Mariner Mars 1971 spacecraft destruct unit

Shaped charge destruct unit for Mariner Mars 1971 spacecraf

The anomaly-induced effective action and natural inflation

The anomaly-induced inflation (modified Starobinsky model) is based on the application of the effective quantum field theory approach to the Early Universe. We present a brief general review of the model and show that it does not require a fine-tuning for the parameters of the theory or initial data, gives a real chance to meet a graceful exit to the FRW phase and also has positive features with respect to the metric perturbations.Comment: Invited talk at the International Workshop on Astroparticle and High Energy Physics, October 14 - 18, 2003, Valencia, Spai

On the Running of the Cosmological Constant in Quantum General Relativity

We present arguments that show what the running of the cosmological constant means when quantum general relativity is formulated following the prescription developed by Feynman.Comment: 5 page

Universal hydrophilic coating of thermoplastic polymers currently used in microfluidics

A number of materials used to fabricate disposable microfluidic devices are hydrophobic in nature with water contact angles on their surface ranging from 80 to over 100. This characteristic makes them unsuitable for a number of microfluidic applications. Both the wettability and analyte adsorption parameters are highly dependent on the surface hydrophobicity. In this article, we propose a general method to coat the surface of five materials: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This fast and robust process, which is easily implementable in any laboratory including microfabrication clean room facilities, was devised by combining gas-phase and wet chemical modification processes. Two different coatings that improve the surface hydrophilicity were prepared via the "dip and rinse" approach by immersing the plasma oxidized materials into an aqueous solution of two different poly(dimethylacrylamide) copolymers incorporating a silane moiety and functionalized with either N-acryloyloxysuccinimide (NAS) (poly(DMA-NAS-MAPS) or glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) (poly(DMA-GMA-MAPS). The coating formation was confirmed by contact angle (CA) analysis comparing the variation of CAs of uncoated and coated surfaces subjected to different aging treatments. The antifouling character of the polymer was demonstrated by fluorescence and interferometric detection of proteins adsorbed on the surafce. This method is of great interest in microfluidics due to its broad applicability to a number of materials with varying chemical compositions

Continuous spectra in high-harmonic generation driven by multicycle laser pulses

We present observations of the emission of XUV continua in the 20-37 eV region by high harmonic generation (HHG) with $4$-$7\ \mathrm{fs}$ pulses focused onto a Kr gas jet. The underlying mechanism relies on coherent control of the relative delays and phases between individually generated attosecond pulse, achievable by adjusting the chirp of the driving pulses and the interaction geometry. Under adequate negative chirp and phase matching conditions, the resulting interpulse interference yields a continuum XUV spectrum, which is due to both microscopic and macroscopic (propagation) contributions. This technique opens the route for modifying the phase of individual attosecond pulses and for the coherent synthesis of XUV continua from multicycle driving laser pulses without the need of an isolated attosecond burst.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to Physical Review

Geographic variability in the grey mullet Mugil cephalus: preliminary results of mtDNA and chromosome analyses

The grey mullet, Mugil cephalus, plays an important role in the fisheries and aquaculture of tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This species is considered cosmopolitan, but its distribution appears peculiar with regard to the coastal ecology of the species. A multidisciplinary study of the geographic variability of this species, through a cytogenetic, molecular and morphometric characterization, was undertaken to detect whether genetically distinct populations occur. The preliminary results from analyses of mitochondrial DNA and of chromosomes of seven different populations around the world are reported. The different populations analysed are well discriminated by mtDNA analyses: samples are clustered in four groups, Mediterranean, East Atlantic, Central Pacific and East Pacific, with a maximum sequence divergence of 3.3%. The karyotype of all the populations studied is uniformly composed of 48 acrocentric chromosomes, and neither heterochromatin distribution nor nucleolus organizer regions allow the identification of chromosomal markers useful in distinguishing these genetically differentiated groups of populations. © 1993

Sour Beer as Bioreservoir of Novel Craft Ale Yeast Cultures

: The increasing demand for craft beer is driving the search for novel ale yeast cultures from brewing-related wild environments. The focus of bioprospecting for craft cultures is to identify feral yeasts suitable to imprint unique sensorial attributes onto the final product. Here, we integrated phylogenetic, genotypic, genetic, and metabolomic techniques to demonstrate that sour beer during aging in wooden barrels is a source of suitable craft ale yeast candidates. In contrast to the traditional lambic beer maturation phase, during the aging of sour-matured production-style beer, different biotypes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae dominated the cultivable in-house mycobiota, which were followed by Pichia membranifaciens, Brettanomyces bruxellensis, and Brettanomyces anomalus. In addition, three putative S. cerevisiae × Saccharomyces uvarum hybrids were identified. S. cerevisiae feral strains sporulated, produced viable monosporic progenies, and had the STA1 gene downstream as a full-length promoter. During hopped wort fermentation, four S. cerevisiae strains and the S. cerevisiae × S. uvarum hybrid WY213 exceeded non-Saccharomyces strains in fermentative rate and ethanol production except for P. membranifaciens WY122. This strain consumed maltose after a long lag phase, in contrast to the phenotypic profile described for the species. According to the STA1+ genotype, S. cerevisiae partially consumed dextrin. Among the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by S. cerevisiae and the S. cerevisiae × S. uvarum hybrid, phenylethyl alcohol, which has a fruit-like aroma, was the most prevalent. In conclusion, the strains characterized here have relevant brewing properties and are exploitable as indigenous craft beer starters

Absolute properties of the binary system BB Pegasi

We present a ground based photometry of the low-temperature contact binary BB Peg. We collected all times of mid-eclipses available in literature and combined them with those obtained in this study. Analyses of the data indicate a period increase of 3.0(1) x 10^{-8} days/yr. This period increase of BB Peg can be interpreted in terms of the mass transfer 2.4 x 10^{-8} Ms yr^{-1} from the less massive to the more massive component. The physical parameters have been determined as Mc = 1.42 Ms, Mh = 0.53 Ms, Rc = 1.29 Rs, Rh = 0.83 Rs, Lc = 1.86 Ls, and Lh = 0.94 Ls through simultaneous solution of light and of the radial velocity curves. The orbital parameters of the third body, that orbits the contact system in an eccentric orbit, were obtained from the period variation analysis. The system is compared to the similar binaries in the Hertzsprung-Russell and Mass-Radius diagram.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, accepted for Astronomical Journa

Cardiac allograft systolic function. Is the aetiology (ischaemic or idiopathic) a determinant of ventricular function in the heart transplant patient?

The natural history of the LV systolic function (LV-SF) and functional capacity of survivors of heart transplantation (Htx) has not been defined. Some investigators suggest that SF may be different in recipients with different pre-transplant aetiologies: ischaemic or dilated, idiopathic disease. Routine transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) were performed during a 1-year follow-up in 48 Htx recipients (total 864 examinations; mean 18/patient). Patients were divided into two groups based on pre-transplant diagnosis: ischaemic (CAD-CMP: n=13, age 54+/-1.7 years, 23% females) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (ID-CMP: n=35, age 51+/-2.3 years, 26% females). Patients with valvular and toxic aetiology were excluded. All patients underwent left ventriculography (VENT) 12-15 months after Htx. The majority of 1-year survivors of Htx maintained normal LV-SF: mean LVEF 65+/-4% by echocardiography and 68+/-3% by ventriculography, but in the ID-CMP group LVEF was significantly higher: 67+/-4% vs. 62+/-4% (TTE) and 77+/-4% vs. 60+/-4% (VENT), without significant differences in functional capacity (NYHA). 82.9% of ID-CMP patients had LVEF >65% vs. 39% in CAD-CMP. The incidence of acute cellular rejection, freedom from cardiac vasculopathy, renal failure, diabetes, hypertension and pre-transplant alloantibody level was similar. Our study shows a strong correlation between pre-transplant heart disease and the systolic function of the cardiac allograft at 1-year follow-up

Dual-domain reporter approach for multiplex identification of major SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in a microarray-based assay

: Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve into many variants emerging around the world. To enable regular surveillance and timely adjustments in public health interventions, it is of the utmost importance to accurately monitor and track the distribution of variants as rapidly as possible. Genome sequencing is the gold standard for monitoring the evolution of the virus, but it is not cost-effective, rapid and easily accessible. We have developed a microarray-based assay that can distinguish known viral variants present in clinical samples by simultaneously detecting mutations in the Spike protein gene. In this method, the viral nucleic acid, extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs, after RT-PCR, hybridizes in solution with specific dual-domain oligonucleotide reporters. The domains complementary to the Spike protein gene sequence encompassing the mutation form hybrids in solution that are directed by the second domain ("barcode" domain) at specific locations on coated silicon chips. The method utilizes characteristic fluorescence signatures to unequivocally differentiate, in a single assay, different known SARS-CoV-2 variants. In the nasopharyngeal swabs of patients, this multiplex system was able to genotype the variants which have caused waves of infections worldwide, reported by the WHO as being of concern (VOCs), namely Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron variants