Gluon saturation effects on J/Psi production in heavy ion collisions

We consider a novel mechanism for J/Psi production in nuclear collisions arising due to the high density of gluons. We calculate the resulting J/Psi production cross section as a function of rapidity and centrality. We evaluate the nuclear modification factor and show that the rapidity distribution of the produced J/Psi's is significantly more narrow in AA collisions due to the gluon saturation effects. Our results indicate that gluon saturation in the colliding nuclei is a significant source of J/Psi suppression that can be disentangled from the quark-gluon plasma effects.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures; v2: typos corrected; presentation improve

Life cycle approach to sustainability assessment : a case study of remanufactured alternators

Sustainability is an international issue with increasing concern and becomes a crucial driver for the industry in international competition. Sustainability encompasses the three dimensions: environment, society and economy. This paper presents the results from a sustainability assessment of a product. To prevent burden shifting, the whole life cycle of the products is necessary to be taken into account. For the environmental dimension, life cycle assessment (LCA) has been practiced for nearly 40 years and is the only one standardised by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (14040 and 14044). Life cycle approaches for the social and economic dimensions are currently under development. Life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) is a complementary implementation of the three techniques: LCA (environmental), life cycle costing (LCC - economic) and social LCA (SLCA - social). This contribution applies the state-of-the-art LCSA on remanufacturing of alternators aiming at supporting managers and product developers in their decision-making to design product and plant. The alternator is the electricity generator in the automobile vehicle which produces the needed electricity. LCA and LCC are used to assess three different alternator design scenarios (namely conventional, lightweight and ultra-lightweight). The LCA and LCC results show that the conventional alternator is the most promising one. LCSA of three different locations (Germany, India and Sierra Leone) for setting the remanufacturing mini-factory, a worldwide applicable container, are investigated on all three different sustainability dimensions: LCA, LCC and SLCA. The location choice is determined by the SLCA and the design alternatives by the LCA and LCC. The case study results show that remanufacturing potentially causes about 12% of the emissions and costs compared to producing new parts. The conventional alternator with housing of iron cast performs better in LCA and LCC than the lightweight alternatives with aluminium housing. The optimal location of remanufacturing is dependent on where the used alternators are sourced and where the remanufactured alternators are going to be used. Important measures to improve the sustainability of the remanufacturing process in life cycle perspective are to confirm if the energy efficiency of the remanufactured part is better than the new part, as the use phase dominates from an environmental and economical point of view. The SLCA should be developed further, focusing on the suitable indicators and conducting further case studies including the whole life cycle

Sol–Gel Microcapsulation in Silica-Based Particles: A Comparative Study

We compare the two main sol-gel/emulsion methods to prepare silica-based microparticles doped with actives. Moreover, we analyze the morphpology of the resulting particles varying also the nature of the organosilane, and the pH of the sol-gel process. Benzoyl peroxide was used as molecular dopant

SiNx:Tb3+--Yb3+, an efficient down-conversion layer compatible with a silicon solar cell process

SiN x : Tb 3+-Yb 3+, an efficient down-conversion layer compatible with silicon solar cell process Abstract Tb 3+-Yb 3+ co-doped SiN x down-conversion layers compatible with silicon Photovoltaic Technology were prepared by reactive magnetron co-sputtering. Efficient sensitization of Tb 3+ ions through a SiN x host matrix and cooperative energy transfer between Tb 3+ and Yb 3+ ions were evidenced as driving mechanisms of the down-conversion process. In this paper, the film composition and microstructure are investigated alongside their optical properties, with the aim of maximizing the rare earth ions incorporation and emission efficiency. An optimized layer achieving the highest Yb 3+ emission intensity was obtained by reactive magnetron co-sputtering in a nitride rich atmosphere for 1.2 W/cm${}^2$ and 0.15 W/cm${}^2$ power density applied on the Tb and Yb targets, respectively. It was determined that depositing at 200 {\textdegree}C and annealing at 850 {\textdegree}C leads to comparable Yb 3+ emission intensity than depositing at 500 {\textdegree}C and annealing at 600 {\textdegree}C, which is promising for applications toward silicon solar cells.Comment: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Elsevier, 201

Synthesis of heterogeneous enzyme-metal nanoparticle biohybrids in aqueous media and their applications in C-C bond formation and tandem catalysis

The straightforward synthesis of novel enzyme-metalNP nanobiohybrids in aqueous medium was developed. These new nanobiohybrids were excellent multivalent catalysts combining both activities in various sets of synthetic reactions even at ultra-low concentrations (ppb amount). © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.This research was supported by The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Authors thank European Community (FP7-MULTIFUN) for the contract of M.M.Peer Reviewe

Rennet paste from lambs fed a milk substitute supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus: effects on lipolysis in ovine cheese.

The present work was undertaken to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus supplementation of a milk substitute on the features of lamb rennet paste used for cheese making. Lipolysis in cheese manufactured with rennet paste from lambs receiving supplemented milk was also evaluated. Lambs were subjected to 3 different feeding regimens (mother suckling, MS; artificial rearing, AR; and artificial rearing with 7 log10 cfu/mL of Lb. acidophilus supplementation of the milk substitute, ARLb) and slaughtered at 20 and 40 d of age for each feeding treatment. Abomasa of the lambs were processed to rennet paste. Microbial loads, enzymatic activities (chymosin, pepsin, and lipases), and renneting characteristics of the lamb rennet paste were determined. Free fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids were detected in cheese at 60 d of ripening. Addition of 7 log10 cfu/mL of Lb. acidophilus to the milk substitute was carried out successfully. Total recovery of viable cells was recorded in milk supplied daily to the lambs in the ARLb group. The ARLb rennet had greater amounts of lactobacilli than did the MS or AR rennet, irrespective of the slaughter age of the lambs, and the ARLb rennet had higher concentrations of lactococci when lambs were slaughtered at 40 d of age. Chymosin and lipase activities were also higher in ARLb rennet than in MS or AR rennet from lambs slaughtered at an older age. Milk supplementation of ARLb lambs resulted in improved coagulating ability of the rennet and enhanced cheese lipolysis after 60 d of ripening. A reduction of all free fatty acids was observed in all cheeses when passing from 20 to 40 d of slaughter of the lambs. Conjugated linoleic acids were more abundant in ARLb cheeses at both 20 and 40 d. Therefore, supplementation of the milk substitute with Lb. acidophilus improved the enzymatic features of rennet and the healthful and nutritional characteristics of it the ovine cheese. Moreover, the addition of lactobacilli to the milk substitute made it possible to increase the slaughter age of lambs without detrimental effects on rennet characteristics

The molecular sources of reactive oxygen species in hypertension.

In both animal models and humans, increased blood pressure has been associated with oxidative stress in the vasculature, i.e. an excessive endothelial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may be both a cause and an effect of hypertension. In addition to NADPH oxidase, the best characterized source of ROS, several other enzymes may contribute to ROS generation, including nitric oxide synthase, lipoxygenases, cyclo-oxygenases, xanthine oxidase and cytochrome P450 enzymes. It has been suggested that also mitochondria could be considered a major source of ROS: in situations of metabolic perturbation, increased mitochondrial ROS generation might trigger endothelial dysfunction, possibly contributing to the development of hypertension. However, the use of antioxidants in the clinical setting induced only limited effects on human hypertension or cardiovascular endpoints. More clinical studies are needed to fully elucidate this so called "oxidative paradox" of hypertension