X-ray/gamma-ray flux correlations in the BL Lacs Mrk 421 and 501 using HAWC data

The HAWC gamma ray observatory is located at the Sierra Negra Volcano in Puebla, Mexico, at an altitude of 4,100 meters. HAWC is a wide field of view array of 300 water Cherenkov detectors that are continuously surveying ~ 2sr of the sky, operating since March 2015. The large collected data sample allows HAWC to perform an unbiased monitoring of the BL Lac Mrk 421. This is the closest and brightest known extragalactic high-synchrotron-peaked BL Lac in the gamma-ray/X- ray bands and is extensively monitored by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on-board the Fermi satellite, and the BAT and XRT instruments of the Swift satellite. In this work, we use 25 months of HAWC data together with Swift-XRT data to characterize potential correlations between both wavelengths. This analysis shows that HAWC and Swift-XRT data are correlated even stronger than expected for quasi-simultaneous observations.Comment: Presented at the 35th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2017), Bexco, Busan, Korea. See arXiv:1708.02572 for all HAWC contribution

Correlated hopping of bosonic atoms induced by optical lattices

In this work we analyze a particular setup with ultracold atoms trapped in state-dependent lattices. We show that any asymmetry in the contact interaction translates into one of two classes of correlated hopping. After deriving the effective lattice Hamiltonian for the atoms, we obtain analytically and numerically the different phases and quantum phase transitions. We find for weak correlated hopping both Mott insulators and charge density waves, while for stronger correlated hopping the system transitions into a pair superfluid. We demonstrate that this phase exists for a wide range of interaction asymmetries and has interesting correlation properties that differentiate it from an ordinary atomic Bose-Einstein condensate.Comment: 24 pages with 9 figures, to appear in New Journal of Physic

Sanctioning Capacity in Trade and Sustainability Chapters in EU Trade Agreements: The EU-Korea Case

Although sanctions targeting political regimes receive the most media attention, the EU can also sanction states for labour rights violations through its trade policy. Although in practice such sanctions are applied only in extreme cases, the possibility of suspending trade preferences increases the EU’s leverage. In modern trade agreements, the EU incorporates Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters for labour and environmental matters. However, trade sanctions for non-compliance with this chapter are absent. Instead, a dedicated dispute settlement arrangement exists, leading to recommendations by a panel of experts. In 2019 the EU launched proceedings against South Korea for failing to uphold commitments to ratify and implement International Labour Organisation core conventions regarding trade unions under the 2011 EU-Korea Trade Agreement. In 2021, the panel of experts sided with the EU's interpretation of commitments under the TSD chapter. This initial case represents the EU's intention to focus on the implementation of TSD chapters. Using data from official documents, this article process-traces the dispute with Korea. It argues that the outcome of the case, and Korea's ratification of fundamental International Labour Organisation conventions in 2021, demonstrate the potential of the TSD chapter, when forcefully enforced, to partially redress the weak sanctioning capacity in TSD chapters. It also uncovers important caveats regarding state capacity and alignment with government objectives as conditioning the effectiveness of TSD chapters' non-legally binding sanctioning mechanisms

Fittonia verschaffeltii Response to Artificial Light Treatments: BIOMASS, Nutrient Concentrations and Physiological Changes

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different light treatments on biomass, nutrient concentrations and physiological parameters of Fittonia verschaffeltii (Lem) Van Houtte. The aim was to establish a methodology to evaluate the effect of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) emitted by lamps on biomass. The light treatments used were tube luminescent Dunn (TL-D), tube luminescent Dunn + light emitting diodes (LEDs) and Tube luminescent 5 (TL-5). At the end of the experimental period, biomass, nutritional, biochemical, and physiological parameters were assessed. A clear reduction in total plant dry weight under TL-D + LEDs at the end of the experiment was recorded. With respect to nutrient concentration in the different organs assessed, there was no clear response under the different light treatments. The growth under TL-D lamps resulted in the highest concentration of total soluble sugars and starch in leaves, whereas the highest value of indole 3-acetic acid concentration was under TL-5 lamps. Plants grown under TL-D + LEDs showed the lowest values of chlorophyll a, b and a + b. The relationship proposed between integrated use of spectral energy (IUSE) and total dry weight (TDW) showed a good correlation with an R2 value of 0.86, therefore we recommend this methodology to discern the effects of the different spectral qualities on plant biomass

Influence of temperature and time on the Eu3+ reaction with synthetic Na-Mica-n (n = 2 and 4)

Bentonite is accepted as the best clay material for the engineered barrier of Deep Geological Repositories (DGRs). The performance of clay as the main component of the engineered barrier in the DGR has been intensively studied and the structure of the selected clay mineral play a crucial role. In this sense, a new family of synthetic swelling silicates, Na-Mica-n, with tuned layer charge (n) values between 2.0 and 4.0 per unit cell has recently been synthesized and a general synthetic method has been reported. These swelling high-charge micas could be highly valuable for the decontamination of harmful cations. The ability of these micas to immobilize Eu3+ under subcritical conditions has been probed. The adsorption was in both non-specific sites (cation exchange mechanism) and specific sites (chemical reaction or surface defects adsorption). Moreover, its adsorption capacity, under the same conditions is higher than in saponite and far superior to the bentonites.Junta de Andalucía P12-FQM-567European Union 29178

Weyl law for fat fractals

It has been conjectured that for a class of piecewise linear maps the closure of the set of images of the discontinuity has the structure of a fat fractal, that is, a fractal with positive measure. An example of such maps is the sawtooth map in the elliptic regime. In this work we analyze this problem quantum mechanically in the semiclassical regime. We find that the fraction of states localized on the unstable set satisfies a modified fractal Weyl law, where the exponent is given by the exterior dimension of the fat fractal.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, IOP forma

Gene and whole genome analyses reveal that the mycobacterial strain JS623 is not a member of the species Mycobacterium smegmatis

Unexpected differences were found between the genome of strain JS623, used in bioremediation studies, and the genome of strain mc2155, a model organism for investigating basic biology of mycobacteria. Both strains are currently assigned in the databases to the species Mycobacterium smegmatis and, consequently, the environmental isolate JS623 is increasingly included as a representative of that species in comparative genomebased approaches aiming at identifying distinctive traits of the different members of the genus Mycobacterium. We applied traditional molecular taxonomic procedures – inference of single and concatenated gene trees – to re-evaluate the membership of both strains to the same species, adopting the latest accepted cut-off values for species delimitation. Additionally, modern whole genome-based in silico methods where performed in a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of JS623 and other members of the genus Mycobacterium. These analyses showed that all relevant genome parameters of JS623 clearly separate this strain from M. smegmatis. The strain JS623 should be corrected as Mycobacterium sp. not only in the literature but, even more importantly, in the database entries, as inclusion of the genome wrongly attributed to the M. smegmatis species in comparative studies will result in misleading conclusionsThis work has been partially supported by funds from the International Cooperation UAM-Banco Santander and Latin America (CEAL-UAM) and the Spanish Ministry of Health (AES, PI13-01218) (MJG) as well as BFU2014-52070-C2-1 1 from the Spanish Government (SG

Multi-Sensor System For Level Measurements With Optical Fibres

A system for measuring liquid level in multiple tanks using optical fibre technology has been developed. The oil field service industry can benefit from this intrinsically safe technology. Plastic optical fibre (POF) sensor heads are excited by a 650 nm laser. Laser diodes are housed in ST connectors to obtain compact and rough prototypes and these connectors are also used in the fibre pigtails. Optical multiplexing is used to increase the measuring safety area. POF splitters and connectors are used to combine all the receiving sensor head fibres in a single one. Frequency division multiplexing is used to address each sensor head. The global system is controlled through a user friendly software application running in a PC connected to the system via an RS-232 port. A scalable prototype with a range greater than 2 meter, good linearity, better than 1.5% FS (full scale), high accuracy and resolution is developed using a unique lens to collimate and focus the light. Measurements are taken to validate the designs. Up to 8 sensor heads can be connected in the present implementation. But a greater number of sensors can be allocated with minor modifications in the electronics.Universidad Carlos III de MadridPublicad