Assessing the adequacy of the bare optical potential in near-barrier fusion calculation

We critically examine the differences among the different bare nuclear interactions used in near-barrier heavy ion fusion analysis and Coupled-Channels calculations, and discuss the possibility of extracting the barrier parameters of the bare potential from above-barrier data. We show that the choice of the bare potential may be critical for the analysis of the fusion cross sections. We show also that the barrier parameters taken from above barrier data may be very wrong.Comment: 8 pages, 3 tables, 8 figures. Submitted to Physical Review

Understanding the social norms of cooling in Chinese offices: Predominance, professionalism, and peer respect

Challenging the international spread of highly energy-consuming air-conditioning technologies, this research explores how cooling demand is supported by the local emergence of relevant social norms. This paper presents the results of an interview study focused on the cooling norms currently found inside corporate offices in two large cities in southern China. Building on existing, mostly quantitative, studies of office cooling in areas of China with hot summers, and with a focus on how social norms shape everyday actions, the accounts of 17 financial sector workers are examined through a thematic analysis. Three themes are discussed: how air conditioning was perceived to dominate, how expectations concerning professional self-image were negotiated, and how respect for colleagues at different levels influenced personal cooling in the workplace. Together they point to the potential of novel strategies for promoting more sustainable office cooling in China and suggest the value of further research on dynamic cooling norms

Sending femtosecond pulses in circles: highly non-paraxial accelerating beams

We use caustic beam shaping on 100 fs pulses to experimentally generate non-paraxial accelerating beams along a 60 degree circular arc, moving laterally by 14 \mum over a 28 \mum propagation length. This is the highest degree of transverse acceleration reported to our knowledge. Using diffraction integral theory and numerical beam propagation simulations, we show that circular acceleration trajectories represent a unique class of non-paraxial diffraction-free beam profile which also preserves the femtosecond temporal structure in the vicinity of the caustic

Electrospun Membranes of Poly(butylene succinate) and Poly(butylene/2-butyl,2-ethyl-propylene succinate)

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(butylene/2-butyl,2-ethyl-propylene succinate) (PBSBEPS) membranes are prepared by electrospinning technique. In recent years, interest in biodegradable aliphatic polyesters, including PBS and its copolymers, is increasing as they have potential applications in various sectors such as mulching films, food packaging, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. In this work, the synthesized polymers are dissolved in different solvents, namely acetone, chloroform (CHCl3), methanol, dichloromethane (DCM), and dimethylformamide in order to obtain the best solvent system. These solutions are then electrospun at room temperature to produce micron-sized fibers. The variables examined in determining the optimal solution and electrospinning conditions are the solvent system used, the concentration of PBS and PBS-based random copolymer, applied voltage, flow rate, humidity, and the distance between the needle tip and the collector, all of which have a meaningful effect on the fiber morphology. Among the various solvents used, the DCM and the less toxic CHCl3 result in fewer bead defects among fibers. Besides, an increase in PBS and PBS-based random copolymer concentration determines the reduction of bead defects, which from 12 to 14 wt% results in bead-free uniform fibers, when suitable processing parameters are set. Promising results, which can pave the way for the production of membranes loaded with appropriate anticancer molecules for targeted biomedical applications, are obtained

The Circular Economy: What, Why, How and Where

This paper was prepared as a background document for an OECD/EC high-level expert workshop on “Managing the transition to a circular economy in regions and cities” held on 5 July 2019 at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, France. It sets a basis for reflection and discussion. The background paper should not be reported as representing the official views of the European Commission, the OECD or one of its member countries. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the author(s)

Genotyping-by-sequencing of a melon (Cucumis melo L.) germplasm collection from a secondary center of diversity highlights patterns of genetic variation and genomic features of different gene pool.

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the most important horticultural species, which includes several taxonomic groups. With the advent of next-generation sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers are widely used in the study of genetic diversity and genomics. Results: We report the first successful application of genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technology in melon. We detected 25,422 SNPs by the analysis of 72 accessions collected in Apulia, a secondary centre of diversity in Southern Italy. Analyses of genetic structure, principal components, and hierarchical clustering support the identification of three distinct subpopulations. One of them includes accessions known with the folk name of 'carosello', referable to the chate taxonomic group. This is one of the oldest domesticated forms of C. melo, once widespread in Europe and now exposed to the risk of genetic erosion. The second subpopulation contains landraces of 'barattiere', a regional vegetable production that was never characterized at the DNA level and we show was erroneously considered another form of chate melon. The third subpopulation includes genotypes of winter melon (C. melo var. inodorus). Genetic analysis within each subpopulation revealed patterns of diversity associated with fruit phenotype and geographical origin. We used SNP data to describe, for each subpopulation, the average linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay, and to highlight genomic regions possibly resulting from directional selection and associated with phenotypic variation. Conclusions: We used GBS to characterize patterns of genetic diversity and genomic features within C. melo. We provide useful information to preserve endangered gene pools and to guide the use of germplasm in breeding. Finally, our findings lay a foundation for molecular breeding approaches and the identification of genes underlying phenotypic traits