scholarly journals Catalytic/Protective Properties of Martian Minerals and Implications for Possible Origin of Life on Mars

Life ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Fornaro ◽  
Andrew Steele ◽  
John Brucato
Keyword(s):  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Degradation Mechanisms ◽  
Protective Properties ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Life On Mars ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

Minerals might have played critical roles for the origin and evolution of possible life forms on Mars. The study of the interactions between the “building blocks of life” and minerals relevant to Mars mineralogy under conditions mimicking the harsh Martian environment may provide key insight into possible prebiotic processes. Therefore, this contribution aims at reviewing the most important investigations carried out so far about the catalytic/protective properties of Martian minerals toward molecular biosignatures under Martian-like conditions. Overall, it turns out that the fate of molecular biosignatures on Mars depends on a delicate balance between multiple preservation and degradation mechanisms, often regulated by minerals, which may take place simultaneously. Such a complexity requires more efforts in simulating realistically the Martian environment in order to better inspect plausible prebiotic pathways and shed light on the nature of the organic compounds detected both in meteorites and on the surface of Mars through in situ analysis.

scholarly journals Catalytic/Protective Properties of Martian Minerals and Implications for Possible Origin of Life on Mars

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Fornaro ◽  
Andrew Steele ◽  
John Robert Brucato
Keyword(s):  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Degradation Mechanisms ◽  
Protective Properties ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Life On Mars ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

Minerals might have played critical roles for the origin and evolution of possible life forms on Mars. The study of the interactions between “building blocks of life” and minerals relevant to Mars mineralogy under conditions mimicking the harsh Martian environment may provide key insight into possible prebiotic processes. Therefore, this contribution aims at reviewing the most important investigations carried out so far about the catalytic/protective properties of Martian minerals toward molecular biosignatures under Martian-like conditions. Overall, it turns out that the fate of molecular biosignatures on Mars depends on a delicate balance between multiple preservation and degradation mechanisms often regulated by minerals, which may take place simultaneously. Such a complexity requires more efforts in simulating realistically the Martian environment in order to better inspect plausible prebiotic pathways and shed light on the nature of the organic compounds detected both in meteorites and on the surface of Mars through in situ analysis.

scholarly journals New Clues to Reveal Origins of Hot- and Warm-Jupiter: Mutual Occurrence Rate of Hot Jupiter，Warm Jupiter and Cold Jupiter

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangning Su ◽  
Hui Zhang ◽  
Jilin Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Effective Temperature ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Occurrence Rate ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
History Of ◽  
Stellar Properties ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Hot Jupiter

Abstract Many works based on the correlations between the occurrence rate of various giant planets and stellar properties of their hosts have provided clues revealing planetary formation processes. However, few researches have focused on the mutual occurrence rate of different type of planets and their dependency upon the stellar properties, which may help to provide an insight into the dynamics evolution history of planetary systems. To investigate the mutual occurrence rates, first we define three types of giant planets, i.e. cold Jupiter(CJ), warm Jupiter(WJ) and hot Jupiter(HJ), according to their position normalized by the snow-line in the system, ap > asnow, 0:1asnow < ap ≤ asnow and ap ≤ 0:1asnow, respectively. Then, we derive their occurrence rates(ηHJ,ηwJ,ηcJ) considering completeness correction caused by different detection methods (RV and transit) and surveys (HARPS& CORALIE and Kepler). Finally, we investigate the correlation between the relative occurrence rates, i.e. ηcJ/ηwJ or ηwJ/ηHJ, and various stellar properties, e.g. stellar metallicity and effective temperature Teff . We find that ηWJ from RV and transit surveys show a similar increasing trend with the increasing stellar effective temperature when Teff ≤ 6100K. While ηcJ from RV samples is almost flat within Teff in (4600K;6100K], and ηHJ from transit samples is increasing with increasing stellar effective temperature within 3600K < Te f f < 7100K. Further more, we find that the mutual occurrence rate between CJ and WJ, i.e. ηcJ/ηwJ , shows a decreasing trend with the increasing stellar effective temperature. In contrary, the ratio ηwJ/ηHJ is reversely depends on the stellar effective temperature. After a series of consistency tests, our results suggest the in-situ hypothesis can be excluded from the formation process of both WJ and HJ. However, the origin and evolution history of HJ may be quite different from that of WJ.

SEM morphological studies of carbonates and the search for ancient life on Mars

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D'Elia ◽  
A. Blanco ◽  
A. Galiano ◽  
V. Orofino ◽  
S. Fonti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Forms ◽  
The Past ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Complementary Approach ◽  
Life On Mars ◽  
Infrared Spectral ◽  
Biogenic Carbonates ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Present Life

AbstractNext space missions will investigate the possibility of extinct or extant life on Mars. Studying the infrared spectral modifications, induced by thermal processing on different carbonate samples (recent shells and fossils of different ages), we developed a method able to discriminate biogenic carbonates from their abiogenic counterparts. The method has been successfully applied to microbialites, i.e. bio-induced carbonates deposits, and particularly to stromatolites, the laminated fabric of microbialites, some of which can be ascribed to among the oldest traces of biological activity known on Earth. These results are of valuable importance since such carbonates are linked to primitive living organisms that can be considered as good analogues for putative Martian life forms. Considering that the microstructures of biogenic carbonate are different from those of abiogenic origin, we investigated the micromorphology of shells, skeletal grains and microbialites at different scale with a scanning electron microscope. The results show that this line of research may provide an alternative and complementary approach to other techniques developed in the past by our group to distinguish biotic from abiotic carbonates. In this paper, we present some results that can be of valuable interest since they demonstrate the utility for a database of images concerning the structures and textures of relevant carbonate minerals. Such data may be useful for the analysis of Martian samples, coming from sample return missions or investigated by future in situ explorations, aimed to characterize the near-subsurface of Mars in search for past or present life.

scholarly journals The Potential Role of Creatine in Vascular Health

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 857
Author(s):  
Holly Clarke ◽  
Robert C. Hickner ◽  
Michael J. Ormsbee
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Clinical Success ◽  
Creatine Supplementation ◽  
Vascular Health ◽  
Protective Properties ◽  
Cellular Energy ◽  
At Risk Populations ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

Creatine is an organic compound, consumed exogenously in the diet and synthesized endogenously via an intricate inter-organ process. Functioning in conjunction with creatine kinase, creatine has long been known for its pivotal role in cellular energy provision and energy shuttling. In addition to the abundance of evidence supporting the ergogenic benefits of creatine supplementation, recent evidence suggests a far broader application for creatine within various myopathies, neurodegenerative diseases, and other pathologies. Furthermore, creatine has been found to exhibit non-energy related properties, contributing as a possible direct and in-direct antioxidant and eliciting anti-inflammatory effects. In spite of the new clinical success of supplemental creatine, there is little scientific insight into the potential effects of creatine on cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of mortality. Taking into consideration the non-energy related actions of creatine, highlighted in this review, it can be speculated that creatine supplementation may serve as an adjuvant therapy for the management of vascular health in at-risk populations. This review, therefore, not only aims to summarize the current literature surrounding creatine and vascular health, but to also shed light onto the potential mechanisms in which creatine may be able to serve as a beneficial supplement capable of imparting vascular-protective properties and promoting vascular health.

scholarly journals An analysis of user engagement in student Facebook groups

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray Lane ◽  
Victoria Menzies
Keyword(s):  
Student Success ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Systematic Method ◽  
Leverage Points ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

Analysing the engagement of students in university-based Facebook groups can shed light on the nature of their learning experience and highlight leverage points to build on student success. While post-semester surveys and demographic participation data can highlight who was involved and how they subsequently felt about the experience, these techniques do not necessarily reflect real-time engagement. One way to gain insight into in-situ student experiences is by categorising the original posts and comments into predetermined frameworks of learning. This paper offers a systematic method of coding Facebook contributions within various engagement categories: motivation, discourse, cognition and emotive responses. 

Laboratory and in-situ analysis of comet dust

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 8-9
Author(s):  
D.E. Brownlee ◽  
A.L. Albee
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Laboratory Study ◽  
Isotopic Analysis ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Cometary Material ◽  
Comet Dust

Comets are primitive, kilometer-sized bodies that formed in the outer regions of the solar system. Composed of ice and dust, comets are generally believed to be relic building blocks of the outer solar system that have been preserved at cryogenic temperatures since the formation of the Sun and planets. The analysis of cometary material is particularly important because the properties of cometary material provide direct information on the processes and environments that formed and influenced solid matter both in the early solar system and in the interstellar environments that preceded it.The first direct analyses of proven comet dust were made during the Soviet and European spacecraft encounters with Comet Halley in 1986. These missions carried time-of-flight mass spectrometers that measured mass spectra of individual micron and smaller particles. The Halley measurements were semi-quantitative but they showed that comet dust is a complex fine-grained mixture of silicates and organic material. A full understanding of comet dust will require detailed morphological, mineralogical, elemental and isotopic analysis at the finest possible scale. Electron microscopy and related microbeam techniques will play key roles in the analysis. The present and future of electron microscopy of comet samples involves laboratory study of micrometeorites collected in the stratosphere, in-situ SEM analysis of particles collected at a comet and laboratory study of samples collected from a comet and returned to the Earth for detailed study.

Sentence-Based Experience Logging in New Hearing Aid Users

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3S) ◽  
pp. 631-637
Author(s):  
Katja Lund ◽  
Rodrigo Ordoñez ◽  
Jens Bo Nielsen ◽  
Dorte Hammershøi
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Patient Experiences ◽  
Online Tool ◽  
Rehabilitation Process ◽  
Hearing Rehabilitation ◽  
Clinical Observations ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

Purpose The aim of this study was to develop a tool to gain insight into the daily experiences of new hearing aid users and to shed light on aspects of aided performance that may not be unveiled through standard questionnaires. Method The tool is developed based on clinical observations, patient experiences, expert involvement, and existing validated hearing rehabilitation questionnaires. Results An online tool for collecting data related to hearing aid use was developed. The tool is based on 453 prefabricated sentences representing experiences within 13 categories related to hearing aid use. Conclusions The tool has the potential to reflect a wide range of individual experiences with hearing aid use, including auditory and nonauditory aspects. These experiences may hold important knowledge for both the patient and the professional in the hearing rehabilitation process.

In situ bioremediation of cyanide, PAHs and organic compounds using an engineered SEquenced REactive BARrier (SEREBAR)

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 478-482
Author(s):  
Jamie Robinson ◽  
Russell Thomas ◽  
Steve Wallace ◽  
Paddy Daly ◽  
Robert Kalin
Keyword(s):  
Organic Compounds ◽  
In Situ Bioremediation ◽  
Reactive Barrier

Aleksey Peshkov as an editor of Samarskaya Gazeta

2020 ◽  
pp. 128-138
Author(s):  
A. S. Bik-Bulatov
Keyword(s):  
Local History ◽  
Organizational Skills ◽  
First Time ◽  
New Evidence ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

The article uses little known letters of M. Gorky, many of which were published for the first time in 1997, as well as findings of Samara-based experts in local history to shed light on the writer’s work as editor-in-chief of the Samarskaya Gazeta newspaper in 1895. The researcher introduces hitherto unstudied reminiscences of the journalist D. Linyov (Dalin) about this period, which reference a letter by Gorky, now lost. The paper details a newly discovered episode of Gorky’s professional biography as a journalist: it concerns his campaign against a Samara ‘she-wolf,’ the madam of a local brothel A. Neucheva. Linyov’s reminiscences turn out to be an important and interesting source, offering an insight into the daily grind of the young editor Gorky, providing new evidence of his excellent organizational skills, and describing his moral and social stance. The author presents his work in the context of a recently initiated broader discussion about the need to map out all Russian periodicals for the period until 1917, as well as all research devoted to individual publications.

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