Search results for "evolution [stars]"
showing 10 items of 50 documents
Calibrations and isoperimetric profiles
2007
We equip many noncompact nonsimply connected surfaces with smooth Riemannian metrics whose isoperimetric profile is smooth, a highly nongeneric property. The computation of the profile is based on a calibration argument, a rearrangement argument, the Bol-Fiala curvature dependent inequality, together with new results on the profile of surfaces of revolution and some hardware know-how.
Evolutionary convergence and nitrogen metabolism in Blattabacterium strain Bge, primary endosymbiont of the cockroach Blattella germanica.
2009
Bacterial endosymbionts of insects play a central role in upgrading the diet of their hosts. In certain cases, such as aphids and tsetse flies, endosymbionts complement the metabolic capacity of hosts living on nutrient-deficient diets, while the bacteria harbored by omnivorous carpenter ants are involved in nitrogen recycling. In this study, we describe the genome sequence and inferred metabolism of Blattabacterium strain Bge, the primary Flavobacteria endosymbiont of the omnivorous German cockroach Blattella germanica. Through comparative genomics with other insect endosymbionts and free-living Flavobacteria we reveal that Blattabacterium strain Bge shares the same distribution of functio…
The Fitness Effects of Random Mutations in Single-Stranded DNA and RNA Bacteriophages
2009
Mutational fitness effects can be measured with relatively high accuracy in viruses due to their small genome size, which facilitates full-length sequencing and genetic manipulation. Previous work has shown that animal and plant RNA viruses are very sensitive to mutation. Here, we characterize mutational fitness effects in single-stranded (ss) DNA and ssRNA bacterial viruses. First, we performed a mutation-accumulation experiment in which we subjected three ssDNA (ΦX174, G4, F1) and three ssRNA phages (Qβ, MS2, and SP) to plaque-to-plaque transfers and chemical mutagenesis. Genome sequencing and growth assays indicated that the average fitness effect of the accumulated mutations was similar…
A molecular electron density theory study of the [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of nitrones with ketenes.
2017
The [3 + 2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction between nitrones and ketenes has been studied within the Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT) at the Density Functional Theory (DFT) MPWB1K/6-311G(d,p) computational level. Analysis of the conceptual DFT reactivity indices allows the explanation of the reactivity, and the chemo- and regioselectivity experimentally observed. The particular mechanism of this 32CA reaction involving low electrophilic ketenes has been elucidated by using a bonding evolution theory (BET) study. It is determined that this reaction takes place in one kinetic step only but in a non-concerted manner since two stages are clearly identified. Indeed, the formation of the se…
Electrosynthesis of 3,3′,5,5’-tetramethyl-2,2′-biphenol in flow
2020
Abstract3,3′,5,5’-Tetramethyl-2,2′-biphenol is well known as an outstanding building block for ligands in transition-metal catalysis and is therefore of particular industrial interest. The electro-organic method is a powerful, sustainable, and efficient alternative to conventional synthetic approaches to obtain symmetric and non-symmetric biphenols. Here, we report the successive scale-up of the dehydrogenative anodic homocoupling of 2,4-dimethylphenol (4) from laboratory scale to the technically relevant scale in highly modular narrow gap flow electrolysis cells. The electrosynthesis was optimized in a manner that allows it to be easily adopted to different scales such as laboratory, semit…
Genetic Variability of Hepatitis C Virus before and after Combined Therapy of Interferon plus Ribavirin
2008
We present an analysis of the selective forces acting on two hepatitis C virus genome regions previously postulated to be involved in the viral response to combined antiviral therapy. One includes the three hypervariable regions in the envelope E2 glycoprotein, and the other encompasses the PKR binding domain and the V3 domain in the NS5A region. We used a cohort of 22 non-responder patients to combined therapy (interferon alpha-2a plus ribavirin) for which samples were obtained before initiation of therapy and after 6 or/and 12 months of treatment. A range of 25-100 clones per patient, genome region and time sample were sequenced. These were used to detect general patterns of adaptation, t…
Genomic instability in an interspecific hybrid of the genus Saccharomyces: a matter of adaptability
2020
Ancient events of polyploidy have been linked to huge evolutionary leaps in the tree of life, while increasing evidence shows that newly established polyploids have adaptive advantages in certain stress conditions compared to their relatives with a lower ploidy. The genus Saccharomyces is a good model for studying such events, as it contains an ancient whole-genome duplication event and many sequenced Saccharomyces cerevisiae are, evolutionary speaking, newly formed polyploids. Many polyploids have unstable genomes and go through large genome erosions; however, it is still unknown what mechanisms govern this reduction. Here, we sequenced and studied the natural S. cerevisiae × Saccharomyces…
Evidence of Recombination in Intrapatient Populations of Hepatitis C Virus.
2008
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease worldwide and a potential cause of substantial morbidity and mortality in the future. HCV is characterized by a high level of genetic heterogeneity. Although homologous recombination has been demonstrated in many members of the family Flaviviridae, to which HCV belongs, there are only a few studies reporting recombination on natural populations of HCV, suggesting that these events are rare in vivo. Furthermore, these few studies have focused on recombination between different HCV genotypes/subtypes but there are no reports on the extent of intra-genotype or intra-subtype recombination between viral strains infecting the same patient.…
Improving High Frequency Transformers behavior for DC-DC Converter Used in Electric Vehicles
2018
The paper presents a design procedure for high frequency transformer windings adopted in the DC-DC converter used in electric vehicles. The output of the design procedure is the integration of a 3D printed plastic case in the transformer windings, with the aim to maximize the output power. The proposal design procedure is entirely based on a finite element analysis approach and on a differential evolution algorithm used for the solution of the optimization problem.
A tensiostatic study of the anodic behaviour of tungsten in acid solutions
1975
Abstract Tensiostatic anodization of tungsten has been studied in 1 N solutions of H 2 SO 4 , HClO 42 , HNH 2 SO 3 and HCl at 25 °C. For several voltage values, the curves of current vs . time and open-circuit voltage vs . time have been obtained. All results indicate that the oxide films produced during the polarization are slowly dissolved in the acid solutions. The HCl, and to a lesser extent the HNH 2 SO 3 solutions, show a more aggressive behaviour. For values of the applied voltage above about 50 V, gas evolution begins. In the case of HCl solutions, the gas is Cl 2 and the electrode is rapidly corroded.