Macro and microelements, lead, cadmium, functional compounds, antioxidant capacity in fresh, dry cocoa beans and cocoa paste

The cocoa bean and its by-products are widely consumed in the world, due to their mineral content, functional compounds and antioxidant capacity, which vary according to how its processed. Fresh dried cocoa beans (FDB), dry fermented beans (FB) and cocoa paste (CP) were investigated, 31 samples in each case. Phosphorus, sodium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, manganese, cadmium lead, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH) expressed in Trolox equivalents (TE) were determined. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used. The mineral analysis established that 12 samples influenced CP1 and CP2. There was more calcium in the M26 sample of FDB, with 3.14%; potassium in the FDB, in M13, with 2.44%. Zinc in the FDB, was found in greater quantity in M30, M22, M23 and M9; with 90.46 ± 0.19 ppm in M30. Twenty-five samples reached values ≤ 0.61 ± 0.01 ppm of cadmium. There was a higher lead content in the FDB, in the M20 sample with 3.44 ± 0.05 ppm. The M10 sample, from FDB, presented the highest antioxidant capacity, with values of 591.50 ± 3.76 (ABTS) and 513.68 ± 0.84 (DPPH) μM TE/g.The cocoa bean and its by-products are widely consumed in the world, due to their mineral content, functional compounds and antioxidant capacity, which vary according to how its processed. Fresh dried cocoa beans (FDB), dry fermented beans (FB) and cocoa paste (CP) were investigated, 31 samples in each case. Phosphorus, sodium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, manganese, cadmium lead, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, antioxidant capacity (ABTS, DPPH) expressed in Trolox equivalents (TE) were determined. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used. The mineral analysis established that 12 samples influenced CP1 and CP2. There was more calcium in the M26 sample of FDB, with 3.14%; potassium in the FDB, in M13, with 2.44%. Zinc in the FDB, was found in greater quantity in M30, M22, M23 and M9; with 90.46 ± 0.19 ppm in M30. Twenty-five samples reached values ≤ 0.61 ± 0.01 ppm of cadmium. There was a higher lead content in the FDB, in the M20 sample with 3.44 ± 0.05 ppm. The M10 sample, from FDB, presented the highest antioxidant capacity, with values of 591.50 ± 3.76 (ABTS) and 513.68 ± 0.84 (DPPH) μM TE/g

BrExit and foreign investment in the UK

We explore the likely effect of Brexit on inward foreign direct investment (FDI) through its possible effect on the benchmark variables that characterize the macroeconomy. For this we propose the use of a Markov regime switching structural vector auto-regression to distinguish between the volatile and stable states of the economy and account, among other effects, for the contemporaneous effects that the frequency of FDI innately generates. Our findings suggest that, if Brexit triggers a sterling depreciation in the current economic climate, this will fuel a prolonged negative effect on FDI. FDI flows may be positively affected (at most) by a sterling depreciation after Brexit only if this event drives the UK economy to a period of highly volatile growth, inflation, interest and exchange rates: a scenario that is rather unlikely. And, even then, the sterling depreciation benefits would last for only a short period of time

A combined XAS and XRD Study of the High-Pressure Behaviour of GaAsO4 Berlinite

Combined X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments have been carried out on GaAsO4 (berlinite structure) at high pressure and room temperature. XAS measurements indicate four-fold to six-fold coordination changes for both cations. The two local coordination transformations occur at different rates but appear to be coupled. A reversible transition to a high pressure crystalline form occurs around 8 GPa. At a pressure of about 12 GPa, the system mainly consists of octahedral gallium atoms and a mixture of arsenic in four-fold and six-fold coordinations. A second transition to a highly disordered material with both cations in six-fold coordination occurs at higher pressures and is irreversible.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX2

Concerning Order and Disorder in the Ensemble of Cu-O Chain Fragments in Oxygen Deficient Planes of Y-Ba-Cu-O

In connection with numerous X-ray and neutron investigations of some high temperature superconductors (YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{6+x}$ and related compounds) a non-trivial part of the structure factor, coming from partly disordered Cu-O-$\dots$-O-Cu chain fragments, situated within basal planes, CuO$_x$, can be a subject of theoretical interest. Closely connected to such a diffusive part of the structure factor are the correlation lengths, which are also available in neutron and X-ray diffraction studies and depend on a degree of oxygen disorder in a basal plane. The quantitative measure of such a disorder can be associated with temperature of a sample anneal, $T_q$, at which oxygen in a basal plane remains frozen-in high temperature equilibrium after a fast quench of a sample to room or lower temperature. The structure factor evolution with $x$ is vizualized in figures after the numerical calculations. The theoretical approach employed in the paper has been developed for the orthorhombic state of YBCO.Comment: Revtex, 27 pages, 14 PostScript figures upon request, ITP/GU/94/0

Seleção de variedade de mandioca para produção de biomassa no Semiárido Baiano.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial de produção de biomassa de sete variedades de mandioca no semiárido baiano. Foram avaliadas sete características agronômicas da parte aérea e raiz, utilizando delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Foram identificadas diferenças significativas entre as variedades para todas as características exceto para teor de matéria seca na parte aérea. Variações importantes foram identificadas para produtividade de raízes (8,17 a 19,79 t.ha-1), matéria fresca (9,36-15,89 t.ha-1) e seca da parte aérea (1,99-3,14 t.ha-1). Foi possível verificar o potencial das variedades BRS Verdinha, Isabel de Souza e Mani Branca para alta produção de biomassa da parte aérea, e das variedades BRS Amansa Burro, BRS Mulatinha e Izabel de Souza para alta produção de matéria seca nas raíze

On the stability of 2 \sqrt{2} x 2 \sqrt{2} oxygen ordered superstructures in YBa2Cu3O6+x

We have compared the ground-state energy of several observed or proposed " 2 \sqrt{2} x 2 \sqrt{2} oxygen (O) ordered superstructures " (from now on HS), with those of "chain superstructures" (CS) (in which the O atoms of the basal plane are ordered in chains), for different compositions x in YBa2Cu3O6+x. The model Hamiltonian contains i) the Madelung energy, ii) a term linear in the difference between Cu and O hole occupancies which controls charge transfer, and iii) covalency effects based on known results for $t-J$ models in one and two dimensions. The optimum distribution of charge is determined minimizing the total energy, and depends on two parameters which are determined from known results for x=1 and x=0.5. We obtain that on the O lean side, only CS are stable, while for x=7/8, a HS with regularly spaced O vacancies added to the x=1 structure is more stable than the corresponding CS for the same x. We find that the detailed positions of the atoms in the structure, and long-range Coulomb interactions, are crucial for the electronic structure, the mechanism of charge transfer, the stability of the different phases, and the possibility of phase separation.Comment: 24 text pages, Latex, one fig. included as ps file, to be publisheb in Phys. Rev.

Control of magnetic anisotropy by orbital hybridization in (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3)n/(SrTiO3)n superlattice

The asymmetry of chemical nature at the hetero-structural interface offers an unique opportunity to design desirable electronic structure by controlling charge transfer and orbital hybridization across the interface. However, the control of hetero-interface remains a daunting task. Here, we report the modulation of interfacial coupling of (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3)n/(SrTiO3)n superlattices by manipulating the periodic thickness with n unit cells of SrTiO3 and n unit cells La0.67Sr0.33MnO3. The easy axis of magnetic anisotropy rotates from in-plane (n = 10) to out-of-plane (n = 2) orientation at 150 K. Transmission electron microscopy reveals enlarged tetragonal ratio > 1 with breaking of volume conservation around the (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3)n/(SrTiO3)n interface, and electronic charge transfer from Mn to Ti 3d orbitals across the interface. Orbital hybridization accompanying the charge transfer results in preferred occupancy of 3d3z2-r2 orbital at the interface, which induces a stronger electronic hopping integral along the out-of-plane direction and corresponding out-of-plane magnetic easy axis for n = 2. We demonstrate that interfacial orbital hybridization in superlattices of strongly correlated oxides may be a promising approach to tailor electronic and magnetic properties in device applications