Life sciences: microorganisms in the space environment

Preliminary results of the Spacelab 1 experiment on the response of Bacillus subtilis spores to conditions of free space are presented. Exposure to the vacuum of space on the Spacelab pallet reduced viability counts about 50 percent and increased mutation frequencies by a factor of about 10. Interpretation of apparent differences in the photobiological and photochemical data between flight and ground simulation experiments will require more statistical analyses and data from actual fluence measurements.     

Slipping magnetic reconnection in coronal loops

Magnetic reconnection of solar coronal loops is the main process that causes solar flares and possibly coronal heating. In the standard model, magnetic field lines break and reconnect instantaneously at places where the field mapping is discontinuous. However, another mode may operate where the magnetic field mapping is continuous but shows steep gradients: The field lines may slip across each other. Soft x-ray observations of fast bidirectional motions of coronal loops, observed by the Hinode spacecraft, support the existence of this slipping magnetic reconnection regime in the Sun's corona. This basic process should be considered when interpreting reconnection, both on the Sun and in laboratory-based plasma experiments.     

Mechanical stress and reactivity in organic solids

Organic single crystals provide an ideal model for studying the factors that influence chemical processes in structured media. Reaction trajectories are well defined and reveal the influence of spontaneous mechanical stresses equivalent to tens of thousands of atmospheres. Analysis of molecular and crystal structures helps to explain both local mechanical properties, which influence reactions, and bulk properties such as melting point, compressibility, and surface energy.     

Genetic structure of human populations

We studied human population structure using genotypes at 377 autosomal microsatellite loci in 1056 individuals from 52 populations. Within-population differences among individuals account for 93 to 95% of genetic variation; differences among major groups constitute only 3 to 5%. Nevertheless, without using prior information about the origins of individuals, we identified six main genetic clusters, five of which correspond to major geographic regions, and subclusters that often correspond to individual populations. General agreement of genetic and predefined populations suggests that self-reported ancestry can facilitate assessments of epidemiological risks but does not obviate the need to use genetic information in genetic association studies.     

酸度对胡敏酸与镉和锌离子络合反应的影响

用离子交换平衡法研究了不同pH下胡敏酸与锌、镉单独及复合存在下形成络合物的稳定性及配位数.结果表明:在Zn2+,Cd2+单独存在时,络合反应的稳定常数及配位数随着pH值的增大而增大;相同pH条件下,Zn2+和胡敏酸络合物的稳定常数及配位数大于Cd2+.在Zn2+,Cd2+复合存在时,pH的变化与胡敏酸络合金属离子的稳定常数及配位数没有明显依存关系;与单独存在时相比,在pH 3.5和pH7.0时,Zn2+,Cd2+和胡敏酸络合物的稳定常数和配位数都减小;而在pH 5.0时,Cd2+和胡敏酸络合物的稳定常数和配位数都增大,Zn2+和胡敏酸络合物的稳定常数和配位数都减小.     

Complex multicolor tilings and critical phenomena in tetraphilic liquid crystals

T-shaped molecules with a rod-like aromatic core and a flexible side chain form liquid crystal honeycombs with aromatic cell walls and a cell interior filled with the side chains. Here, we show how the addition of a second chain, incompatible with the first (X-shaped molecules), can form honeycombs with highly complex tiling patterns, with cells of up to five different compositions ("colors") and polygonal shapes. The complexity is caused by the inability of the side chains to separate cleanly because of geometric frustration. Furthermore, a thermoreversible transition was observed between a multicolor (phase-separated) and a single-color (mixed) honeycomb phase. This is analogous to the Curie transition in simple and frustrated ferro- and antiferromagnets; here spin flips are replaced by 180° reorientations of the molecules.     

Impact of soil stockpiling and mining rehabilitation on earthworm communities

As key ‘ecosystem engineers’, earthworms improve mineralization of organic matter, plant growth, soil quality, and are an important component of many terrestrial food webs. Under appropriate conditions, they are therefore likely to accelerate the restoration of soil ecosystem function after mining.Conserving naturally occurring populations and facilitating their recolonisation appears as the most efficient way to increase earthworms’ overall effect. The impact of mining activities and restoration measures on New Zealand endemic earthworm communities was tested. Earthworm biomass and diversity were compared in four different habitat types.Mining activities, not surprisingly, are shown here to have a detrimental impact on earthworm communities. Soil stockpiling induces anaerobic conditions at and below a depth of 1 m, where earthworms do not survive. The use of stockpiled soil for vegetation replanting therefore leads to low diversity and low abundance of earthworms. An alternative restoration technique consisting in transferring vegetation and soil units (the vegetation direct transfer) was efficient in preserving earthworm populations with earthworm biomass and diversity not significantly different from those observed in undisturbed areas. Based on these results, we recommend vegetation direct transfer (VDT) to be prioritised whenever it is logistically and economically feasible. When VDT is not applicable, low stockpiles should be prioritised as they will comprise a higher proportion of good quality soil (at the surface) and a lower proportion of anaerobic and compacted soil (below 1 m depth at the studied site).     

A rapid and simple method for determining fungicide resistance in Botrytis

A simple test based on the germination of conidia of Botrytis on agar media augmented with various fungicides has been developed. Average concentrations causing a 50% reduction of germ-tube growth (EC₅₀) of highly sensitive isolates were determined on 1% malt extract agar (thiophanate-methyl 0.090 ppm; iprodione 0.566 ppm; fludioxonil 0.026 ppm; fenhexamid 0.144 ppm), 1% malt extract agar with 100 ppm salicyl hydroxamic acid (QoI fungicides, viz. trifloxystrobin 0.009 ppm; pyraclostrobin 0.013 ppm; azoxystrobin 0.087 ppm), 0.5% yeast extract agar (boscalid 0.069 ppm) and 0.5% sucrose agar (cyprodinil 0.053 ppm). In order to detect different levels of resistance against these various fungicides, two discriminatory concentrations were identified for each compound. A routine assay method was developed in which drops of a conidial suspension harvested directly from diseased plant material or sporulating cultures were incubated on each of 20 different agar media. Because of a very short time-span of 24–48 h between sample collection and evaluation of results, field-specific information on the occurrence, frequency and types of resistance of Botrytis against common botryticides in soft-fruit production may be generated prior to the main fungicide spray season at blossom time.