Influence of grape rot on the contents of sulfur binding compounds in wine after automated optical grape sorting

In the last years, climate change has played an important role in some wine growing regions because of the increasing hazard of different kinds of bunch rot. Botrytis cinerea is the most important kind of rot on grapes. Beside sensory effects, this rot can influence the content of yeast nutrients, e.g. thiamine, in the must and thus affect the alcoholic fermentation. To get insight into the influence of Botrytis cinerea on the content of sulfur binding compounds formed during the fermentation process in wine, tons of grapes from the Mosel valley were sorted by an automated optical grape sorter, an innovative possibility of grape sorting, in 2011. Wine samples before sulfurisation of the four sorting fractions, namely control (unsorted berries), free-run (juice from opened berries), positive (healthy, intact berries) and negative (rotten berries) were analysed for the sulfur-binding compounds acetaldehyde, pyruvic acid, 2-oxoglutaric acid and for bound sulfur dioxide. The results show that acetaldehyde concentrations were not affected by rot, while pyruvic acid and 2-oxoglutaric acid levels were significantly higher in the negative fractions and lower in the positive fractions. Accordingly, bound sulfur levels were significantly higher in wines from the negative fraction. In conclusion, it could be shown that fractionation of the berries can efficiently help to reduce sulfur binding compounds in wine and thus reduce the addition of sulfur dioxide

Electrically Switchable Photonic Molecule Laser

We have studied the coherent intercavity coupling of the evanescent fields of the whispering gallery modes of two terahertz quantum-cascade lasers implemented as microdisk cavities. The electrically pumped single-mode operating microcavities allow to electrically control the coherent mode coupling for proximity distances of the cavities up to 30-40 \mu\m. The optical emission of the strongest coupled photonic molecule can be perfectly switched by the electrical modulation of only one of the coupled microdisks. The threshold characteristics of the strongest coupled photonic molecule demonstrates the linear dependence of the gain of a quantum-cascade laser on the applied electric field.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Subsurface life can modify volatile cycling on a planetary scale

The past decade of environmental microbiology has revealed that subsurface environments, both marine and continental, harbor one of the largest ecosystems of our planet, with diversity and biomass rivaling those of the surface. In addition, subsurface life has been recently shown to contribute significantly to the planet’s biogeochemistry, with microbial activity potentially playing an important role in controlling the flux and composition of volatiles recycled between the Earth’s surface and interior, which has broad implications for the search for life beyond our planet. Current efforts to discover extraterrestrial life are focused on planetary bodies with largely inhospitable surfaces, such as Mars, Venus, Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. In these locations, subsurface environments might provide niches of habitability, making the study of deep microbial life a priority for future astrobiological missions. Understanding how volatile elements are exchanged between planetary surfaces and interiors and the role of a subsurface biosphere in altering their composition and flux might provide a tractable target for defining planetary habitability and the detection of subsurface life forms.Fil: Giovanelli, D.. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; Italia. Tokyo Institute of Technology; Japón. Rutgers University; Estados Unidos. Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Italia. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Estados UnidosFil: Barry, P. H.. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Estados UnidosFil: Bekaert, D. V.. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution; Estados UnidosFil: Chiodi, Agostina Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Cordone, A.. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; ItaliaFil: Covone, G.. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica; Italia. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; ItaliaFil: Jessen, G.. Universidad Austral de Chile; ChileFil: Lloyd, K.. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: de Moor, J. M.. Universidad Nacional; Costa RicaFil: Morrison, S. M.. Carnegie Institution For Science; Estados UnidosFil: Schrenk, M. O.. Michigan State University; Estados UnidosFil: Vitale Brovarone, A.. Alma Mater Studiorum Universit`a Di Bologna; Italia. Sorbonne University; Francia. Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle; Franci

Microcavity-integrated graphene photodetector

There is an increasing interest in using graphene (1, 2) for optoelectronic applications. (3-19) However, because graphene is an inherently weak optical absorber (only ≈2.3% absorption), novel concepts need to be developed to increase the absorption and take full advantage of its unique optical properties. We demonstrate that by monolithically integrating graphene with a Fabry-Pérot microcavity, the optical absorption is 26-fold enhanced, reaching values >60%. We present a graphene-based microcavity photodetector with responsivity of 21 mA/W. Our approach can be applied to a variety of other graphene devices, such as electro-absorption modulators, variable optical attenuators, or light emitters, and provides a new route to graphene photonics with the potential for applications in communications, security, sensing and spectroscopy

Measurement of the CP Violation Parameter sin(2phi_1) in B^0_d Meson Decays

We present a measurement of the Standard Model CP violation parameter sin(2phi_1) based on a 10.5 fb^{-1} data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e+e- collider. One neutral B meson is reconstructed in the J/psi K_S, psi(2S) K_S, chi_{c1} K_S, eta_c K_S, J/psi K_L or J/psi pi^0 CP-eigenstate decay channel and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its charged particle decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time interval between the two B-meson decay points, we determine sin(2phi_1) = 0.58 +0.32-0.34 (stat) +0.09-0.10 (syst).Comment: LaTex, 13 pages, 3 figures, submitted to P.R.

Measurement of Inclusive Production of Neutral Pions from Upsilon(4S) Decays

Using the Belle detector operating at the KEKB e+e- storage ring, we have measured the mean multiplicity and the momentum spectrum of neutral pions from the decays of the Upsilon(4S) resonance. We measure a mean of 4.70 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.22 neutral pions per Upsilon(4S) decay.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figs. Submitted to Phys.Rev.

Charmless Hadronic Two-Body B Meson Decays

We report the results of a study of two-body B meson decays to the complete set of K pi, pi pi, and K K final states. The study is performed on a data sample of 31.7 +/- 0.3 million B B-bar events recorded on the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the Belle experiment at KEKB. We observe significant signals in all K pi final states and in the pi+ pi- and pi+ pi0 final states. We set limits on the pi0 pi0 and K K final states. A search is performed for partial-rate asymmetries between conjugate states for flavor-specific final states.Comment: Submitted to PR

Production of Prompt Charmonia in e+e−e^+e^- Annihilation at s≈10.6\sqrt{s}\approx 10.6 GeV

The production of prompt $J/\psi$, $\psi(2S)$, $\chi_{c1}$ and $\chi_{c2}$ is studied using a $32.4 fb^{-1}$ data sample collected with the Belle detector at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ and 60 MeV below the resonance. The yield of prompt $J/\psi$ mesons in the $\Upsilon(4S)$ sample is compatible with that of continuum production; we set an upper limit ${\cal B}(\Upsilon(4S) \to J/\psi X) < 1.9 \times 10^{-4}$ at the 95% confidence level, and find $\sigma(e^{+}e^{-} \to J/\psi X)=1.47\pm 0.10 \pm 0.13$ pb. The cross-sections for prompt $\psi(2S)$ and direct $J/\psi$ are measured. The $J/\psi$ momentum spectrum, production angle distribution and polarization are studied.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

Observation of Large CP Violation in the Neutral B Meson System

We present a measurement of the Standard Model CP violation parameter sin 2phi_1 based on a 29.1 fb^{-1} data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. One neutral B meson is fully reconstructed as a J/psi Ks, psi(2S) Ks, chi_c1 Ks, eta_c Ks, J/psi K_L or J/psi K^{*0} decay and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points, we determine sin 2phi_1 = 0.99 +- 0.14(stat) +- 0.06(syst). We conclude that we have observed CP violation in the neutral B meson system.Comment: 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Letter

Observation of B+- -> omega K+- Decay

We report the first observation of the charmless two-body mode $B^{\pm} \to \omega K^{\pm}$ decay, and a new measurement of the branching fraction for the $B^{\pm} \to \omega \pi^{\pm}$ decay. The measured branching fractions are ${\cal B} (B^{\pm} \to \omega K^{\pm}) = (9.2{}^{+2.6}_{-2.3}\pm 1.0) \times 10^{-6}$ and ${\cal B} (B^{\pm} \to \omega \pi^{\pm}) = (4.2{}^{+2.0}_{-1.8}\pm 0.5) \times 10^{-6}$. %and we set 90% confidence level upper limits of %${\cal B} (B^- \to \omega \pi^-) < 8.1\times 10^{-6}$. We also measure the partial rate asymmetry of $B^{\pm}\to\omega K^{\pm}$ decays and obtain ${\cal A}_{CP} = -0.21 \pm 0.28 \pm 0.03$. The results are based on a data sample of 29.4 fb$^{-1}$ collected on the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance by the Belle detector at the KEKB $e^{+} e^{-}$ collider.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, resubmitted to Phys. Rev. Let