Purple sulfur bacteria fix N2 via molybdenum-nitrogenase in a low molybdenum Proterozoic ocean analogue

Biological N2 fixation was key to the expansion of life on early Earth. The N2-fixing microorganisms and the nitrogenase type used in the Proterozoic are unknown, although it has been proposed that the canonical molybdenum-nitrogenase was not used due to low molybdenum availability. We investigate N2 fixation in Lake Cadagno, an analogue system to the sulfidic Proterozoic continental margins, using a combination of biogeochemical, molecular and single cell techniques. In Lake Cadagno, purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) are responsible for high N2 fixation rates, to our knowledge providing the first direct evidence for PSB in situ N2 fixation. Surprisingly, no alternative nitrogenases are detectable, and N2 fixation is exclusively catalyzed by molybdenum-nitrogenase. Our results show that molybdenum-nitrogenase is functional at low molybdenum conditions in situ and that in contrast to previous beliefs, PSB may have driven N2 fixation in the Proterozoic ocean.

What did it take for Lucas to set up ‘useful’ analogue systems in monetary business cycle theory?

This paper provides a look into what Lucas meant by the term ‘analogue systems’ and how he conceived making them useful. It is argued that any model with remarkable predictive success can be regarded as an analogue system, the term is thus neutral in terms of usefulness. To be useful Lucas supposed models to meet further requirements. These prerequisites are introduced in two steps in the paper. First, some properties of ‘useless’ Keynesian macroeconometric models come to the fore as contrasting cases. Second, it is argued that Lucas suggested two assumptions as the keys to usefulness for he conceived them as referring to genuine components of social reality and hence as true propositions. One is money as a causal instrument and the other is the choice-theoretic framework to describe the causal mechanisms underlying large-scale fluctuations. Extensive quotes from Lucas’s unpublished materials underpin the claims.

Boolean learning under noise-perturbations in hardware neural networks

A high efficiency hardware integration of neural networks benefits from realizing nonlinearity, network connectivity and learning fully in a physical substrate. Multiple systems have recently implemented some or all of these operations, yet the focus was placed on addressing technological challenges. Fundamental questions regarding learning in hardware neural networks remain largely unexplored. Noise in particular is unavoidable in such architectures, and here we experimentally and theoretically investigate its interaction with a learning algorithm using an opto-electronic recurrent neural network. We find that noise strongly modifies the system’s path during convergence, and surprisingly fully decorrelates the final readout weight matrices. This highlights the importance of understanding architecture, noise and learning algorithm as interacting players, and therefore identifies the need for mathematical tools for noisy, analogue system optimization.

Binary and analogue markers of skeletal maturity: clinical utility of the thenar and plantar sesamoids

Purpose We investigate the thenar and plantar sesamoids as markers of skeletal maturity, and grade appearance using two scales, a binary system (absent or present), and an analogue system that relies upon judging regular changes in morphological appearance. Methods We studied 94 healthy children (49 female and 45 male patients) between ages three and 18 years who had approximately 700 serially acquired sets of radiographs and physical examinations. The children had at least annual radiographs taken of the left hand and left foot. Velocity of growth was calculated and curves were fit to a cubic spline model to determine age of maximum height velocity, or peak height velocity (PHV). Appearance of the plantar and thenar sesamoids was recorded using a binary system classifying the sesamoids as absent or present and an analogue system classifying the sesamoid as absent, present as a small ossification centre or larger than a small ossification centre. Results The plantar sesamoids appear 1.67 years before PHV and reach mature size 1.02 years after PHV. The thenar sesamoids appear 0.32 years before PHV and reach mature size 2.25 years after PHV. The plantar sesamoids are present and thenar sesamoids are absent at a mean 1.5 years prior to PHV. No patients had the thenar sesamoids present while the plantar sesamoids were absent. Conclusion As binary markers, when the plantar and thenar sesamoids are considered together it is possible to localize maturity. As analogue markers, they offer more information. The sesamoids also allow clarification of the calcaneal and Sanders stages. Level of Evidence Not Applicable.

Design of Digital Broadcast Radio System Based on STM32

With the popularization of digital radio system, radio has also entered the digital age from the original analogue system. On the basis of the digital radio chip TEA5767 which used in the current widespread use of electronic products, this paper proposes and designs a digital broadcast receiving system based on STM32. The hardware circuit uses STM32F103VE as the main controller, with the configuration of digital radio chip TEA5767 and corresponding SD card storage module, LCD module, power module and so on; the software design adopts I2C bus to communicate and coordinate between the main controller and FM chip, achieving FM frequency and volume adjusting function. Meanwhile the μC/GUI is used to design the human-machine interactive interface. The digital broadcasting radio system has the advantages of small volume, multiple functions, low power consumption and easy to use.

Experimental study in the Na2O–CaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–CO2 system at 3 GPa: the effect of sodium on mantle melting to carbonate-rich liquids and implications for the petrogenesis of silicocarbonatites

Melt compositions in equilibrium with peridotite assemblages were determined in the analogue system Na2O–CaO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–CO2 at 3 GPa with Ca/Ca + Mg = 0.56–0.43 and up to 6 wt.% Na2O. There is a greater compositional range generated isobarically over a larger temperature interval than in a sodium-absent system: increasing sodium content drives liquids to compositions with lower CaO and higher SiO2 concentrations. A positive correlation between silica and Na2O content of liquids produced at constant temperature is due to the depolymerization of silicate tetrahedra in the presence of monovalent cations, as in the volatile-free system. Liquids with Na2O >6 wt.% occur in association with wehrlites as the composition of diopsidic pyroxene expands towards enstatite with addition of Na2O, decreasing the orthopyroxene content of peridotite. The orthopyroxene-out curve intersects an enriched mantle solidus at 3 GPa where near-solidus liquids have Na2O = 7 1.5 wt.%. Sodium partitioning between a metaluminous liquid and clinopyroxene follows the jadeite partitioning models calculated for the dry silicate system but sodium partitions into peralkaline carbonated liquids as both the pyroxene and the carbonate molecules. The peralkaline liquids generated are essentially carbonated silicate melts that are analogous to silica-bearing carbonatites and silicocarbonatites from a range of possible metasomatized mantle sources.

Influence of Crystal Orientation on the Freckle Formation in Directionally Solidified Superalloys

Freckle occurrence is known to be dependent on the casting size and the superalloy components with large cross section are more prone to freckle formation. In our directional solidification experiment of superalloys freckles are observed in some thin samples, while some significantly thicker samples in the same shell mould cluster remain freckle free. The EBSD analysis shows that the samples with freckles have a good <001> axial orientation, while in freckle free samples the primary dendrite stems diverge from the sample axis. In an analogue system the flow behaviour through a mushy zone was simulated, in which the dendrite network was placed in different orientation. The <001> dendrite array shows the lowest resistance to the vertical melt flow. As the dendrite alignment diverges from <001> orientation, the flow speed slows down and reaches the minimum at the <111> orientation. This orientation effect of the interdendritic permeability explains well why the crystal orientation plays such an important role in the occurrence of freckles in superalloy castings.