Famous American Chapstick

Biodeterioration of cultural heritage

A large number of caves containing prehistoric paintings ( Altamira Cave of the Bats, ...) have been closed to public visits to avoid damaging them. Despite the darkness and lack of nutrients from the environment, microorganisms can grow. The combination of carbon dioxide produced by the visitors and the microbes living on the surface of the rock lead to the degradation of paintings. In a first phase sought to avoid such degradation by using chemical biocides but these proved to be much more aggressive against the paintings against microorganisms. It was observed that the first stage of biodeterioration of a painting usually begins with the appearance of a blue-green stain. On this blue-green stain becomes available a biofilm composed of a variety of bacteria and fungi that will attack the paint.

Recently, the European Community has initiated a project that aims to prevent degradation and allow resumption of visits. There several research groups and each has developed a specific strategy to solve the problem. Here we describe the two most promising in terms of its preliminary findings and has failed:

• Strategy A: Lighting the caves with a blue-green light. It was observed that avoids the appearance of spots of the same color and therefore no subsequent biofilm develops.

• Strategy B: Use of synthetic siderophores. Siderophores are molecules for iron chelators. This strategy is used both in the initial stages of biofilm formation, as in the more advanced. It is observed reduced biofilm growth and even their disappearance.

• Strategy C: Use of specific antibiotics. The use of fungicides, bactericides or only attacked a certain group of microorganisms (antibiotics against Gram + or against Gram -) decreases the population of these microorganisms in the biofilm. However, the treatment does not appear to be effective or even initially, it is not observed any decrease in the growth of biofilm during treatment. To make matters worse, in the long term appear microorganisms resistant to these compounds, so that the treatment stops be fully realizable.

Questions:

1. What kind of organisms are affected by the strategy A?


2. Considering the answer to question 1, explain why they are the first organisms in the biofilm and how can these organisms live and reproduce in an environment like a dark cavern


3. Why is treatment with antibiotics ineffective even initially?


4. Why synthetic siderophores are effective in inhibiting the growth of the biofilm?


5. you show microorganisms resistant to siderophores?

Red Dot Scope Magnifier

biofertilization

A company that produces bio-fertilizers is testing the potential of two species of cyanobacteria as nitrogen fixers. One species in the genus Oscillatoria and other gender Anabaena. Below shows a graph comparing the efficiency of nitrogen fixation in both species over the day-night cycles.




explains why the behavior of both species is so different.

Can Braces Get Through Airport

Cyanobacteria and fecal contamination on beaches

In 1999, Huntington Beach in California had to be closed due to fecal contamination problem. Immediately there was a series of surveys to determine the source of pollution. This home was in the Santa Ana River water around the river waters, embracing an urban area, a power plant and a reclaimed marsh as a bird sanctuary (Talbert Marsh). Below is a map indicating contaminated water pipes to the river and the sampling stations (numbered circles).

In urban areas of the United States, the storm water network is separated from the network of black water (sewage). Additionally, the sewage is treated before being discharged into the Santa Ana River

The results of microbial contamination of the samples were as follows (numbers in CFU per 100 milliliters).

addition, a sampling of fecal microorganisms over several days at station 4 and it was found that:

Microbiologists postulated a hypothesis about the origin but this hypothesis did not convince the city council. It was decided to conduct a more comprehensive series of samples and after they were unable to determine exactly where the pollution occurred. It was found that the initial hypothesis was that by microbiologists correct.

Where contamination originated?

What data supports this conclusion?

Why is an oscillating pattern in station number 4?

Diy Claw Foot Shower Rod

In the pictures above you can see a special transgenic plant. Arabidopsis belongs to the genus and is designed to act as a biosensor. It is produced by a Danish company for a very special purpose.

Normally the plant is green. But if the soil is the NO molecule 2, then the plant changes color. The NO molecule 2 is absorbed by the plant, and once inside, this molecule activates the synthesis of a red pigment.

The Davos Forum held in January 2007 called this pioneering and promising technology. The tests of this plant in Croatia and Serbia were quite successful and are planning to use in Africa. However, there is also criticism. One is that are transgenic plants and be released into the wild. The other is that according to the HALO Trust, is not a good biosensor, for if there is NO release 2, the plant is not dark.

Questions

1. What bacteria is used to obtain the transgenic plant? What
2. of genes have been introduced for this red pigment?
3. Why is using this plant?