Super Pill is Less Effective than an Ordinary Mint in Altering Subjective Psychological Feeling States within a Few Minutes

Expectations shape human behavior. Initial drug use might be associated with information-based expectations. In this study, we presumed that changes in affect and perceived physical wellbeing will be stronger after receiving an active placebo (Tic Tac mint; n = 40), than a pure placebo (inert pill; n = 40) given as a mood-enhancing super pill. After baseline measures, participants completed a treatment-expectancy scale, ingested the mint/super pill, and attended to the effects over 3-minutes. Subsequently, they completed again the psychological tests. Expectancy scores were positive and did not differ between the groups. The pure placebo group increased in physical wellbeing but less than the active placebo group, which also showed an increase in positive affect. Negative affect decreased in both groups. The Tic Tac produced greater affective changes than the pure placebo. Since these are new findings on the ultra-short placebo effects on affect, the results might have relevance for drug-use studies

Evaluation of the mechanized harvest of grapes with regards to harvest losses and economical aspects

ArticleThe aim of the study was to evaluate the mechanized grape harvest conducted by the trailed harvester. As a criterions was introduced the performance, harvest losses of grapes and economic efficiency from the perspective of its introduction. The calculatio ns consist of total annual and partial unit costs also with regards to indirect costs which are formed by the grape losses during the harvest. Evaluation was conducted on three varieties of grapes. The losses of grapes, total annual and partial unit costs were calculated for selected varieties of grapes and also for whole production area. The mean grape losses for whole production area were determined at 470 kg ha - 1 , while the greatest portion of these losses (9.7%) was observed in case of Neronet variety. Among other analysed aspect were the efficiency of mechanized harvest introduction by definition of labour costs and the ransom price of grapes in relation with minimum required area. A substantial part of total costs for area 100 ha was formed by direct c osts up to 15.24% greater than the indirect costs. The efficiency of machinery introduction into the harvest process was observed at minimum area of 16.92 ha in case of rental mechanized harvest of grapes. In case of mechanized harvest conducted by previou sly bought trailed grape harvester the value of minimal efficiency was determined at 27.42 ha year - 1 . As a result then serves an effective utilization of mechanized grape harvest in selected company but it is not limited to it and can be applied on any oth er scenario

Fire patterns in central semiarid Argentina.

Wildfires can cause severe impacts on the terrestrial ecosystems depending on their frequency and behavior. We studied the environmental factors influencing the spatial and temporal distribution of fires, their size and duration in the central semiarid Argentina. We identified fires using MODIS satellite data and we analyzed their association with climate and land cover/use patterns. Spatial and temporal fire patterns varied between eastern, central and western regions according to the presence of agriculture, shrublands and water deficits, respectively. The frequency and behavior of fires also varied temporally with water conditions. Years with low effective precipitations were characterized by an important hotspot density and fire number, as well as the months preceded by two months with low effective precipitation (r 2: 0.42; p < 0.0001). We observed a spatial delay of fires in a northeast-southwest sense, related to the delay of the spring beginning (r 2: 0.7594; p < 0.0001). The mean fire sizes and duration varied significantly among vegetation types (F: 10.76, p < 0.0001 and F: 3.703, p < 0.01). Fires were bigger in shrublands and longer in shrublands or forests regarding agricultural areas or degraded areas (F: 16.0, p < 0.0001). The results obtained would be useful to prevent/control fires and to preserve natural resources and human communities.Fil: Fischer, M. A.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Clima y Agua; ArgentinaFil: Di Bella, Carlos Marcelo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales. Instituto de Clima y Agua; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Jobbágy, Esteban Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentin

Mesoporous Microspheres of Nickel-based Layered Hydroxides by Aerosol-Assisted Self-Assembly using Crystalline Nano-Building Blocks.

Structural control in micro- and nanometer scale is necessary to design highly functional materials. Crystalline mesoporous microspheres are expected to improve electrochemical, catalytic, and adsorption performances. In this study, we focused on the preparation of templated mesoporous microspheres of nickel-based layered hydroxides by using pre-crystallized nano-building blocks (NBBs). Layered nickel hydroxide nanoparticles were prepared through an epoxide-mediated alkalinization process and used as NBBs to construct microspheres. The spherical particles in micrometer scale were synthesized by an aerosol-assisted assembly of the NBBs dispersed in a solvent, in the presence of supramolecular templates. It was found that controlling the crystallization as well as the surface philicity permits to yield the NBB with an adequately small size and interparticle interactions that generate self-assembled mesoporous microspheres akin to those obtained in NBB-based mesoporous thin films. The preparation technique demonstrated here is highly versatile; templated mesoporous microspheres with various chemical compositions of nickel-based layered double hydroxides were successfully obtained.The present work was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI, JSPS bilateral program, LNLS proposal SAXS1 18927, ANPCyT (PICT 2012-2087 and 2015-3526), UBACyT (20020130100610BA), Hitachi Metals Materials Science Foundation, The Sumitomo Foundation, and Izumi Science and Technology Foundation

Microparticles with hetero-nanointerfaces: controlled assembly of cobalt hydroxide and nickel hydroxide nanoclusters towards improved electrochemical functions

The ultimate control of the interfaces of nanocomposite materials is essential to tailor and improve their physical/chemical properties in applications such as catalysis, or energy storage or production. Fabrication and co-assembly of a variety of nanostructured colloids is a promising way to design the interface of materials in nano-scale toward high functionality. In this study, we demonstrate a synthesis of colloids of nanocluster-sized (~ 2 nm) cobalt and nickel hydroxides and their assembly into microparticles that present hetero-nanointerfaces. Electrochemical properties were investigated to elucidate the effect of the hetero-nanointerface. Microparticles with hetero nanostructures composed of cobalt and nickel hydroxide nanoclusters revealed improved mass specific capacity (91.4 mAh/g) compared with respective microparticles with homo-nanointerface (cobalt hydroxide; 15.8 mAh/g: nickel hydroxide; 64.4 mAh/g). Further investigation suggests that the introduced hetero-nanointerface leads to lower charge transfer resistance and to improved electrochemical properties. The synthetic concept demonstrated here is expected to create unique hetero-nanointerfaces for various materials with wide-range of chemical composition towards improved and novel functionalities.The present work is partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI, LNLS proposal SAXS1 18927, ANPCyT (PICT 2087), UBACyT (20020130100610BA), Izumi Science and Technology Foundation (H29-J-130) and the Foundation for the Promotion of Ion Engineering

Problems and causes of marginal nutrient availability in winery wastewater treatment

Winery wastewater treatment plants generally face severe nutrient deficiency, and therefore conventional technologies and supplementary nutrient dosing strategies may fail. The purpose of the paper is to show how traditional way of dosing N-source for marginal availability to nutrient deficient influents results in poorly settling activated sludge regardless of the application of aerated or non-aerated selectors. External N-source calculated for marginal availability resulted in nutrient deficiency due to the relatively high yield experienced (0.7 g biomass COD/g substrate COD). In the fully aerated system with overall N-deficiency, rapidly increasing overproduction of extracellular polysaccharide was experienced, leading to SVI (Sludge Volume Index) values up to 600 cm3 g−1. In the system with the non-aerated selector, initial nutrient deficiency could only be detected in the second reactor. Since neither overgrowth of floc-forming GAOs (Glycogen Accumulating Organisms) nor denitrification could be experienced, the non-aerated reactor operated as low-DO (Dissolved Oxygen) basin, attributing to the drastic overgrowth of filamentous bacteria leading to SVI values >1000 cm3 g−1. Since dosing external N-source for marginal availability is likely to cause severe biomass separability problems in activated sludge winery wastewater treatment, either pronounced N-overdosing and pre-denitrification or severe nutrient deficiency and GAO cultivation can rather be recommended

The climate of Patagonia general patterns and controls on biotic processes

In this article we review the main characteristics of the Patagonian climate, the spatial and temporal patterns of the most important climatic variables, and the influence of climate on ecosystem processes. The winter distribution of precipitation determines an asynchrony between the wet and the growing season in Patagonia. The amount of water that can be transferred from the wet season to the growing season depends mainly on the physical characteristics of the soil. In the semiarid steppe of Chubut, drainage accounted for 10% of annual precipitation. Winter distribution of precipitation determines also an asynchronic dynamics of evaporation and transpiration fluxes. The ENSO phenomenon have a significant impact on regional precipitation. In central-west Patagonia, spring precipitation (September to November) was lower than normal during La Niña events and greater than normal during El Niño events. From December to February the opposite pattern can be observed: higher than normal precipitation during La Niña events and lower than normal precipitation during El Niño events. The impact of this phenomenon on the seasonal temperature was not as clear as for precipitation. We did not detect any temporal trends in annual precipitation for the period 1961-1996. The phenology of carbon gains is quite homogeneous in Patagonia. Most of the region showed a peak of production in November, when, simultaneously, water availability and temperature are high. Toward the west, production peaked later (December). Deciduous forests showed the peak in January and February

Single-nanometer sized low-valence metal hydroxide crystals: synthesis via epoxide-mediated alkalinization and assembly towards functional mesoporous materials

The present work is partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI, LNLS proposal SAXS1 18927, ANPCyT (PICT 2087), UBACyT (20020130100610BA), and the Foundation for the Promotion of Ion Engineering

Highly Ordered Mesoporous Hydroxide Thin Films through Self-Assembly of Size-Tailored Nano-Building Blocks: A Theoretical- Experimental Approach

Mesoporous crystalline (hydr)oxides of low-valence metal ions (M(II) and M(III)) are highly demanded in the context of various applications. In this study, we demonstrate key factors to the successful formation of ordered mesoporous films through the Assembly of Nano-Building Block (ANBB) approach using a colloidal solution of crystalline M(OH)2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu). The colloidal system of α-Ni(OH)2 is presented in-depth as a typical example. Crystal growth and aggregation kinetics of the NBB were tuned by synthetic parameters. Nanometer-sized NBBs of tailored size between oligomer scale to over 20 nm were obtained. The films prepared from α-Ni(OH)2 NBBs with a diameter of ≤ 7.5 nm showed ordered mesostructures through evaporation-induced self-assembly in the presence of supramolecular templates. Coarse-grained simulation suggests that there is a threshold diameter of NBB toward the formation of wellordered mesostructures. It was found that, as well as limiting the diameter of NBB, inhibition of an aggregation of NBBs by using coordinative additives or diluting the NBB colloidal solution were essential to control the assembly of NBBs and templates into the ordered mesostructures. The results obtained here open up the synthesis of ordered mesoporous materials with a crystalline wall of variety of chemical compositions containing low-valence metal elements.The present work was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI, JSPS bilateral program, ABTLuS (LNLS proposal SAXS1 18927), ANPCyT (PICT 2014-3687 and 2015-3526), UBACyT (20020130100610BA), The Sumitomo Foundation, Izumi Science and Technology Foundation and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft-CONICET under grant Mu1674/15-1