Post-harvest Application of Methyl Jasmonate, 1-Methylcyclopropene and Salicylic Acid Elevates Health-promoting Compounds in Cold-stored ‘Kinnow’ Mandarin (Citrus nobilis Lour x C. deliciosa Tenora) Fruit

An investigation was carried out to evaluate the influence of the post-harvest application of different ethylene inhibitors viz., 1-methylcylcopropene (1-MCP; 500, 1000 and 1500 ppb), methyl jasmonates (MeJA; 1, 2 and 3 mM) and salicylic acid (SA; 1, 2 and 3 mM) on health-promoting compounds such as total phenols, total antioxidants, flavonoids, protein, total free amino acids and sugars in cold-stored ‘Kinnow’ mandarin fruit. The fruit were stored at 6 ± 1°C and 90 ± 5% RH for 75 days. Fruit treated with MeJA (1 mM), 1-MCP (1500 ppb) and SA (2 mM) maintained significantly highest levels of total phenols, total antioxidants activity, flavonoids, protein, total free amino acids and sugars as compared with the control. In conclusion the post-harvest application of MeJA (1 mM), 1-MCP (1500 ppb) and SA (2 mM) can be used to maintain the highest levels of these bioactive compounds in cold-stored ‘Kinnow’ mandarin fruit for up to 60 days

t→bWt \to b W in NonCommutative Standard Model

We study the top quark decay to b quark and W boson in the NonCommutative Standard Model (NCSM). The lowest contribution to the decay comes from the terms quadratic in the matrix describing the noncommutative (NC) effects while the linear term is seen to identically vanish because of symmetry. The NC effects are found to be significant only for low values of the NC characteristic scale.Comment: 11 page Latex file containing 2 eps figures (redrawn). More discussion included. To appear in PR

Social-ecological, motivational and volitional factors for initiating and maintaining physical activity in the context of HIV

Sport and exercise can have several health benefits for people living with HIV. These benefits can be achieved through different types of physical activity, adapting to disease progression, motivation and social-ecological options. However, physical activity levels and adherence to exercise are generally low in people living with HIV. At the same time, high drop-out rates in intervention studies are prevalent; even though they often entail more favourable conditions than interventions in the natural settings. Thus, in the framework of an intervention study, the present study aims to explore social-ecological, motivational and volitional correlates of South African women living with HIV with regard to physical activity and participation in a sport and exercise health promotion programme. The qualitative data was produced in the framework of a non-randomised pre-post intervention study that evaluated structure, processes and outcomes of a 10-week sport and exercise programme. All 25 participants of the programme were included in this analysis, independent of compliance. Data was produced through questionnaires, participatory group discussions, body image pictures, research diaries and individual semi-structured interviews. All participants lived in a low socioeconomic, disadvantaged setting. Hence, the psychological correlates are contextualised and social-ecological influences on perception and behaviour are discussed. The results show the importance of considering social-cultural and environmental influences on individual motives, perceptions and expectancies, the fear of disclosure and stigmatisation, sport and exercise-specific group dynamics and self-supporting processes. Opportunities and strategies to augment physical activity and participation in sport and exercise programmes in the context of HIV are discussed.Scopu

Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV

We present the first measurement of directed flow ($v_1$) at RHIC. $v_1$ is found to be consistent with zero at pseudorapidities $\eta$ from -1.2 to 1.2, then rises to the level of a couple of percent over the range $2.4 < |\eta| < 4$. The latter observation is similar to data from NA49 if the SPS rapidities are shifted by the difference in beam rapidity between RHIC and SPS. Back-to-back jets emitted out-of-plane are found to be suppressed more if compared to those emitted in-plane, which is consistent with {\it jet quenching}. Using the scalar product method, we systematically compared azimuthal correlations from p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions. Flow and non-flow from these three different collision systems are discussed.Comment: Quark Matter 2004 proceeding, 4 pages, 3 figure

Azimuthal anisotropy: the higher harmonics

We report the first observations of the fourth harmonic (v_4) in the azimuthal distribution of particles at RHIC. The measurement was done taking advantage of the large elliptic flow generated at RHIC. The integrated v_4 is about a factor of 10 smaller than v_2. For the sixth (v_6) and eighth (v_8) harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, contribution to the Quark Matter 2004 proceeding

All-optical switching and strong coupling using tunable whispering-gallery-mode microresonators

We review our recent work on tunable, ultrahigh quality factor whispering-gallery-mode bottle microresonators and highlight their applications in nonlinear optics and in quantum optics experiments. Our resonators combine ultra-high quality factors of up to Q = 3.6 \times 10^8, a small mode volume, and near-lossless fiber coupling, with a simple and customizable mode structure enabling full tunability. We study, theoretically and experimentally, nonlinear all-optical switching via the Kerr effect when the resonator is operated in an add-drop configuration. This allows us to optically route a single-wavelength cw optical signal between two fiber ports with high efficiency. Finally, we report on progress towards strong coupling of single rubidium atoms to an ultra-high Q mode of an actively stabilized bottle microresonator.Comment: 20 pages, 24 figures. Accepted for publication in Applied Physics B. Changes according to referee suggestions: minor corrections to some figures and captions, clarification of some points in the text, added references, added new paragraph with results on atom-resonator interactio

Strange Resonance Production in p+p and Au+Au Collisions at RHIC Energies

Resonance yields and spectra from elementary p+p and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} =$ 200 GeV from the STAR experiment at RHIC are presented and discussed in terms of chemical and thermal freeze-out conditions. Thermal models do not adequately describe the yields of the resonance production in central Au+Au collisions. The approach to include elastic hadronic interactions between chemical freeze-out and thermal freeze-out suggests a time of $\Delta \tau>$5 fm/c.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figures, proceedings of the Quark Matter 2004, in Oakland, California, to be published in Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physic

Identified particles at large transverse momenta in STAR in Au+Au collisions @ sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV

We report measurements of the ratios of identified hadrons (pi,K,p,Lambda) in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV as a function of both collision centrality and transverse momentum (p_T). Ratios of anti-baryon to baryon yields are independent of p_T within 2<p_T <6 GeV/c indicating that, for such a range, our measurements are inconsistent with theoretical pQCD calculations predicting a decrease due to a stronger contribution from valence quark scattering. For both strange and non-strange species, a strong baryon enhancement relative to meson yields is observed as a function of collision centrality in this intermediate p_T region, leading to p/pi and Lambda/K ratios greater than unity. The nuclear modification factor, R_cp (central relative to peripheral collisions), is used to illustrate the interplay between jet quenching and hadron production. The physics implications of these measurements are discussed with reference to different theoretical models.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Proceedings of Quark Matter 2004 Conference, Jan 2004, Oakland, USA. Submitted to Journal of Physics

High-pTp_{T} electron distributions in d+Au and p+p collisions at RHIC

We present preliminary measurements of electron and positron spectra in d+Au and p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV for $1.5 < p_{T} < 7.0$ GeV/c. These measurements were carried out using the STAR Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and the Barrel Electromagnetic calorimeter (EMC). Overall hadron rejection factors in the range of $10^{5}$ have been achieved. In this work we describe the measurement technique used to discriminate electrons from hadrons and compare the results for single electron spectra with Pythia based pQCD calculations for electrons from heavy-quark semi-leptonic decays.Comment: Quark Matter 2004 conference proceeding

Correlations and Fluctuations in STAR

We report measurements for the balance function, transverse momentum fluctuations, and net charge fluctuations from Au+Au collisions at 20, 130, and 200 GeV as well as p+p and d+Au collisions at 200 GeV using STAR at RHIC. For Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV, we observe a narrowing of the balance function in central collisions. We observe dynamic transverse momentum fluctuations at all incident energies. Observables related to transverse momentum fluctuations and net charge fluctuations are similar for peripheral Au+Au collisions and inclusive p+p collisions while central Au+Au collisions deviate significantly from HIJING predictions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Contribution to Quark Matter 2004 Proceeding