From doubly labelled water to half-life; validating radio-isotopic rubidium turnover to measure metabolism in small vertebrates

The doubly labelled water method (DLW) is widely used to measure field metabolic rate (FMR), but it has some limitations. Here, we validate an innovative technique for measuring FMR by comparing the turnover of isotopic rubidium (86Rb kb) with DLW depletion and the rate of CO2 production (V·co2) measured by flow-through respirometry (FTR) for two dunnart species (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae), Sminthopsis macroura (17 g) and Sminthopsis ooldea (10 g). The rate of metabolism as assessed by V·co2 (FTR) and 86Rb kb was significantly correlated for both species (S. macroura, r2 = 0·81, P = 1·19 × 10-5; S. ooldea, r2 = 0·63, P = 3·84 × 10-4), as was V·co2 from FTR and DLW for S. macroura (r2 = 0·43, P = 0·039), but not for S. ooldea (r2 = 0·29, P = 0·168). There was no relationship between V·co2 from DLW and 86Rb kb for either species (S. macroura r2 = 0·22, P = 0·169; S. ooldea r2 = 0·21, P = 0·253). We conclude that 86Rb kb provided useful estimates of metabolic rate for dunnarts. Meta-analysis provided different linear relationships between V·co2 and 86Rb kb for endotherms and ectotherms, suggesting different proportionalities between metabolic rate and 86Rb kb for different taxa. Understanding the mechanistic basis for this correlation might provide useful insights into the cause of these taxonomic differences in the proportionality. At present, it is essential that the relationship between metabolic rate and 86Rb kb be validated for each taxon of interest. The advantages of the 86Rb technique over DLW include lower equipment requirements and technical expertise, and the longer time span over which measurements can be made. The 86Rb method might be particularly useful for estimating FMR of groups for which the assumptions of the DLW technique are compromised (e.g. amphibians, diving species and fossorial species), and groups that are practically challenging for DLW studies (e.g. insects). © 2013 British Ecological Society.

Interlacing of zeros of orthogonal polynomials under modification of the measure

We investigate the mutual location of the zeros of two families of orthogonal polynomials. One of the families is orthogonal with respect to the measure dμ (x), supported on the interval (a, b) and the other with respect to the measure |x -c|τ|x -d|γdμ (x), where c and d are outside (a, b) We prove that the zeros of these polynomials, if they are of equal or consecutive degrees, interlace when either 0 < τ, γ ≤ 1 or γ = 0 and 0 < τ ≤ 2. This result is inspired by an open question of Richard Askey and it generalizes recent results on some families of orthogonal polynomials. Moreover, we obtain further statements on interlacing of zeros of specific orthogonal polynomials, such as the Askey-Wilson ones. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Can entanglement explain black hole entropy?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Espaço de Hilbert e quantificação de emaranhamento via entropia não extensiva

Pós-graduação em Matemática - IBILCE

Monogamy of entanglement of formation

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Non-Markovianity through Accessible Information

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Measure Functional Differential Equations in the Space of Functions of Bounded Variation

We establish general conditions for the unique solvability of nonlinear measure functional differential equations in terms of properties of suitable linear majorants.

Application of acoustoelasticity to measure the stress generated by milling in ASTM A36 steel plates

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Entanglement universality of two-qubit X-states

We demonstrate that for every two-qubit state there is a X-counterpart, i.e., a corresponding two-qubit X-state of same spectrum and entanglement, as measured by concurrence, negativity or relative entropy of entanglement. By parametrizing the set of two-qubit X-states and a family of unitary transformations that preserve the sparse structure of a two-qubit X-state density matrix, we obtain the parametric form of a unitary transformation that converts arbitrary two-qubit states into their X-counterparts. Moreover, we provide a semi-analytic prescription on how to set the parameters of this unitary transformation in order to preserve concurrence or negativity. We also explicitly construct a set of X-state density matrices, parametrized by their purity and concurrence, whose elements are in one-to-one correspondence with the points of the concurrence versus purity (CP) diagram for generic two-qubit states. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Information-entropic measure of energy-degenerate kinks in two-field models

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Anderson localization and momentum-space entanglement

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Non-Markovianity through flow of information between a system and an environment

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Health related quality of life measure in systemic pediatric rheumatic diseases and its translation to different languages: an international collaboration

Background: Rheumatic diseases in children are associated with significant morbidity and poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). There is no health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scale available specifically for children with less common rheumatic diseases. These diseases share several features with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) such as their chronic episodic nature, multi-systemic involvement, and the need for immunosuppressive medications. HRQOL scale developed for pediatric SLE will likely be applicable to children with systemic inflammatory diseases.Findings: We adapted Simple Measure of Impact of Lupus Erythematosus in Youngsters (SMILEY (c)) to Simple Measure of Impact of Illness in Youngsters (SMILY (c)-Illness) and had it reviewed by pediatric rheumatologists for its appropriateness and cultural suitability. We tested SMILY (c)-Illness in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and then translated it into 28 languages. Nineteen children (79% female, n= 15) and 17 parents participated. The mean age was 12 +/- 4 years, with median disease duration of 21 months (1-172 months). We translated SMILY (c)-Illness into the following 28 languages: Danish, Dutch, French (France), English (UK), German (Germany), German (Austria), German (Switzerland), Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Slovene, Spanish (USA and Puerto Rico), Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Argentina), Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Venezuela), Turkish, Afrikaans, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Arabic (Egypt), Czech, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Japanese, Romanian, Serbian and Xhosa.Conclusion: SMILY (c)-Illness is a brief, easy to administer and score HRQOL scale for children with systemic rheumatic diseases. It is suitable for use across different age groups and literacy levels. SMILY (c)-Illness with its available translations may be used as useful adjuncts to clinical practice and research.

On the N=4, d=4 pure spinor measure factor

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)