Laser-Induced Crystallization of Sputtered Unhydrogenated Silicon at Low Temperatures

10-um-thick non-hydrogenated amorphous-silicon (a-Si) films were deposited at relatively high rates (_>10 Å/s) by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) on different large-area buffer-layer-coated glass substrates at deposition temperatures ranging from room temperature (RT) to 300oC. These amorphous samples were subsequently crystallized by means of a continuous-wave diode laser, looking for conditions to reach liquid-phase crystallization. The influence of deposition conditions on the quality of the final micro-crystalline silicon films has been studied

Fruit flesh volatile and carotenoid profile analysis within the Cucumis melo L. species reveals unexploited variability for future genetic breeding

[EN] BACKGROUNDAroma profile and carotenoids content of melon flesh are two important aspects influencing the quality of this fruit that have been characterized using only selected genotypes. However, the extant variability of the whole species remains unknown. RESULTSA complete view of the volatile/carotenoid profiles of melon flesh was obtained analyzing 71 accessions, representing the whole diversity of the species. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography were used to analyze 200 volatile compounds and five carotenoids. Genotypes were classified into two main clusters (high/low aroma), but with a large diversity of differential profiles within each cluster, consistent with the ripening behavior, flesh color and proposed evolutionary and breeding history of the different horticultural groups. CONCLUSIONOur results highlight the huge amount of untapped aroma diversity of melon germplasm, especially of non-commercial types. Also, landraces with high nutritional value with regard to carotenoids have been identified. All this knowledge will encourage melon breeding, facilitating the selection of the genetic resources more appropriate to develop cultivars with new aromatic profiles or to minimize the impact of breeding on melon quality. The newly characterized sources provide the basis for further investigations into specific genes/alleles contributing to melon flesh quality. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical IndustryWe would like to thank the metabolomics lab at the IBMCP for technical support. This work was supported by ERA-PG project (MELRIP: GEN2006-27773-C2-2-E), Plant KBBE project (SAFQIM: PIM2010PKB-00691), Accion Complementaria ACOMP/2012/173 and ACOMP/2013/141, and Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad AGL2014-53398-C2-2-R & AGL2010-20858 (jointly funded by FEDER).Esteras Gómez, C.; Rambla Nebot, JL.; Sánchez, G.; López-Gresa, MP.; González-Mas, M.; Fernández-Trujillo, J.; Belles Albert, JM.... 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Aroma volatiles obtained at harvest by HS-SPME/GC-MS and INDEX/MS-E-nose fingerprint discriminate climacteric behaviour in melon fruit. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(7), 2352-2365. doi:10.1002/jsfa.7350Fredes, A., Sales, C., Barreda, M., Valcárcel, M., Roselló, S., & Beltrán, J. (2016). Quantification of prominent volatile compounds responsible for muskmelon and watermelon aroma by purge and trap extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry determination. Food Chemistry, 190, 689-700. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.06.011Zeinalipour, N., Haghbeen, K., Tavassolian, I., Karkhane, A. A., & Ghashghaie, J. (2017). Enhanced production of 3-methylthiopropionic ethyl ester in native Iranian Cucumis melo L. Group dudaim under regulated deficit irrigation. Journal of Functional Foods, 30, 56-62. doi:10.1016/j.jff.2016.12.019Amaro, A. L., Spadafora, N. D., Pereira, M. J., Dhorajiwala, R., Herbert, R. J., Müller, C. T., … Pintado, M. (2018). Multitrait analysis of fresh-cut cantaloupe melon enables discrimination between storage times and temperatures and identifies potential markers for quality assessments. Food Chemistry, 241, 222-231. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.08.050Freilich, S., Lev, S., Gonda, I., Reuveni, E., Portnoy, V., Oren, E., … Katzir, N. (2015). Systems approach for exploring the intricate associations between sweetness, color and aroma in melon fruits. BMC Plant Biology, 15(1). doi:10.1186/s12870-015-0449-xGranell, A., & Rambla, J. L. (2013). Biosynthesis of Volatile Compounds. The Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Fruit Ripening, 135-161. doi:10.1002/9781118593714.ch6Gur, A., Gonda, I., Portnoy, V., Tzuri, G., Chayut, N., Cohen, S., … Katzir, N. (2016). Genomic Aspects of Melon Fruit Quality. Plant Genetics and Genomics: Crops and Models, 377-408. doi:10.1007/7397_2016_29Ibdah, M., Azulay, Y., Portnoy, V., Wasserman, B., Bar, E., Meir, A., … Katzir, N. (2006). Functional characterization of CmCCD1, a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase from melon. Phytochemistry, 67(15), 1579-1589. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.02.009Walter, M. H., Floss, D. S., & Strack, D. (2010). Apocarotenoids: hormones, mycorrhizal metabolites and aroma volatiles. Planta, 232(1), 1-17. doi:10.1007/s00425-010-1156-3Burger, Y., Sa’ar, U., Paris, H., Lewinsohn, E., Katzir, N., Tadmor, Y., & Schaffer, A. (2006). Genetic variability for valuable fruit quality traits in Cucumis melo. Israel Journal of Plant Sciences, 54(3), 233-242. doi:10.1560/ijps_54_3_233Ren, Y., Bang, H., Lee, E. J., Gould, J., Rathore, K. S., Patil, B. S., & Crosby, K. M. (2012). Levels of phytoene and β-carotene in transgenic honeydew melon (Cucumis melo L. inodorus). Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 113(2), 291-301. doi:10.1007/s11240-012-0269-8Chayut, N., Yuan, H., Ohali, S., Meir, A., Yeselson, Y., Portnoy, V., … Tadmor, Y. (2015). 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Integrating magnetic capabilities to intracellular chips for cell trapping

Current microtechnologies have shown plenty of room inside a living cell for silicon chips. Microchips as barcodes, biochemical sensors, mechanical sensors and even electrical devices have been internalized into living cells without interfering their cell viability. However, these technologies lack from the ability to trap and preconcentrate cells in a specific region, which are prerequisites for cell separation, purification and posterior studies with enhanced sensitivity. Magnetic manipulation of microobjects, which allows a non-contacting method, has become an attractive and promising technique at small scales. Here, we show intracellular Ni-based chips with magnetic capabilities to allow cell enrichment. As a proof of concept of the potential to integrate multiple functionalities on a single device of this technique, we combine coding and magnetic manipulation capabilities in a single device. Devices were found to be internalized by HeLa cells without interfering in their viability. We demonstrated the tagging of a subpopulation of cells and their subsequent magnetic trapping with internalized barcodes subjected to a force up to 2.57 pN (for magnet-cells distance of 4.9 mm). The work opens the venue for future intracellular chips that integrate multiple functionalities with the magnetic manipulation of cells

GEANT4 : a simulation toolkit

Abstract Geant4 is a toolkit for simulating the passage of particles through matter. It includes a complete range of functionality including tracking, geometry, physics models and hits. The physics processes offered cover a comprehensive range, including electromagnetic, hadronic and optical processes, a large set of long-lived particles, materials and elements, over a wide energy range starting, in some cases, from 250 eV and extending in others to the TeV energy range. It has been designed and constructed to expose the physics models utilised, to handle complex geometries, and to enable its easy adaptation for optimal use in different sets of applications. The toolkit is the result of a worldwide collaboration of physicists and software engineers. It has been created exploiting software engineering and object-oriented technology and implemented in the C++ programming language. It has been used in applications in particle physics, nuclear physics, accelerator design, space engineering and medical physics. PACS: 07.05.Tp; 13; 2

Effects of the lava flows associated with the eruption of the volcano ot Cumbre vieja (2021) on the insular shelf and slope of La Palma island (Canary Islands)

Peer reviewe

Acoustic and optical variations during rapid downward motion episodes in the deep north-western Mediterranean Sea

An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was moored at the deep-sea site of the ANTARES neutrino telescope near Toulon, France, thus providing a unique opportunity to compare high-resolution acoustic and optical observations between 70 and 170 m above the sea bed at 2475 m. The ADCP measured downward vertical currents of magnitudes up to 0.03 m s-1 in late winter and early spring 2006. In the same period, observations were made of enhanced levels of acoustic reflection, interpreted as suspended particles including zooplankton, by a factor of about 10 and of horizontal currents reaching 0.35 m s-1. These observations coincided with high light levels detected by the telescope, interpreted as increased bioluminescence. During winter 2006 deep dense-water formation occurred in the Ligurian subbasin, thus providing a possible explanation for these observations. However, the 10-20 days quasi-periodic episodes of high levels of acoustic reflection, light and large vertical currents continuing into the summer are not direct evidence of this process. It is hypothesized that the main process allowing for suspended material to be moved vertically later in the year is local advection, linked with topographic boundary current instabilities along the rim of the 'Northern Current'.Comment: 30 pages, 7 figure

The ANTARES Telescope Neutrino Alert System

The ANTARES telescope has the capability to detect neutrinos produced in astrophysical transient sources. Potential sources include gamma-ray bursts, core collapse supernovae, and flaring active galactic nuclei. To enhance the sensitivity of ANTARES to such sources, a new detection method based on coincident observations of neutrinos and optical signals has been developed. A fast online muon track reconstruction is used to trigger a network of small automatic optical telescopes. Such alerts are generated for special events, such as two or more neutrinos, coincident in time and direction, or single neutrinos of very high energy.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Measurement of Atmospheric Neutrino Oscillations with the ANTARES Neutrino Telescope

The data taken with the ANTARES neutrino telescope from 2007 to 2010, a total live time of 863 days, are used to measure the oscillation parameters of atmospheric neutrinos. Muon tracks are reconstructed with energies as low as 20 GeV. Neutrino oscillations will cause a suppression of vertical upgoing muon neutrinos of such energies crossing the Earth. The parameters determining the oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos are extracted by fitting the event rate as a function of the ratio of the estimated neutrino energy and reconstructed flight path through the Earth. Measurement contours of the oscillation parameters in a two-flavour approximation are derived. Assuming maximum mixing, a mass difference of $\Delta m_{32}^2=(3.1\pm 0.9)\cdot 10^{-3}$ eV$^2$ is obtained, in good agreement with the world average value.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Effects of the lava flows associated to the Tajogaite volcano eruption (2021) on the insular shelf and slope of La Palma island

The eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano started on September 19, 2021, on the island of La Palma, following a seismic swarm that affected the southern half of the island. The lava flowed westward and reached the coastline 8 days later in the area between Punta de la Bombilla and Tazacorte harbour. Four oceanographic cruises on board the research vessels Ramón Margalef and Ángeles Alvariño (Spanish Institute of Oceanography, IEO-CSIC) aimed to (i) characterizing the petrologic features prior to the arrival of the lava flows into the coastline, (ii) assessing the variations of the water-magma system when the lava flowed into the sea, and (iii) evaluating the main changes in the system after the end of the eruption. High-resolution bathymetric maps obtained with the multibeam echosounder EM710, combined with submarine high- definition ROV LIROPUS images and rocks samples collected from the sea bottom, showed that lava flowed down the shelf and upper slope as block (aa) and pillow lava flows, being conditioned by small gullies on the upper slope. Significant morphological changes have been defined in the subaerial northern and southern lava deltas (areas of 5,4 and 43 ha, respectively), and on a submarine area of ~30 ha. Volcanic material has been identified as far as 1.2 km from the original coastline at ~305 m seawater depth. Preliminary petrographic studies determine that the began as tephrites and later evolved intro basanites with olivine, pyroxene, amphibole and plagioclase phenocrysts within a glassy matrix with variable number of vesicles. The total volume of lava reaching the submarine environment is estimated of around 3 Mm3 with maximum thickness ca. 40 m along previous submarine slope gullies. Integrated with multidisciplinary analyses of the water column and ecosystem changes, this study will improve the knowledge of the magmatic evolution from depth up to eruption and will be useful for the risk management of future eruptive events.Peer reviewe

Evidence of Color Coherence Effects in W+jets Events from ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV

We report the results of a study of color coherence effects in ppbar collisions based on data collected by the D0 detector during the 1994-1995 run of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, at a center of mass energy sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV. Initial-to-final state color interference effects are studied by examining particle distribution patterns in events with a W boson and at least one jet. The data are compared to Monte Carlo simulations with different color coherence implementations and to an analytic modified-leading-logarithm perturbative calculation based on the local parton-hadron duality hypothesis.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Physics Letters