203 research outputs found
The effects of calcite silicon-mediated particle film application on leaf temperature and grape composition of Merlot (Vitis vinifera L.) vines under different irrigation conditions
This study examined whether the application of calcite-silicon mediated particle film (CaPF) at veraison can mitigate a drought-induced increase in leaf temperature on grapevine, thus contributing to improved leaf functionality, yield and grape composition traits. A total of 48 five-year-old Merlot (Vitis vinifera L.) vines grafted onto SO4 were grown (in 20 L PVC pots) under Mediterranean conditions (Southern Italy). The vines were pruned to two spurs with two winter buds irrigated daily to 100 % field capacity, and fertilised weekly. At veraison and using a 2Ă2 factorial experimental design, the two main factors, thermoregulation and water, were imposed at two levels: spraying with a thermoregulation compound (CaPF) and no spraying (NS); irrigation (WW) and drought stress (D)). A group of 24 vines was subjected to a 15-day drought period by receiving, every day, 25 % (D) of the daily water consumption of WW vines. The other 24 vines continued to be fully irrigated on a daily basis (WW). Twelve vines per group were sprayed (WW+CaPF, D+CaPF) with calcite-silicon mediate (3 % V/V) at the beginning of drought imposition, the remaining 24 vines were not sprayed (WW-NS, D-NS). Soil water moisture and stem water potential values were monitored from 11.30 to 13:30 nearly every week, and other vegetative and reproductive parameters were also measured. During the experiment, air temperature peaked at â35 °C at midday, VPD at about 3.7 kPa and PAR reached â2000 ”mol m-2 sâ1. Results show that in CaPF sprayed vines, leaf-air temperature differences were lower than in unsprayed vines in both irrigated and drought stressed groups. WW+CaPF vines retained significantly more leaf area and showed the highest value of accumulated vine transpiration. Calcite-silicon mediated particle film could enhance the resilience of grapevine to adverse environmental conditions and may contribute to preserve terroir elements in highly reputed wine grape growing areas. The study showed that foliar application of calcite silicon-mediated processed particles films can be used in arid regions to mitigate leaf temperatures in grapevines
High-Frequency Light Rectification by Nanoscale Plasmonic Conical Antenna in Point-Contact-Insulator-Metal Architecture
Numerous efforts have been undertaken to develop rectifying antennas operating at high frequencies, especially dedicated to light harvesting and photodetection applications. However, the development of efficient high frequency rectifying antennas has been a major technological challenge both due to a lack of comprehension of the underlying physics and limitations in the fabrication techniques. Various rectification strategies have been implemented, including metal-insulator-metal traveling-wave diodes, plasmonic nanogap optical antennas, and whisker diodes, although all show limited high-frequency operation and modest conversion efficiencies. Here a new type of rectifying antenna based on plasmonic carrier generation is demonstrated. The proposed structure consists of a resonant metallic conical nano-antenna tip in contact with the oxide surface of an oxide/metal bilayer. The conical shape allows for an improved current generation based on plasmon-mediated electromagnetic-to-electron conversion, an effect exploiting the nanoscale-tip contact of the rectifying antenna, and proportional to the antenna resonance and to the surface-electron scattering. Importantly, this solution provides rectification operation at 280 THz (1064 nm) with a 100-fold increase in efficiency compared to previously reported results. Finally, the conical rectifying antenna is also demonstrated to operate at 384 THz (780 nm), hence paving a way toward efficient rectennas toward the visible range
Optimus Primer: A PCR enrichment primer design program for next-generation sequencing of human exonic regions
Excitation and decay of projectile-like fragments formed in dissipative peripheral collisions at intermediate energies
Projectile-like fragments (PLF:15<=Z<=46) formed in peripheral and
mid-peripheral collisions of 114Cd projectiles with 92Mo nuclei at E/A=50 MeV
have been detected at very forward angles, 2.1 deg.<=theta_lab<=4.2 deg.
Calorimetric analysis of the charged particles observed in coincidence with the
PLF reveals that the excitation of the primary PLF is strongly related to its
velocity damping. Furthermore, for a given V_PLF*, its excitation is not
related to its size, Z_PLF*. For the largest velocity damping, the excitation
energy attained is large, approximately commensurate with a system at the
limiting temperatureComment: 5 pages, 6 figure
Bimodality: a possible experimental signature of the liquid-gas phase transition of nuclear matter
We have observed a bimodal behaviour of the distribution of the asymmetry
between the charges of the two heaviest products resulting from the decay of
the quasi-projectile released in binary Xe+Sn and Au+Au collisions from 60 to
100 MeV/u. Event sorting has been achieved through the transverse energy of
light charged particles emitted on the quasi-target side, thus avoiding
artificial correlations between the bimodality signal and the sorting variable.
Bimodality is observed for intermediate impact parameters for which the
quasi-projectile is identified. A simulation shows that the deexcitation step
rather than the geometry of the collision appears responsible for the bimodal
behaviour. The influence of mid-rapidity emission has been verified. The two
bumps of the bimodal distribution correspond to different excitation energies
and similar temperatures. It is also shown that it is possible to correlate the
bimodality signal with a change in the distribution of the heaviest fragment
charge and a peak in potential energy fluctuations. All together, this set of
data is coherent with what would be expected in a finite system if the
corresponding system in the thermodynamic limit exhibits a first order phase
transition.Comment: 30 pages, 31 figure
Tracing a phase transition with fluctuations of the largest fragment size: Statistical multifragmentation models and the ALADIN S254 data
A phase transition signature associated with cumulants of the largest
fragment size distribution has been identified in statistical
multifragmentation models and examined in analysis of the ALADIN S254 data on
fragmentation of neutron-poor and neutron-rich projectiles. Characteristics of
the transition point indicated by this signature are weakly dependent on the
A/Z ratio of the fragmenting spectator source. In particular, chemical
freeze-out temperatures are estimated within the range 5.9 to 6.5 MeV. The
experimental results are well reproduced by the SMM model.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the International Workshop on
Multifragmentation and Related Topics (IWM2009), Catania, Italy, November
2009
Comprehensive assessment of sequence variation within the copy number variable defensin cluster on 8p23 by target enriched in-depth 454 sequencing
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In highly copy number variable (CNV) regions such as the human defensin gene locus, comprehensive assessment of sequence variations is challenging. PCR approaches are practically restricted to tiny fractions, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches of whole individual genomes e.g. by the 1000 Genomes Project is confined by an affordable sequence depth. Combining target enrichment with NGS may represent a feasible approach.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As a proof of principle, we enriched a ~850 kb section comprising the CNV defensin gene cluster DEFB, the invariable DEFA part and 11 control regions from two genomes by sequence capture and sequenced it by 454 technology. 6,651 differences to the human reference genome were found. Comparison to HapMap genotypes revealed sensitivities and specificities in the range of 94% to 99% for the identification of variations.</p> <p>Using error probabilities for rigorous filtering revealed 2,886 unique single nucleotide variations (SNVs) including 358 putative novel ones. DEFB CN determinations by haplotype ratios were in agreement with alternative methods.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although currently labor extensive and having high costs, target enriched NGS provides a powerful tool for the comprehensive assessment of SNVs in highly polymorphic CNV regions of individual genomes. Furthermore, it reveals considerable amounts of putative novel variations and simultaneously allows CN estimation.</p
A Feasibility Study of an Integral PWR for Space Applications
Fission space power systems are well suited to provide safe, reliable, economic and
robust energy sources, in the order of 100 KWe. A preliminary feasibility study of a nuclear fission
reactor is here presented with the following requirements: i) high reliability, ii) R&D program of
moderate cost, iii) to be deployed within a reasonable period of time (e.g. 2015), iv) to be
operated and controlled for a long time (10 years) without human intervention, v) possibly to be
also used as a byproduct for some particular terrestrial application (or at least to share common
technologies), vi) to start with stationary application. The driving idea is to extend as much as
possible the PWR technology, by recurring to an integral type reactor. Two options are evaluated
for the electricity production: a Rankine steam cycle and a Rankine organic fluid cycle. The
neutronics calculation is based on WIMS code benchmarked with MCNP code. The reactivity
control is envisaged by changing the core geometry. The resulting system appears viable and of
reasonable size, well fit to the present space vector capabilities. Finally, a set of R&D needs has
been identified: cold well, small steam turbines, fluid leakage control, pumps, shielding, steam
generator in low-gravity conditions, self pressurizer, control system. A R&D program of
reasonable extent may yield the needed answers, and some demanding researches are of interest
for the new generation Light Water Reactors
Fragment Production in Non-central Collisions of Intermediate Energy Heavy Ions
The defining characteristics of fragment emission resulting from the
non-central collision of 114Cd ions with 92Mo target nuclei at E/A = 50 MeV are
presented. Charge correlations and average relative velocities for mid-velocity
fragment emission exhibit significant differences when compared to standard
statistical decay. These differences associated with similar velocity
dissipation are indicative of the influence of the entrance channel dynamics on
the fragment production process
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