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Context. After the discovery of rings around the largest known Centaur object, (10199) Chariklo, we carried out observation campaigns of stellar occultations produced by the second-largest known Centaur object, (2060) Chiron, to better characterize its physical properties and presence of material on its surroundings. Aims. We aim to provide constraints on (2060) Chiron s shape for the first time using stellar occultations. We investigate the detectability of material previously observed in its vicinity using the 2018 occultation data obtained from South Africa Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). Methods. We predicted and successfully observed two stellar occultations by Chiron. These observations were used to constrain its size and shape by fitting elliptical limbs with equivalent surface radii in agreement with radiometric measurements. We also obtained the properties of the material observed in 2011 with the same technique used to derive Chariklo s ring properties in our previous works, used to obtain limits on the detection of secondary events in our 2018 observation. Results. Constraints on the (2060) Chiron shape are reported for the first time. Assuming an equivalent radius of Requiv = 105 7+6 km, we obtained a semi-major axis of a = 126 ± 22 km. Considering Chiron? s true rotational light curve amplitude and assuming it has a Jacobi equilibrium shape, we were able to derive a 3D shape with a semi-axis of a = 126 ± 22 km, b = 109 ± 19 km, and c = 68 ± 13 km, implying in a volume-equivalent radius of Rvol= 98 ± 17 km. We determined the physical properties of the 2011 secondary events around Chiron, which may then be directly compared with those of Chariklo rings, as the same method was used. Data obtained from SAAO in 2018 do not show unambiguous evidence of the proposed rings, mainly due to the large sampling time. Meanwhile, we discarded the possible presence of a permanent ring similar to (10199) Chariklo s C1R in optical depth and extension. Conclusions. Using

A novel spectroscopic technique, photoluminescent ellipsometric circular dichroism (PECD), which distinguishes all radiative electronic transitions related to molecular chiral centers. Additionally, it is proposed as complementary to the ellipsometric Raman spectroscopy (ERS) technique, thus establishing a relationship between vibrational modes and electronic transitions, associated with molecular chiral centers. In this way, PECD turns into a powerful technique for chiral material characterization. The PECD technique was performed on a chiral oligomer (1R,2R)-diiminocyclohexane, and its derivative polymer. A complete photophysical characterization in solution was performed to corroborate the new PECD technique.

Theoretical and micromagnetic simulation studies of magnetic nanospheres with vortex configurations suggest that such nanostructured materials have technological advantages over conventional nanosystems for applications based on high-power-rate absorption and subsequent emission. However, full experimental evidence of magnetic vortex configurations in spheres of submicrometer size is still lacking. Here, we report the microwave irradiation fabrication of Fe3O4 nanospheres and establish their magnetic vortex configuration based on experimental results, theoretical analysis, and micromagnetic simulations. Detailed magnetic and electrical measurements, together with Mössbauer spectroscopy data, provide evidence of a loss of stoichiometry in vortex nanospheres owing to the presence of a surface oxide layer, defects, and a higher concentration of cation vacancies. The results indicate that the magnetic vortex spin configuration can be established in bulk spherical magnetite materials. This study provides crucial information that can aid the synthesis of magnetic nanospheres with magnetically tailored properties; consequently, they may be promising candidates for future technological applications based on three-dimensional magnetic vortex structures.

High-velocity stars in the Milky Way are related to extreme astrophysical phenomena. In this work, we characterize 28 stars with Galactocentric velocities higher than 400 km s observed in the Javalambre Photometric Local Universe Survey Data Release 2 (J-PLUS DR2) survey. We combine J-PLUS photometry with astrometric data from the Gaia DR3 catalogue to analyse the kinematics, dynamics, and fundamental stellar parameters of these stars. Our results indicate that most of the 28 stars have typical behaviour and properties of halo stars, and some of them could be related to the disk population. Some of the halo stars may belong to known structures that originated from mergers of other systems with the Milky Way. © 2023 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society

We present a detailed study of the physical properties, history of mass loss, and chemical abundances of the planetary nebula NGC 2022. New imaging observations obtained with the OAJ/JAST80 and NOT/ALFOSC confirm the presence of a faint ∼88 arcsec halo surrounding a double-layered elliptical structure that consists of a bright 21.4 × 16.7 arcsec inner shell and a 32 arcsec diameter envelope. The long-slit high-dispersion echelle observations obtained with MES on the OAN-SPM 2.1-m telescope can be well described by a shape model with expansion velocities of 43 ± 3 and 34 ± 3 km s-1 along the major and minor axes of the elliptical inner shell, respectively. In addition, a deep long-slit high-dispersion echelle observation made with the KPNO 4-m telescope detected line-splitting in the faint halo, revealing an expansion velocity of 15.5 ± 2 km s-1. We have also used new intermediate-dispersion optical spectra with the NOT, complemented with IUE data, to study the chemical abundances of each shell. The abundances of the three shells are typical of a Type II in the Peimbert classification of PNe and do not exhibit any notable anomalies. Finally, we estimate the total mass of NGC 2022 to be ≈0.9 M⊙>, which consists of 0.64 M⊙> from the CSPN and 0.1, 0.11, and 0.1 × M⊙> from the ionized inner shell, outer shell, and halo, respectively. © 2023 The Author(s).Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is a millimeter very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) array that has imaged the apparent shadows of the supermassive black holes M87* and Sagittarius A*. Polarimetric data from these observations contain a wealth of information on the black hole and accretion flow properties. In this work, we develop polarimetric geometric modeling methods for mm-VLBI data, focusing on approaches that fit data products with differing degrees of invariance to broad classes of calibration errors. We establish a fitting procedure using a polarimetric “m-ring” model to approximate the image structure near a black hole. By fitting this model to synthetic EHT data from general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic models, we show that the linear and circular polarization structure can be successfully approximated with relatively few model parameters. We then fit this model to EHT observations of M87* taken in 2017. In total intensity and linear polarization, the m-ring fits are consistent with previous results from imaging methods. In circular polarization, the m-ring fits indicate the presence of event-horizon-scale circular polarization structure, with a persistent dipolar asymmetry and orientation across several days. The same structure was recovered independently of observing band, used data products, and model assumptions. Despite this broad agreement, imaging methods do not produce similarly consistent results. Our circular polarization results, which imposed additional assumptions on the source structure, should thus be interpreted with some caution. Polarimetric geometric modeling provides a useful and powerful method to constrain the properties of horizon-scale polarized emission, particularly for sparse arrays like the EHT. © 2023. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.

We set out to document the diversity and distribution of bryophytes in Admiralty Bay and thereby enable the identification of patterns in local diversity and their possible drivers. Combining data extracted from different sources and recent collections, we documented the presence of 63 species. Similarity analyses of moss species diversity in relation to underlying geology and ornithogenic influence identified an identical cophenetic correlation coefficient of 0.744 for both factors. The Sørensen index was < 0.6, indicating that the groups share < 60% of the species recorded. The data showed that the selected filters (ornithogenic soils, non-ornithogenic soils and different geological extracts) did not underlie consistent species groupings, and we conclude that other environmental and topographical factors are likely to be responsible for shaping the moss community structure in Admiralty Bay. To enable effective management of Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA) No. 1 and Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) No. 128, robust assessments of the local ecosystem and biodiversity are necessary to assist in the decision-making processes mandated under the Antarctic Treaty System, one of whose founding principles is the preservation of the Antarctic ecosystem.

Commissioning results, on-sky performance and first operations of the Javalambre Panoramic Camera (JPCam) are presented in this paper. JPCam is a 1.2 Gpixel camera deployed on the 2.6m, large field-of-vie Javalambre Survey Telescope (JST250) at the Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre. JPCam has been conceived to perform J-PAS, a photometric survey of several thousand square degrees of the northern sky in 56 optical bands, 54 of them narrow-band filters (145 angstrom FWHM), contiguous and equi-spaced between 370 and 920nm, producing a low resolution photo-spectrum of every pixel of the observed sky, hence promising crucial breakthroughs in Cosmology and galaxy formation and evolution. JPCam has been designed to maximize field-of-view and wavelength coverage while guaranteeing a high image quality over the entire focal plane. To this aim, JPCam is equipped with a mosaic of 14 9.2k x 9.2k, 10 mu m pixel, low noise detectors from Teledyne-E2V, providing a FoV of 4.1 square degrees with a plate scale of 0.2267''/pix. In full frame mode, camera electronics allows read times of 10.9s at 633kHz read frequency (16.4s at 400kHz) with a readout noise of 5.5e(-) (4.3e(-)). Its filter unit admits 5 filter trays, each mounting 14 filters corresponding to the 14 CCDs of the mosaic and allowing all the J-PAS filters to be permanently installed. To fully optimize image quality, position of JST250 secondary mirror and JPCam focal plane are maintained optically aligned by means of two hexapod systems. To perform this task, JPCam includes 12 auxiliary detectors, 4 for autoguiding and 8 for image quality control through wavefront sensing.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a multifunctional gaseous signal that modulates the growth, development and stress tolerance of higher plants. NO donors have been used to boost plant endogenous NO levels and to activate NO-related responses, but this strategy is often hindered by the relative instability of donors. Alternatively, nanoscience offers a new, promising way to enhance NO delivery to plants, as NO-releasing nanomaterials (e.g. S-nitrosothiol-containing chitosan nanoparticles) have many beneficial physicochemical and biochemical properties compared to non-encapsulated NO donors. Nano NO donors are effective in increasing tissue NO levels and enhancing NO effects both in animal and human systems. The authors believe, and would like to emphasize, that new trends and technologies are essential for advancing plant NO research and nanotechnology may represent a breakthrough in traditional agriculture and environmental science. Herein, we aim to draw the attention of the scientific community to the potential of NO-releasing nanomaterials in both basic and applied plant research as alternatives to conventional NO donors, providing a brief overview of the current knowledge and identifying future research directions. We also express our opinion about the challenges for the application of nano NO donors, such as the environmental footprint and stakeholder's acceptance of these materials.

Parental care is a major feature in the evolution of life- history traits and appears highly associated with the trade-off between egg number and size. It has been a controversial issue in studies about reproductive strategy and is deemed to have evolved multiple times, both in aquatic and terrestrial taxa. To explore relationships between parental care and egg size, we examined 313 species of bony fishes, including 152 species with parental care and 161 species without parental care. We mapped parental care onto a maximum likelihood (ML) unrooted phylogeny and analysed egg size and numbers data set using a logistic regression. The phylogenetically controlled analyses revealed that parental care is dispersed along with the retrieved phylogeny and that at least four distinct lineages parallel evolved from non- parental care lineages to parental care ones. The results of the logistic regression highlighted that egg size can be used as a good predictor of parental care and that there is a strong and consistent threshold in egg size transition between parental and non- parental care fishes. We conclude that egg size predicts parental care in bony fish and that egg size distribution is polymodal within parental care species probably reflecting the variation in the amount of energy used for care. To advance the knowledge about the hypotheses raised in this study, it would be important to gather information about more species and their respective number and size of eggs and the presence/absence of parental care.

A modified 45S5 Bioglass® containing 2 mol% alumina and 2 mol% strontium oxide was prepared. In vitro bioactivity in powder and monolithic samples was conducted. Fourier transform infrared analysis and pH change in simulated body fluid were investigated for powder samples after 480 min of immersion. Additionally, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy after 7 and 14 days of immersion in simulated body fluid were investigated for monolithic samples. The formation of phosphate and carbonate phase precursors of hydroxycarbonate apatite was observed after 480 min for powder samples, and the hydroxycarbonate apatite pattern and morphology were confirmed after 7 days of immersion for monolithic samples. It seems that changes in composition did not affect reactivity but caused a decrease in the maxima of pH. Cytotoxicity and cell viability obtained by using the NCTC clone 929 cell line did not show any significant loss of cell viability or cytotoxicity. Moreover, after overnight incubation, the samples demonstrated safe disinfection for Escherichia coli. For these reasons, the use of these new bioactive glasses can be considered a promising alternative for the reconstruction of bone defects and even for the treatment and suppression of bone infections.

This work reports a pH-triggered release system based on core@shell mesoporous magnetic nanoparticles (MNP@mSiO2) obtained using a simple and rapid ultrasound-assisted method. Performed characterization reveals magnetic cores of Fe2.9Mn0.1O4 (38 ± 6 nm) and specific loss power values adequate for hyperthermia (463 W/g), surrounded by a mesoporous silica shell (10 ± 2 nm) with large surface area (269 m2 g-1) functionalized with hydroxyl groups (-OH). MNP@mSiO2 were loaded with DOX and amino-silane grops, providing pH-triggered DOX release at acidic environments, driving by dipolar intermolecular interactions. The experimental DOX release kinetics at pH 5.5, 6.6 and 7.4 were determined and adjusted to Gompertz dissolution model (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE>0.9)), where the only strongly pH-dependent variable is the percentage of DOX released. The pH-triggered response observed in the system was ~20% of the DOX loaded into the MNP@mSiO2 is released at pH 6.6 or 7.4, whereas up to 80 wt% is released at pH 5.5. Time to 50% of release and dissociation rate of the system remaining constant, suggesting no-pH influence on these parameters. The biological assays highlight negligible hemolytic effect and cytocompatibility of the hybrid material, pointing out the potential use of MNP@mSiO2 as a magnetic driven drug delivery system with pH-triggered drug release kinetics at acidic environments. These results probe the feasibility of sonochemical methods in the elaboration of biocompatible and controlled properties nanomaterials for drug release applications, with the advantage of accurately responses predictions by mathematical model and using minimal processing steps or laboratory equipment.

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and its isomer hydrogen isocyanide (HNC) play an important role in molecular cloud chemistry and the formation of more complex molecules. We investigate here the impact of protostellar shocks on the HCN and HNC abundances from high-sensitivity IRAM 30 m observations of the prototypical shock region L1157-B1 and the envelope of the associated Class 0 protostar, as a proxy for the pre-shock gas. The isotopologues H12CN, HN12C, H13CN, HN13C, HC15N, H15NC, DCN, and DNC were all detected towards both regions. Abundances and excitation conditions were obtained from radiative transfer analysis of molecular line emission under the assumption of local thermodynamical equilibrium. In the pre-shock gas, the abundances of the HCN and HNC isotopologues are similar to those encountered in dark clouds, with an HCN/HNC abundance ratio ≈1 for all isotopologues. A strong D-enrichment (D/H ≈ 0.06) is measured in the pre-shock gas. There is no evidence of 15N fractionation neither in the quiescent nor in the shocked gas. At the passage of the shock, the HCN and HNC abundances increase in the gas phase in different manners so that the HCN/HNC relative abundance ratio increases by a factor 20. The gas-grain chemical and shock model uclchem allows us to reproduce the observed trends for a C-type shock with pre-shock density n(H) = 105 cm-3 and shock velocity Vs = 40 km s-1. We conclude that the HCN/HNC variations across the shock are mainly caused by the sputtering of the grain mantle material in relation with the history of the grain ices.

Gluten-free bread (GFB) is generally recognized as a product with a less than satisfying appearance, texture, and mouthfeel that lacks nutritional quality and has a short shelf life. In this sense, the potential of chickpea flour (CF), psyllium (PSY), and their combination at reducing GFB staling were investigated in comparison to control bread prepared with rice flour (RF) and cassava starch (75:25 flour weight basis). The effect of time on the crumb and crust moisture and texture and loaves sensory parameters (acceptability on a 9-point structured hedonic scale, Just-About-Right level for bread softness, sensory profile by Check-All-That-Apply) was assessed during 7 days of storage. Replacing RF with CF reduced moisture loss and crumb hardening not only on the same day of baking but also after 7 days of storage. PSY addition (5.5 % flour weight basis) delayed the loss of cohesiveness and springiness of crumb during storage. The findings suggest that CF, and its combination with PSY, was promising for reducing and delaying GFB staling, thus maintaining acceptability, softness, and freshness after 7 days of storage, according to the perceptions of consumers.

[Background]: A high‐fiber emulsion gel (EG) containing inulin, soy protein isolate, and soybean oil was applied as animal fat replacer in reduced salt and fat Bologna sausage containing mechanically deboned chicken meat, pork meat, and pork back fat. Technological and microbiological properties were evaluated for 60 days at 4 °C., [Results]: A reduction of 11 to 34% and 35 to 45% of fat and sodium were obtained in reformulated products, respectively. An increase in fiber content and polyunsaturated fatty acid was noticed in the formulations with EG. The addition of EG in Bologna increased L* (lightness) values and reduced a* (redness/greenness) values comparing to control treatment. Microstructural properties of sausages exhibited a denser network with the presence of EG. Softer, more elastic, cohesive and resilient samples with a higher intensity of lipid oxidation (P < 0.05) were observed in EG added sausages. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data shows that the presence of EG recovers the matrix that has been weakened due to reduction of fat and salt. Sensory evaluation showed that the incorporation of the EGs resulted in acceptable scores., [Conclusion]: These results suggest that inulin‐based EG is a potential fat substitute for developing healthier meat products, with better fatty acids composition and stable to chilled storage.

The worldwide advent of concentrated supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids (FA) in the form of triacylglycerols (TAG) or ethyl esters (EE) has increased the interest in developing methods to classify these products. The quality control based on their lipid composition has become necessary since EE bioavailability has been proved to be lower when compared to the TAG. In this preliminary study, eight models based on 1H NMR and supervised discriminant analysis (PLS-DA/OPLS-DA) were applied to classify omega-3 fish oil in TAG or EE forms. The 4.0–4.5 ppm region was selected for modeling since it bracketed spectral features to discriminate TAG and EE. The non-supervised principal component analysis was employed to visually evaluate the distribution of samples and revealed a clear separation of TAG from EE marine oils along PC1. In addition, representative TAG and EE samples were 100 % correctly classified using any of the eight supervised models studied. The developed models resulted in high R2Y (≥ 0.977) and Q2 (≥ 0.953), and low root mean square error for prediction (≤ 0.009), which demonstrates the high potential of this rapid and straightforward procedure to evaluate the lipid form of supplements and mislabeling.

Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) are mainly available as triacylglycerols (TAGs) and ethyl esters (EEs) in fish oil supplements, and it is known that EEs are less bioavailable than TAGs in the human body. This study applied attenuated total reflectance with Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies associated with chemometrics to evaluate the supplements’ lipid form. Representative products were first characterized by reference chromatographic methods. Subsequently, principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square discriminant analysis were performed in the spectral wavenumber ranges 1700–1780 (ATR-FTIR) and 1720–1770 cm–1 (Raman). TAGs and EEs were clearly distinguished along PC1 by employing both techniques, but a higher explained variance was obtained by ATR-FTIR. The prediction of TAG and EE fish oil samples was also better using ATR-FTIR (R2 = 0.99 versus 0.95 for Raman). However, both models correctly classified 100% of the samples, which indicates the suitability of these approaches to be used in quality control laboratories aiming for fish oil lipid form evaluation.

[Background]: Ralstonia solanacearum is the causal agent of bacterial wilt, a devastating plant disease responsible for serious economic losses especially on potato, tomato, and other solanaceous plant species in temperate countries. In R. solanacearum, gene expression analysis has been key to unravel many virulence determinants as well as their regulatory networks. However, most of these assays have been performed using either bacteria grown in minimal medium or in planta, after symptom onset, which occurs at late stages of colonization. Thus, little is known about the genetic program that coordinates virulence gene expression and metabolic adaptation along the different stages of plant infection by R. solanacearum., [Results]: We performed an RNA-sequencing analysis of the transcriptome of bacteria recovered from potato apoplast and from the xylem of asymptomatic or wilted potato plants, which correspond to three different conditions (Apoplast, Early and Late xylem). Our results show dynamic expression of metabolism-controlling genes and virulence factors during parasitic growth inside the plant. Flagellar motility genes were especially up-regulated in the apoplast and twitching motility genes showed a more sustained expression in planta regardless of the condition. Xylem-induced genes included virulence genes, such as the type III secretion system (T3SS) and most of its related effectors and nitrogen utilisation genes. The upstream regulators of the T3SS were exclusively up-regulated in the apoplast, preceding the induction of their downstream targets. Finally, a large subset of genes involved in central metabolism was exclusively down-regulated in the xylem at late infection stages., [Conclusions]: This is the first report describing R. solanacearum dynamic transcriptional changes within the plant during infection. Our data define four main genetic programmes that define gene pathogen physiology during plant colonisation. The described expression of virulence genes, which might reflect bacterial states in different infection stages, provides key information on the R. solanacearum potato infection process.

The valorization of agri-food by-products is essential from both economic and sustainability perspectives. The large quantity of such materials causes problems for the environment; however, they can also generate new valuable ingredients and products which promote beneficial effects on human health. It is estimated that soybean production, the major oilseed crop worldwide, will leave about 597 million metric tons of branches, leaves, pods, and roots on the ground post-harvesting in 2020/21. An alternative for the use of soy-related by-products arises from the several bioactive compounds found in this plant. Metabolomics studies have already identified isoflavonoids, saponins, and organic and fatty acids, among other metabolites, in all soy organs. The present review aims to show the application of metabolomics for identifying high-added-value compounds in underused parts of the soy plant, listing the main bioactive metabolites identified up to now, as well as the factors affecting their production.

Forest edge effects promote striking microclimatic shifts that result in greater light exposure, increased air temperature and evapotranspiration rates, and reduced soil moisture can alter stem hydraulic conductivity. These environmental conditions greatly increase the risk of emboli in xylem, which can disrupt or even cease water transport. We investigated tropical tree species in contrasting sites to understand the influence that edge effects have on wood functional anatomy. We compared wood anatomical traits between trees of forest edge and forest interior sites. The species exhibited two types of xylem arrangements based on the distribution of parenchyma cells: Pseudopiptadenia inaequalis and Copaifera lucens, with paratracheal axial parenchyma (PP), and Eugenia excelsa and Erythroxylum cuspidifolium, with predominant apotracheal axial parenchyma (AP). Tree species with PP xylem possessed shorter and wider vessel elements and lower ray and vessel frequencies, while species with AP xylem possessed longer and narrower vessel elements and higher ray and vessel frequencies. Regardless of the axial parenchyma arrangement, all four species had a greater percentage of axial parenchyma at the edge sites. The different xylem arrangements showed distinct responses to the edge effect in vessel frequency. The tropical tree species studied here shift to a greater abundance of axial parenchyma when subjected to effects of forest edge, probably to ensure safe water transport. This behavior, in the face of environmental stresses, is a plastic response, and likely due to functional versatility of parenchyma cells. The patterns of vessel frequency for PP and AP suggest that these xylem arrangements can be considered functional groups since the species in each group share similar traits and have similar strategies for conducting and maintaining water flow.

While it is widely accepted that planets are formed in protoplanetary disks, there is still much debate on when this process happens. In a few cases protoplanets have been directly imaged, but for the vast majority of systems, disk gaps and cavities—seen especially in dust continuum observations—have been the strongest evidence of recent or ongoing planet formation. We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of a nearly edge-on (i = 75°) disk containing a giant gap seen in dust but not in 12CO gas. Inside the gap, the molecular gas has a warm (100 K) component coinciding in position with a tentative free–free emission excess observed with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. Using 1D hydrodynamic models, we find the structure of the gap is consistent with being carved by a planet with 4–70 MJup. The coincidence of free–free emission inside the planet-carved gap points to the planet being very young and/or still accreting. In addition, the 12CO observations reveal low-velocity large-scale filaments aligned with the disk major axis and velocity coherent with the disk gas that we interpret as ongoing gas infall from the local interstellar medium. This system appears to be an interesting case where both a star (from the environment and the disk) and a planet (from the disk) are growing in tandem.

Using dielectric spectroscopy experiments performed at multiple temperatures and frequency ranges, we demonstrate how the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel changes the dynamic properties of water in a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). From the measured data, we present evidence that treatment with paclitaxel leads to a slight increase in activation energy in a relaxation related to bulk-like water. More importantly, we also observe that paclitaxel changes the constraining imposed by the biological interfaces on hydration water, whose single-particle dynamics becomes slower and with higher activation energy. These variations are only observable after freezing the dynamics from other cellular components, such as proteins and DNAs, regardless of the state of the cells, that is, treated or not treated or even if the cells are no longer viable. Therefore, changes in water dynamics could be detected prior to those related to the global dynamics within the cellular environment.

Management of discarded tires is a compelling environmental issue worldwide. Although there are several approaches developed to recycle waste tire rubbers, their application in solid-state cooling is still unexplored. Considering the high barocaloric potential verified for elastomers, the use of waste tire rubber (WTR) as a refrigerant in solid-state cooling devices is very promising. Herein, we investigated the barocaloric effects in WTR and polymer blends made of vulcanized natural rubber (VNR) and WTR, to evaluate its feasibility for solid-state cooling technologies. The adiabatic temperature changes and the isothermal entropy changes reach giant values, as well as the performance parameters, being comparable or even better than most barocaloric materials in literature. Moreover, pure WTR and WTR-based samples also present a faster thermal exchange than VNR, consisting of an additional advantage of using these discarded materials. Thus, the present findings evidence the encouraging perspectives of employing waste rubbers in solid-state cooling based on barocaloric effects, contributing to both the recycling of polymers and the sustainable energy technology field.

During the later stages of seed maturation, two key adaptive traits are acquired that contribute to seed lifespan and dispersal, longevity and dormancy. The seed‐specific heat shock transcription factor A9 is an important hub gene in the transcriptional network of late seed maturation. Here, we demonstrate that HSFA9 plays a role in thermotolerance rather than in ex situ seed conservation. Storage of hsfa9 seeds of Medicago truncatula and Arabidopsis had comparable lifespan at moderate storage relative humidity (RH), whereas at high RH, hsfa9 seeds lost their viability much faster than wild type seeds. Furthermore, we show that in M. truncatula, Mthsfa9 seeds acquired more dormancy during late maturation than wild type. Transient expression of MtHSFA9 in hairy roots and transcriptome analysis of Mthsfa9 Tnt1 insertion mutants identified a deregulation of genes involved in ABA biosynthesis, catabolism and signalling. Consistent with these results, Mthsfa9 seeds exhibited increased ABA levels and higher sensitivity to ABA. These data suggest that in legumes, HSFA9 acts as a negative regulator of the depth of seed dormancy during seed development via the modulation of hormonal balance.

This work aimed to predict C18:1 TFA isomers as well as other groups of fatty acids (saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and total TFA) in chocolates by ATR-FTIR and partial least square regression. The quantification of fatty acids in representative samples (white, dark, and milk chocolates) was rapid (<30 s) and did not require derivatization. The optimized models showed satisfactory linear correlations compared to a reference gas chromatographic method. Coefficients of correlation for prediction considering C18:1 positional isomers were 0.973 (trans 6–8), 0.991 (trans 9), 0.991 (trans 10), 0.988 (trans 11), and 0.998 (trans 12). When considering fatty acids groups, these coefficients ranged from 0.965 to 0.999. The obtained results indicate that this straightforward procedure is suitable for chocolate analysis, for determining its general lipid composition and TFA isomeric profile, which would be of great interest for quality control programs in the face of the new TFA regulations.

Context. Deriving physical properties of trans-Neptunian objects is important for the understanding of our Solar System. This requires observational efforts and the development of techniques suitable for these studies. Aims. Our aim is to characterize the large trans-Neptunian object (TNO) 2002 TC302. Methods. Stellar occultations offer unique opportunities to determine key physical properties of TNOs. On 28 January 2018, 2002 TC302 occulted a mv ∼ 15.3 star with designation 593-005847 in the UCAC4 stellar catalog, corresponding to Gaia source 130957813463146112. Twelve positive occultation chords were obtained from Italy, France, Slovenia, and Switzerland. Also, four negative detections were obtained near the north and south limbs. This represents the best observed stellar occultation by a TNO other than Pluto in terms of the number of chords published thus far. From the 12 chords, an accurate elliptical fit to the instantaneous projection of the body can be obtained that is compatible with the near misses. Results. The resulting ellipse has major and minor axes of 543 ± 18 km and 460 ± 11 km, respectively, with a position angle of 3 ± 1 degrees for the minor axis. This information, combined with rotational light curves obtained with the 1.5 m telescope at Sierra Nevada Observatory and the 1.23 m telescope at Calar Alto observatory, allows us to derive possible three-dimensional shapes and density estimations for the body based on hydrostatic equilibrium assumptions. The effective diameter in equivalent area is around 84 km smaller than the radiometrically derived diameter using thermal data from Herschel and Spitzer Space Telescopes. This might indicate the existence of an unresolved satellite of up to ∼300 km in diameter, which is required to account for all the thermal flux, although the occultation and thermal diameters are compatible within their error bars given the considerable uncertainty of the thermal results. The existence of a potential satellite also a

Solid-state cooling based on caloric effects is considered a viable alternative to replace the conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems. Regarding barocaloric materials, recent results show that elastomers are promising candidates for cooling applications around room-temperature. In the present paper, we report supergiant barocaloric effects observed in acetoxy silicone rubber—a very popular, low-cost and environmentally friendly elastomer. Huge values of adiabatic temperature change and reversible isothermal entropy change were obtained upon moderate applied pressures and relatively low strains. These huge barocaloric changes are associated both to the polymer chain rearrangements induced by confined compression and to the first-order structural transition. The results are comparable to the best barocaloric materials reported so far, opening encouraging prospects for the application of elastomers in near future solid-state cooling devices.

Most pharmacological studies concerning the beneficial effects of organoselenium compounds have focused on their ability to mimic glutathione peroxidase (GPx). However, mechanisms other than GPx-like activity might be involved on their biological effects. This study was aimed to investigate and compare the protective effects of two well known [(PhSe)2 and PhSeZnCl] and two newly developed (MRK Picolyl and MRK Ester) organoselenium compounds against oxidative challenge in cultured neuronal HT22 cells. The thiol peroxidase and oxidase activities were performed using the glutathione reductase (GR)-coupled assay. In order to evaluate protective effects of the organoselenium compounds against oxidative challenge in neuronal HT22 cells, experiments based on glutamate-induced oxytosis and SIN-1-mediated peroxynitrite generation were performed. The thiol peroxidase activities of the studied organoselenium compounds were smaller than bovine erythrocytes GPx enzyme. Besides, (PhSe)2 and PhSeZnCl showed higher thiol peroxidase and lower thiol oxidase activities compared to the new compounds. MRK Picolyl and MRK Ester, which showed lower thiol peroxidase activity, showed higher thiol oxidase activity. Both pre- or co-treatment with (PhSe)2, PhSeZnCl, MRK Picolyl and MRK Ester protected HT22 cells against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. (PhSe)2 and MRK Picolyl significantly prevented peroxinitrite-induced dihydrorhodamine oxidation, but this effect was observed only when HT22 were pre-treated with these compounds. The treatment with (PhSe)2 increased the protein expression of antioxidant defences (Prx3, CAT and GCLC) in HT22 cells. Taking together, our results suggest that the biological effects elicited by these compounds are not directly related to their GPx-mimetic and thiol oxidase activities, but might be linked to the up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant defences trough their thiol-modifier effects.

Meat and meat products can be contaminated by physical hazards, which are a big concern for meat industries. The incidence of physical hazards in meat products from 2016 to 2018 in Brazil have been investigated through a website (Reclame Aqui) used by consumers to express their dissatisfaction. A total of 408 consumers' complaints were found involving the presence of physical hazards in meat and meat products. The greatest percentage of complaints was found in sausages (fresh, dried, and cooked sausages such as Linguiça Calabresa, Linguiça Portuguesa, and Linguiça Toscana, among others; 33.33%) followed by hamburgers (17.89%), fresh chicken meat (12.25%), and chicken nuggets (9.80%). Fewer consumers’ complaints were found in fresh pork meat (0.49%), fresh bovine meat (0.49%), and chopped ham (0.49%). The presence of bones (26.96%) was the major physical hazard found in meat products followed by plastic (25.24%), insect (11.26%), and metal (8.82%). Results indicated that even with quality programs implemented in the industry such as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Hygienic Practices, sometimes failures on processing line, packaging, commercialization, and service inspection can happen. Nonetheless, in order to detect physical hazards in meat products, the use of new technologies such as metal detector, sensors, and X-ray equipment by meat processors is extremely recommended.

A combination of x-ray-diffraction, x-ray absorption, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, macroscopic magnetization, and muon-spin relaxation measurements is used to investigate the interplay between structure (both crystallography and microstructure) and magnetism in Sr2YIrO6 as a function of both chemical (Ca-doping) and physical (hydrostatic) pressure. X-ray absorption spectroscopy clearly shows that the physical pressure is more effective in modifying the structure. On the other hand, the dichroic measurements evidence a constant magnetic signal with physical pressure and strong differences with Ca-doping. Muon-spin relaxation reveals the presence of magnetic order, even when this is hidden in the magnetization data. From the combined analysis, the magnetic results are explained in terms of the presence of Ir6+ or Ir4+ ions in magnetic clusters, most likely located at and triggered by antisite disorder. The measurements under high physical pressure indicate that the magnetic state is independent of the crystallographic details such as Ir-O distances and Ir-O-Y angles.

The next generation of galaxy surveys will allow us to test one of the most fundamental assumptions of the standard cosmology, i.e. that gravity is governed by the general theory of relativity (GR). In this paper, we investigate the ability of the Javalambre Physics of the AcceleratingUniverseAstrophysical Survey (J-PAS) to constrainGR and its extensions. Based on the J-PAS information on clustering and gravitational lensing, we perform a Fisher matrix forecast on the effective Newton constant, mu, and the gravitational slip parameter, eta, whose deviations from unity would indicate a breakdown of GR. Similar analysis is also performed for the DESI and Euclid surveys and compared to J-PAS with two configurations providing different areas, namely an initial expectation with 4000 deg(2) and the future best case scenario with 8500 deg(2). We show that J-PAS will be able to measure the parameters mu and eta at a sensitivity of 2-7 per cent, and will provide the best constraints in the interval z = 0.3-0.6, thanks to the large number of ELGs detectable in that redshift range. We also discuss the constraining power of J-PAS for dark energy models with a time-dependent equation-of-state parameter of the type w(a) = w(0) + w(a)(1 - a), obtaining Delta w(0) = 0.058 and Delta w(a) = 0.24 for the absolute errors of the dark energy parameters.© 2020 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society

The rise in the analytical speed of mutiparameter flow cytometers made possible by the introduction of digital instruments, has brought up the possibility to manage progressively higher number of parameters simultaneously on significantly greater numbers of individual cells. This has led to an exponential increase in the complexity and volume of flow cytometry data generated about cells present in individual samples evaluated in a single measurement. This increase demands for new developments in flow cytometry data analysis, graphical representation, and visualization and interpretation tools to address the new big data challenges, i.e. processing data files of ≥10–25 parameters per cell in samples with >5–10 million cells (= up to 250 million data points per cell sample) obtained in a few minutes. Here, we present a comprehensive review of some of the tools developed by the EuroFlow consortium for processing flow cytometric big data files in diagnostic laboratories, particularly focused on automated EuroFlow approaches for: i) identification of all cell populations coexisting in a sample (automated gating); ii) smart classification of aberrant cell populations in routine diagnostics; iii) automated reporting; together with iv) new tools developed to visualize n-dimensional data in 2-dimensional plots to support expert-guided automated data analysis. The concept of using reference data bases implemented into software programs, in combination with multivariate statistical analysis pioneered by EuroFlow, provides an innovative, highly efficient and fast approach for diagnostic screening, classification and monitoring of patients with distinct hematological and immune disorders, as well as other diseases.

Over the last decades, there has been considerable interest in the synthesis of one-dimensional (1D) metal oxide nanostructures that can be used in gas sensor devices. Heterostructures, obtained by a combination of different semiconductor nanomaterials with different band energies, have been extensively studied in order to enhance their gas-sensing performance. In this context, our present study focuses on the investigation of chemiresistive-sensing capabilities of a combination of TiO2 nanoparticles and V2O5 nanowires obtained via hydrothermal treatment of the peroxo-metal complex. The formation of V2O5/TiO2 heterostructures was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. This study also proposes an efficient approach to produce 1D V2O5/TiO2 heterostructures with a good range of detection (0.09–1.25 ppm) and remarkable ozone-sensing properties related to repeatability and selectivity.

The variation in the casein genes has a major impact on the milk composition of goats. Even though many casein polymorphisms have been identified so far, we do not know yet whether they are evolutionarily ancient (i.e., they existed before domestication) or young (i.e., they emerged after domestication). Herewith, we identified casein polymorphisms in a data set of 106 caprine whole-genome sequences corresponding to bezoars (Capra aegagrus, the ancestor of domestic goats) and 4 domestic goat (Capra hircus) populations from Europe, Africa, the Far East, and the Near East. Domestic and wild goat populations shared a substantial number of casein SNP, from 36.1% (CSN2) to 55.1% (CSN1S2). The comparison of casein variation among bezoars and the 4 domestic goat populations demonstrated that more than 50% of the casein SNP are shared by 2 or more populations, and 18 to 44% are shared by all populations. Moreover, the majority of casein alleles reported in domestic goats also segregate in the bezoar, including several alleles displaying significant associations with milk composition (e.g., the A/B alleles of the CSN1S1 and CSN3 genes, the A allele of the CSN2 gene). We conclude that much of the current diversity of the caprine casein genes comes from ancient standing variation segregating in the ancestor of modern domestic goats.

The current state of knowledge of the suprageneric relationships in Cholevinae is either derived from informal evaluations of putative synapomorphies or based on molecular studies with limited taxonomic sampling. Here we assessed the higher-level relationships in this subfamily based on a phylogenetic analysis of 97 morphological characters scored for 93 terminals, representing all tribes. Both parsimony and Bayesian analyses were used. The monophyletic origin of Cholevinae was corroborated, except for the unexpected inclusion of Leptinus in the implied weighting analysis. Eucatopini + Oritocatopini were retrieved as basal branches in the evolution of Cholevinae. The monophyletic origin of all remaining Cholevinae was confirmed, which is consistent with molecular evidence. Anemadini was non-monophyletic, in accordance with earlier hypotheses. Cholevini was rendered non-monophyletic by the uncertain inclusion of Prionochaeta and the consistent exclusion of Cholevinus. A close affinity of Ptomaphagini to Sciaphyini and Leptodirini was suggested, although the position of Sciaphyes remains uncertain. The phylogenetic hypothesis of Cholevinae provided here is the most comprehensive presently available. The list of characters shows that a substantial part of the data was obtained from the ventral side. This is a strong argument for a detailed pictorial documentation of the ventral body parts in taxonomic descriptions, in contrast to the common practice of only illustrating the dorsal habitus of the beetles. © 2017 The Willi Hennig Society.

The aim of this work was to provide recent fatty acid (FA) profiling of chocolates and chocolate products, principally C18:1 trans FAs (TFAs). Thirty-two samples were analyzed by gas chromatography and FAs were quantified. The total TFA content declared in chocolate labeling and the real TFA content were compared. The TFA content ranged from 0.04 to 2.51 g/100 g of sample, and it was noticed that several manufacturers were underestimating the total TFA content in their labeling. The main TFA isomers quantified were C18:1 trans-9 (0.006-0.244%), C18:1 trans-10 (0.009-0.392%), and C18:1 trans-11 (0.013-0.464%), expressed in g/100 g of sample. Principal component analysis was used to discriminate industrial fats from natural trans fats based on the isomeric TFA profile and dairy fat (DF) biomarkers allowing to group samples in four clusters: high TFA content and high DF content, high TFA content and low DF content, low TFA content and high DF content, and low TFA content and low DF content.

Fruits are unique to flowering plants and confer a selective advantage as they facilitate seed maturation and dispersal. In fleshy fruits, development and ripening are associated with numerous structural, biochemical, and physiological changes, including modifications in the general appearance, texture, flavor, and aroma, which ultimately convert the immature fruit into a considerably more attractive and palatable structure for seed dispersal by animals. Treatment with exogenous nitric oxide (NO) delays fruit ripening, prevents chilling damage, promotes disease resistance, and enhances the nutritional value. The ripening process is influenced by NO, which operates antagonistically to ethylene, but it also interacts with other regulatory molecules such as abscisic acid, auxin, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, melatonin, and hydrogen sulfide. NO content progressively declines during fruit ripening, with concomitant increases in protein nitration and nitrosation, two post-translational modifications that are promoted by reactive nitrogen species. Dissecting the intimate interactions of NO with other ripening-associated factors, including reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, and the aforementioned phytohormones, remains a challenging subject of research. In this context, integrative 'omics' and gene-editing approaches may provide additional knowledge of the impact of NO in the regulatory processes involved in controlling physiology and quality traits in both climacteric and non-climacteric fruits.

This detailed study of the effect of three mineral additions (limestone, rice husk ash and activated coal miningwaste) differing in composition and properties explored the behaviour of blended cements with a 25% re-placement ratio. The aim was to select the optimal addition for improving the performance of naturalfibre-reinforced cements. The pozzolanic, physical and mechanical properties as well as the pore structure of theblended cement matrices were examined. Thefindings showed that although rice husk ash is characterised byhigh pozzolanicity, it had a less favourable effect on the cement than expected, yielding porous, poorly com-pacted and hence weak matrices. The activated coal mining waste showed better performance, reaching similarstrength to control mortar, better pore size refinement and an important reduction in mean pore size of 60%compared to control mortar after 60 days of curing. In light of thosefindings, this aluminosilicate addition isproposed as the most apt of the three studied for improving the quality offibre-reinforced cements, keeping inmind that the interaction effect amongst the three mineral additions was not considered in the present work

Structural and electronic properties of bilayer graphene films and nanostructures obtained through the graphitization of SiC(0001) were investigated in this work using scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. We report on the observation of triangular nanostructures which result from extended stacking faults in the SiC substrate and their effects on graphene layers that are formed on top of them. Spectroscopic measurements revealed distinct electronic responses as a function of the local hydrogen intercalation. Spectroscopic signatures ranging from single- to double-layer graphene, as well as intermediate states were observed as a consequence of the (in)complete hydrogen intercalation process. High resolution topographic scanning tunneling microscopy images at resonant bias voltages inside triangular nanostructures reveal that the bottom layer of the bilayer graphene film is still bonded to the substrate. Therefore, the triangular nanostructures present edges and facets with the coexistence of carbon atoms in sp3 and sp2 hybridizations. Using atomistic calculations we have modeled the local density of states of these objects reproducing their electronic response. The generation of regions with distinct electronic responses is potentially interesting for high-density data storage with hidden bit capabilities.

Modern electronic structure calculations are predominantly implemented within the super cell representation in which unit cells are periodically arranged in space. Even in the case of non-crystalline materials, defect-embedded unit cells are commonly used to describe doped structures. However, this type of computation becomes prohibitively demanding when convergence rates are sufficiently slow and may require calculations with very large unit cells. Here we show that a hitherto unexplored feature displayed by several 2D materials may be used to achieve convergence in formation- and adsorption-energy calculations with relatively small unit-cell sizes. The generality of our method is illustrated with Density Functional Theory calculations for different 2D hosts doped with different impurities, all of which providing accuracy levels that would otherwise require enormously large unit cells. This approach provides an efficient route to calculating the physical properties of 2D systems in general but is particularly suitable for Dirac-point materials doped with impurities that break their sublattice symmetry.

This work proposes an acid-base machine consisting of insertion electrodes for protons and alkaline metal ions placed in electrolytic solutions with different pH values and alkaline ion concentrations to harvest energy from a neutralization reaction. We simulate energy harvesting during acidic wastewater treatment with base (KOH) by using phosphomolybdic acid and nickel hexacyanoferrate as the negative and the positive electrodes, respectively, in aqueous H2SO4 and K2SO4 solutions. In this configuration, the machine harvests energy from a change in the free energy related to changes in the proton and in the potassium ion concentrations after neutralization reactions, with feedback from the saline solution resulting from neutralization. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy diagrams provide insight into the practical proton and potassium ion electroinsertion reversibility in acidic and neutral media. Based on the charge/discharge curves at pH = 2 and pH = 5.8, the acid-base machine harvests ca. 10 kJ per mol of electro-inserted protons in the first cycles. These results demonstrate that the methodology is viable for sustainable growth—it can harvest energy from wastewater treatment, a practice that can be especially profitable for the industrial sector, which produces great amounts of wastewater.

The prevalence and spectrum of germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been reported in single populations, with the majority of reports focused on White in Europe and North America. The Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA) has assembled data on 18,435 families with BRCA1 mutations and 11,351 families with BRCA2 mutations ascertained from 69 centers in 49 countries on six continents. This study comprehensively describes the characteristics of the 1,650 unique BRCA1 and 1,731 unique BRCA2 deleterious (disease-associated) mutations identified in the CIMBA database. We observed substantial variation in mutation type and frequency by geographical region and race/ethnicity. In addition to known founder mutations, mutations of relatively high frequency were identified in specific racial/ethnic or geographic groups that may reflect founder mutations and which could be used in targeted (panel) first pass genotyping for specific populations. Knowledge of the population-specific mutational spectrum in BRCA1 and BRCA2 could inform efficient strategies for genetic testing and may justify a more broad-based oncogenetic testing in some populations.

The incorporation of AlO-NbC-nanopowder reinforcement in a 3Y-TZP matrix, and its influence on the mechanical properties of 3YTZP/AlO-NbC nanocomposites, obtained by conventional and spark plasma sintering (SPS), was investigated. Nanometric powders of AlO-NbC were prepared by reactive high-energy milling, deagglomeration, and leaching with acid, and added to the 3Y-TZP matrix, at a proportion of 5 vol%. The final powders were dried under airflow, compacted, and sintered in the temperature range of 1300–1500 °C. The effects of the sintering technique and final temperature, on the microstructure and mechanical properties, such as hardness, toughness, and Young's modulus, were analysed. Fracture toughness of the material reinforced with AlO-NbC nanopowders, which is one of its most important properties, differed significantly from that of the 3Y-TZP monolith (5.2 MPa m). The nanocomposites, sintered conventionally at 1450 °C, showed higher fracture toughness (8.7 MPa m). Microstructure observations indicated that NbC nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously within the 3Y-TZP matrix, and limited its grain growth. However, partial oxidation of the NbC on the nanocomposite surface, at the conventional sintering temperature of 1500 °C, caused a reduction in the fracture toughness.

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are luminescent waveguide layers that convert sunlight into specific wavelengths which are then guided by total internal reflection to a PV device located at the edges of the LSC. Their ability to concentrate sunlight onto small areas makes LSCs a useful complement to silicon-based PVs in a series of applications, such as urban integration and flexible fabrics towards mobile solar-energy. Challenges for the luminescent layer include the use of low-cost and sustainable nature-based organic molecules. We report novel chlorophyll-based LSCs with emission properties in the red/NIR spectral region. Here, chlorophyll molecules extracted from Spirulina maxima, an abundant cyanobacterium and an attractive natural source, are immobilized in organic–inorganic di- and tri-ureasil matrices enabling the production of sustainable LSCs. At low chlorophyll concentrations (<3 × 1017 molecules per cm3), the photophysical properties of the chlorophyll molecules after incorporation into the hybrids closely resemble those in ethanolic solution (with an absolute emission quantum yield of ∼0.16 and a fluorescence lifetime of ∼8 ns). The LSCs were coupled to a Si-based commercial PV device revealing optical conversion efficiency and power conversion efficiency values of ∼3.70% and 0.10%, respectively, illustrating the potential of this approach for the development of nature-based LSCs meeting the requirements of reliable, sustainable and competitive energy systems.

A nonlinear model for the stopping power of cluster ions based on partial-wave analysis is developed through the generalization of the induced density approach (IDA) model for the interaction of homo- and heteronuclear molecular ions with a free-electron gas (IDAMol). We apply IDAMol to the energy loss of H2+ dimers in SiO2 and Al2O3, where we find that the results are consistent with established linear (dielectric) models at higher speeds, as expected for small perturbations (small values of the projectile charge or high velocities). Specifically at low projectile energies, however, it is important that IDAMol goes beyond perturbation theory. This feature appears to be central for a good description of negative and positive vicinage effects, a measure of the deviation from the independent-atom model. The focus of this work, however, is the investigation of enhanced nonlinear effects. Here we present experimental results for a heteronuclear cluster ion namely HeH+ on Al2O3, in the energy range of few tens of keV/u using the medium energy ion scattering technique. The IDAMol results are corroborated by the experimental data and time-dependent density-functional calculations for this case. Strong nonlinearities are observed for the energy loss of the fragment H+ due to the higher charge of its He companion.

The production of xylo-oligosaccharides from xylan using an optimal immobilized catalyst of xylanase from Aspergillus niger is presented. The enzyme extract has several xylanases with different properties doing necessary the development of cheap and simple methods to purify them at industrial scale. The enzyme was successfully purified, immobilized and highly stabilized using a simple protocol. The principal purified xylanase was a 34 KDa protein corresponding with 50% of the endo-xylanase activity of the total strain. Among the different immobilization assayed protocols, the use of aldehyde support allowed the complete immobilization of this fraction keeping 80% of its initial catalytic activity. An optimization of this method promoted a stabilization factor of around 1100-fold more stable than soluble enzyme. The use of the optimal catalyst allowed a maximum hydrolysis degree of 73.4%. The optimization of the reaction conditions (different time and temperature) allowed producing 62% (11.93 mg/mL) of interesting xylooligo-saccharides (XOS2-XOS6) (Figure 1).

Foods that are commonly consumed in the diet are considered to provide more than 40 different carotenoids. However, the content in carotenoids varies considerably in both qualitative and quantitative terms as a consequence of different genotypes, climatic conditions of the production area, and agronomic factors, among others. In this paper, analytical data, obtained by HPLC or UHPLC, of carotenoids in fruits and vegetables produced in Ibero-America have been compiled from peer-reviewed journals, organized in food categories, and documented in relation to the sampling and analytical quality system used. In addition to common products of the diet of the Ibero-American countries, other wild or little used fruit and vegetables have been included with the aim of contributing to promote and to value species and local varieties. The importance of the commodities containing carotenoids in food, health, agriculture, and biodiversity, and the need of their preservation, was evidenced in this work namely by the large differences in carotenoid content related to the locals of production and varieties, and the high levels of carotenoids in native fruits and vegetables. The contribution of these compounds to meet the needs of vitamin A as well as the necessity of establishing recommendation for the daily intakes of theses bioactive compounds were also discussed.

A massive galaxy cluster can serve as a magnifying glass for distant stellar populations, as strong gravitational lensing magnifies background galaxies and exposes details that are otherwise undetectable. In time-domain astronomy, imaging programmes with a short cadence are able to detect rapidly evolving transients, previously unseen by surveys designed for slowly evolving supernovae. Here, we describe two unusual transient events discovered in a Hubble Space Telescope programme that combined these techniques with high-cadence imaging on a field with a strong-lensing galaxy cluster. These transients were faster and fainter than any supernovae, but substantially more luminous than a classical nova. We find that they can be explained as separate eruptions of a luminous blue variable star or a recurrent nova, or as an unrelated pair of stellar microlensing events. To distinguish between these hypotheses will require clarification of the cluster lens models, along with more high-cadence imaging of the field that could detect related transient episodes. This discovery suggests that the intersection of strong lensing with high-cadence transient surveys may be a fruitful path for future astrophysical transient studies.

Precise classification of acute leukemia (AL) is crucial for adequate treatment. EuroFlow has previously designed an AL orientation tube (ALOT) to guide towards the relevant classification panel (T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), B-cell precursor (BCP)-ALL and/or acute myeloid leukemia (AML)) and final diagnosis. Now we built a reference database with 656 typical AL samples (145 T-ALL, 377 BCP-ALL, 134 AML), processed and analyzed via standardized protocols. Using principal component analysis (PCA)-based plots and automated classification algorithms for direct comparison of single-cells from individual patients against the database, another 783 cases were subsequently evaluated. Depending on the database-guided results, patients were categorized as: (i) typical T, B or Myeloid without or; (ii) with a transitional component to another lineage; (iii) atypical; or (iv) mixed-lineage. Using this automated algorithm, in 781/783 cases (99.7%) the right panel was selected, and data comparable to the final WHO-diagnosis was already provided in >93% of cases (85% T-ALL, 97% BCP-ALL, 95% AML and 87% mixed-phenotype AL patients), even without data on the full-characterization panels. Our results show that database-guided analysis facilitates standardized interpretation of ALOT results and allows accurate selection of the relevant classification panels, hence providing a solid basis for designing future WHO AL classifications.