Delineating sources of groundwater recharge and carbon in Holocene aquifers of the central Gangetic basin using stable isotopic signatures

Stable isotopes of water (δ²H, δ¹⁸O) and δ¹³C_TIC were used as a tool to trace the recharge processes, natural carbon (organic and inorganic) source and dynamics in the aquifers of the central Gangetic basin, India. Stable isotope (δ²H, δ¹⁸O) record of groundwater (n?=?105) revealed that the groundwater of Piedmont was recharged by meteoric origin before evaporation, while aquifers of the older and younger alluvium were recharged by water that had undergone evaporation loss. River Ganges and its tributaries passing through this area have very little contribution in recharging while ponds play no role in the recharging of adjacent aquifers. The connectivity of shallow aquifers of aquitard formation (comprised of clay/sandy clay with thin patches of fine grey sand), i.e. 25–60?m below ground level (bgl) with the main upper aquifer (at a depth of >120?m?bgl) was found to be higher in older and younger alluvium. Negative values of δ¹³C_TIC (median ?9.6 ‰; range ?13.2 to ?5.4 ‰) and high TIC (median 35?mM; range 31–46?mM) coupled with low TOC (median 1.35?mg/L; range 0.99–1.77?mg/L) indicated acceleration in microbial activity in the younger alluvium, especially in the active floodplain of river Ganges and its proximity.     

Entanglement Generation Between Two Mechanical Resonators in Two Optomechanical Cavities

A standard model is suggested to explore correlation features of two spatially separated optomechanical cavities. The cavities are coupled through the photon-hopping process. In particular, we investigate the generation of entanglement between mechanical resonators in the strong coupling regime and the two cavities are assumed to be driven by a coherent laser field. In order to quantify entanglement we use the logarithmic negativity. The analytical solutions are presented for the system in a parameter regime very close to the current experimental results. We show that in the presence of the photon hopping process between the cavities, the two mechanical resonators and the field modes can be entangled. This shows clearly that the entanglement can be transfer via radiation pressure of a photon hopping coupling from the intracavity photon-phonon entanglements to an inter-cavity photon-photon or phonon-phonon entanglement.     

Thermospray high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric determination of cyclosporins.

The cyclic undecapeptides cyclosporin (Csp) A, CspD and dihydro CspC (HCspC) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography/thermospray-mass spectrometry (HPLC/TSP-MS) on line with a UV detector. Positive ion partial (1000-1300 u) mass spectra of these compounds could be obtained with 1-2 pmol injected on column. Mass spectra were characterized by signals corresponding to the [M+H] ions as well as fragment ions derived from the loss of 112 (CspA and CspD) or 44, 114 and 114 + 44 (HCspC) mass units from the parent ion. The same qualitative profile was observed for negative-ion acquisition where the ions were formed by proton abstraction. The application of the technique to the characterization of CspA and its major hydroxylated and dealkylated metabolites in human blood samples is presented.     

Mycobacterial immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV-1 infection after antiretroviral therapy is associated with deregulated specific T-cell responses: Beneficial effect of IL-2 and GM-CSF immunotherapy

Background  

With the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART) cases of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) have increasingly been reported. IRIS usually occurs in individuals with a rapidly rising CD4 T-cell count or percentage upon initiation of ART, who develop a deregulated immune response to infection with or without reactivation of opportunistic organisms. Here, we evaluated rises in absolute CD4 T-cells, and specific CD4 T-cell responses in 4 HIV-1⁺ individuals presenting with mycobacterial associated IRIS who received in conjunction with ART, IL-2 plus GM-CSF immunotherapy.     

Symmetric vertex couplings for all spins and parities

Interaction Hamiltonians for three particles having arbitrary spins and parities are constructed based on the rather stringent requirement of permutation symmetry. There are only two free parameters in each Hamiltonian: an overall coupling constant and a scaling parameter (identified as the inverse slope of a Regge trajectory). Vertex functions are evaluated in lowest order purturbation theory and their use in formulating Reggeized scattering amplitudes is reviewed. In the particular case of three normal-parity bosons the calculated vertex functions coincide with the vertices extracted from a 6-point dual resonance amplitude. The results presented here may be used, for example, to predict the two-body decay characteristics of resonances and, in a more theoretic vein, to serve as a base upon which to build dual resonance amplitudes for particles of all spins and parities.     

A simple reliable co-axial dye laser system

A simple sealed co-axial flashlamp suitable for reliable dye laser operation is described. For 100 J electrical input energy, laser action was obtained over the range 350–760 nm, and for 600 J electrical input energy, outputs of up to 5.0 J were obtained at 595 nm.     

Formation and stability of mononuclear and dinuclear Eu(III) complexes and their catalytic reactivity toward cleavage of an RNA analog

The complex between Eu(III) and 1,7-diaza-4,10,13-trioxacyclopentadecane-N,N'-diacetic acid (L4) was characterized by pH potentiometric titration and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The conversion of the monomer to a dimeric complex is observed as the pH is increased from 7 to 10 in a reaction that releases one mol/HO- per dimer formed. The dimeric complex undergoes a further ionization with a pKa of 10.7. Kinetic parameters are reported for the cleavage of the simple phosphodiester 2-hydroxypropyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate catalyzed by both the monomeric and the dimeric Eu(III) complexes. These data show that the monomer and dimer stabilize their bound reaction transition states with similar free energies of 7.1 and 7.6 kcal/mol, respectively. Clearly, a bridging hydroxide is not an optimal linker to promote cooperative catalysis between Eu(III) centers in macrocycles with multiple polyaminocarboxylate pendent groups.     

Capillary Pressure at a Saturation Front During Restricted Counter-Current Spontaneous Imbibition with Liquid Displacing Air

The ultimate driving force for counter-current spontaneous imbibition of a fluid into a porous material is the capillary pressure developed under dynamic conditions at the imbibition front. This is a difficult variable to measure. We report experiments using restricted counter-current spontaneous imbibition to find the maximum capillary pressure developed during imbibition of a light mineral oil (and brine) into initially air-filled sandstone core samples with one end-face open. The production of air from the core was prevented by covering its open face with a low permeability core segment set against the main test segment. The location of the imbibition front and the pressure resulting from compression of air ahead of the imbibition front were monitored. In some cases, in order to achieve stabilized gas pressures with the front still advancing through the core, the air in the core was compressed at the start of the imbibition test. The subsequently measured stabilized air pressures dropped only slightly as imbibition slowed. The measured pressures are directly related to the effective capillary pressures that drive spontaneous imbibition. After spontaneous imbibition ceased, the pressure was released by flow of air through the sealed end of the core and further spontaneous imbibition occurred in co-current mode. Comparison of the stabilized pressures with previously published oil/brine imbibition results showed close agreement after compensation for the difference in interfacial tension.     

Mixed Quinone Monoketals via Iodobenzene Diacetate Oxidation

Oxidation of p-methoxyphenol, 4-methoxynaphthol and 4-acetamidophenol with iodobenzenediacetate in various alcohols as solvent afforded the corresponding mixed quinone or naphthoquinone monoketals in good yield. Oxidation of p-methoxyphenol in the presence of sorbyl alcohol led to in situ intramolecular Diels-Alder reactions proceeding by way of the corresponding mixed quinone monoketal.