On the applicability of the classical dipole-dipole interaction for polar Bose-Einstein condensates

We argue that the classical form of the dipole-dipole interaction energy cannot be used to model the interaction of the bosons in a dilute Bose-Einstein condensate made of polar atoms. This fact is due to convergence of integrals, if no additional restrictions are introduced. The problem can be regularized, in particular, by introducing a hard sphere model. As an example we propose a regularization consistent with the long range behavior of the effective potential and with the scattering amplitude of the fast particles.Comment: submitted to Phys. Re

Wetland restoration and nitrate reduction: the example of the periurban wetland of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country, North Spain)

Changes in land use and agricultural intensification caused wetlands on the quaternary aquifer of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country) to disappear some years ago and nitrate concentration in groundwaters increased very quickly. The Basque Government recently declared the East Sector of this aquifer a Vulnerable Zone according to the 91/676/CEE European Directive. Recently, the wetlands have been restored through the closure of the main drainage ditches, the consequent elevation of the water table and the abondonment of agricultural practices near the wetlands. This is the case of the Zurbano wetland. Restoration has allowed the recovery of its biogeochemical function, which has reduced nitrate concentrations in waters. Nitrate concentrations which exceed 50 mg l–1 in groundwaters entering into the wetland are less than 10 mg l–1 at the outlet. Conditions in the wetland are conducive to the loss of nitrates: organic matter rich wetted soils, clay presence allowing a local semiconfined flow and very low hydraulic gradient. Water quality monitoring at several points around the wetland showed the processes involved in nitrate loss, although some aspects still remain unresolved. However, during storm events, the wetland effectively reduces the nitrate concentration entering the Alegria River, the most important river on the quaternary aquifer

Actividades de ocio-tiempo libre y paseo fuera del hogar en ancianos de la provincia de Guadalajara

ObjetivoConocer cuáles son las actividades de ocio-tiempo libre y paseo diario en ancianos de la provincia de Guadalajara, en la hipótesis que éstas son susceptibles de mejorarse.DiseñoSe trata de un estudio descriptivo, transversal, de base poblacional.EmplazamientoEfectuado en el ámbito comunitario, en el marco de la atención primaria.ParticipantesPersonas mayores de 65 años, sin deterioro cognitivo y residentes en la comunidad, seleccionados de modo aleatorio a partir de bases de datos poblacionales. La muestra finalmente estudiada está compuesta en el medio rural por 192 varones y 196 mujeres. En el medio urbano por 172 varones y 220 mujeres.IntervencionesCada persona era entrevistada en su domicilio o en el centro de salud según sus preferencias mediante cuestionario, previamente sometido a estudio de estabilidad en las respuestas mediante coeficiente kappa test-retest. Efectuamos cribado de deterioro cognitivo mediante test de Pfeiffer.Resultados principalesCaminan menos de media hora al día en el medio rural un 43,6% (IC, 38,6-48,7) de los ancianos y el 34,4% (IC, 29,8-39,4) en el medio urbano. En el caso de los varones, un 24,7% (IC, 20,4-29,6) y en las mujeres el 51,4% (IC, 46,5-56,3). Las diferencias son significativas en ambos casos. No tienen aficiones en el medio rural un 12,1% (IC, 9,1-15,9) de los ancianos y el 9,4% (IC, 6,8-12,9) en el urbano. En el caso de los varones, un 11,3% (8,3-15,1) y el 10,1% (IC, 7,5-13,5) en las mujeres. No existen diferencias significativas.ConclusionesEs necesario fomentar las actividades de ocio-tiempo libre, pero sobre todo el paseo diario superior a media hora en las personas mayores de 65 años de la provincia de Guadalajara.ObjectiveTo find out what elderly people in the province of Guadalajara do in their leisure/free time and daily walking, in the supposition that these can be improved.DesignThis was a descriptive, crossover study based on a population-group.SettingAt community level, in the primary care context.ParticipantsPeople over 65 without cognitive deterioration and resident in the community, selected at random on the basis of population data bases. The sample finally studied was made up of 192 men and 196 women from the country-side, and 172 men and 220 women from an urban background.InterventionsEveryone was interviewed at home or the health centre according to their preferences through a questionnaire, which had undergone a stability study of the replies beforehand through the kappa test-retest coefficient. We screened cognitive deterioration through the Pfeiffer test.Main resultsIn the country, 43.6% of elderly people (CI: 38.6-48.7) walked under half an hour a day; in the urban context, 34.4% (CI: 29.8-39.4) did so. 24.7% of men (CI: 20.4-29.6) did so; and 51.4% of women (CI: 46.5-56.3). The differences were significant in the two cases. 12.1% (CI: 9.1-15.9) of elderly people in the country had no hobbies, and 9.4% (CI: 6.8-12.9) in the town. Among men and women, this broke down as 11.3% (CI: 8.3-15.1) and 10.1% (CI: 7.5-13.5), respectively. There were no significant differences.ConclusionsLeisure and free time activities among people over 65 in the province of Guadalajara must be fostered; but above all a daily walk for over half an hour must be encouraged

Impact of power ultrasound on the quality of fruits and vegetables during dehydration

Trabajo presentado en el 2015 International Congress on Ultrasonics, celebrado los días 10 a 14 de mayo de 2015 en Metz, FranciaTo date, most of dehydrated vegetables and fruits are obtained by convection preceded or not by a pre-treatment. In general, their quality is low due to the physical modi- fications, loss of vitamins, polyphenols and carbohydrates and Maillard reaction (MR). MR can originate a remarkable loss of nutritional value due to the involvement of lysine. To improve the final quality of these products, one of the alternatives is the application of power ultrasound (US). US produces mechanical effects, such as cavitation, microstream and formation of microscopic channels which facilitate the mass transport and so, the removal of water from the food. The synergistic effect of US and temperature allows carrying out dehydration at low temperatures and short times. In the present work, the influence of power US on the quality of fruits and vegetables during the pre-treatment and drying was evaluated. Chemical indicators such as pectinmethyl esterase and peroxidase enzymes, vitamin C, carbohydrates, proteins, polyphenols and 2-furoylmethylamino acids was studied. In addition, rehydration capacity, leaching losses, shrinkage and organoleptic characteristics of the final product was assessed. During blanching, similar leaching losses and enzyme inactivation were found in low temperature and prolonged conventional treatments and in US processes, but with a significant reduction in the time for the latter. Application of US in the drying of carrots and strawberries provided high-quality end-products. The quality was better as compared to marketed products and superior or equivalent to samples obtained in a convective dryer, and, in some indicators, similar to that of freeze-dried samples.Peer reviewe

Impact of power ultrasound on chemical and physicochemical quality indicators of strawberries dried by convection

[EN] A study on the quality parameters of strawberries dehydrated by convection assisted by power ultrasound (US) at 40 70 C and 30 and 60W has been carried out for the first time. In general, the quality of US-treated samples was higher than that of commercial samples. Even under the most severe conditions used (US at 70 C and 60 W), high values of vitamin C retention (>65%) and scarce advance of Maillard reaction (2-furoylmethyl derivatives of Lys and Arg < 90 mg 100 g 1 protein) were observed. Rehydration ratio was not affected by the power applied and the obtained values were similar to those of convectively-treated samples. According to the results here presented, US is a suitable example of an emerging and environmentally friendly technology that accelerates convective drying, allowing the obtainment of dried strawberries with premium quality.This work has been funded by Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain and ERDF (FEDER) (Project DPI2012-37466-C03-03), Fun-c-Food (CSD2007-00063 Consolider-INGENIO 2010), CYTED IBEROFUN (P109AC0302) and Comunidad de Valencia, Project PROMETEO/2010/062. J.G.S. also thanks CSIC and the EU for a predoctoral JAE grant. A.C.S. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for a Ramon y Cajal contract.Gamboa-Santos, J.; Montilla, A.; Cortijo Soria, A.; Cárcel Carrión, JA.; García Pérez, JV.; Villamiel, M. (2014). Impact of power ultrasound on chemical and physicochemical quality indicators of strawberries dried by convection. Food Chemistry. 161:40-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.03.106S404616

Diseño y avalúo de campañas de educación ambiental: El caso de la Cuenca hidrográfica del Río Grande de Añasco

Tanto la literatura académica, como el discurso público, promueven los proyectos de educación ambiental como fundamentales para el manejo sustentable de los recursos. Usualmente se entiende que generan comportamientos conservacionistas (“best management practices”) en la comunidad y aumentan la participación ciudadana en los procesos de toma de decisiones ambientales (por ejemplo, vistas públicas). Sin embargo, a pesar de que los proyectos de educación ambiental se han multiplicado en las últimas décadas, el estado de recursos clave, como el agua, ha ido en constante deterioro, tanto en Puerto Rico, como en el mundo. Este artículo propone que deficiencias en el diseño, implementación y avalúo de las campañas educativas influyen directamente en su efectividad. A través de la descripción del proceso de diseño, producción y avalúo de una campaña de educación y concienciación sobre la cuenca hidrográfica del Río Grande de Añasco, Puerto Rico, proveemos un modelo que ha probado ser exitoso para la creación, desarrollo, implementación y prueba de campañas de educación ambiental

Heterozygosity decrease in wild boar mating system. A case of outbreeding avoidance?

In sexually reproducing organisms, the specific combinations of parental alleles can have important consequences on offspring viability and fitness. Accordingly, genetic relationship between mates can be used as a criterion for mate choice. Here, we used microsatellite genetic markers to estimate the genetic relationship between mating pairs in the wild boar, Sus scrofa. Males, females and foetuses proceeding from Portugal, Spain and Hungary were genotyped using 14 microsatellite markers. The genetic relationship between mates was estimated using different measures of foetus heterozygosity. We found that the observed heterozygosity of foetuses was lower than that expected under random mating. This result occurred mainly when Sd2 (relatedness of parental genomes) was used as the heterozygosity measure. After simulations, we concluded that the observed low heterozygosity was possibly due to outbreeding avoidance. Outbreeding avoidance based on genetically different genomes might play an important role in species evolution and its genetic conservation

Clínica jurídica, una forma de aprendizaje-servicio para la protección de Derechos humanos

[spa] El artículo explica los primeros pasos dados en el desarrollo del proyecto "Clínica jurídica: una forma de aprendizaje-servicio para la protección de derechos humanos" en la Universidad de Valladolid, cuyo principal objetivo consiste en la formación de juristas socialmente comprometidos.[eng] The paper explains the first steps given on the development of the Project “Clínica jurídica: una forma de aprendizaje-servicio para la protección de derechos humanos“ at the University of Valladolid which main aim would be a social engaged lawyers training

"Supersolid" self-bound Bose condensates via laser-induced interatomic forces

We show that the dipole-dipole interatomic forces induced by a single off-resonant running laser beam can lead to a self-bound pencil-shaped Bose condensate, even if the laser beam is a plane-wave. For an appropriate laser intensity the ground state has a quasi-one dimensional density modulation --- a Bose "supersolid".Comment: 4 pages, 3 eps figure

Lattice Green's function approach to the solution of the spectrum of an array of quantum dots and its linear conductance

In this paper we derive general relations for the band-structure of an array of quantum dots and compute its transport properties when connected to two perfect leads. The exact lattice Green's functions for the perfect array and with an attached adatom are derived. The expressions for the linear conductance for the perfect array as well as for the array with a defect are presented. The calculations are illustrated for a dot made of three atoms. The results derived here are also the starting point to include the effect of electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions on the transport properties of quantum dot arrays. Different derivations of the exact lattice Green's functions are discussed