Catechol 2,3-dioxygenase-assisted cleavage of aromatics by “anaerobic” termite gut spirochetes and genomic evidence of a complete meta-pathway

The termite hindgut microbial ecosystem functions like a miniature lignocellulose-metabolizing natural bioreactor, has significant implications to nutrient cycling in the terrestrial environment, and represents an array of microbial metabolic diversity. Deciphering the intricacies of this microbial community to obtain as complete a picture as possible of how it functions as a whole, requires a combination of various traditional and cutting-edge bioinformatic, molecular, physiological, and culturing approaches. Isolates from this ecosystem, including Treponema primitia str. ZAS-1 and ZAS-2 as well as T. azotonutricium str. ZAS-9, have been significant resources for better understanding the termite system. While not all functions predicted by the genomes of these three isolates are demonstrated in vitro, these isolates do have the capacity for several metabolisms unique to spirochetes and critical to the termite system’s reliance upon lignocellulose. In this thesis, work culturing, enriching for, and isolating diverse microorganisms from the termite hindgut is discussed. Additionally, strategies of members of the termite hindgut microbial community to defend against O₂-stress and to generate acetate, the “biofuel” of the termite system, are proposed. In particular, catechol 2,3-dioxygenase and other meta-cleavage catabolic pathway genes are described in the “anaerobic” termite hindgut spirochetes T. primitia str. ZAS-1 and ZAS-2, and the first evidence for aromatic ring cleavage in the phylum (division) Spirochetes is also presented. These results suggest that the potential for O₂-dependent, yet nonrespiratory, metabolisms of plant-derived aromatics should be re-evaluated in termite hindgut communities. Potential future work is also illustrated.

Optimization of single attosecond x-ray pulses by genetic algorithm control of the chirp and initial phase of 5 fs laser pulses

We show that the peak intensity of single attosecond x-ray pulses is enhanced by 1 or 2 orders of magnitude, the pulse duration is greatly compressed, and the optimal propagation distance is shortened by genetic algorithm optimization of the chirp and initial phase of 5 fs laser pulses. However, as the laser intensity increases, more efficient nonadiabatic self-phase matching can lead to a dramatically enhanced harmonic yield, and the efficiency of optimization decreases in the enhancement and compression of the generated attosecond pulses. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

Near-field x-ray phase contrast imaging and phase retrieval algorithm

Theoretical analyses of x-ray diffraction phase contrast imaging and near field phase retrieval method are presented. A new variant of the near field intensity distribution is derived with the optimal phase imaging distance and spatial frequency of object taken into account. Numerical examples of phase retrieval using simulated data are also given. On the above basis, the influence of detecting distance and polychroism of radiation on the phase contrast image and the retrieved phase distribution are discussed. The present results should be useful in the practical application of in-line phase contrast imaging.

Optimization of high-order harmonic by genetic algorithm for the chirp and phase of few-cycle pulses

The brightness of a particular harmonic order is optimized for the chirp and initial phase of the laser pulse by genetic algorithm. The influences of the chirp and initial phase of the excitation pulse on the harmonic spectra are discussed in terms of the semi-classical model including the propagation effects. The results indicate that the harmonic intensity and cutoff have strong dependence on the chirp of the laser pulse, but slightly on its initial phase. The high-order harmonics can be enhanced by the optimal laser pulse and its cutoff can be tuned by optimization of the chirp and initial phase of the laser pulse.

Optimal feedback control of two-photon fluorescence based on genetic algorithm

An optimal feedback control of two-photon fluorescence in the ethanol solution of 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-p-dimethyl-amiiiostryryl-4H-pyran (DCM) using pulse-shaping technique based on genetic algorithm is demonstrated experimentally. The two-photon fluorescence of the DCM ethanol solution is enhanced in intensity of about 23%. The second harmonic generation frequency-resolved optical gating (SHG-FROG) trace indicates that the effective population transfer arises from the positively chirped pulse. The experimental results appear the potential applications of coherent control to the complicated molecular system.

Optimal feedback control of two-photon fluorescence in Coumarin 515 based on genetic algorithm

An optimal feedback control of two-photon fluorescence in the Coumarin 515 ethanol solution excited by shaping femtosecond laser pulses based on genetic algorithm is demonstrated experimentally. The two-photon fluorescence intensity can be enhanced by similar to 20%. Second harmonic generation frequency-resolved optical gating traces indicate that the optimal laser pulses are positive chirp, which are in favor of the effective population transfer of two-photon transitions. The dependence of the two-photon fluorescence signal on the laser pulse chirp is investigated to validate the theoretical model for the effective population transfer of two-photon transitions. The experimental results appear the potential applications in nonlinear spectroscopy and molecular physics. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diseño, fabricación y montaje de un robot de cinemática paralela de dos grados de libertad

[ES]Este Trabajo consiste en diseñar un robot de cinemática paralela de dos grados de libertad partiendo de unos requisitos mínimos necesarios que habrán de verificarse. A continuación, se fabricará siguiendo dicho diseño para finalmente montarlo sobre unas guías lineales constituyendo así una máquina de cinemática paralela, objetivo final conjunto de este Trabajo añadido al mencionado control de las guías. Resulta de especial interés su particular arquitectura, aspecto clave cuando se pretende un sistema preciso y reducir las vibraciones.

SCARA motako robot industrialaren simulazio birtuala eta interakzioa

[EU]Gradu amaierako lan honetan, Industria Ingenieritza graduan zehar emandako zenbait irakasgaietan landutako kontzeptuak oinarri bezala hartuta SCARA robot industrialaren analisia egin da. Lau askatasun gradu dituzten robot hauek oso erabiliak dira industrian beraien lan ziklo azkar, karga handiak jasateko kapazitate, errepikortasun eta aplikazio ugariengatik. Proiektua, bi zati nagusitan banandu da: SCARA motako robot baten analisi zinematikoa, robotaren irudikapena eta ibilbideen sorkuntza Matlab programa erabiliz. Adept Cobra e-Vario 600, SCARA motako prototipo errealarekin interakzioa. Proiektuan zehar garatuko diren edukien egitura ondorengoa izango da: Lehenik eta behin, proiektuko lehen atalean proiektua kokatuta dagoen testuinguruaren azalpena emango da, baita ere testuinguru horrek gaur egun, sail desberdinetan, duen garrantzia. Proiektuko bigarren atalean, lana egiterakoan proposatu diren helburuak eta proiektuak eskaintzen dituen onurak adieraziko dira. Bestetik, proiektuko hirugarren atalean, gaiaren egoeran, SCARA robotera heldu arte robotek historian zehar izan duten garapena eta hauen sailkapen desberdinak azalduko dira. Laugarren atalean, metodologian, proiektu honetan garatuko diren bi zati nagusien deskribapen zehatza emango da. Azkenik, proiektuko azken atalean, lana burutzeko bete behar izan diren ataza bakoitzaren deskribapena eta iraupena, aurrekontua, arriskuen analisia eta proiektu honetatik atera ditugun ondorioak ematen dira.