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At least 1,495 records · Page 83

Proteomic and targeted qPCR analyses of subsurface microbial communities for presence of methane monooxygenase

The Test Area North (TAN) site at the Idaho National Laboratory near Idaho Falls, ID, USA, sits over a trichloroethylene (TCE) contaminant plume in the Snake River Plain fractured basalt aquifer. Past observations have provided evidence that TCE at TAN is being transformed by biological natural attenuation that may be primarily due to co-metabolism in aerobic portions of the plume by methanotrophs. TCE co-metabolism by methanotrophs is the result of the broad substrate specificity of microbial methane monooxygenase which permits non-specific oxidation of TCE in addition to the primary substrate, methane. Arrays of experimental approaches have been utilized to understand the biogeochemical processes driving intrinsic TCE co-metabolism at TAN. In this study, aerobic methanotrophs were enumerated by qPCR using primers targeting conserved regions of the genes pmoA and mmoX encoding subunits of the particulate MMO (pMMO) and soluble MMO (sMMO) enzymes, respectively, as well as the gene mxa encoding the downstream enzyme methanol dehydrogenase. Identification of proteins in planktonic and biofilm samples from TAN was determined using reverse phase ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with a quadrupole-time-of-flight (QToF) mass spectrometer to separate and sequence peptides from trypsin digests of the protein extracts. Detection of MMO in unenriched water samples from TAN provides direct evidence of intrinsic methane oxidation and TCE co-metabolic potential of the indigenous microbial population. Mass spectrometry is also well suited for distinguishing which form of MMO is expressed in situ either soluble or particulate. Using this method, pMMO proteins were found to be abundant in samples collected from wells within and adjacent to the TCE plume at TAN.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

The Superconductor-Superinsulator Transition: S-duality and the QCD on the Desktop

We show that the nature of quantum phases around the superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) is controlled by charge-vortex topological interactions, and does not depend on the details of material parameters and disorder. We find three distinct phases, superconductor, superinsulator, and bosonic topological insulator. The superinsulator is a state of matter with infinite resistance in a finite temperature range, which is the S-dual of the superconductor and in which charge transport is prevented by electric strings binding charges of opposite sign. The electric strings ensuring linear confinement of charges are generated by instantons and are dual to superconducting Abrikosov vortices. Material parameters and disorder enter the London penetration depth of the superconductor, the string tension of the superinsulator and the quantum fluctuation parameter driving the transition between them. They are entirely encoded in four phenomenological parameters of a topological gauge theory of the SIT. Finally, we point out that, in the context of strong coupling gauge theories, the many-body localization phenomenon that is often referred to as an underlying mechanism for superinsulation is a mere transcription of the well-known phenomenon of confinement into solid-state physics language and is entirely driven by endogenous disorder embodied by instantons with no need of exogenous disorder.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Multi-rate OCDMA system BER performance evaluations for different ML-code sequences

This paper analyzes Bit Error Rate (BER) of Optical Code Division Multiple Access (OCDMA) networks for different class of services which are data, voice, and video; whereas Multi-Length Weighted Modified Prime Code (ML-WMPC) sequences are utilized as a spreading code in with respect to previously used ML-Optical Orthogonal codes. Due to variations in bit rates between the mentioned services, each of them assigns a different WMPC sequence length. In addition, the shot noise, thermal noise, and the Multiple Access Interference (MAI) are included and considered as sources of noise in the BER performance analysis. Furthermore, Pulse Position Modulation, Manchester encoding and MAI cancellation (MAIC) technique are utilized to improve the network performance at a higher number of active users. For analysis, the BER performance calculations are investigated for three types of OCDMA receivers such as simple receiver, receiver with MAIC technique, and receiver with MAIC and Manchester encoding. Moreover, the BER mathematical models have been introduced for different bit rates according to the type of service in the presence of the ML-WMPC and the last of three mentioned OCDMA receivers. Finally, these models and their results are compared with the other existing models, where the results show an improvement in BER performance in the proposed approach.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Deletion of the cytochrome bc complex from Heliobacterium modesticaldum results in viable but non-phototrophic cells

The heliobacteria, a family of anoxygenic phototrophs, possess the simplest known photosynthetic apparatus. Although they are photoheterotrophs in the light, the heliobacteria can also grow chemotrophically via pyruvate metabolism in the dark. In the heliobacteria, the cytochrome bc complex is responsible for oxidizing menaquinol and reducing cytochrome c 553 in the electron flow cycle used for phototrophy. However, there is no known electron acceptor for the mobile cytochrome c 553 other than the photochemical reaction center. We have, therefore, hypothesized that the cytochrome bc complex is necessary for phototrophy, but unnecessary for chemotrophic growth in the dark. Here, we used a two-step method for CRISPR-based genome editing in Heliobacterium modesticaldum to delete the genes encoding the four major subunits of the cytochrome bc complex. Genotypic analysis verified the deletion of the petCBDA gene cluster encoding the catalytic components of the complex. Spectroscopic studies revealed that re-reduction of cytochrome c 553 after flash-induced photo-oxidation was over 100 times slower in the petCBDA mutant compared to the wild-type. Steady-state levels of oxidized P 800 (the primary donor of the photochemical reaction center) were much higher in the petCBDA mutant at every light level, consistent with a limitation in electron flow to the reaction center. The petCBDA mutant was unable to grow phototrophically on acetate plus CO 2 but could grow chemotrophically on pyruvate as a carbon source similar to the wild-type strain in the dark. The mutants could be complemented by reintroduction of the petCBDA gene cluster on a plasmid expressed from the clostridial eno promoter.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Entropy is conserved in Hawking radiation as tunneling: A revisit of the black hole information loss paradox

Research Highlights: > Information is found to be encoded and carried away by Hawking radiations. > Entropy is conserved in Hawking radiation. > We thus conclude no information is lost. > The dynamics of black hole may be unitary. - Abstract: We revisit in detail the paradox of black hole information loss due to Hawking radiation as tunneling. We compute the amount of information encoded in correlations among Hawking radiations for a variety of black holes, including the Schwarzchild black hole, the Reissner-Nordstroem black hole, the Kerr black hole, and the Kerr-Newman black hole. The special case of tunneling through a quantum horizon is also considered. Within a phenomenological treatment based on the accepted emission probability spectrum from a black hole, we find that information is leaked out hidden in the correlations of Hawking radiation. The recovery of this previously unaccounted for information helps to conserve the total entropy of a system composed of a black hole plus its radiations. We thus conclude, irrespective of the microscopic picture for black hole collapsing, the associated radiation process: Hawking radiation as tunneling, is consistent with unitarity as required by quantum mechanics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Engineering complex topological memories from simple Abelian models

In three spatial dimensions, particles are limited to either bosonic or fermionic statistics. Two-dimensional systems, on the other hand, can support anyonic quasiparticles exhibiting richer statistical behaviors. An exciting proposal for quantum computation is to employ anyonic statistics to manipulate information. Since such statistical evolutions depend only on topological characteristics, the resulting computation is intrinsically resilient to errors. The so-called non-Abelian anyons are most promising for quantum computation, but their physical realization may prove to be complex. Abelian anyons, however, are easier to understand theoretically and realize experimentally. Here we show that complex topological memories inspired by non-Abelian anyons can be engineered in Abelian models. We explicitly demonstrate the control procedures for the encoding and manipulation of quantum information in specific lattice models that can be implemented in the laboratory. This bridges the gap between requirements for anyonic quantum computation and the potential of state-of-the-art technology. - Highlights: > A novel quantum memory using Abelian anyons is developed. > This uses an advanced encoding, inspired by non-Abelian anyons. > Errors are suppressed topologically, by means of single spin interactions. > An implementation with current Josephson junction technology is proposed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Classical geometry to quantum behavior correspondence in a virtual extra dimension

In the Lorentz invariant formalism of compact space-time dimensions the assumption of periodic boundary conditions represents a consistent semi-classical quantization condition for relativistic fields. In Dolce (2011) we have shown, for instance, that the ordinary Feynman path integral is obtained from the interference between the classical paths with different winding numbers associated with the cyclic dynamics of the field solutions. By means of the boundary conditions, the kinematical information of interactions can be encoded on the relativistic geometrodynamics of the boundary, see Dolce (2012) . Furthermore, such a purely four-dimensional theory is manifestly dual to an extra-dimensional field theory. The resulting correspondence between extra-dimensional geometrodynamics and ordinary quantum behavior can be interpreted in terms of AdS/CFT correspondence. By applying this approach to a simple Quark-Gluon-Plasma freeze-out model we obtain fundamental analogies with basic aspects of AdS/QCD phenomenology. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quantum behavior is related to the intrinsic periodicity of isolated systems. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A periodic phenomenon can be parameterized by a virtual extra dimension. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer KK modes are used to describe the quantum excitations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 5D classical geometry encodes 4D quantum behavior. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Geometrodynamical description of AdS/QCD as modulation of space-time periodicity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

From liquid crystal models to the guiding-center theory of magnetized plasmas

Upon combining Northrop’s picture of charged particle motion with modern liquid crystal theories, this paper provides a new description of guiding center dynamics (to lowest order). This new perspective is based on a rotation gauge field (gyrogauge) that encodes rotations around the magnetic field. In liquid crystal theory, an analogue rotation field is used to encode the rotational state of rod-like molecules. Instead of resorting to sophisticated tools (e.g. Hamiltonian perturbation theory and Lie series expansions) that still remain essential in higher-order gyrokinetics, the present approach combines the WKB method with a simple kinematical ansatz, which is then replaced into the charged particle Lagrangian. The latter is eventually averaged over the gyrophase to produce the guiding-center equations. A crucial role is played by the vector potential for the gyrogauge field. A similar vector potential is related to liquid crystal defects and is known as wryness tensor in Eringen’s micropolar theory.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Berry Fermi liquid theory

We develop an extension of the Landau Fermi liquid theory to systems of interacting fermions with non-trivial Berry curvature. We propose a kinetic equation and a constitutive relation for the electromagnetic current that together encode the linear response of such systems to external electromagnetic perturbations, to leading and next-to-leading orders in the expansion over the frequency and wave number of the perturbations. We analyze the Feynman diagrams in a large class of interacting quantum field theories and show that, after summing up all orders in perturbation theory, the current–current correlator exactly matches with the result obtained from the kinetic theory. - Highlights: • We extend Landau’s kinetic theory of Fermi liquid to incorporate Berry phase. • Berry phase effects in Fermi liquid take exactly the same form as in Fermi gas. • There is a new “emergent electric dipole” contribution to the anomalous Hall effect. • Our kinetic theory is matched to field theory to all orders in Feynman diagrams.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

A holographic model for pseudogap in BCS–BEC crossover (I): Pairing fluctuations, double-trace deformation and dynamics of bulk bosonic fluid

We build a holographic model for the pairing fluctuation pseudogap phase in fermionic high temperature superconductivity/superfluidity based on the BCS–BEC crossover scenario. The pseudogap originates from incoherent Cooper pairing and has been observed in recent cold atom experiments. The strength of Cooper pairing and hence the BCS–BEC crossover is controlled by an effective 4-Fermi interaction and we argue that the double-trace deformation for charged scalar operator is a close analog in large N field theories. We employ the double-trace deformed Abelian Higgs model of holographic superconductors and propose that the incoherent fluctuations of the charged scalar in the bulk is the holographic dual of the fluctuating Cooper pairs. Using a Madelung transformation and the velocity-potential formalism, we develop a quantum fluid dynamics as an effective theory for these bulk fluctuations. The new fluid dynamics takes care of the boundary conditions required by AdS/CFT and encodes the vacuum polarization effect in curved spacetime. The pseudogap in conductivity can be related to the plasma oscillation of this bulk fluid.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Spacetime manipulation of quantum information around rotating black holes

The X-ray photons emitted by the accretion disks around rotating black holes are polarized and acquire orbital angular momentum, two degrees of freedom that can encode quantum information. Nevertheless, escaping the accretion disk, photons are passing throughout the extreme warped and twisted spacetime near spinning black holes suffering rotations of polarization angle and changes in the orbital angular moment. We conjecture that these changes in the angle of polarization and orbital angular momentum can implement elementary quantum gates and simple quantum circuits. Consequently, when detected by an asymptotic observer, the photons emitted near rotating black holes encode quantum information that can be measured by actual quantum information technology.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Quantum information in the Posner model of quantum cognition

Matthew Fisher recently postulated a mechanism by which quantum phenomena could influence cognition: Phosphorus nuclear spins may resist decoherence for long times. The spins would serve as biological qubits. The qubits may resist decoherence longer when in Posner molecules. We imagine that Fisher postulates correctly. How adroitly could biological systems process quantum information (QI)? We establish a framework for answering. Additionally, we construct applications of biological qubits to quantum error correction, quantum communication, and quantum computation. First, we posit how the QI encoded by the spins transforms as Posner molecules form. The transformation points to a natural computational basis for qubits in Posner molecules. From the basis, we construct a quantum code that detects arbitrary single-qubit errors. Each molecule encodes one qutrit. Shifting from information storage to computation, we define the model of Posner quantum computation. To illustrate the model’s quantum-communication ability, we show how it can teleport information incoherently: A state’s weights are teleported. Dephasing results from the entangling operation’s simulation of a coarse-grained Bell measurement. Whether Posner quantum computation is universal remains an open question. However, the model’s operations can efficiently prepare a Posner state usable as a resource in universal measurement-based quantum computation. The state results from deforming the Affleck–Kennedy–Lieb–Tasaki (AKLT) state and is a projected entangled-pair state (PEPS). Finally, we show that entanglement can affect molecular-binding rates, boosting a binding probability from 33.6% to 100% in an example. This work opens the door for the QI-theoretic analysis of biological qubits and Posner molecules.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Design of machine learning models with domain experts for automated sensor selection for energy fault detection

Data-driven techniques that extract insights from sensor data reduce the cost of improving system energy performance through fault detection and system health monitoring. To lower cost barriers to widespread deployment, a methodology is proposed that takes advantage of existing sensor data, encodes expert knowledge about the application system to create ‘virtual sensors’ and applies statistical and mathematical methods to reduce the time required for manual configurations. The approach combines sensor data points with encoded expert knowledge that is generic to the application system but independent of a particular deployment, thereby reducing the need to tailor to individual deployments. Additionally, this paper not only presents a method that detects faults from measured energy data, but also (1) describes an engagement method with experts in the energy system domain to identify data, (2) integrates domain knowledge with the data, (3) automatically selects from among the large pool of potential input data, and (4) uses machine learning to automatically build a data-driven fault detection model. Demonstration on a commercial building chiller plant shows that only a small number of virtual sensors is necessary for fault detection with high accuracy rates. This corresponds to the use of only five out of 52 original sensor data points features. With as few as four features, classification F1 scores exceed 90% on the training set and 80% on the testing set. The results are implementable and realizable using off-the-shelf tools. The goal is to design with domain experts an energy monitoring system that can be configured once and then widely deployed with little additional cost or effort.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Evidence of a bigenomic regulation of mitochondrial gene expression by thyroid hormone during rat brain development

Hypothyroidism during early mammalian brain development is associated with decreased expression of various mitochondrial encoded genes along with evidence for mitochondrial dysfunction. However, in-spite of the similarities between neurological disorders caused by perinatal hypothyroidism and those caused by various genetic mitochondrial defects we still do not know as to how thyroid hormone (TH) regulates mitochondrial transcription during development and whether this regulation by TH is nuclear mediated or through mitochondrial TH receptors? We here in rat cerebellum show that hypothyroidism causes reduction in expression of nuclear encoded genes controlling mitochondrial biogenesis like PGC-1{alpha}, NRF-1{alpha} and Tfam. Also, we for the first time demonstrate a mitochondrial localization of thyroid hormone receptor (mTR) isoform in developing brain capable of binding a TH response element (DR2) present in D-loop region of mitochondrial DNA. These results thus indicate an integrated nuclear-mitochondrial cross talk in regulation of mitochondrial transcription by TH during brain development.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Cytochrome c oxidase loses catalytic activity and structural integrity during the aging process in Drosophila melanogaster

Research highlights: {yields} Cytochrome c oxidase loses catalytic activity during the aging process. {yields} Abundance of seven nuclear-encoded subunits of cytochrome c oxidase decreased with age in Drosophila. {yields} Cytochrome c oxidase is specific intra-mitochondrial site of age-related deterioration. -- Abstract: The hypothesis, that structural deterioration of cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is a causal factor in the age-related decline in mitochondrial respiratory activity and an increase in H{sub 2}O{sub 2} generation, was tested in Drosophila melanogaster. CcO activity and the levels of seven different nuclear DNA-encoded CcO subunits were determined at three different stages of adult life, namely, young-, middle-, and old-age. CcO activity declined progressively with age by 33%. Western blot analysis, using antibodies specific to Drosophila CcO subunits IV, Va, Vb, VIb, VIc, VIIc, and VIII, indicated that the abundance these polypeptides decreased, ranging from 11% to 40%, during aging. These and previous results suggest that CcO is a specific intra-mitochondrial site of age-related deterioration, which may have a broad impact on mitochondrial physiology.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

An ortholog of farA of Aspergillus nidulans is implicated in the transcriptional activation of genes involved in fatty acid utilization in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

Research highlights: {yields} POR1 is a Yarrowia lipolytica ortholog of farA involved in fatty acid response in A. nidulans. {yields} Deletion of POR1 caused growth defects on fatty acids. {yields} {Delta}por1 strain exhibited defects in the induction of genes involved in fatty acid utilization. -- Abstract: The yeast Yarrowia lipolytica effectively utilizes hydrophobic substrates such as fatty acids and n-alkanes. To identify a gene(s) regulating fatty acid utilization in Y. lipolytica, we first studied homologous genes to OAF1 and PIP2 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but their disruption did not change growth on oleic acid at all. We next characterized a Y. lipolytica gene, POR1 (primary oleate regulator 1), an ortholog of farA encoding a transcriptional activator that regulates fatty acid utilization in Aspergillus nidulans. The deletion mutant of POR1 was defective in the growth on various fatty acids, but not on glucose, glycerol, or n-hexadecane. It exhibited slight defect on n-decane. The transcriptional induction of genes involved in {beta}-oxidation and peroxisome proliferation by oleate was distinctly diminished in the {Delta}por1 strains. These data suggest that POR1 encodes a transcriptional activator widely regulating fatty acid metabolism in Y. lipolytica.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

GABA metabolism pathway genes, UGA1 and GAD1, regulate replicative lifespan in Saccharomycescerevisiae

Highlights: {yields}We demonstrate that two genes in the yeast GABA metabolism pathway affect aging. {yields} Deletion of the UGA1 or GAD1 genes extends replicative lifespan. {yields} Addition of GABA to wild-type cultures has no effect on lifespan. {yields} Intracellular GABA levels do not differ in longevity mutants and wild-type cells. {yields} Levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates positively correlate with lifespan. -- Abstract: Many of the genes involved in aging have been identified in organisms ranging from yeast to human. Our previous study showed that deletion of the UGA3 gene-which encodes a zinc-finger transcription factor necessary for {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-dependent induction of the UGA1 (GABA aminotransferase), UGA2 (succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase), and UGA4 (GABA permease) genes-extends replicative lifespan in the budding yeast Saccharomycescerevisiae. Here, we found that deletion of UGA1 lengthened the lifespan, as did deletion of UGA3; in contrast, strains with UGA2 or UGA4 deletions exhibited no lifespan extension. The {Delta}uga1 strain cannot deaminate GABA to succinate semialdehyde. Deletion of GAD1, which encodes the glutamate decarboxylase that converts glutamate into GABA, also increased lifespan. Therefore, two genes in the GABA metabolism pathway, UGA1 and GAD1, were identified as aging genes. Unexpectedly, intracellular GABA levels in mutant cells (except for {Delta}uga2 cells) did not differ from those in wild-type cells. Addition of GABA to culture media, which induces transcription of the UGA structural genes, had no effect on replicative lifespan of wild-type cells. Multivariate analysis of {sup 1}H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra for the whole-cell metabolite levels demonstrated a separation between long-lived and normal-lived strains. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of identified metabolites showed that levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates positively correlated with lifespan extension. These results strongly suggest reduced activity of the GABA-metabolizing enzymes extends lifespan by shifting carbon metabolism toward respiration, as calorie restriction does.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Fto colocalizes with a satiety mediator oxytocin in the brain and upregulates oxytocin gene expression

Highlights: {yields} The majority of neurons synthesizing a satiety mediator, oxytocin, coexpress Fto. {yields} The level of colocalization is similar in the male and female brain. {yields} Fto overexpression in hypothalamic neurons increases oxytocin mRNA levels by 50%. {yields} Oxytocin does not affect Fto expression through negative feedback mechanisms. -- Abstract: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene have been associated with obesity in humans. Alterations in Fto expression in transgenic animals affect body weight, energy expenditure and food intake. Fto, a nuclear protein and proposed transcription co-factor, has been speculated to affect energy balance through a functional relationship with specific genes encoding feeding-related peptides. Herein, we employed double immunohistochemistry and showed that the majority of neurons synthesizing a satiety mediator, oxytocin, coexpress Fto in the brain of male and female mice. We then overexpressed Fto in a murine hypothalamic cell line and, using qPCR, detected a 50% increase in the level of oxytocin mRNA. Expression levels of several other feeding-related genes, including neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Agouti-related protein (AgRP), were unaffected by the FTO transfection. Addition of 10 and 100 nmol oxytocin to the cell culture medium did not affect Fto expression in hypothalamic cells. We conclude that Fto, a proposed transcription co-factor, influences expression of the gene encoding a satiety mediator, oxytocin.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗