Search results for "shell"

Frankenstein or the modern theurgist, the reception of Hermetic magic in Mary Shelley’s work

2017

This work considers the relationship between the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus and nineteenth-century esotericism with Hermeticism and its magical practices. We will focus on the influence of theurgy, a very popular magical-religious practice among the Neoplatonic movements of the first centuries of our era. In its Hermetic form, the art of animating statues through the attraction of their internal divine powers stands out. On the one hand, we will present an analysis of the path that this unique practice follows until it reaches Frankenstein. On the other hand, we will deal with the reception of the motive in this work.

Deep conservation of bivalve nacre proteins highlighted by shell matrix proteomics of the Unionoida Elliptio complanata and Villosa lienosa.

2016

The formation of the molluscan shell nacre is regulated to a large extent by a matrix of extracellular macromolecules that are secreted by the shell-forming tissue, the mantle. This so-called ‘calcifying matrix’ is a complex mixture of proteins, glycoproteins and polysaccharides that is assembled and occluded within the mineral phase during the calcification process. Better molecular-level characterization of the substances that regulate nacre formation is still required. Notable advances in expressed tag sequencing of freshwater mussels, such as Elliptio complanata and Villosa lienosa , provide a pre-requisite to further characterize bivalve nacre proteins by a proteomic approach. In this…

Electronic structure and properties of MAu and MOH, where M = Tl and Nh: New data

2018

Abstract Properties of the MAu and MOH (M = Tl and element 113, Nh) molecules were calculated using the 2c-DFT method. The obtained data are needed for evaluation of reactivity of Nh studied by gas-phase chromatography experiments. Results show that Nh should be less reactive (or more volatile) than Tl, both with respect to gold and the hydroxyl group. The reason for that are strong relativistic effects on the valence 7s and 7p electron shells. In difference to the atoms, NhOH may be less volatile than TlOH due to its larger both dipole moment and anisotropic polarizability.

Genetic relatedness among environmental, clinical, and diseased-eel Vibrio vulnificus isolates from different geographic regions by ribotyping and ra…

1998

ABSTRACT Genetic relationships among 132 strains of Vibrio vulnificus (clinical, environmental, and diseased-eel isolates from different geographic origins, as well as seawater and shellfish isolates from the western Mediterranean coast, including reference strains) were analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR. Results were validated by ribotyping. For ribotyping, DNAs were digested with Kpn I and hybridized with an oligonucleotide probe complementary to a highly conserved sequence in the 23S rRNA gene. Random amplification of DNA was performed with M13 and T3 universal primers. The comparison between ribotyping and RAPD PCR revealed an overall agreement regarding the high l…

A comparison of strategies for the detection and recovery of Vibrio vulnificus from marine samples of the Western Mediterranean coast

1998

Summary We have compared the effectiveness of culture-based methods and a DNA-based method for the detection, of Vibrio vulnificus from seawater and three types of shellfish collected from the coastal waters of Valencia, Spain. For culture-based method, we used two selective media, thiosulphate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose (TCBS), and cellobiose-polymyxin B-colistin (CPC) agars with and without previous enrichment in alkaline-saline-peptone-water (APWS). Presumptive colonies were confirmed as V. vulnificus by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using previously described 23S rRNA V. vulficus -specific sequences as primers (Dvu 9V and Dvu 45R). Direct detection was accomplished by a nested-PCR…

Mercury and selenium in fish and shellfish: Occurrence, bioaccessibility and uptake by Caco-2 cells

2012

This study evaluates Hg and Se concentrations and bioaccessibility (element solubilised after simulated gastrointestinal digestion) in 16 raw seafood species consumed in Spain. The concentrations varied greatly (Hg, 3.8-1621 ng/g wet weight, ww; Se, 84-1817 ng/g ww). Only one sample of swordfish exceeded the Hg limit permitted in Spain (1mg/kg), and for this sample the Hg/Se molar ratio and Se Health Benefit Value food safety criteria also indicated the presence of a risk. Bioaccessibility of Hg (35-106%) and Se (17-125%) was very variable and the Hg/Se molar ratio in the bioaccessible fraction was less than one for all samples. Transport by Caco-2 cells, an intestinal epithelium model, was…

Sensory and chemical drivers of wine minerality aroma: An application to Chablis wines

2017

The goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of vineyard position on the minerality of wines and to establish relationships between minerality scores, sensory descriptors and chemical composition. Sensory analyses included minerality rating and free description performed by wine professionals under two conditions: orthonasal olfaction alone and global tasting. Chemical characterization included analysis of major and minor volatile compounds, volatile sulphur compounds, mercaptans, metals, anions and cations. Results showed a significant effect of the river bank on wine minerality scores only in the orthonasal olfaction condition, samples from the left being more mineral than those from …

2016

AbstractDetermining the manganese concentration in shells of freshwater bivalves provides a unique way to obtain information about climate and environmental changes during time-intervals that pre-date instrumental data records. This approach, however, relies on a thorough understanding of how manganese is incorporated into the shell material –a point that remained controversial so far. Here we clarify this issue, using state-of-the-art X-ray absorption and X-ray emission spectroscopy in combination with band structure calculations. We verify that in the shells of all studied species manganese is incorporated as high-spin Mn2+, i.e. manganese always has the same valence as calcium. More impo…

Covariations between shell-growth parameters and the control of the ranges of variation of functionally relevant shell-shape parameters in bivalves: …

2014

Major traits of shell shape in bivalves may alternatively be described in terms of (i) functionally relevant parameters, assumed to play a significant role in the adaptation of bivalves molluscs to their environments (such as the shell-outline elongation E, ventral convexity K, and dissymmetry D), or (ii) growth-based parameters, directly controlled by the animal. Due to the geometrical linkage between functionally-relevant and growth-based parameters, adaptive constraints that may either widen or narrow the respective ranges of variations of the functional parameters lead to the onset of specific covariations (either positive or negative) between the growth-based parameters. This has pract…

Covarying shell growth parameters and the regulation of shell shape in marine bivalves: a case study on Tellinoidea.

2014

Specific parameters characterising shell shape may arguably have a significant role in the adaptation of bivalve molluscs to their particular environments. Yet, suchfunctionally relevantshape parameters (shell outline elongation, dissymmetry, and ventral convexity) are not those parameters that the animal may directly control. Rather than shell shape, the animal regulates shell growth. Accordingly, an alternative,growth-baseddescription of shell-shape is best fitted to understand how the animal may control the achieved shell shape. The key point is, in practice, to bring out the link between those two alternative modes of shell-shape descriptions, that is, to derive the set of equations whi…