The microbial processes of denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) are two important nitrate reducing mechanisms in soil, which are responsible for the loss of nitrate ([Formula: see text]) and production of the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N(2)O). A number of factors are known to control these processes, including O(2) concentrations and moisture content...

We present magneto optical studies of the critical state in YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) thick films prepared using BaF2 ex-situ post reaction process. A fractal-like propagation was observed as the magnetic flux entering the superconducting films, in striking contrast to the behavior expected of a uniform type II superconducting film in the critical state. However, by averaging the flux density over a c...

Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) concentration is a noninvasive measure of airway inflammation and is increased in asthma. Inhaled glucocorticoids decrease exhaled NO concentration, but the relative contributions of alveolar and bronchial levels to the decrease in exhaled NO concentration are unknown. Alveolar NO concentration and bronchial NO flux can be separately approximated by measuring exhaled N...

We evaluated the effects of increasing the viscosity (eta) in peritubular capillary perfusates (PCP; 20 mM HNaPO4--Ringer, pH 7.4) on proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) acidification. Micropuncture experiments were performed with simultaneous luminal and peritubular perfusion. Changes in pH of a 20 mM HNaPO4--Ringer (pH 7.4 at t = 0) droplet placed in PCT lumen were measured with H+-sensitive mic...

The effect of sympathectomy on parasympathetic regulation of ocular perfusion was investigated. Uveal blood flow through the vortex veins was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry during electrical stimulation of the superior salivatory nucleus, which activates ocular parasympathetic nerves, in adult rats with intact innervation and 2 days or 6 weeks after excision of the ipsilateral superior cer...

Air pollution by nitrogen oxides represents a serious environmental problem in urban areas where numerous sources of these pollutants are concentrated. One approach to reduce the concentration of these air pollutants is their light-induced oxidation in the presence of molecular oxygen and a photocatalytically active building material which uses titanium dioxide as the photocatalyst. Herein, res...

Copperand yttrium-rich YBa2Cu307 bulk superconductors have been prepared by mixing copper oxide or yttrium oxide in nitric acid and adding the solution to premade stoichiometric YBa2Cu307 followed by annealing. In contrast to materials made by mixing oxide powders, both samples contain copper-rich defects spread homogeneously throughout the grains, either small platelet copper oxide precipitate...