The application of gibberellic acid increases berry size of ‘Emperatriz’ seedless grape

Gibberellic acid (GA3) increases berry size of "Emperatriz" seedless grape, the response depending on the phenological stage of vine at treatment date and on the concentration applied. From berry fruit set to 21 days later, 80 mg/L GA3 increased commercial berry weight by 50%-90%, depending on the year, reaching similar size to that of "Aledo" seeded grape, used as comparison. This effect takes place through: a) a larger berry growth rate; b) an early glucose, fructose and sucrose uptake; c) an increase of absolute glucose and fructose content (mg/berry) of seedless berries up to similar values to those of seeded berries; and d) an increase of absolute berry water content but not of relative content to fresh weight, thus water potential and osmotic potential are not significantly modified by treatments. GA3 does not affect berry pericarp cell number but increases pericarp cell diameter

Factors affecting continued use of ceramic water purifiers distributed to Tsunami-affected Communities in Sri Lanka

Objectives  There is little information about continued use of point-of-use technologies after disaster relief efforts. After the 2004 tsunami, the Red Cross distributed ceramic water filters in Sri Lanka. This study determined factors associated with filter disuse and evaluate the quality of household drinking water. Methods  A cross-sectional survey of water sources and treatment, filter use and household characteristics was administered by in-person oral interview, and household water quality was tested. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model probability of filter non-use. Results  At the time of survey, 24% of households (107/452) did not use filters; the most common reason given was breakage (42%). The most common household water sources were taps and wells. Wells were used by 45% of filter users and 28% of non-users. Of households with taps, 75% had source water Escherichia coli in the lowest World Health Organisation risk category (<1/100 ml), vs. only 30% of households reporting wells did. Tap households were approximately four times more likely to discontinue filter use than well households. Conclusion  After 2 years, 24% of households were non-users. The main factors were breakage and household water source; households with taps were more likely to stop use than households with wells. Tap water users also had higher-quality source water, suggesting that disuse is not necessarily negative and monitoring of water quality can aid decision-making about continued use. To promote continued use, disaster recovery filter distribution efforts must be joined with capacity building for long-term water monitoring, supply chains and local production

Efficient quantum simulation of fermionic and bosonic models in trapped ions

We analyze the efficiency of quantum simulations of fermionic and bosonic models in trapped ions. In particular, we study the optimal time of entangling gates and the required number of total elementary gates. Furthermore, we exemplify these estimations in the light of quantum simulations of quantum field theories, condensed-matter physics, and quantum chemistry. Finally, we show that trapped-ion technologies are a suitable platform for implementing quantum simulations involving interacting fermionic and bosonic modes, paving the way for overcoming classical computers in the near future.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures. Published in EPJ Quantum Technolog

Constraints on the cosmic ray diffusion coefficient in the W28 region from gamma-ray observations

GeV and TeV gamma rays have been detected from the supernova remnant W28 and its surroundings. Such emission correlates quite well with the position of dense and massive molecular clouds and thus it is often interpreted as the result of hadronic cosmic ray interactions in the dense gas. Constraints on the cosmic ray diffusion coefficient in the region can be obtained, under the assumption that the cosmic rays responsible for the gamma ray emission have been accelerated in the past at the supernova remnant shock, and subsequently escaped in the surrounding medium. In this scenario, gamma ray observations can be explained only if the diffusion coefficient in the region surrounding the supernova remnant is significantly suppressed with respect to the average galactic one.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of "Journ\'ees de la SF2A 2010" Marseille 21-24 June 2010, 4 pages, 4 figure

The diffuse neutrino flux from the inner Galaxy: constraints from very high energy gamma-ray observations

Recently, the MILAGRO collaboration reported on the detection of a diffuse multi-TeV emission from a region of the Galactic disk close to the inner Galaxy. The emission is in excess of what is predicted by conventional models for cosmic ray propagation, which are tuned to reproduce the spectrum of cosmic rays observed locally. By assuming that the excess detected by MILAGRO is of hadronic origin and that it is representative for the whole inner Galactic region, we estimate the expected diffuse flux of neutrinos from a region of the Galactic disk with coordinates $-40^{\circ} < l < 40^{\circ}$. Our estimate has to be considered as the maximal expected neutrino flux compatible with all the available gamma ray data, since any leptonic contribution to the observed gamma-ray emission would lower the neutrino flux. The diffuse flux of neutrinos, if close to the maximum allowed level, may be detected by a km$^3$--scale detector located in the northern hemisphere. A detection would unambiguously reveal the hadronic origin of the diffuse gamma-ray emission.Comment: submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Has the Naturalistic Fallacy Refutation Truly Defeated Classical Natural Law Theory?

Este escrito considera y distingue dos objeciones que de ordinario se piensa que se dirigen contra una concepción ética realista: la falacia naturalista de G. E. Moore y la ley de Hume. Después de haber expuesto ambas objeciones, desplegado sus supuestos y consecuencias y respondido a todos ellos, concluye que es posible hoy sostener una ética realista. Se estructura a la manera de una cuestión disputada, dividida en seis artículos.This paper considers and distinguishes two objections which ordinarily are thought to oppose a realistic conception of ethics: G. E. Moore’s naturalistic fallacy and Hume’s law. After having presented both objections, having developed their presuppositions and consequences and having answered each of them, the paper concludes that it is possible to hold today a realistic conception of ethics. It is structured in the style of a disputed question, divided in six articles