Silicon-based three-dimensional microstructures for radiation dosimetry in hadrontherapy

In this work, we propose a solid-state-detector for use in radiation microdosimetry. This device improves the performance of existing dosimeters using customized 3D-cylindrical microstructures etched inside silicon. The microdosimeter consists of an array of micro-sensors that have 3D-cylindrical electrodes of 15 μm diameter and a depth of 5 μm within a silicon membrane, resulting in a well-defined micrometric radiation sensitive volume. These microdetectors have been characterized using an 241Am source to assess their performance as radiation detectors in a high-LET environment. This letter demonstrates the capability of this microdetector to be used to measure dose and LET in hadrontherapy centers for treatment plan verification as part of their patient-specific quality control program

Detection by ELISA of predators of Prays oleae (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in a portuguese olive orchard

Over 900 predators were collected during two years from a Portuguese organic olive orchard, and tested in a serological bioassay for Prays oleae predation. The highest number of predators tested positive during the phyllophagous and antophagous generations of P. oleae. Ants were the most commonly found predators, followed by Coleoptera, Hemiptera and spiders

Effects of maternal subnutrition during early pregnancy on cow hematological profiles and offspring physiology and vitality in two beef breeds

This experiment evaluated the effects of subnutrition during early gestation on hematology in cows (Bos Taurus) and on hematological, metabolic, endocrine, and vitality parameters in their calves. Parda de Montaña and Pirenaica dams were inseminated and assigned to either a control (CONTROL, 100% requirements) or a nutrient‐restricted group (SUBNUT, 65%) during the first third of gestation. Dam blood samples were collected on days 20 and 253 of gestation, and calf samples were obtained during the first days of life. Pirenaica dams presented higher red series parameters than Parda de Montaña dams, both in the first and the last months of gestation. During early pregnancy, granulocyte numbers and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were lower in Pirenaica‐SUBNUT than in Pirenaica‐CONTROL cows. Calves from the SUBNUT cows did not show a physiological reduction in red series values in early life, suggesting later maturation of the hematopoietic system. Poor maternal nutrition affected calf endocrine parameters. Newborns from dystocic parturitions showed lower NEFA concentrations and weaker vitality responses. In conclusion, maternal nutrition had short‐term effects on cow hematology, Pirenaica cows showing a higher susceptibility to undernutrition; and a long‐term effect on their offspring endocrinology, SUBNUT newborns showing lower levels of IGF‐1 and higher levels of cortisol.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Business and the European Union Regional Development Funds (INIA RTA 2013‐00059‐C02 and INIA RZP 2015‐001) and the Government of Aragon under the Grant Research Group Funds (A14_17R). A. Noya received a PhD grant from INIA‐Government of Aragon

Determinación de selénio por su efecto catalítico en la reducción del azul de toluidina por el ion sulfuro

The reduction of toluidine blue by sulphide is catalysed by small amounts of selenium. As a consequence a new kinetic method for the selenium determination is developed. The experimental conditions have been optimized and the variable time method appears to be the most suitable for the determination of selenium. The new method is very sensitive (10 ng/ml) showing good accuracy. Most of the interferences from diverse metallic ions are eliminated by the addition of an excess of Ba(II)-EDTA.La reducción del azul de toluidina por el sidfuro es catalizada cuando se encuentran presentes pequeñas cantidades de selenio. Como consecuencia de esto aportamos un nuevo método cinético para la determinación de selenio. Las condiciones experimentales han sido optimizadas y el método cinético de tiempo variable se seleccionó como más conveniente para las determinaciones analíticas de selenio. El nuevo procedimiento es muy sensible (10 ng/ml) y presenta buena exactitud y precisión. La mayoría de las interferencias producidas por 'los iones metálicos se eliminan mediante la adición de un exceso de AEDT-Ba2

Oxidaciones de leucocolorantes derivados del trifenil metano con cloramina T, catalizadas por el ioduro. Determinaciones de ioduro, plata, mercurio y paladio

The oxidation of leuco crystal violet and of leuco malachite green by chloramine T is catalysed by iodide. Two sensitive, accurate, selective and rapid methods for the determination of iodide are proposed. Ag(I), Hg(II) and Pd(II) ions under suitable conditions inhibit the catalytic effect of iodide on oxidation of reduced form of both dyes by chloramine T. The kinetic determination of these metallic ions is useful at the trace range.La oxidación del leucovioleta cristal y leucoverde malaquita por la cloramina T es catalizada por el ioduro. Basados en este efecto se proponen dos métodos para la determinación de ioduro sensibles, exactos, selectivos y rápidos. En condiciones adecuadas los iones Ag(I), Hg(II) y Pd(II) inhiben la acción catalítica del ioduro sobre la oxidación de las formas reducidas de ambos colorantes por la cloramina T. Las determinaciones cinéticas de estos iones metálicos son aplicables en rangos de concentración a niveles de trazas

Microplastic Shape, Polymer Type, and Concentration Affect Soil Properties and Plant Biomass

Microplastics may enter the soil in a wide range of shapes and polymers. However, little is known about the effects that microplastics of different shapes, polymers, and concentration may have on soil properties and plant performance. To address this, we selected 12 microplastics representing different shapes (fibers, films, foams, and fragments) and polymers, and mixed them each with soil at a concentration of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4%. A phytometer (Daucus carota) grew in each pot during 4 weeks. Shoot, root mass, soil aggregation, and microbial activity were measured. All shapes increased plant biomass. Shoot mass increased by ∼27% with fibers, ∼60% with films, ∼45% with foams, and by ∼54% with fragments, as fibers hold water in the soil for longer, films decrease soil bulk density, and foams and fragments can increase soil aeration and macroporosity, which overall promote plant performance. By contrast, all shapes decreased soil aggregation by ∼25% as microplastics may introduce fracture points into aggregates and due to potential negative effects on soil biota. The latter may also explain the decrease in microbial activity with, for example, polyethylene films. Our findings show that shape, polymer type, and concentration are key properties when studying microplastic effects on terrestrial systems

Searching for New Physics in Leptonic Decays of Bottomonium

New Physics can show up in various well-known processes already studied in the Standard Model, in particular by modifying decay rates to some extent. In this work, I examine leptonic decays of $\Upsilon$ vector resonances of bottomonium below $B\bar{B}$ production, subsequent to a magnetic dipole radiative structural transition of the vector resonance yielding a pseudoscalar continuum state, searching for the existence of a light Higgs-like neutral boson that would imply a slight but experimentally measurable breaking of lepton universality.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages, 1 EPS figur

Einstein-Maxwell gravitational instantons and five dimensional solitonic strings

We study various aspects of four dimensional Einstein-Maxwell multicentred gravitational instantons. These are half-BPS Riemannian backgrounds of minimal N=2 supergravity, asymptotic to R^4, R^3 x S^1 or AdS_2 x S^2. Unlike for the Gibbons-Hawking solutions, the topology is not restricted by boundary conditions. We discuss the classical metric on the instanton moduli space. One class of these solutions may be lifted to causal and regular multi `solitonic strings', without horizons, of 4+1 dimensional N=2 supergravity, carrying null momentum.Comment: 1+30 page

Non-perturbative effects in semi-leptonic B_c decays

We discuss the impact of the soft degrees of freedom inside the B_c meson on its rate in the semi-leptonic decay B_c -> X l nu_l where X denotes light hadrons below the D^0 threshold. In particular we identify contributions involving soft hadrons which are non-vanishing in the limit of massless leptons. These contributions become relevant for a measurement of the purely leptonic B_c decay rate, which due to helicity suppression involves a factor m_l^2 and thus is much smaller than the contributions involving soft hadrons.Comment: LaTeX, 22 pages, 1 figur

Corrections to D-brane Action and Generalized Boundary State

In this paper, we generalize a boundary state to the one incorporating non-constant gauge field strength as an external background coupled to the boundary of a string worldsheet in bosonic string theory. This newly defined boundary state satisfies generalized nonlinear boundary conditions with non-constant gauge field strength, and is BRST invariant. The divergence immanent in this boundary state coincide with the one calculated in a string sigma model. We extract the relevant massless part of this generalized boundary state, and give a part of the D-brane action with the non-constant gauge field strength, that is, derivative corrections to the D-brane action.Comment: 21 pages, LaTeX, 2 eps figures, a reference added, typos correcte