Composición química-funcional de aceites de Terminalia catappa de diferentes variedades

This study aimed to extract and physical-chemically characterize Terminalia catappa L. kernel oil from purple (CR) and yellow (CA) varieties. Physical-chemical parameters, composition of fatty acids, nutritional quality indices, bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of both oil varieties were evaluated according to the literature. Both oils presented low levels of acidity and peroxides, besides the predominance of unsaturated fatty acids, ~63% of oleic and ~26% of linoleic acids, which influenced its nutritional indices. The CR oil variety exhibited a higher content in anthocyanin (18.3 ± 1.5 mg·100 g-1), ascorbic acid (68.4 ± 2.02 mg·100 g-1) and total polyphenol contents (152.3 ± 2.4 mg GAE·g-1), and a good antioxidant activity (38.6 ± 2.2 μg TE·g-1) determined by TEAC assay, when compared to the CA oil (p < 0.05). Therefore, the results confirm the importance of T. catappa as a lipid source for human consumption to be used in the development of food products.El objetivo de este estudio fue extraer y caracterizar físico-químicamente aceite de semilla de Terminalia catappa de las variedades violeta (CR) y amarilla (CA). Se evaluaron parámetros fisicoquímicos, composición de ácidos grasos, índices de calidad nutricional, compuestos bioactivos y capacidad antioxidante de ambas variedades de aceite de acuerdo con a la literatura. Como resultado, ambos aceites presentaron bajos niveles de acidez y peróxidos, y predominio de ácidos grasos insaturados, ~63% de ácido oleico y ~26% de ácido linoleico, lo cual influyó en su perfil nutricional. La variedad de aceite CR presentó un mayor contenido de antocianina (18,3 ± 1,5 mg·100 g-1), ácido ascórbico (68,4 ± 2,02 mg·100 g-1) y contenido total de polifenoles (152,3 ± 2,4 mg GAE·g-1), y una alta actividad antioxidante (38,6 ± 2,2 μg TE·g-1) determinado por ensayo TEAC, en comparación con el aceite CA (p<0.05). En conclusión, los resultados presentados refuerzan la importancia de T. catappa como fuente de lípidos para la ingesta humana y para su uso en el desarrollo de productos alimenticios

Entanglement in the One-dimensional Kondo Necklace Model

We discuss the thermal and magnetic entanglement in the one-dimensional Kondo necklace model. Firstly, we show how the entanglement naturally present at zero temperature is distributed among pairs of spins according to the strength of the two couplings of the chain, namely, the Kondo exchange interaction and the hopping energy. The effect of the temperature and the presence of an external magnetic field is then investigated, being discussed the adjustment of these variables in order to control the entanglement available in the system. In particular, it is indicated the existence of a critical magnetic field above which the entanglement undergoes a sharp variation, leading the ground state to a completely unentangled phase.Comment: 8 pages, 13 EPS figures. v2: four references adde

Large scale numerical investigation of excited states in poly(phenylene)

A density matrix renormalisation group scheme is developed, allowing for the first time essentially exact numerical solutions for the important excited states of a realistic semi-empirical model for oligo-phenylenes. By monitoring the evolution of the energies with chain length and comparing them to the experimental absorption peaks of oligomers and thin films, we assign the four characteristic absorption peaks of phenyl-based polymers. We also determine the position and nature of the nonlinear optical states in this model.Comment: RevTeX, 10 pages, 4 eps figures included using eps

Double quantum dot turnstile as an electron spin entangler

We study the conditions for a double quantum dot system to work as a reliable electron spin entangler, and the efficiency of a beam splitter as a detector for the resulting entangled electron pairs. In particular, we focus on the relative strengths of the tunneling matrix elements, the applied bias and gate voltage, the necessity of time-dependent input/output barriers, and the consequence of considering wavepacket states for the electrons as they leave the double dot to enter the beam splitter. We show that a double quantum dot turnstile is, in principle, an efficient electron spin entangler or entanglement filter because of the exchange coupling between the dots and the tunable input/output potential barriers, provided certain conditions are satisfied in the experimental set-up.Comment: published version; minor error correcte

Placental expression of eNOS, iNOS and the major protein components of caveolae in women with pre-eclampsia

Caveolae regulate many cardiovascular functions and thus could be of interest in relation to pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy specific disorder characterised by hypertension and proteinuria. We examined placental mRNA and protein expression/localisation of the caveolae components Caveolin 1-3, Cavin 1-4 as well as eNOS/ iNOS in normotensive control (n=24) and pre-eclamptic pregnancies (n=19). Placental mRNA expression of caveolin-1, cavin 1-3, was lower and eNOS expression was increased in pre-eclampsia (P<0.05 for all). Additionally Caveolin-1 protein expression was also reduced in pre-eclampsia (P=0.007); this could be an adaptive response in pre-eclampsia, possibly to attenuate the oxidative stress/inflammation

An analysis of the FIR/RADIO Continuum Correlation in the Small Magellanic Cloud

The local correlation between far-infrared (FIR) emission and radio-continuum (RC) emission for the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is investigated over scales from 3 kpc to 0.01 kpc. Here, we report good FIR/RC correlation down to ~15 pc. The reciprocal slope of the FIR/RC emission correlation (RC/FIR) in the SMC is shown to be greatest in the most active star forming regions with a power law slope of ~1.14 indicating that the RC emission increases faster than the FIR emission. The slope of the other regions and the SMC are much flatter and in the range of 0.63-0.85. The slopes tend to follow the thermal fractions of the regions which range from 0.5 to 0.95. The thermal fraction of the RC emission alone can provide the expected FIR/RC correlation. The results are consistent with a common source for ultraviolet (UV) photons heating dust and Cosmic Ray electrons (CRe-s) diffusing away from the star forming regions. Since the CRe-s appear to escape the SMC so readily, the results here may not provide support for coupling between the local gas density and the magnetic field intensity.Comment: 19 pages, 7 Figure

Decoherence in trapped ions due to polarization of the residual background gas

We investigate the mechanism of damping and heating of trapped ions associated with the polarization of the residual background gas induced by the oscillating ions themselves. Reasoning by analogy with the physics of surface electrons in liquid helium, we demonstrate that the decay of Rabi oscillations observed in experiments on 9Be+ can be attributed to the polarization phenomena investigated here. The measured sensitivity of the damping of Rabi oscillations with respect to the vibrational quantum number of a trapped ion is also predicted in our polarization model.Comment: 26 pdf pages with 5 figures, http://www.df.ufscar.br/~quantum

Toward an internally consistent astronomical distance scale

Accurate astronomical distance determination is crucial for all fields in astrophysics, from Galactic to cosmological scales. Despite, or perhaps because of, significant efforts to determine accurate distances, using a wide range of methods, tracers, and techniques, an internally consistent astronomical distance framework has not yet been established. We review current efforts to homogenize the Local Group's distance framework, with particular emphasis on the potential of RR Lyrae stars as distance indicators, and attempt to extend this in an internally consistent manner to cosmological distances. Calibration based on Type Ia supernovae and distance determinations based on gravitational lensing represent particularly promising approaches. We provide a positive outlook to improvements to the status quo expected from future surveys, missions, and facilities. Astronomical distance determination has clearly reached maturity and near-consistency.Comment: Review article, 59 pages (4 figures); Space Science Reviews, in press (chapter 8 of a special collection resulting from the May 2016 ISSI-BJ workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space Age

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results