Reduction Of Luminosity Research Articles

Water stress alters physical and chemical quality in grains of common bean, triticale and wheat

Wheat, triticale and common bean are planted in both irrigated and rainfed conditions and may suffer the effects of water stress in both situations. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of water stress on the physical and chemical qualities of wheat (Triticum aestivum), triticale (Triticosecale wittmack) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grains. The experiment was conducted at the Embrapa Cerrados experimental station, in Planaltina, DF, Brazil. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four replications. The treatments were composed of four water regimes (187 mm, 304 mm, 410 mm, 535 mm) applied to common bean (BRS Realce), two wheat genotypes (CPAC 0544 and BRS 404) and triticale (BRS Ulisses). The physical quality of grains was evaluated by the weight of a thousand grains (WTG) and color of the grains (represented by the luminosity (L*), chroma (C*) and hue angle (h*); the chemical quality was determined by protein, carbohydrate, lipid, ash, macro and microminerals contents. Water stress reduced grain yield of all species, however it did not reduce the weight of one thousand grains of the wheat genotype BRS 404, showing the potential of this cultivar, though it did lead to reduced WTG in common bean, triticale and the wheat genotype CPAC 0544. There was also a reduction of luminosity (L*) in the grains for both studied wheat genotypes, and chroma (C*) and hue angle (h*) for triticale. Water deficit also affected protein, carbohydrate, lipid and ash contents, with an increase in the protein content and a reduction in the carbohydrate and ash contents in common bean. In general, water stress reduced macro and micromineral contents in the grains, caused an undesirable change in the physical quality of the grains, and affected the chemical quality of the grains.

Flame structure and emission signature in distributed combustion

Colorless distributed combustion (CDC) combustion technology offers significant advantages of ultra-low pollutants emission, stable operation and improved pattern factor for high intensity stationary gas turbines applications. Detailed knowledge on distributed combustion behavior is required to further deploy this technology. This paper reports the evolution of swirl flame shape, flame expansion and pollutants emission characteristics using propane, methane, and 20% and 40% hydrogen enriched methane fuels. The entrainment of hot reactive gases was simulated by diluting the inlet air stream with inert nitrogen or carbon dioxide. OH* chemiluminescence signatures, captured at different dilution levels, manifested gradual reduction of flame luminosity when CDC was approached. Flame boundaries derived using image threshold technique helped to visualize the broadened reaction zone under CDC conditions, which had much reduced chemiluminescence signal intensity. The rms to mean OH* signal variation at different dilution levels were analyzed to detect the initiation of CDC. The higher flame lift-off observed with CO2 dilution was due to higher heat capacity of CO2, resulting in greater flame speed reduction. Flame expansion, evaluated from the area encompassed within the flame boundary at different dilution levels showed a power-law behavior with both the diluents. Expansion of 4 to 5 times of initial flame volumes was observed under CDC using CO2 and N2 dilution, respectively. Significant reduction of NO and CO emission achieved under CDC was due to reduction of overall flame temperature, hotspot mitigation, and widened reaction zone occupying large flame volume, which makes it favorable for many practical combustor applications.

Root growth and carbohydrate partitioning in cotton subjected to shading in the initial phase

ABSTRACT: Cotton cultivation in Brazil tends to occur mostly in the rainy season, and at the time of developing the crop there are often prolonged periods of low solar radiation. The objective of this work was to evaluate the root development of cotton cultivars subjected to shading in the initial phase. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, using rhizotrons. The experimental design was a 2x2 factorial in randomized blocks with five replications. The treatments were composed of cotton cultivars TMG 1WS (early) and TMG 8WS (late) and luminosity conditions: non-shaded and shaded (50% reduction of luminosity). There were no interactions between the factors “shading” and “cultivars” for any parameter evaluated. Shading reduced total and lateral root growth from the 21 days after emergence (DAE) and the main root at 24DAE. Shading caused reductions in length (60%), surface (65%), mean diameter (15%), root volume (69%), root dry matter mass (83%) and shoot (64%), as well as decreasing the content (36%) and the accumulation of carbohydrates in the shoot (73%). Shading at early cotton development reduces the shoot carbohydrates production, affecting dry matter accumulation and root growth, and this response is independent of the cultivar.

Physical–chemical characterization and antioxidant properties of extruded products made from mixtures composed of corn grits and red potato flour (Oxalis tuberosa)

ABSTRACTSome physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant activity of extrudates made from corn grits and red potato flour were evaluated. The inclusion of red potato flour altered values of water absorption index, water solubility index, expansion index and fracturability of extrudates. Color analysis of extrudates showed a reduction of luminosity from 44.37 ± 0.87 to 25.06 ± 1.74. Likewise, extrudates made with red potato flour at 100% presented higher content of total phenols compared to the control extrudates (0.44 ± 0.02 and 2.88 ± 0.03 mg GA/g dry sample, respectively); consequently, an increase in antioxidant capacity was observed using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. The images obtained by fluorescence microscopy provided information on the protein content. The proximal chemical analysis indicated that extrudates substituted with red potato flour at 10% showed higher protein content (7.78 g/100 g), compared to T5. This study concludes that when adding red potato flour, is possible to develop extrudates with good physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant properties.

Efeito da redução de luz na seletividade a herbicidas e rendimento de grãos do trigo

A redução da radiação solar incidente na superfície terrestre pode alterar o comportamento vegetal e a seletividade de herbicidas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a seletividade dos herbicidas bentazona, iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium e o rendimento de grãos do trigo, em condições de redução de luminosidade em diferentes estádios fenológicos da cultura. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos, o primeiro (I) em condições controladas e o segundo (II) a campo. Nos dois experimentos foram avaliadas variáveis no trigo em função da aplicação de herbicidas (bentazona, 900 g ha-1 i.a.; iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, 5 g ha-1 i.a.; e testemunha, sem aplicação de herbicida) e da variação da taxa luminosa (testemunha; redução de luz durante todo o ciclo; redução no estádio inicial, da emergência até três folhas; redução no estádio vegetativo, entre três folhas até a emergência completa da inflorescência; e redução na fase reprodutiva, da inflorescência até a colheita). Os resultados demonstram que a redução de luz altera características morfofisiológicas do trigo, aumenta a estatura de plantas, reduz a taxa de transpiração e condutância estomática, mas não interfere na fotossíntese do cereal. No entanto, o rendimento de grãos é afetado negativamente pela redução de luz durante o estádio vegetativo, período ontogenético que coincide com a formação dos principais componentes de rendimento da cultura. Os herbicidas avaliados são seletivos ao trigo, com ou sem redução de luminosidade.

Precision Luminosity of LHC Proton–Proton Collisions at 13 TeV Using Hit Counting With TPX Pixel Devices

A network of Timepix (TPX) devices installed in the ATLAS cavern measures the LHC luminosity as a function of time as a stand-alone system. The data were recorded from 13 TeV proton-proton collisions in 2015. Using two TPX devices, the number of hits created by particles passing the pixel matrices was counted. A van der Meer scan of the LHC beams was analysed using bunch-integrated luminosity averages over the different bunch profiles for an approximate absolute luminosity normalization. It is demonstrated that the TPX network has the capability to measure the reduction of LHC luminosity with precision. Comparative studies were performed among four sensors (two sensors in each TPX device) and the relative short-term precision of the luminosity measurement was determined to be 0.1% for 10 s time intervals. The internal long-term time stability of the measurements was below 0.5% for the data-taking period.

Color stability of modern composites subjected to different periods of accelerated artificial aging

The aim of this study was to evaluate the color stability of composites subjected to different periods of accelerated artificial aging (AAA). A polytetrafluorethylene matrix (10 x 2 mm) was used to fabricate 24 test specimens of three different composites (n=8): Tetric Ceram (Ivoclar/Vivadent); Filtek P90 and Z250 (3M ESPE), shade A3. After light activation for 20 s (FlashLite 1401), polishing and initial color readout (Spectrophotometer PCB 687; BYK Gardner), the test specimens were subjected to AAA (C-UV; Comexim), in 8-h cycles: 4 h exposure to UV-B rays at 50°C and 4 h condensation at 50°C. At the end of each cycle, color readouts were taken and the test ended when the mean value of ΔE attained a level ≥3.30. Tetric Ceram presented alteration in ΔE equal to 3.33 in the first aging cycle. For Filtek P90 and Z250, two (ΔE=3.60) and four (ΔE=3.42) AAA cycles were necessary. After each cycle, there was a reduction of luminosity in all the samples (ΔL). It was concluded that a short period of AAA was sufficient to promote clinically unacceptable color alteration in composites, and that this alteration was material-dependent.

REACTION OF ACCRETION DISKS TO ABRUPT MASS LOSS DURING BINARY BLACK HOLE MERGER

The association of an electromagnetic signal with the merger of a pair of supermassive black holes would have many important implications. For example, it would provide new information about gas and magnetic field interactions in dynamical spacetimes as well as a combination of redshift and luminosity distance that would enable precise cosmological tests. A proposal first made by Bode & Phinney is that because radiation of gravitational waves during the final inspiral and merger of the holes is abrupt and decreases the mass of the central object by a few percent, there will be waves in the disk that can steepen into shocks and thus increase the disk luminosity in a characteristic way. We evaluate this process analytically and numerically. We find that shocks only occur when the fractional mass loss exceeds the half-thickness of the disk, hence significant energy release only occurs for geometrically thin disks which are thus at low Eddington ratios. This strongly limits the effective energy release, and in fact our simulations show that the natural variations in disk luminosity are likely to obscure this effect entirely. However, we demonstrate that the reduction of luminosity caused by the retreat of the inner edge of the disk following mass loss is potentially detectable. This decrease occurs even if the disk is geometrically thick, and lasts for a duration on the order of the viscous time of the modified disk. Observationally, the best prospect for detection would be a sensitive future X-ray instrument with a field of view of the order of a square degree, or possibly a wide-field radio array such as the Square Kilometer Array, if the disk changes produce or interrupt radio emission from a jet.

Diurnality and nocturnality in nonhuman primates: comparative chronobiological studies in laboratory and nature

Looking for differences in circadian clock characteristics of diurnal and nocturnal nonhuman primates, this article summarizes results of chronobiological studies carried out in various nocturnal, diurnal, and cathemeral prosimian and anthropoid primate species under controlled laboratory conditions, under seminatural conditions, and in the wild. In almost all circadian parameters investigated, no differences were discernible between the two main chrono-ecotypes, either in circadian period length and the influence upon it of after-effects, of light intensity, and ambient temperature, or in the PRC, re-entrainment behavior, rhythm splitting, and internal desynchronization. Diurnal and nocturnal or cathemeral species differed only in the phase of artificial or natural LDs to which their circadian activity phase was adjusted as well as in the characteristics of masking activity upon the rhythms produced by the direct inhibiting or enhancing effects of light. Pronounced lunar periodicity—observed in the activity rhythm of nocturnal neotropical owl monkeys, genus Aotus, in seminatural and natural environments as well as in wild cathemeral Malagasy lemurs, genus Eulemur—is shown to result from masking effects of moonlight. In captive Eulemur fulvus albifrons, a change from dark-active over cathemeral to light-active behavior, without concurrently changing the circadian phase-setting of activity to D, was produced by direct masking effects of a stepwise reduction of darktime luminosity on an LD 12:12 cycle. Long-term activity recordings carried out in wild diurnal Malagasy sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi) and cathemeral redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus), as well as in wild nocturnal owl monkeys (Aotus a. azarai) of the North Argentinean Chaco, yielded in all species distinct bimodal long- and short-day activity patterns with pronounced peaks during dusk and dawn. Applying Pittendrigh's two-oscillator concept to these results, it is hypothesized that the differences in chrono-ecotype behavior may result from variations in internal coupling and external phase-setting of morning and evening oscillators (m, e) to dawn and dusk, interacting with direct masking effects of light.

On the extinction of colour by reduction of luminosity

In “Colour Photometry,” Part III, XLVII, ‘Phil. Trans.,’ 1892, the results of some measures for the extinction of colour from the spectrum colours are recorded and the method of making the observations is explained. What was attempted in these observations was to reduce all the colours to a hue of the steel grey which a pure white becomes when it is of feeble intensity. During the observations then made it was found that some rays near the yellow lost their colour earlier than shown, but that the white they then matched was not completely the steel grey alluded to above. In the present results the hue of the white has been disregarded and no judgment of the hue of the white was required, making it easy for anyone to go through a series of readings. The instruments used were almost the same in principle as those employed on the previous occasion, but in some details they differed. Instead of sectors being employed to dim both colour and white, the annulus described in my paper on “The Sensitiveness of the Retina to Light and Colour” was employed, and the figure from that paper is inserted here to show the apparatus, as is also its brief description.