Extreme ultraviolet line emission at 24.7 nm from Li-like nitrogen plasma produced by a short KrF excimer laser pulse

Recently using KrF high power laser (248 nm; 350 fs; 5.0x10(16) W/cm(2)) in the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory an experimental search for recombination extreme ultraviolet (XUV) laser action in Li-like nitrogen ions was performed. To understand the experimental results of line emission at 24.7 nm in the 3d(5/2)-2p(3/2) transition of the Li-like nitrogen ion a simulation was undertaken using a one-dimensional Lagrangian hydrodynamic code. From the simulation results, we confirmed that there was nonlinear dependence of spectral line emission on the gas density which was well matched to the experimental results. Only a six times increase of the 24.7 nm emission intensity was obtained when the plasma length was increased 1000 times from 1 mu m as an optically thin case to 1 mm. Also, the spatial profile of the electron density and temperature was obtained and the electron temperature was about 40-50 eV which was too high for the optical field ionization x-ray lasing. We could not find evidence of x-ray laser gain. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.

O-antigen expression in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is regulated by nitrogen availability through RpoN-mediated transcriptional control of the rfaH gene

The authors previously reported increased expression of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. typhi) rfaH gene when the bacterial cells reach stationary phase. In this study, using a lacZ fusion to the rfaH promoter region, they demonstrate that growth-dependent regulation of rfaH expression occurs at the level of transcription initiation. It was also observed that production of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen by S. typhi Ty2 correlated with the differential expression of rfaH during bacterial growth. This was probably due to the increased cellular levels of RfaH, since expression of the distal gene in the O-antigen gene cluster of S. typhi Ty2, wbaP, was also increased during stationary growth, as demonstrated by RT-PCR analysis. Examination of the sequences upstream of the rfaH coding region revealed homologies to potential binding sites for the RcsB/RcsA dimer of the RcsC/YopJ/RcsB phosphorelay regulatory system and for the RpoN alternative sigma factor. The expression of the rfaH gene in rpoN and rcsB mutants of S. typhi Ty2 was measured. The results indicate that inactivation of rpoN, but not of rcsB, suppresses the growth-phase-dependent induction of rfaH expression. Furthermore, production of beta-galactosidase mediated by the rfaH-lacZ fusion increased approximately fourfold when bacteria were grown in a nitrogen-limited medium. Nitrogen limitation was also shown to increase the expression of the O-antigen by the wild-type S. typhi Ty2, as demonstrated by a similar electrophoretic profile to that observed during the stationary phase of growth in rich media. It is therefore concluded that the relationship between LPS production and nitrogen limitation parallels the pattern of rfaH regulation under the control of RpoN and is consistent with the idea that RpoN modulates LPS formation via its effect on rfaH gene expression during bacterial growth.

Solubility of carbon dioxide, ethane, methane, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon, and carbon monoxide in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate between temperatures 283 K and 343 K and at pressures close to atmospheric

Experimental values for the solubility of carbon dioxide, ethane, methane, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon and carbon monoxide in 1-butyl-3- methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, [bmim][BF4] - a room temperature ionic liquid - are reported as a function of temperature between 283 K and 343 K and at pressures close to atmospheric. Carbon dioxide is the most soluble gas with mole fraction solubilities of the order of 10-2. Ethane and methane are one order of magnitude more soluble than the other five gases that have mole fraction solubilities of the order of 10-4. Hydrogen is the less soluble of the gaseous solutes studied. From the variation of solubility, expressed as Henry's law constants, with temperature, the partial molar thermodynamic functions of solvation such as the standard Gibbs energy, the enthalpy, and the entropy are calculated. The precision of the experimental data, considered as the average absolute deviation of the Henry's law constants from appropriate smoothing equations is of 1%. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iron Age Pastoral Nomadism and Agriculture in the Eastern Eurasian Steppe: Implications from Dental Palaeopathology and Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes

Iron Age societies of the eastern Eurasian steppe are traditionally viewed as nomadic pastoralists. However, recent archaeological and anthropological research in Kazakhstan has reminded us that pastoralist economies can be highly complex and involve agriculture. This paper explores the nature of the pastoralist economies in two Early Iron Age populations from the burial grounds of Ai-Dai and Aymyrlyg in Southern Siberia. These populations represent two cultural groups of the Scythian World - the Tagar Culture of the Minusinsk Basin and the Uyuk Culture of Tuva. Analysis of dental palaeopathology and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes suggests that domesticated cereals, particularly millet, and fish formed a major component of the diet of both groups. The findings contribute to the emerging picture of the nuances of Early Iron Age subsistence strategies on the eastern steppe.

Liquid nitrogen and salicylic/lactic acid paint in the treatment of cutaneous warts in general practice

Patients with common hand warts and simple plantar warts attending a general practice wart clinic in Northern Ireland were assigned to one of three treatment groups - liquid nitrogen applied weekly, daily application of wart paint (lactic acid one part, salicylic acid one part, collodion four parts), or a combination of the two. Combination therapy cured 87% of common hand warts over a six week period, and was significantly more effective than either agent used separately (P

A comparison of the effects of ibuprofen and indomethacin upon renal haemodynamics and electrolyte excretion in the presence and absence of frusemide

1. This study has compared the effects of ibuprofen and indomethacin upon renal haemodynamics, electrolyte excretion and renin release in the presence and absence of frusemide under sodium replete conditions in eight healthy volunteers. 2. Neither ibuprofen (400 mg and 800 mg) nor indomethacin (50 mg) affected renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate or electrolyte excretion in the basal state. 3. Frusemide had no effect on renal blood flow, but significantly increased glomerular filtration rate. This latter change was suppressed significantly only by ibuprofen 400 mg. Frusemide-induced diuresis was inhibited by all treatments, while natriuresis following frusemide was inhibited by indomethacin only. 4. Significant increments in plasma renin activity, which were suppressed by all treatments, were observed after frusemide. The degree of inhibition of the renin responses was significantly greater in the presence of indomethacin than with either dose of ibuprofen. 5. In a sodium replete setting in healthy volunteers, indomethacin and ibuprofen had no detrimental effects on basal renal function. In the presence of frusemide, indomethacin had more anti-natriuretic and renin-suppressing effect than ibuprofen. There was no evidence for a dose-related effect of ibuprofen.

Small genetic differences between ericoid mycorrhizal fungi affect nitrogen uptake by Vaccinium

Ericoid mycorrhizal fungi have been shown to differ in their pattern of nitrogen (N) use in pure culture. Here, we investigate whether this functional variation is maintained in symbiosis using three ascomycetes from a clade not previously shown to include ericoid mycorrhizal taxa. Vaccinium macrocarpon and Vaccinium vitis-idaea were inoculated with three fungal strains known to form coils in Vaccinium roots, which differed in their patterns of N use in liquid culture. (15)N was used to trace the uptake of -N, -N and glutamine-N into shoots. (15)N transfer differed among the three fungal strains, including two that had identical internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, and was quantitatively related to fungal growth in liquid culture at low carbon availability. These results demonstrate that functional differences among closely related ericoid mycorrhizal fungi are maintained in symbiosis with their hosts, and suggest that N transfer to plant shoots in ericoid mycorrhizas is under fungal control.

Arsenic mobilization from iron oxyhydroxides is regulated by organic matter carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio

Arsenic (As) is mobilized from delta and floodplain aquifer sediments throughout S.E. Asia via reductive dissolution of As bound to iron (Fe) oxyhydroxides. The reductive driving force is organic carbon, but its source and constitution is uncertain. Here batch incubation experiments were conducted to investigate the role of organic matter (OM) carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio on the mobilization of arsenic, Fe and N from As dosed, Fe oxyhydroxide coated sands. As mobilization into pore waters from the sand was strongly regulated by the C:N ratio of the OM, and also the concentration of OM present. The lower the C:N, the more As released. Fe and ammonium release were similarly dependent on the quality and quantity of OM, but Fe mobilization was more rapid and ammonium release slower than As suggesting that the mobilization of these 3 moieties although interdependent, were not directly linked. It was concluded that low C:N ratios for OM responsible for reducing aquifers were As in groundwater is observed were likely.

Altered porphyrin excretion and histopathology of greylag geese (Anser anser) exposed to soil contaminated with lead and arsenic in the Guadalquivir Marshes, southwestern Spain

Greylag geese (Anser anser) in the Guadalquivir Marshes (southwestern Spain) can be exposed to sources of inorganic pollution such as heavy metals and arsenic from mining activities or Pb shot used for hunting. We have sampled 270 fecal excreta in different areas of the marshes in 2001 to 2002 to evaluate the exposure to Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, and As and to determine its relationship with soil ingestion and with the excretion of porphyrins and biliverdin as biomarkers. These effects and the histopathology of liver, kidney, and pancreas were also studied in 50 geese shot in 2002 to 2004. None of the geese had ingested Pb shot in the gizzard. This contrasts with earlier samplings before the ban of Pb shot for waterfowl hunting in 2001 and the removal of Pb shot in points of the Doñana National Park (Spain) in 1999 to 2000. The highest exposure through direct soil ingestion to Pb and other studied elements was observed in samples from Entremuros, the area of the Doñana Natural Park affected by the Aznalcóllar mine spill in 1998. Birds from Entremuros also more frequently showed mononuclear infiltrates in liver and kidney than birds from the unaffected areas, although other more specific lesions of Pb or Zn poisoning were not observed. The excretion of coproporphyrins, especially of the isomer I, was positively related to the fecal As concentration, and the ratio of coproporphyrin III/I was positively related to fecal Pb concentration. Biliary protoporphyrin IX concentration was also slightly related to hepatic Pb concentration. This study reflects biological effects on terrestrial animals by the mining pollution in Doñana that can be monitored with the simple noninvasive sampling of feces.

Carbon availability affects nitrogen source utilisation by Hymenoscyphus ericae

We compared the ability of five strains of the ericoid mycorrhizal fungus Hymenoscyphus ericae to utilise glutamine, ammonium or nitrate at high or low carbon (C) availability. The pattern of intraspecific variation in growth was affected by C availability. When C supply was high, growth differences between strains were explained by the total amount of nitrogen (N) taken up, suggesting variation in uptake kinetics. Under C-limiting conditions, strain differences were linked with their nitrogen use efficiency, implying intraspecific differences in N metabolism. The relationship between growth on glutamine and pH shifts in the media indicated that there was intraspecific variation in glutamine transporters. In addition, the correlation between pH changes and the amount of glutamine-N recovered as ammonium in the media indicated that there were intraspecific variations within the enzymatic pathways involved in glutamine metabolism. Our findings, compared with those of a previous study involving the same ericoid strains, draw attention to the temporal variation in nitrogen source utilisation by ericoid mycorrhizal fungi when maintained in axenic culture.

Field and Laboratory Tests of Flow-Proportional Passive Samplers for Determining Average Phosphorus and Nitrogen Concentration in Rivers

Flow responsive passive samplers offer considerable potential in nutrient monitoring in catchments; bridging the gap between the intermittency of grab sampling and the high cost of automated monitoring systems. A commercially available passive sampler was evaluated in a number of river systems encapsulating a gradient in storm response, combinations of diffuse and point source pressures, and levels of phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations. Phosphorus and nitrogen are sequestered to a resin matrix in a permeable cartridge positioned in line with streamflow. A salt tracer dissolves in proportion to advective flow through the cartridge. Multiple deployments of different cartridge types were undertaken and the recovery of P and N compared with the flow-weighted mean concentration (FWMC) from high-resolution bank-side analysers at each site. Results from the passive samplers were variable and largely underestimated the FWMC derived from the bank-side analysers. Laboratory tests using ambient river samples indicated good replication of advective throughflow using pumped water, although this appeared not to be a good analogue of river conditions where flow divergence was possible. Laboratory tests also showed good nutrient retention but not elution and these issues appeared to combine to limit the utility in ambient river systems at the small catchment scale.

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of nitrogen interstitial defects in diamond

We report on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of nitrogen doped diamond that has been N-15 enriched, electron irradiated and annealed. EPR spectra from two new nitrogen containing S = 1/2 defects are detected and labelled WAR9 and WAR10. We show that the properties of these defects are consistent with them being the < 001 >-nitrogen split interstitial and the < 001 >-nitrogen split interstitial-< 001 >-carbon split interstitial pair, respectively. We also provide an explanation for why these defects have previously eluded discovery.

Hyperfine interaction in the ground state of the negatively charged nitrogen vacancy center in diamond

The N-14, N-15, and C-13 hyperfine interactions in the ground state of the negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV-) center have been investigated using electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectroscopy. The previously published parameters for the N-14 hyperfine interaction do not produce a satisfactory fit to the experimental NV- electron-paramagnetic-resonance data. The small anisotropic component of the NV- hyperfine interaction can be explained from dipolar interaction between the nitrogen nucleus and the unpaired-electron probability density localized on the three carbon atoms neighboring the vacancy. Optical spin polarization of the NV- ground state was used to enhance the electron-paramagnetic-resonance sensitivity enabling detailed study of the hyperfine interaction with C-13 neighbors. The data confirmed the identification of three equivalent carbon nearest neighbors but indicated the next largest C-13 interaction is with six, rather than as previously assumed three, equivalent neighboring carbon atoms.

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of the neutral nitrogen vacancy in diamond

Despite the numerous experimental and theoretical studies on the negatively charged nitrogen vacancy center (NV-) in diamond and the predictions that the neutral nitrogen vacancy center (NV0) should have an S=1/2 ground state, NV0 has not previously been detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). We report new EPR data on a trigonal nitrogen-containing defect in diamond with an S=3/2 excited state populated via optical excitation. Analysis of the spin Hamiltonian parameters and the wavelength dependence of the optical excitation leads to assignment of this S=3/2 state to the (4)A(2) excited state of NV0. This identification, together with an examination of the electronic structure of the NV centers in diamond, provides a plausible explanation for the lack of observation (to date) of an EPR signal from the NV0 ground state.