Compaction of microporous amorphous solid water by ion irradiation

We have studied the compaction of vapor-deposited amorphous solid water by energetic ions at 40 K. The porosity was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and methane adsorption/desorption. These three techniques provide different and complementary views of the structural changes in ice resulting from irradiation. We find that the decrease in internal surface area of the pores, signaled by infrared absorption by dangling bonds, precedes the decrease in the pore volume during irradiation. Our results imply that impacts from cosmic rays can cause compaction in the icy mantles of the interstellar grains, which can explain the absence of dangling bond features in the infrared spectrum of molecular clouds.Fil: Raut, U.. University of Virginia; Estados UnidosFil: Teolis, B. D.. University of Virginia; Estados UnidosFil: Loeffler, M. J.. University of Virginia; Estados UnidosFil: Vidal, Ricardo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Famá, M.. University of Virginia; Estados UnidosFil: Baragiola, R. A.. University of Virginia; Estados Unido

Radiolysis of water ice in the outer solar system: Sputtering and trapping of radiation products

We performed quantitative laboratory radiolysis experiments on cubic water ice between 40 and 120 K, with 200 keV protons. We measured sputtering of atoms and molecules and the trapping of radiolytic molecular species. The experiments were done at fluences corresponding to exposure of the surface of the Jovian icy satellites to their radiation environment up to thousands of years. During irradiation, O2 molecules are ejected from the ice at a rate that grows roughly exponentially with temperature; this behavior is the main reason for the temperature dependence of the total sputtering yield. O2 trapped in the ice is thermally released from the ice upon warming; the desorbed flux starts at the irradiation temperature and increases strongly above 120 K. Several peaks in the desorption spectrum, which depend on irradiation temperature, point to a complex distribution of trapping sites in the ice matrix. The yield of O2 produced by the 200 keV protons and trapped in the ice is more than 2 orders of magnitude smaller than used in recent models of Ganymede. We also found small amounts of trapped H2O2 that desorb readily above 160 K.Fil: Bahr, D.A.. University of Virginia; Estados UnidosFil: Famá, M.. University of Virginia; Estados UnidosFil: Vidal, Ricardo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Baragiola, Raul Antonio. University of Virginia; Estados Unido

La UNCuyo junto a los apicultores operan planta de extracción de miel comunitaria

La República Argentina fue durante nueve años 1er. exportador mundial de miel y mantiene el 3er.  lugar como productor, razón por la cual el SENASA, desde el año 2000 ha endurecido la normativa vinculada con la producción y comercialización de los productos Apícolas. Esto dejó muchos productores fuera de los canales legales de comercialización. Para contrarrestar esta situación los productores Apícolas de Mendoza, reunidos en el CAAM, propusieron el proyecto “construcción de salas de extracción comunitarias”. Una de estas salas se instaló en la localidad de La Consulta. Esta planta comunitaria es utilizada por un pequeño número de productores Apícolas. El resto sigue extrayendo en su casa en forma muy precaria, con grandes riesgos de contaminación microbiológica de la miel y problemas de comercialización por ausencia de trazabilidad. Los productores no visualizan la importancia de extractar en un local habilitado. El diagnostico nos lleva a concluir que son dos los motivos más importantes: falta de planificación y ausencia de una metodología clara de trabajo. La modalidad utilizada en la operación de la plantas es que los productores se alternen para operarla y esto hace difícil la coordinación e instrumentación de Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura. La actividad de extensión consiste en acompañar a los Apicultores en todas las etapas del proceso de extracción de la miel. Los integrantes del equipo de extensión trabajaron junto a los Apicultores en la extracción de los panales, desabejado y transporte. En la sala comunitaria en el desoperculado, extracción y almacenamiento. En gabinete, redactaron la Rutina de Extracción y se puso a consideración de los productores en un plenario; se acordaron algunos puntos y otros se re estudian para ser presentados en otras reuniones plenarias. Luego de la segunda campaña los apicultores participantes ensayarán la rutina elaborada en forma conjunta, y se espera que esto despierte el interés de los demás por participar. La rutina busca economizar el tiempo total empleado de trabajo por kilo de miel extractada, mejorar la coordinación, mejorar el aspecto del establecimiento en cuanto al orden en todas las zonas en las que está sectorizada la planta; perfeccionar la comercialización por mejor identificación del origen de las mieles y su presentación en el tambor. Se espera un incremento en el número de apicultores que extraen la miel en la sala comunitaria. En esta primera experiencia se extrajeron 15000 kgs de miel de 10 productores

Metereological conditions and psychiatric emergency visits in Messina, Italy

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the association between psychiatric disease, climatic and seasonal factors in patients recorded to the Emergency Unit, in Messina Hospital (Italy). Method: A total of 6565 psychiatric patients were recorded to the Emergency Unit in Messina from January 2005 and December 2010. Each psychiatric visit in emergency, was categorized by date of appearance and admitting diagnosis according to diagnostic categories: Anxiety, Mood Disorders and Psychosis. Local weather data were obtained from the Metereological Instituted "Aereonautica Militare" station in Messina, Sicily, In addition, to gathering data on the state of the sky, temperature, atmosphericpressure with the normalized value at sea level, relative humidity, rainfall, wind direction and speed, the station is connected to a buoy located on the eastern sector of Tyrrhenian Sea. Results: In anxiety disorders we have found relevant results comparison between winter and spring (p=.007) and spring and fall (p=.001). In affective disorders the differences occur in relation to winter and fall (p=.002), spring and fall (p=001), spring and summer (p=002). The psychotic disorder presents significant differences between summer and fall (p=.001) and spring and fall (p=.002). Conclusions: We can observe a similarity of affective disorders, i.e. anxiety and mood disorders compared to psychosis, which have different influences and probably according to dissimilar etiopathogenetic ways. In our research, the distribution of anxiety disorders is higher than depressive disorders in terms of delivering emergency room visits. The major differences occur comparing spring and fall, the seasons when all pathological classes have significant differences. It follows that the most abrupt climate change, typical of these seasons, as a whole, cause psychopathological emergencies. The study is important for planning a more effective assistance for patients needing psychiatric support

MABC-2 TRANSCULTURAL ADAPTATION AND EVALUATION OF CHILDREN AGED 7 TO 10 YEARS WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER

Motor development is not part of the diagnostic criteria for people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, but it must be considered in the assessment and intervention process of ASD children. Objectives: To carry out translation and transcultural adaptation to Portuguese / Brazil version of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) for the 7-10 year age group and test the version translated into children with ASD. Method: The study was applied to 41 boys with ASD and correlated with Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices test (CPM). Results and Discussion: It was observed that the correlations with the standard scores between the domains assessed by MABC-2 and the CPM results showed to be median for MD (r = 0.454, p = 0.012) and B (r = 0.324, p = 0.081) and small for A&C (r = 0.170, p = 0.368). By the traffic light system, 83% of those evaluated were classified in the red zone, with significant motor deficits. Conclusion: Correlation tests showed that the degree of intelligence seems to influence motor performance. The relevance of studies and assessments about motor area for ASD children is considered, minimizing the factors that may interfere with the motor tasks performance

Recent advances and perspectives on starch nanocomposites for packaging applications

Starch nanocomposites are popular and abundant materials in packaging sectors. The aim of this work is to review some of the most popular starch nanocomposite systems that have been used nowadays. Due to a wide range of applicable reinforcements, nanocomposite systems are investigated based on nanofiller type such as nanoclays, polysaccharides and carbonaceous nanofillers. Furthermore, the structures of starch and material preparation methods for their nanocomposites are also mentioned in this review. It is clearly presented that mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of plasticised starch can be improved with well-dispersed nanofillers in starch nanocomposites