Dyes adsorption from aqueous solutions by Chitosan

In this study the ability of chitosan to remove acid, basic, reactive and direct dyestuffs by adsorption was studied. The effect of several factors influencing dye adsorption such as dye concentration, grain size, pH and temperature were investigated. Desorption of dyes at different pH was also examined. It was shown that the adsorption capacities of chitosan were comparatively high for acid and direct dyes and that the adsorption was controlled by the acidity of the solution. The kinetics of adsorption were found to be of pseudo second order. Batch isotherm studies showed that adsorption of dyes from aqueous solution by chitosan was described by the Langmuir equation

Matter From Geometry Without Resolution

We utilize the deformation theory of algebraic singularities to study charged matter in compactifications of M-theory, F-theory, and type IIa string theory on elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau manifolds. In F-theory, this description is more physical than that of resolution. We describe how two-cycles can be identified and systematically studied after deformation. For ADE singularities, we realize non-trivial ADE representations as sublattices of Z^N, where N is the multiplicity of the codimension one singularity before deformation. We give a method for the determination of Picard-Lefschetz vanishing cycles in this context and utilize this method for one-parameter smooth deformations of ADE singularities. We give a general map from junctions to weights and demonstrate that Freudenthal's recursion formula applied to junctions correctly reproduces the structure of high-dimensional ADE representations, including the 126 of SO(10) and the 43,758 of E_6. We identify the Weyl group action in some examples, and verify its order in others. We describe the codimension two localization of matter in F-theory in the case of heterotic duality or simple normal crossing and demonstrate the branching of adjoint representations. Finally, we demonstrate geometrically that deformations correctly reproduce the appearance of non-simply-laced algebras induced by monodromy around codimension two singularities, showing the reduction of D_4 to G_2 in an example. A companion mathematical paper will follow.Comment: 30 pages + references, appendices. v2: references and two figures added, typos correcte

Non-Abelian Gauge Symmetry and the Higgs Mechanism in F-theory

Singular fiber resolution does not describe the spontaneous breaking of gauge symmetry in F-theory, as the corresponding branch of the moduli space does not exist in the theory. Accordingly, even non-abelian gauge theories have not been fully understood in global F-theory compactifications. We present a systematic discussion of using singularity deformation, which does describe the spontaneous breaking of gauge symmetry in F-theory, to study non-abelian gauge symmetry. Since this branch of the moduli space also exists in the defining M-theory compactification, it provides the only known description of gauge theory states which exists in both pictures; they are string junctions in F-theory. We discuss how global deformations give rise to local deformations, and also give examples where local deformation can be utilized even in models where a global deformation does not exist. Utilizing deformations, we study a number of new examples, including non-perturbative descriptions of $SU(3)$ and $SU(2)$ gauge theories on seven-branes which do not admit a weakly coupled type IIb description. It may be of phenomenological interest that these non-perturbative descriptions do not exist for higher rank $SU(N)$ theories.Comment: 30 pages. v2: Updated codes, added references, and discussed how local deformation can be utilized even when a global deformation does not exist (the case of non-Higgsable clusters). v3: final version, published in Communications in Mathematical Physic

Dualities of Deformed N=2\mathcal{N=2} SCFTs from Link Monodromy on D3-brane States

We study D3-brane theories that are dually described as deformations of two different $\mathcal{N}=2$ superconformal theories with massless monopoles and dyons. These arise at the self-intersection of a seven-brane in F-theory, which cuts out a link on a small three-sphere surrounding the self-intersection. The spectrum is studied by taking small loops in the three-sphere, yielding a link-induced monodromy action on string junction D3-brane states, and subsequently quotienting by the monodromy. This reduces the differing flavor algebras of the $\mathcal{N}=2$ theories to the same flavor algebra, as required by duality, and projects out charged states, yielding an $\mathcal{N}=1$ superconformal theory on the D3-brane. In one, a deformation of a rank one Argyres-Douglas theory retains its $SU(2)$ flavor symmetry and exhibits a charge neutral flavor triplet that is comprised of electron, dyon, and monopole string junctions. From duality we argue that the monodromy projection should also be imposed away from the conformal point, in which case the D3-brane field theory appears to exhibit confinement of electrons, dyons, and monopoles. We will address the mathematical counterparts in a companion paper.Comment: 28+20 pages, 8 figures 6 table

Chemical composition and origin of nebulae around Luminous Blue Variables

We use the analysis of the heavy element abundances (C, N, O, S) in circumstellar nebulae around Luminous Blue Variables to infer the evolutionary phase in which the material has been ejected. (1) We discuss the different effects that may have changed the gas composition of the nebula since it was ejected (2) We calculate the expected abundance changes at the stellar surface due to envelope convection in the red supergiant phase. If the observed LBV nebulae are ejected during the RSG phase, the abundances of the LBV nebulae require a significantly smaller amount of mass to be lost than assumed in evolutionary models. (3) We calculate the changes in the surface composition during the main sequence phase by rotation induced mixing. If the nebulae are ejected at the end of the MS-phase, the abundances in LBV nebulae are compatible with mixing times between 5 x 10^6 and 1 x 10^7 years. The existence of ON stars supports this scenario. (4) The predicted He/H ratio in the nebulae are significantly smaller than the current observed photospheric values of their central stars. Combining various arguments we show that the LBV nebulae are ejected during the blue SG phase and that the stars have not gone through a RSG phase. The chemical enhancements are due to rotation induced mixing, and the ejection is possibly triggered by near-critical rotation. During the ejection, the outflow was optically thick, which resulted in a large effective radius and a low effective temperature. This also explains the observed properties of LBV dust.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures, to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, April 20, 200

Reconstruction of time-dependent coefficients: a check of approximation schemes for non-Markovian convolutionless dissipative generators

We propose a procedure to fully reconstruct the time-dependent coefficients of convolutionless non-Markovian dissipative generators via a finite number of experimental measurements. By combining a tomography based approach with a proper data sampling, our proposal allows to relate the time-dependent coefficients governing the dissipative evolution of a quantum system to experimentally accessible quantities. The proposed scheme not only provides a way to retrieve full information about potentially unknown dissipative coefficients but also, most valuably, can be employed as a reliable consistency test for the approximations involved in the theoretical derivation of a given non-Markovian convolutionless master equation.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, revised version published on PR

Italian viticulture between tradition and innovation: a survey on the business decisions of wineries of Basilicata

Most of the Italian economy has been experiencing, since late last year, an economic recession. The only exception to this scenario is that represented by those industries for which the characteristic feature of made in Italy is recognized by the market as a value. In addition to some manufacturing sectors, the agrofood industry is showing a dynamic against the negative trend. In 2011, respect to the previous year, the turnover of the Italian wine sector has increased by 9,2% (Mediobanca, 2012); while the export value increased of 11,5% compared to 2010. About volumes of wine selled, in 2011, Italy continues to maintain the leading position worldwide with 23.8 million hectoliters (+10%). The forecast about the vintage 2012 indicates a decline in volumes of about 9%, partly caused by the bad year, while exports grew by about 7% compared to 2011. The data show a sector with a positive balance but the italian wineries have to take in account the changes in progress to define future strategies: the rising costs of non-renewable resources; the relationship between exchange rates; the new emerging countries (such example, Eastern European countries); new consumers (the Y generation, Asian consumers etc.); substitutive products (beers, wines with a lower alcohol content, dealcholized beverages etc.), the basic equilibrium between demand and supply of wine in the worldwide scenario (Oiv, 2012). In the last years, the Italian wine has been able to maintain and to strengthen its position on the international markets, that’s depends not only by the successful performance of the northern and central regions, historically suited, but also by an increase in both quality and quantity produced in the South and therefore also with the contribution of Basilicata. The wine sector in Basilicata, although quantitatively limited compared to the national production, at the regional level represents a driving force towards other agricultural productions, also thanks to the growing acknowledgment received at national and international level, in particular by the wine Aglianico. In fact, the vintage 2011 was the first one for the denomination “Aglianico Docg Superior”, that’s has allowed the flagship wine of Basilicata to enter in the circuit of prestigious Italian wines as Barolo and Chianti. The aim of this paper is to analyze, through an empirical survey carried out through a questionnaire to a sample of wineries in Basilicata, the business strategies of the past five years and their evolutionary dynamics in the context of this difficult economic environment. Innovate and differentiate are the strategies that more than others allow wineries to compete in a context of tremendous global economic crisis, uncertainty and markets instability. The combination of tradition and innovation is the winning strategy to address the change in the Italian wine industry. The tradition is tied to the value and image of made in Italy, from which the consumer expects a high level of quality and a high service content. Even if some data show that for small firms, the cost containment is still the only viable opportunity, tying the company strategies to a time horizon is often the short term, underestimating unconventional marketing initiatives (such as web marketing) and working, mostly, through conventional channels

Reliability of Early Fetal Echocardiography for Congenital Heart Disease Detection: A Preliminary Experience and Outcome Analysis of 102 Fetuses to Demonstrate the Value of a Clinical Flow-Chart Designed for At-Risk Pregnancy Management

Early fetal echocardiography (EFEC) is a fetal cardiac ultrasound analysis performed between the 12th and 16th week of pregnancy (compared with the usual 18-22 weeks). In the last 10 years, the introduction of “aneuploidy sonographic markers” in screening for cardiac defects has led to a shift from late second to end of the first trimester or beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy for specialist fetal echocardiography. In this prospective study, early obstetric screening was performed between January 2014 and October 2015, using “aneuploidy sonographic markers” following SIEOG Guidelines 2014. These parameters were then collected and strategically combined in an evaluation score to select the group of pregnancies for performing EFEC, in accordance with the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines for fetal Echocardiography. All second-level examinations were performed transabdominally using a 3D convex volumetric probe with frequency range of 4-8 MHz (Accuvix – Samsung). The outcome data included transabdominal fetal echocardiography from 18 weeks to term and after birth. Overall, 99 pregnant women in the first trimester underwent EFEC (95 singleton and 4 twin pregnancies). Specifically, 30 fetuses were evaluated for extra-cardiac anomalies evidenced by obstetric screening (30%), 25 for family history of congenital heart diseases (25%), 8 for family history of genetic-linked diseases (8%), 4 for heart diseases suspected by obstetric screening (4%) and 19 by normal screening (19%). Was detected 11 (10.7%) CHD, when EFEC detected CHD, were compared to those performed later in pregnancy (18 weeks GA-term), a high degree of diagnosis correspondence was evidenced. The higher sensitivity value of EFEC vs late-FE, in comparison with the post-natal value, coupled with the high EFEC specificity shown vs both the end points, enabled us to consider it as a really reliable diagnostic technology, at least in perienced hands. The introduction of a key combination of the more sensitive obstetric and cardiologic variables should facilitate the formulation of a possible flow-chart as a guide for CHD at-risk pregnancies