dT), and viscosity B-coefficients of transfer (Δ tr B) of solutes from water to cosolute have also been estimated. These parameters have been discussed in terms of structure-making (kosmotropic) or -breaking (chaotropic) behavior of solutes.

Interaction of sodium monoborate and boric acid with some mono- and disaccharides in aqueous solutions (from data on isomolar solutions method)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shvarts, E.M.; Ignash, R.T.; Belousova, R.G.

2000-01-01

Interaction of sodium monoborate Na[B(OH) 4 ] and boric acid with D-glucose, D-fructose, D-saccharose and D-lactose in aqueous solution depending on the solution total concentration is studied through the method of isomolar solutions with application of conductometry and polarimetry. It is shown by the D-glucose and D-fructose examples that the method of isomolar solutions leads to results compatible with the data obtained by other methods and it may be applied to other saccharides [ru

Interactions Between Stress and Sex in Microbial Responses Within the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in a Mouse Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsilimigras, Matthew C B; Gharaibeh, Raad Z; Sioda, Michael; Gray, Laura; Fodor, Anthony A; Lyte, Mark

2018-05-01

Animal models are frequently used to examine stress response, but experiments seldom include females. The connection between the microbiota-gut-brain axis and behavioral stress response is investigated here using a mixed-sex mouse cohort. CF-1 mice underwent alternating days of restraint and forced swim for 19 days (male n = 8, female n = 8) with matching numbers of control animals at which point the 16S rRNA genes of gut microbiota were sequenced. Mixed linear models accounting for stress status and sex with individuals nested in cage to control for cage effects evaluated these data. Murine behaviors in elevated plus-maze, open-field, and light/dark box were investigated. Community-level associations with sex, stress, and their interaction were significant. Males had higher microbial diversity than females (p = .025). Of the 638 operational taxonomic units detected in at least 25% of samples, 94 operational taxonomic units were significant: 31 (stress), 61 (sex), and 34 (sex-stress interaction). Twenty of the 39 behavioral measures were significant for stress, 3 for sex, and 6 for sex-stress. However, no significant associations between behavioral measures and specific microbes were detected. These data suggest sex influences stress response and the microbiota-gut-brain axis and that studies of behavior and the microbiome therefore benefit from consideration of how sex differences drive behavior and microbial community structure. Host stress resilience and absence of associations between stress-induced behaviors with specific microbes suggests that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation represents a threshold for microbial influence on host behavior. Future studies are needed in examining the intersection of sex, stress response, and the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Microbial biotechnology and circular economy in wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Per Halkjaer

2017-09-01

Microbial biotechnology is essential for the development of circular economy in wastewater treatment by integrating energy production and resource recovery into the production of clean water. A comprehensive knowledge about identity, physiology, ecology, and population dynamics of process-critical microorganisms will improve process stability, reduce CO2 footprints, optimize recovery and bioenergy production, and help finding new approaches and solutions. Examples of research needs and perspectives are provided, demonstrating the great importance of microbial biotechnology. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Effects of molecular interactions and the existence of different molecular forms of sodium fluoresceinate in solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golubeva, N.G.

1989-01-01

The results of measurement of fluorescence and absorption spectra of sodium fluoresceinate (FLNa) in different solutions and blood plasma are presented. The influence of solvent nature, its polarity, medium concentration and acidity on frequency, intensity and shape of fluorescence and absorption lines was analyzed. A general medium effect on fluorescence line spectral absorption was calculated from Lippert's equation. The influence of specific interactions has been analyzed on the example of acid-base interactions and hydrogen bonds in two- and multicomponent solutions. Computer processing of the spectra obtained allows to separate some forms of existing fluorophor molecules and to get data on the dynamics of their changes in different solutions. A special attention was given to the analysis of absorption and fluorescence bands of FLNa at its interaction with different proteins and lipids in solutions. From the analysis of data obtained a number of conclusions was drawn on the state of fluophor at its interactions with biological media. (author)

Bentonite. Geotechnical barrier and source for microbial life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matschiavelli, Nicole; Kluge, Sindy; Cherkouk, Andrea; Steglich, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Due to their properties, namely a high swelling capacity and a low hydraulic conductivity, Bentonites fulfil as geotechnical barrier a sealing and buffering function in the nuclear waste repository. Depending on the mineral composition Bentonites contain many suitable electron-donors and -acceptors, enabling potential microbial life. For the potential repository of highly radioactive waste the microbial mediated transformation of Bentonite could influence its properties as a barrier material. Microcosms were set up containing Bentonite and anaerobic synthetic Opalinus-clay-pore water solution under an N_2/CO_2-atmosphere to elucidate the microbial potential within selected Bentonites. Substrates like acetate and lactate were supplemented to stimulate potential microbial activity. First results show that bentonites represent a source for microbial life, demonstrated by the consumption of lactate and the formation of pyruvate. Furthermore, microbial iron-reduction was determined, which plays a crucial role in Betonite-transformation.

Bentonite. Geotechnical barrier and source for microbial life

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matschiavelli, Nicole; Kluge, Sindy; Cherkouk, Andrea [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). HZDR Young Investigator Group; Steglich, Jennifer

2017-06-01

Due to their properties, namely a high swelling capacity and a low hydraulic conductivity, Bentonites fulfil as geotechnical barrier a sealing and buffering function in the nuclear waste repository. Depending on the mineral composition Bentonites contain many suitable electron-donors and -acceptors, enabling potential microbial life. For the potential repository of highly radioactive waste the microbial mediated transformation of Bentonite could influence its properties as a barrier material. Microcosms were set up containing Bentonite and anaerobic synthetic Opalinus-clay-pore water solution under an N{sub 2}/CO{sub 2}-atmosphere to elucidate the microbial potential within selected Bentonites. Substrates like acetate and lactate were supplemented to stimulate potential microbial activity. First results show that bentonites represent a source for microbial life, demonstrated by the consumption of lactate and the formation of pyruvate. Furthermore, microbial iron-reduction was determined, which plays a crucial role in Betonite-transformation.

Investigation of processes of interaction relativistic electrons with the solutions of organic dyes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buki, A.Yu.; Gokov, S.P.; Kazarinov, Yu.G.; Kalenik, S.A.; Kasilov, V.I.; Kochetov, S.S.; Makhnenko, P.L.; Mel'nitskiy, I.V.; Tverdohvalov, A.V.; Tsyatsko, V.V.; Shopen, O.A.

2014-01-01

Investigation of the processes of interaction of ionizing radiation with complex organic objects can solve a number of fundamental and applied problems in radiation physics, chemistry and biology. In this work we investigated the dose dependence (dose range 1...5MRad) optical density relative concentrations of water, alcohol and glycerine solution following organic dyes: methylene blue - C 16 H 18 N 3 SCl and methyl orange - C 14 H 14 N 3 O 3 SNa, irradiated with an electron beam with an energy of 16MeV. In the analysis of absorption spectra, it was found that water solutions of dyes have less resistance to radiation as compared with the alcohol and glycerol. Also, all solutions of methyl orange less radiation resistant than the methylene blue solution. Analysis of the spectra showed that these relationships are close to linear in the range of doses. To understand the physical and chemical processes occurring in the interaction of relativistic electrons with the studied organic objects were performed the computer simulations of the energy spectra of ions formed due to breaking the chemical bonds of molecules of dye solutions using the program SRIM-2010. The analysis showed that radiation - stimulated chemical processes play a major role in the destruction of the source of organic dye molecules. The remaining processes (interaction of electrons and nuclei, the cascade processes) accounts for about 10% of all molecular breaks.

Study of the chemical interactions of actinide cations in solution at macroscopic concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maurice, C.

1983-01-01

The aim of this work was to study the interactions of pentavalent neptunium in dodecane-diluted tributyl phosphate with other metallic cations, especially uranium VI and ruthenium present in reprocessing solutions. Pentavalent neptunium on its own was shown to exist in several forms complexed by water and TBP and also to dimerise. In the complex it forms with uranium VI the interaction via the neptunyl oxygen is considerably enhanced in organic solution. Dibutyl phosphoric acid strengthens the interaction between neptunium and uranium. The Np V-ruthenium interaction reveals the existence of a new cation-cation complex; the process takes place in two successive stage and leads to the formation, reinforced and accelerated by HDBP, of a highly to the formation, reinforced and accelerated by HDBP, of a highly stable complex. These results contribute towards a better knowledge of the behaviour of neptunium in the reprocessing operation [fr

Urban flooding and health risk analysis by use of quantitative microbial risk assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Signe Tanja

D thesis is to identify the limitations and possibilities for optimising microbial risk assessments of urban flooding through more evidence-based solutions, including quantitative microbial data and hydrodynamic water quality models. The focus falls especially on the problem of data needs and the causes......, but also when wading through a flooded area. The results in this thesis have brought microbial risk assessments one step closer to more uniform and repeatable risk analysis by using actual and relevant measured data and hydrodynamic water quality models to estimate the risk from flooding caused...... are expected to increase in the future. To ensure public health during extreme rainfall, solutions are needed, but limited knowledge on microbial water quality, and related health risks, makes it difficult to implement microbial risk analysis as a part of the basis for decision making. The main aim of this Ph...

Study of interaction of bismuth, strontium, calcium copper, lead nitrates solutions with sodium oxalate solution with the aim of HTSC synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danilov, V.P.; Krasnobaeva, O.N.; Nosova, T.A.

1993-01-01

With the aim of developing a new technique for HTSC oxides synthesis on the base of combined sedimentation of hydroxy salts and their heat treatment is studied interaction of bismuth, strontium, calcium, copper and lead nitrates with alkali solution of sodium oxalate. Conditions for total sedimentation of all five metals from the solution are found. The phase composition of interaction products is determined. It is established that they are high-dispersed homogeneous mixture of three phases of variable composition: twin hydroxalate of copper-bismuth, lead hydroxalate and twin oxalate of strontium-calcium. After heat treatment of the phases are obtained the HTSC oxides

Towards a Model of Human Resource Solutions for Achieving Intergenerational Interaction in Organisations

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, David; By, Rune Todnem; Hutchings, Kate

2007-01-01

Purpose: Achieving intergenerational interaction and avoiding conflict is becoming increasingly difficult in a workplace populated by three generations--Baby Boomers, Generation X-ers and Generation Y-ers. This paper presents a model and proposes HR solutions towards achieving co-operative generational interaction. Design/methodology/approach:…

Citrate-coated silver nanoparticles interactions with effluent organic matter: influence of capping agent and solution conditions

KAUST Repository

Gutierrez, Leonardo

2015-07-31

Fate and transport studies of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) discharged from urban wastewaters containing effluent organic matter (EfOM) into natural waters represent a key knowledge gap. In this study, EfOM interfacial interactions with AgNPs and their aggregation kinetics were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and time-resolved dynamic light scattering (TR-DLS), respectively. Two well-characterized EfOM isolates, i.e., wastewater humic (WW humic) and wastewater colloids (WW colloids, a complex mixture of polysaccharides-proteins-lipids), and a River humic isolate of different characteristics were selected. Citrate-coated AgNPs were selected as representative capped-AgNPs. Citrate-coated AgNPs showed a considerable stability in Na+ solutions. However, Ca2+ ions induced aggregation by cation bridging between carboxyl groups on citrate. Although the presence of River humic increased the stability of citrate-coated AgNPs in Na+ solutions due to electrosteric effects, they aggregated in WW humic-containing solutions, indicating the importance of humics characteristics during interactions. Ca2+ ions increased citrate-coated AgNPs aggregation rates in both humic solutions, suggesting cation bridging between carboxyl groups on their structures as a dominant interacting mechanism. Aggregation of citrate-coated AgNPs in WW colloids solutions was significantly faster than those in both humic solutions. Control experiments in urea solution indicated hydrogen bonding as the main interacting mechanism. During AFM experiments, citrate-coated AgNPs showed higher adhesion to WW humic than to River humic, evidencing a consistency between TR-DLS and AFM results. Ca2+ ions increased citrate-coated AgNPs adhesion to both humic isolates. Interestingly, strong WW colloids interactions with citrate caused AFM probe contamination (nanoparticles adsorption) even at low Na+ concentrations, indicating the impact of hydrogen bonding on adhesion. These results suggest the importance

The shift of microbial communities and their roles in sulfur and iron cycling in a copper ore bioleaching system

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Jiaojiao; Deng, Jie; Xiao, Yunhua; He, Zhili; Zhang, Xian; van Nostrand, J. D.; Liang, Yili; Deng, Ye; Liu, Xueduan; Yin, Huaqun

2016-10-01

Bioleaching has been employed commercially to recover metals from low grade ores, but the production efficiency remains to be improved due to limited understanding of the system. This study examined the shift of microbial communities and S&Fe cycling in three subsystems within a copper ore bioleaching system: leaching heap (LH), leaching solution (LS) and sediment under LS. Results showed that both LH and LS had higher relative abundance of S and Fe oxidizing bacteria, while S and Fe reducing bacteria were more abundant in the Sediment. GeoChip analysis showed a stronger functional potential for S0 oxidation in LH microbial communities. These findings were consistent with measured oxidation activities to S0 and Fe2+, which were highest by microbial communities from LH, lower by those from LS and lowest form Sediment. Moreover, phylogenetic molecular ecological network analysis indicated that these differences might be related to interactions among microbial taxa. Last but not the least, a conceptual model was proposed, linking the S&Fe cycling with responsible microbial populations in the bioleaching systems. Collectively, this study revealed the microbial community and functional structures in all three subsystems of the copper ore, and advanced a holistic understanding of the whole bioleaching system.

Microbial and Organic Fine Particle Transport Dynamics in Streams - a Combined Experimental and Stochastic Modeling Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Drummond, Jen; Davies-Colley, Rob; Stott, Rebecca; Sukias, James; Nagels, John; Sharp, Alice; Packman, Aaron

2014-05-01

Transport dynamics of microbial cells and organic fine particles are important to stream ecology and biogeochemistry. Cells and particles continuously deposit and resuspend during downstream transport owing to a variety of processes including gravitational settling, interactions with in-stream structures or biofilms at the sediment-water interface, and hyporheic exchange and filtration within underlying sediments. Deposited cells and particles are also resuspended following increases in streamflow. Fine particle retention influences biogeochemical processing of substrates and nutrients (C, N, P), while remobilization of pathogenic microbes during flood events presents a hazard to downstream uses such as water supplies and recreation. We are conducting studies to gain insights into the dynamics of fine particles and microbes in streams, with a campaign of experiments and modeling. The results improve understanding of fine sediment transport, carbon cycling, nutrient spiraling, and microbial hazards in streams. We developed a stochastic model to describe the transport and retention of fine particles and microbes in rivers that accounts for hyporheic exchange and transport through porewaters, reversible filtration within the streambed, and microbial inactivation in the water column and subsurface. This model framework is an advance over previous work in that it incorporates detailed transport and retention processes that are amenable to measurement. Solute, particle, and microbial transport were observed both locally within sediment and at the whole-stream scale. A multi-tracer whole-stream injection experiment compared the transport and retention of a conservative solute, fluorescent fine particles, and the fecal indicator bacterium Escherichia coli. Retention occurred within both the underlying sediment bed and stands of submerged macrophytes. The results demonstrate that the combination of local measurements, whole-stream tracer experiments, and advanced modeling

Compost mixture influence of interactive physical parameters on microbial kinetics and substrate fractionation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohajer, Ardavan; Tremier, Anne; Barrington, Suzelle; Teglia, Cecile

2010-01-01

Composting is a feasible biological treatment for the recycling of wastewater sludge as a soil amendment. The process can be optimized by selecting an initial compost recipe with physical properties that enhance microbial activity. The present study measured the microbial O(2) uptake rate (OUR) in 16 sludge and wood residue mixtures to estimate the kinetics parameters of maximum growth rate mu(m) and rate of organic matter hydrolysis K(h), as well as the initial biodegradable organic matter fractions present. The starting mixtures consisted of a wide range of moisture content (MC), waste to bulking agent (BA) ratio (W/BA ratio) and BA particle size, which were placed in a laboratory respirometry apparatus to measure their OUR over 4 weeks. A microbial model based on the activated sludge process was used to calculate the kinetic parameters and was found to adequately reproduced OUR curves over time, except for the lag phase and peak OUR, which was not represented and generally over-estimated, respectively. The maximum growth rate mu(m), was found to have a quadratic relationship with MC and a negative association with BA particle size. As a result, increasing MC up to 50% and using a smaller BA particle size of 8-12 mm was seen to maximize mu(m). The rate of hydrolysis K(h) was found to have a linear association with both MC and BA particle size. The model also estimated the initial readily biodegradable organic matter fraction, MB(0), and the slower biodegradable matter requiring hydrolysis, MH(0). The sum of MB(0) and MH(0) was associated with MC, W/BA ratio and the interaction between these two parameters, suggesting that O(2) availability was a key factor in determining the value of these two fractions. The study reinforced the idea that optimization of the physical characteristics of a compost mixture requires a holistic approach. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interactions of acidic solutions with sediments: a case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, S.R.; Serne, R.J.; Felmy, A.R.; Erikson, R.L.; Krupka, K.M.; Gee, G.W.

1984-01-01

A methodology is presented for investigating the chemical interactions of acidic solutions with sediments. The MINTEQ geochemical computer code was used to predict solid-phase reactions that might occur when acidic solutions contact neutral sediments which, in turn, may control the concentrations of certain dissolved components. Results of X-ray diffraction analysis of laboratory samples of sediments that have been contacted with acidic uranium mill tailings solutions suggest gypsum and jarosite precipitated. These same mineralogical changes were identified in sediment samples collected from a drained uranium mill evaporation pond (Lucky Mc mine in Wyoming) with a 10-year history of acid attack. Geochemical modeling predicted that these same phases and several amorphous solids not identifiable by X-ray diffraction should have precipitated in the contacted sediments. An equilibrium conceptual model consisting of an assemblage of minerals and amorphous solid phases was then developed to represent a sediment column through which uranium mill tailings solutions were percolated. The MINTEQ code was used to predict effluent solution concentrations resulting from the reactions of the tailings solution with the assemblage of solid phases in the conceptual model. The conceptual model successfully predicted the concentrations of several of the macro-constituents (e.g., Ca, SO 4 , Al, Fe, and Mn), but was not successful in modeling the concentrations of trace elements. The lack of success in predicting the observed trace metal concentrations suggests that other mechanisms, such as adsorption, must be included in future models. The geochemical modeling methodology coupled with the laboratory and field studies should be applicable to a variety of waste disposal problems

Electron microscopy study of microbial mat in the North Fiji basin hydrothermal vent

Science.gov (United States)

Park, H.; Kim, J. W.; Lee, J. W.

2017-12-01

Hydrothermal vent systems consisting of hydrothermal vent, hydrothermal sediment and microbial mat are widely spread around the ocean, particularly spreading axis, continental margin and back-arc basin. Scientists have perceived that the hydrothermal systems, which reflect the primeval earth environment, are one of the best places to reveal the origin of life and extensive biogeochemical process of microbe-mineral interaction. In the present study multiline of analytical methods (X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)) were utilized to investigate the mineralogy/chemistry of microbe-mineral interaction in hydrothermal microbial mat. Microbial mat samples were recovered by Canadian scientific submersible ROPOS on South Pacific North Fiji basin KIOST hydrothermal vent expedition 1602. XRD analysis showed that red-colored microbial mat contains Fe-oxides and Fe-oxyhydroxides. Various morphologies of minerals in the red-colored microbial mat observed by SEM are mainly showed sheath shaped, resembled with Leptothrix microbial structure, stalks shaped, similar with Marioprofundus microbial structure and globule shaped microbial structures. They are also detected with DNA analysis. The cross sectional observation of microbial structures encrusted with Fe-oxide and Fe-oxyhydroxide at a nano scale by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technique was developed to verify the structural/biogeochemical properties in the microbe-mineral interaction. Systematic nano-scale measurements on the biomineralization in the microbial mat leads the understandings of biogeochemical environments around the hydrothermal vent.

Optimization of membrane stack configuration for efficient hydrogen production in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells coupled with thermolytic solutions

KAUST Repository

Luo, Xi

2013-07-01

Waste heat can be captured as electrical energy to drive hydrogen evolution in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells (MRECs) by using thermolytic solutions such as ammonium bicarbonate. To determine the optimal membrane stack configuration for efficient hydrogen production in MRECs using ammonium bicarbonate solutions, different numbers of cell pairs and stack arrangements were tested. The optimum number of cell pairs was determined to be five based on MREC performance and a desire to minimize capital costs. The stack arrangement was altered by placing an extra low concentration chamber adjacent to anode chamber to reduce ammonia crossover. This additional chamber decreased ammonia nitrogen losses into anolyte by 60%, increased the coulombic efficiency to 83%, and improved the hydrogen yield to a maximum of 3.5mol H2/mol acetate, with an overall energy efficiency of 27%. These results improve the MREC process, making it a more efficient method for renewable hydrogen gas production. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Ecosystem Fabrication (EcoFAB) Protocols for The Construction of Laboratory Ecosystems Designed to Study Plant-microbe Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Jian; Sasse, Joelle; Lewald, Kyle M; Zhalnina, Kateryna; Cornmesser, Lloyd T; Duncombe, Todd A; Yoshikuni, Yasuo; Vogel, John P; Firestone, Mary K; Northen, Trent R

2018-04-10

Beneficial plant-microbe interactions offer a sustainable biological solution with the potential to boost low-input food and bioenergy production. A better mechanistic understanding of these complex plant-microbe interactions will be crucial to improving plant production as well as performing basic ecological studies investigating plant-soil-microbe interactions. Here, a detailed description for ecosystem fabrication is presented, using widely available 3D printing technologies, to create controlled laboratory habitats (EcoFABs) for mechanistic studies of plant-microbe interactions within specific environmental conditions. Two sizes of EcoFABs are described that are suited for the investigation of microbial interactions with various plant species, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Brachypodium distachyon, and Panicum virgatum. These flow-through devices allow for controlled manipulation and sampling of root microbiomes, root chemistry as well as imaging of root morphology and microbial localization. This protocol includes the details for maintaining sterile conditions inside EcoFABs and mounting independent LED light systems onto EcoFABs. Detailed methods for addition of different forms of media, including soils, sand, and liquid growth media coupled to the characterization of these systems using imaging and metabolomics are described. Together, these systems enable dynamic and detailed investigation of plant and plant-microbial consortia including the manipulation of microbiome composition (including mutants), the monitoring of plant growth, root morphology, exudate composition, and microbial localization under controlled environmental conditions. We anticipate that these detailed protocols will serve as an important starting point for other researchers, ideally helping create standardized experimental systems for investigating plant-microbe interactions.

Interactive Tutoring in Blended Studies: Hindrances and Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asim Ismail Ilyas (Al-Titinchy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper distinguishes between traditional teaching known as lecturing (the teacher centered approach; and tutoring (the contemporary technology-oriented interactive teaching/learning approach. It is based on the implementation of tutoring strategies of ‘blended studies’  at the Arab Open University. It investigates the application of modern interactive teaching/learning strategies, specifying some hindering factors in the AOU-Jordan Branch context. The factors include four variables: tutors, students, course material and assessment. The paper is based on qualitative research in terms of a real teaching/leaning context, using both observation and conversation with learners, besides the use of some quantitative data retrieved from a questionnaire in which learners’ views are sought regarding a number of relevant matters. A number of suggested solutions related to each of the hindering factors are presented, which if applied, may secure shifting the balance of the teaching/learning process to a more interactive technology-based tutoring level, which in turn will enhance learners’ opportunities for the attainment of better academic standards, and secure a higher degree of achievement of the shared educational goals of learners and the educational institution they study in.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA interactions in solution studied by NMR.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo De Biasio

Full Text Available PCNA is an essential factor for DNA replication and repair. It forms a ring shaped structure of 86 kDa by the symmetric association of three identical protomers. The ring encircles the DNA and acts as a docking platform for other proteins, most of them containing the PCNA Interaction Protein sequence (PIP-box. We have used NMR to characterize the interactions of PCNA with several other proteins and fragments in solution. The binding of the PIP-box peptide of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 to PCNA is consistent with the crystal structure of the complex. A shorter p21 peptide binds with reduced affinity but retains most of the molecular recognition determinants. However the binding of the corresponding peptide of the tumor suppressor ING1 is extremely weak, indicating that slight deviations from the consensus PIP-box sequence dramatically reduce the affinity for PCNA, in contrast with a proposed less stringent PIP-box sequence requirement. We could not detect any binding between PCNA and the MCL-1 or the CDK2 protein, reported to interact with PCNA in biochemical assays. This suggests that they do not bind directly to PCNA, or they do but very weakly, with additional unidentified factors stabilizing the interactions in the cell. Backbone dynamics measurements show three PCNA regions with high relative flexibility, including the interdomain connector loop (IDCL and the C-terminus, both of them involved in the interaction with the PIP-box. Our work provides the basis for high resolution studies of direct ligand binding to PCNA in solution.

Microbial Surface Colonization and Biofilm Development in Marine Environments

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Biotic and abiotic surfaces in marine waters are rapidly colonized by microorganisms. Surface colonization and subsequent biofilm formation and development provide numerous advantages to these organisms and support critical ecological and biogeochemical functions in the changing marine environment. Microbial surface association also contributes to deleterious effects such as biofouling, biocorrosion, and the persistence and transmission of harmful or pathogenic microorganisms and their genetic determinants. The processes and mechanisms of colonization as well as key players among the surface-associated microbiota have been studied for several decades. Accumulating evidence indicates that specific cell-surface, cell-cell, and interpopulation interactions shape the composition, structure, spatiotemporal dynamics, and functions of surface-associated microbial communities. Several key microbial processes and mechanisms, including (i) surface, population, and community sensing and signaling, (ii) intraspecies and interspecies communication and interaction, and (iii) the regulatory balance between cooperation and competition, have been identified as critical for the microbial surface association lifestyle. In this review, recent progress in the study of marine microbial surface colonization and biofilm development is synthesized and discussed. Major gaps in our knowledge remain. We pose questions for targeted investigation of surface-specific community-level microbial features, answers to which would advance our understanding of surface-associated microbial community ecology and the biogeochemical functions of these communities at levels from molecular mechanistic details through systems biological integration. PMID:26700108

Interconnection of Key Microbial Functional Genes for Enhanced Benzo[a]pyrene Biodegradation in Sediments by Microbial Electrochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Zaisheng; He, Yuhong; Cai, Haiyuan; Van Nostrand, Joy D; He, Zhili; Zhou, Jizhong; Krumholz, Lee R; Jiang, He-Long

2017-08-01

Sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) can stimulate the degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood at the microbial functional gene level. Here, the use of SMFC resulted in 92% benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) removal over 970 days relative to 54% in the controls. Sediment functions, microbial community structure, and network interactions were dramatically altered by the SMFC employment. Functional gene analysis showed that c-type cytochrome genes for electron transfer, aromatic degradation genes, and extracellular ligninolytic enzymes involved in lignin degradation were significantly enriched in bulk sediments during SMFC operation. Correspondingly, chemical analysis of the system showed that these genetic changes resulted in increases in the levels of easily oxidizable organic carbon and humic acids which may have resulted in increased BaP bioavailability and increased degradation rates. Tracking microbial functional genes and corresponding organic matter responses should aid mechanistic understanding of BaP enhanced biodegradation by microbial electrochemistry and development of sustainable bioremediation strategies.

Live Cell Discovery of Microbial Vitamin Transport and Enzyme-Cofactor Interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Lindsey N.; Koech, Phillip K.; Plymale, Andrew E.; Landorf, Elizabeth V.; Konopka, Allan; Collart, Frank; Lipton, Mary S.; Romine, Margaret F.; Wright, Aaron T.

2016-02-02

The rapid completion of microbial genomes is inducing a conundrum in functional gene discovery. Novel methods are critically needed to shorten the gap between characterizing a microbial genome and experimentally validating bioinformatically-predicted functions. Of particular importance are transport mechanisms, used to shuttle nutrients and metabolites across cell mem-branes, such as B vitamins, which are indispensable to metabolic reactions crucial to the survival of diverse microbes ranging from members of environmental microbial communities to human pathogens. Methods to accurately assign function and specificity for a wide range of experimentally unidentified and/or predicted membrane-embedded transport proteins, and characterization of intra-cellular enzyme-cofactor/nutrient associations are needed to enable a significantly improved understanding of microbial biochemis-try and physiology, how microbes associate with others, and how they sense and respond to environmental perturbations. Chemical probes derived from B vitamins B1, B2, and B7 have allowed us to experimentally address the aforementioned needs by identifying B vitamin transporters and intracellular protein-cofactor associations through live cell labeling of the filamentous anoxygenic pho-toheterotroph, Chloroflexus aurantiacus J-10-fl, known for both B vitamin biosynthesis and environmental salvage. Our probes provide a unique opportunity to directly link cellular activity and protein function back to ecosystem and/or host dynamics by iden-tifying B vitamin transport and disposition mechanisms required for survival.

Genome-scale biological models for industrial microbial systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Nan; Ye, Chao; Liu, Liming

2018-04-01

The primary aims and challenges associated with microbial fermentation include achieving faster cell growth, higher productivity, and more robust production processes. Genome-scale biological models, predicting the formation of an interaction among genetic materials, enzymes, and metabolites, constitute a systematic and comprehensive platform to analyze and optimize the microbial growth and production of biological products. Genome-scale biological models can help optimize microbial growth-associated traits by simulating biomass formation, predicting growth rates, and identifying the requirements for cell growth. With regard to microbial product biosynthesis, genome-scale biological models can be used to design product biosynthetic pathways, accelerate production efficiency, and reduce metabolic side effects, leading to improved production performance. The present review discusses the development of microbial genome-scale biological models since their emergence and emphasizes their pertinent application in improving industrial microbial fermentation of biological products.

Molecular-scale hydrophobic interactions between hard-sphere reference solutes are attractive and endothermic.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhari, Mangesh I; Holleran, Sinead A; Ashbaugh, Henry S; Pratt, Lawrence R

2013-12-17

The osmotic second virial coefficients, B2, for atomic-sized hard spheres in water are attractive (B2 attractive with increasing temperature (ΔB2/ΔT attractive and endothermic at moderate temperatures. Hydrophobic interactions between atomic-sized hard spheres in water are more attractive than predicted by the available statistical mechanical theory. These results constitute an initial step toward detailed molecular theory of additional intermolecular interaction features, specifically, attractive interactions associated with hydrophobic solutes.

Free-solution, label-free molecular interactions studied by back-scattering interferometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bornhop, D.J.; Latham, J.C.; Kussrow, A.

2007-01-01

Free-solution, label-free molecular interactions were investigated with back-scattering interferometry in a simple optical train composed of a helium-neon laser, a microfluidic channel, and a position sensor. Molecular binding interactions between proteins, ions and protein, and small molecules...... and protein, were determined with high dynamic range dissociation constants (K-d spanning six decades) and unmatched sensitivity (picomolar K-d's and detection limits of 10,000s of molecules). With this technique, equilibrium dissociation constants were quantified for protein A and immunoglobulin G...

Organic Acids Regulation of Chemical-Microbial Phosphorus Transformations in Soils.

Science.gov (United States)

Menezes-Blackburn, Daniel; Paredes, Cecilia; Zhang, Hao; Giles, Courtney D; Darch, Tegan; Stutter, Marc; George, Timothy S; Shand, Charles; Lumsdon, David; Cooper, Patricia; Wendler, Renate; Brown, Lawrie; Blackwell, Martin; Wearing, Catherine; Haygarth, Philip M

2016-11-01

We have used an integrated approach to study the mobility of inorganic phosphorus (P) from soil solid phase as well as the microbial biomass P and respiration at increasing doses of citric and oxalic acid in two different soils with contrasting agronomic P status. Citric or oxalic acids significantly increased soil solution P concentrations for doses over 2 mmol kg -1 . However, low organic acid doses (<2 mmol kg -1 ) were associated with a steep increase in microbial biomass P, which was not seen for higher doses. In both soils, treatment with the tribasic citric acid led to a greater increase in soil solution P than the dibasic oxalic acid, likely due to the rapid degrading of oxalic acids in soils. After equilibration of soils with citric or oxalic acids, the adsorbed-to-solution distribution coefficient (K d ) and desorption rate constants (k -1 ) decreased whereas an increase in the response time of solution P equilibration (T c ) was observed. The extent of this effect was shown to be both soil and organic acid specific. Our results illustrate the critical thresholds of organic acid concentration necessary to mobilize sorbed and precipitated P, bringing new insight on how the exudation of organic acids regulate chemical-microbial soil phosphorus transformations.

Biostimulation induces syntrophic interactions that impact C, S and N cycling in a sediment microbial community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Handley, KM [University of California, Berkeley; Verberkmoes, Nathan C [ORNL; Steefel, Carl I [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL); Sharon, I [University of California, Berkeley; Williams, Ken [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL); Miller, CS [University of California, Berkeley; Frischkorn, Kyle C [University of California, Berkeley; Chourey, Karuna [ORNL; Thomas, Brian [University of California, Berkeley; Shah, Manesh B [ORNL; Long, Phil [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL); Hettich, Robert {Bob} L [ORNL; Banfield, Jillian F. [University of California, Berkeley

2013-01-01

Stimulation of subsurface microorganisms to induce reductive immobilization of metals is a promising approach for bioremediation, yet the overall microbial community response is typically poorly understood. Here we used community proteogenomics to test the hypothesis that excess input of acetate activates syntrophic interactions among autotrophs and heterotrophs. A flow-through sediment column was incubated in a groundwater well of an acetate-amended aquifer. Genomic sequences from the community recovered during microbial sulfate reduction were used to econstruct, de novo, near-complete genomes for Desulfobacter (Deltaproteobacteria) and relatives of Sulfurovum and Sulfurimonas (Epsilonproteobacteria), and Bacteroidetes. Partial genomes were obtained for Clostridiales (Firmicutes) and Desulfuromonadales-like Deltaproteobacteria. The majority of proteins identified by mass spectrometry corresponded to Desulfobacter-like species, and demonstrate the role of this organism in sulfate reduction (Dsr and APS), nitrogen-fixation (Nif) and acetate oxidation to CO2 during amendment. Results suggest less abundant Desulfuromonadales and Bacteroidetes also actively contributed to CO2 production via the TCA cycle. Proteomic data indicate that sulfide was partially re-oxidized by Epsilonproteobacteria through nitrate-dependent sulfide oxidation (using Nap, Nir, Nos, SQR and Sox), with CO2 fixed using the reverse TCA cycle. Modeling shows that this reaction was thermodynamically possible, and kinetically favorable relative to acetate-dependent denitrification. We conclude that high-levels of carbon amendment aimed to stimulate anaerobic heterotrophy led to carbon fixation in co-dependent chemoautotrophs. These results have implications for understanding complex ecosystem behavior, and show that high levels of organic carbon supplementation can expand the range of microbial functionalities accessible for ecosystem manipulation.

Interaction of cadmium and indium nitrate mixture with sodium tungstate in aqueous solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belousova, E E; Krivobok, V I; Gruba, A I [Donetskij Gosudarstvennyj Univ. (Ukrainian SSR)

1982-01-01

The interaction of the mixture of cadmium and indium nitrates with sodium tungstate in aqueous solution is studied using the methods of ''residual concentrations'', pH potentiometry and conductometry. Independent of the ratio of components in the initial solution a mixture of coprecipitated normal tungstates of cadmium and indium is formed in the system. Heat treatment of the precipitates at 800 deg C for 50 hrs with subsequent hardening results in the formation of solid solutions on the basis of normal cadmium and indium tungstates.

Linkage of microbial ecology to phenotype: correlation of rumen microbial ecology to cattle's feed efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Le Luo; Nkrumah, Joshua D; Basarab, John A; Moore, Stephen S

2008-11-01

Linkage of rumen microbial structure to host phenotypical traits may enhance the understanding of host-microbial interactions in livestock species. This study used culture-independent PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) to investigate the microbial profiles in the rumen of cattle differing in feed efficiency. The analysis of detectable bacterial PCR-DGGE profiles showed that the profiles generated from efficient steers clustered together and were clearly separated from those obtained from inefficient steers, indicating that specific bacterial groups may only inhabit in efficient steers. In addition, the bacterial profiles were more likely clustered within a certain breed, suggesting that host genetics may play an important role in rumen microbial structure. The correlations between the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and feed efficiency traits were also observed. Significantly higher concentrations of butyrate (P < 0.001) and valerate (P = 0.006) were detected in the efficient steers. Our results revealed potential associations between the detectable rumen microbiota and its fermentation parameters with the feed efficiency of cattle.

Unravelling the mechanisms of bacterial interactions in model communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herschend, Jakob

Microbial communities, such as microbial biofilms, are dynamic structural communities. The architecture and function of these communities is shaped by the interaction with the surrounding environment and by the interactions between community members. In most natural and man-made environments......, and that bacteria in different niches have different potential for interacting. Understanding the development of microbial communities is indispensable as microbial communities, such as biofilms, are highly associated with chronic infections, colonization of catheters and implants. Biofilms have also been...

Visualization for genomics: the Microbial Genome Viewer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerkhoven, Robert; van Enckevort, Frank H J; Boekhorst, Jos; Molenaar, Douwe; Siezen, Roland J

2004-07-22

A Web-based visualization tool, the Microbial Genome Viewer, is presented that allows the user to combine complex genomic data in a highly interactive way. This Web tool enables the interactive generation of chromosome wheels and linear genome maps from genome annotation data stored in a MySQL database. The generated images are in scalable vector graphics (SVG) format, which is suitable for creating high-quality scalable images and dynamic Web representations. Gene-related data such as transcriptome and time-course microarray experiments can be superimposed on the maps for visual inspection. The Microbial Genome Viewer 1.0 is freely available at http://www.cmbi.kun.nl/MGV

Interactions of dipeptides with Triton X-100 in aqueous solution: A volumetric and spectroscopic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, Zhenning; Wu, Shuangyan; Pan, Qi; Geng, Rui; Gu, Bixin; Wang, Jianji

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The values of V 2,ϕ o and Δ t V° are positive. • Interactions of Triton X-100 with charged and polar groups of dipeptides dominate. • Addition of dipeptide in water decreases the c cmc and the aggregation number of Triton X-100. • The affinity between dipeptide and Triton X-100 micelle increases with the increase in the length of alkyl chain of peptides. • Triton X-100 interacts with dipeptides more weakly than SDS. -- Abstract: The interactions of dipeptides with Triton X-100 in aqueous solution have been investigated by means of density, fluorescence spectroscopy and UV–vis spectroscopy. The standard partial molar volume (V 2,ϕ o ), standard partial molar volume of transfer for dipeptide from water to aqueous Triton X-100 solution (Δ t V o ) and partial molar expansibility (E ϕ o ) have been calculated from density data. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to estimate the critical micellar concentration (c cmc ) and micelle aggregation number of Triton X-100 in aqueous dipeptide solutions. Effects of temperature and hydrocarbon chain length of dipeptides on the volumetric properties of dipeptide and critical micelle concentration (c cmc ) of Triton X-100 were examined. The pyrene fluorescence spectra were also used to study the change of micropolarity produced by the interactions of Triton X-100 with dipeptides. From the results of UV–vis absorption spectra, the binding constant between dipeptide and Triton X-100 above the c cmc was determined. The results have been interpreted in terms of solute–solvent interactions and structural changes in the mixed solutions

Microbial Resources and Enological Significance: Opportunities and Benefits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonardo Petruzzi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Among the innovative trends in the wine sector, the continuous exploration of enological properties associated with wine microbial resources represents a cornerstone driver of quality improvement. Since the advent of starter cultures technology, the attention has been focused on intraspecific biodiversity within the primary species responsible for alcoholic fermentation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and, subsequently, for the so-called ‘malolactic fermentation’ (Oenococcus oeni. However, in the last decade, a relevant number of studies proposed the enological exploitation of an increasing number of species (e.g., non-Saccharomyces yeasts associated with spontaneous fermentation in wine. These new species/strains may provide technological solutions to specific problems and/or improve sensory characteristics, such as complexity, mouth-feel and flavors. This review offers an overview of the available information on the enological/protechnological significance of microbial resources associated with winemaking, summarizing the opportunities and the benefits associated with the enological exploitation of this microbial potential. We discuss proposed solutions to improve quality and safety of wines (e.g., alternative starter cultures, multistrains starter cultures and future perspectives.

Microbial Resources and Enological Significance: Opportunities and Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Petruzzi, Leonardo; Capozzi, Vittorio; Berbegal, Carmen; Corbo, Maria R.; Bevilacqua, Antonio; Spano, Giuseppe; Sinigaglia, Milena

2017-01-01

Among the innovative trends in the wine sector, the continuous exploration of enological properties associated with wine microbial resources represents a cornerstone driver of quality improvement. Since the advent of starter cultures technology, the attention has been focused on intraspecific biodiversity within the primary species responsible for alcoholic fermentation (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and, subsequently, for the so-called ‘malolactic fermentation’ (Oenococcus oeni). However, in the last decade, a relevant number of studies proposed the enological exploitation of an increasing number of species (e.g., non-Saccharomyces yeasts) associated with spontaneous fermentation in wine. These new species/strains may provide technological solutions to specific problems and/or improve sensory characteristics, such as complexity, mouth-feel and flavors. This review offers an overview of the available information on the enological/protechnological significance of microbial resources associated with winemaking, summarizing the opportunities and the benefits associated with the enological exploitation of this microbial potential. We discuss proposed solutions to improve quality and safety of wines (e.g., alternative starter cultures, multistrains starter cultures) and future perspectives. PMID:28642742

Microbial bio-fuels: a solution to carbon emissions and energy crisis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Arun; Kaushal, Sumit; Saraf, Shubhini A; Singh, Jay Shankar

2018-06-01

Increasing energy demand, limited fossil fuel resources and climate change have prompted development of alternative sustainable and economical fuel resources such as crop-based bio-ethanol and bio-diesel. However, there is concern over use of arable land that is used for food agriculture for creation of biofuel. Thus, there is a renewed interest in the use of microbes particularly microalgae for bio-fuel production. Microbes such as micro-algae and cyanobacteria that are used for biofuel production also produce other bioactive compounds under stressed conditions. Microbial agents used for biofuel production also produce bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, antiviral, anticoagulant, antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity. Because of importance of such high-value compounds in aquaculture and bioremediation, and the potential to reduce carbon emissions and energy security, the biofuels produced by microbial biotechnology might substitute the crop-based bio-ethanol and bio-diesel production.

Measuring the enthalpies of interaction between glycine, L-cysteine, glycylglycine, and sodium dodecyl sulfate in aqueous solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Badelin, V. G.; Mezhevoi, I. N.; Tyunina, E. Yu.

2017-03-01

Calorimetric measurements of enthalpies of solution Δsol H m for glycine, L-cysteine, and glycylglycine in aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) with concentrations of up to 0.05 mol kg-1 are made. Standard enthalpy of solution Δsol H 0 and enthalpy of transfer Δtr H 0 of the dipeptide from water into mixed solvent are calculated. The calculated enthalpy coefficients of paired interactions of amino acids and dipeptide with SDS prove to be positive. Hydrophobic interactions between the biomolecules and SDS are found to have a major impact on the enthalpies of interaction in the three-component systems under study, within the indicated range of concentrations.

Visualization for genomics: the Microbial Genome Viewer.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerkhoven, R.; Enckevort, F.H.J. van; Boekhorst, J.; Molenaar, D; Siezen, R.J.

2004-01-01

SUMMARY: A Web-based visualization tool, the Microbial Genome Viewer, is presented that allows the user to combine complex genomic data in a highly interactive way. This Web tool enables the interactive generation of chromosome wheels and linear genome maps from genome annotation data stored in a

Variation of the distribution coefficient (Kd) of selenium in soils under various microbial states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fevrier, L.; Martin-Garin, A.; Leclerc, E.

2007-01-01

This study aimed to (i) evaluate whether the K d value of selenium is dependent upon the soil microbial activity and (ii) define the limitation of the use of the K d concept to describe selenium behaviour in soils when assessing the long-term radiological waste disposal risk. K d coefficients, as well as information on selenite speciation in the soil-solution, were derived from short- and long-term batch experiments with a calcareous silty clay soil in various microbial states. Soil microbial activity induced (i) an increase of the K d value from 16 l kg -1 in sterile conditions to 130 l kg -1 when the soil was amended with glucose and nitrate, and (ii) changes in selenium speciation both in the solution (presence of seleno-species other than free Se(IV)) and in the solid phase (Se linked to microorganisms). Although the K d coefficient adequately reflects the initial fractionation between soil-solid and soil-solution, it does not allow for speciation and microbial processes, which could affect reversibility, mobility and the long-term accumulation and uptake into crops

Community genomics among stratified microbial assemblages in the ocean's interior

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

DeLong, Edward F; Preston, Christina M; Mincer, Tracy

2006-01-01

Microbial life predominates in the ocean, yet little is known about its genomic variability, especially along the depth continuum. We report here genomic analyses of planktonic microbial communities in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, from the ocean's surface to near-sea floor depths. Sequence......, and host-viral interactions. Comparative genomic analyses of stratified microbial communities have the potential to provide significant insight into higher-order community organization and dynamics....

Benzene, toluene and p-xylene interactions and the role of microbial communities in remediation using bioventing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sui, H. [Tianjin Univ., Tianjin (China). School of Chemical Engineering and Technology; Tianjin Univ., Tianjin (China). National Engineering Research Center for Distillation Technology; Li, X.G.; Jiang, B. [Tianjin Univ., Tianjin (China). National Engineering Research Center for Distillation Technology

2005-04-01

Bioventing is a promising in-situ soil remediation technology used to clean soils and groundwater contaminated by aromatic hydrocarbon components benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX). These contaminants are present at numerous hazardous waste sites. Bioventing provides enough oxygen to stimulate aerobic biodegradation by indigenous microorganisms. It is not constrained by contaminant volatility and can therefore be applied to contaminants that are readily biodegradable even if they are not highly volatile. This study examined the volatilization and biodegradation of BTX during bioventing from unsaturated soil. It focused on the occurrence of any substrate interaction and the effects of indigenous microbial inocula. The soil was inoculated with indigenous microorganisms obtained from the Dagang Oil Field in Tianjin, China. Then, different amounts of BTX were added to the soil in a stainless steel column through which carbon dioxide free air and pure nitrogen flowed. The volatilization-to-biodegradation ratios of BTX were 6:1, 2:1 and 2:1 respectively. After 3 weeks, the final concentration in the soil gas was 0.128 mg/L benzene, 0.377 mg/L toluene and 0.143 mg/L xylene. The substrate interactions that occurred were as follows: benzene and xylene degradation was accelerated while toluene was being degraded; and, the presence of xylene increased the lag period for benzene degradation. It was concluded that bioventing is an effective remediation technology for aromatic hydrocarbons and can significantly reduce the remediation time if target residual BTX concentration of 0.1 mg/L is to be reached. BTX removal becomes more significant with time, particularly when soils are inoculated with indigenous microbial communities from contaminated soil. 22 refs., 5 tabs., 7 figs.

An exact solution of three interacting friendly walks in the bulk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabbara, R; Owczarek, A L; Rechnitzer, A

2016-01-01

We find the exact solution of three interacting friendly directed walks on the square lattice in the bulk, modelling a system of homopolymers that can undergo a multiple polymer fusion or zipping transition by introducing two distinct interaction parameters that differentiate between the zipping of only two or all three walks. We establish functional equations for the model’s corresponding generating function that are subsequently solved exactly by means of the obstinate kernel method. We then proceed to analyse our model, first considering the case where triple-walk interaction effects are ignored, finding that our model exhibits two phases which we classify as free and gelated (or zipped) regions, with the system exhibiting a second-order phase transition. We then analyse the full model where both interaction parameters are incorporated, presenting the full phase diagram and highlighting the additional existence of a first-order gelation (zipping) boundary. (paper)

Dental biofilm: ecological interactions in health and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, P D; Zaura, Egija

2017-03-01

The oral microbiome is diverse and exists as multispecies microbial communities on oral surfaces in structurally and functionally organized biofilms. To describe the network of microbial interactions (both synergistic and antagonistic) occurring within these biofilms and assess their role in oral health and dental disease. PubMed database was searched for studies on microbial ecological interactions in dental biofilms. The search results did not lend themselves to systematic review and have been summarized in a narrative review instead. Five hundred and forty-seven original research articles and 212 reviews were identified. The majority (86%) of research articles addressed bacterial-bacterial interactions, while inter-kingdom microbial interactions were the least studied. The interactions included physical and nutritional synergistic associations, antagonism, cell-to-cell communication and gene transfer. Oral microbial communities display emergent properties that cannot be inferred from studies of single species. Individual organisms grow in environments they would not tolerate in pure culture. The networks of multiple synergistic and antagonistic interactions generate microbial inter-dependencies and give biofilms a resilience to minor environmental perturbations, and this contributes to oral health. If key environmental pressures exceed thresholds associated with health, then the competitiveness among oral microorganisms is altered and dysbiosis can occur, increasing the risk of dental disease. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Empirical evidence that soil carbon formation from plant inputs is positively related to microbial growth

Science.gov (United States)

Mark A. Bradford; Ashley D. Keiser; Christian A. Davies; Calley A. Mersmann; Michael S. Strickland

2012-01-01

Plant-carbon inputs to soils in the form of dissolved sugars, organic acids and amino acids fuel much of heterotrophic microbial activity belowground. Initial residence times of these compounds in the soil solution are on the order of hours, with microbial uptake a primary removal mechanism. Through microbial biosynthesis, the dissolved compounds become dominant...

Systems biology of Microbial Communities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navid, A; Ghim, C; Fenley, A; Yoon, S; Lee, S; Almaas, E

2008-04-11

Microbes exist naturally in a wide range of environments, spanning the extremes of high acidity and high temperature to soil and the ocean, in communities where their interactions are significant. We present a practical discussion of three different approaches for modeling microbial communities: rate equations, individual-based modeling, and population dynamics. We illustrate the approaches with detailed examples. Each approach is best fit to different levels of system representation, and they have different needs for detailed biological input. Thus, this set of approaches is able to address the operation and function of microbial communities on a wide range of organizational levels.

Electrostatic interactions in aqueous solutions of polyelectrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belloni, Luc

1982-01-01

In this study, the structure, equilibrium and transport properties of poly-electrolytes solutions are reported. These dissymmetric systems are studied in the context of a primitive model (Charged hard spheres and rods in a solvent continuum). The first phenomenon studied is the strong electrostatic attractive interaction of counterions on the poly-ion surface. The model used considers the poly-ions on a matrix and the different concentrations are calculated using the P.B. equation. Auto-diffusion coefficients obtained give a good description of experimental slowing down of the counterions. The model allows a correlation between the theoretical limits represented by Bjerrum's and Manning's models and gives a physical significance to the concept of condensation. In the second part, the complete structure is calculated using only slightly restrictive H.N.C. approximation. This theory enables all the pair correlation functions to be calculated as well as thermodynamic data and structure factors. The last part of this study treats transport phenomena. Quasi-elastic light scattering gives information on the autocorrelation function of the scattered light intensity. Analysis using cumulants leads to an effective diffusion coefficient which is theoretically related to the structure factor and the hydrodynamic interactions. A crude approximation of the last contribution allows to fit the experimental data. (author) [fr

Microbial enhanced oil recovery and compositions therefor

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Rebecca S.

1990-01-01

A method is provided for microbial enhanced oil recovery, wherein a combination of microorganisms is empirically formulated based on survivability under reservoir conditions and oil recovery efficiency, such that injection of the microbial combination may be made, in the presence of essentially only nutrient solution, directly into an injection well of an oil bearing reservoir having oil present at waterflood residual oil saturation concentration. The microbial combination is capable of displacing residual oil from reservoir rock, which oil may be recovered by waterflooding without causing plugging of the reservoir rock. Further, the microorganisms are capable of being transported through the pores of the reservoir rock between said injection well and associated production wells, during waterflooding, which results in a larger area of the reservoir being covered by the oil-mobilizing microorganisms.

Sustaining Rare Marine Microorganisms: Macroorganisms As Repositories and Dispersal Agents of Microbial Diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Troussellier, Marc; Escalas, Arthur; Bouvier, Thierry; Mouillot, David

2017-01-01

Recent analyses revealed that most of the biodiversity observed in marine microbial communities is represented by organisms with low abundance but, nonetheless essential for ecosystem dynamics and processes across both temporal and spatial scales. Surprisingly, few studies have considered the effect of macroorganism-microbe interactions on the ecology and distribution dynamics of rare microbial taxa. In this review, we synthesize several lines of evidence that these relationships cannot be neglected any longer. First, we provide empirical support that the microbiota of macroorganisms represents a significant part of marine bacterial biodiversity and that host-microbe interactions benefit to certain microbial populations which are part of the rare biosphere (i.e., opportunistic copiotrophic organisms). Second, we reveal the major role that macroorganisms may have on the dispersal and the geographic distribution of microbes. Third, we introduce an innovative and integrated view of the interactions between microbes and macroorganisms, namely sustaining the rares , which suggests that macroorganisms favor the maintenance of marine microbial diversity and are involved in the regulation of its richness and dynamics. Finally, we show how this hypothesis complements existing theories in microbial ecology and offers new perspectives about the importance of macroorganisms for the microbial biosphere, particularly the rare members.

Syntrophic interactions drive the hydrogen production from glucose at low temperature in microbial electrolysis cells

KAUST Repository

Lu, Lu

2012-11-01

H2 can be obtained from glucose by fermentation at mesophilic temperatures, but here we demonstrate that hydrogen can also be obtained from glucose at low temperatures using microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). H2 was produced from glucose at 4°C in single-chamber MECs at a yield of about 6mol H2mol-1 glucose, and at rates of 0.25±0.03-0.37±0.04m3 H2m-3d-1. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene and electrochemical analyses showed that syntrophic interactions combining glucose fermentation with the oxidization of fermentation products by exoelectrogens was the predominant pathway for current production at a low temperature other than direct glucose oxidization by exoelectrogens. Another syntrophic interaction, methanogenesis and homoacetogenesis, which have been found in 25°C reactors, were not detected in MECs at 4°C. These results demonstrate the feasibility of H2 production from abundant biomass of carbohydrates at low temperature in MECs. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Epigeic earthworms exert a bottleneck effect on microbial communities through gut associated processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Brandón, María; Aira, Manuel; Lores, Marta; Domínguez, Jorge

2011-01-01

Earthworms play a critical role in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with microorganisms. The ingestion, digestion, assimilation of organic material in the gut and then casting is the first step in earthworm-microorganism interactions. The current knowledge of these direct effects is still limited for epigeic earthworm species, mainly those living in man-made environments. Here we tested whether and to what extent the earthworm Eisenia andrei is capable of altering the microbiological properties of fresh organic matter through gut associated processes; and if these direct effects are related to the earthworm diet. To address these questions we determined the microbial community structure (phospholipid fatty acid profiles) and microbial activity (fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis) in the earthworm casts derived from three types of animal manure (cow, horse and pig manure), which differed in microbial composition. The passage of the organic material through the gut of E. andrei reduced the total microbial biomass irrespective of the type of manure, and resulted in a decrease in bacterial biomass in all the manures; whilst leaving the fungi unaffected in the egested materials. However, unlike the microbial biomass, no such reduction was detected in the total microbial activity of cast samples derived from the pig manure. Moreover, no differences were found between cast samples derived from the different types of manure with regards to microbial community structure, which provides strong evidence for a bottleneck effect of worm digestion on microbial populations of the original material consumed. Our data reveal that earthworm gut is a major shaper of microbial communities, thereby favouring the existence of a reduced but more active microbial population in the egested materials, which is of great importance to understand how biotic interactions within the decomposer food web influence on nutrient cycling.

Epigeic earthworms exert a bottleneck effect on microbial communities through gut associated processes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Gómez-Brandón

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Earthworms play a critical role in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with microorganisms. The ingestion, digestion, assimilation of organic material in the gut and then casting is the first step in earthworm-microorganism interactions. The current knowledge of these direct effects is still limited for epigeic earthworm species, mainly those living in man-made environments. Here we tested whether and to what extent the earthworm Eisenia andrei is capable of altering the microbiological properties of fresh organic matter through gut associated processes; and if these direct effects are related to the earthworm diet. METHODOLOGY: To address these questions we determined the microbial community structure (phospholipid fatty acid profiles and microbial activity (fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis in the earthworm casts derived from three types of animal manure (cow, horse and pig manure, which differed in microbial composition. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The passage of the organic material through the gut of E. andrei reduced the total microbial biomass irrespective of the type of manure, and resulted in a decrease in bacterial biomass in all the manures; whilst leaving the fungi unaffected in the egested materials. However, unlike the microbial biomass, no such reduction was detected in the total microbial activity of cast samples derived from the pig manure. Moreover, no differences were found between cast samples derived from the different types of manure with regards to microbial community structure, which provides strong evidence for a bottleneck effect of worm digestion on microbial populations of the original material consumed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data reveal that earthworm gut is a major shaper of microbial communities, thereby favouring the existence of a reduced but more active microbial population in the egested materials, which is of great importance to understand how biotic interactions

Microbial network of the carbonate precipitation process induced by microbial consortia and the potential application to crack healing in concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiaguang; Zhou, Aijuan; Liu, Yuanzhen; Zhao, Bowei; Luan, Yunbo; Wang, Sufang; Yue, Xiuping; Li, Zhu

2017-11-06

Current studies have employed various pure-cultures for improving concrete durability based on microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). However, there have been very few reports concerned with microbial consortia, which could perform more complex tasks and be more robust in their resistance to environmental fluctuations. In this study, we constructed three microbial consortia that are capable of MICP under aerobic (AE), anaerobic (AN) and facultative anaerobic (FA) conditions. The results showed that AE consortia showed more positive effects on inorganic carbon conversion than AN and FA consortia. Pyrosequencing analysis showed that clear distinctions appeared in the community structure between different microbial consortia systems. Further investigation on microbial community networks revealed that the species in the three microbial consortia built thorough energetic and metabolic interaction networks regarding MICP, nitrate-reduction, bacterial endospores and fermentation communities. Crack-healing experiments showed that the selected cracks of the three consortia-based concrete specimens were almost completely healed in 28 days, which was consistent with the studies using pure cultures. Although the economic advantage might not be clear yet, this study highlights the potential implementation of microbial consortia on crack healing in concrete.

Microfluidics expanding the frontiers of microbial ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rusconi, Roberto; Garren, Melissa; Stocker, Roman

2014-01-01

Microfluidics has significantly contributed to the expansion of the frontiers of microbial ecology over the past decade by allowing researchers to observe the behaviors of microbes in highly controlled microenvironments, across scales from a single cell to mixed communities. Spatially and temporally varying distributions of organisms and chemical cues that mimic natural microbial habitats can now be established by exploiting physics at the micrometer scale and by incorporating structures with specific geometries and materials. In this article, we review applications of microfluidics that have resulted in insightful discoveries on fundamental aspects of microbial life, ranging from growth and sensing to cell-cell interactions and population dynamics. We anticipate that this flexible multidisciplinary technology will continue to facilitate discoveries regarding the ecology of microorganisms and help uncover strategies to control microbial processes such as biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance.

Microbial mat ecosystems: Structure types, functional diversity, and biotechnological application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina M. Prieto-Barajas

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Microbial mats are horizontally stratified microbial communities, exhibiting a structure defined by physiochemical gradients, which models microbial diversity, physiological activities, and their dynamics as a whole system. These ecosystems are commonly associated with aquatic habitats, including hot springs, hypersaline ponds, and intertidal coastal zones and oligotrophic environments, all of them harbour phototrophic mats and other environments such as acidic hot springs or acid mine drainage harbour non-photosynthetic mats. This review analyses the complex structure, diversity, and interactions between the microorganisms that form the framework of different types of microbial mats located around the globe. Furthermore, the many tools that allow studying microbial mats in depth and their potential biotechnological applications are discussed.

Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Antwis, Rachael E; Griffiths, Sarah M; Harrison, Xavier A; Aranega-Bou, Paz; Arce, Andres; Bettridge, Aimee S; Brailsford, Francesca L; de Menezes, Alexandre; Devaynes, Andrew; Forbes, Kristian M; Fry, Ellen L; Goodhead, Ian; Haskell, Erin; Heys, Chloe; James, Chloe; Johnston, Sarah R; Lewis, Gillian R; Lewis, Zenobia; Macey, Michael C; McCarthy, Alan; McDonald, James E; Mejia-Florez, Nasmille L; O'Brien, David; Orland, Chloé; Pautasso, Marco; Reid, William D K; Robinson, Heather A; Wilson, Kenneth; Sutherland, William J

2017-05-01

Microbial ecology provides insights into the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities underpinning every ecosystem on Earth. Microbial communities can now be investigated in unprecedented detail, although there is still a wealth of open questions to be tackled. Here we identify 50 research questions of fundamental importance to the science or application of microbial ecology, with the intention of summarising the field and bringing focus to new research avenues. Questions are categorised into seven themes: host-microbiome interactions; health and infectious diseases; human health and food security; microbial ecology in a changing world; environmental processes; functional diversity; and evolutionary processes. Many questions recognise that microbes provide an extraordinary array of functional diversity that can be harnessed to solve real-world problems. Our limited knowledge of spatial and temporal variation in microbial diversity and function is also reflected, as is the need to integrate micro- and macro-ecological concepts, and knowledge derived from studies with humans and other diverse organisms. Although not exhaustive, the questions presented are intended to stimulate discussion and provide focus for researchers, funders and policy makers, informing the future research agenda in microbial ecology. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Solution interactions of diclofenac sodium and meclofenamic acid sodium with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC).

Science.gov (United States)

Pygall, Samuel R; Griffiths, Peter C; Wolf, Bettina; Timmins, Peter; Melia, Colin D

2011-02-28

Many pharmaceutical agents require formulation in order to facilitate their efficacious delivery. However, the interaction between the active species and the formulation additives has the potential to significantly influence the pharmocokinetics of the active. In this study, the solution interactions between hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) with two non-steroidal anti-inflammatories - the sodium salts of diclofenac and meclofenamate - were investigated using tensiometric, rheological, NMR, neutron scattering and turbidimetric techniques. The two drugs behaved very differently-meclofenamate addition to HPMC solutions led to substantial increases in viscosity, a depression of the gel point and a marked reduction in the self-diffusion coefficient of the drug, whereas diclofenac did not induce these changes. Collectively, these observations are evidence of meclofenamate forming self-assembled aggregates on the HPMC, a phenomenon not observed with diclofenac Na. Any process that leads to aggregation on a nonionic polymer will not be strongly favoured when the aggregating species is charged. Thus, it is hypothesised that the distinction between the two drugs arises as a consequence of the tautomerism present in meclofenamate that builds electron density on the carbonyl group that is further stabilised by hydrogen bonding to the HPMC. This mechanism is absent in the diclofenac case and thus no interaction is observed. These studies propose for the first time a molecular basis for the observed often-unexpected, concentration-dependant changes in HPMC solution properties when co-formulated with different NSAIDs, and underline the importance of characterising such fundamental interactions that have the potential to influence drug release in solid HPMC-based dosage forms. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enthalpic interactions of N-glycylglycine with xylitol in aqueous sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions at T = 298.15 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Min; Wang Lili; Zhu Lanying; Li Hui; Sun Dezhi; Di Youying; Li Linwei

2010-01-01

The mixing enthalpies of N-glycylglycine with xylitol and their respective enthalpies of dilution in aqueous sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions have been determined by using flow-mix isothermal microcalorimetry at the temperature of 298.15 K. These experimental results have been used to determine the heterotactic enthalpic interaction coefficients (h xy , h xxy , and h xyy ) according to the McMillan-Mayer theory. It has been found that the heterotactic enthalpic pairwise interaction coefficients h xy between N-glycylglycine and xylitol in aqueous sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions are negative and become less negative with an increase in the molality of sodium chloride or potassium chloride. The results are discussed in terms of solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions.

Enthalpic interactions of N-glycylglycine with xylitol in aqueous sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions at T = 298.15 K

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Min, E-mail: panpanliumin@163.co [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liao Cheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252059 (China); Wang Lili [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liao Cheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252059 (China); Zhu Lanying [College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Liao Cheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252059 (China); Li Hui; Sun Dezhi; Di Youying; Li Linwei [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liao Cheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252059 (China)

2010-07-15

The mixing enthalpies of N-glycylglycine with xylitol and their respective enthalpies of dilution in aqueous sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions have been determined by using flow-mix isothermal microcalorimetry at the temperature of 298.15 K. These experimental results have been used to determine the heterotactic enthalpic interaction coefficients (h{sub xy}, h{sub xxy}, and h{sub xyy}) according to the McMillan-Mayer theory. It has been found that the heterotactic enthalpic pairwise interaction coefficients h{sub xy} between N-glycylglycine and xylitol in aqueous sodium chloride and potassium chloride solutions are negative and become less negative with an increase in the molality of sodium chloride or potassium chloride. The results are discussed in terms of solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions.

Interaction between copper and radiocesium in Indian mustard and sunflower grown in the hydroponic solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirong Tang; Xiaochang Wang

2002-01-01

Both Indian mustard and sunflower were grown in a hydroponic solution treated with different concentration activities of 134 Cs or with different amounts of copper or with both in order to investigate the interaction between copper and radiocesium. It was found that 134 Cs activity concentration applied in the nutrient solution exerted more influence on the uptake and translocation of copper by Indian mustard than by sunflower. Indian mustard grown in hydroponic solution containing certain levels of copper and being treated with higher 134 Cs activity concentration showed higher uptake of copper than sunflower. However, in the case of root copper concentrations, sunflower showed significantly higher copper immobilization by roots than Indian mustard. It was also found that the presence of copper the the hydroponic solution did modify radiocesium uptake by both species. The application of 1 mg/l in the growth medium could greatly increase the uptake of 134 Cs by both species. With 3 mg/l concentration of copper amended to the solution, the accumulation of 134 Cs by both species was decreased compared to the 1 mg/l copper treatment. These lines of evidence show that there is stronger interaction between copper and radiocesium in Indian mustard than in sunflower during the root uptake through nutrient solution. (author)

Technical difficulties and solutions of direct transesterification process of microbial oil for biodiesel synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yousuf, Abu; Khan, Maksudur Rahman; Islam, M Amirul; Wahid, Zularisam Ab; Pirozzi, Domenico

2017-01-01

Microbial oils are considered as alternative to vegetable oils or animal fats as biodiesel feedstock. Microalgae and oleaginous yeast are the main candidates of microbial oil producers' community. However, biodiesel synthesis from these sources is associated with high cost and process complexity. The traditional transesterification method includes several steps such as biomass drying, cell disruption, oil extraction and solvent recovery. Therefore, direct transesterification or in situ transesterification, which combines all the steps in a single reactor, has been suggested to make the process cost effective. Nevertheless, the process is not applicable for large-scale biodiesel production having some difficulties such as high water content of biomass that makes the reaction rate slower and hurdles of cell disruption makes the efficiency of oil extraction lower. Additionally, it requires high heating energy in the solvent extraction and recovery stage. To resolve these difficulties, this review suggests the application of antimicrobial peptides and high electric fields to foster the microbial cell wall disruption.

Resistance and Resilience of Soil Microbial Communities Exposed to Petroleum-Derived Compounds

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Modrzynski, Jakub Jan

Functioning of soil microbial communities is generally considered resilient to disturbance, including chemical stress. Activities of soil microbial communities are often sustained in polluted environments due to exceptional plasticity of microbial communities and functional redundancy. Pollution......-induced community tolerance (PICT) often develops following chemical stress. Nonetheless, environmental pollution may severely disturb functioning of soil microbial communities, thereby threatening provision of important ecosystem services provided by microorganisms. Pollution with petroleum and petroleum......-derived compounds (PDCs) is a significant environmental problem on a global scale. Research addressing interactions between microorganisms and PDC pollution is dominated by studies of biodegradation, with less emphasis on microbial ecotoxicology. Soil microbial communities are generally considered highly resilient...

Corrosion phenomena in sodium-potassium coolant resulting from solute interaction in multicomponent solution

Science.gov (United States)

Krasin, V. P.; Soyustova, S. I.

2018-03-01

The solubility of Fe, Cr, Ni, V, Mn and Mo in sodium-potassium melt has been calculated using the mathematical framework of pseudo-regular solution model. The calculation results are compared with available published experimental data on mass transfer of components of austenitic stainless steel in sodium-potassium loop under non-isothermal conditions. It is shown that the parameters of pair interaction of oxygen with transition metal can be used to predict the corrosion behavior of structural materials in sodium-potassium melt in the presence of oxygen impurity. The results of calculation of threshold concentration of oxygen of ternary oxide formation of sodium with transitional metals (Fe, Cr, Ni, V, Mn, Mo) are given in conditions when pure solid metal comes in contact with sodium-potassium melt.

Effect of particle size and microbial phytase on phytate degradation in incubated maize and soybean meal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ton Nu, Mai Anh; Blaabjerg, Karoline; Poulsen, Hanne Damgaard

2014-01-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of screen size (1, 2 and 3 mm) and microbial phytase (0 and 1000 FTU/kg as-fed) on phytate degradation in maize (100% maize), soybean meal (100% SBM) and maize–SBM (75% maize and 25% SBM) incubated in water for 0, 2, 4, 8 and 24 h at 38°C...... reduced APS by 48% in maize, 30% in SBM and 26% in maize–SBM. No interaction between screen size and microbial phytase on phytate degradation was observed, but the interaction between microbial phytase and incubation time was significant (P... of screen size and feed on microbial phytase efficacy on phytate degradation. The interaction between screen size and feed affected the relative phytate degradation rate (Rd) of microbial phytase as well as the time to decrease 50% of the phytate P (t) (P

An exact solution of two friendly interacting directed walks near a sticky wall

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabbara, R; Owczarek, A L; Rechnitzer, A

2014-01-01

We find the exact solution of two interacting friendly directed walks (modelling polymers) on the square lattice. These walks are confined to the quarter plane by a horizontal attractive surface, to capture the effects of DNA-denaturation and adsorption. We find the solution to the model’s corresponding generating function by means of the obstinate kernel method. Specifically, we apply this technique in two different instances to establish partial solutions for two simplified generating functions of the same underlying model that ignore either surface or shared contacts. We then subsequently combine our two partial solutions to find the solution for the full generating function in terms of the two simpler variants. This expression guides our analysis of the model, where we find the system exhibits four phases, and proceed to delineate the full phase diagram, showing that all observed phase transitions are second-order. (paper)

Set anode potentials affect the electron fluxes and microbial community structure in propionate-fed microbial electrolysis cells

KAUST Repository

Rao, Hari Ananda; Katuri, Krishna; Logan, Bruce E.; Saikaly, Pascal

2016-01-01

, but their relative abundance varied among the tested SAPs. Microbial community analysis implies that complete degradation of propionate in all the tested SAPs was facilitated by syntrophic interactions between fermenters and Geobacter at the anode and ferementers

Microbial Activity and Precipitation at Solution-Solution Mixing Zones in Porous Media -- Subsurface Biogeochemical Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colwell, Frederick [Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States); Wildenschild, Dorthe [Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States); Wood, Brian [Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States); Gerlach, Robin [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States); Mitchell, Andrew [Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT (United States); Redden, George [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-08-29

The goal for this research was to understand how best to add compounds to receptive microbial communities in porous media in order to achieve optimal calcite precipitation in a volumetrically significant space and to understand the physiological health of the cells that are responsible for the calcite precipitation. The specific objectives were to: (1) develop better tools for visually examining biofilms in porous media and calcium carbonate precipitation being mediated by microbes in porous media, and (2) demonstrate the effectiveness of using that tool within a flow cell model system.

Invasion in microbial communities: Role of community composition and assembly processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kinnunen, Marta

of microbial community assembly. Biotic factors include interactions between different microbial groups as well as the community response to alien species – invaders. Microbial invasions can have significant effects on the composition and functioning of resident communities. There is, however, lack......Microbes contribute to all biogeochemical cycles on earth and are responsible for key biological processes that support the survival of plants and animals. There is increased interest in controlling and managing microbial communities in different ecosystems in order to make targeted microbiological...... processes more effective. In order to manage microbial communities, it is essential to understand the factors that shape and influence microbial community composition. In addition to abiotic factors, such as environmental conditions and resource availability, biotic factors also shape the dynamics...

Halotolerant PGPRs Prevent Major Shifts in Indigenous Microbial Community Structure Under Salinity Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharti, Nidhi; Barnawal, Deepti; Maji, Deepamala; Kalra, Alok

2015-07-01

The resilience of soil microbial populations and processes to environmental perturbation is of increasing interest as alteration in rhizosphere microbial community dynamics impacts the combined functions of plant-microbe interactions. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of inoculation with halotolerant rhizobacteria Bacillus pumilus (STR2), Halomonas desiderata (STR8), and Exiguobacterium oxidotolerans (STR36) on the indigenous root-associated microbial (bacterial and fungal) communities in maize under non-saline and salinity stress. Plants inoculated with halotolerant rhizobacteria recorded improved growth as illustrated by significantly higher shoot and root dry weight and elongation in comparison to un-inoculated control plants under both non-saline and saline conditions. Additive main effect and multiplicative interaction ordination analysis revealed that plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) inoculations as well as salinity are major drivers of microbial community shift in maize rhizosphere. Salinity negatively impacts microbial community as analysed through diversity indices; among the PGPR-inoculated plants, STR2-inoculated plants recorded higher values of diversity indices. As observed in the terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, the inoculation of halotolerant rhizobacteria prevents major shift of the microbial community structure, thus enhancing the resilience capacity of the microbial communities.

Anionic Polyelectrolyte-Cationic Surfactant Interactions in Aqueous Solutions and Foam Films Stability Interactions entre polyélectrolytes anioniques et tensioactifs cationiques en solutions aqueuses et stabilité des films de mousses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Langevin D.

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work is to study polymer/surfactant interactions in aqueous solution and at the air/water interface. These interations are involved in many physicochemical phenomena, such as colloidal stabilization and wettability which are of major importance in oil application as for exemple drilling muds. More precisely, we have attempted to characterize interactions between a non surface active anionic copolymer (acrylamide/acrylamide sulfonate and an oppositely charged cationic surfactant (C12 TAB. Our results show a synergestic surface tension lowering (coadsorption at extremely low surfactant concentrations (10 to the power of (-3 to 10 to the power of (-1 CMC. At higher concentrations, namely above the so called Critical Aggregation Concentration (CAC, polymer-surfactant complexes form in the bulk and the macromolecules precipitate out of the solution. Foam films made from these mixed solutions are stable while C12TAB films are unstable. Disjoining pressure measurements on mixed films with surfactant concentration two orders of magnitude below the CAC show the existence of long range repulsive forces and a discrete film thickness transition. At the CAC, we obtain mixed films with gel-like networks that are strongly affected by the film thinning rate. L'objectif de cette étude est d'étudier les interactions polymère/tensioactif en solution aqueuse et à l'interface eau/air. Ces interactions interviennent dans de nombreux phénomènes physico-chimiques tels que la stabilisation de suspensions colloïdales et la mouillabilité qui sont d'une importance majeure dans les applications pétrolières comme, par exemple, les boues de forage. Plus précisément, nous avons essayé de caractériser les interactions entre un copolymère anionique n'ayant pas d'activité de surface (acrylamide/acrylamide sulfoné avec un tensioactif de charge opposée cationique (C12TAB. Nos résultats montrent une diminution synergique de la tension

Microbial Metabolism and Inhibition Studies of Phenobarbital

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Erah

techniques, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), mass spectrometry (MS) ... Keywords: Microbial metabolism, Phenobarbital, Inhibition studies, Rhizopus stolonifer, CYP 2C9, .... 24 h of incubation 0.5 ml of drug solution was ... mode, positive: spray voltage, 3.5 KV: ... Rhizopus stolonifer showed an extra peak at.

Combinational effects of sulfomethoxazole and copper on soil microbial community and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Aiju; Cao, Huansheng; Yang, Yan; Ma, Xiaoxuan; Liu, Xiao

2016-03-01

Sulfonamides and Cu are largely used feed additives in poultry farm. Subsequently, they are spread onto agricultural soils together with contaminated manure used as fertilizer. Both sulfonamides and Cu affect the soil microbial community. However, an interactive effect of sulfonamides and Cu on soil microorganisms is not well understood. Therefore, a short-time microcosm experiment was conducted to investigate the interaction of veterinary antibiotic sulfomethoxazole (SMX) and Cu on soil microbial structure composition and functions. To this end, selected concentrations of SMX (0, 5, and 50 mg kg(-1)) and Cu (0, 300, and 500 mg kg(-1)) were combined, respectively. Clear dose-dependent effects of SMX on microbial biomass and basal respiration were determined, and these effects were amplified in the presence of additional Cu. For activities of soil enzymes including β-glucosidase, urease, and protease, clear reducing effects were determined in soil samples containing 5 or 50 mg kg(-1) of SMX, and the interaction of SMX and Cu was significant, particularly in soil samples containing 50 mg kg(-1) SMX or 500 mg kg(-1) Cu. SMX amendments, particularly in combination with Cu, significantly reduced amounts of the total, bacterial, and fungal phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in soil. Moreover, the derived ratio of bacteria to fungi decreased significantly with incremental SMX and Cu, and principal component analysis of the PLFAs showed that soil microbial composition was significantly affected by SMX interacted with Cu at 500 mg kg(-1). All of these results indicated that the interaction of SMX and Cu was synergistic to amplify the negative effect of SMX on soil microbial biomass, structural composition, and even the enzymatic function.

Interaction between blood-brain barrier and glymphatic system in solute clearance.

Science.gov (United States)

Verheggen, I C M; Van Boxtel, M P J; Verhey, F R J; Jansen, J F A; Backes, W H

2018-03-30

Neurovascular pathology concurs with protein accumulation, as the brain vasculature is important for waste clearance. Interstitial solutes, such as amyloid-β, were previously thought to be primarily cleared from the brain by blood-brain barrier transport. Recently, the glymphatic system was discovered, in which cerebrospinal fluid is exchanged with interstitial fluid, facilitated by the aquaporin-4 water channels on the astroglial endfeet. Glymphatic flow can clear solutes from the interstitial space. Blood-brain barrier transport and glymphatic clearance likely serve complementary roles with partially overlapping mechanisms providing a well-conditioned neuronal environment. Disruption of these mechanisms can lead to protein accumulation and may initiate neurodegenerative disorders, for instance amyloid-β accumulation and Alzheimer's disease. Although both mechanisms seem to have a similar purpose, their interaction has not been clearly discussed previously. This review focusses on this interaction in healthy and pathological conditions. Future health initiatives improving waste clearance might delay or even prevent onset of neurodegenerative disorders. Defining glymphatic flow kinetics using imaging may become an alternative way to identify those at risk of Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Microbial network for waste activated sludge cascade utilization in an integrated system of microbial electrolysis and anaerobic fermentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Wenzong; He, Zhangwei; Yang, Chunxue

2016-01-01

in an integrated system of microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) and anaerobic digestion (AD) for waste activated sludge (WAS). Microbial communities in integrated system would build a thorough energetic and metabolic interaction network regarding fermentation communities and electrode respiring communities...... to Firmicutes (Acetoanaerobium, Acetobacterium, and Fusibacter) showed synergistic relationship with exoelectrogensin the degradation of complex organic matter or recycling of MEC products (H2). High protein and polysaccharide but low fatty acid content led to the dominance of Proteiniclasticum...... biofilm. The overall performance of WAS cascade utilization was substantially related to the microbial community structures, which in turn depended on the initial pretreatment to enhance WAS fermentation. It is worth noting that species in AD and MEC communities are able to build complex networks...

Interactive telemedicine solution based on a secure mHealth application.

Science.gov (United States)

Eldeib, Ayman M

2014-01-01

In dynamic healthcare environments, caregivers and patients are constantly moving. To increase the healthcare quality when it is necessary, caregivers need the ability to reach each other and securely access medical information and services from wherever they happened to be. This paper presents an Interactive Telemedicine Solution (ITS) to facilitate and automate the communication within a healthcare facility via Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), regular mobile phones, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Our system has the capability to exchange/provide securely healthcare information/services across geographic barriers through 3G/4G wireless communication network. Our system assumes the availability of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system locally in the healthcare organization and/or on the cloud network such as a nation-wide EHR system. This paper demonstrate the potential of our system to provide effectively and securely remote healthcare solution.

Long-term oil contamination alters the molecular ecological networks of soil microbial functional genes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuting eLiang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available With knowledge on microbial composition and diversity, investigation of within-community interactions is a further step to elucidate microbial ecological functions, such as the biodegradation of hazardous contaminants. In this work, microbial functional molecular ecological networks were studied in both contaminated and uncontaminated soils to determine the possible influences of oil contamination on microbial interactions and potential functions. Soil samples were obtained from an oil-exploring site located in South China, and the microbial functional genes were analyzed with GeoChip, a high-throughput functional microarray. By building random networks based on null model, we demonstrated that overall network structures and properties were significantly different between contaminated and uncontaminated soils (P < 0.001. Network connectivity, module numbers, and modularity were all reduced with contamination. Moreover, the topological roles of the genes (module hub and connectors were altered with oil contamination. Subnetworks of genes involved in alkane and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degradation were also constructed. Negative co-occurrence patterns prevailed among functional genes, thereby indicating probable competition relationships. The potential keystone genes, defined as either hubs or genes with highest connectivities in the network, were further identified. The network constructed in this study predicted the potential effects of anthropogenic contamination on microbial community co-occurrence interactions.

Responses to microbial challenges by SLAMF receptors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boaz Job Van Driel

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The SLAMF Family (SLAMF of cell surface glycoproteins is comprised of nine glycoproteins and whilst SLAMF1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are self-ligand receptors, SLAMF2 and SLAMF4 interact with each other. Their interactions induce signal transduction networks in trans, thereby shaping immune cell-cell communications. Collectively, these receptors modulate a wide range of functions, such as myeloid cell and lymphocyte development and, T and B cell responses to microbes and parasites. In addition, several SLAMF receptors serve as microbial sensors, which either positively or negatively modulate the function of macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils and NK cells in response to microbial challenges. The SLAMF receptor-microbe interactions contribute both to intracellular microbicidal activity as well as to migration of phagocytes to the site of inflammation. In this review, we describe the current knowledge on how the SLAMF receptors and their specific adapters SAP and EAT-2 regulate innate and adaptive immune responses to microbes.

Evaluation of catalytic properties of tungsten carbide for the anode of microbial fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosenbaum, Miriam; Zhao, Feng; Quaas, Marion; Wulff, Harm; Schroeder, Uwe; Scholz, Fritz [Universitaet Greifswald, Institut fuer Biochemie, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17487 Greifswald (Germany)

2007-07-31

In this communication we discuss the properties of tungsten carbide, WC, as anodic electrocatalyst for microbial fuel cell application. The electrocatalytic activity of tungsten carbide is evaluated in the light of its preparation procedure, its structural properties as well as the pH and the composition of the anolyte solution and the catalyst load. The activity of the noble-metal-free electrocatalyst towards the oxidation of several common microbial fermentation products (hydrogen, formate, lactate, ethanol) is studied for microbial fuel cell conditions (e.g., pH 5, room temperature and ambient pressure). Current densities of up to 8.8 mA cm{sup -2} are achieved for hydrogen (hydrogen saturated electrolyte solution), and up to 2 mA cm{sup -2} for formate and lactate, respectively. No activity was observed for ethanol electrooxidation. The electrocatalytic activity and chemical stability of tungsten carbide is excellent in acidic to pH neutral potassium chloride electrolyte solutions, whereas higher phosphate concentrations at neutral pH support an oxidative degradation. (author)

Microbial reduction of uranium(VI) in sediments of different lithologies collected from Sellafield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newsome, Laura; Morris, Katherine; Trivedi, Divyesh; Atherton, Nick; Lloyd, Jonathan R.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • U(VI) (aq) mobility can be controlled by stimulating biogeochemical interactions. • Indigenous microbes in varied sediments reduced U(VI) to insoluble U(IV). • Sediment cell numbers and amount of bioavailable Fe(III) could limit this process. - Abstract: The presence of uranium in groundwater at nuclear sites can be controlled by microbial processes. Here we describe the results from stimulating microbial reduction of U(VI) in sediment samples obtained from a nuclear-licensed site in the UK. A variety of different lithology sediments were selected to represent the heterogeneity of the subsurface at a site underlain by glacial outwash deposits and sandstone. The natural sediment microbial communities were stimulated via the addition of an acetate/lactate electron donor mix and were monitored for changes in geochemistry and molecular ecology. Most sediments facilitated the removal of 12 ppm U(VI) during the onset of Fe(III)-reducing conditions; this was reflected by an increase in the proportion of known Fe(III)- and U(VI)-reducing species. However U(VI) remained in solution in two sediments and Fe(III)-reducing conditions did not develop. Sequential extractions, addition of an Fe(III)-enrichment culture and most probable number enumerations revealed that a lack of bioavailable iron or low cell numbers of Fe(III)-reducing bacteria may be responsible. These results highlight the potential for stimulation of microbial U(VI)-reduction to be used as a bioremediation strategy at UK nuclear sites, and they emphasise the importance of both site-specific and borehole-specific investigations to be completed prior to implementation

A microbial trigger for gelled polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bailey, S.; Bryant, R.; Zhu, T.

1995-12-31

A process using a microbially gelled biopolymer was developed and used to modify permeability in coreflood experiments. Alkaline-soluble curdlan biopolymer was mixed with microbial nutrients and acid-producing alkaliphilic bacteria, and injected into Berea sandstone cores. Concurrent bottle tests with the polymer solution were incubated beside the core. Polymer in the bottle tests formed rigid gel in 2-5 days at 27{degree}C. After 7 days incubation, 25-35 psi fluid pressure was required to begin flow through the cores. Permeability of the cores was decreased from 852 md to 2.99 md and from 904 md to 4.86 md, respectively, giving residual resistance factors of 334 and 186.

Microbial Ecology of Soil Aggregation in Agroecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmockel, K. S.; Bell, S.; Tfailly, M.; Thompson, A.; Callister, S.

2017-12-01

Crop selection and soil texture influence the physicochemical attributes of the soil, which structures microbial communities and influences soil C cycling storage. At the molecular scale, microbial metabolites and necromass alter the soil environment, which creates feedbacks that influence ecosystem functions, including soil C accumulation. By integrating lab to field studies we aim to identify the molecules, organisms and metabolic pathways that control carbon cycling and stabilization in bioenergy soils. We investigated the relative influence of plants, microbes, and minerals on soil aggregate ecology at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research experiment. Sites in WI and MI, USA have been in corn and switchgrass cropping systems for a decade. By comparing soil aggregate ecology across sites and cropping systems we are able to test the relative importance of plant, microbe, mineral influences on soil aggregate dynamics. Soil microbial communities (16S) differ in diversity and phylogeny among sites and cropping systems. FT-ICR MS revealed differences in the molecular composition of water-soluble fraction of soil organic matter for cropping systems and soil origin for both relative abundance of assigned formulas and biogeochemical classes of compounds. We found the degree of aggregation, measured by mean weighted diameter of aggregate fractions, is influenced by plant-soil interactions. Similarly, the proportion of soil aggregate fractions varied by both soil and plant factors. Differences in aggregation were reflected in differences in bacterial, but not fungal community composition across aggregate fractions, within each soil. Scanning electron microscopy revealed stark differences in mineral-organic interactions that influence the microbial niche and the accessibility of substrates within the soil. The clay soils show greater surface heterogeneity, enabling interactions with organic fraction of the soil. This is consistent with molecular data that reveal differences

Hydrogen Generation in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Electrolysis Cells Using a Heat-Regenerated Salt Solution

KAUST Repository

Nam, Joo-Youn

2012-05-01

Hydrogen gas can be electrochemically produced in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells (MRECs) using current derived from organic matter and salinity-gradient energy such as river water and seawater solutions. Here, it is shown that ammonium bicarbonate salts, which can be regenerated using low-temperature waste heat, can also produce sufficient voltage for hydrogen gas generation in an MREC. The maximum hydrogen production rate was 1.6 m3 H2/m3·d, with a hydrogen yield of 3.4 mol H2/mol acetate at a salinity ratio of infinite. Energy recovery was 10% based on total energy applied with an energy efficiency of 22% based on the consumed energy in the reactor. The cathode overpotential was dependent on the catholyte (sodium bicarbonate) concentration, but not the salinity ratio, indicating high catholyte conductivity was essential for maximizing hydrogen production rates. The direction of the HC and LC flows (co- or counter-current) did not affect performance in terms of hydrogen gas volume, production rates, or stack voltages. These results show that the MREC can be successfully operated using ammonium bicarbonate salts that can be regenerated using conventional distillation technologies and waste heat making the MREC a useful method for hydrogen gas production from wastes. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Urban Wastewater Impacts on the Spatial Distribution of Solutes and Microbial Constituents in the Musi River, India

Science.gov (United States)

Ensink, J.; Scott, C. A.; Cairncross, S.

2006-05-01

Wastewater discharge from expanding urban centers deteriorates the quality of receiving waters, a trend that has management and investment implications for cities around the world. This paper presents the results of a 14-month water quality evaluation over a 40-km longitudinal profile downstream of the city of Hyderabad, India (population 7 million) on the Musi River, a tributary to the Krishna River. Upstream to downstream improvements in Musi water quality for microbial constituents (nematode egg, faecal coliform), dissolved oxygen, and nitrate are attributed to natural attenuation processes (dilution, die-off, sedimentation and biological processes) coupled with the effects of in-stream hydraulic infrastructure (weirs and reservoirs). Conversely, upstream to downstream increases in total dissolved solids concentrations are caused by off- stream infrastructure and agricultural water use resulting in crop evapotranspiration and increased solute concentration in the return flow of irrigation diverted upstream in the wastewater system. Future water quality management challenges resulting from rampant urban growth, particularly in developing countries, are discussed.

Geochemical and numerical modelling of interactions between solid solutions and an aqueous solution. Extension of a reactive transport computer code called Archimede and application to reservoirs diagenesis; Modelisation geochimique et numerique des interactions entre des solutions solides et une solution aqueuse: extension du logiciel de reaction-transport archimede et application a la diagenese des reservoirs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nourtier-Mazauric, E.

2003-03-15

This thesis presents a thermodynamic and kinetic model of interactions between a fluid and ideal solid solutions represented by several end-members. The reaction between a solid solution and the aqueous solution results from the competition between the stoichiometric dissolution of the initial solid solution and the co-precipitation of the least soluble solid solution in the fluid at considered time. This model was implemented in ARCHIMEDE, a computer code of reactive transport in porous media, then applied to various examples. In the case of binary solid solutions, a graphical method allowed to determine the compositions of the precipitating solid solutions, with the aid of the end-member chemical potentials. The obtained program could be used to notably model the diagenesis of clayey or carbonated oil reservoirs, or the ground pollutant dispersion. (author)

The effect of biochar and its interaction with the earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus on soil microbial community structure in tropical soils.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Paz-Ferreiro

Full Text Available Biochar effects on soil microbial abundance and community structure are keys for understanding the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and organic matter turnover, but are poorly understood, in particular in tropical areas. We conducted a greenhouse experiment in which we added biochars produced from four different feedstocks [sewage sludge (B1, deinking sewage sludge (B2, Miscanthus (B3 and pine wood (B4] at a rate of 3% (w/w to two tropical soils (an Acrisol and a Ferralsol planted with proso millet (Panicum milliaceum L.. The interactive effect of the addition of earthworms was also addressed. For this purpose we utilized soil samples from pots with or without the earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus, which is a ubiquitous earthworm in tropical soils. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA measurements showed that biochar type, soil type and the presence of earthworms significantly affected soil microbial community size and structure. In general, biochar addition affected fungal but not bacterial populations. Overall, biochars rich in ash (B1 and B2 resulted in a marked increase in the fungi to bacteria ratio, while this ratio was unaltered after addition of biochars with a high fixed carbon content (B3 and B4. Our study remarked the contrasting effect that both, biochar prepared from different materials and macrofauna, can have on soil microbial community. Such changes might end up with ecosystem-level effects.

Direct interaction between linear electron transfer chains and solute transport systems in bacteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elferink, Marieke G.L.; Hellingwerf, Klaas J.; Belkum, Marco J. van; Poolman, Bert; Konings, Wil N.

1984-01-01

In studies on alanine and lactose transport in Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides we have demonstrated that the rate of solute uptake in this phototrophic bacterium is regulated by the rate of light-induced cyclic electron transfer. In the present paper the interaction between linear electron transfer

Mapping microbial ecosystems and spoilage-gene flow in breweries highlights patterns of contamination and resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Bokulich, Nicholas A; Bergsveinson, Jordyn; Ziola, Barry; Mills, David A

2015-03-10

Distinct microbial ecosystems have evolved to meet the challenges of indoor environments, shaping the microbial communities that interact most with modern human activities. Microbial transmission in food-processing facilities has an enormous impact on the qualities and healthfulness of foods, beneficially or detrimentally interacting with food products. To explore modes of microbial transmission and spoilage-gene frequency in a commercial food-production scenario, we profiled hop-resistance gene frequencies and bacterial and fungal communities in a brewery. We employed a Bayesian approach for predicting routes of contamination, revealing critical control points for microbial management. Physically mapping microbial populations over time illustrates patterns of dispersal and identifies potential contaminant reservoirs within this environment. Habitual exposure to beer is associated with increased abundance of spoilage genes, predicting greater contamination risk. Elucidating the genetic landscapes of indoor environments poses important practical implications for food-production systems and these concepts are translatable to other built environments.

Interaction of indium trichloride with calcium carbonate in aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kochetkova, N.V.; Toptygina, G.M.; Soklakova, O.V.; Evdokimov, V.I.

1991-01-01

Interaction of indium trichloride with calcium carbonate in aqueous solutions was studied, using methods of potentiometry, isothermal solubility and physicochemical computer simulating. The Gibb's energy value for crystal indium trihydroxide formation was calculated on the basis of experimental data on In(OH) 3 solubility. The value obtained was used for estimating equilibrium composition of InCl 3 -HCl-CaCO 3 -CO 2 -H 2 O system at a temperature of 25 deg C and carbon dioxide partial pressure of 0.05 to 1 at

Effect of ternary solute interaction on interfacial segregation and grain boundary embrittlement

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lejček, Pavel

2013-01-01

Roč. 48, č. 14 (2013), 4965-4972 ISSN 0022-2461 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2011026; GA ČR GAP108/12/0144 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520 Keywords : interfacial segregation * intergranular embrittlement * solute interaction * modeling * thermodynamics Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.305, year: 2013

The effect of soil habitat connectivity on microbial interactions, community structure and diversity: a microcosm-based approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolf, A.B.

2014-01-01

Soils contain tremendous microbial phylogenetic and functional diversity. Recent advances in the application of molecular methods into microbial ecology have provided a new appreciation of the extent of soil-borne microbial diversity, but our understanding of the forces that shape and maintain this

Interaction of Celestine Concentrate and Reagent Grade SrSO4 with Oxalate Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdullah Obut

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The interaction of reagent grade strontium sulphate and celestine concentrate with aqueous solutions of oxalic acid, sodiumoxalate and ammonium oxalate for the production of strontium carbonate were investigated for different oxalate compound:SrSO4 moleratios and reaction times using x-ray diffraction analysis and dissolution tests. Under the same experimental conditions, it was foundthat aqueous oxalic acid and sodium oxalate solutions had no or little effect on reagent grade strontium sulphate or celestineconcentrate, but aqueous ammonium oxalate solution converted them into strontium oxalate hydrate. Strontium carbonate was obtainedat conversion ratios of 74.7% for the celestine concentrate and 84.6 % for the reagent grade strontium sulphate by the decompositionof the obtained strontium oxalate hydrate at 600 °C under air atmosphere.

Interaction of radiation-generated radicals with myoglobin in aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitburn, K.D.; Hoffman, M.Z.

1984-01-01

The interaction of radiation-generated OH/H with oxymyoglobin (MbO 2 ) has been studied in the presence of catalase at pH 7.3 over the range of 5 to 510 μM O 2 . The conversion of MbO 2 to heme-modified products has been examined under conditions where depletion of O 2 in irradiated solutions both can and cannot be compensated by O 2 -transfer across the solution phase boundary. In the theoretical limit of [O 2 ] -> 0 in bulk solution, MbO 2 is converted stoichiometrically to ferri- and ferromyoglobin with G(-MbO 2 ) approx.= 6.0, G(ferroMb) approx.3.0, and G(ferriMb) approx.= 3.0. An increase in [O 2 ] in bulk solution beyond the zero-limit progressively suppresses the conversion of MbO 2 to the heme-modified derivatives. At [O 2 ] >300 μM, an O 2 -independent path of ferriMb formation with G approx.= 0.6 is evident. Two sources of ferriMb induced by OH/H are proposed: an O 2 -independent path involving direct oxidative attack of OH at the oxyferroheme, and O 2 -dependent paths of production of ferriMb and ferroMb involving the mediation of O 2 -scavengeable secondary hemeprotein radicals. It is suggested that the modifications of the heme group in the absence of O 2 are accompanied by redox modifications on the globin moiety. (author)

[Effects of biochar on microbial ecology in agriculture soil: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yan-Li; Liu, Jie; Wang, Ying-Ying

2013-11-01

Biochar, as a new type of soil amendment, has been obtained considerable attention in the research field of environmental sciences worldwide. The studies on the effects of biochar in improving soil physical and chemical properties started quite earlier, and already covered the field of soil microbial ecology. However, most of the studies considered the soil physical and chemical properties and the microbial ecology separately, with less consideration of their interactions. This paper summarized and analyzed the interrelationships between the changes of soil physical and chemical properties and of soil microbial community after the addition of biochar. Biochar can not only improve soil pH value, strengthen soil water-holding capacity, increase soil organic matter content, but also affect soil microbial community structure, and alter the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi. After the addition of biochar, the soil environment and soil microorganisms are interacted each other, and promote the improvement of soil microbial ecological system together. This review was to provide a novel perspective for the in-depth studies of the effects of biochar on soil microbial ecology, and to promote the researches on the beneficial effects of biochar to the environment from ecological aspect. The methods to improve the effectiveness of biochar application were discussed, and the potential applications of biochar in soil bioremediation were further analyzed.

Application of Differential Colorimetry To Evaluate Anthocyanin-Flavonol-Flavanol Ternary Copigmentation Interactions in Model Solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordillo, Belén; Rodríguez-Pulido, Francisco J; González-Miret, M Lourdes; Quijada-Morín, Natalia; Rivas-Gonzalo, Julián C; García-Estévez, Ignacio; Heredia, Francisco J; Escribano-Bailón, M Teresa

2015-09-09

The combined effect of anthocyanin-flavanol-flavonol ternary interactions on the colorimetric and chemical stability of malvidin-3-glucoside has been studied. Model solutions with fixed malvidin-3-glucoside/(+)-catechin ratio (MC) and variable quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside concentration (MC+Q) and solutions with fixed malvidin-3-glucoside/quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside ratio (MQ) and variable (+)-catechin concentration (MQ+C) were tested at levels closer to those existing in wines. Color variations during storage were evaluated by differential colorimetry. Changes in the anthocyanin concentration were monitored by HPLC-DAD. CIELAB color-difference formulas were demonstrated to be of practical interest to assess the stronger and more stable interaction of quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside with MC binary mixture than (+)-catechin with MQ mixture. The results imply that MC+Q ternary solutions kept their intensity and bluish tonalities for a longer time in comparison to MQ+C solutions. The stability of malvidin-3-glucoside improves when the concentration of quercetin-3-β-d-glucoside increases in MC+Q mixtures, whereas the addition of (+)-catechin in MQ+C mixtures resulted in an opposite effect.

Soil microbial community and its interaction with soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics following afforestation in central China.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Qi; Cheng, Xiaoli; Hui, Dafeng; Zhang, Qian; Li, Ming; Zhang, Quanfa

2016-01-15

Afforestation may alter soil microbial community structure and function, and further affect soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics. Here we investigated soil microbial carbon and nitrogen (MBC and MBN) and microbial community [e.g. bacteria (B), fungi (F)] derived from phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) analysis in afforested (implementing woodland and shrubland plantations) and adjacent croplands in central China. Relationships of microbial properties with biotic factors [litter, fine root, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and inorganic N], abiotic factors (soil temperature, moisture and pH), and major biological processes [basal microbial respiration, microbial metabolic quotient (qCO2), net N mineralization and nitrification] were developed. Afforested soils had higher mean MBC, MBN and MBN:TN ratios than the croplands due to an increase in litter input, but had lower MBC:SOC ratio resulting from low-quality (higher C:N ratio) litter. Afforested soils also had higher F:B ratio, which was probably attributed to higher C:N ratios in litter and soil, and shifts of soil inorganic N forms, water, pH and disturbance. Alterations in soil microbial biomass and community structure following afforestation were associated with declines in basal microbial respiration, qCO2, net N mineralization and nitrification, which likely maintained higher soil carbon and nitrogen storage and stability. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Belowground Carbon Allocation and Plant-Microbial Interactions Drive Resistance and Resilience of Mountain Grassland Communities to Drought

Science.gov (United States)

Karlowsky, S.; Augusti, A.; Ingrisch, J.; Hasibeder, R.; Lavorel, S.; Bahn, M.; Gleixner, G.

2016-12-01

Belowground carbon allocation (BCA) and plant-microbial interactions are crucial for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Recent research suggests that extreme events can have severe effects on these processes but it is unknown how land use intensity potentially modifies their responses. We studied the resistance and resilience of mountain grassland communities to prolonged drought and investigated the role of plant C allocation and soil microbial communities in mediating drought resistance and immediate recovery. In a common garden experiment we exposed monoliths from an abandoned grassland and a hay meadow to an early summer drought. Two independent 13C pulse labeling experiments were conducted, the first during peak drought and the second during the recovery phase. The 13C incorporation was analyzed in above- and belowground plant parts and in phospho- and neutral lipid fatty acids of soil microorganisms. In addition, a 15N label was added at the rewetting to determine plant N uptake. We found that C uptake, BCA and C transfer to soil microorganisms were less strongly reduced by drought in the abandoned grassland than in the meadow. Moreover, drought induced an increase of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) marker in the abandoned grassland. Nevertheless, C uptake and related parameters were quickly recovered and N uptake increased in the meadow during recovery. Unexpectedly, AMF and their C uptake were generally reduced during recovery, while bacteria increased and quickly recovered C uptake, particularly in the meadow. Our results showed a negative relation between high resistance and fast recovery. The more resistant abandoned grassland plant communities seemed to invest more C below ground and into interactions with AMF during drought, likely to access water through their hyphal network. Conversely, meadow communities invested more C from recent photosynthesis into bacterial communities during recovery, obviously to gain more nutrients for regrowth

Exogenous Nitrogen Addition Reduced the Temperature Sensitivity of Microbial Respiration without Altering the Microbial Community Composition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Wei

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric nitrogen (N deposition is changing in both load quantity and chemical composition. The load effects have been studied extensively, whereas the composition effects remain poorly understood. We conducted a microcosm experiment to study how N chemistry affected the soil microbial community composition characterized by phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs and activity indicated by microbial CO2 release. Surface and subsurface soils collected from an old-growth subtropical forest were supplemented with three N-containing materials (ammonium, nitrate, and urea at the current regional deposition load (50 kg ha-1 yr-1 and incubated at three temperatures (10, 20, and 30°C to detect the interactive effects of N deposition and temperature. The results showed that the additions of N, regardless of form, did not alter the microbial PLFAs at any of the three temperatures. However, the addition of urea significantly stimulated soil CO2 release in the early incubation stage. Compared with the control, N addition consistently reduced the temperature dependency of microbial respiration, implying that N deposition could potentially weaken the positive feedback of the warming-stimulated soil CO2 release to the atmosphere. The consistent N effects for the surface and subsurface soils suggest that the effects of N on soil microbial communities may be independent of soil chemical contents and stoichiometry.

Friction of N-bead macromolecules in solution: Effects of the bead-solvent interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uvarov, Alexander; Fritzsche, Stephan

2006-01-01

The role of the bead-solvent interaction has been studied for its influence on the dynamics of an N-bead macromolecule which is immersed into a solution. Using a Fokker-Planck equation for the phase-space distribution function of the macromolecule, we show that all the effects of the solution can be treated entirely in terms of the friction tensors which are assigned to each pair of interacting beads in the chain. For the high-density as well as for the critical solvent, the properties of these tensors are discussed in detail and are calculated by using several (realistic) choices of the bead-solvent potential. From the friction tensors, moreover, an expression for the center-of-mass friction coefficient of a (N-bead) chain macromolecule is derived. Numerical data for this coefficient for 'truncated' Lennard-Jones bead-solvent potential are compared with results from molecular dynamic simulations and from the phenomenological theoretical data as found in the literature

Vector boson star solutions with a quartic order self-interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Minamitsuji, Masato

2018-05-01

We investigate boson star (BS) solutions in the Einstein-Proca theory with the quartic order self-interaction of the vector field λ (AμA¯ μ)2/4 and the mass term μ A¯ μAμ/2 , where Aμ is the complex vector field and A¯μ is the complex conjugate of Aμ, and λ and μ are the coupling constant and the mass of the vector field, respectively. The vector BSs are characterized by the two conserved quantities, the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) mass and the Noether charge associated with the global U (1 ) symmetry. We show that in comparison with the case without the self-interaction λ =0 , the maximal ADM mass and Noether charge increase for λ >0 and decrease for λ vector field above which there is no vector BS solution, and for λ >0 it can be expressed by the simple analytic expression. For a sufficiently large positive coupling Λ ≔Mpl2λ /(8 π μ2)≫1 , the maximal ADM mass and Noether charge of the vector BSs are obtained from the critical central amplitude and of O [√{λ }Mpl3/μ2ln (λ Mpl2/μ2)] , which is different from that of the scalar BSs, O (√{λϕ }Mpl3/μϕ2) , where λϕ and μϕ are the coupling constant and the mass of the complex scalar field.

Exact solution of an Ising model with competing interactions on a Cayley tree

CERN Document Server

Ganikhodjaev, N N; Wahiddin, M R B

2003-01-01

The exact solution of an Ising model with competing restricted interactions on the Cayley tree, and in the absence of an external field is presented. A critical curve is defined where it is possible to get phase transitions above it, and a single Gibbs state is obtained elsewhere.

A calorimetric study of the interactions in the aqueous solutions of lysozyme in the presence of denaturing cosolvents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castronuovo, Giuseppina, E-mail: giuseppina.castronuovo@unina.it [Department of Chemistry, University Federico II of Naples, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, via Cintia, 80126 Naples (Italy); Niccoli, Marcella [Department of Chemistry, University Federico II of Naples, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, via Cintia, 80126 Naples (Italy)

2012-09-10

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A thermodynamic method is reported to monitor the chemical denaturation of lysozyme. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The enthalpic interaction coefficients are very useful parameters to gain information about the mechanism through which two hydrated molecules interact in solution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hypotheses are proposed about the mechanism underlying the denaturation of lysozyme induced by high concentrations of urea or ethanol. - Abstract: A thermodynamic method is reported to monitor the chemical denaturation of lysozyme. Heats of dilution of the protein in concentrated aqueous solutions of urea or ethanol have been determined at 298.15 K by flow microcalorimetry. The pairwise enthalpic interaction coefficients of the protein in the different solvent media are derived. These parameters allow to gain information about the influence of the cosolvents on the interactions acting between two interacting hydrated molecules of lysozyme, hence on the denaturation process. At increasing urea concentration, up to about 6 mol kg{sup -1}, the values of the interaction coefficients are large and negative and remain almost unaltered. The invariance of the coefficients underlines that, even in highly concentrated urea, the hydration shell of the protein is such to maintain essentially unaltered the native conformation. At higher urea concentrations, a sudden change in the sign of the coefficients monitors the variation in the interactions between two hydrated denatured protein molecules. The same trend is found when ethanol is the cosolvent. At increasing concentration of the cosolvent, coefficients are, at first, almost invariant. After that, denaturation occurs, detected as a jump toward much more negative values. The results obtained are rationalized on the basis of those previously found for small model molecules in concentrated solutions of urea or ethanol. The thermodynamic framework allows useful comments to be made on

A calorimetric study of the interactions in the aqueous solutions of lysozyme in the presence of denaturing cosolvents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castronuovo, Giuseppina; Niccoli, Marcella

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A thermodynamic method is reported to monitor the chemical denaturation of lysozyme. ► The enthalpic interaction coefficients are very useful parameters to gain information about the mechanism through which two hydrated molecules interact in solution. ► Hypotheses are proposed about the mechanism underlying the denaturation of lysozyme induced by high concentrations of urea or ethanol. - Abstract: A thermodynamic method is reported to monitor the chemical denaturation of lysozyme. Heats of dilution of the protein in concentrated aqueous solutions of urea or ethanol have been determined at 298.15 K by flow microcalorimetry. The pairwise enthalpic interaction coefficients of the protein in the different solvent media are derived. These parameters allow to gain information about the influence of the cosolvents on the interactions acting between two interacting hydrated molecules of lysozyme, hence on the denaturation process. At increasing urea concentration, up to about 6 mol kg −1 , the values of the interaction coefficients are large and negative and remain almost unaltered. The invariance of the coefficients underlines that, even in highly concentrated urea, the hydration shell of the protein is such to maintain essentially unaltered the native conformation. At higher urea concentrations, a sudden change in the sign of the coefficients monitors the variation in the interactions between two hydrated denatured protein molecules. The same trend is found when ethanol is the cosolvent. At increasing concentration of the cosolvent, coefficients are, at first, almost invariant. After that, denaturation occurs, detected as a jump toward much more negative values. The results obtained are rationalized on the basis of those previously found for small model molecules in concentrated solutions of urea or ethanol. The thermodynamic framework allows useful comments to be made on the possible mode of action of the two cosolvents on the stability of proteins

Genome-driven evolutionary game theory helps understand the rise of metabolic interdependencies in microbial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zomorrodi, Ali R; Segrè, Daniel

2017-11-16

Metabolite exchanges in microbial communities give rise to ecological interactions that govern ecosystem diversity and stability. It is unclear, however, how the rise of these interactions varies across metabolites and organisms. Here we address this question by integrating genome-scale models of metabolism with evolutionary game theory. Specifically, we use microbial fitness values estimated by metabolic models to infer evolutionarily stable interactions in multi-species microbial "games". We first validate our approach using a well-characterized yeast cheater-cooperator system. We next perform over 80,000 in silico experiments to infer how metabolic interdependencies mediated by amino acid leakage in Escherichia coli vary across 189 amino acid pairs. While most pairs display shared patterns of inter-species interactions, multiple deviations are caused by pleiotropy and epistasis in metabolism. Furthermore, simulated invasion experiments reveal possible paths to obligate cross-feeding. Our study provides genomically driven insight into the rise of ecological interactions, with implications for microbiome research and synthetic ecology.

Theoretical investigation of interaction of sorbitol molecules with alcohol dehydrogenase in aqueous solution using molecular dynamics simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bahrami, Homayoon; Zahedi, Mansour; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar; Azizian, Homa; Amanlou, Massoud

2011-03-01

The nature of protein-sorbitol-water interaction in solution at the molecular level, has been investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. In order to do this task, two molecular dynamics simulations of the protein ADH in solution at room temperature have been carried out, one in the presence (about 0.9 M) and another in the absence of sorbitol. The results show that the sorbitol molecules cluster and move toward the protein, and form hydrogen bonds with protein. Also, coating by sorbitol reduces the conformational fluctuations of the protein compared to the sorbitol-free system. Thus, it is concluded that at moderate concentration of sorbitol solution, sorbitol molecules interact with ADH via many H-bonds that prevent the protein folding. In fact, at more concentrated sorbitol solution, water and sorbitol molecules accumulate around the protein surface and form a continuous space-filling network to reduce the protein flexibility. Namely, in such solution, sorbitol molecules can stabilize a misfolded state of ADH, and prevent the protein from folding to its native structure.

Shifts in microbial populations in Rusitec fermenters as affected by the type of diet and impact of the method for estimating microbial growth (15N v. microbial DNA).

Science.gov (United States)

Mateos, I; Ranilla, M J; Saro, C; Carro, M D

2017-11-01

Rusitec fermenters are in vitro systems widely used to study ruminal fermentation, but little is known about the microbial populations establishing in them. This study was designed to assess the time evolution of microbial populations in fermenters fed medium- (MC; 50% alfalfa hay : concentrate) and high-concentrate diets (HC; 15 : 85 barley straw : concentrate). Samples from solid (SOL) and liquid (LIQ) content of fermenters were taken immediately before feeding on days 3, 8 and 14 of incubation for quantitative polymerase chain reaction and automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis analyses. In SOL, total bacterial DNA concentration and relative abundance of Ruminococcus flavefaciens remained unchanged over the incubation period, but protozoal DNA concentration and abundance of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus and fungi decreased and abundance of methanogenic archaea increased. In LIQ, total bacterial DNA concentration increased with time, whereas concentration of protozoal DNA and abundance of methanogens and fungi decreased. Diet×time interactions were observed for bacterial and protozoal DNA and relative abundance of F. succinogenes and R. albus in SOL, as well as for protozoal DNA in LIQ. Bacterial diversity in SOL increased with time, but no changes were observed in LIQ. The incubated diet influenced all microbial populations, with the exception of total bacteria and fungi abundance in LIQ. Bacterial diversity was higher in MC-fed than in HC-fed fermenters in SOL, but no differences were detected in LIQ. Values of pH, daily production of volatile fatty acids and CH4 and isobutyrate proportions remained stable over the incubation period, but other fermentation parameters varied with time. The relationships among microbial populations and fermentation parameters were in well agreement with those previously reported in in vivo studies. Using 15N as a microbial marker or quantifying total microbial DNA for estimating microbial protein synthesis

Solute-solvent interactions in chloroform solutions of halogenated symmetric double Schiff bases of 1,1'-bis(4-aminophenyl)cyclohexane at 308.15 K according to ultrasonic and viscosity data

Science.gov (United States)

Gangani, B. J.; Patel, J. P.; Parsania, P. H.

2015-12-01

The density, viscosity and ultrasonic speed (2 MHz) of chloroform solutions of halogenated symmetric double Schiff bases of 1,1'-bis(4-aminophenyl)cyclohexane were investigated at 308.15 K. Various acoustical parameters such as specific acoustical impedance ( Z), adiabatic compressibility ( Ka), Rao's molar sound function ( R m), van der Waals constant ( b), internal pressure (π), free volume ( V f), intermolecular free path length ( L f), classical absorption coefficient (α/ f 2)Cl) and viscous relaxation time (τ) were determine using ultrasonic speed ( U), viscosity (η) and density (ρ) data of Schiff bases solutions and correlated with concentration. Linear increase of Z, b, R, τ, and (α/ f 2)Cl except π (nonlinear) and linear decrease of Ka and L f except V f (nonlinear) with increasing concentration of Schiff bases suggested presence of strong molecular interactions in the solutions. The positive values of solvation number further supported strong molecular interactions in the solutions. The nature and position of halogen substituent also affected the strength of molecular interactions.

Diet and host-microbial crosstalk in postnatal intestinal immune homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Nitya; Walker, W Allan

2015-01-01

Neonates face unique challenges in the period following birth. The postnatal immune system is in the early stages of development and has a range of functional capabilities that are distinct from the mature adult immune system. Bidirectional immune-microbial interactions regulate the development of mucosal immunity and alter the composition of the microbiota, which contributes to overall host well-being. In the past few years, nutrition has been highlighted as a third element in this interaction that governs host health by modulating microbial composition and the function of the immune system. Dietary changes and imbalances can disturb the immune-microbiota homeostasis, which might alter susceptibility to several autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Major changes in cultural traditions, socioeconomic status and agriculture are affecting the nutritional status of humans worldwide, which is altering core intestinal microbial communities. This phenomenon is especially relevant to the neonatal and paediatric populations, in which the microbiota and immune system are extremely sensitive to dietary influences. In this Review, we discuss the current state of knowledge regarding early-life nutrition, its effects on the microbiota and the consequences of diet-induced perturbation of the structure of the microbial community on mucosal immunity and disease susceptibility.

Self-interacting inelastic dark matter: a viable solution to the small scale structure problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blennow, Mattias; Clementz, Stefan; Herrero-Garcia, Juan, E-mail: emb@kth.se, E-mail: scl@kth.se, E-mail: juan.herrero-garcia@adelaide.edu.au [Department of Physics, School of Engineering Sciences, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 106 91 Stockholm (Sweden)

2017-03-01

Self-interacting dark matter has been proposed as a solution to the small-scale structure problems, such as the observed flat cores in dwarf and low surface brightness galaxies. If scattering takes place through light mediators, the scattering cross section relevant to solve these problems may fall into the non-perturbative regime leading to a non-trivial velocity dependence, which allows compatibility with limits stemming from cluster-size objects. However, these models are strongly constrained by different observations, in particular from the requirements that the decay of the light mediator is sufficiently rapid (before Big Bang Nucleosynthesis) and from direct detection. A natural solution to reconcile both requirements are inelastic endothermic interactions, such that scatterings in direct detection experiments are suppressed or even kinematically forbidden if the mass splitting between the two-states is sufficiently large. Using an exact solution when numerically solving the Schrödinger equation, we study such scenarios and find regions in the parameter space of dark matter and mediator masses, and the mass splitting of the states, where the small scale structure problems can be solved, the dark matter has the correct relic abundance and direct detection limits can be evaded.

Quantitative microbiome profiling links gut community variation to microbial load.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandeputte, Doris; Kathagen, Gunter; D'hoe, Kevin; Vieira-Silva, Sara; Valles-Colomer, Mireia; Sabino, João; Wang, Jun; Tito, Raul Y; De Commer, Lindsey; Darzi, Youssef; Vermeire, Séverine; Falony, Gwen; Raes, Jeroen

2017-11-23

Current sequencing-based analyses of faecal microbiota quantify microbial taxa and metabolic pathways as fractions of the sample sequence library generated by each analysis. Although these relative approaches permit detection of disease-associated microbiome variation, they are limited in their ability to reveal the interplay between microbiota and host health. Comparative analyses of relative microbiome data cannot provide information about the extent or directionality of changes in taxa abundance or metabolic potential. If microbial load varies substantially between samples, relative profiling will hamper attempts to link microbiome features to quantitative data such as physiological parameters or metabolite concentrations. Saliently, relative approaches ignore the possibility that altered overall microbiota abundance itself could be a key identifier of a disease-associated ecosystem configuration. To enable genuine characterization of host-microbiota interactions, microbiome research must exchange ratios for counts. Here we build a workflow for the quantitative microbiome profiling of faecal material, through parallelization of amplicon sequencing and flow cytometric enumeration of microbial cells. We observe up to tenfold differences in the microbial loads of healthy individuals and relate this variation to enterotype differentiation. We show how microbial abundances underpin both microbiota variation between individuals and covariation with host phenotype. Quantitative profiling bypasses compositionality effects in the reconstruction of gut microbiota interaction networks and reveals that the taxonomic trade-off between Bacteroides and Prevotella is an artefact of relative microbiome analyses. Finally, we identify microbial load as a key driver of observed microbiota alterations in a cohort of patients with Crohn's disease, here associated with a low-cell-count Bacteroides enterotype (as defined through relative profiling).

Biochar affects soil organic matter cycling and microbial functions but does not alter microbial community structure in a paddy soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jing; Wang, Jingyuan; Dippold, Michaela; Gao, Yang; Blagodatskaya, Evgenia; Kuzyakov, Yakov

2016-06-15

The application of biochar (BC) in conjunction with mineral fertilizers is one of the most promising management practices recommended to improve soil quality. However, the interactive mechanisms of BC and mineral fertilizer addition affecting microbial communities and functions associated with soil organic matter (SOM) cycling are poorly understood. We investigated the SOM in physical and chemical fractions, microbial community structure (using phospholipid fatty acid analysis, PLFA) and functions (by analyzing enzymes involved in C and N cycling and Biolog) in a 6-year field experiment with BC and NPK amendment. BC application increased total soil C and particulate organic C for 47.4-50.4% and 63.7-74.6%, respectively. The effects of BC on the microbial community and C-cycling enzymes were dependent on fertilization. Addition of BC alone did not change the microbial community compared with the control, but altered the microbial community structure in conjunction with NPK fertilization. SOM fractions accounted for 55% of the variance in the PLFA-related microbial community structure. The particulate organic N explained the largest variation in the microbial community structure. Microbial metabolic activity strongly increased after BC addition, particularly the utilization of amino acids and amines due to an increase in the activity of proteolytic (l-leucine aminopeptidase) enzymes. These results indicate that microorganisms start to mine N from the SOM to compensate for high C:N ratios after BC application, which consequently accelerate cycling of stable N. Concluding, BC in combination with NPK fertilizer application strongly affected microbial community composition and functions, which consequently influenced SOM cycling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ab initio modeling of interactions between screw dislocations and interstitial solutes in body-centered cubic transition metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luthi, Berengere

2017-01-01

In order to improve our understanding of alloy plasticity, it is important to describe at the atomic scale the dislocation-solute interactions and their effect on the dislocation mobility. This work focuses on the body-centered cubic (BCC) transition metals in presence of interstitial solute atoms, in particular the Fe-C system. Using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, the core structure of the screw dislocation of Burgers vector b=1/2<111> was investigated in iron in presence of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen solute atoms, and in BCC metals from group 5 (V, Nb, Ta) and 6 (Mo, W) in presence of carbon solutes. A core reconstruction is evidenced in iron and group 6 metals, along with a strong attractive dislocation-solute interaction energy: the dislocation goes from easy to hard configuration where the solute atoms are at the center of trigonal prisms along the dislocation line. A different behavior is observed in group 5 metals, for which the most stable configuration for the carbon atom is an octahedral site in the vicinity of the dislocation, without any core reconstruction. This group tendency is linked to the structure of mono-carbides. Consequences of the strongly attractive dislocation-solute interactions in Fe(C) were then investigated. First the equilibrium segregation close to the dislocation core was studied using a mean-field model and Monte Carlo simulations. Over a wide temperature range, from 200 to 700 K, a strong segregation is predicted with every other prismatic site occupied by a carbon atom. Then, the mobility of the dislocation in presence of carbon atoms was investigated by modeling the double-kink mechanism with DFT, in relation with experimental data obtained with transmission electron microscopy. The activation energy obtained for this atomic scale mechanism is in good agreement with experimental values for the dynamic strain aging. (author) [fr

Stress, strain, and structural dynamics an interactive handbook of formulas, solutions, and Matlab toolboxes

CERN Document Server

Yang, Bingen

2005-01-01

Stress, Strain, and Structural Dynamics is a comprehensive and definitive reference to statics and dynamics of solids and structures, including mechanics of materials, structural mechanics, elasticity, rigid-body dynamics, vibrations, structural dynamics, and structural controls. This text integrates the development of fundamental theories, formulas and mathematical models with user-friendly interactive computer programs, written in the powerful and popular MATLAB. This unique merger of technical referencing and interactive computing allows instant solution of a variety of engineering problems

Solar energy powered microbial fuel cell with a reversible bioelectrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Strik, David P B T B; Hamelers, Hubertus V M; Buisman, Cees J N

2010-01-01

The solar energy powered microbial fuel cell is an emerging technology for electricity generation via electrochemically active microorganisms fueled by solar energy via in situ photosynthesized metabolites from algae, cyanobacteria, or living higher plants. A general problem with microbial fuel cells is the pH membrane gradient which reduces cell voltage and power output. This problem is caused by acid production at the anode, alkaline production at the cathode, and the nonspecific proton exchange through the membrane. Here we report a solution for a new kind of solar energy powered microbial fuel cell via development of a reversible bioelectrode responsible for both biocatalyzed anodic and cathodic electron transfer. Anodic produced protons were used for the cathodic reduction reaction which held the formation of a pH membrane gradient. The microbial fuel cell continuously generated electricity and repeatedly reversed polarity dependent on aeration or solar energy exposure. Identified organisms within biocatalyzing biofilm of the reversible bioelectrode were algae, (cyano)bacteria and protozoa. These results encourage application of solar energy powered microbial fuel cells.

Methane Production in Microbial Reverse-Electrodialysis Methanogenesis Cells (MRMCs) Using Thermolytic Solutions

KAUST Repository

Luo, Xi

2014-08-05

The utilization of bioelectrochemical systems for methane production has attracted increasing attention, but producing methane in these systems requires additional voltage to overcome large cathode overpotentials. To eliminate the need for electrical grid energy, we constructed a microbial reverse- electrodialysis methanogenesis cell (MRMC) by placing a reverse electrodialysis (RED) stack between an anode with exoelectrogenic microorganisms and a methanogenic biocathode. In the MRMC, renewable salinity gradient energy was converted to electrical energy, thus providing the added potential needed for methane evolution from the cathode. The feasibility of the MRMC was examined using three different cathode materials (stainless steel mesh coated with platinum, SS/Pt; carbon cloth coated with carbon black, CC/CB; or a plain graphite fiber brush, GFB) and a thermolytic solution (ammonium bicarbonate) in the RED stack. A maximum methane yield of 0.60 ± 0.01 mol-CH 4/mol-acetate was obtained using the SS/Pt biocathode, with a Coulombic recovery of 75 ± 2% and energy efficiency of 7.0 ± 0.3%. The CC/CB biocathode MRMC had a lower methane yield of 0.55 ± 0.02 mol-CH4/mol-acetate, which was twice that of the GFB biocathode MRMC. COD removals (89-91%) and Coulombic efficiencies (74-81%) were similar for all cathode materials. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrated that cathodic microorganisms enhanced electron transfer from the cathode compared to abiotic controls. These results show that the MRMC has significant potential for production of nearly pure methane using low-grade waste heat and a source of waste organic matter at the anode. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Caffeine and sugars interact in aqueous solutions: a simulation and NMR study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavagnacco, Letizia; Engström, Olof; Schnupf, Udo; Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Himmel, Michael; Widmalm, Göran; Cesàro, Attilio; Brady, John W

2012-09-27

Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on several systems of caffeine interacting with simple sugars. These included a single caffeine molecule in a 3 m solution of α-D-glucopyranose, at a caffeine concentration of 0.083 m, a single caffeine in a 3 m solution of β-D-glucopyranose, and a single caffeine molecule in a 1.08 m solution of sucrose (table sugar). Parallel nuclear magnetic resonance titration experiments were carried out on the same solutions under similar conditions. Consistent with previous thermodynamic experiments, the sugars were found to have an affinity for the caffeine molecules in both the simulations and experiments, and the binding in these complexes occurs by face-to-face stacking of the hydrophobic triad of protons of the pyranose rings against the caffeine face, rather than by hydrogen bonding. For the disaccharide, the binding occurs via stacking of the glucose ring against the caffeine, with a lesser affinity for the fructose observed. These findings are consistent with the association being driven by hydrophobic hydration and are similar to the previously observed binding of glucose rings to various other planar molecules, including indole, serotonin, and phenol.

The Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure MIRRI: Strength through Coordination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erko Stackebrandt

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Microbial resources have been recognized as essential raw materials for the advancement of health and later for biotechnology, agriculture, food technology and for research in the life sciences, as their enormous abundance and diversity offer an unparalleled source of unexplored solutions. Microbial domain biological resource centres (mBRC provide live cultures and associated data to foster and support the development of basic and applied science in countries worldwide and especially in Europe, where the density of highly advanced mBRCs is high. The not-for-profit and distributed project MIRRI (Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure aims to coordinate access to hitherto individually managed resources by developing a pan-European platform which takes the interoperability and accessibility of resources and data to a higher level. Providing a wealth of additional information and linking to datasets such as literature, environmental data, sequences and chemistry will enable researchers to select organisms suitable for their research and enable innovative solutions to be developed. The current independent policies and managed processes will be adapted by partner mBRCs to harmonize holdings, services, training, and accession policy and to share expertise. The infrastructure will improve access to enhanced quality microorganisms in an appropriate legal framework and to resource-associated data in a more interoperable way.

Microbial deposition of gold nanoparticles by the metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konishi, Y.; Tsukiyama, T.; Tachimi, T.; Saitoh, N.; Nomura, T.; Nagamine, S.

2007-01-01

Microbial reduction and deposition of gold nanoparticles was achieved at 25 deg. C over the pH range 2.0-7.0 using the mesophilic bacterium Shewanella algae in the presence of H 2 as the electron donor. The reductive deposition of gold by the resting cells of S. algae was a fast process: 1 mM AuCl 4 - ions were completely reduced to elemental gold within 30 min. At a solution pH of 7, gold nanoparticles 10-20 nm in size were deposited in the periplasmic space of S. algae cells. At pH 2.8, gold nanoparticles 15-200 nm in size were deposited on the bacterial cells, and the biogenic nanoparticles exhibited a variety of shapes that included nanotriangles: in particular, single crystalline gold nanotriangles 100-200 nm in size were microbially deposited. At a solution pH of 2.0, gold nanoparticles about 20 nm in size were deposited intracellularly, and larger gold particles approximately 350 nm in size were deposited extracellularly. The solution pH was an important factor in controlling the morphology of the biogenic gold particles and the location of gold deposition. Microbial deposition of gold nanoparticles is potentially attractive as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional methods

Quantifying electron fluxes in methanogenic microbial communities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Junicke, H.

2015-01-01

Anaerobic digestion is a widely applied process in which close interactions between different microbial groups result in the formation of renewable energy in the form of biogas. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanisms of the electron transfer between acetogenic bacteria and methanogenic archaea in

An identification procedure for foodborne microbial hazards.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerwen, van S.J.C.; Wit, de J.C.; Notermans, S.; Zwietering, M.H.

1997-01-01

A stepwise and interactive identification procedure for foodborne microbial hazards has been developed in which use is made of several levels of detail ranging from rough hazard identification to comprehensive hazard identification. This approach allows one to tackle the most obvious hazards first,

Interactions between fluorinated cationic guar gum and surfactants in the dilute and semi-dilute solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chen; Li, Xiaorui; Li, Peizhi; Niu, Yuhua

2014-01-01

The interactions between the fluorinated cationic guar gum (FCGG) and ionic surfactants including cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS) were studied by light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-spectrophotometer, (19)F NMR and dynamic rheometer, respectively. The FCGG is prepared with cationic guar gum, isophorone diisocyanate and 2,2,3,4,4,4-hexafluoro-1-butanol. The results show that, with the addition of the surfactants, the stretching degree of the FCGG chains is increased in the FCGG/CTAB solutions, while the dramatical shrinking of FCGG chain, the phase separation and the re-stretched macromolecules appear successively because of the electricity neutralization reaction in the FCGG/SDS system. The mixed hydrophobic domains in all solutions will be reinforced and then dismantled. The solution elasticity shows up the maximum value accordingly. The surfactants can be embedded in the micro-domains and then hinder the fluorinated segmental motions. The interactions between FCGG and SDS are much stronger than those between FCGG and CTAB. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interaction between Al3+ and acrylic acid and polyacrylic acid in acidic aqueous solution: a model experiment for the behavior of Al3+ in acidified soil solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Etou, Mayumi; Masaki, Yuka; Tsuji, Yutaka; Saito, Tomoyuki; Bai, Shuqin; Nishida, Ikuko; Okaue, Yoshihiro; Yokoyama, Takushi

2011-01-01

From the viewpoint of the phytotoxicity and mobility of Al(3+) released from soil minerals due to soil acidification, the interaction between Al(3+) and acrylic acid (AA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a model compound of fulvic acid was investigated. The interaction was examined at pH 3 so as to avoid the hydrolysis of Al(3+). The interaction between Al(3+) and AA was weak. However, the interaction between Al(3+) and PAA was strong and depended on the initial (COOH in PAA)/Al molar ratio (R(P)) of the solution. For the range of 1/R(P), the interaction between Al(3+) and PAA can be divided into three categories: (1) 1:1 Al-PAA-complex (an Al(3+) combines to a carboxyl group), (2) intermolecular Al-PAA-complex (an Al(3+) combines to more than 2 carboxyl groups of other Al-PAA-complexes) in addition to the 1:1 Al-PAA-complex and (3) precipitation of intermolecular complexes. In conclusion, R(P) is an important factor affecting the behavior of Al(3+) in acidic soil solution.

Plant stimulation of soil microbial community succession: how sequential expression mediates soil carbon stabilization and turnover

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Firestone, Mary [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2015-03-31

It is now understood that most plant C is utilized or transformed by soil microorganisms en route to stabilization. Hence the composition of microbial communities that mediate decomposition and transformation of root C is critical, as are the metabolic capabilities of these communities. The change in composition and function of the C-transforming microbial communities over time in effect defines the biological component of soil C stabilization. Our research was designed to test 2 general hypotheses; the first two hypotheses are discussed first; H1: Root-exudate interactions with soil microbial populations results in the expression of enzymatic capacities for macromolecular, complex carbon decomposition; and H2: Microbial communities surrounding roots undergo taxonomic succession linked to functional gene activities as roots grow, mature, and decompose in soil. Over the term of the project we made significant progress in 1) quantifying the temporal pattern of root interactions with the soil decomposing community and 2) characterizing the role of root exudates in mediating these interactions.

Effects of experimental drought on microbial processes in two temperate heathlands at contrasting water conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, K.D.; Beier, C.; Michelsen, A.

2003-01-01

by a 27% reduced below ground CO(2) emission, and reduced microbial and soil solution carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) levels. In contrast, microbial activity at the wetter UK site seemed to benefit from the drought as indicated by a 22% increase in below ground CO(2) emission caused by the drought treatment...

Microbial populations in contaminant plumes

Science.gov (United States)

Haack, Sheridan K.; Bekins, Barbara A.

Efficient biodegradation of subsurface contaminants requires two elements: (1) microbial populations with the necessary degradative capabilities, and (2) favorable subsurface geochemical and hydrological conditions. Practical constraints on experimental design and interpretation in both the hydrogeological and microbiological sciences have resulted in limited knowledge of the interaction between hydrogeological and microbiological features of subsurface environments. These practical constraints include: (1) inconsistencies between the scales of investigation in the hydrogeological and microbiological sciences, and (2) practical limitations on the ability to accurately define microbial populations in environmental samples. However, advances in application of small-scale sampling methods and interdisciplinary approaches to site investigations are beginning to significantly improve understanding of hydrogeological and microbiological interactions. Likewise, culture-based and molecular analyses of microbial populations in subsurface contaminant plumes have revealed significant adaptation of microbial populations to plume environmental conditions. Results of recent studies suggest that variability in subsurface geochemical and hydrological conditions significantly influences subsurface microbial-community structure. Combined investigations of site conditions and microbial-community structure provide the knowledge needed to understand interactions between subsurface microbial populations, plume geochemistry, and contaminant biodegradation. La biodégradation efficace des polluants souterrains requiert deux éléments: des populations microbiennes possédant les aptitudes nécessaires à la dégradation, et des conditions géochimiques et hydrologiques souterraines favorables. Des contraintes pratiques sur la conception et l'interprétation des expériences à la fois en microbiologie et en hydrogéologie ont conduit à une connaissance limitée des interactions entre les

Microbial mineral illization of montmorillonite in low-permeability oil reservoirs for microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Kai; Sun, Shanshan; Xiao, Meng; Liu, Tongjing; Xu, Quanshu; Dong, Honghong; Wang, Di; Gong, Yejing; Sha, Te; Hou, Jirui; Zhang, Zhongzhi; Fu, Pengcheng

2018-05-11

Microbial mineral illization has been investigated for its role in the extraction and recovery of metals from ores. Here we report our application of mineral bioillization for the microbial enhanced oil recovery in low-permeability oil reservoirs. It aimed to reveal the etching mechanism of the four Fe (III)-reducing microbial strains under anaerobic growth conditions on the Ca-montmorillonite. The mineralogical characterization of the Ca-montmorillonite was performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometer. Results showed that the microbial strains could efficiently reduce Fe (III) at an optimal rate of 71 %, and alter the crystal lattice structure of the lamella to promote the interlayer cation exchange, and to efficiently inhibit the Ca-montmorillonite swelling at an inhibitory rate of 48.9 %. Importance Microbial mineral illization is ubiquitous in the natural environment. Microbes in low-permeability reservoirs are able to enable the alteration of the structure and phase of the Fe-poor minerals by reducing Fe (III) and inhibiting clay swelling which is still poorly studied. This study aimed to reveal the interaction mechanism between Fe (III)-reducing bacterial strains and Ca-montmorillonite under anaerobic atmosphere, and to investigate the extent and rates of Fe (III) reduction and phase changes with their activities. Application of Fe (III)-reducing bacteria will provide a new way to inhibit clay swelling, to elevate reservoir permeability, and to reduce pore throat resistance after water flooding for enhanced oil recovery in low-permeability reservoirs. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Virtual in Real. Interactive Solutions for Learning and Communication in the National Archaeological Museum of Marche

Science.gov (United States)

Clini, P.; Nespeca, R.; Ruggeri, L.

2017-05-01

Today the ICTs are favourable additions to museum exhibitions. This work aims to realize an innovative system of digital exploitation of artefacts in the National Archaeological Museum of Marche (MANaM), in order to create a shared museum that will improve the knowledge of cultural contents through the paradigm "learning by interacting" and "edutainment". The main novelty is the implementation of stand-alone multimedia installations for digital artefacts that combine real and virtual scenarios in order to enrich the experience, the knowledge and the multi-sensory perception. A Digital Library (DL) is created using Close Range Photogrammetry (CRP) techniques applied to 21 archaeological artefacts belonging to different categories. Enriched with other data (texts, images, multimedia), all 3D models flow into the cloud data server from which are recalled in the individual exhibitions. In particular, we have chosen three types of technological solutions: VISUAL, TACTILE, SPATIAL. All the solutions take into account the possibility of group interaction, allowing the participation of the interaction to an appropriate number of users. Sharing the experience enables greater involvement, generating communicative effectiveness much higher than it would get from a lonely visit. From the "Museum Visitors Behaviour Analysis" we obtain a survey about users' needs and efficiency of the interactive solutions. The main result of this work is the educational impact in terms of increase in visitors, specially students, learning increase of historical and cultural content, greater user involvement during the visit to the museum.

Synergistic Interactions in Multispecies Biofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ren, Dawei

The coexistence of hugely diverse microbes in most environments highlights the intricate interactions in microbial communities, which are central to their properties, such as productivity, stability and the resilience to disturbance. Biofilm, in environmental habitats, is such a spatially...... multispecies biofilm models, oral microbial community, also known as “dental plaque” is thoroughly investigated as a focal point to describe the interspecies interactions [1]. However, owing to the lack of a reliable high throughput and quantitative approach for exploring the interplay between multiple...... bacterial species, the study to elucidate the impact of interaction networks on the multispecies biofilms in natural ecosystems, especially in soil, is still at an early stage. The diverse patterns of interactions within the mixed communities as well as the predatorprey relationship between protozoa...

Segment-segment interactions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in aqueous methanol solutions by using small-angle scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, S.; Kurita, K.; Furusaka, M.

2002-01-01

Small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering from semidilute solutions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in D 2 O, methanol and methanol-water mixtures has been measured in the poor solvent regime. The binary and the ternary cluster integrals of polymer segments were determined from the concentration dependence of the correlation length at several temperatures just below the lower critical solution temperature. Then, contributions of segment-segment interactions to the entropy and the enthalpy have been calculated from the temperature dependence of interaction parameters and it has been found that both values are positive in the D 2 O and the methanol-water systems at a small content of methanol, while both values are negative in the other system. (orig.)

The Interaction of Sorbitol with Caffeine in Aqueous Solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavagnacco, Letizia; Brady, John W; Cesàro, Attilio

2013-09-01

Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on a system of caffeine interacting with the sugar alcohol sorbitol. The system examined had a caffeine concentration 0.083 m and a sugar concentration 1.08 m. The trajectories of all molecules in the system were collected over a period of 80 ns and analyzed to determine whether there is any tendency for sorbitol to bind to caffeine, and if so, by what mechanism. The results show that the sorbitol molecules have an affinity for the caffeine molecules and that the binding occurred by the interaction of the aliphatic hydrophobic protons of the sugar with the caffeine face. This intermolecular association via face-to-face stacking, as suggested by simulation studies, is similar to that found for sucrose and for D-glucose, which overwhelmingly exists in the pyranose ring chair form in aqueous solution, as well as for caffeine-caffeine association. The sorbitol molecules, however, exist as relatively extended chains and are, therefore, topologically quite different from the sugars sucrose and glucose. The comparison of the average conformation of sorbitol molecules bound to caffeine with that of molecules in the free state shows a substantial similarity.

On the role of specific interactions in the diffusion of nanoparticles in aqueous polymer solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mun, Ellina A; Hannell, Claire; Rogers, Sarah E; Hole, Patrick; Williams, Adrian C; Khutoryanskiy, Vitaliy V

2014-01-14

Understanding nanoparticle diffusion within non-Newtonian biological and synthetic fluids is essential in designing novel formulations (e.g., nanomedicines for drug delivery, shampoos, lotions, coatings, paints, etc.), but is presently poorly defined. This study reports the diffusion of thiolated and PEGylated silica nanoparticles, characterized by small-angle neutron scattering, in solutions of various water-soluble polymers such as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), and hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) probed using NanoSight nanoparticle tracking analysis. Results show that the diffusivity of nanoparticles is affected by their dimensions, medium viscosity, and, in particular, the specific interactions between nanoparticles and the macromolecules in solution; strong attractive interactions such as hydrogen bonding hamper diffusion. The water-soluble polymers retarded the diffusion of thiolated particles in the order PEO > PVP > PAA > HEC whereas for PEGylated silica particles retardation followed the order PAA > PVP = HEC > PEO. In the absence of specific interactions with the medium, PEGylated nanoparticles exhibit enhanced mobility compared to their thiolated counterparts despite some increase in their dimensions.

Microbial community changes in heathland soil communities along a geographical gradient: Interaction with climate change manipulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sowerby, A.; Emmett, B.; Beier, C.

2005-01-01

. Microbial extra-cellular enzyme production is linked to microbial activity as well as soil physico-chemical properties, making soil enzymes one of the more reactive components of terrestrial ecosystems and potentially excellent indicators of soil microbial functional status and diversity. Across all sites...... and over all the substrates, organic matter content was exponentially, inversely related to enzyme activity. Although the increase in temperature produced by the CLIMOOR roofs was small (on average 0.9 degrees C), this was sufficient to increase enzyme activity in all sites (on average by 45...

Interaction of radiation-generated radicals with myoglobin in aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitburn, K.D.; Hoffman, M.Z.

1985-01-01

The γ-radiolysis of aqueous solutions of ferrimyoglobin in the presence of N 2 O at pH 7.3 has been examined as a function of added catalase and oxygen. Changes in the nature of the heme group have been monitored by visible absorption spectrophotometry and analysed quantitatively by a multiple wavelength method based on Beer's Law. Simple chemical analyses have been used to confirm qualitative identification of the product derivatives. As observed previously, the ferriheme is reduced by indirect globin-mediated action initiated by radical OH/H radical. The yield of reduced product decreases as [O 2 ] derived from irradiated water and from protein-mediated processes in oxygenated solution, is eliminated by the presence of catalase. Formation of a hemichrome form of ferrimyoglobin is apparent at higher doses in the presence of O 2 . These results demonstrate that oxygen plays an important role in controlling the nature and extent of redox that manifests ultimately on the heme group of ferrimyoglobin as a result of the initial interaction of radical OH/H radical. (author)

Testing the effect of a microbial-based soil amendment on aggregate stability and erodibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malozo, Mponda; Iversen, Bo Vangsø; Heckrath, Goswin Johann

to the rainfall-runoff experiment where the microbial-based product had a clear effect on soil erodibility. In relation to measurement of aggregate stability as well as clay dispersion, the picture was less clear. Especially for the sandy Tanzania soil with a low content of organic matter, a clear effect was seen...... aggregate stability and erodibility. Two commercial products, gypsum and a microbial-based solution were used for the experiment and were tested on two Danish sandy loamy soils as well on a sandy soil from Tanzania. The carrier of the microbial-based product, a glycerol solution, was tested as well....... In the laboratory, soils were treated with the soil amendments in a two-step procedure at controlled water contents following aerobic incubation in closed containers. Water-aggregate stability and clay dispersion were measured on soil aggregates less than 8 mm in diameter. Aggregate stability was measured...

Rumen microbial growth estimation using in vitro radiophosphorous incorporation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bueno, Ives Claudio da Silva; Machado, Mariana de Carvalho; Cabral Filho, Sergio Lucio Salomon; Gobbo, Sarita Priscila; Vitti, Dorinha Miriam Silber Schmidt; Abdalla, Adibe Luiz

2002-01-01

Rumen microorganisms are able to transform low biological value nitrogen of feed stuff into high quality protein. To determine how much microbial protein that process forms, radiomarkers can be used. Radiophosphorous has been used to mark microbial protein, as element P is present in all rumen microorganisms (as phospholipids) and the P:N ratio of rumen biomass is quite constant. The aim of this work was to estimate microbial synthesis from feedstuff commonly used in ruminant nutrition in Brazil. Tested feeds were fresh alfalfa, raw sugarcane bagasse, rice hulls, rice meal, soybean meal, wheat meal, Tifton hay, leucaena, dehydrated citrus pulp, wet brewers' grains and cottonseed meal. 32 P-labelled phosphate solution was used as marker for microbial protein. Results showed the diversity of feeds by distinct quantities of nitrogen incorporated into microbial mass. Low nutrient availability feeds (sugarcane bagasse and rice hulls) promoted the lowest values of incorporated nitrogen. Nitrogen incorporation showed positive relationship (r=0.56; P=0.06) with the rate of degradation and negative relationship (r=-0.59; P<0.05) with fiber content of feeds. The results highlight that easier fermentable feeds (higher rates of degradation) and/or with lower fiber contents promote a more efficient microbial growth and better performance for the host animal. (author)

Rumen microbial growth estimation using in vitro radiophosphorous incorporation technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bueno, Ives Claudio da Silva; Machado, Mariana de Carvalho; Cabral Filho, Sergio Lucio Salomon; Gobbo, Sarita Priscila; Vitti, Dorinha Miriam Silber Schmidt; Abdalla, Adibe Luiz [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)

2002-07-01

Rumen microorganisms are able to transform low biological value nitrogen of feed stuff into high quality protein. To determine how much microbial protein that process forms, radiomarkers can be used. Radiophosphorous has been used to mark microbial protein, as element P is present in all rumen microorganisms (as phospholipids) and the P:N ratio of rumen biomass is quite constant. The aim of this work was to estimate microbial synthesis from feedstuff commonly used in ruminant nutrition in Brazil. Tested feeds were fresh alfalfa, raw sugarcane bagasse, rice hulls, rice meal, soybean meal, wheat meal, Tifton hay, leucaena, dehydrated citrus pulp, wet brewers' grains and cottonseed meal. {sup 32} P-labelled phosphate solution was used as marker for microbial protein. Results showed the diversity of feeds by distinct quantities of nitrogen incorporated into microbial mass. Low nutrient availability feeds (sugarcane bagasse and rice hulls) promoted the lowest values of incorporated nitrogen. Nitrogen incorporation showed positive relationship (r=0.56; P=0.06) with the rate of degradation and negative relationship (r=-0.59; P<0.05) with fiber content of feeds. The results highlight that easier fermentable feeds (higher rates of degradation) and/or with lower fiber contents promote a more efficient microbial growth and better performance for the host animal. (author)

1D and 2D NMR Spectroscopy of Bonding Interactions within Stable and Phase-Separating Organic Electrolyte-Cellulose Solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Clough, Matthew T; Farès, Christophe; Rinaldi, Roberto

2017-09-11

Organic electrolyte solutions (i.e. mixtures containing an ionic liquid and a polar, molecular co-solvent) are highly versatile solvents for cellulose. However, the underlying solvent-solvent and solvent-solute interactions are not yet fully understood. Herein, mixtures of the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, the co-solvent 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, and cellulose are investigated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The use of a triply- 13 C-labelled ionic liquid enhances the signal-to-noise ratio for 13 C NMR spectroscopy, enabling changes in bonding interactions to be accurately pinpointed. Current observations reveal an additional degree of complexity regarding the distinct roles of cation, anion, and co-solvent toward maintaining cellulose solubility and phase stability. Unexpectedly, the interactions between the dialkylimidazolium ring C 2 -H substituent and cellulose become more pronounced at high temperatures, counteracted by a net weakening of acetate-cellulose interactions. Moreover, for mixtures that exhibit critical solution behavior, phase separation is accompanied by the apparent recombination of cation-anion pairs. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Interactions of glutamine dipeptides with sodium dodecyl sulfate in aqueous solution measured by volume, conductivity, and fluorescence spectra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan Zhenning, E-mail: yanzzn@zzu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001 (China); Sun Ximeng; Li Weiwei; Li Yu [Department of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001 (China); Wang Jianji [Department of Chemistry, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China)

2011-10-15

Highlights: > Ion-ion and ion-polar group interactions are dominant interactions. > The SDS addition and temperature increase cause a dehydration effect on dipeptides. > The addition of dipeptide in water decreases the c{sub cmc} of SDS. > Enthalpy-entropy compensation takes place during micellization. > Micelle aggregation number was decreased by addition of glutamine dipeptides. - Abstract: Densities, conductivities, and fluorescence spectra of {l_brace}sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) + glutamine dipeptide + water{r_brace} mixtures were measured as a function of temperature. The density data have been utilized to calculate apparent molar volumes, standard partial molar volumes (V{sub 2,{phi}}{sup o}), standard partial molar volumes of transfer from water to aqueous SDS solutions ({Delta}{sub t}V{sup o}), the hydration number, partial molar expansibility (E{sub {phi}}{sup o}), and Hepler's constant of glutamine dipeptides. The critical micellar concentration (c{sub cmc}) and the degree of counterion dissociation of SDS micelles obtained from electrical conductivity data have been estimated at various concentrations of glutamine dipeptide. Thermodynamic parameters of micellization of SDS in aqueous dipeptide solutions have been determined from c{sub cmc} values and an enthalpy-entropy compensation effect was observed for the ternary systems. The pyrene fluorescence spectra were used to study the change of micropolarity produced by the interaction of SDS with glutamine dipeptide, and the aggregation behavior of SDS. The results have been interpreted in terms of solute-solvent interactions and structural changes in the mixed solutions.

Ascorbic Acid and BSA Protein in Solution and Films: Interaction and Surface Morphological Structure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael R. G. Maciel

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on the study of the interactions between ascorbic acid (AA and bovine serum albumin (BSA in aqueous solution as well as in films (BSA/AA films prepared by the layer-by-layer technique. Regarding to solution studies, a hyperchromism (in the range of ultraviolet was found as a function of AA concentration, which suggested the formation of aggregates from AA and BSA. Binding constant, , determined for aggregates from BSA and AA was found to be about 102 M−1, which indicated low affinity of AA with BSA. For the BSA/AA films, it was also noted that the AA adsorption process and surface morphological structures depended on AA concentration. By changing the contact time between the AA and BSA, a hypochromism was revealed, which was associated to decrease of accessibility of solvent to tryptophan due to formation of aggregates. Furthermore, different morphological structures of aggregates were observed, which were attributed to the diffusion-limited aggregation. Since most of studies of interactions of drugs and proteins are performed in solution, the analysis of these processes by using films can be very valuable because this kind of system is able to employ several techniques of investigation in solid state.

One pot obtention of a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide solution for ironporphyrin-OH- interaction studies in organic solvents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lídia S. Iwamoto

1999-04-01

Full Text Available In this work we report the obtention of a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH solution in acetonitrile in a one pot process in order to study the interaction ironporphyrinOH- in non-aqueous systems. All the reactions were carried out under dry argon atmosphere to prevent the contamination of the solution with CO2, which leads to the formation of (TBA2CO3.

Micro2-Managed Microbial Communities: Next Generation Environmental Bio/Technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smets, Barth F.; Mutlu, A. Gizem; Pellicer i Nàcher, Carles

Microbes are amazingly diverse in terms of the reactions that they catalyze. This diversity can be exploited to create competitive biotechnological solutions for many environmental challenges, where the right combination of existing microbial reactions can convert unwanted pollutants into a useful...

An open source platform for multi-scale spatially distributed simulations of microbial ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Segre, Daniel [Boston Univ., MA (United States)

2014-08-14

The goal of this project was to develop a tool for facilitating simulation, validation and discovery of multiscale dynamical processes in microbial ecosystems. This led to the development of an open-source software platform for Computation Of Microbial Ecosystems in Time and Space (COMETS). COMETS performs spatially distributed time-dependent flux balance based simulations of microbial metabolism. Our plan involved building the software platform itself, calibrating and testing it through comparison with experimental data, and integrating simulations and experiments to address important open questions on the evolution and dynamics of cross-feeding interactions between microbial species.

Microbial reverse-electrodialysis chemical-production cell for acid and alkali production

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Xiuping; Hatzell, Marta C.; Cusick, Roland D.; Logan, Bruce E.

2013-01-01

A new type of bioelectrochemical system, called a microbial reverse-electrodialysis chemical-production cell (MRCC), was developed to produce acid and alkali using energy derived from organic matter (acetate) and salinity gradients (NaCl solutions

Weakly hydrated surfaces and the binding interactions of small biological solutes.

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, John W; Tavagnacco, Letizia; Ehrlich, Laurent; Chen, Mo; Schnupf, Udo; Himmel, Michael E; Saboungi, Marie-Louise; Cesàro, Attilio

2012-04-01

Extended planar hydrophobic surfaces, such as are found in the side chains of the amino acids histidine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan, exhibit an affinity for the weakly hydrated faces of glucopyranose. In addition, molecular species such as these, including indole, caffeine, and imidazole, exhibit a weak tendency to pair together by hydrophobic stacking in aqueous solution. These interactions can be partially understood in terms of recent models for the hydration of extended hydrophobic faces and should provide insight into the architecture of sugar-binding sites in proteins.

Patterns of Early-Life Gut Microbial Colonization during Human Immune Development: An Ecological Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Alterations in gut microbial colonization during early life have been reported in infants that later developed asthma, allergies, type 1 diabetes, as well as in inflammatory bowel disease patients, previous to disease flares. Mechanistic studies in animal models have established that microbial alterations influence disease pathogenesis via changes in immune system maturation. Strong evidence points to the presence of a window of opportunity in early life, during which changes in gut microbial colonization can result in immune dysregulation that predisposes susceptible hosts to disease. Although the ecological patterns of microbial succession in the first year of life have been partly defined in specific human cohorts, the taxonomic and functional features, and diversity thresholds that characterize these microbial alterations are, for the most part, unknown. In this review, we summarize the most important links between the temporal mosaics of gut microbial colonization and the age-dependent immune functions that rely on them. We also highlight the importance of applying ecology theory to design studies that explore the interactions between this complex ecosystem and the host immune system. Focusing research efforts on understanding the importance of temporally structured patterns of diversity, keystone groups, and inter-kingdom microbial interactions for ecosystem functions has great potential to enable the development of biologically sound interventions aimed at maintaining and/or improving immune system development and preventing disease.

Abiotic and microbial interactions during anaerobic transformations of Fe(II and NOx-

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flynn ePicardal

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Microbial Fe(II oxidation using NO3- as the terminal electron acceptor (nitrate-dependent Fe(II oxidation; NDFO has been studied for over 15 years. Although there are reports of autotrophic isolates and stable enrichments, many of the bacteria capable of NDFO are known organotrophic NO3- -reducers that require the presence of an organic, primary substrate, e.g., acetate, for significant amounts of Fe(II oxidation. Although the thermodynamics of Fe(II oxidation are favorable when coupled to either NO3- or NO2- reduction, the kinetics of abiotic Fe(II oxidation by NO3- are relatively slow except under special conditions. NDFO is typically studied in batch cultures containing millimolar concentrations of Fe(II, NO3-, and the primary substrate. In such systems, NO2- is often observed to accumulate in culture media during Fe(II oxidation. Compared to NO3-, abiotic reactions of biogenic NO2- and Fe(II are relatively rapid. The kinetics and reaction pathways of Fe(II oxidation by NO2- are strongly affected by medium composition and pH, reactant concentration, and the presence of Fe(II-sorptive surfaces, e.g., Fe(III oxyhydroxides and cellular surfaces. In batch cultures, the combination of abiotic and microbial Fe(II oxidation can alter product distribution and, more importantly, results in the formation of intracellular precipitates and extracellular Fe(III oxyhydroxide encrustations that apparently limit further cell growth and Fe(II oxidation. Unless steps are taken to minimize or account for potential abiotic reactions, results of microbial NDFO studies can be obfuscated by artifacts of the chosen experimental conditions, the use of inappropriate analytical methods, and the resulting uncertainties about the relative importance of abiotic and microbial reactions.In this manuscript, abiotic reactions of NO3- and NO2- with aqueous Fe2+, chelated Fe(II, and solid-phase Fe(II are reviewed along with factors that can influence overall NDFO reac

Microbial co-occurrence relationships in the human microbiome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karoline Faust

Full Text Available The healthy microbiota show remarkable variability within and among individuals. In addition to external exposures, ecological relationships (both oppositional and symbiotic between microbial inhabitants are important contributors to this variation. It is thus of interest to assess what relationships might exist among microbes and determine their underlying reasons. The initial Human Microbiome Project (HMP cohort, comprising 239 individuals and 18 different microbial habitats, provides an unprecedented resource to detect, catalog, and analyze such relationships. Here, we applied an ensemble method based on multiple similarity measures in combination with generalized boosted linear models (GBLMs to taxonomic marker (16S rRNA gene profiles of this cohort, resulting in a global network of 3,005 significant co-occurrence and co-exclusion relationships between 197 clades occurring throughout the human microbiome. This network revealed strong niche specialization, with most microbial associations occurring within body sites and a number of accompanying inter-body site relationships. Microbial communities within the oropharynx grouped into three distinct habitats, which themselves showed no direct influence on the composition of the gut microbiota. Conversely, niches such as the vagina demonstrated little to no decomposition into region-specific interactions. Diverse mechanisms underlay individual interactions, with some such as the co-exclusion of Porphyromonaceae family members and Streptococcus in the subgingival plaque supported by known biochemical dependencies. These differences varied among broad phylogenetic groups as well, with the Bacilli and Fusobacteria, for example, both enriched for exclusion of taxa from other clades. Comparing phylogenetic versus functional similarities among bacteria, we show that dominant commensal taxa (such as Prevotellaceae and Bacteroides in the gut often compete, while potential pathogens (e.g. Treponema and

Microbial Co-occurrence Relationships in the Human Microbiome

Science.gov (United States)

Izard, Jacques; Segata, Nicola; Gevers, Dirk

2012-01-01

The healthy microbiota show remarkable variability within and among individuals. In addition to external exposures, ecological relationships (both oppositional and symbiotic) between microbial inhabitants are important contributors to this variation. It is thus of interest to assess what relationships might exist among microbes and determine their underlying reasons. The initial Human Microbiome Project (HMP) cohort, comprising 239 individuals and 18 different microbial habitats, provides an unprecedented resource to detect, catalog, and analyze such relationships. Here, we applied an ensemble method based on multiple similarity measures in combination with generalized boosted linear models (GBLMs) to taxonomic marker (16S rRNA gene) profiles of this cohort, resulting in a global network of 3,005 significant co-occurrence and co-exclusion relationships between 197 clades occurring throughout the human microbiome. This network revealed strong niche specialization, with most microbial associations occurring within body sites and a number of accompanying inter-body site relationships. Microbial communities within the oropharynx grouped into three distinct habitats, which themselves showed no direct influence on the composition of the gut microbiota. Conversely, niches such as the vagina demonstrated little to no decomposition into region-specific interactions. Diverse mechanisms underlay individual interactions, with some such as the co-exclusion of Porphyromonaceae family members and Streptococcus in the subgingival plaque supported by known biochemical dependencies. These differences varied among broad phylogenetic groups as well, with the Bacilli and Fusobacteria, for example, both enriched for exclusion of taxa from other clades. Comparing phylogenetic versus functional similarities among bacteria, we show that dominant commensal taxa (such as Prevotellaceae and Bacteroides in the gut) often compete, while potential pathogens (e.g. Treponema and Prevotella in the

Molecular microbial ecology of lignocellulose mobilisation as a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The community structure of complex microbial consortia which develop in lignocellulose packed passive treatment systems for acid mine drainage remediation were investigated. An understanding of interactions between these populations is important in determining mechanisms by which such systems operate.

Interactions of U(VI), Nd, and Th(IV) at the Calcite-solution interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carroll, S.A.; Dran, J.C.

1992-01-01

The interactions of U(VI), Nd, and Th(IV) at the calcite-solution interface at controlled pCO 2 (g) have been investigated by Rutherford backscattering (RBS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive (EDS) analyses of reacted calcite. Uranium precipitation at the calcite-solution interface was observed only for those experiments in which the initial [U(VI)] was greater than the solubility of rutherfordine, UO 2 CO 3 (s). At pH 8.0, flat radial uranium and calcium zoned precipitates form at the mineral-solution interface. At pH 4.3, uranium forms an anastomosing precipitate throughout the calcite surface. RBS analyses confirmed the SEM analyses showing that uranium forms a solid phase within the calcite surface, but formation of an uranium-calcium solid solution at depth is limited. In sharp contrast to U(VI), Nd is concentrated in the solid phase as individual neodymium-calcium carbonate crystals. Calcite and pure orthorhombic neodymium carbonate crystals dissolve at the expense of the formation of a more stable neodymium-calcium solid solution. In the presence of calcite, a thorium-calcium solid solution forms by exchanging Th for Ca in the calcite structure. Thorium precipitates in two linear trends which intersect each other at approximately 105deg C and 75deg C, parallel to calcite rhombohedral cleavage faces. (orig.)

Crystal Nucleation of Tolbutamide in Solution: Relationship to Solvent, Solute Conformation, and Solution Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeglinski, Jacek; Kuhs, Manuel; Khamar, Dikshitkumar; Hegarty, Avril C; Devi, Renuka K; Rasmuson, Åke C

2018-04-03

The influence of the solvent in nucleation of tolbutamide, a medium-sized, flexible and polymorphic organic molecule, has been explored by measuring nucleation induction times, estimating solvent-solute interaction enthalpies using molecular modelling and calorimetric data, probing interactions and clustering with spectroscopy, and modelling solvent-dependence of molecular conformation in solution. The nucleation driving force required to reach the same induction time is strongly solvent-dependent, increasing in the order: acetonitrilenucleation difficulty is a function of the strength of solvent-solute interaction, with emphasis on the interaction with specific H-bonding polar sites of importance in the crystal structure. A clear exception from this rule is the most difficult nucleation in toluene despite the weakest solvent-solute interactions. However molecular dynamics modelling predicts that tolbutamide assumes an intramolecularly H-bonded conformation in toluene, substantially different from and more stable than the conformation in the crystal structure, and thus presenting an additional barrier to nucleation. This explains why nucleation in toluene is the most difficult and why the relatively higher propensity for aggregation of tolbutamide molecules in toluene solution, as observed with FTIR spectroscopy, does not translate into easier nucleation. Thus, our combined experimental and molecular modelling study suggests that the solvent can influence on the nucleation not only via differences in the desolvation but also through the influence on molecular conformation. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mapping the ecological networks of microbial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Yandong; Angulo, Marco Tulio; Friedman, Jonathan; Waldor, Matthew K; Weiss, Scott T; Liu, Yang-Yu

2017-12-11

Mapping the ecological networks of microbial communities is a necessary step toward understanding their assembly rules and predicting their temporal behavior. However, existing methods require assuming a particular population dynamics model, which is not known a priori. Moreover, those methods require fitting longitudinal abundance data, which are often not informative enough for reliable inference. To overcome these limitations, here we develop a new method based on steady-state abundance data. Our method can infer the network topology and inter-taxa interaction types without assuming any particular population dynamics model. Additionally, when the population dynamics is assumed to follow the classic Generalized Lotka-Volterra model, our method can infer the inter-taxa interaction strengths and intrinsic growth rates. We systematically validate our method using simulated data, and then apply it to four experimental data sets. Our method represents a key step towards reliable modeling of complex, real-world microbial communities, such as the human gut microbiota.

Metal-macrofauna interactions determine microbial community structure and function in copper contaminated sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayor, Daniel J; Gray, Nia B; Elver-Evans, Joanna; Midwood, Andrew J; Thornton, Barry

2013-01-01

Copper is essential for healthy cellular functioning, but this heavy metal quickly becomes toxic when supply exceeds demand. Marine sediments receive widespread and increasing levels of copper contamination from antifouling paints owing to the 2008 global ban of organotin-based products. The toxicity of copper will increase in the coming years as seawater pH decreases and temperature increases. We used a factorial mesocosm experiment to investigate how increasing sediment copper concentrations and the presence of a cosmopolitan bioturbating amphipod, Corophium volutator, affected a range of ecosystem functions in a soft sediment microbial community. The effects of copper on benthic nutrient release, bacterial biomass, microbial community structure and the isotopic composition of individual microbial membrane [phospholipid] fatty acids (PLFAs) all differed in the presence of C. volutator. Our data consistently demonstrate that copper contamination of global waterways will have pervasive effects on the metabolic functioning of benthic communities that cannot be predicted from copper concentrations alone; impacts will depend upon the resident macrofauna and their capacity for bioturbation. This finding poses a major challenge for those attempting to manage the impacts of copper contamination on ecosystem services, e.g. carbon and nutrient cycling, across different habitats. Our work also highlights the paucity of information on the processes that result in isotopic fractionation in natural marine microbial communities. We conclude that the assimilative capacity of benthic microbes will become progressively impaired as copper concentrations increase. These effects will, to an extent, be mitigated by the presence of bioturbating animals and possibly other processes that increase the influx of oxygenated seawater into the sediments. Our findings support the move towards an ecosystem approach for environmental management.

Metal-macrofauna interactions determine microbial community structure and function in copper contaminated sediments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel J Mayor

Full Text Available Copper is essential for healthy cellular functioning, but this heavy metal quickly becomes toxic when supply exceeds demand. Marine sediments receive widespread and increasing levels of copper contamination from antifouling paints owing to the 2008 global ban of organotin-based products. The toxicity of copper will increase in the coming years as seawater pH decreases and temperature increases. We used a factorial mesocosm experiment to investigate how increasing sediment copper concentrations and the presence of a cosmopolitan bioturbating amphipod, Corophium volutator, affected a range of ecosystem functions in a soft sediment microbial community. The effects of copper on benthic nutrient release, bacterial biomass, microbial community structure and the isotopic composition of individual microbial membrane [phospholipid] fatty acids (PLFAs all differed in the presence of C. volutator. Our data consistently demonstrate that copper contamination of global waterways will have pervasive effects on the metabolic functioning of benthic communities that cannot be predicted from copper concentrations alone; impacts will depend upon the resident macrofauna and their capacity for bioturbation. This finding poses a major challenge for those attempting to manage the impacts of copper contamination on ecosystem services, e.g. carbon and nutrient cycling, across different habitats. Our work also highlights the paucity of information on the processes that result in isotopic fractionation in natural marine microbial communities. We conclude that the assimilative capacity of benthic microbes will become progressively impaired as copper concentrations increase. These effects will, to an extent, be mitigated by the presence of bioturbating animals and possibly other processes that increase the influx of oxygenated seawater into the sediments. Our findings support the move towards an ecosystem approach for environmental management.

Integrating R and Java for Enhancing Interactivity of Algorithmic Data Analysis Software Solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Titus Felix FURTUNĂ

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Conceiving software solutions for statistical processing and algorithmic data analysis involves handling diverse data, fetched from various sources and in different formats, and presenting the results in a suggestive, tailorable manner. Our ongoing research aims to design programming technics for integrating R developing environment with Java programming language for interoperability at a source code level. The goal is to combine the intensive data processing capabilities of R programing language, along with the multitude of statistical function libraries, with the flexibility offered by Java programming language and platform, in terms of graphical user interface and mathematical function libraries. Both developing environments are multiplatform oriented, and can complement each other through interoperability. R is a comprehensive and concise programming language, benefiting from a continuously expanding and evolving set of packages for statistical analysis, developed by the open source community. While is a very efficient environment for statistical data processing, R platform lacks support for developing user friendly, interactive, graphical user interfaces (GUIs. Java on the other hand, is a high level object oriented programming language, which supports designing and developing performant and interactive frameworks for general purpose software solutions, through Java Foundation Classes, JavaFX and various graphical libraries. In this paper we treat both aspects of integration and interoperability that refer to integrating Java code into R applications, and bringing R processing sequences into Java driven software solutions. Our research has been conducted focusing on case studies concerning pattern recognition and cluster analysis.

Solution NMR study of the yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: cytochrome c interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Volkov, Alexander N., E-mail: ovolkov@vub.ac.be; Nuland, Nico A. J. van [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jean Jeener NMR Centre, Structural Biology Brussels (Belgium)

2013-07-15

Here we present a solution NMR study of the complex between yeast cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a paradigm for understanding the biological electron transfer. Performed for the first time, the CcP-observed heteronuclear NMR experiments were used to probe the Cc binding in solution. Combining the Cc- and CcP-detected experiments, the binding interface on both proteins was mapped out, confirming that the X-ray structure of the complex is maintained in solution. Using NMR titrations and chemical shift perturbation analysis, we show that the interaction is independent of the CcP spin-state and is only weakly affected by the Cc redox state. Based on these findings, we argue that the complex of the ferrous Cc and the cyanide-bound CcP is a good mimic of the catalytically-active Cc-CcP compound I species. Finally, no chemical shift perturbations due to the Cc binding at the low-affinity CcP site were observed at low ionic strength. We discuss possible reasons for the absence of the effects and outline future research directions.

Electronic-property dependent interactions between tetracycline and graphene nanomaterials in aqueous solution.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Lin; Liu, Fei-Fei; Zhao, Mengyao; Qi, Zhen; Sun, Xuefei; Afzal, Muhammad Zaheer; Sun, Xiaomin; Li, Yanhui; Hao, Jingcheng; Wang, Shuguang

2018-04-01

Understanding the interactions between graphene nanomaterials (GNMs) and antibiotics in aqueous solution is critical to both the engineering applications of GNMs and the assessment of their potential impact on the fate and transport of antibiotics in the aquatic environment. In this study, adsorption of one common antibiotic, tetracycline, by graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was examined with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphite as comparison. The results showed that the tetracycline adsorption capacity by the four selected carbonaceous materials on the unit mass basis followed an order of GO>RGO>MWCNTs>graphite. Upon normalization by surface area, graphite, RGO and MWCNTs had almost the same high tetracycline adsorption affinity while GO exhibited the lowest. We proposed π-electron-property dependent interaction mechanisms to explain the observed different adsorption behaviors. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that the oxygen-containing functional groups on GO surface reduced its π-electron-donating ability, and thus decreased the π-based interactions between tetracycline and GO surface. Comparison of adsorption efficiency at different pH indicated that electrostatic interaction also played an important role in tetracycline-GO interactions. Site energy analysis confirmed a highly heterogeneous distribution of the binding sites and strong tetracycline binding affinity of GO surface. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Segment-segment interactions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in aqueous methanol solutions by using small-angle scattering

CERN Document Server

Shimizu, S; Furusaka, M

2002-01-01

Small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering from semidilute solutions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in D sub 2 O, methanol and methanol-water mixtures has been measured in the poor solvent regime. The binary and the ternary cluster integrals of polymer segments were determined from the concentration dependence of the correlation length at several temperatures just below the lower critical solution temperature. Then, contributions of segment-segment interactions to the entropy and the enthalpy have been calculated from the temperature dependence of interaction parameters and it has been found that both values are positive in the D sub 2 O and the methanol-water systems at a small content of methanol, while both values are negative in the other system. (orig.)

Pathogen self defense: mechanisms to counteract microbial antagonism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duffy, B.K.; Schouten, A.; Raaijmakers, J.M.

2003-01-01

Natural and agricultural ecosystems harbor a wide variety of microorganisms that play an integral role in plant health, crop productivity, and preservation of multiple ecosystem functions. Interactions within and among microbial communities are numerous and range from synergistic and mutualistic to

Overfishing and nutrient pollution interact with temperature to disrupt coral reefs down to microbial scales.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaneveld, Jesse R; Burkepile, Deron E; Shantz, Andrew A; Pritchard, Catharine E; McMinds, Ryan; Payet, Jérôme P; Welsh, Rory; Correa, Adrienne M S; Lemoine, Nathan P; Rosales, Stephanie; Fuchs, Corinne; Maynard, Jeffrey A; Thurber, Rebecca Vega

2016-06-07

Losses of corals worldwide emphasize the need to understand what drives reef decline. Stressors such as overfishing and nutrient pollution may reduce resilience of coral reefs by increasing coral-algal competition and reducing coral recruitment, growth and survivorship. Such effects may themselves develop via several mechanisms, including disruption of coral microbiomes. Here we report the results of a 3-year field experiment simulating overfishing and nutrient pollution. These stressors increase turf and macroalgal cover, destabilizing microbiomes, elevating putative pathogen loads, increasing disease more than twofold and increasing mortality up to eightfold. Above-average temperatures exacerbate these effects, further disrupting microbiomes of unhealthy corals and concentrating 80% of mortality in the warmest seasons. Surprisingly, nutrients also increase bacterial opportunism and mortality in corals bitten by parrotfish, turning normal trophic interactions deadly for corals. Thus, overfishing and nutrient pollution impact reefs down to microbial scales, killing corals by sensitizing them to predation, above-average temperatures and bacterial opportunism.

Modeling microbial community structure and functional diversity across time and space.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Peter E; Gibbons, Sean M; Gilbert, Jack A

2012-07-01

Microbial communities exhibit exquisitely complex structure. Many aspects of this complexity, from the number of species to the total number of interactions, are currently very difficult to examine directly. However, extraordinary efforts are being made to make these systems accessible to scientific investigation. While recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have improved accessibility to the taxonomic and functional diversity of complex communities, monitoring the dynamics of these systems over time and space - using appropriate experimental design - is still expensive. Fortunately, modeling can be used as a lens to focus low-resolution observations of community dynamics to enable mathematical abstractions of functional and taxonomic dynamics across space and time. Here, we review the approaches for modeling bacterial diversity at both the very large and the very small scales at which microbial systems interact with their environments. We show that modeling can help to connect biogeochemical processes to specific microbial metabolic pathways. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contribution on the study of microbial effects on the leaching of radionuclides embedded in nuclear waste engineered barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spor, H.

1994-05-01

The aim of this work is to study the different interactions mechanisms between microorganisms and radioelements in conditions similar to those of a radioactive waste disposal site and to determine all the mechanisms due to microbial effects on the leaching of radionuclides embedded in nuclear waste engineered barriers. In this work are presented the different following points: - a bibliographic study on the microorganisms-radioelements interactions; - the conditions of metabolites production during the microbial growth (influence of the nature of the carbonated source, pH effects, aerobiosis conditions...); the mechanisms of a direct effect for determining the importance of the bio-sorption mechanism by microorganisms; the fact that the microbial biomass can strongly interact with actinides, heavy metals and radioelements; the effects of microorganisms on storage materials (cement and clay) containing radioelements (uranium, cesium); the complexation capacities of the organic and mineral acids produced during the microbial growth. (O.M.)

Imaging hydrated microbial extracellular polymers: Comparative analysis by electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dohnalkova, A.C.; Marshall, M. J.; Arey, B. W.; Williams, K. H.; Buck, E. C.; Fredrickson, J. K.

2011-01-01

Microbe-mineral and -metal interactions represent a major intersection between the biosphere and geosphere but require high-resolution imaging and analytical tools for investigating microscale associations. Electron microscopy has been used extensively for geomicrobial investigations and although used bona fide, the traditional methods of sample preparation do not preserve the native morphology of microbiological components, especially extracellular polymers. Herein, we present a direct comparative analysis of microbial interactions using conventional electron microscopy approaches of imaging at room temperature and a suite of cryogenic electron microscopy methods providing imaging in the close-to-natural hydrated state. In situ, we observed an irreversible transformation of the hydrated bacterial extracellular polymers during the traditional dehydration-based sample preparation that resulted in their collapse into filamentous structures. Dehydration-induced polymer collapse can lead to inaccurate spatial relationships and hence could subsequently affect conclusions regarding nature of interactions between microbial extracellular polymers and their environment.

Perspective for Aquaponic Systems: "Omic" Technologies for Microbial Community Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Munguia-Fragozo, Perla; Alatorre-Jacome, Oscar; Rico-Garcia, Enrique; Torres-Pacheco, Irineo; Cruz-Hernandez, Andres; Ocampo-Velazquez, Rosalia V; Garcia-Trejo, Juan F; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G

2015-01-01

Aquaponics is the combined production of aquaculture and hydroponics, connected by a water recirculation system. In this productive system, the microbial community is responsible for carrying out the nutrient dynamics between the components. The nutrimental transformations mainly consist in the transformation of chemical species from toxic compounds into available nutrients. In this particular field, the microbial research, the "Omic" technologies will allow a broader scope of studies about a current microbial profile inside aquaponics community, even in those species that currently are unculturable. This approach can also be useful to understand complex interactions of living components in the system. Until now, the analog studies were made to set up the microbial characterization on recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). However, microbial community composition of aquaponics is still unknown. "Omic" technologies like metagenomic can help to reveal taxonomic diversity. The perspectives are also to begin the first attempts to sketch the functional diversity inside aquaponic systems and its ecological relationships. The knowledge of the emergent properties inside the microbial community, as well as the understanding of the biosynthesis pathways, can derive in future biotechnological applications. Thus, the aim of this review is to show potential applications of current "Omic" tools to characterize the microbial community in aquaponic systems.

Microbial selenium sulfide reduction for selenium recovery from wastewater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hageman, S.P.W.; Weijden, van der R.D.; Stams, A.J.M.; Cappellen, van P.; Buisman, C.J.N.

2017-01-01

Microbial reduction of selenium sulfide (SeS2) is a key step in a new treatment process to recover selenium from selenate and selenite streams. In this process, selenate is first reduced to selenite, and subsequently selenite is reduced by sulfide and precipitates from the solution as SeS2. The

A Microbial Perspective on the Grand Challenges in Comparative Animal Physiology

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Interactions with microbial communities can have profound influences on animal physiology, thereby impacting animal performance and fitness. Therefore, it is important to understand the diversity and nature of host-microbe interactions in various animal groups (invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals). In this perspective, I discuss how the field of host-microbe interactions can be used to address topics that have been identified as grand challenges in comparative animal physiology: (i) horizontal integration of physiological processes across organisms, (ii) vertical integration of physiological processes across organizational levels within organisms, and (iii) temporal integration of physiological processes during evolutionary change. Addressing these challenges will require the use of a variety of animal models and the development of systems approaches that can integrate large, multiomic data sets from both microbial communities and animal hosts. Integrating host-microbe interactions into the established field of comparative physiology represents an exciting frontier for both fields. PMID:29556549

Microbially induced separation of quartz from calcite using Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Padukone, S Usha; Natarajan, K A

2011-11-01

Cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and their metabolites were successfully utilized to achieve selective separation of quartz and calcite through microbially induced flotation and flocculation. S. cerevisiae was adapted to calcite and quartz minerals. Adsorption studies and electrokinetic investigations were carried out to understand the changes in the surface chemistry of yeast cells and the minerals after mutual interaction. Possible mechanisms in microbially induced flotation and flocculation are outlined. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the thermodynamic interactions of polyhedral boranes in solution to guide nanocomposite fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mutz, M. [University of Tennessee, Department of Chemistry (United States); Eastwood, Eric [Honeywell Kansas City Plant (United States); Lee, Mark E. [University of Missouri (United States); Bowen, Daniel E. [Honeywell Kansas City Plant (United States); Dadmun, M. D., E-mail: dad@utk.edu [University of Tennessee, Department of Chemistry (United States)

2012-11-15

The solubility of boron containing nanoparticles in a variety of solvents is quantified using static light scattering in conjunction with refractometry. Four polyhedral boranes were tested in this work, using refractometry to obtain dn/dc, while static light scattering quantifies A{sub 2}. A{sub 2} obtained from these measurements was then used to calculate {chi}, the solute-solvent interaction parameter, and the Hildebrand solubility parameter, {delta}, which provides a quantifiable method to identify good solvents. Of the nanoparticles studied, 1,3-di-o-carboranylpropane is thermodynamically stable in toluene, with a {chi} less than 0.5, a solubility limit of 2.47 mg/mL, and all solutions remaining clear with no visible particle settling. For all of the particles tested, there was good correlation between the physical observations of the solutions, {chi}, and {delta}. For instance, lower values of {chi} correspond to a smaller radius of gyration (R{sub g}). A list of suitable solvents based on {delta} is also presented.

Defining the Core Microbiome in Corals' Microbial Soup.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez-Agreda, Alejandra; Gates, Ruth D; Ainsworth, Tracy D

2017-02-01

Corals are considered one of the most complex microbial biospheres studied to date, hosting thousands of bacterial phylotypes in species-specific associations. There are, however, substantial knowledge gaps and challenges in understanding the functional significance of bacterial communities and bacterial symbioses of corals. The ubiquitous nature of some bacterial interactions has only recently been investigated and an accurate differentiation between the healthy (symbiotic) and unhealthy (dysbiotic) microbial state has not yet been determined. Here we review the complexity of the coral holobiont, coral microbiome diversity, and recently proposed bacterial symbioses of corals. We provide insight into coupling the core microbiome framework with community ecology principals, and draw on the theoretical insights from other complex systems, to build a framework to aid in deciphering ecologically significant microbes within a corals' microbial soup. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural Microbial Assemblages Reflect Distinct Organismal and Functional Partitioning

Science.gov (United States)

Wilmes, P.; Andersson, A.; Kalnejais, L. H.; Verberkmoes, N. C.; Lefsrud, M. G.; Wexler, M.; Singer, S. W.; Shah, M.; Bond, P. L.; Thelen, M. P.; Hettich, R. L.; Banfield, J. F.

2007-12-01

The ability to link microbial community structure to function has long been a primary focus of environmental microbiology. With the advent of community genomic and proteomic techniques, along with advances in microscopic imaging techniques, it is now possible to gain insights into the organismal and functional makeup of microbial communities. Biofilms growing within highly acidic solutions inside the Richmond Mine (Iron Mountain, Redding, California) exhibit distinct macro- and microscopic morphologies. They are composed of microorganisms belonging to the three domains of life, including archaea, bacteria and eukarya. The proportion of each organismal type depends on sampling location and developmental stage. For example, mature biofilms floating on top of acid mine drainage (AMD) pools exhibit layers consisting of a densely packed bottom layer of the chemoautolithotroph Leptospirillum group II, a less dense top layer composed mainly of archaea, and fungal filaments spanning across the entire biofilm. The expression of cytochrome 579 (the most highly abundant protein in the biofilm, believed to be central to iron oxidation and encoded by Leptospirillum group II) is localized at the interface of the biofilm with the AMD solution, highlighting that biofilm architecture is reflected at the functional gene expression level. Distinct functional partitioning is also apparent in a biological wastewater treatment system that selects for distinct polyphosphate accumulating organisms. Community genomic data from " Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis" dominated activated sludge has enabled high mass-accuracy shotgun proteomics for identification of key metabolic pathways. Comprehensive genome-wide alignment of orthologous proteins suggests distinct partitioning of protein variants involved in both core-metabolism and specific metabolic pathways among the dominant population and closely related species. In addition, strain- resolved proteogenomic analysis of the AMD biofilms

Characterizing microbial communities and processes in a modern stromatolite (Shark Bay) using lipid biomarkers and two-dimensional distributions of porewater solutes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pagès, Anais; Grice, Kliti; Vacher, Michael

2014-01-01

Summary: Modern microbial mats are highly complex and dynamic ecosystems. Diffusive equilibration in thin films (DET) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) samplers were deployed in a modern smooth microbial mat from Shark Bay in order to observe, for the first time, two-dimensional distrib......Summary: Modern microbial mats are highly complex and dynamic ecosystems. Diffusive equilibration in thin films (DET) and diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) samplers were deployed in a modern smooth microbial mat from Shark Bay in order to observe, for the first time, two...

Marine snow microbial communities: scaling of abundances with aggregate size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiørboe, Thomas

2003-01-01

Marine aggregates are inhabited by diverse microbial communities, and the concentration of attached microbes typically exceeds concentrations in the ambient water by orders of magnitude. An extension of the classical Lotka-Volterra model, which includes 3 trophic levels (bacteria, flagellates...... are controlled by flagellate grazing, while flagellate and ciliate populations are governed by colonization and detachment. The model also suggests that microbial populations are turned over rapidly (1 to 20 times d-1) due to continued colonization and detachment. The model overpredicts somewhat the scaling...... of microbial abundances with aggregate size observed in field-collected aggregates. This may be because it disregards the aggregation/disaggregation dynamics of aggregates, as well as interspecific interactions between bacteria....

Effects of combining microbial and chemical insecticides on mortality of the Pecan Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro-Ilan, David I; Cottrell, Ted E; Wood, Bruce W

2011-02-01

The pecan weevil, Curculio caryae (Horn), is a key pest of pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch]. Current control recommendations are based on chemical insecticide applications. Microbial control agents such as the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) and the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin occur naturally in southeastern U.S. pecan orchards and have shown promise as alternative control agents for C. caryjae. Conceivably, the chemical and microbial agents occur simultaneously within pecan orchards or might be applied concurrently. The objective of this study was to determine the interactions between two chemical insecticides that are used in commercial C. caryae control (i.e., carbaryl and cypermethrin applied below field rates) and the microbial agents B. bassiana and S. carpocapsae. In laboratory experiments, pecan weevil larval or adult mortality was assessed after application of microbial or chemical treatments applied singly or in combination (microbial + chemical agent). The nature of interactions (antagonism, additivity, or synergy) in terms of weevil mortality was evaluated over 9 d (larvae) or 5 d (adults). Results for B. bassiana indicated synergistic activity with carbaryl and antagonism with cypermethrin in C. caryae larvae and adults. For S. carpocapsae, synergy was detected with both chemicals in C. caryae larvae, but only additive effects were detected in adult weevils. Our results indicate that the chemical-microbial combinations tested are compatible with the exception of B. bassiana and cypermethrin. In addition, combinations that exhibited synergistic interactions may provide enhanced C. caryae control in commercial field applications; thus, their potential merits further exploration.

Interaction of titanium and zirconium hydroxides with aqueous solutions of lead(2) salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savenko, V.G.; Sakharov, V.V.; Nurgalieva, A.A.; Petrov, K.I.

1980-01-01

The mixed phases, characterized by the Pb : Zr 4 ratio are synthesized during the process of geterophase interaction of zirconium hydroxide with solutions of lead nitrate and acetate. The process of the mixed phases thermolysis on the base of amorphous zirconium hydroxides is investigated by the methods of DTA, X-ray phase analysis and IR spectroscopy. The metastable phases are formed during the thermolysis process

Fission and fusion interaction phenomena of mixed lump kink solutions for a generalized (3+1)-dimensional B-type Kadomtsev-Petviashvili equation

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yaqing; Wen, Xiaoyong

2018-05-01

In this paper, a generalized (3+1)-dimensional B-type Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (gBKP) equation is investigated by using the Hirota’s bilinear method. With the aid of symbolic computation, some new lump, mixed lump kink and periodic lump solutions are derived. Based on the derived solutions, some novel interaction phenomena like the fission and fusion interactions between one lump soliton and one kink soliton, the fission and fusion interactions between one lump soliton and a pair of kink solitons and the interactions between two periodic lump solitons are discussed graphically. Results might be helpful for understanding the propagation of the shallow water wave.

Attractive interactions between reverse aggregates and phase separation in concentrated malonamide extractant solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erlinger, C.; Belloni, L.; Zemb, T.; Madic, C.

1999-01-01

Using small angle X-ray scattering, conductivity, and phase behavior determination, the authors show that concentrated solutions of malonamide extractants, dimethyldibutyltetradecylmalonamide (DMDBTDMA), are organized in reverse oligomeric aggregates which have many features in common with reverse micelles. The aggregation numbers of these reverse globular aggregates as well as their interaction potential are determined from absolute scattering curves. An attractive interaction is responsible for the demixing of the oil phase when in equilibrium with excess oil. Prediction of conductivity as well as the formation conditions for the third phase is possible using standard liquid theory applied to the extractant aggregates. The interactions, modeled with the sticky sphere model proposed by Baster, are shown to be due to steric interactions resulting from the hydrophobic tails of the extractant molecule and van der Waals forces between the highly polarizable water core of the reverse micelles. The attractive interaction in the oil phase, equilibrated with water, is determined as a function of temperature, extractant molecule concentration, and proton and neodynium(III) cation concentration. It is shown that van der Waals interactions, with an effective Hamaker constant of 3kT, quantitatively explain the behavior of DMDBTDMA in n-dodecane in terms of scattering as well as phase stability limits

Elucidating Microbial Adaptation Dynamics via Autonomous Exposure and Sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Grace, Joseph M.; Verseux, Cyprien; Gentry, Diana; Moffet, Amy; Thayabaran, Ramanen; Wong, Nathan; Rothschild, Lynn

2013-01-01

The adaptation of micro-organisms to their environments is a complex process of interaction between the pressures of the environment and of competition. Reducing this multifactorial process to environmental exposure in the laboratory is a common tool for elucidating individual mechanisms of evolution, such as mutation rates. Although such studies inform fundamental questions about the way adaptation and even speciation occur, they are often limited by labor-intensive manual techniques. Current methods for controlled study of microbial adaptation limit the length of time, the depth of collected data, and the breadth of applied environmental conditions. Small idiosyncrasies in manual techniques can have large effects on outcomes; for example, there are significant variations in induced radiation resistances following similar repeated exposure protocols. We describe here a project under development to allow rapid cycling of multiple types of microbial environmental exposure. The system allows continuous autonomous monitoring and data collection of both single species and sampled communities, independently and concurrently providing multiple types of controlled environmental pressure (temperature, radiation, chemical presence or absence, and so on) to a microbial community in dynamic response to the ecosystem's current status. When combined with DNA sequencing and extraction, such a controlled environment can cast light on microbial functional development, population dynamics, inter- and intra-species competition, and microbe-environment interaction. The project's goal is to allow rapid, repeatable iteration of studies of both natural and artificial microbial adaptation. As an example, the same system can be used both to increase the pH of a wet soil aliquot over time while periodically sampling it for genetic activity analysis, or to repeatedly expose a culture of bacteria to the presence of a toxic metal, automatically adjusting the level of toxicity based on the

Impact of some selected insecticides application on soil microbial respiration.

Science.gov (United States)

Latif, M A; Razzaque, M A; Rahman, M M

2008-08-15

The aim of present study was to investigate the impact of selected insecticides used for controlling brinjal shoot and fruit borer on soil microorganisms and to find out the insecticides or nontoxic to soil microorganism the impact of nine selected insecticides on soil microbial respiration was studied in the laboratory. After injection of different insecticides solutions, the soil was incubated in the laboratory at room temperature for 32 days. The amount of CO2 evolved due to soil microbial respiration was determined at 2, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 32 days of incubation. Flubendiamide, nimbicidine, lambda-cyhalothrin, abamectin and thiodicarb had stimulatory effect on microbial respiration during the initial period of incubation. Chlorpyriphos, cartap and carbosulfan had inhibitory effect on microbial respiration and cypermethrin had no remarkable effect during the early stage of incubation. The negative effect of chlorpyriphos, cartap and carbosulfan was temporary, which was disappeared after 4 days of insecticides application. No effect of the selected insecticides on soil microorganisms was observed after 24 or 32 days of incubation.

Microbial ecology of denitrification in biological wastewater treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Huijie; Chandran, Kartik; Stensel, David

2014-11-01

Globally, denitrification is commonly employed in biological nitrogen removal processes to enhance water quality. However, substantial knowledge gaps remain concerning the overall community structure, population dynamics and metabolism of different organic carbon sources. This systematic review provides a summary of current findings pertaining to the microbial ecology of denitrification in biological wastewater treatment processes. DNA fingerprinting-based analysis has revealed a high level of microbial diversity in denitrification reactors and highlighted the impacts of carbon sources in determining overall denitrifying community composition. Stable isotope probing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, microarrays and meta-omics further link community structure with function by identifying the functional populations and their gene regulatory patterns at the transcriptional and translational levels. This review stresses the need to integrate microbial ecology information into conventional denitrification design and operation at full-scale. Some emerging questions, from physiological mechanisms to practical solutions, for example, eliminating nitrous oxide emissions and supplementing more sustainable carbon sources than methanol, are also discussed. A combination of high-throughput approaches is next in line for thorough assessment of wastewater denitrifying community structure and function. Though denitrification is used as an example here, this synergy between microbial ecology and process engineering is applicable to other biological wastewater treatment processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling the growth and interaction of stylolite networks, using the discrete element method for pressure solution

Science.gov (United States)

Makedonska, N.; Sparks, D. W.; Aharonov, E.

2012-12-01

Pressure solution (also termed chemical compaction) is considered the most important ductile deformation mechanism operating in the Earth's upper crust. This mechanism is a major player in a variety of geological processes, including evolution of sedimentary basins, hydrocarbon reservoirs, aquifers, earthquake recurrence cycles, and fault healing. Pressure solution in massive rocks often localizes into solution seams or stylolites. Field observations of stylolites often show elastic/brittle interactions in regions between pressure solution features, including and shear fractures, veins and pull-apart features. To understand these interactions, we use a grain-scale model based on the Discrete Element Method that allows granular dissolution at stressed contacts between grains. The new model captures both the slow chemical compaction process and the more abrupt brittle fracturing and sliding between grains. We simulate a sample of rock as a collection of particles, each representing either a grain or a unit of rock, bonded to each other with breakable cement. We apply external stresses to this sample, and calculate elastic and frictional interactions between the grains. Dissolution is modeled by an irreversible penetration of contacting grains into each other at a rate that depends on the contact stress and an adjustable rate constant. Experiments have shown that dissolution rates at grain contacts are greatly enhanced when there is a mineralogical contrast. Therefore, we dissolution rate constant can be increased to account for an amount of impurities (e.g. clay in a quartz or calcite sandstone) that can accumulate on dissolving contacts. This approach allows large compaction and shear strains within the rock, while allowing examination of local grain-scale heterogeneity. For example, we will describe the effect of pressure solution on the distribution of contact forces magnitudes and orientations. Contact forces in elastic granular packings are inherently

Metal-microorganism interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andres, Y.; Thouand, G.; Redercher, S.; Boualam, M.; Texier, A.Cl.; Hoeffer, R.

1997-01-01

The physico-chemical procedures of treating the metalliferous effluents are not always adapted to de polluting the slightly concentrated industrial wastes. An alternative idea was advanced, implying the ability of some microorganisms to fix in considerable amounts the metal ions present in aqueous solutions, possibly in a selective way. This approach has been investigated thoroughly during the last 30 years, particularly from a mechanistic point of view. The advantage of the microorganisms lies mainly in the large diversity of bacteria and in their chemical state dependent interaction with metals, as well as, in the possibilities of developing their selective and quantitative separation properties. A biomass from Mycobacterium smegmatis, an acidic alcoholic resistant bacteria, has been used to prepare a bio-sorption support allowing the preferential sorption of thorium as compared to uranium and lanthanum. These studies have been extended to biological polymers such as chitosan and to studies related to bioaccumulation mechanisms and/or to the microbial resistances towards metals

Coupled modeling of groundwater flow solute transport, chemical reactions and microbial processes in the 'SP' island

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samper, Javier; Molinero, Jorg; Changbing, Yang; Zhang, Guoxiang

2003-12-01

The Redox Zone Experiment was carried out at the Aespoe HRL in order to study the redox behavior and the hydrochemistry of an isolated vertical fracture zone disturbed by the excavation of an access tunnel. Overall results and interpretation of the Redox Zone Project were reported by /Banwart et al, 1995/. Later, /Banwart et al, 1999/ presented a summary of the hydrochemistry of the Redox Zone Experiment. Coupled groundwater flow and reactive transport models of this experiment were carried out by /Molinero, 2000/ who proposed a revised conceptual model for the hydrogeology of the Redox Zone Experiment which could explain simultaneously measured drawdown and salinity data. The numerical model was found useful to understand the natural system. Several conclusions were drawn about the redox conditions of recharge waters, cation exchange capacity of the fracture zone and the role of mineral phases such as pyrite, calcite, hematite and goethite. This model could reproduce the measured trends of dissolved species, except for bicarbonate and sulfate which are affected by microbially-mediated processes. In order to explore the role of microbial processes, a coupled numerical model has been constructed which accounts for water flow, reactive transport and microbial processes. The results of this model is presented in this report. This model accounts for groundwater flow and reactive transport in a manner similar to that of /Molinero, 2000/ and extends the preliminary microbial model of /Zhang, 2001/ by accounting for microbially-driven organic matter fermentation and organic matter oxidation. This updated microbial model considers simultaneously the fermentation of particulate organic matter by yeast and the oxidation of dissolved organic matter, a product of fermentation. Dissolved organic matter is produced by yeast and serves also as a substrate for iron-reducing bacteria. Model results reproduce the observed increase in bicarbonate and sulfate concentration, thus

Effects of a ciliate protozoa predator on microbial communities in pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea leaves.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taylor K Paisie

Full Text Available The aquatic communities found within the water filled leaves of the pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, have a simple trophic structure providing an ideal system to study microscale interactions between protozoan predators and their bacterial prey. In this study, replicate communities were maintained with and without the presence of the bactivorous protozoan, Colpoda steinii, to determine the effects of grazing on microbial communities. Changes in microbial (Archaea and Bacteria community structure were assessed using iTag sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. The microbial communities were similar with and without the protozoan predator, with>1000 species. Of these species, Archaea were negligible, with Bacteria comprising 99.99% of the microbial community. The Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the most dominant phyla. The addition of a protozoan predator did not have a significant effect on microbial evenness nor richness. However, the presence of the protozoan did cause a significant shift in the relative abundances of a number of bacterial species. This suggested that bactivorous protozoan may target specific bacterial species and/or that certain bacterial species have innate mechanisms by which they evade predators. These findings help to elucidate the effect that trophic structure perturbations have on predator prey interactions in microbial systems.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) for assessment of microbial water quality: current progress, challenges, and future opportunities

OpenAIRE

BoonFei eTan; Charmaine Marie Ng; Jean Pierre Nshimyimana; Jean Pierre Nshimyimana; Lay-Leng eLoh; Lay-Leng eLoh; Karina Yew-Hoong Gin; Janelle Renee Thompson; Janelle Renee Thompson

2015-01-01

Water quality is an emergent property of a complex system comprised of interacting microbial populations and introduced microbial and chemical contaminants. Studies leveraging next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are providing new insights into the ecology of microbially mediated processes that influence fresh water quality such as algal blooms, contaminant biodegradation, and pathogen dissemination. In addition, sequencing methods targeting small subunit (SSU) rRNA hypervariable reg...

Bifurcations of a periodically forced microbial continuous culture model with restrained growth rate

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Jingli; Yuan, Qigang

2017-08-01

A three dimensional microbial continuous culture model with a restrained microbial growth rate is studied in this paper. Two types of dilution rates are considered to investigate the dynamic behaviors of the model. For the unforced system, fold bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation are detected, and numerical simulations reveal that the system undergoes degenerate Hopf bifurcation. When the system is periodically forced, bifurcation diagrams for periodic solutions of period-one and period-two are given by researching the Poincaré map, corresponding to different bifurcation cases in the unforced system. Stable and unstable quasiperiodic solutions are obtained by Neimark-Sacker bifurcation with different parameter values. Periodic solutions of various periods can occur or disappear and even change their stability, when the Poincaré map of the forced system undergoes Neimark-Sacker bifurcation, flip bifurcation, and fold bifurcation. Chaotic attractors generated by a cascade of period doublings and some phase portraits are given at last.

Microbial diversity of septic tank effluent and a soil biomat.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomaras, Jill; Sahl, Jason W; Siegrist, Robert L; Spear, John R

2009-05-01

Microbial diversity of septic tank effluent (STE) and the biomat that is formed as a result of STE infiltration on soil were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Results indicate that microbial communities are different within control soil, STE, and the biomat and that microbes found in STE are not found in the biomat. The development of a stable soil biomat appears to provide the best on-site water treatment or protection for subsequent groundwater interactions of STE.

Microbial Transformations of Actinides and Fission Products in Radioactive Waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Francis, A. J. [Pohang Univ. Science and Technology, Pohang (Korea, Republic of)

2011-07-01

The environmental factors that can affect microbial growth and activity include moisture, temperature, ph, Eh, availability of organic and inorganic nutrients, and radiation. The microbial activity in a specific repository is influenced by the ambient environment of the repository, and the materials to be emplaced. For example, a repository in unsaturated igneous rock formations such as volcanic tuff rocks at Yucca Mountain is generally expected to be oxidizing; a repository in a hydrologically expected to be oxidizing; a repository in a hydrologically saturated zone, especially in sedimentary rocks, could be reducing. Sedimentary rocks contain a certain amount of organic matter, which may stimulate microbial activities and, thus maintain the repository and its surrounding areas at reducing conditions. Although the impacts of microbial activity on high-level nuclear waste and the long-term performance of the repository have not fully investigated, little microbial activity is expected in the near-field because of the radiation, lack of nutrients and the harsh conditions. However in the far-field microbial effects could be significant. Much of our understanding of the microbial effects on radionuclides stems from studies conducted with selected transuranic elements and fission products and limited studies with low-level radioactive wastes. Significant aerobic- and anaerobic-microbial activity is expected to occur in the waste because of the presence of electron donors and acceptors. The actinides initially may be present as soluble- or insoluble-forms but, after disposal, may be converted from one to the other by microorganisms. The direct enzymatic or indirect non-enzymatic actions of microbes could alter the speciation, solubility, and sorption properties of the actinides, thereby increasing or decreasing their concentrations in solution.

Interaction Mechanisms between Air Bubble and Molybdenite Surface: Impact of Solution Salinity and Polymer Adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Lei; Wang, Jingyi; Yuan, Duowei; Shi, Chen; Cui, Xin; Zhang, Hao; Liu, Qi; Liu, Qingxia; Zeng, Hongbo

2017-03-07

The surface characteristics of molybdenite (MoS 2 ) such as wettability and surface interactions have attracted much research interest in a wide range of engineering applications, such as froth flotation. In this work, a bubble probe atomic force microscope (AFM) technique was employed to directly measure the interaction forces between an air bubble and molybdenite mineral surface before/after polymer (i.e., guar gum) adsorption treatment. The AFM imaging showed that the polymer coverage on the surface of molybdenite could achieve ∼5.6, ∼44.5, and ∼100% after conditioning in 1, 5, and 10 ppm polymer solution, respectively, which coincided with the polymer coverage results based on contact angle measurements. The electrolyte concentration and surface treatment by polymer adsorption were found to significantly affect bubble-mineral interaction and attachment. The experimental force results on bubble-molybdenite (without polymer treatment) agreed well with the calculations using a theoretical model based on the Reynolds lubrication theory and augmented Young-Laplace equation including the effect of disjoining pressure. The overall surface repulsion was enhanced when the NaCl concentration decreased from 100 to 1 mM, which inhibited the bubble-molybdenite attachment. After conditioning the molybdenite surface in 1 ppm polymer solution, it was more difficult for air bubbles to attach to the molybdenite surface due to the weakened hydrophobic interaction with a shorter decay length. Increasing the polymer concentration to 5 ppm effectively inhibited bubble attachment on mineral surface, which was mainly due to the much reduced hydrophobic interaction as well as the additional steric repulsion between the extended polymer chains and bubble surface. The results provide quantitative information on the interaction mechanism between air bubbles and molybdenite mineral surfaces on the nanoscale, with useful implications for the development of effective polymer

Coexistence facilitates interspecific biofilm formation in complex microbial communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Jonas Stenløkke; Røder, Henriette Lyng; Russel, Jakob

2016-01-01

Social interactions in which bacteria respond to one another by modifying their phenotype are central determinants of microbial communities. It is known that interspecific interactions influence the biofilm phenotype of bacteria; a phenotype that is central to the fitness of bacteria. However......, the underlying role of fundamental ecological factors, specifically coexistence and phylogenetic history, in biofilm formation remains unclear. This study examines how social interactions affect biofilm formation in multi-species co-cultures from five diverse environments. We found prevalence of increased...

Nitrogen fertilization decouples roots and microbes: Reductions in belowground carbon allocation limit microbial activity

Science.gov (United States)

Carrara, J.; Walter, C. A.; Govindarajulu, R.; Hawkins, J.; Brzostek, E. R.

2017-12-01

Nitrogen (N) deposition has enhanced the ability of trees to capture atmospheric carbon (C). The effect of elevated N on belowground C cycling, however, is variable and response mechanisms are largely unknown. Recent research has highlighted distinct differences between ectomycorrhizal (ECM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) trees in the strength of root-microbial interactions. In particular, ECM trees send more C to rhizosphere microbes to stimulate enzyme activity and nutrient mobilization than AM trees, which primarily rely on saprotrophic microbes to mobilize N. As such, we hypothesized that N fertilization would weaken root-microbial interactions and soil decomposition in ECM stands more than in AM stands. To test this hypothesis, we measured root-microbial interactions in ECM and AM plots in two long-term N fertilization studies, the Fernow Experimental Forest, WV and Bear Brook Watershed, ME. We found that N fertilization led to declines in plant C allocation belowground to fine root biomass, branching, and root exudation in ECM stands to a greater extent than in AM stands. As ECM roots are tightly coupled to the soil microbiome through energy and nutrient exchange, reductions in belowground C allocation were mirrored by shifts in microbial community composition and reductions in fungal gene expression. These shifts were accompanied by larger reductions in fungal-derived lignolytic and hydrolytic enzyme activity in ECM stands than in AM stands. In contrast, as the AM soil microbiome is less reliant on trees for C and are more adapted to high inorganic nutrient environments, the soil metagenome and transcriptome were more resilient to decreases in belowground C allocation. Collectively, our results indicate the N fertilization decoupled root-microbial interactions by reducing belowground carbon allocation in ECM stands. Thus, N fertilization may reduce soil turnover and increase soil C storage to a greater extent in forests dominated by ECM than AM trees.

Solutions of the Dirac Equation with the Shifted DENG-FAN Potential Including Yukawa-Like Tensor Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Yahya, W. A.; Falaye, B. J.; Oluwadare, O. J.; Oyewumi, K. J.

2013-08-01

By using the Nikiforov-Uvarov method, we give the approximate analytical solutions of the Dirac equation with the shifted Deng-Fan potential including the Yukawa-like tensor interaction under the spin and pseudospin symmetry conditions. After using an improved approximation scheme, we solved the resulting schr\\"{o}dinger-like equation analytically. Numerical results of the energy eigenvalues are also obtained, as expected, the tensor interaction removes degeneracies between spin and pseudospin doublets.

Dental biofilm: ecological interactions in health and disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marsh, P.D.; Zaura, E.

Background: The oral microbiome is diverse and exists as multispecies microbial communities on oral surfaces in structurally and functionally organized biofilms. Aim: To describe the network of microbial interactions (both synergistic and antagonistic) occurring within these biofilms and assess

Influence of microemulsion-mucin interaction on the fate of microemulsions diffusing through pig gastric mucin solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jianbin; Lv, Yan; Wang, Bing; Zhao, Shan; Tan, Mingqian; Lv, Guojun; Ma, Xiaojun

2015-03-02

Mucus layer, a selective diffusion barrier, has an important effect on the fate of drug delivery systems in the gastrointestinal tract. To study the fate of microemulsions in the mucus layer, four microemulsion formulations with different particle sizes and lipid compositions were prepared. The microemulsion-mucin interaction was demonstrated by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) method. Moreover, the microemulsions were observed aggregated into micron-sized emulsions by laser confocal microscopy. We concluded the microemulsion-mucin interaction not only led to microemulsions closely adhered to mucins but also destroyed the structure of microemulsions. At last, the diffusion of blank microemulsions and microemulsion-carried drugs (resveratrol and hymecromone) through mucin solutions was determined by the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) method and the Franz diffusion cell method. The results demonstrated the diffusion of microemulsions was significantly hindered by mucin solutions. The particle size of microemulsions had a negligible effect on the diffusion coefficients. However, the type of lipid played an important role, which could form hydrophobic interactions with mucins. Interestingly, microemulsion-carried drugs with different core/shell locations seemed to suffer different fates in the mucin solutions. The drug incorporated in the oil core of microemulsions, resveratrol, was transported through the mucus layer by the carriers, while the drug incorporated in the surfactant shell of microemulsions, hymecromone, was separated from the carriers and diffused toward the epithelium in the form of free molecules.

Results and preliminary analysis of critical experiments with interacting slab solution tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurin, Victor N.; Ryazanov, Boris G.; Sviridov, Victor I.

2003-01-01

The paper presents the main results of several sets of critical experiments with two interacting similar slab tanks filled with aqueous solution of uranyl nitrate with uranium of 90% enrichment. These experiments were carried out at the RF-GS facility, Obninsk, Russia. Tanks with the thickness of 15 cm, width of 100 cm and height of 120 cm were used in these experiments. The experiments were conducted with partitions made of concrete, brick, polyethylene, cadmium, borated polyethylene. Consideration was given to the dependence of critical volume in each tank on the distance between the tanks and on the partition thickness. The tanks were filled with solutions of highly enriched uranium with its concentrations of 75 g/L and 250 g/L. Critical experiments were analysed with the MCNP 4A code based on the Monte-Carlo method and with the ENDF/B-V library. (author)

Soil ecological interactions: comparisons between tropical and subalpine forests

Science.gov (United States)

Grizelle Gonzalez; Ruth E. Ley; Steven K. Schmidt; Xiaoming Zou; Timothy R. Seastedt

2001-01-01

Soil fauna can influence soil processes through interactions with the microbial community. Due to the complexity of the functional roles of fauna and their effects on microbes, little consensus has been reached on the extent to which soil fauna can regulate microbial activities. We quantified soil microbial biomass and maximum growth rates in control and fauna-excluded...

Anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse waste: main process limitations and microbial community interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Palatsi, J; Viñas, M; Guivernau, M; Fernandez, B; Flotats, X

2011-02-01

Fresh pig/cattle slaughterhouse waste mixtures, with different lipid-protein ratios, were characterized and their anaerobic biodegradability assessed in batch tests. The resultant methane potentials were high (270-300 L(CH4) kg(-1)(COD)) making them interesting substrates for the anaerobic digestion process. However, when increasing substrate concentrations in consecutive batch tests, up to 15 g(COD) kg(-1), a clear inhibitory process was monitored. Despite the reported severe inhibition, related to lipid content, the system was able to recover activity and successfully degrade the substrate. Furthermore, 16SrRNA gene-based DGGE results showed an enrichment of specialized microbial populations, such as β-oxidizing/proteolitic bacteria (Syntrophomonas sp., Coprothermobacter sp. and Anaerobaculum sp.), and syntrophic methanogens (Methanosarcina sp.). Consequently, the lipid concentration of substrate and the structure of the microbial community are the main limiting factors for a successful anaerobic treatment of fresh slaughterhouse waste. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial bioremediation of Uranium: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acharya, Celin

2015-01-01

Uranium contamination is a worldwide problem. Preventing uranium contamination in the environment is quite challenging and requires a thorough understanding of the microbiological, ecological and biogeochemical features of the contaminated sites. Bioremediation of uranium is largely dependent on reducing its bioavailability in the environment. In situ bioremediation of uranium by microbial processes has been shown to be effective for immobilizing uranium in contaminated sites. Such microbial processes are important components of biogeochemical cycles and regulate the mobility and fate of uranium in the environment. It is therefore vital to advance our understanding of the uranium-microbe interactions to develop suitable bioremediation strategies for uranium contaminated sites. This article focuses on the fundamental mechanisms adopted by various microbes to mitigate uranium toxicity which could be utilized for developing various approaches for uranium bioremediation. (author)

Rational Solutions and Lump Solutions of the Potential YTSF Equation

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hong-Qian; Chen, Ai-Hua

2017-07-01

By using of the bilinear form, rational solutions and lump solutions of the potential Yu-Toda-Sasa-Fukuyama (YTSF) equation are derived. Dynamics of the fundamental lump solution, n1-order lump solutions, and N-lump solutions are studied for some special cases. We also find some interaction behaviours of solitary waves and one lump of rational solutions.

Perspective for Aquaponic Systems: “Omic” Technologies for Microbial Community Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perla Munguia-Fragozo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Aquaponics is the combined production of aquaculture and hydroponics, connected by a water recirculation system. In this productive system, the microbial community is responsible for carrying out the nutrient dynamics between the components. The nutrimental transformations mainly consist in the transformation of chemical species from toxic compounds into available nutrients. In this particular field, the microbial research, the “Omic” technologies will allow a broader scope of studies about a current microbial profile inside aquaponics community, even in those species that currently are unculturable. This approach can also be useful to understand complex interactions of living components in the system. Until now, the analog studies were made to set up the microbial characterization on recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS. However, microbial community composition of aquaponics is still unknown. “Omic” technologies like metagenomic can help to reveal taxonomic diversity. The perspectives are also to begin the first attempts to sketch the functional diversity inside aquaponic systems and its ecological relationships. The knowledge of the emergent properties inside the microbial community, as well as the understanding of the biosynthesis pathways, can derive in future biotechnological applications. Thus, the aim of this review is to show potential applications of current “Omic” tools to characterize the microbial community in aquaponic systems.

Perspective for Aquaponic Systems: “Omic” Technologies for Microbial Community Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Munguia-Fragozo, Perla; Alatorre-Jacome, Oscar; Rico-Garcia, Enrique; Cruz-Hernandez, Andres; Ocampo-Velazquez, Rosalia V.; Garcia-Trejo, Juan F.; Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramon G.

2015-01-01

Aquaponics is the combined production of aquaculture and hydroponics, connected by a water recirculation system. In this productive system, the microbial community is responsible for carrying out the nutrient dynamics between the components. The nutrimental transformations mainly consist in the transformation of chemical species from toxic compounds into available nutrients. In this particular field, the microbial research, the “Omic” technologies will allow a broader scope of studies about a current microbial profile inside aquaponics community, even in those species that currently are unculturable. This approach can also be useful to understand complex interactions of living components in the system. Until now, the analog studies were made to set up the microbial characterization on recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). However, microbial community composition of aquaponics is still unknown. “Omic” technologies like metagenomic can help to reveal taxonomic diversity. The perspectives are also to begin the first attempts to sketch the functional diversity inside aquaponic systems and its ecological relationships. The knowledge of the emergent properties inside the microbial community, as well as the understanding of the biosynthesis pathways, can derive in future biotechnological applications. Thus, the aim of this review is to show potential applications of current “Omic” tools to characterize the microbial community in aquaponic systems. PMID:26509157

Soil solution dynamics of Cu and Zn in a Cu- and Zn-polluted soil as influenced by gamma-irradiation and Cu-Zn interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Y M; Yan, W D; Christie, P

2001-01-01

A pot experiment was conducted to study soil solution dynamics of Cu and Zn in a Cu/Zn-polluted soil as influenced by gamma-irradiation and Cu-Zn interaction. A slightly acid sandy loam was amended with Cu and Zn (as nitrates) either singly or in combination (100 mg Cu and 150 mg Zn kg(-1) soil) and was then gamma-irradiated (10 kGy). Unamended and unirradiated controls were included, and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Forrester) was grown for 50 days. Soil solution samples obtained using soil moisture samplers immediately before transplantation and every ten days thereafter were used directly for determination of Cu, Zn, pH and absorbance at 360 nm (A360). Cu and Zn concentrations in the solution of metal-polluted soil changed with time and were affected by gamma-irradiation and metal interaction. gamma-Irradiation raised soil solution Cu substantially but generally decreased soil solution Zn. These trends were consistent with increased dissolved organic matter (A360) and solution pH after gamma-irradiation. Combined addition of Cu and Zn usually gave higher soil solution concentrations of Cu or Zn compared with single addition of Cu or Zn in gamma-irradiated and non-irradiated soils, indicating an interaction between Cu and Zn. Cu would have been organically complexed and consequently maintained a relatively high concentration in the soil solution under higher pH conditions. Zn tends to occur mainly as free ion forms in the soil solution and is therefore sensitive to changes in pH. The extent to which gamma-irradiation and metal interaction affected solubility and bioavailability of Cu and Zn was a function of time during plant growth. Studies on soil solution metal dynamics provide very useful information for understanding metal mobility and bioavailability.

The interaction of Np(V), Pu(VI) and Tc(VII) with metal in alkaline solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silin, V.I.; Kareta, A.V.

1998-01-01

The interaction of Np(V), Pu(VI) and Tc(VII) with metal reductants Zn, Cr, Sn and their alloys was investigated in 0.5-4 mol l -1 NaOH solutions in static and dynamic conditions (by filtration of solutions through the column filled with grains of metal). In this paper, it was found that the reduction and succeeding precipitation hydroxides of these elements, on the surface of metal grains from 0.5 to 4 mol l -1 NaOH solutions, gives a decontamination factor (DF) from 1.1 to 67. The best result was achieved for Pu (DF=67) on Cr grains after 2.5 h contact at 60 C with 0.5 mol l -1 NaOH solution containing Pu(VI). Increasing the NaOH concentration, and the addition of chromate ions and complex-forming agents to alkaline solution results in a decrease of the decontamination factor (DF). A better result for Np sorption from 1 mol l -1 NaOH solutions was achieved after longer contact, than for Pu, with Cr and Zn grains. The maximum DF=8.9 was achieved for Tc on a column with Zn grains after filtration with a 3.5 mol l -1 NaOH solution containing Tc(VII). Washing out of Np and Pu, sorbed on the Cr grain surfaces, was achieved using an acid solution (1 mol l -1 HNO 3 ). The technetium was desorbed from metal surface by 10% H 2 O 2 solution. (orig.)

Non-microbial sources of microbial volatile organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hyunok; Schmidbauer, Norbert; Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf

2016-07-01

, ventilation rate, and mold index (P-value =0.001). Homes deemed severely mold damaged (i.e., mold index =1) were associated with 1.7-times (95% CI, 0.8-3.6), greater likelihood of having a highest quartile of Σ 28 VOCs, even though such likelihood was not significant (P-value =0.164). In addition, absolute humidity appeared to positively interact with mold index to significantly elevate the prevalence of the highest quartile category of Σ 28 VOCs. The indoor concentration of Σ 28 VOCs, which are widely accepted as MVOCs, are significantly associated with the markers of synthetic (i.e. Σ17 PGEs and TMPD-MIB), and to less extent, microbial (i.e., mold index) sources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methodological approaches for studying the microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Douterelo, Isabel; Boxall, Joby B; Deines, Peter; Sekar, Raju; Fish, Katherine E; Biggs, Catherine A

2014-11-15

The study of the microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) has traditionally been based on culturing organisms from bulk water samples. The development and application of molecular methods has supplied new tools for examining the microbial diversity and activity of environmental samples, yielding new insights into the microbial community and its diversity within these engineered ecosystems. In this review, the currently available methods and emerging approaches for characterising microbial communities, including both planktonic and biofilm ways of life, are critically evaluated. The study of biofilms is considered particularly important as it plays a critical role in the processes and interactions occurring at the pipe wall and bulk water interface. The advantages, limitations and usefulness of methods that can be used to detect and assess microbial abundance, community composition and function are discussed in a DWDS context. This review will assist hydraulic engineers and microbial ecologists in choosing the most appropriate tools to assess drinking water microbiology and related aspects. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Key players and team play: anaerobic microbial communities in hydrocarbon-contaminated aquifers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinsteuber, Sabine; Schleinitz, Kathleen M; Vogt, Carsten

2012-05-01

Biodegradation of anthropogenic pollutants in shallow aquifers is an important microbial ecosystem service which is mainly brought about by indigenous anaerobic microorganisms. For the management of contaminated sites, risk assessment and control of natural attenuation, the assessment of in situ biodegradation and the underlying microbial processes is essential. The development of novel molecular methods, "omics" approaches, and high-throughput techniques has revealed new insight into complex microbial communities and their functions in anoxic environmental systems. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of molecular methods to study anaerobic microbial communities in contaminated terrestrial subsurface ecosystems. We focus on current approaches to analyze composition, dynamics, and functional diversity of subsurface communities, to link identity to activity and metabolic function, and to identify the ecophysiological role of not yet cultured microbes and syntrophic consortia. We discuss recent molecular surveys of contaminated sites from an ecological viewpoint regarding degrader ecotypes, abiotic factors shaping anaerobic communities, and biotic interactions underpinning the importance of microbial cooperation for microbial ecosystem services such as contaminant degradation.

Long-term high-solids anaerobic digestion of food waste: Effects of ammonia on process performance and microbial community.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Xuya; Zhang, ShangYi; Li, Lei; Zhao, Xiaofei; Ma, Yao; Shi, Dezhi

2018-04-22

A long-term high solids anaerobic digestion of food waste was conducted to identify microbial mechanisms of ammonia inhibition during digestion and to clarify correlations between ammonia accumulation, microbial community dynamics (diversity, composition, and interactions), and process stability. Results show that the effects of ammonia on process performance and microbial community were indirectly caused by volatile fatty acid accumulation. Excess free ammonia blocked acetate metabolism, leading to process instability. Accumulated acetate caused feedback inhibition at the acetogenesis stage, which resulted in considerable accumulation of propionate, valerate, and other long-chain fatty acids. This high concentration of volatile fatty acids reduced the abundance of syntrophic acetogenic bacteria and allowed hydrolytic fermentative bacteria to dominate. The normally interactive and orderly metabolic network was broken, which further exacerbated the process instability. These results improve the understanding of microbial mechanisms which contribute to process instability and provide guidance for the microbial management of anaerobic digesters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marine and estuarine natural microbial biofilms: ecological and biogeochemical dimensions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Roger Anderson

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Marine and estuarine microbial biofilms are ubiquitously distributed worldwide and are increasingly of interest in basic and applied sciences because of their unique structural and functional features that make them remarkably different from the biota in the plankton. This is a review of some current scientific knowledge of naturally occurring microbial marine and estuarine biofilms including prokaryotic and microeukaryotic biota, but excluding research specifically on engineering and applied aspects of biofilms such as biofouling. Because the microbial communities including bacteria and protists are integral to the fundamental ecological and biogeochemical processes that support biofilm communities, particular attention is given to the structural and ecological aspects of microbial biofilm formation, succession, and maturation, as well as the dynamics of the interactions of the microbiota in biofilms. The intent is to highlight current state of scientific knowledge and possible avenues of future productive research, especially focusing on the ecological and biogeochemical dimensions.

Effective interactions in lysozyme aqueous solutions: a small-angle neutron scattering and computer simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramo, M C; Caccamo, C; Costa, D; Pellicane, G; Ruberto, R; Wanderlingh, U

2012-01-21

We report protein-protein structure factors of aqueous lysozyme solutions at different pH and ionic strengths, as determined by small-angle neutron scattering experiments. The observed upturn of the structure factor at small wavevectors, as the pH increases, marks a crossover between two different regimes, one dominated by repulsive forces, and another one where attractive interactions become prominent, with the ensuing development of enhanced density fluctuations. In order to rationalize such experimental outcome from a microscopic viewpoint, we have carried out extensive simulations of different coarse-grained models. We have first studied a model in which macromolecules are described as soft spheres interacting through an attractive r(-6) potential, plus embedded pH-dependent discrete charges; we show that the uprise undergone by the structure factor is qualitatively predicted. We have then studied a Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) model, in which only central interactions are advocated; we demonstrate that this model leads to a protein-rich/protein-poor coexistence curve that agrees quite well with the experimental counterpart; experimental correlations are instead reproduced only at low pH and ionic strengths. We have finally investigated a third, "mixed" model in which the central attractive term of the DLVO potential is imported within the distributed-charge approach; it turns out that the different balance of interactions, with a much shorter-range attractive contribution, leads in this latter case to an improved agreement with the experimental crossover. We discuss the relationship between experimental correlations, phase coexistence, and features of effective interactions, as well as possible paths toward a quantitative prediction of structural properties of real lysozyme solutions. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Microbial bebop: creating music from complex dynamics in microbial ecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, Peter; Gilbert, Jack

2013-01-01

In order for society to make effective policy decisions on complex and far-reaching subjects, such as appropriate responses to global climate change, scientists must effectively communicate complex results to the non-scientifically specialized public. However, there are few ways however to transform highly complicated scientific data into formats that are engaging to the general community. Taking inspiration from patterns observed in nature and from some of the principles of jazz bebop improvisation, we have generated Microbial Bebop, a method by which microbial environmental data are transformed into music. Microbial Bebop uses meter, pitch, duration, and harmony to highlight the relationships between multiple data types in complex biological datasets. We use a comprehensive microbial ecology, time course dataset collected at the L4 marine monitoring station in the Western English Channel as an example of microbial ecological data that can be transformed into music. Four compositions were generated (www.bio.anl.gov/MicrobialBebop.htm.) from L4 Station data using Microbial Bebop. Each composition, though deriving from the same dataset, is created to highlight different relationships between environmental conditions and microbial community structure. The approach presented here can be applied to a wide variety of complex biological datasets.

Solution Phase Measurement of Both Weak Sigma and C-H---X- Hydrogen Bonding Interactions in Synthetic Anion Receptors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berryman, Mr. Orion B. [University of Oregon; Sather, Mr. Aaron C [University of Oregon; Hay, Benjamin [ORNL; Meisner, Mr. Jeffrey S. [University of Oregon; Johnson, Prof. Darren W. [University of Oregon

2008-01-01

A series of tripodal receptors preorganize electron-deficient aromatic rings to bind halides in organic solvents using weak sigma anion-to-arene interactions or C-H---X- hydrogen bonds. 1H NMR spectroscopy proves to be a powerful technique for quantifying binding in solution, and determining the interaction motifs, even in cases of weak binding.

Integrating plant-microbe interactions to understand soil C stabilization with the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization model (MIMICS)

Science.gov (United States)

Grandy, Stuart; Wieder, Will; Kallenbach, Cynthia; Tiemann, Lisa

2014-05-01

If soil organic matter is predominantly microbial biomass, plant inputs that build biomass should also increase SOM. This seems obvious, but the implications fundamentally change how we think about the relationships between plants, microbes and SOM. Plant residues that build microbial biomass are typically characterized by low C/N ratios and high lignin contents. However, plants with high lignin contents and high C/N ratios are believed to increase SOM, an entrenched idea that still strongly motivates agricultural soil management practices. Here we use a combination of meta-analysis with a new microbial-explicit soil biogeochemistry model to explore the relationships between plant litter chemistry, microbial communities, and SOM stabilization in different soil types. We use the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model, newly built upon the Community Land Model (CLM) platform, to enhance our understanding of biology in earth system processes. The turnover of litter and SOM in MIMICS are governed by the activity of r- and k-selected microbial groups and temperature sensitive Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Plant and microbial residues are stabilized short-term by chemical recalcitrance or long-term by physical protection. Fast-turnover litter inputs increase SOM by >10% depending on temperature in clay soils, and it's only in sandy soils devoid of physical protection mechanisms that recalcitrant inputs build SOM. These results challenge centuries of lay knowledge as well as conventional ideas of SOM formation, but are they realistic? To test this, we conducted a meta-analysis of the relationships between the chemistry of plant liter inputs and SOM concentrations. We find globally that the highest SOM concentrations are associated with plant inputs containing low C/N ratios. These results are confirmed by individual tracer studies pointing to greater stabilization of low C/N ratio inputs, particularly in clay soils. Our model and meta-analysis results suggest

On the solution of the equations for nonlinear interaction of three damped waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

Three-wave interactions are analyzed in a coherent wave description assuming different linear damping (or growth) of the individual waves. It is demonstrated that when two of the coefficients of dissipation are equal, the set of equations can be reduced to a single equivalent equation, which in the nonlinearly unstable case, where one wave is undamped, asymptotically takes the form of an equation defining the third Painleve transcendent. It is then possible to find an asymptotic expansion near the time of explosion. This solution is of principal interest since it indicates that the solution of the general three-wave system, where the waves undergo different individual dissipations, belongs to a higher class of functions, which reduces to Jacobian elliptic functions only in the case where all waves suffer the same damping [fr

Metagenomic approaches to exploit the biotechnological potential of the microbial consortia of marine sponges.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennedy, Jonathan; Marchesi, Julian R; Dobson, Alan D W

2007-05-01

Natural products isolated from sponges are an important source of new biologically active compounds. However, the development of these compounds into drugs has been held back by the difficulties in achieving a sustainable supply of these often-complex molecules for pre-clinical and clinical development. Increasing evidence implicates microbial symbionts as the source of many of these biologically active compounds, but the vast majority of the sponge microbial community remain uncultured. Metagenomics offers a biotechnological solution to this supply problem. Metagenomes of sponge microbial communities have been shown to contain genes and gene clusters typical for the biosynthesis of biologically active natural products. Heterologous expression approaches have also led to the isolation of secondary metabolism gene clusters from uncultured microbial symbionts of marine invertebrates and from soil metagenomic libraries. Combining a metagenomic approach with heterologous expression holds much promise for the sustainable exploitation of the chemical diversity present in the sponge microbial community.

Agriculturally important microbial biofilms: Present status and future prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Velmourougane, Kulandaivelu; Prasanna, Radha; Saxena, Anil Kumar

2017-07-01

Microbial biofilms are a fascinating subject, due to their significant roles in the environment, industry, and health. Advances in biochemical and molecular techniques have helped in enhancing our understanding of biofilm structure and development. In the past, research on biofilms primarily focussed on health and industrial sectors; however, lately, biofilms in agriculture are gaining attention due to their immense potential in crop production, protection, and improvement. Biofilms play an important role in colonization of surfaces - soil, roots, or shoots of plants and enable proliferation in the desired niche, besides enhancing soil fertility. Although reports are available on microbial biofilms in general; scanty information is published on biofilm formation by agriculturally important microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, bacterial-fungal) and their interactions in the ecosystem. Better understanding of agriculturally important bacterial-fungal communities and their interactions can have several implications on climate change, soil quality, plant nutrition, plant protection, bioremediation, etc. Understanding the factors and genes involved in biofilm formation will help to develop more effective strategies for sustainable and environment-friendly agriculture. The present review brings together fundamental aspects of biofilms, in relation to their formation, regulatory mechanisms, genes involved, and their application in different fields, with special emphasis on agriculturally important microbial biofilms. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Factors limiting microbial growth and activity at a proposed high-level nuclear repository, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kieft, T.L.; Kovacik, W.P. Jr.; Ringelberg, D.B.; White, D.C.; Haldeman, D.L.; Amy, P.S.; Hersman, L.E.

1997-01-01

As part of the characterization of Yucca Mountain, Nev., as a potential repository for high-level nuclear waste, volcanic tuff was analyzed for microbial abundance and activity. Tuff was collected aseptically from nine sites along a tunnel in Yucca Mountain. Microbial abundance was generally low: direct microscopic cell counts were near detection limits at all sites (3.2 X 10(1) to 2.0 X 10(5) cells g-1 [dry weight]); plate counts of aerobic heterotrophs ranged from 1.0 X 10(1) to 3.2 X 10(3) CFU g-1 (dry weight). Phospholipid fatty acid concentrations (0.1 to 3.7 pmol g-1) also indicated low microbial biomasses: diglyceride fatty acid concentrations, indicative of dead cells, were in a similar range (0.2 to 2.3 pmol g-1). Potential microbial activity was quantified as 14CO2 production in microcosms containing radiolabeled substrates (glucose, acetate, and glutamic acid); amendments with water and nutrient solutions (N and P) were used to test factors potentially limiting this activity. Similarly, the potential for microbial growth and the factors limiting growth were determined by performing plate counts before and after incubating volcanic tuff samples for 24 h under various conditions: ambient moisture, water-amended, and amended with various nutrient solutions (N, P, and organic C). A high potential for microbial activity was demonstrated by high rates of substrate mineralization (as much as 70% of added organic C in 3 weeks). Water was the major limiting factor to growth and microbial activity, while amendments with N and P resulted in little further stimulation. Organic C amendments stimulated growth more than water alone

Acceleration of criticality analysis solution convergence by matrix eigenvector for a system with weak neutron interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nomura, Yasushi; Takada, Tomoyuki; Kuroishi, Takeshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Kadotani, Hiroyuki [Shizuoka Sangyo Univ., Iwata, Shizuoka (Japan)

2003-03-01

In the case of Monte Carlo calculation to obtain a neutron multiplication factor for a system of weak neutron interaction, there might be some problems concerning convergence of the solution. Concerning this difficulty in the computer code calculations, theoretical derivation was made from the general neutron transport equation and consideration was given for acceleration of solution convergence by using the matrix eigenvector in this report. Accordingly, matrix eigenvector calculation scheme was incorporated together with procedure to make acceleration of convergence into the continuous energy Monte Carlo code MCNP. Furthermore, effectiveness of acceleration of solution convergence by matrix eigenvector was ascertained with the results obtained by applying to the two OECD/NEA criticality analysis benchmark problems. (author)

Microbial biotechnology and circular economy in wastewater treatment

OpenAIRE

Nielsen, Per Halkjær

2017-01-01

Summary Microbial biotechnology is essential for the development of circular economy in wastewater treatment by integrating energy production and resource recovery into the production of clean water. A comprehensive knowledge about identity, physiology, ecology, and population dynamics of process‐critical microorganisms will improve process stability, reduce CO2 footprints, optimize recovery and bioenergy production, and help finding new approaches and solutions. Examples of research needs an...

Microbial Growth and Carbon Use Efficiency in the Rhizosphere and Root-Free Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Blagodatskaya, Evgenia; Blagodatsky, Sergey; Anderson, Traute-Heidi; Kuzyakov, Yakov

2014-01-01

Plant-microbial interactions alter C and N balance in the rhizosphere and affect the microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE)–the fundamental characteristic of microbial metabolism. Estimation of CUE in microbial hotspots with high dynamics of activity and changes of microbial physiological state from dormancy to activity is a challenge in soil microbiology. We analyzed respiratory activity, microbial DNA content and CUE by manipulation the C and nutrients availability in the soil under Beta vulgaris. All measurements were done in root-free and rhizosphere soil under steady-state conditions and during microbial growth induced by addition of glucose. Microorganisms in the rhizosphere and root-free soil differed in their CUE dynamics due to varying time delays between respiration burst and DNA increase. Constant CUE in an exponentially-growing microbial community in rhizosphere demonstrated the balanced growth. In contrast, the CUE in the root-free soil increased more than three times at the end of exponential growth and was 1.5 times higher than in the rhizosphere. Plants alter the dynamics of microbial CUE by balancing the catabolic and anabolic processes, which were decoupled in the root-free soil. The effects of N and C availability on CUE in rhizosphere and root-free soil are discussed. PMID:24722409

Spectroscopic studies on the molecular interaction between salicylic acid and riboflavin (B{sub 2}) in micellar solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhattar, S.L.; Kolekar, G.B. [Fluorescence Spectroscopy Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur-416 004, Maharashtra (India); Patil, S.R., E-mail: srp_fsl@rediffmail.co [Fluorescence Spectroscopy Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur-416 004, Maharashtra (India)

2010-03-15

The interaction between salicylic acid (SA) and riboflavin (RF) was studied by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) in micellar solution. The riboflavin strongly quenches the intrinsic fluorescence of SA by radiative energy transfer. The extent of energy transfer in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micellar solution of different concentration is quantified from the energy transfer efficiency data. It is seen that the energy transfer is more efficient in the micellar solution. The critical energy transfer distance (R{sub 0}) was determined from which the mean distance between SA and RF molecules was calculated. The quenching was found to fit into Stern-Volmer relation. The results on variation of Stern-Volmer constant (K{sub sv}) with quencher concentration obtained at different temperatures suggested the formation of complex between SA and RF. The association constant of complex formation was estimated and found to decrease with temperature. The values of thermodynamic parameters DELTAH, DELTAG and DELTAS at different temperatures were estimated and the results indicated that the molecular interaction between SA and RF is electrostatic in nature.

Investigation on molecular interaction of amino acids in aqueous disodium hydrogen phosphate solutions with reference to volumetric and compressibility measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Harsh; Singla, Meenu; Jindal, Rajeev

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Densities and speeds of sound of amino acids in aqueous disodium hydrogen phosphate. • Partial molar volumes and compressibility of transfer. • Positive values of transfer volume indicates interactions between ions of amino acids and TSC. • Ion–hydrophilic and hydrophilic–hydrophilic interactions are present. • Pair-wise interactions are dominant in the mixtures. -- Abstract: The interactions of amino acids glycine (Gly), L-alanine (Ala), and L-valine (Val) with disodium hydrogen phosphate (DSHP) as a function of temperature have been investigated by combination of volumetric and acoustic measurements. Densities (ρ) and speeds of sound (u) of amino acids in aqueous solutions of disodium hydrogen phosphate have been measured at T = (288.15, 293.15, 298.15, 303.15 and 308.15) K and atmospheric pressure. The apparent molar volume (V ϕ ), the partial molar volume (V ϕ 0 ) and standard partial molar volumes of transfer (ΔV ϕ 0 ) for amino acids from water to aqueous disodium hydrogen phosphate solutions have been calculated from density data. Partial molar adiabatic compressibility (κ ϕ,s ) and partial molar adiabatic compressibility of transfer (Δκ ϕ,S 0 ) have been calculated from speed of sound data. The pair (V AB , κ AB ) and triplet (V ABB , κ ABB ) interaction coefficient have been calculated from both the properties. The results have been explained based on competing patterns of interactions of co-solvents and the solute

The microbial community composition of anaerobic digesters is strongly influenced by immigration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkegaard, Rasmus Hansen; McIlroy, Simon Jon; Kristensen, Jannie Munk

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is globally applied for bioenergy production. Although its widespread application, improved understanding of the underlying microbial ecology is needed to provide solutions for optimised process performance. In this study, we investigated the impact of immigration on the ...

Investigations on abundance and activity of microbial sponge symbionts using quantitative real - time PCR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kumala, Lars; Hentschel, Ute; Bayer, Kristina

Marine sponges are hosts to dense and diverse microbial consortia that are likely to play a key role in the metabolic processes of the host sponge due to their enormous abundance. Common symbioses between nitrogen transforming microorganisms and sponges indicate complex nitrogen cycling within...... the host. Of particular interest is determining the community structure and function of microbial symbionts in order to gain deeper insight into host-symbiont interactions. We investigated the abundance and activity of microbial symbionts in two Mediterranean sponge species using quantitative real-time PCR....... An absolute quantification of functional genes and transcripts in archaeal and bacterial symbionts was conducted to determine their involvement in nitrification and denitrification, comparing the low microbial abundance (LMA) sponge Dysidea avara with the high microbial abundance (HMA) representative Aplysina...

Microbial Succession and Flavor Production in the Fermented Dairy Beverage Kefir.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Aaron M; Crispie, Fiona; Kilcawley, Kieran; O'Sullivan, Orla; O'Sullivan, Maurice G; Claesson, Marcus J; Cotter, Paul D

2016-01-01

how microbes interact in natural environments. Our results illustrate the dynamic nature of kefir fermentations and microbial succession patterns therein. In the process, the link between individual species, and associated pathways, with flavor compounds is revealed and several genes that could be responsible for the purported gut health-associated benefits of consuming kefir are identified. Ultimately, in addition to providing an important fundamental insight into microbial interactions, this information can be applied to optimize the fermentation processes, flavors, and health-related attributes of this and other fermented foods.

Exact solution of the discrete (1+1)-dimensional RSOS model in a slit with field and wall interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owczarek, A L; Prellberg, T

2010-01-01

We present the solution of a linear restricted solid-on-solid (RSOS) model confined to a slit. We include a field-like energy, which equivalently weights the area under the interface, and also include independent interaction terms with both walls. This model can also be mapped to a lattice polymer model of Motzkin paths in a slit interacting with both walls including an osmotic pressure. This work generalizes the previous work on the RSOS model in the half-plane which has a solution that was shown recently to exhibit a novel mathematical structure involving basic hypergeometric functions 3 φ 2 . Because of the mathematical relationship between the half-plane and slit this work hence effectively explores the underlying q-orthogonal polynomial structure to that solution. It also generalizes two other recent works: one on Dyck paths weighted with an osmotic pressure in a slit and another concerning Motzkin paths without an osmotic pressure term in a slit.

Short-term responses and resistance of soil microbial community structure to elevated CO2 and N addition in grassland mesocosms.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonin, Marie; Nunan, Naoise; Bloor, Juliette M G; Pouteau, Valérie; Niboyet, Audrey

2017-05-01

Nitrogen (N) addition is known to affect soil microbial communities, but the interactive effects of N addition with other drivers of global change remain unclear. The impacts of multiple global changes on the structure of microbial communities may be mediated by specific microbial groups with different life-history strategies. Here, we investigated the combined effects of elevated CO2 and N addition on soil microbial communities using PLFA profiling in a short-term grassland mesocosm experiment. We also examined the linkages between the relative abundance of r- and K-strategist microorganisms and resistance of the microbial community structure to experimental treatments. N addition had a significant effect on microbial community structure, likely driven by concurrent increases in plant biomass and in soil labile C and N. In contrast, microbial community structure did not change under elevated CO2 or show significant CO2 × N interactions. Resistance of soil microbial community structure decreased with increasing fungal/bacterial ratio, but showed a positive relationship with the Gram-positive/Gram-negative bacterial ratio. Our findings suggest that the Gram-positive/Gram-negative bacteria ratio may be a useful indicator of microbial community resistance and that K-strategist abundance may play a role in the short-term stability of microbial communities under global change. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessing Bacterial Interactions Using Carbohydrate-Based Microarrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Flannery

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Carbohydrates play a crucial role in host-microorganism interactions and many host glycoconjugates are receptors or co-receptors for microbial binding. Host glycosylation varies with species and location in the body, and this contributes to species specificity and tropism of commensal and pathogenic bacteria. Additionally, bacterial glycosylation is often the first bacterial molecular species encountered and responded to by the host system. Accordingly, characterising and identifying the exact structures involved in these critical interactions is an important priority in deciphering microbial pathogenesis. Carbohydrate-based microarray platforms have been an underused tool for screening bacterial interactions with specific carbohydrate structures, but they are growing in popularity in recent years. In this review, we discuss carbohydrate-based microarrays that have been profiled with whole bacteria, recombinantly expressed adhesins or serum antibodies. Three main types of carbohydrate-based microarray platform are considered; (i conventional carbohydrate or glycan microarrays; (ii whole mucin microarrays; and (iii microarrays constructed from bacterial polysaccharides or their components. Determining the nature of the interactions between bacteria and host can help clarify the molecular mechanisms of carbohydrate-mediated interactions in microbial pathogenesis, infectious disease and host immune response and may lead to new strategies to boost therapeutic treatments.

Interactions between colloidal silver and photosynthetic pigments located in cyanobacteria fragments and in solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Siejak, Przemysław; Frackowiak, Danuta

2007-09-25

Changes in the yield of the fluorescence emitted by pigments of photosynthetic organisms could be used for the establishment of the presence of some toxic substances. The presence of colloidal metals can be indicated by enhancement of pigments' emission as a result of plasmons generation. The spectra of the pigments of cyanobacterium Synechocystis located in the bacterium fragments and in solutions with and without colloidal silver additions have been measured. The quantum yield of the pigments' fluorescence in solution has been observed to increase at some wavelength of excitation, while the fluorescence of the pigments in the bacteria fragments has been only quenched as a consequence of interactions with colloidal silver particles. Close contact between pigment molecules located in bacteria fragments and silver particles is probably not possible. We plan in future to investigate the influence of other, more typical metal pollutants of water, using similar spectral methods and several other photosynthetic bacteria pigments, in solution, in cell fragments and in the whole bacteria organisms.

Microbial bebop: creating music from complex dynamics in microbial ecology.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Larsen

Full Text Available In order for society to make effective policy decisions on complex and far-reaching subjects, such as appropriate responses to global climate change, scientists must effectively communicate complex results to the non-scientifically specialized public. However, there are few ways however to transform highly complicated scientific data into formats that are engaging to the general community. Taking inspiration from patterns observed in nature and from some of the principles of jazz bebop improvisation, we have generated Microbial Bebop, a method by which microbial environmental data are transformed into music. Microbial Bebop uses meter, pitch, duration, and harmony to highlight the relationships between multiple data types in complex biological datasets. We use a comprehensive microbial ecology, time course dataset collected at the L4 marine monitoring station in the Western English Channel as an example of microbial ecological data that can be transformed into music. Four compositions were generated (www.bio.anl.gov/MicrobialBebop.htm. from L4 Station data using Microbial Bebop. Each composition, though deriving from the same dataset, is created to highlight different relationships between environmental conditions and microbial community structure. The approach presented here can be applied to a wide variety of complex biological datasets.

Development of Novel Random Network Theory-Based Approaches to Identify Network Interactions among Nitrifying Bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Cindy

2015-07-17

The interactions among different microbial populations in a community could play more important roles in determining ecosystem functioning than species numbers and their abundances, but very little is known about such network interactions at a community level. The goal of this project is to develop novel framework approaches and associated software tools to characterize the network interactions in microbial communities based on high throughput, large scale high-throughput metagenomics data and apply these approaches to understand the impacts of environmental changes (e.g., climate change, contamination) on network interactions among different nitrifying populations and associated microbial communities.

Marine crude-oil biodegradation: a central role for interspecies interactions

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

The marine environment is highly susceptible to pollution by petroleum, and so it is important to understand how microorganisms degrade hydrocarbons, and thereby mitigate ecosystem damage. Our understanding about the ecology, physiology, biochemistry and genetics of oil-degrading bacteria and fungi has increased greatly in recent decades; however, individual populations of microbes do not function alone in nature. The diverse array of hydrocarbons present in crude oil requires resource partitioning by microbial populations, and microbial modification of oil components and the surrounding environment will lead to temporal succession. But even when just one type of hydrocarbon is present, a network of direct and indirect interactions within and between species is observed. In this review we consider competition for resources, but focus on some of the key cooperative interactions: consumption of metabolites, biosurfactant production, provision of oxygen and fixed nitrogen. The emphasis is largely on aerobic processes, and especially interactions between bacteria, fungi and microalgae. The self-construction of a functioning community is central to microbial success, and learning how such “microbial modules” interact will be pivotal to enhancing biotechnological processes, including the bioremediation of hydrocarbons. PMID:22591596

Microbial Enzymatic Degradation of Biodegradable Plastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Roohi; Bano, Kulsoom; Kuddus, Mohammed; Zaheer, Mohammed R; Zia, Qamar; Khan, Mohammed F; Ashraf, Ghulam Md; Gupta, Anamika; Aliev, Gjumrakch

2017-01-01

The renewable feedstock derived biodegradable plastics are important in various industries such as packaging, agricultural, paper coating, garbage bags and biomedical implants. The increasing water and waste pollution due to the available decomposition methods of plastic degradation have led to the emergence of biodegradable plastics and biological degradation with microbial (bacteria and fungi) extracellular enzymes. The microbes utilize biodegradable polymers as the substrate under starvation and in unavailability of microbial nutrients. Microbial enzymatic degradation is suitable from bioremediation point of view as no waste accumulation occurs. It is important to understand the microbial interaction and mechanism involved in the enzymatic degradation of biodegradable plastics under the influence of several environmental factors such as applied pH, thermo-stability, substrate molecular weight and/or complexity. To study the surface erosion of polymer film is another approach for hydrolytic degradation characteristion. The degradation of biopolymer is associated with the production of low molecular weight monomer and generation of carbon dioxide, methane and water molecule. This review reported the degradation study of various existing biodegradable plastics along with the potent degrading microbes (bacteria and fungi). Patents available on plastic biodegradation with biotechnological significance is also summarized in this paper. This paper assesses that new disposal technique should be adopted for the degradation of polymers and further research is required for the economical production of biodegradable plastics along with their enzymatic degradation. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Microbial Diversity of Septic Tank Effluent and a Soil Biomat▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Tomaras, Jill; Sahl, Jason W.; Siegrist, Robert L.; Spear, John R.

2009-01-01

Microbial diversity of septic tank effluent (STE) and the biomat that is formed as a result of STE infiltration on soil were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Results indicate that microbial communities are different within control soil, STE, and the biomat and that microbes found in STE are not found in the biomat. The development of a stable soil biomat appears to provide the best on-site water treatment or protection for subsequent groundwater interactions of STE. PMID:19304840

Phenotypic responses to interspecies competition and commensalism in a naturally-derived microbial co-culture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, Nymul; Maezato, Yukari; McClure, Ryan S.; Brislawn, Colin J.; Mobberley, Jennifer M.; Isern, Nancy; Chrisler, William B.; Markillie, Lye Meng; Barney, Brett M.; Song, Hyun-Seob; Nelson, William C.; Bernstein, Hans C.

2018-01-10

The fundamental question of whether different microbial species will co-exist or compete in a given environment depends on context, composition and environmental constraints. Model microbial systems can yield some general principles related to this question. In this study we employed a naturally occurring co-culture composed of heterotrophic bacteria, Halomonas sp. HL-48 and Marinobacter sp. HL-58, to ask two fundamental scientific questions: 1) how do the phenotypes of two naturally co-existing species respond to partnership as compared to axenic growth? and 2) how do growth and molecular phenotypes of these species change with respect to competitive and commensal interactions? We hypothesized – and confirmed – that co-cultivation under glucose as the sole carbon source would result in a competitive interactions. Similarly, when glucose was swapped with xylose, the interactions became commensal because Marinobacter HL-58 was supported by metabolites derived from Halomonas HL-48. Each species responded to partnership by changing both its growth and molecular phenotype as assayed via batch growth kinetics and global transcriptomics. These phenotypic responses depended nutrient availability and so the environment ultimately controlled how they responded to each other. This simplified model community revealed that microbial interactions are context-specific and different environmental conditions dictate how interspecies partnerships will unfold.

Manipulating soil microbial communities in extensive green roof substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Molineux, Chloe J; Connop, Stuart P; Gange, Alan C

2014-09-15

There has been very little investigation into the soil microbial community on green roofs, yet this below ground habitat is vital for ecosystem functioning. Green roofs are often harsh environments that would greatly benefit from having a healthy microbial system, allowing efficient nutrient cycling and a degree of drought tolerance in dry summer months. To test if green roof microbial communities could be manipulated, we added mycorrhizal fungi and a microbial mixture ('compost tea') to green roof rootzones, composed mainly of crushed brick or crushed concrete. The study revealed that growing media type and depth play a vital role in the microbial ecology of green roofs. There are complex relationships between depth and type of substrate and the biomass of different microbial groups, with no clear pattern being observed. Following the addition of inoculants, bacterial groups tended to increase in biomass in shallower substrates, whereas fungal biomass change was dependent on depth and type of substrate. Increased fungal biomass was found in shallow plots containing more crushed concrete and deeper plots containing more crushed brick where compost tea (a live mixture of beneficial bacteria) was added, perhaps due to the presence of helper bacteria for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Often there was not an additive affect of the microbial inoculations but instead an antagonistic interaction between the added AM fungi and the compost tea. This suggests that some species of microbes may not be compatible with others, as competition for limited resources occurs within the various substrates. The overall results suggest that microbial inoculations of green roof habitats are sustainable. They need only be done once for increased biomass to be found in subsequent years, indicating that this is a novel and viable method of enhancing roof community composition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beneficial interactions between plants and soil microbes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravnskov, S.

2012-01-01

with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF); thus the relation between root pathogens and most plants under field conditions is an interaction between AM and pathogens. The AM symbiosis has functionally been characterised as the reciprocal exchange of nutrients between the symbionts: the fungus is obligate biotrophic......The microbial community in the rhizosphere plays a key role in plant growth and -health, either directly by influencing plant nutrient uptake and by causing disease, or indirectly via microbial interactions in the rhizosphere. The majority of field grown crops (70-80 %) naturally form symbiosis...

Sensitivity of Deep Soil Organic Carbon Age to Sorption, Transport and Microbial Interactions - Insights from a Calibrated Process Model

Science.gov (United States)

Ahrens, B.; Schrumpf, M.; Reichstein, M.

2013-12-01

Subsoil soil organic carbon (SOC) is characterized by conventional radiocarbon ages on the order of centuries to millennia. Most vertically explicit SOC turnover models represent this persistence of deep SOC by one pool that has millennial turnover times. This approach lumps different stabilizing mechanisms such as chemical recalcitrance, sorptive stabilization and energy limitation into a single rate constant. As an alternative, we present a continuous, vertically explicit SOC decomposition model that allows for stabilization via sorption and microbial interactions (COMISSION model). We compare the COMISSION model with the SOC profile of a Haplic Podzol under a Norway spruce forest. In the COMISSION model two pools receive aboveground litter input and vertically distributed root litter input. The readily leachable and soluble fraction of litter input enters a dissolved organic carbon pool (DOC), while the rest enters the residue pool which represents polymeric, non-soluble SOC. The residue pool is depolymerized with extracellular enzymes produced by a microbial pool to enter the DOC pool which represents SOC potentially available for assimilation by microbes. The adsorption/desorption of DOC from/to mineral surfaces controls the availability of carbon in the DOC pool for assimilatory uptake by microbes. The sorption of DOC is modeled with dynamic Langmuir equations. The desorbed part of the DOC pool not only constitutes the substrate for the microbial pool, but is also transported via advection. Interactions of microbes with the residue and DOC pool are modeled with Michaelis-Menten kinetics - this not only allows representing ';priming', but also the retardation of decomposition via energy limitation in the deep soil where substrate is scarce. Further, soil organic matter is recycled within the soil profile through microbial processing - dead microbes either enter the DOC or the residue pool, and thereby also contribute to longer residence times with soil depth

Redox zone II. Coupled modeling of groundwater flow, solute transport, chemical reactions and microbial processes in the Aespoe island

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samper, Javier; Molinero, Jorge; Changbing Yang; Guoxiang Zhang

2003-12-01

The Redox Zone Experiment was carried out at the Aespoe HRL in order to study the redox behaviour and the hydrochemistry of an isolated vertical fracture zone disturbed by the excavation of an access tunnel. Overall results and interpretation of the Redox Zone Project were reported by Banwart et al. Later, Banwart presented a summary of the hydrochemistry of the Redox Zone Experiment. Coupled groundwater flow and reactive transport models of this experiment were carried out by Molinero who proposed a revised conceptual model for the hydrogeology of the Redox Zone Experiment which could explain simultaneously measured drawdown and salinity data. The numerical model was found useful to understand the natural system. Several conclusions were drawn about the redox conditions of recharge waters, cation exchange capacity of the fracture zone and the role of mineral phases such as pyrite, calcite, hematite and goethite. This model could reproduce the measured trends of dissolved species, except for bicarbonate and sulphate which are affected by microbially-mediated processes. In order to explore the role of microbial processes, a coupled numerical model has been constructed which accounts for water flow, reactive transport and microbial processes. The results of this model is presented in this report. This model accounts for groundwater flow and reactive transport in a manner similar to that of Molinero and extends the preliminary microbial model of Zhang by accounting for microbially-driven organic matter fermentation and organic matter oxidation. This updated microbial model considers simultaneously the fermentation of particulate organic matter by yeast and the oxidation of dissolved organic matter, a product of fermentation. Dissolved organic matter is produced by yeast and serves also as a substrate for iron-reducing bacteria. Model results reproduce the observed increase in bicarbonate and sulfaphe concentration, thus adding additional evidence for the possibility

Redox zone II. Coupled modeling of groundwater flow, solute transport, chemical reactions and microbial processes in the Aespoe island

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samper, Javier; Molinero, Jorge; Changbing Yang; Guoxiang Zhang [Univ. Da Coruna (Spain)

2003-12-01

The Redox Zone Experiment was carried out at the Aespoe HRL in order to study the redox behaviour and the hydrochemistry of an isolated vertical fracture zone disturbed by the excavation of an access tunnel. Overall results and interpretation of the Redox Zone Project were reported by Banwart et al. Later, Banwart presented a summary of the hydrochemistry of the Redox Zone Experiment. Coupled groundwater flow and reactive transport models of this experiment were carried out by Molinero who proposed a revised conceptual model for the hydrogeology of the Redox Zone Experiment which could explain simultaneously measured drawdown and salinity data. The numerical model was found useful to understand the natural system. Several conclusions were drawn about the redox conditions of recharge waters, cation exchange capacity of the fracture zone and the role of mineral phases such as pyrite, calcite, hematite and goethite. This model could reproduce the measured trends of dissolved species, except for bicarbonate and sulphate which are affected by microbially-mediated processes. In order to explore the role of microbial processes, a coupled numerical model has been constructed which accounts for water flow, reactive transport and microbial processes. The results of this model is presented in this report. This model accounts for groundwater flow and reactive transport in a manner similar to that of Molinero and extends the preliminary microbial model of Zhang by accounting for microbially-driven organic matter fermentation and organic matter oxidation. This updated microbial model considers simultaneously the fermentation of particulate organic matter by yeast and the oxidation of dissolved organic matter, a product of fermentation. Dissolved organic matter is produced by yeast and serves also as a substrate for iron-reducing bacteria. Model results reproduce the observed increase in bicarbonate and sulfaphe concentration, thus adding additional evidence for the possibility

MICROBIAL IMPACTS ON THE MIGRATION OF ACTINIDES -EFFECTS OF EXUDATES ON ADSORPTION-

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

OHNUKI, T.; OZAKI, T.; YOSHIDA, T.; NANKAWA, T.; KOZAI, N.; SAKAMOTO, F.; SUZUKI, Y.; FRANCIS, A.J.

2006-01-01

The interaction of actinides with microorganisms has been extensively studied to elucidate migration behavior of actinides in the environments. However, the mechanisms of interaction of microorganisms and actinides are poorly understood. They have been conducting basic science on microbial accumulation of actinides in order to elucidate the environmental behavior of actinides under relevant conditions. The effect of exudates from bacteria cells on the sorption of Eu(III) and Cm(III) by Chlorella vulgaris was studied by a batch method. The pH dependence of log K d of Eu(III) and Cm(III) for cellulose, major component of C. vulgaris cell, differed from that for C. vulgaris. On the contrary, log K d of Eu(III) and Cm(III) for cellulose in the solution containing exudates from C. vulgaris cells in a 0.5% NaCl solution showed a similar pH dependence to that by C. vulgaris. These results strongly suggested that exudates affect on the sorption of Eu(III) and Cm(III) on C. vulgaris. Effect of desferrioxamine B (DFO), one of exudates to chelate the insoluble Fe(III), on the sorption of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) by Pseudomonas fluorescens was studied. In the presence of DFO the sorption of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) on the cells increased with a decrease in pH from 7 to 4. In contrast, without DFO most of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) were precipitated from solution. Adsorption of DFO on the cells was negligible in the solution with and without metals. Adsorption of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) on P. fluorescens cells decreased in the order Eu(III) > Th(IV) > Pu(IV), which corresponds to increasing stability constant of the DFO complexes. These results indicate that Th(IV), Pu(IV) and Eu(III) dissociate when in contact with cells, after which the metals are adsorbed

Microbial impacts on the migration of actinides. Effects of exudates on adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohnuki, Toshihiko; Ozaki, Takuo; Nakawa, Takuya; Kozai, Naofumi; Sakamoto, Fuminori; Suzuki, Yosinori; Yoshida, Takahiro; Francis, Arokiasamy J.

2007-01-01

The interaction of actinides with microorganisms has been extensively studied to elucidate migration behavior of actinides in the environments. However, the mechanisms of interaction of microorganisms and actinides are poorly understood. We have been conducting basic science on microbial accumulation of actinides in order to elucidate the environmental behavior of actinides under relevant conditions. The effect of exudates from bacteria cells on the sorption of Eu(III) and Cm(III) by Chlorella vulgaris was studied by a batch method. The pH dependence of log K d of Eu(III) and Cm(III) for cellulose, major component of C. vulgaris cell, differed from that for C. vulgaris. On the contrary, log K d of Eu(III) and Cm(III) for cellulose in the solution containing exudates from C. vulgaris cells in a 0.5% NaCl solution showed a similar pH dependence to that by C. vulgaris. These results strongly suggested that exudates affect on the sorption of Eu(III) and Cm(III) on C. vulgaris. Effect of desferrioxamine B (DFO), one of exudates to chelate with insoluble Fe(III), on the sorption of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) by Pseudomonas fluorescens was studied. In the presence of DFO the sorption of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) on the cells increased with a decrease in pH from 7 to 4. In contrast, without DFO most of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) were precipitated from solution. Adsorption of DFO on the cells was negligible in the solution with and without metals. Adsorption of Pu(IV), Th(IV) and Eu(III) on P. fluorescens cells decreased in the order Eu(III) > Th(IV) > Pu(IV), which corresponds to increasing stability constant of the DFO complexes. These results indicate that Th(IV), Pu(IV) and Eu(III) dissociate when in contact with cells, after which the metals are adsorbed. (author)

Microbial electron transport and energy conservation – the foundation for optimizing bioelectrochemical systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kracke, Frauke; Vassilev, Igor; Krömer, Jens O.

2015-01-01

Microbial electrochemical techniques describe a variety of emerging technologies that use electrode–bacteria interactions for biotechnology applications including the production of electricity, waste and wastewater treatment, bioremediation and the production of valuable products. Central in each application is the ability of the microbial catalyst to interact with external electron acceptors and/or donors and its metabolic properties that enable the combination of electron transport and carbon metabolism. And here also lies the key challenge. A wide range of microbes has been discovered to be able to exchange electrons with solid surfaces or mediators but only a few have been studied in depth. Especially electron transfer mechanisms from cathodes towards the microbial organism are poorly understood but are essential for many applications such as microbial electrosynthesis. We analyze the different electron transport chains that nature offers for organisms such as metal respiring bacteria and acetogens, but also standard biotechnological organisms currently used in bio-production. Special focus lies on the essential connection of redox and energy metabolism, which is often ignored when studying bioelectrochemical systems. The possibility of extracellular electron exchange at different points in each organism is discussed regarding required redox potentials and effect on cellular redox and energy levels. Key compounds such as electron carriers (e.g., cytochromes, ferredoxin, quinones, flavins) are identified and analyzed regarding their possible role in electrode–microbe interactions. This work summarizes our current knowledge on electron transport processes and uses a theoretical approach to predict the impact of different modes of transfer on the energy metabolism. As such it adds an important piece of fundamental understanding of microbial electron transport possibilities to the research community and will help to optimize and advance bioelectrochemical

Synthetic Microbial Ecology: Engineering Habitats for Modular Consortia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Said, Sami; Or, Dani

2017-01-01

The metabolic diversity present in microbial communities enables cooperation toward accomplishing more complex tasks than possible by a single organism. Members of a consortium communicate by exchanging metabolites or signals that allow them to coordinate their activity through division of labor. In contrast with monocultures, evidence suggests that microbial consortia self-organize to form spatial patterns, such as observed in biofilms or in soil aggregates, that enable them to respond to gradient, to improve resource interception and to exchange metabolites more effectively. Current biotechnological applications of microorganisms remain rudimentary, often relying on genetically engineered monocultures (e.g., pharmaceuticals) or mixed-cultures of partially known composition (e.g., wastewater treatment), yet the vast potential of "microbial ecological power" observed in most natural environments, remains largely underused. In line with the Unified Microbiome Initiative (UMI) which aims to "discover and advance tools to understand and harness the capabilities of Earth's microbial ecosystems," we propose in this concept paper to capitalize on ecological insights into the spatial and modular design of interlinked microbial consortia that would overcome limitations of natural systems and attempt to optimize the functionality of the members and the performance of the engineered consortium. The topology of the spatial connections linking the various members and the regulated fluxes of media between those modules, while representing a major engineering challenge, would allow the microbial species to interact. The modularity of such spatially linked microbial consortia (SLMC) could facilitate the design of scalable bioprocesses that can be incorporated as parts of a larger biochemical network. By reducing the need for a compatible growth environment for all species simultaneously, SLMC will dramatically expand the range of possible combinations of microorganisms and their

IMPLICATIONS OF MICROBIAL ADHESION TO HYDROCARBONS FOR EVALUATING CELL-SURFACE HYDROPHOBICITY .1. ZETA-POTENTIALS OF HYDROCARBON DROPLETS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

BUSSCHER, HJ; VANDEBELTGRITTER, B; VANDERMEI, HC

1995-01-01

Microbial adhesion to hydrocarbons (MATH) is generally considered to be a measure of the organisms cell surface hydrophobicity. As microbial adhesion is a complicated interplay of long-range van der Waals and electrostatic forces and various short-range interactions, the above statement only holds

Prospective randomized investigation for evaluation of postoperative changes in the microbial climate of paranasal mucosa by the use of different dissoluting techniques during postoperative care.

Science.gov (United States)

Maune, S; Johannssen, V; Sahly, H; Werner, J A; Salhy, H

1999-09-01

Endonasal dissolution by the use of NaCl-solution is a common postoperative treatment of the nasal mucosa after endonasal surgery. These procedure involve for example endonasal shower and sterilized solutions. The contamination of nasal shower in case of unprofessional cleaning after treatment was an argument against this technique in earlier discussions. The danger of such an infection should be avoided by the use of sterilized solution. Therefore the dependence of nasal microbial climate on different nasal dissoluting techniques was investigated by the use of such named endonasal shower (Siemens und Co, Bad Ems, Germany) in comparison with sterilized solution (Rhinomer, Zyma SA, Nyon, France). Microbial cultures were investigated of 80 patients after endonasal surgery (53 m, 27 f; 31 +/- 21 age). Surgery was done for the treatment of chronic polypous sinusitis. Pre-, intra- and postoperative samples were taken in 640 cases to proceed microbial cultures. Material was transferred with the use of a Port-A-Cul-transport medium and preparation of the microbial cultures was done during the first four hours. As a result 895 bacterial clones were cultivated. These consisted of 87% aerob and 13% anaerob bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus (39%) and members of the family of Enterobactericae (30%) were the most common microbes. There was neither an evidence for postoperative microbes on the nasal mucosa nor a correlation between the dissoluting technique and the postoperative outcome. The use of sterilized solutions for the postoperative care of endonasal mucosa does not cause an additional worthful effect on neither the postoperative microbial climate nor the outcome in comparison to endonasal shower.

Microbial hotspots and hot moments in soil

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzyakov, Yakov; Blagodatskaya, Evgenia

2015-04-01

Soils are the most heterogeneous parts of the biosphere, with an extremely high differentiation of properties and processes within nano- to macroscales. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of input of labile organics by plants creates microbial hotspots over short periods of time - the hot moments. We define microbial hotspots as small soil volumes with much faster process rates and much more intensive interactions compared to the average soil conditions. Such hotspots are found in the rhizosphere, detritusphere, biopores (including drilosphere) and on aggregate surfaces, but hotspots are frequently of mixed origin. Hot moments are short-term events or sequences of events inducing accelerated process rates as compared to the averaged rates. Thus, hotspots and hot moments are defined by dynamic characteristics, i.e. by process rates. For this hotspot concept we extensively reviewed and examined the localization and size of hotspots, spatial distribution and visualization approaches, transport of labile C to and from hotspots, lifetime and process intensities, with a special focus on process rates and microbial activities. The fraction of active microorganisms in hotspots is 2-20 times higher than in the bulk soil, and their specific activities (i.e. respiration, microbial growth, mineralization potential, enzyme activities, RNA/DNA ratio) may also be much higher. The duration of hot moments in the rhizosphere is limited and is controlled by the length of the input of labile organics. It can last a few hours up to a few days. In the detritusphere, however, the duration of hot moments is regulated by the output - by decomposition rates of litter - and lasts for weeks and months. Hot moments induce succession in microbial communities and intense intra- and interspecific competition affecting C use efficiency, microbial growth and turnover. The faster turnover and lower C use efficiency in hotspots counterbalances the high C inputs, leading to the absence of strong

Adaptive solution of some steady-state fluid-structure interaction problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etienne, S.; Pelletier, D.

2003-01-01

This paper presents a general integrated and coupled formulation for modeling the steady-state interaction of a viscous incompressible flow with an elastic structure undergoing large displacements (geometric non-linearities). This constitutes an initial step towards developing a sensitivity analysis formulation for this class of problems. The formulation uses velocity and pressures as unknowns in a flow domain and displacements in the structural components. An interface formulation is presented that leads to clear and simple finite element implementation of the equilibrium conditions at the fluid-solid interface. Issues of error estimation and mesh adaptation are discussed. The adaptive formulation is verified on a problem with a closed form solution. It is then applied to a sample case for which the structure undergoes large displacements induced by the flow. (author)

Microbial contamination of soft contact lenses & accessories in asymptomatic contact lens users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deeksha V Thakur

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background & objectives: With increasing use of soft contact lenses the incidence of contact lens induced infections is also increasing. This study was aimed to assess the knowledge of new and existing contact lens users about the risk of microbial contamination associated with improper use and maintenance of contact lenses, type of microbial flora involved and their potential to cause ophthalmic infections. Methods: Four samples each from 50 participants (n=200 were collected from the lenses, lens care solutions, lens care solution bottles and lens cases along with a questionnaire regarding their lens use. The samples were inoculated onto sheep blood agar, Mac Conkey′s agar and Sabouraud′s dextrose agar. Organisms were identified using standard laboratory protocols. Results: Overall rate of microbial contamination among the total samples was 52 per cent. The most and the least contaminated samples were found to be lens cases (62% and lens care solution (42%, respectively. The most frequently isolated contaminant was Staphylococcus aureus (21% followed by Pseudomonas species (19.5%. Majority (64% of the participants showed medium grade of compliance to lens cleaning practices. Rate of contamination was 100 and 93.75 per cent respectively in those participants who showed low and medium compliance to lens care practices as compared to those who had high level of compliance (43.75% ( p0 <0.05. Interpretation & conclusions: Lens care practices amongst the participants were not optimum which resulted into high level contamination. Hence, creating awareness among the users about the lens care practices and regular cleaning and replacements of lens cases are required.

Heavy Metal Content and Microbial Composition of the Rhizosphere ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Plant-assisted bioremediation holds promise for in-situ treatment of polluted soil. However, en-hancement of this process for successful phytoremediation processes requires a sound understand-ing of the complex interactions of the rhizosphere. The present study thus investigated the chemi-cal and microbial composition ...

Traditional method of fish treatment, microbial count and palatability studies on spoiled fish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abd Aziz, N. A.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: To evaluate the microbial count and palatability acceptance of spoiled fish after treatment with traditionally used naturalsolution.Methodology and results: To compare microbial count of spoiled fish before and after treatment with natural solution practicedby local people in Malaysia, 10 g of spoiled fish was respectively rinsed with 100 mL of 0.1% of natural solution such as Averrhoabilimbi extract, rice rinsed water, rice vinegar, Citrus aurantifolia extract, salt, flour, and Tamarindus indica extract. Flesh of fishrinsed with rice vinegar was found to be able to reduce microbial count (CFU/mL = 0.37 X 107 more than 4.5 times whencompared to spoiled fish (CFU/mL=1.67x 107. Spoiled fish that was treated with rice vinegar was prepared into a cutlet and fried.The cutlet was subjected to palatability acceptance study by a group of residents in Palm Court Condominium, Brickfields, KualaLumpur. The palatability study from the Cronbach alpha shown that the taste have the reliability of 0.802, the aroma has thereliability of 0.888, colour with the reliability of 0.772, texture or mouth feel have reliability of 0.840 and physical structure of thecutlet is 0.829.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Treatment of spoiled fish using rice vinegar as practice by local peopletraditionally shown a significant reduction in microbial count and the vinegar-treated fish could be developed into a product that issafe and acceptable by the consumer.

Microbial community structure elucidates performance of Glyceria maxima plant microbial fuel cell

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timmers, R.A.; Rothballer, M.; Strik, D.P.B.T.B.; Engel, M.; Schulz, M.; Hartmann, A.; Hamelers, H.V.M.; Buisman, C.J.N.

2012-01-01

The plant microbial fuel cell (PMFC) is a technology in which living plant roots provide electron donor, via rhizodeposition, to a mixed microbial community to generate electricity in a microbial fuel cell. Analysis and localisation of the microbial community is necessary for gaining insight into

Solutions for correlations along the coexistence curve and at the critical point of a kagomé lattice gas with three-particle interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, J. H.; Muttalib, K. A.; Tanaka, T.

2008-01-01

We consider a two-dimensional (d=2) kagomé lattice gas model with attractive three-particle interactions around each triangular face of the kagomé lattice. Exact solutions are obtained for multiparticle correlations along the liquid and vapor branches of the coexistence curve and at criticality. The correlation solutions are also determined along the continuation of the curvilinear diameter of the coexistence region into the disordered fluid region. The method generates a linear algebraic system of correlation identities with coefficients dependent only upon the interaction parameter. Using a priori knowledge of pertinent solutions for the density and elementary triplet correlation, one finds a closed and linearly independent set of correlation identities defined upon a spatially compact nine-site cluster of the kagomé lattice. Resulting exact solution curves of the correlations are plotted and discussed as functions of the temperature and are compared with corresponding results in a traditional kagomé lattice gas having nearest-neighbor pair interactions. An example of application for the multiparticle correlations is demonstrated in cavitation theory.

Impact of electrokinetic remediation on microbial communities within PCP contaminated soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lear, G.; Harbottle, M.J.; Sills, G.; Knowles, C.J.; Semple, K.T.; Thompson, I.P.

2007-01-01

Electrokinetic techniques have been used to stimulate the removal of organic pollutants within soil, by directing contaminant migration to where remediation may be more easily achieved. The effect of this and other physical remediation techniques on the health of soil microbial communities has been poorly studied and indeed, largely ignored. This study reports the impact on soil microbial communities during the application of an electric field within ex situ laboratory soil microcosms contaminated with pentachlorophenol (PCP; 100 mg kg -1 oven dry soil). Electrokinetics reduced counts of culturable bacteria and fungi, soil microbial respiration and carbon substrate utilisation, especially close to the acidic anode where PCP accumulated (36 d), perhaps exacerbated by the greater toxicity of PCP at lower soil pH. There is little doubt that a better awareness of the interactions between soil electrokinetic processes and microbial communities is key to improving the efficacy and sustainability of this remediation strategy. - Electrokinetics negatively impacted soil

Prediction of thermodynamic properties of solute elements in Si solutions using first-principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)