Respiratory adaptations to the deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment: the case of Segonzacia mesatlantica, a crab from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Segonzacia mesatlantica (Crustacea; Decapoda; Brachyura) is the only endemic crab species known from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) hydrothermal vents. Known from all explored sites in the Atlantic, its wide distribution makes this species a model to study physiological adaptation, and specifically respiratory strategies. Native haemocyanin (Hc) comprises four non-covalent associations in equilibrium formed by monomers, hexamers, dodecamers and octadecamers made up of approximately 75 kDa polypeptide chains. Four different amino acid chains are observed with a molecular mass ranging from 75,234 to 75,972 Da. Experiments carried-out under pressure suggested that the percentage of monomer increased in the haemolymph under hypoxic condition. We have also observed a shift of the proportion of the two dodecamer series, suggesting a rapid modification of the Hc phenotype between hypoxic and hyperoxic conditions. Native Hc possesses a high oxygen affinity ( P50 = 2.2 Torr at 15 degrees C and pH 7.5), a large Bohr effect (Deltalog P50 / DeltapH approximately -2.7) and a slightly reverse temperature effect (DeltaH = +17.19 kJ mol(-1). The composition of Segonzacia haemolymph is similar to that of other littoral species except for the large enrichment in free copper and zinc. As for other species from hydrothermal vent sites, Segonzacia haemolymph possesses a higher buffer capacity than littoral species. Moreover, species from the hydrothermal vent decapods from Pacific hydrothermal vent that encounter higher CO2 content in their environment have a higher buffer capacity than Atlantic vent species. The results presented are discussed in relation with the physico-chemical characteristics of the hydrothermal vent environment.     

Vortex burst as a source of turbulence

An important issue in turbulence theory is to understand what kinds of elementary flow structures are responsible for the part of the turbulent energy spectrum described by Kolmogorov's celebrated k(-5/3) law. A model for such structure has been proposed by Lundgren [Phys. Fluids 25, 2193-2203 (1982)]] in the form of a vortex with spiral structure subjected to an axially straining field. We report experimental results of a vortex burst in a laminar-flow environment showing that this structure is responsible for a k(-5/3) part in the energy spectrum. If there are many experimental evidences of the existence of vortices with spiral structures in turbulent flows, it is the first time that such an elementary structure is experimentally shown to be responsible for the turbulent energy cascade.     

Why are there only three quantum noises?

In quantum stochastic calculus on the symmetric Fock space over L ²(ℝ₊), adapted processes of operators are integrated with respect to creation, annihilation and number processes. The main property which allows this integration is that the increments of integrators between s and t act only on Fock space over L ²([s, t]). In this article, we prove that there are no other process of closable operators on coherent vectors with this property. Thus the only possible integrators in quantum stochastic calculus are the creation, annihilation and number processes.     

Comparison of gold leaf thickness in Namban folding screens using X-ray fluorescence

In this work, the thickness of the gold leaf applied in six Japanese folding screens is compared using a nondestructive approach. Four screens belonging to the Momoyama period (~1573–1603) and two screens belonging to the early Edo period (~1603–1868) were analyzed in situ using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence, and the thickness of the applied gold leaf was evaluated using a methodology based on the attenuation of the different characteristic lines of gold in the gold leaf layer. Considering that the leaf may well not be made of pure gold, we established that, for the purpose of comparing the intensity ratios of the Au lines, layers made with gold leaf of high grade can be considered identical. The gold leaf applied in one of the screens from the Edo period was found to be thinner than the gold leaf applied in the other ones. This is consistent with the development of the beating technology to obtain ever more thin gold leafs.     

Cylindre transverse isotrope poroélastique chargé cycliquement : application à un ostéonCyclic loading of a transverse isotropic poroelastic cylinder: a model for the osteon

The poroelastic problem associated with a hollow cylinder under cyclic loading is solved. Both fluid and solid phases are supposed compressible. Solid matrix is modeled as an elastic transverse isotropic material. An explicit close-form solution for the steady state is obtained. This cylinder is considered as a model for an osteon, the basic unit of cortical bone. The fluid flow distribution as a function of poroelastic properties and cyclic loading is discussed, as this could influence bone remodeling. To cite this article: A. Rémond, S. Naili, C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).     

Forward–Backward Stochastic Differential Games and Stochastic Control under Model Uncertainty

We study optimal stochastic control problems with jumps under model uncertainty. We rewrite such problems as stochastic differential games of forward–backward stochastic differential equations. We prove general stochastic maximum principles for such games, both in the zero-sum case (finding conditions for saddle points) and for the nonzero sum games (finding conditions for Nash equilibria). We then apply these results to study robust optimal portfolio-consumption problems with penalty. We establish a connection between market viability under model uncertainty and equivalent martingale measures. In the case with entropic penalty, we prove a general reduction theorem, stating that a optimal portfolio-consumption problem under model uncertainty can be reduced to a classical portfolio-consumption problem under model certainty, with a change in the utility function, and we relate this to risk sensitive control. In particular, this result shows that model uncertainty increases the Arrow–Pratt risk aversion index.     

Pressure solution at the molecular scale

The topological evolution of the cleavage surface of a gypsum single crystal during its dissolution in a flowing undersaturated aqueous solution has been observed with an atomic force microscope. The matter transfer from solid to liquid proceeds through the migration of atomic steps. The step velocity has been measured and appears to depend on the force applied by the tip on the surface. Whereas the high force velocity enhancement is likely to stem from corrosive wear, the speed behavior at low force (<10 nN) differs drastically and can be interpreted as a consequence of the pressure solution of the crystal induced by the tip force. The step velocity evolution with the force obeys the known kinetic law of pressure solution. Hence these experiments enable us to evidence a first atomic mechanism at the origin of pressure solution.     

Nanoscale electrostatic manipulation of magnetic flux quanta in ferroelectric/superconductor BiFeO3/YBa2Cu3O(7-δ) heterostructures

Using heterostructures that combine a large-polarization ferroelectric (BiFeO3) and a high-temperature superconductor (YBa2Cu3O(7-δ)), we demonstrate the modulation of the superconducting condensate at the nanoscale via ferroelectric field effects. Through this mechanism, a nanoscale pattern of normal regions that mimics the ferroelectric domain structure can be created in the superconductor. This yields an energy landscape for magnetic flux quanta and, in turn, couples the local ferroelectric polarization to the local magnetic induction. We show that this form of magnetoelectric coupling, together with the possibility to reversibly design the ferroelectric domain structure, allows the electrostatic manipulation of magnetic flux quanta.     

Joint acquisition-processing approach to optimize observation scales in noisy imaging

In imaging, the choice of an observation scale is conventionally settled by the operator in charge of the image acquisition, who is left alone with tuning the framing and zooming parameters of the imaging system. In a somewhat decoupled manner, the operator in charge of processing the data has access to the images after their acquisition, and seeks to extract information from the observed scene. This Letter proposes a manifestation of the interest of an alternative joint acquisition-processing approach. We demonstrate with quantitative informational measures how the choice of an observation scale can be directly related to the performance of the final information processing task. Illustrations are given with various tools from statistical information theory with possible applications of practical interest to any noisy imaging domains.