HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS and HPLC-FLD-MS as valuable tools for the determination of phenolic and other polar compounds in the edible part and by-products of avocado

Avocado is a tropical fruit increasingly cultivated around the world due to global interest and rising consumption. Thus, there is also a surge in avocado by-products that needs assessment. The aim of this work is to compare the phenolic profile of avocado pulp, peel and seed when the fruit is at optimal ripeness for consumption and when overripe. Two analytical techniques were used: (1) HPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS was used for the first time to determine phenolic and other polar compounds in avocado peel and seed. Phenolic compounds quantified with these methods were in higher concentration in overripe than in pulp and seed of optimally ripe fruit. (2) HPLC-FLD-MS was used to specifically determine flavan-3-ols. Procyanidins to degree of polymerization 13 have been quantified singularly here for the first time. In addition, A- and B-type procyanidins from the degree of polymerization 2 to 6 were differentiated and quantified. The procyanidin concentration increased after ripening probably due to the release of tannins linked to cell-wall structures. Because of this situation and the presence of A-type procyanidins, avocado peel and seed from overripe fruit, the main by-products of avocado processing, hold interest for developing functional foods, nutraceuticals and cosmetics

Physics of ULIRGs with MUSE and ALMA: The PUMA project: II. Are local ULIRGs powered by AGN: The subkiloparsec view of the 220 GHz continuum

We analyze new high-resolution (400 pc) ∼220 GHz continuum and CO(2-1) Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observations of a representative sample of 23 local (z < 0.165) ultra-luminous infrared systems (ULIRGs; 34 individual nuclei) as part of the "Physics of ULIRGs with MUSE and ALMA"(PUMA) project. The deconvolved half-light radii of the ∼220 GHz continuum sources, rcont, are between < 60 pc and 350 pc (median 80-100 pc). We associate these regions with the regions emitting the bulk of the infrared luminosity (LIR). The good agreement, within a factor of 2, between the observed ∼220 GHz fluxes and the extrapolation of the infrared gray-body as well as the small contributions from synchrotron and free-free emission support this assumption. The cold molecular gas emission sizes, rCO, are between 60 and 700 pc and are similar in advanced mergers and early interacting systems. On average, rCO are ∼2.5 times larger than rcont. Using these measurements, we derived the nuclear LIR and cold molecular gas surface densities (ςLIR = 1011.5-1014.3 L\ub7 kpc-2 and ςH2 = 102.9-104.2 M\ub7 pc-2, respectively). Assuming that the LIR is produced by star formation, the median ςLIR corresponds to ςSFR = 2500 M\ub7 yr-1 kpc-2. This ςSFR implies extremely short depletion times, ςH2/ςSFR < 1-15 Myr, and unphysical star formation efficiencies > 1 for 70% of the sample. Therefore, this favors the presence of an obscured active galactic nucleus (AGN) in these objects that could dominate the LIR. We also classify the ULIRG nuclei in two groups: (a) compact nuclei (rcont < 120 pc) with high mid-infrared excess emission (ΔL6-20 μm/LIR) found in optically classified AGN; and (b) nuclei following a relation with decreasing ΔL6-20 μm/LIR for decreasing rcont. The majority, 60%, of the nuclei in interacting systems lie in the low-rcont end (<120 pc) of this relation, while this is the case for only 30% of the mergers. This suggests that in the early stages of the interaction, the activity occurs in a very compact and dust-obscured region while, in more advanced merger stages, the activity is more extended, unless an optically detected AGN is present. Approximately two-thirds of the nuclei have nuclear radiation pressures above the Eddington limit. This is consistent with the ubiquitous detection of massive outflows in local ULIRGs and supports the importance of the radiation pressure in the outflow launching process

Examining the independent and joint effects of genomic and exposomic liabilities for schizophrenia across the psychosis spectrum

Psychosis spectrum disorder has a complex pathoetiology characterised by interacting environmental and genetic vulnerabilities. The present study aims to investigate the role of gene-environment interaction using aggregate scores of genetic (polygenic risk score for schizophrenia (PRS-SCZ)) and environment liability for schizophrenia (exposome score for schizophrenia (ES-SCZ)) across the psychosis continuum

ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey: A strongly lensed multiply imaged dusty system at z ≥ 6

We report the discovery of an intrinsically faint, quintuply-imaged, dusty galaxy MACS0600-z6 at a redshift z = 6.07 viewed through the cluster MACSJ0600.1–2008 (z = 0.46). A ≃ 4σ dust detection is seen at 1.2mm as part of the ALMA Lensing Cluster Survey (ALCS), an on-going ALMA Large programme, and the redshift is secured via [C II] 158 μm emission described in a companion paper. In addition, spectroscopic follow-up with GMOS/Gemini-North shows a break in the galaxy’s spectrum, consistent with the Lyman break at that redshift. We use a detailed mass model of the cluster and infer a magnification μ ≳ 30 for the most magnified image of this galaxy, which provides an unprecedented opportunity to probe the physical properties of a sub-luminous galaxy at the end of cosmic reionization. Based on the spectral energy distribution, we infer lensing-corrected stellar and dust masses of 2.9-2.3+115 7 109 and 4.8-3.4+45 7 106 M☉, respectively, a star formation rate of 9.7-6.6+220 M☉ yr−1, an intrinsic size of 0.54-0.14+026 kpc, and a luminosity-weighted age of 200 \ub1 100 Myr. Strikingly, the dust production rate in this relatively young galaxy appears to be larger than that observed for equivalent, lower redshift sources. We discuss if this implies that early supernovae are more efficient dust producers and the consequences for using dust mass as a probe of earlier star formation

The Gas and Stellar Content of a Metal-poor Galaxy at z = 8.496 as Revealed by JWST and ALMA

We present a joint analysis of the galaxy S04590 at z = 8.496 based on NIRSpec, NIRCam, and NIRISS observations obtained as part of the Early Release Observations program of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the far-infrared [C ii] 158 μm emission line detected by dedicated Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations. We determine the physical properties of S04590 from modeling of the spectral energy distribution (SED) and through the redshifted optical nebular emission lines detected with JWST/NIRSpec. The best-fit SED model reveals a low-mass (M ⋆ = 107.2-108 M ⊙) galaxy with a low oxygen abundance of 12 + log ( O / H ) = 7.16 − 0.12 + 0.10 derived from the strong nebular and auroral emission lines. Assuming that [C ii] effectively traces the interstellar medium, we estimate the total gas mass of the galaxy to be M gas = (8.0 \ub1 4.0) 7 108 M ⊙ based on the luminosity and spatial extent of [C ii]. This yields an exceptionally high gas fraction, f gas = M gas/(M gas + M ⋆) ≳ 90%, though one still consistent with the range expected for low metallicity. We further derive the metal mass of the galaxy based on the gas mass and gas-phase metallicity, which we find to be consistent with the expected metal production from Type II supernovae. Finally, we make the first constraints on the dust-to-gas (DTG) and dust-to-metal (DTM) ratios of galaxies in the epoch of reionization at z ≳ 6, showing overall low mass ratios of logDTG < −3.8 and logDTM < −0.5, though they are consistent with established scaling relations and in particular with those of the local metal-poor galaxy I Zwicky 18. Our analysis highlights the synergy between ALMA and JWST in characterizing the gas, metal, and stellar content of the first generation of galaxies

Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than those measured at RHIC.Comment: 17 pages, 5 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/388

Suppression of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{\rm NN}}}$ = 2.76 TeV have been measured by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC. The data are presented for central and peripheral collisions, corresponding to 0-5% and 70-80% of the hadronic Pb-Pb cross section. The measured charged particle spectra in $|\eta|<0.8$ and $0.3 < p_T < 20$ GeV/$c$ are compared to the expectation in pp collisions at the same $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$, scaled by the number of underlying nucleon-nucleon collisions. The comparison is expressed in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm AA}$. The result indicates only weak medium effects ($R_{\rm AA} \approx$ 0.7) in peripheral collisions. In central collisions, $R_{\rm AA}$ reaches a minimum of about 0.14 at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7GeV/$c$ and increases significantly at larger $p_{\rm T}$. The measured suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles is stronger than that observed at lower collision energies, indicating that a very dense medium is formed in central Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages, 5 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 10, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/98

Strange particle production in proton-proton collisions at s=0.9\sqrt{s}=0.9 TeV with ALICE at the LHC

The production of mesons containing strange quarks (K$^0_s$, $\phi$) and both singly and doubly strange baryons ($\Lambda$, Anti-$\Lambda$, and $\Xi$+Anti-$\Xi$) are measured at central rapidity in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 0.9 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The results are obtained from the analysis of about 250 k minimum bias events recorded in 2009. Measurements of yields (dN/dy) and transverse momentum spectra at central rapidities for inelastic pp collisions are presented. For mesons, we report yields () of 0.184 $\pm$ 0.002 stat. $\pm$ 0.006 syst. for K$^0_s$ and 0.021 $\pm$ 0.004 stat. $\pm$ 0.003 syst. for $\phi$. For baryons, we find = 0.048 $\pm$ 0.001 stat. $\pm$ 0.004 syst. for $\Lambda$, 0.047 $\pm$ 0.002 stat. $\pm$ 0.005 syst. for Anti-$\Lambda$ and 0.0101 $\pm$ 0.0020 stat. $\pm$ 0.0009 syst. for $\Xi$+Anti-$\Xi$. The results are also compared with predictions for identified particle spectra from QCD-inspired models and provide a baseline for comparisons with both future pp measurements at higher energies and heavy-ion collisions.Comment: 33 pages, 21 captioned figures, 10 tables, authors from page 28, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/387

K2-263 b: a 50 d period sub-Neptune with a mass measurement using HARPS-N

This paper reports on the validation and mass measurement of K2-263b, a sub-Neptune orbiting a quiet G9V star. Using K2 data from campaigns C5 and C16, we find this planet to have a period of $50.818947\pm 0.000094$ days and a radius of $2.41\pm0.12$ R$_{\oplus}$. We followed this system with HARPS-N to obtain 67 precise radial velocities. A combined fit of the transit and radial velocity data reveals that K2-263b has a mass of $14.8\pm3.1$ M$_{\oplus}$. Its bulk density ($5.7_{-1.4}^{+1.6}$ g cm$^{-3}$) implies that this planet has a significant envelope of water or other volatiles around a rocky core. EPIC211682544b likely formed in a similar way as the cores of the four giant planets in our own Solar System, but for some reason, did not accrete much gas. The planetary mass was confirmed by an independent Gaussian process-based fit to both the radial velocities and the spectroscopic activity indicators. K2-263b belongs to only a handful of confirmed K2 exoplanets with periods longer than 40 days. It is among the longest periods for a small planet with a precisely determined mass using radial velocities.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS. v2: EPIC ID changed to assigned K2 nam

Discovery of TeV γ-ray emission from the neighbourhood of the supernova remnant G24.7+0.6 by MAGIC

SNR G24.7+0.6 is a 9.5 kyrs radio and gamma-ray supernova remnant evolving in a dense medium. In the GeV regime, SNR G24.7+0.6 (3FHL J1834.1– 0706e/FGES J1834.1–0706) shows a hard spectral index (Γ∼2) up to 200 GeV, which makes it a good candidate to be observed with Cherenkov telescopes such as MAGIC. We observed the field of view of SNR G24.7+0.6 with the MAGIC telescopes for a total of 31 hours. We detect very high energy γ-ray emission from an extended source located 0.34 degree away from the center of the radio SNR. The new source, named MAGIC J1835–069 is detected up to 5 TeV, and its spectrum is well-represented by a power-law function with spectral index of 2.74 ± 0.08. The complexity of the region makes the identification of the origin of the very-high energy emission difficult, however the spectral agreement with the LAT source and overlapping position at less than 1.5 sigma point to a common origin. We analysed 8 years of Fermi-LAT data to extend the spectrum of the source down to 60 MeV. Fermi-LAT and MAGIC spectra overlap within errors and the global broad band spectrum is described by a power-law with exponential cutoff at 1.9 ± 0.5 TeV. The detected γ-ray emission can be interpreted as the results of proton-proton interaction between the supernova and the CO-rich surrounding