9,004 research outputs found
InAs/InP single quantum wire formation and emission at 1.5 microns
Isolated InAs/InP self-assembled quantum wires have been grown using in situ
accumulated stress measurements to adjust the optimal InAs thickness. Atomic
force microscopy imaging shows highly asymmetric nanostructures with average
length exceeding more than ten times their width. High resolution optical
investigation of as-grown samples reveals strong photoluminescence from
individual quantum wires at 1.5 microns. Additional sharp features are related
to monolayer fluctuations of the two dimensional InAs layer present during the
early stages of the quantum wire self-assembling process.Comment: 4 pages and 3 figures submitted to Applied Physics Letter
Predicción de la frescura del aceite de oliva virgen extra durante el almacenamiento mediante espectroscopía de fluorescencia
Virgin olive oil quality relates to flavor and unique health benefits. Some of these properties are
at the most desirable level when the oil is just extracted, since it is not a product that improves with age. On the
contrary, the concentrations of many compounds change during its shelf-life. These changes reveal the aging of
the oil but do not necessarily mean decay in sensory properties, so in some cases an aged oil from healthy olives
may be better qualified than a fresh one from olives affected by fermentation. The aim of this work is to analyze
different methodologies proposed for assessing the quality of virgin olive oil with implications in freshness and
aging of the oil, and to highlight the possibilities of rapid spectrofluorimetric techniques for assessing oil freshness by checking the evolution of pigments during storage. The observed change in the selected spectral features
and mathematical modelling over time was compared with the accepted model for predicting the amount of
pyropheophytin a, which is based on isokinetic studies. The best regression was obtained for 655 nm (adjustedR2
= 0.91) wavelength, which matches the distinctive band of pigments. The two mathematical models described
in this study highlight the usefulness of pigments in the prediction of the shelf-life of extra virgin olive oil.La calidad del aceite de oliva virgen está relacionada con su flavor y sus beneficios
únicos para la salud. Algunas de estas propiedades se encuentran en el nivel más deseable cuando el aceite está
recién extraído, ya que no es un producto que mejore con el tiempo. Por el contrario, las concentraciones de
muchos compuestos cambian a lo largo de la vida útil. Estos cambios revelan el envejecimiento del aceite, pero
no implican necesariamente la alteración de las propiedades sensoriales, por lo que en algunos casos un aceite
envejecido procedente de aceitunas sanas puede presentar mejor calidad que uno fresco procedente de aceitunas
afectadas por procesos de fermentación. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar diferentes metodologías propuestas para evaluar la calidad del aceite de oliva virgen con implicaciones en la frescura y el envejecimiento del
aceite, destacando las posibilidades de las rápidas técnicas espectrofluorométricas para evaluar la frescura del
aceite verificando la evolución de los pigmentos durante el almacenamiento. El cambio observado en las características espectrales seleccionadas y su modelado matemático a lo largo del tiempo se comparó con el modelo
aceptado para predecir la cantidad de pirofeofitina a, que se basa en estudios isocinéticos. Los dos modelos
matemáticos descritos en este estudio pusieron de manifiesto la utilidad de los pigmentos en la predicción de la
vida útil del aceite de oliva virgen extra. La mejor regresión se obtuvo para 655 nm (R2
-ajustado = 0,91), longitud de onda que coincide con la banda distintiva de pigmentos.Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación de España-AGL2015-69320-
Predicción de la frescura del aceite de oliva virgen extra durante el almacenamiento mediante espectroscopía de fluorescencia
Virgin olive oil quality relates to flavor and unique health benefits. Some of these properties are
at the most desirable level when the oil is just extracted, since it is not a product that improves with age. On the
contrary, the concentrations of many compounds change during its shelf-life. These changes reveal the aging of
the oil but do not necessarily mean decay in sensory properties, so in some cases an aged oil from healthy olives
may be better qualified than a fresh one from olives affected by fermentation. The aim of this work is to analyze
different methodologies proposed for assessing the quality of virgin olive oil with implications in freshness and
aging of the oil, and to highlight the possibilities of rapid spectrofluorimetric techniques for assessing oil freshness by checking the evolution of pigments during storage. The observed change in the selected spectral features
and mathematical modelling over time was compared with the accepted model for predicting the amount of
pyropheophytin a, which is based on isokinetic studies. The best regression was obtained for 655 nm (adjustedR2
= 0.91) wavelength, which matches the distinctive band of pigments. The two mathematical models described
in this study highlight the usefulness of pigments in the prediction of the shelf-life of extra virgin olive oil.La calidad del aceite de oliva virgen está relacionada con su flavor y sus beneficios
únicos para la salud. Algunas de estas propiedades se encuentran en el nivel más deseable cuando el aceite está
recién extraído, ya que no es un producto que mejore con el tiempo. Por el contrario, las concentraciones de
muchos compuestos cambian a lo largo de la vida útil. Estos cambios revelan el envejecimiento del aceite, pero
no implican necesariamente la alteración de las propiedades sensoriales, por lo que en algunos casos un aceite
envejecido procedente de aceitunas sanas puede presentar mejor calidad que uno fresco procedente de aceitunas
afectadas por procesos de fermentación. El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar diferentes metodologías propuestas para evaluar la calidad del aceite de oliva virgen con implicaciones en la frescura y el envejecimiento del
aceite, destacando las posibilidades de las rápidas técnicas espectrofluorométricas para evaluar la frescura del
aceite verificando la evolución de los pigmentos durante el almacenamiento. El cambio observado en las características espectrales seleccionadas y su modelado matemático a lo largo del tiempo se comparó con el modelo
aceptado para predecir la cantidad de pirofeofitina a, que se basa en estudios isocinéticos. Los dos modelos
matemáticos descritos en este estudio pusieron de manifiesto la utilidad de los pigmentos en la predicción de la
vida útil del aceite de oliva virgen extra. La mejor regresión se obtuvo para 655 nm (R2
-ajustado = 0,91), longitud de onda que coincide con la banda distintiva de pigmentos.Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación de España-AGL2015-69320-
Interaction Effects on the Magneto-optical Response of Magnetoplasmonic Dimers
The effect that dipole-dipole interactions have on the magneto-optical (MO)
properties of magnetoplasmonic dimers is theoretically studied. The specific
plasmonic versus magnetoplasmonic nature of the dimer's metallic components and
their specific location within the dimer plays a crucial role on the
determination of these properties. We find that it is possible to generate an
induced MO activity in a purely plasmonic component, even larger than that of
the MO one, therefore dominating the overall MO spectral dependence of the
system. Adequate stacking of these components may allow obtaining, for specific
spectral regions, larger MO activities in systems with reduced amount of MO
metal and therefore with lower optical losses. Theoretical results are
contrasted and confirmed with experiments for selected structures
An infinite family of magnetized Morgan-Morgan relativistic thin disks
Applying the Horsk\'y-Mitskievitch conjecture to the empty space solutions of
Morgan and Morgan due to the gravitational field of a finite disk, we have
obtained the corresponding solutions of the Einstein-Maxwell equations. The
resulting expressions are simply written in terms of oblate spheroidal
coordinates and the solutions represent fields due to magnetized static thin
disk of finite extension. Now, although the solutions are not asymptotically
flat, the masses of the disks are finite and the energy-momentum tensor agrees
with the energy conditions. Furthermore, the magnetic field and the circular
velocity show an acceptable physical behavior.Comment: Submitted to IJTP. This paper is a revised and extended version of a
paper that was presented at arXiv:1006.203
New objects in old structures: The Iron Age hoard of the Palacio III megalithic funerary complex (Almadén de la Plata, Seville, Spain)
Cultural contact, exchange and interaction feature high in the list of challenging topics of current research on European Prehistory. Not far off is the issue of the changing role of monuments in the making and maintaining of key cultural devices such as memory and identity. Addressing both these highly-debated issues from a science-based perspective, in this paper we look at an unusual case study set in southern Iberia and illustrate how these archaeological questions can benefit from robust materials-science approaches.We present the contextual, morphological and analytical study of an exceptional Early Iron Age hoard composed of a number of different (and mostly exotic) materials such as amber, quartz, silver and ceramic. This hoard, found under the fallen orthostat of a megalithic structure built at least 2000 years earlier, throws new light on long-distance exchange networks and the effect they could have had on the cultural identities and social relations of local Iberian Early Iron Age communities. Moreover, the archaeometric study reveals how diverse and distant the sources of these item are (Northern Europe to Eastern and Western Mediterranean raw materials, as well as local and eastern technologies), therefore raising questions concerning the social mechanisms used to establish change and resistance in contexts of colonial encounter
The Relative Age Effect on Soccer Players in Formative Stages with Different Sport Expertise Levels
The Relative Age Effect (RAE) in sport has been targeted by many research studies. The objective of this study was to analyze, in amateur clubs, the RAE of soccer players, according to the sport expertise level of the team (e.g., A, B, C and subsequent) that they belong to within the same game category. 1, 098 soccer players in formative stages took part in the study, with ages varying between 6 and 18 years old (U8 to U19 categories). All of them were members of 4 Spanish federated clubs. The birth dates were classified into 4 quartiles (Q1 = Jan-Mar; Q2 = Apr-Jun; Q3 = Jul-Sept; Q4 = Oct-Dec)according to the team they belonged to. The results obtained in the chi-squared test and d value (effect size) revealed the existence of RAE in the teams with the highest expertise level, "A" (X2 = 15.342, p = .002, d = 0.4473) and "B" (X2 = 10.905, p = .012, d = 0.3657). However, in the lower level teams, "C and subsequent", this effect was not observed. Present findings show that players born during the first months of the year tend to be selected to play in teams with a higher sport expertise level of each category, due to their physical maturity. Consequently, this causes differences in terms of the experience they accumulate and the motivation that this creates in these players
Serum sample containing endogenous antibodies interfering with multiple hormone immunoassays. Laboratory strategies to detect interference
Objectives: Endogenous antibodies (EA) may interfere with immunoassays, causing erroneous results for hormone analyses. As (in most cases) this interference arises from the assay format and most immunoassays, even from different manufacturers, are constructed in a similar way, it is possible for a single type of EA to interfere with different immunoassays. Here we describe the case of a patient whose serum sample contains EA that interfere several hormones tests. We also discuss the strategies deployed to detect interference. Subjects and methods: Over a period of four years, a 30-year-old man was subjected to a plethora of laboratory and imaging diagnostic procedures as a consequence of elevated hormone results, mainly of pituitary origin, which did not correlate with the overall clinical picture. Results: Once analytical interference was suspected, the best laboratory approaches to investigate it were sample reanalysis on an alternative platform and sample incubation with antibody blocking tubes. Construction of an in-house ''nonsense'' sandwich assay was also a valuable strategy to confirm interference. In contrast, serial sample dilutions were of no value in our case, while polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation gave inconclusive results, probably due to the use of inappropriate PEG concentrations for several of the tests assayed. Conclusions: Clinicians and laboratorians must be aware of the drawbacks of immunometric assays, and alert to the possibility of EA interference when results do not fit the clinical pattern
Implications of instructional strategies in sport teaching: a nonlinear pedagogy-based approach
In this article, we have tried to establish the practical implications of instructional strategies in sport teaching. Firstly, we have highlighted the importance of the Teaching Game for Understanding as a teaching model that is fundamentally based on the use of modified games, whose purpose is for students to learn the tactical aspects of a certain sport, by way of modified versions of the real game. Later on, we have gone further into depth into a new way of understanding the teaching-learning process in sport, non-Linear Pedagogy, which is based on manipulating the relevant determining factors (task, environment and individual) to increase information sources and thus be able to guide students towards obtaining their objectives. Within non-linear pedagogy, verbal instruction (e.g., questioning) is considered to be a determining factor that attempts to channel the search for tactical solutions within a learning environment. Finally, we end the article with a section that refers to practical applications, where we purport to give a series of guidelines on how to implement questioning as a didactical resource whose aim is to improve students’ tactical action capacity
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