Experimental demonstration of a mu=-1 metamaterial lens for magnetic resonance imaging

In this work a mu=-1 metamaterial (MM) lens for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is demonstrated. MRI uses surface coils to detect the radiofrequency(RF) energy absorbed and emitted by the nuclear spins in the imaged object. The proposed MM lens manipulates the RF field detected by these surface coils, so that the coil sensitivity and spatial localization is substantially improved. Beyond this specific application, we feel that the reported results are the experimental confirmation of a new concept for the manipulation of RF field in MRI, which paves the way to many other interesting applications.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Complementary Effect of Blending on the Volatile Composition of Albariño and Loureira White Wines (Vitis vinifera L.) from NW Spain

Albariño and Loureira are very valuables white cultivars from NW Iberian Peninsula (NW Spain and North Portugal). The purpose of the study was to know how blending affects the volatile composition of Albariño and Loureira white wines. Four Vitis vinifera white wines (Albariño, Loureira, Caiño Blanco and Godello) were blended at different proportions resulting in four wines, two two-wine blends (83:17 Albariño-Caiño Blanco and 50:50 Loureira-Caiño Blanco) and two three-wine blends (48:32:20 Albariño-Loureira-Caiño Blanco and 35:35:30 Loureira-Caiño Blanco-Godello). The blended wines were compared with Albariño and Loureira single-wines. Volatile composition of wines was evaluated by GC-MS to show the changes in aroma compounds of the blends respect to varietal Albariño and Loureira wines. The highest concentration of total volatiles was shown for Loureira and Albariño single-wines. However, blended wines, especially with Loureira, showed an increase of terpenes and C13-norisoprenoids concentration. Discriminant analysis (DA) showed C6-alcohols and phenol volatiles as the variables that most contributed to the differentiation between Albariño and blended wines, whereas terpenes and C13-norisoprenoids were those that contributed to the differentiation Loureira vs blended. To show the sensory influence of volatiles Odour Activity Value (OAV) was calculated, showing the superiority of Loureira single-wines aroma and 50:50 LO-CB blended wines vs Albariño and the other blended wines. The blended wines with high proportion of Loureira supposed wines richer in volatile compounds and increased of complexity aromatic of the wines

Domain wall description of superconductivity

In the present work we shall address the issue of electrical conductivity in superconductors in the perspective of superconducting domain wall solutions in the realm of field theory. We take our set up made out of a dynamical complex scalar field coupled to gauge field to be responsible for superconductivity and an extra scalar real field that plays the role of superconducting domain walls. The temperature of the system is interpreted through the fact that the soliton following accelerating orbits is a Rindler observer experiencing a thermal bath.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Latex. Version to appear in PL