Effect of Gd polarization on the large magnetocaloric effect of GdCrO4 in a broad temperature range

The ferromagnetic zircon-type phase of GdCrO4 presents high values for the magnetocaloric (MC) parameters. This compound has large isothermal entropy changes ΔST under the magnetic field action in a wide temperature range, from 5 to 35 K, reaching a maximum |ΔST|=29.0±0.1J/kgK at 22 K, for a field increment ΔB=9 T. It orders ferromagnetically at TC=21.3K via the Cr-Cr exchange interaction and shows a second transition at 4.8 K due to the ordering of the Gd sublattice. The large MC effect is enhanced by the polarization of the Gd3+ ions by the Cr5+ ones via a weaker Gd-Cr interaction. This effect is an interesting feature to be considered in the search for new compounds with a high MC effect in the range of liquid hydrogen or natural gas, regarding the liquefaction of gases by magnetization-demagnetization cycles. This paper contains experimental measurements of magnetization, heat capacity, and direct determinations of the MC effect. The magnetic contribution to the heat capacity Cm has been obtained after subtracting the lattice component. Approximate values for the exchange constants J1 (Cr-Cr) and J3 (Gd-Cr) have been deduced from Cm.This work has been funded by the Spanish MINECO through Projects No. MAT2013-44063-R and No. MAT2013-44964-R, DGA Consolidated Group E100, and Comunidad de Madrid Project No. S2009/PPQ-1626.Peer Reviewe

High-pressure synthesis, structural and complex magnetic properties of the ordered double perovskite Pb2NiReO6

The ordered double perovskite Pb2NiReO6 has been prepared at 6 GPa and temperatures ranging from 1273 to 1373 K. Its crystal structure determined by X-ray powder diffraction and selected area electron diffraction shows monoclinic symmetry with centrosymmetric space group I2/m (a = 5.6021(1) Å, b = 5.6235(1) Å, c = 7.9286(1) Å and β = 90.284°(1)). High angle annular dark field microscopy studies reveal the existence of compositional microdomains. The compound displays a re-entrant spin-glass transition from a ferrimagnetic ordering below TN 37 K between the Re+5 and Ni+3 (high spin configuration) magnetic sublattices to a spin-glass configuration. Magnetic field dependent magnetization measurements revealed wasp-waisted hysteresis loops at 5 K. These shaped features originate from the antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic (AFM/FM) competing interactions

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (31)

Sumario : Relámpagos en las alturas.-- El misterio de Di Herculis.-- Jets en galaxias activas.-- HISTORIAS DE ASTRONOMÍA. Los All-Star de la física.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS. Cómo “encender” un cuásar .-- EL “MOBY DICK” DE... María Rosa Zapatero Osorio (CAB, CSIC-INTA).-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES : El Sistema Solar: ¿conocemos de verdad nuestro vecindario?.-- ACTIVIDADES IAA, AGENDA Y RECOMENDADOS.N

Thorough Characterization of ETHQB3.5, a QTL Involved in Melon Fruit Climacteric Behavior and Aroma Volatile Composition

The effect of the QTL involved in climacteric ripening ETHQB3.5 on the fruit VOC composition was studied using a set of Near-Isogenic Lines (NILs) containing overlapping introgressions from the Korean accession PI 16375 on the chromosome 3 in the climacteric ‘Piel de Sapo’ (PS) genetic background. ETHQB3.5 was mapped in an interval of 1.24 Mb that contained a NAC transcription factor. NIL fruits also showed differences in VOC composition belonging to acetate esters, non-acetate esters, and sulfur-derived families. Cosegregation of VOC composition (23 out of 48 total QTLs were mapped) and climacteric ripening was observed, suggesting a pleiotropic effect of ETHQB3.5. On the other hand, other VOCs (mainly alkanes, aldehydes, and ketones) showed a pattern of variation independent of ETHQB3.5 effects, indicating the presence of other genes controlling non-climacteric ripening VOCs. Network correlation analysis and hierarchical clustering found groups of highly correlated compounds and confirmed the involvement of the climacteric differences in compound classes and VOC differences. The modification of melon VOCs may be achieved with or without interfering with its physiological behavior, but it is likely that high relative concentrations of some type of ethylene-dependent esters could be achieved in climacteric cultivars.Publishe

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (20)

Sumario : ¿Cómo se forma un Sol?.-- El observatorio virtual.-DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS Estrellas peculiares.-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES.-- HISTORIAS DE ASTRONOMÍA. Pero, ¿quién inventó el telescopio?.-- ACTIVIDADES IAA.Esta revista se publica con la ayuda de la Accion Complementaria CCT003-05-00325 del Programa Nacional de Fomento de la Cultura Cientifica y Tecnologica.N

Mitochondrial echoes of first settlement and genetic continuity in El Salvador

Background: From Paleo-Indian times to recent historical episodes, the Mesoamerican isthmus played an important role in the distribution and patterns of variability all around the double American continent. However, the amount of genetic information currently available on Central American continental populations is very scarce. In order to shed light on the role of Mesoamerica in the peopling of the New World, the present study focuses on the analysis of the mtDNA variation in a population sample from El Salvador. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have carried out DNA sequencing of the entire control region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome in 90 individuals from El Salvador. We have also compiled more than 3,985 control region profiles from the public domain and the literature in order to carry out inter-population comparisons. The results reveal a predominant Native American component in this region: by far, the most prevalent mtDNA haplogroup in this country (at ~90%) is A2, in contrast with other North, Meso- and South American populations. Haplogroup A2 shows a star-like phylogeny and is very diverse with a substantial proportion of mtDNAs (45%; sequence range 16090–16365) still unobserved in other American populations. Two different Bayesian approaches used to estimate admixture proportions in El Salvador shows that the majority of the mtDNAs observed come from North America. A preliminary founder analysis indicates that the settlement of El Salvador occurred about 13,400±5,200 Y.B.P.. The founder age of A2 in El Salvador is close to the overall age of A2 in America, which suggests that the colonization of this region occurred within a few thousand years of the initial expansion into the Americas. Conclusions/Significance: As a whole, the results are compatible with the hypothesis that today's A2 variability in El Salvador represents to a large extent the indigenous component of the region. Concordant with this hypothesis is also the observation of a very limited contribution from European and African women (~5%). This implies that the Atlantic slave trade had a very small demographic impact in El Salvador in contrast to its transformation of the gene pool in neighbouring populations from the Caribbean facade

Relationships between body mass index, ultrasound measurements and, internal body fat depots in pelibuey sheep

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), ultrasound measurements (USM), and internal fat (IF) in hair sheep. The BMI and USM were determined 24 hours before laughter in 35 animals finished in intensive fattening. At slaughter, the IF (inner adipose tissue) was dissected, weighed, and grouped as mesenteric, omental, or perirenal fat; these three depots were summed to obtain their total weight. The relationship of the variables was evaluated through Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) using the CORR procedure and by regression models using the REG procedure of SAS ver. 9.3. The IF and BMI presented r= 0.75 (P 0.05). The regression equation between IF and BMI had a coefficient of determination (r2) of 0.67 (P <.0001). The inclusion of the subcutaneous fat thickness together with the BMI improved the r2 with a range of 0.77. The BMI and the subcutaneous fat thickness could be used to predict the weight of the internal fat in hair sheep

Prospective study of patients with persistent symptoms of dengue in Brazil

Dengue is an arboviral infection clinically recognized as an acute and self-limited disease. Persistence of dengue symptoms is known, but it has been little studied. The aim of this study was to characterize persistent symptoms in 113 patients with dengue followed up clinically and by laboratory testing at a tertiary hospital. Symptoms that persisted for more than 14 days were observed in 61 (54.0%) patients, and six (6.2%) of them had symptoms for 6 months or more. The persistent symptoms identified were myalgia, weakness, hair loss, memory loss, reduced resistance to physical effort, headache, reasoning problems, arthralgia, sleepiness- and emotional lability. The progression to persistent symptoms was significantly associated with hospitalization, older age, more severe disease, the presence of bleeding and comorbidities upon univariate analysis. Upon multivariate analysis, the presence of persistent symptoms continued to be significantly associated only with increased age and dengue with warning signs. The platelet count during the acute phase of the disease was significantly lower in the group with persistent symptoms. In conclusion, the frequency of progression to persistent symptoms in dengue is relevant in patients seen at a tertiary hospital and the persistence of symptoms is more common in patients with dengue with warning signs

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (28)

Sumario : Los orígenes de la Ciencia.-- Darwin y la Astrofísica.-- El gran ojo del astrónomo.-- HISTORIAS DE ASTRONOMÍA. Algunos hitos históricos.-- EL “MOBY DICK” DE...José M. Vílchez.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES. El telescopio.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS. Carta de Galileo a Cristina de Lorena.-- ANTES Y DESPUÉS... EN IMÁGENES.-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES.-- ACTIVIDADES IAA.N