On the Stability of Fundamental Couplings in the Galaxy

Astrophysical tests of the stability of Nature's fundamental couplings are a key probe of the standard paradigms in fundamental physics and cosmology. In this report we discuss updated constraints on the stability of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$ and the proton-to-electron mass ratio $\mu=m_p/m_e$ within the Galaxy. We revisit and improve upon the analysis by Truppe {\it et al.} by allowing for the possibility of simultaneous variations of both couplings and also by combining them with the recent measurements by Levshakov {\it et al.} By considering representative unification scenarios we find no evidence for variations of $\alpha$ at the 0.4 ppm level, and of $\mu$ at the 0.6 ppm level; if one uses the Levshakov bound on $\mu$ as a prior, the$\alpha$ bound is improved to 0.1 ppm. We also highlight how these measurements can constrain (and discriminate among) several fundamental physics paradigms.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

Accelerated life testing of frozen green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) quality loss kinetics: colour and starch

This study uses the information derived from a computational research for the design of accelerated life testing (ALT) to implement experimentally the step stress methodology for the quantification of frozen green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, L.) colour and starch degradation kinetics. Colour loss and starch degradation were successfully modelled, respectively, by a first-order reversible and apparent first-order kinetics, under dynamic temperature fluctuations. Results show that the step stress produces models with lower regression standard errors than the conventional isothermal methodology, increasing the accuracy of the estimated kinetic parameters. The ALT methodology, produces however, higher confidence intervals for the estimated kinetic parameters, than the isothermal methodology (e.g. colour b-coordinate by the: (i) isothermal methodology: k₋₁₅ ºC=22.189±0.349 day⁻¹·10⁻³; and (ii) ALT methodology: k₋₁₅ ºC=22.189±0.349 day⁻¹·10⁻³). Furthermore, as expected, higher Arrhenius activation energies (Ea) were estimated by the ALT step-stress methodology, than by the isothermal methodology (e.g. Hunter total colour difference (TCDH): (i) isothermal methodology: Ea=106.272±18.67 kJmol⁻¹; and (ii) ALT methodology: Ea=140.344±18.670 kJmol⁻¹). Accelerated tests are valuable tools, that can aid the study of quality losses in frozen foods. Although ALT tests increase the complexity of data analysis, they produce satisfactory results, when applied to frozen green beans kinetics of starch and colour losses.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Competing globally with cost accounting: a case study

In recent years, information has played a key role in business competitiveness, allowing not only to inform managers about external contexts, but also to internal problems. Thus, cost accounting has relevant tools, with the ability to provide information about how the resources of a company are used, making it possible to evaluate and improve their performance. The main goal of this research is to develop a different costing system model to a company, in order to provide distinct information on the costs of production processes, to help managers make better operational and strategic decisions. This company business is processing and packaging fruit and vegetables, in particular they are organized by three main sectors: fruit, potatoes and 4th range products. Those cost allocation methodologies could be identified, on one hand, the profitability of each product, helping to define the best medium-term strategy and, on the other hand, some operational faults. Basically, this work aims to prove the importance of costing models to improve the performance and the competitiveness in a real context.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ovarian Ectopic Pregnancy in Adolescence

Ovarian pregnancy is one of the rarest types of extrauterine pregnancy. Its preoperative diagnosis remains a challenge since it presents quite similarly to tubal pregnancy and complicated ovarian cysts. Although in most cases, histology is necessary to confirm the diagnosis, we present an ovarian pregnancy in a teenager, correctly diagnosed during ultrasound examination

A proteomic study to identify soya allergens - the human response to transgenic versus non-transgenic soya samples

BACKGROUND: In spite of being among the main foods responsible for allergic reactions worldwide, soybean (Glycine max)-derived products continue to be increasingly widespread in a variety of food products due to their well-documented health benefits. Soybean also continues to be one of the elected target crops for genetic modification. The aim of this study was to characterize the soya proteome and, specifically, IgE-reactive proteins as well as to compare the IgE response in soya-allergic individuals to genetically modified Roundup Ready soya versus its non-transgenic control. METHODS: We performed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of protein extracts from a 5% genetically modified Roundup Ready flour sample and its non-transgenic control followed by Western blotting with plasma from 5 soya-sensitive individuals. We used peptide tandem mass spectrometry to identify soya proteins (55 protein matches), specifically IgE-binding ones, and to evaluate differences between transgenic and non-transgenic samples. RESULTS: We identified 2 new potential soybean allergens--one is maturation associated and seems to be part of the late embryogenesis abundant proteins group and the other is a cysteine proteinase inhibitor. None of the individuals tested reacted differentially to the transgenic versus non-transgenic samples under study. CONCLUSION: Soybean endogenous allergen expression does not seem to be altered after genetic modification. Proteomics should be considered a powerful tool for functional characterization of plants and for food safety assessment

Contamination due to memory effects in filtered vacuum arc plasma deposition systems

Thin film synthesis by filtered vacuum arc plasma deposition is a widely used technique with a number of important emerging technological applications. A characteristic feature of the method is that during the deposition process not only is the substrate coated by the plasma, but the plasma gun itself and the magnetic field coil and/or vacuum vessel section constituting the macroparticle filter are also coated to some extent. If then the plasma gun cathode is changed to a new element, there can be a contamination of the subsequent film deposition by sputtering from various parts of the system of the previous coating species. We have experimentally explored this effect and compared our results with theoretical estimates of sputtering from the SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) code. We find film contamination of order 10-4 - 10-3, and the memory of the prior history of the deposition hardware can be relatively long-lasting