Evaluation of moisture sources for the Central European summer flood of May/June 2013 based on regional climate model simulations

Heavy precipitation affected Central Europe in May/June 2013, triggering damaging floods both on the Danube and the Elbe rivers. Based on a modelling approach with COSMO-CLM, moisture fluxes, backward trajectories, cyclone tracks and precipitation fields are evaluated for the relevant time period 30 May–2 June 2013. We identify potential moisture sources and quantify their contribution to the flood event focusing on the Danube basin through sensitivity experiments: Control simulations are performed with undisturbed ERA-Interim boundary conditions, while multiple sensitivity experiments are driven with modified evaporation characteristics over selected marine and land areas. Two relevant cyclones are identified both in reanalysis and in our simulations, which moved counter-clockwise in a retrograde path from Southeastern Europe over Eastern Europe towards the northern slopes of the Alps. The control simulations represent the synoptic evolution of the event reasonably well. The evolution of the precipitation event in the control simulations shows some differences in terms of its spatial and temporal characteristics compared to observations. The main precipitation event can be separated into two phases concerning the moisture sources. Our modelling results provide evidence that the two main sources contributing to the event were the continental evapotranspiration (moisture recycling; both phases) and the North Atlantic Ocean (first phase only). The Mediterranean Sea played only a minor role as a moisture source. This study confirms the importance of continental moisture recycling for heavy precipitation events over Central Europe during the summer half year

Addition of Synthetic Feeding Attractant Increases Catches of Rhagoletis batava Hering and Carpomyia schineri Loew. in Fluorescent Yellow Sticky Traps

The addition of the synthetic Rhagoletis feeding attractant (consisting of ammonium carbonate and ammonium acetate, developed previously for Rhagoletis cerasi L.) to both fluorescent yellow or transparent sticky traps significantly increased catches of the fruit flies Rhagoletis batava Hering (pest of sea buckthorn) and Carpomyia schineri Loew. (pest of rose hips). Traps with lures were detecting the occurrence of both species 1–2 weeks before as compared to traps without lure, and quantitative aspects of the flight could be followed in more detail in traps with lure. Thus in detection and monitoring surveys, where sensitivity of the trap is highly important, the use of traps with synthetic lure added is strongly recommended

Complexity and robustness of the flavonoid transcriptional regulatory network revealed by comprehensive analyses of MYB-bHLH-WDR complexes and their targets in Arabidopsis seed.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, proanthocyanidins (PAs) accumulate in the innermost cell layer of the seed coat (i.e. endothelium, chalaza and micropyle). The expression of the biosynthetic genes involved relies on the transcriptional activity of R2R3-MYB and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins which form ternary complexes (\u27MBW\u27) with TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1) (WD repeat protein). The identification of the direct targets and the determination of the nature and spatio-temporal activity of these MBW complexes are essential steps towards a comprehensive understanding of the transcriptional mechanisms that control flavonoid biosynthesis. In this study, various molecular, genetic and biochemical approaches were used. Here, we have demonstrated that, of the 12 studied genes of the pathway, only dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR), leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX), BANYULS (BAN), TRANSPARENT TESTA 19 (TT19), TT12 and H(+) -ATPase isoform 10 (AHA10) are direct targets of the MBW complexes. Interestingly, although the TT2-TT8-TTG1 complex plays the major role in developing seeds, three additional MBW complexes (i.e. MYB5-TT8-TTG1, TT2-EGL3-TTG1 and TT2-GL3-TTG1) were also shown to be involved, in a tissue-specific manner. Finally, a minimal promoter was identified for each of the target genes of the MBW complexes. Altogether, by answering fundamental questions and by demonstrating or invalidating previously made hypotheses, this study provides a new and comprehensive view of the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling PA and anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis

A novel compartment, the 'subqpical stem' of the aerial hyphae, is the location of a sigN-dependent, developmentally distinct transcription in Streptomyces coelicolor.

Streptomyces coelicolor has nine SigB-like RNA polymerase sigma factors, several of them implicated in morphological differentiation and/or responses to different stresses. One of the nine, SigN, is the focus of this article. A constructed sigN null mutant was delayed in development and exhibited a bald phenotype when grown on minimal medium containing glucose as carbon source. One of two distinct sigN promoters, sigNP1, was active only during growth on solid medium, when its activation coincided with aerial hyphae formation. Transcription from sigNP1 was readily detected in several whi mutants (interrupted in morphogenesis of aerial mycelium into spores), but was absent from all bld mutants tested, suggesting that sigNP1 activity was restricted to the aerial hyphae. It also depended on sigN, thus sigN was autoregulated. Mutational and transcription studies revealed no functional significance to the location of sigN next to sigF, encoding another SigB-like sigma factor. We identified another potential SigN target, nepA, encoding a putative small secreted protein. Transcription of nepA originated from a single, aerial hyphae-specific and sigN-dependent promoter. While in vitro run-off transcription using purified SigN on the Bacillus subtilis ctc promoter confirmed that SigN is an RNA polymerase sigma factor, SigN failed to initiate transcription from sigNP1 and from the nepA promoter in vitro. Additional in vivo data indicated that further nepA upstream sequences, which are likely to bind a potential activator, are required for successful transcription. Using a nepA–egfp transcriptional fusion we located nepA transcription to a novel compartment, the ‘subapical stem’ of the aerial hyphae. We suggest that this newly recognized compartment defines an interface between the aerial and vegetative parts of the Streptomyces colony and might also be involved in communication between these two compartments

Adsorption of CO on a Platinum (111) surface - a study within a four-component relativistic density functional approach

We report on results of a theoretical study of the adsorption process of a single carbon oxide molecule on a Platinum (111) surface. A four-component relativistic density functional method was applied to account for a proper description of the strong relativistic effects. A limited number of atoms in the framework of a cluster approach is used to describe the surface. Different adsorption sites are investigated. We found that CO is preferably adsorbed at the top position.Comment: 23 Pages with 4 figure

Magmatic plumbing at Lucky Strike volcano based on olivine-hosted melt inclusion compositions

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2015. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 16 (2015): 126–147, doi:10.1002/2014GC005517.Here we present volatile, major, and trace element concentrations of 64 olivine-hosted melt inclusions from the Lucky Strike segment on the mid-Atlantic ridge. Lucky Strike is one of two locations where a crustal melt lens has been seismically imaged on a slow-spreading ridge. Vapor-saturation pressures, calculated from CO2 and H2O contents of Lucky Strike melt inclusions, range from approximately 300–3000 bars, corresponding to depths of 0.5–9.9 km below the seafloor. Approximately 50% of the melt inclusions record crystallization depths of 3–4 km, corresponding to the seismically imaged melt lens depth, while an additional ∼35% crystallize at depths > 4 km. This indicates that while crystallization is focused within the melt lens, significant crystallization also occurs in the lower crust and/or upper mantle. The melt inclusions span a range of major and trace element concentrations from normal to enriched basalts. Trace element ratios at all depths are heterogeneous, suggesting that melts are not efficiently homogenized in the mantle or crust, despite the presence of a melt lens. This is consistent with the transient nature of magma chambers proposed for slower-spreading ridges. To investigate the petrogenesis of the melt inclusion compositions, we compare the measured trace element compositions to theoretical melting calculations that consider variations in the melting geometry and heterogeneities in the mantle source. The full range of compositions can be produced by slight variations in the proportion of an Azores plume and depleted upper mantle components and changes in the total extent of melting.thanked for his help with sample preparation. The GRAVILUCK'06 and Bathyluck'08 cruises where financed by the French Ministry of Research. This work was supported by NSF grant OCE-0926422 to A.M.S., OCE-PRF-1226130 to V.D.W., OCE-1333492 to S.A.S., and EAR-09-48666 to M.D.B., and by ANR (France) Mothseim Project NT05-342213 to J.E.2015-07-2

Extensive Spectroscopy and Photometry of the Type IIP Supernova 2013ej

We present extensive optical ($UBVRI$, $g'r'i'z'$, and open CCD) and near-infrared ($ZYJH$) photometry for the very nearby Type IIP SN ~2013ej extending from +1 to +461 days after shock breakout, estimated to be MJD $56496.9\pm0.3$. Substantial time series ultraviolet and optical spectroscopy obtained from +8 to +135 days are also presented. Considering well-observed SNe IIP from the literature, we derive $UBVRIJHK$ bolometric calibrations from $UBVRI$ and unfiltered measurements that potentially reach 2\% precision with a $B-V$ color-dependent correction. We observe moderately strong Si II $\lambda6355$ as early as +8 days. The photospheric velocity ($v_{\rm ph}$) is determined by modeling the spectra in the vicinity of Fe II $\lambda5169$ whenever observed, and interpolating at photometric epochs based on a semianalytic method. This gives $v_{\rm ph} = 4500\pm500$ km s$^{-1}$ at +50 days. We also observe spectral homogeneity of ultraviolet spectra at +10--12 days for SNe IIP, while variations are evident a week after explosion. Using the expanding photosphere method, from combined analysis of SN 2013ej and SN 2002ap, we estimate the distance to the host galaxy to be $9.0_{-0.6}^{+0.4}$ Mpc, consistent with distance estimates from other methods. Photometric and spectroscopic analysis during the plateau phase, which we estimated to be $94\pm7$ days long, yields an explosion energy of $0.9\pm0.3\times10^{51}$ ergs, a final pre-explosion progenitor mass of $15.2\pm4.2$~M$_\odot$ and a radius of $250\pm70$~R$_\odot$. We observe a broken exponential profile beyond +120 days, with a break point at +$183\pm16$ days. Measurements beyond this break time yield a $^{56}$Ni mass of $0.013\pm0.001$~M$_\odot$.Comment: 29 pages, 23 figures, 15 tables, Published in The Astrophisical Journa

Wave-guided optical waveguides

This work primarily aims to fabricate and use two photon polymerization (2PP) microstructures capable of being optically manipulated into any arbitrary orientation. We have integrated optical waveguides into the structures and therefore have freestanding waveguides, which can be positioned anywhere in the sample at any orientation using optical traps. One of the key aspects to the work is the change in direction of the incident plane wave, and the marked increase in the numerical aperture demonstrated. Hence, the optically steered waveguide can tap from a relatively broader beam and then generate a more tightly confined light at its tip. The paper contains both simulation, related to the propagation of light through the waveguide, and experimental demonstrations using our BioPhotonics Workstation. In a broader context, this work shows that optically trapped microfabricated structures can potentially help bridge the diffraction barrier. This structure-mediated paradigm may be carried forward to open new possibilities for exploiting beams from far-field optics down to the subwavelength domain. (C)2012 Optical Society of Americ