scholarly journals Controlling the speed and trajectory of evolution with counterdiabatic driving

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamreen Iram ◽  
Emily Dolson ◽  
Joshua Chiel ◽  
Julia Pelesko ◽  
Nikhil Krishnan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Cold Atoms ◽  
External Control ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Environmental Perturbations ◽  
Drug Concentrations ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Evolutionary Speed ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACTThe pace and unpredictability of evolution are critically relevant in a variety of modern challenges: combating drug resistance in pathogens and cancer, understanding how species respond to environmental perturbations like climate change, and developing artificial selection approaches for agriculture. Great progress has been made in quantitative modeling of evolution using fitness landscapes, allowing a degree of prediction for future evolutionary histories. Yet fine-grained control of the speed and the distributions of these trajectories remains elusive. We propose an approach to achieve this using ideas originally developed in a completely different context – counterdiabatic driving to control the behavior of quantum states for applications like quantum computing and manipulating ultra-cold atoms. Implementing these ideas for the first time in a biological context, we show how a set of external control parameters (i.e. varying drug concentrations / types, temperature, nutrients) can guide the probability distribution of genotypes in a population along a specified path and time interval. This level of control, allowing empirical optimization of evolutionary speed and trajectories, has myriad potential applications, from enhancing adaptive therapies for diseases, to the development of thermotolerant crops in preparation for climate change, to accelerating bioengineering methods built on evolutionary models, like directed evolution of biomolecules.

Systematics of organic-walled microfossils from the ca. 780–740 Ma Chuar Group, Grand Canyon, Arizona

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (5) ◽  
pp. 815-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susannah M. Porter ◽  
Leigh Anne Riedman
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Grand Canyon ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
New Combinations ◽  
Crown Group ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Transmitted Light Microscopy ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
First Time

AbstractThe ca. 780–740 Ma Chuar Group, Grand Canyon, Arizona, provides an exceptional record of life during the diversification of crown-group eukaryotes, just prior to the first Cryogenian glaciation. We document in detail the assemblage of organic-walled microfossils preserved in fine-grained siliciclastics throughout the unit. In contrast with earlier studies, we primarily used SEM to document fossil morphologies, augmented by transmitted light microscopy, FIB-SEM, and TEM. This resulted in the discovery of new species and the recognition of broad-ranging, intraspecific biological and taphonomic variation in other species. Twenty-two species and five unnamed morphotypes are described, including three new species:Kaibabia gemmulella,Microlepidopalla mira, andVolleyballia dehlerae; two new combinations:Galerosphaera walcottiiandLanulatisphaera laufeldii; and 17 previously described forms. The possible colonial green algaPalaeastrum dyptocranumButterfield in Butterfield, Knoll, and Swett, 1994 and the index fossilCerebrosphaera globosa(Ogurtsova and Sergeev, 1989) Sergeev and Schopf, 2010 (=C. buickiiButterfield, 1994) are described for the first time from Chuar rocks.Lanulatisphaera laufeldii, a locally abundant and globally widespread species characterized by submicrometer filamentous processes that form a reticulate network, may be a useful marker for the time interval just before the appearance of vase-shaped microfossils (VSMs) ca. 740 Ma.Organic-walled microfossil assemblages decline in diversity upsection, coincident with the appearance of VSMs and intermittent euxinia within the basin. Whether this pattern is due to preservational bias related to greater water depth or the higher TOC of upper Chuar rocks or instead reflects biotic turnover related to the spread of euxinic water masses in the basin is unknown.

scholarly journals Electrodeposition of Copper and Brass Coatings with Olive-Like Structure

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1762
Author(s):  
Artur Maciej ◽  
Natalia Łatanik ◽  
Maciej Sowa ◽  
Izabela Matuła ◽  
Wojciech Simka
Keyword(s):  
Corrosion Resistance ◽  
Cathodic Current Density ◽  
Bath Composition ◽  
Cathodic Current ◽  
Corrosion Properties ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Electrodeposited Coating ◽  
Copper Zinc ◽  
New Generation ◽  
First Time

One method of creating a brass coating is through electrodeposition, which is most often completed in cyanide galvanic baths. Due to their toxicity, many investigations focused on the development of more environmentally friendly alternatives. The purpose of the study was to explore a new generation of non-aqueous cyanide-free baths based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ionic liquids. The study involved the formation of copper, zinc, and brass coatings. The influence of the bath composition, cathodic current density, and temperature was determined. The obtained coatings were characterized in terms of their morphology, chemical composition, phase composition, roughness, and corrosion resistance. It was found that the structure of the obtained coatings is strongly dependent on the process parameters. The three main structure types observed were as follows: fine-grained, porous, and olive-like. To the best knowledge of the authors, it is the first time the olive-like structure was observed in the case of an electrodeposited coating. The Cu-Zn coatings consisted of 19–96 at. % copper and exhibited relatively good corrosion resistance. A significant improvement of corrosion properties was found in the case of copper and brass coatings with the olive-like structure.

scholarly journals Observations on Palaeogeographical Evolution of Akrotiri Salt Lake, Lemesos, Cyprus

Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 321
Author(s):  
Miltiadis Polidorou ◽  
Niki Evelpidou ◽  
Theodora Tsourou ◽  
Hara Drinia ◽  
Ferréol Salomon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Landscape Evolution ◽  
Salt Lake ◽  
Active Tectonics ◽  
Scientific Interest ◽  
Progressive Change ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Holocene Sediment ◽  
First Time ◽  
The City

Akrotiri Salt Lake is located 5 km west of the city of Lemesos in the southernmost part of the island of Cyprus. The evolution of the Akrotiri Salt Lake is of great scientific interest, occurring during the Holocene when eustatic and isostatic movements combined with local active tectonics and climate change developed a unique geomorphological environment. The Salt Lake today is a closed lagoon, which is depicted in Venetian maps as being connected to the sea, provides evidence of the geological setting and landscape evolution of the area. In this study, for the first time, we investigated the development of the Akrotiri Salt Lake through a series of three cores which penetrated the Holocene sediment sequence. Sedimentological and micropaleontological analyses, as well as geochronological studies were performed on the deposited sediments, identifying the complexity of the evolution of the Salt Lake and the progressive change of the area from a maritime space to an open bay and finally to a closed salt lake.

scholarly journals Period-Life of a Branching Process with Migration and Continuous Time

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 868
Author(s):  
Khrystyna Prysyazhnyk ◽  
Iryna Bazylevych ◽  
Ludmila Mitkova ◽  
Iryna Ivanochko
Keyword(s):  
Random Process ◽  
Generating Function ◽  
Continuous Time ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
The Moment ◽  
First Time ◽  
Critical Branching Process ◽  
Number Of Particles

The homogeneous branching process with migration and continuous time is considered. We investigated the distribution of the period-life τ, i.e., the length of the time interval between the moment when the process is initiated by a positive number of particles and the moment when there are no individuals in the population for the first time. The probability generating function of the random process, which describes the behavior of the process within the period-life, was obtained. The boundary theorem for the period-life of the subcritical or critical branching process with migration was found.

scholarly journals Potential Impacts of Future Climate Change Scenarios on Ground Subsidence

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio-Juan Collados-Lara ◽  
David Pulido-Velazquez ◽  
Rosa María Mateos ◽  
Pablo Ezquerro
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Subsidence ◽  
Ground Subsidence ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Fine Grained Material ◽  
The Impact

In this work, we developed a new method to assess the impact of climate change (CC) scenarios on land subsidence related to groundwater level depletion in detrital aquifers. The main goal of this work was to propose a parsimonious approach that could be applied for any case study. We also evaluated the methodology in a case study, the Vega de Granada aquifer (southern Spain). Historical subsidence rates were estimated using remote sensing techniques (differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar, DInSAR). Local CC scenarios were generated by applying a bias correction approach. An equifeasible ensemble of the generated projections from different climatic models was also proposed. A simple water balance approach was applied to assess CC impacts on lumped global drawdowns due to future potential rainfall recharge and pumping. CC impacts were propagated to drawdowns within piezometers by applying the global delta change observed with the lumped assessment. Regression models were employed to estimate the impacts of these drawdowns in terms of land subsidence, as well as to analyze the influence of the fine-grained material in the aquifer. The results showed that a more linear behavior was observed for the cases with lower percentage of fine-grained material. The mean increase of the maximum subsidence rates in the considered wells for the future horizon (2016–2045) and the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenario 8.5 was 54%. The main advantage of the proposed method is its applicability in cases with limited information. It is also appropriate for the study of wide areas to identify potential hot spots where more exhaustive analyses should be performed. The method will allow sustainable adaptation strategies in vulnerable areas during drought-critical periods to be assessed.

Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan-Casein Phosphopeptides Biocomposite Coatings on the Medical Titanium Alloy

2011 ◽  
Vol 480-481 ◽  
pp. 1065-1069
Author(s):  
Bin Liu ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Yin Zhong Bu ◽  
Sheng Rong Yang ◽  
Jin Qing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Attenuated Total Reflectance ◽  
Ti Alloy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Implant Materials ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Casein Phosphopeptides ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
First Time

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys have been applied in orthopedics as one of the most popular biomedical metallic implant materials. In this work, to enhance the bioactivity, the surface of Ti alloy pre-modified by silane coupling agent and glutaraldehyde was covalently grafted with chitosan (CS) via biochemical multistep self-assembled method. Then, for the first time, the achieved surface was further immobilized with casein phosphopeptides (CPP), which are one group of bioactive peptides released from caseins in the digestive tract and can facilitate the calcium adsorption and usage, to form CS-CPP biocomposite coatings. The structure and composition of the fabricated coatings were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). As the experimental results indicated, multi-step assembly was successfully performed, and the CS and CPP were assembled onto the Ti alloy surface orderly. It is anticipated that the Ti alloys modified by CS-CPP biocomposite coatings will find potential applications as implant materials in biomedical fields.

scholarly journals Fabrication and Characterization of Lignin/Dendrimer Electrospun Blended Fiber Mats

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 518
Author(s):  
Somaye Akbari ◽  
Addie Bahi ◽  
Ali Farahani ◽  
Abbas S. Milani ◽  
Frank Ko
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
Dendritic Polymers ◽  
Amino Groups ◽  
Fiber Mats ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Solution Electrospinning ◽  
Nanofiber Mats ◽  
Softwood Kraft Lignin ◽  
First Time

Blending lignin as the second most abundant polymer in Nature with nanostructured compounds such as dendritic polymers can not only add value to lignin, but also increase its application in various fields. In this study, softwood Kraft lignin/polyamidoamine dendritic polymer (PAMAM) blends were fabricated by the solution electrospinning to produce bead-free nanofiber mats for the first time. The mats were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, zeta potential, and thermogravimetry analyses. The chemical intermolecular interactions between the lignin functional groups and abundant amino groups in the PAMAM were verified by FTIR and viscosity measurements. These interactions proved to enhance the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the lignin/PAMAM mats, suggesting their potential applications e.g. in membranes, filtration, controlled release drug delivery, among others.

The first finding of a Greek amphora in Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylwester Czopek ◽  
Katarzyna Trybała-Zawiślak ◽  
Joanna Trąbska ◽  
Barbara Trybalska ◽  
Joanna Adamik-Proksa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trace Elements ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Iron Compounds ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Tof Sims ◽  
First Finding ◽  
High Calcium ◽  
The University ◽  
First Time ◽  
North Western

Abstract In 2017, an expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the University of Rzeszów (Poland) carried out excavations on a hillfort belonging to the Scythian cultural circle (its forest-steppe variant) in Chotyniec, in south-eastern Poland. The hillfort is the central and most important point of a large settlement cluster, which is the furthest north-western enclave of this cultural circle. In an excavated cult object – the so-called ‘zolnik’ – we made an interesting discovery. Here we show this unique finding for the first time: a Greek wine amphora, from the beginning of the sixth century BC. We were able to explore and reconstruct it almost entirely. Amphora is the only artefact of this type found in the present Polish borders. The amphora was subjected to archaeometric research with the use of PLM, SEM/EDS, TXRF and ToF SIMS. The massive fabric was made of high calcium clay enriched in quartz and volcanic lithoclasts. The lack of chromium and nickel among trace elements makes the vessel different from the amphoras from the Eastern Meditteranean analysed so far, suggesting a specific workshop. Red painting was executed with very fine grained iron compounds predominantly based on aluminosilicates, enriched in phosphorus. Obviously, since it is associated with the presence of Scythians in Eastern Europe, it simultaneously delimits (geography-wise) the borders of Greek influence.

FG-LiquID

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Yumeng Liang ◽  
Anfu Zhou ◽  
Huanhuan Zhang ◽  
Xinzhe Wen ◽  
Huadong Ma
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Concentration ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Robust Identification ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Fresh Milk ◽  
Average Accuracy ◽  
Coarse Grained Material ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Fine Grained Material ◽  
The Difference

Contact-less liquid identification via wireless sensing has diverse potential applications in our daily life, such as identifying alcohol content in liquids, distinguishing spoiled and fresh milk, and even detecting water contamination. Recent works have verified the feasibility of utilizing mmWave radar to perform coarse-grained material identification, e.g., discriminating liquid and carpet. However, they do not fully exploit the sensing limits of mmWave in terms of fine-grained material classification. In this paper, we propose FG-LiquID, an accurate and robust system for fine-grained liquid identification. To achieve the desired fine granularity, FG-LiquID first focuses on the small but informative region of the mmWave spectrum, so as to extract the most discriminative features of liquids. Then we design a novel neural network, which uncovers and leverages the hidden signal patterns across multiple antennas on mmWave sensors. In this way, FG-LiquID learns to calibrate signals and finally eliminate the adverse effect of location interference caused by minor displacement/rotation of the liquid container, which ensures robust identification towards daily usage scenarios. Extensive experimental results using a custom-build prototype demonstrate that FG-LiquID can accurately distinguish 30 different liquids with an average accuracy of 97%, under 5 different scenarios. More importantly, it can discriminate quite similar liquids, such as liquors with the difference of only 1% alcohol concentration by volume.

Topotactic route to synthesis of novel hydroxylated phases: I. Trioctahedral Micas

Clay Minerals ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Komarneni ◽  
R. Roy
Keyword(s):  
Ion Exchange ◽  
Alkaline Earth ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Hydration Energy ◽  
Hydrothermal Conditions ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Clay Layers ◽  
First Time ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
Alkaline Earth Cations

AbstractK-depleted phlogopite mica was used as a topotactic precursor and treated with alkali (Li+, K+, , Rb+, Cs+), alkaline-earth (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) and trivalent (Al3+) cations under hydrothermal conditions of 200°C and 30 MPa pressure. K-, NH4-, Rb- and Cs-aluminosilicate micas were synthesised at 200°C in one day. The synthesis of Cs-aluminosilicate mica, with potential applications in the management of nuclear wastes, has been achieved for the first time by this approach. Ion exchange by Li+, Na+ and alkaline-earth cations under hydrothermal conditions did not produce anhydrous mica phases but resulted in hydrous phases with one or two layers of water molecules between the clay layers. The formation of hydrous phases may be attributed to the high hydration energy of the above cations compared to K+, , RB+ and Cs+. Ion exchange with Al3+ produced a chlorite-like phase because of the hydrolysis of Al3+ under these hydrothermal conditions. These studies are of relevance in the immobilization of wastes where hazardous ions can be fixed in highly stable insoluble phases like mica or chlorite.

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