2,401 research outputs found
Pasta-making properties of the new durum wheat variety biensur suitable for the northern mediterranean environment
Industrial pasta is commonly made from mixtures of semolina from different durum wheat varieties, and there is a very low market presence of mono-varietal pasta from local, short supply chains. In this work, dough rheological properties and pasta quality traits of the new durum wheat cv. Biensur, which has a high HMW/LMW-GS ratio, were evaluated with a view to developing short-chain, mono-varietal pasta production in NE Italy. Chemical and sensory analyses on short-cut pasta, viz. tubetti, made with semolina from cv. Biensur at two drying temperatures revealed that it has good technological characteristics and stability, excellent cooking and sensory properties, and is comparable to the high-quality commercial reference cv. Aureo. We conclude that Biensur provides farmers and traders with new market opportunities and offers improvements to the environmental and economic sustainability of the durum wheat chain
Efficient Coherent Control by Optimized Sequences of Pulses of Finite Duration
Reliable long-time storage of arbitrary quantum states is a key element for
quantum information processing. In order to dynamically decouple a spin or
quantum bit from a dephasing environment, we introduce an optimized sequence of
control pulses of finite durations \tau\pp and finite amplitudes. The
properties of this sequence of length stem from a mathematically rigorous
derivation. Corrections occur only in order and \tau\pp^3 without
mixed terms such as T^N\tau\pp or T^N\tau\pp^2. Based on existing
experiments, a concrete setup for the verification of the properties of the
advocated realistic sequence is proposed.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur
Hidden order in bosonic gases confined in one dimensional optical lattices
We analyze the effective Hamiltonian arising from a suitable power series
expansion of the overlap integrals of Wannier functions for confined bosonic
atoms in a 1d optical lattice. For certain constraints between the coupling
constants, we construct an explicit relation between such an effective bosonic
Hamiltonian and the integrable spin- anisotropic Heisenberg model. Therefore
the former results to be integrable by construction. The field theory is
governed by an anisotropic non linear -model with singlet and triplet
massive excitations; such a result holds also in the generic non-integrable
cases. The criticality of the bosonic system is investigated. The schematic
phase diagram is drawn. Our study is shedding light on the hidden symmetry of
the Haldane type for one dimensional bosons.Comment: 5 pages; 1 eps figure. Revised version, to be published in New. J.
Phy
An algorithm for PWL approximations of nonlinear functions
In this report we provide some technical details for some of the results appeared in [Alessio et al.(2005)]. In the first section we provide the proof of continuity of the PPWA function computed with the ”squaring the circle” algorithm stated in ACC 06. Then, we analyze the complexity of the previous algorithm, in terms of the desired level of accuracy in the approximation of the PPWA function
New Insights on the Effects of Methylphenidate in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
This narrative review describes an overview of the multiple effects of methylphenidate (MPH) in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its potential neurobiological targets. It addressed the following aspects: 1) MPH effects on attention and executive functions in ADHD; 2) the relation between MPH efficacy and dopamine transporter gene (DAT) polymorphism; and 3) the role of MPH as an epigenetic modulator in ADHD. Literature analysis showed that MPH, the most commonly used psychostimulant in the therapy of ADHD, acts on multiple components of the disorder. Marked improvements in attentional and executive dysfunction have been observed in children with ADHD during treatment with MPH, as well as reductions in neurological soft signs. MPH efficacy may be influenced by polymorphisms in the DAT, and better responses to treatment were associated with the 10/10 genotype. Innovative lines of research have suggested that ADHD etiopathogenesis and its neuropsychological phenotypes also depend on the expression levels of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV). In particular, several studies have revealed that ADHD is associated with HERV-H over-expression and that MPH administration results in decreased expression levels of this retroviral family and a reduction in the main symptoms of the disorder. In conclusion, there is a confirmed role for MPH as an elective drug in the therapy of ADHD alone or in association with behavioral therapy. Its effectiveness can vary based on DAT polymorphisms and can act as a modulator of HERV-H gene expression, pointing to targets for a precision medicine approach
Crystal structure analyses facilitate understanding of synthesis protocols in the preparation of 6,6′-dibromo-substituted BINOL compounds
A combination of crystallographic and spectroscopic techniques has been used in order to address thorough purification protocols for a series of atropisomeric 1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diol (BINOL) derivatives to be used as building blocks for chiral nanoscale constructs
Optimized Dynamical Decoupling for Time Dependent Hamiltonians
The validity of optimized dynamical decoupling (DD) is extended to
analytically time dependent Hamiltonians. As long as an expansion in time is
possible the time dependence of the initial Hamiltonian does not affect the
efficiency of optimized dynamical decoupling (UDD, Uhrig DD). This extension
provides the analytic basis for (i) applying UDD to effective Hamiltonians in
time dependent reference frames, for instance in the interaction picture of
fast modes and for (ii) its application in hierarchical
DD schemes with pulses about two perpendicular axes in spin space. to
suppress general decoherence, i.e., longitudinal relaxation and dephasing.Comment: 5 pages, no figure
Micro-scale investigation of carbonation process in partially serpentinized peridotites
The carbonation of ultramafic rocks is, theoretically, the most efficient reaction to trap CO2 irreversibly in
the form of solid carbonates, as predicted by equilibrium thermodynamic calculations. However, the success
of industrial or natural carbonation in large ultramafic aquifers or oceanic ultramafic exposures does not only
rely on the thermodynamic conditions of chemical reactions, but also on their feedback effects on the reactive
surface area and on the local porosity and permeability. In addition, side processes like serpentinization, redox
reactions, abiotic catalytic effects, and biological activity, can be expected in such complex natural system. Their
occurrence and implications on carbon speciation and carbon transfers during hydrothermal alteration of oceanic
peridotites have not been explored yet and requires detailed study of natural and/or experimental carbonation zones.
We have combined petrographic and electron microscopy with SIMS, Raman and FTIR microspectroscopy
on partially serpentinized peridotites drilled during the IODP leg 304 (30
N, MAR) in order to characterize
the mechanisms of peridotite carbonation at the fluid-mineral interface and identify the associated speciation of
carbon (inorganic and organic carbon occurrences). We present first results on zones located close to talc-tremolite
sheared veins in holes 1309B and D. Associations of carbonates, porous phyllosilicates and oxides are observed
in close vicinity of relict olivines that underwent a previous stage of serpentinization. The olivine-carbonate
interface is nanoporous which facilitates mass transfer between fluid and mineral. The phyllosilicate identified as
saponite results from the metasomatic replacement, during the carbonation stage, of previously formed serpentine.
These observations do not favour reaction-induced cracking but rather a transfer-controlled process in an open
system. Among the submicrometric dark clusters widely-distributed in saponite and in serpentine, vibrational
microspectroscopy reveals the presence of various types of organic compounds that tend to be located close to
micrometric sulphides grains.
Those results underline the microscale variability of carbon speciation within hydrothermally altered peridotites. The association of reduced carbon phases with the carbonation texture suggests that CO2 conversion
may not be limited to solid carbonate formation in natural systems and that biological activity and/or abiotic
CO2 reduction, possibly catalyzed by Ni-rich sulphides, can occur contemporaneously. This complex association
of reactions has to be unravelled further to determine the respective contribution of abiotic versus biological
processes and integrate them in carbon transfers modelling through the oceanic lithosphere
Deep blue light amplification from a novel triphenylamine functionalized fluorene thin film
The development of high performance optically pumped organic lasers operating in the deep blue still remains a big challenge. In this paper, we have investigated the photophysics and the optical gain characteristics of a novel fluorene oligomer functionalized by four triphenylamine (TPA) groups. By ultrafast spectroscopy we found a large gain spectral region from 420 to 500 nm with a maximum gain cross-section of 1.5 × 10-16 cm2 which makes this molecule a good candidate for photonic applications. Amplified Spontaneous Emission measurements (ASE) under 150 fs and 3 ns pump pulses have revealed a narrow emission at 450 nm with a threshold of 5.5 μJcm-2 and 21 μJcm-2 respectively. Our results evidence that this new fluorene molecule is an interesting material for photonic applications, indeed the inclusion of TPA as a lateral substituent leads to a high gain and consequently to a low threshold blue organic ASE
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