Chirality tubes along monopole trajectories

We classify the lattice by elementary 3-cubes which are associated to dual links occupied by, or free of monopoles. We then compute the quark condensate, the quark charge and the chiral density on those cubes. By looking at distributions we demonstrate that monopole trajectories carry considerably more chirality with respect to the free vacuum.Comment: LATTICE99(topology), 3 pages, eps figure

Chiral condensate, quark charge and chiral density

We study the topological and fermionic vacuum structure of four-dimensional QCD on the lattice by means of correlators of fermionic observables and topological densities. We show the existence of strong local correlations between the topological charge density and the quark condensate, charge and chiral density. By analysis of individual gauge configurations, we visualize that instantons (antiinstantons) carry positive (negative) chirality, whereas the quark charge density fluctuates in sign within instantons.Comment: LATTICE98(confine), 3 pages, 2 figure

Phonon engineering of atomic-scale defects in superconducting quantum circuits

Noise within solid-state systems at low temperatures, where many of the degrees of freedom of the host material are frozen out, can typically be traced back to material defects that support low-energy excitations. These defects can take a wide variety of microscopic forms, and for amorphous materials are broadly described using generic models such as the tunneling two-level systems (TLS) model. Although the details of TLS, and their impact on the low-temperature behavior of materials have been studied since the 1970s, these states have recently taken on further relevance in the field of quantum computing, where the limits to the coherence of superconducting microwave quantum circuits are dominated by TLS. Efforts to mitigate the impact of TLS have thus far focused on circuit design, material selection, and material surface treatment. In this work, we take a new approach that seeks to directly modify the properties of TLS through nanoscale-engineering. This is achieved by periodically structuring the host material, forming an acoustic bandgap that suppresses all microwave-frequency phonons in a GHz-wide frequency band around the operating frequency of a transmon qubit superconducting quantum circuit. For embedded TLS that are strongly coupled to the electric qubit, we measure a pronounced increase in relaxation time by two orders of magnitude when the TLS transition frequency lies within the acoustic bandgap, with the longest $T_1$ time exceeding $5$ milliseconds. Our work paves the way for in-depth investigation and coherent control of TLS, which is essential for deepening our understanding of noise in amorphous materials and advancing solid-state quantum devices.Comment: 11 + 25 pages, 4 + 22 figures, 6 tables; comments welcome

Un estudio comparativo de actuadores Piezoeléctricos y Magnetoestrictivos para estructuras inteligentes

[EN] This paper introduces a comparative analysis of Piezoelectric (PZ) and Magnetostrictive (MS) actuators as components in smart structures. There is an increasing interest in functional structures which are able to adapt to external or internal perturbations, i.e. changes in loading conditions or ageing. Actuator technologies must perform concomitantly as sensors and actuators to be applicable in smart structures. In this paper we will comparatively analyze the possibility of using PZ and MS actuators in smart structures and in so doing their capability to act concomitantly as sensors and of modifying their material characteristics. We will also focus on the analysis of how them can be integrated in structures and on the analysis of the most appropriate structures for each actuator. The operational performance of PZ (Stacks) and MS actuators will be compared and eventually some conclusions will be drawn.[ES] Este artículo presenta un estudio comparativo de actuadores Piezoeléctricos (PZ) y Magnetoestrictivos (MS) como elementos integrantes de estructuras inteligentes. Existe un interés creciente en estructuras activas que puedan adaptarse a perturbaciones tanto internas como externas, por ejemplo, ante cambios en carga estructural o ante su envejecimiento. Para que un actuador forme parte de una estructura inteligente, debe poder actuar también como sensor. Este artículo presenta un estudio comparativo del uso de actuadores PZ y MS en estructuras inteligentes y, como consecuencia, de su habilidad para actuar y medir simultáneamente así cómo para modificar sus características mecánicas. Nos centraremos también en el análisis de como pueden integrase en estructuras y cuales son las más indicadas para cada actuador. Se compararán las características operacionales de los actuadors PZ multicapa y los MS.Peer reviewe

Plasma-Functionalized Water: from Bench to Prototype for Fresh-Cut Lettuce

Fresh-cut produce like lettuce may contain a very high microbial load, including human pathogens. Therefore, the need for antimicrobial agents at post-harvest stages to mitigate microbial cross-contamination and growth is evident. Sanitation based on non-thermal plasma (NTP) reveals innovative food processing possibilities by application at different points along the food chain, for production, modification, and preservation, as well as in packaging of plant- and animal-based food. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of plasma-treated water (PTW) as antimicrobial process water additives for washing in fresh-cut lettuce processing. Antibacterial activities of PTW the natural occurring microflora of lettuce were examined. Different process variants of PTW application inside the washing process were investigated. Fresh-cut lettuce were investigated regarding microbiological safety and food quality. Samples were analyzed for antimicrobial and metabolic activity as well as metabolic vitality to prove food safety. The investigations for food quality included color and texture analyses and nitrate concentration detection in fresh tissue as well as microscopic measurements by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for tissue surface structure and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for cell organelle investigations. The application of PTW allowed up to 5 log10 cycle reduction, depending on the process variant and scale (lab and pilot scale). The increase of antimicrobial activity was accompanied by a reduction of metabolic activity, but not consequently by a decrease in metabolic vitality. Food quality was not affected by the use of PTW in the washing process of the fresh-cut lettuce. The promising results in color and texture were supported by the results of the microscopic assays. These promising results may lead to an industrial application of PTW as process water additive in fresh-cut produce processing to reduce the microbial load on the food surface and in addition in the process water or on food processing surfaces. © 2020, The Author(s)

Polymorphisms within Novel Risk Loci for Type 2 Diabetes Determine β-Cell Function

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes arises when insulin resistance-induced compensatory insulin secretion exhausts. Insulin resistance and/or beta-cell dysfunction result from the interaction of environmental factors (high-caloric diet and reduced physical activity) with a predisposing polygenic background. Very recently, genetic variations within four novel genetic loci (SLC30A8, HHEX, EXT2, and LOC387761) were reported to be more frequent in subjects with type 2 diabetes than in healthy controls. However, associations of these variations with insulin resistance and/or beta-cell dysfunction were not assessed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: By genotyping of 921 metabolically characterized German subjects for the reported candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we show that the major alleles of the SLC30A8 SNP rs13266634 and the HHEX SNP rs7923837 associate with reduced insulin secretion stimulated by orally or intravenously administered glucose, but not with insulin resistance. In contrast, the other reported type 2 diabetes candidate SNPs within the EXT2 and LOC387761 loci did not associate with insulin resistance or beta-cell dysfunction, respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The HHEX and SLC30A8 genes encode for proteins that were shown to be required for organogenesis of the ventral pancreas and for insulin maturation/storage, respectively. Therefore, the major alleles of type 2 diabetes candidate SNPs within these genetic loci represent crucial alleles for beta-cell dysfunction and, thus, might confer increased susceptibility of beta-cells towards adverse environmental factors

Association of obesity risk SNPs in PCSK1 with insulin sensitivity and proinsulin conversion

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prohormone convertase 1 is involved in maturation of peptides. Rare mutations in gene <it>PCSK1</it>, encoding this enzyme, cause childhood obesity and abnormal glucose homeostasis with elevated proinsulin concentrations. Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within this gene, rs6232 and rs6235, are associated with obesity. We studied whether these SNPs influence the prediabetic traits insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction, or glucose intolerance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We genotyped 1498 German subjects for SNPs rs6232 and rs6235 within <it>PCSK1</it>. The subjects were metabolically characterized by oral glucose tolerance test with glucose, insulin, proinsulin, and C-peptide measurements. A subgroup of 512 subjects underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The minor allele frequencies were 25.8% for SNP rs6235 and 6.0% for rs6232. After adjustment for sex and age, we found no association of SNPs rs6235 and rs6232 with BMI or other weight-related traits (all p ≥ 0.07). Both minor alleles, adjusted for sex, age, BMI and insulin sensitivity were associated with elevated AUC_proinsulinand AUC_proinsulin/AUC_insulin(rs6235: p_{additive model}≤ 0.009, effect sizes 8/8%, rs6232: p_{dominant model}≤ 0.01, effect sizes 10/21%). Insulin secretion was not affected by the variants (different secretion parameters, all p ≥ 0.08). The minor allele of SNP rs6232 was additionally associated with 15% higher OGTT-derived and 19% higher clamp-derived insulin sensitivity (p_dom≤ 0.0047), 4.5% lower HOMA_IR(p_dom= 0.02) and 3.5% lower 120-min glucose (p_dom= 0.0003) independently of BMI and proinsulin conversion. SNP rs6235 was not associated with parameters of glucose metabolism.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Like rare mutations in <it>PCSK1</it>, the more common variants tested determine glucose-stimulated proinsulin conversion, but not insulin secretion. In addition, rs6232, encoding the amino acid exchange N221D, influences insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis.</p

Influence of senescence on the differentiation of the ingredients of grain legume straw as a basis for the calculation of theoretical biogas potentials

Der Einsatz von Getreidekorn oder Mais als Substrat für die Biogasanlage wird durch das Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz (EEG) zukünftig schrittweise auf maximal 44 % begrenzt (EEG, 2017, § 39 h). Zusätzlich hierzu wird bei den meisten bestehenden und neuen Anlagen die Festvergütung entfallen, was eine weitere Herausforderung hinsichtlich der Wirtschaftlichkeit von Substraten darstellt. Koppelprodukte aus der Landwirtschaft stellen eine bisher weitestgehend ungenutzte, kostengünstige Alternative dar. Für einen erfolgreichen Einsatz von stroh­artigen und damit lignozellulosereichen Substraten in Biogasanlagen ist es jedoch notwendig, Daten zum Biogaspotential zu generieren. Den bisherigen hauptsäch­lichen Anbaureiz bei Körnerleguminosen stellt der Vorfruchtwert der Kultur dar (Zerhusen-Blecher et al., 2016). Die Nutzung dieses Koppelprodukts in Biogas­anlagen könnte einen zusätzlichen Anbaureiz schaffen und die Wirtschaftlichkeit von Körnerleguminosen verbessern. Um die Auswirkung der zunehmenden Seneszenz auf die Inhaltsstoffe des Strohs bei Körnerleguminosen zu prüfen, wurden jeweils drei Genotypen von Futter­erbsen Pisum sativum L. und Ackerbohnen Vicia faba L. in zwei Jahren, an zwei Standorten in vierfacher Wiederholung zu unterschiedlichen Terminen geerntet und als Stroh oder Strohsilage konserviert. Die Termine sollten die Zeitspanne von einer beginnenden Drusch­reife (BBCH 84 – 89), zur Druschreife (BBCH 89 – 94) und später Druschreife (BBCH 96 – 98) bis hin zur vollständigen Totreife (BBCH 99) abdecken. Die Untersuchung der Inhaltsstoffe umfasste den Rohprotein-, Hemizellulose-, Zellulose- und Ligningehalt nach van Soest. Anhand dieser Inhaltsstoffe wurden theoretische Biogaspotentiale berechnet. Die Untersuchungen ergaben bei beiden Arten eine Abnahme des Rohproteingehalts mit zunehmender Seneszenz. Bei den anderen Inhaltsstoffen gab es Unterschiede zwischen den Arten und Konser­vierungsverfahren. Der Hemizellulosegehalt lag, durch die Silierung abgebaut und zu organischen Säuren umgewandelt, bei den Silagen unterhalb der Gehalte im Stroh, trotz identischem Ausgangsmaterial. Insgesamt wurde eine Zunahme der Gerüstsubstanzen mit fortschreitender Seneszenz festgestellt. Die theoretischen Biogas­potentiale nahmen mit fortschreitender Seneszenz zu oder blieben davon unbeeinflusst. Es wurden Biogasausbeuten von etwa 530 l/kg TM und Methangasausbeuten von etwa 265 l/kg TM berechnet, dies entspricht etwa 75 % der Methangasausbeute von Silomais (Karpenstein-Machan, 2005). Die Sortenunterschiede waren bei den Gasausbeuten der Ackerbohnen gering, daher ist der Strohertrag ein wichtigerer Parameter für die Nutzung als Biogassubstrat. Bei den Ackerbohnen sind die Sorten Fuego und Tiffany zu empfehlen, da hier die Stroherträge gesichert höher waren als die der Sorte Taifun. Bei den Erbsen hatte die Sorte Respect einen höheren Stroh­ertrag und etwas höhere Gasausbeuten als die anderen Sorten, jedoch konnte diese Sorte nicht vollständig geprüft werden, weshalb keine Sortenempfehlung gegeben wird.The use of cereal grains or maize as substrate for the biogas plant will in future be gradually limited to a maximum of 44 % by the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG, 2017, § 39 h). In addition, the fixed payment will no longer apply to most existing plants and new plants, which represents a further challenge with regard to the economic efficiency of substrates. Co-products from agriculture represent a so far largely unused, cost-effective alternative. Up to now, the main motivation for growing grain legumes has been the preceding crop value of the crop (Zerhusen-Blecher et al., 2016). The use of this co-product in biogas plants could provide an additional cultivation inducement and improve the profitability of grain legumes. However, for a successful use of straw-like and thus lignocellulose-rich substrates in biogas plants it is necessary to generate data on the biogas potential. In order to test the effect of increasing senescence on straw ingredients in grain legumes, three genotypes each of field peas Pisum sativum L. and field beans Vicia faba L. were harvested at different dates and conserved as straw or straw silage in two years, at two locations with four repetitions. Harvesting dates should cover the period from beginning of threshing maturity (EC 84–89), to threshing maturity (EC 89–94) and later threshing matu­rity (EC 96–98) until complete dead maturity (EC 99). The examina­tion of the ingredients included the crude protein, hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin content accord­ing to van Soest. Based on these ingredients, theoretical biogas potentials were calculated. The investigations showed a decrease of the crude protein content with increas­ing senescence in both species. For the other ingredients, there were differences between the species and preservation methods. The hemicellulose content degraded by ensiling and converted to organic acids was lower in the silages than in the straw, despite the same starting material. Overall, an increase in the structural substances with progressive senescence was observed. The theoretical biogas potentials increased with pro­gressive senescence or remained unaffected by it. Biogas yields of about 530 l/kg DM and methane gas yields of about 265 l/kg DM were calculated, which is about 75 % of the methane gas yield of silage maize (Karpenstein-Machan, 2005). The differences in the gas yields of field bean varieties were small, therefore straw yield as a parameter for use as biogas substrate is more important. For field beans, the varieties Fuego and Tiffany are recommended, since the straw yields were significantly higher than those of the variety Taifun. For peas, the variety Respect had a higher straw yield and slightly higher gas yields than the other varieties, but this variety could not be completely tested, which is why no variety recommendation is given