Expansion of a Bose-Einstein condensate formed on a joint harmonic and one-dimensional optical-lattice potential

We study the expansion of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a combined optical-lattice and axially-symmetric harmonic potential using the numerical solution of the mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii equation. First, we consider the expansion of such a condensate under the action of the optical-lattice potential alone. In this case the result of numerical simulation for the axial and radial sizes during expansion is in agreement with two experiments by Morsch et al (2002 Phys. Rev. A 66 021601(R) and 2003 Laser Phys. 13 594). Finally, we consider the expansion under the action of the harmonic potential alone. In this case the oscillation, and the disappearance and revival of the resultant interference pattern is in agreement with the experiment by Muller et al (2003 J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 5 S38).

On homoclinic chaos and a control chaos strategy applied to a free-joint nonholonomic manipulator

In this work, the occurrence of chaos (homoclinic scene) is verified in a robotic system with two degrees of freedom by using Poincare-Mel'nikov method. The studied problem was based on experimental results of a two-joint planar manipulator-first joint actuated and the second joint free-that resides in a horizontal plane. This is the simplest model of nonholonomic free-joint manipulators. The purpose of the present study is to verify analytically those results and to suggest a control strategy.

Degradation of the surface of a metasilicate glass due to atmosphere moisture

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

A Joint Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Nanomorphology of CaWO4 Crystals

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

Joint Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Order Disorder Effects in Cubic BaZrO3 Assembled Nanoparticles under Decaoctahedral Shape

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

Thermodynamic properties of water sorption of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) as a function of moisture content

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Germination of Styrax camporum Pohl. seeds in response to substrate types, moisture contents and the seed morphology

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Temporomandibular joint ankylosis and salivary mucocele in a cat: case report

Relata-se o caso de um gato de aproximadamente um ano e meio de idade, macho, não castrado, que foi encaminhado por apresentar incapacidade de abrir a boca e aumento de volume flutuante na região intermandibular. As lesões estavam presentes há um ano, desde quando o gato foi encontrado e adotado. A causa não foi determinada. Baseado nos exames físicos e radiográficos diagnosticou-se anquilose da articulação temporomandibular esquerda e mucocele salivar. O aspecto lateral do processo condilar da mandíbula esquerda foi removido, e a mucocele foi tratada por ressecção das glândulas salivares mandibular e sublingual direita e por drenagem da mucocele. Após a cirurgia, o gato mostrou bom uso funcional da mandíbula, sem sinais de desconforto.

Muscle strength assessment among children and adolescents with growing pains and joint hypermobility

OBJETIVO: Avaliar, por meio de teste quantitativo, a força muscular em crianças e adolescentes com dores de crescimento, associada ou não com hipermobilidade articular e comparadas com controles saudáveis. MÉTODO: Quarenta e sete casos de crianças e adolescentes acompanhados por dores de crescimento, sendo 24 com hipermobilidade articular (DC-HA), 23 sem hipermobilidade articular (DC) e 47 controles saudáveis pareados por idade e gênero foram submetidos a dois testes quantitativos para a avaliação da força muscular, o Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS) e o Manual Muscle Strength Test (MMT). Os dados antropométricos como altura, peso, índice de massa corporal, prega cutânea tricipital, circunferência média do braço e a área muscular do braço foram comparados entre os três grupos. RESULTADOS: Os três grupos não apresentaram diferença estatística entre as medidas antropométricas. Houve diferença significante entre a mediana da pontuação do CMAS, sendo menores no grupo DC (47, mínimo e máximo 39-52) e DC-HA (46, mínimo e máximo 40-51), comparados com controles (50, mínimo e máximo 45-52; p<0,0001). Dois dos exercícios cronometrados do CMAS, a elevação da cabeça e a duração da elevação das pernas, tiveram menor pontuação nos pacientes comparados aos controles (p<0.0001). A pontuação mediana do MMT no grupo DC (79, mínimo e máximo 73-80) e DC-HA (78, mínimo e máximo 32-80) também apresentou diferença significante, sendo menor nos pacientes que nos controles (80, mínimo e máximo 78-80; p<0,0001). A melhor correlação entre a pontuação do CMAS e MMT foi no grupo DC-HA (Spearman r=0,65; p=0,0007). A aplicação do CMAS e MMT em duas ocasiões apresentou boa concordância e coeficiente de correlação intraclasse de 0,87 (IC 95% 0,64-0,96; p<0,0001) e 0,92 (IC 95% 0,76-0,97; p<0,0001), respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: Os pacientes com dores de crescimento com ou sem hipermobilidade articular apresentaram fraqueza muscular de leve a moderada quando comparados com controles saudáveis.

Chemical treatment of post-harvest Marandu grass seed residues with different moisture contents

Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do tratamento químico com ureia (3 ou 5% na MS) e amônia anidra (3% na MS) no feno de resíduo pós-colheita de sementes de Brachiaria brizantha, cv. Marandu, contendo diferentes teores de umidade (15, 25 ou 30%). O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso com oito tratamentos e quatro repetições (camadas de fardos dentro das pilhas). O feno tratado com 3% de amônia anidra com 15% de umidade ocasionou redução de 84,3 para 79,1% nos teores de fibra em detergente neutro (FDN) e elevação de 37,3 para 55,5% na digestibilidade in vitro da matéria seca (MS) em relação ao grupo controle. A variação na umidade não alterou de maneira significativa a ação da amônia, cujos valores médios foram 77,6% de FDN e 57,3% de digestibilidade in vitro da MS. O feno com 5% de ureia reduziu os teores de FDN de 84,3 para 79,6% em relação ao feno não-tratado, o que tornou necessário o aumento da umidade para 30% para maior efeito sobre a digestibilidade da MS, que aumentou 12 unidades percentuais.

Joint (X)over-bar and R charts with variable sample sizes and sampling intervals

Recent studies have shown that the (X) over bar chart with variable sampling intervals (VSI) and/or with variable sample sizes (VSS) detects process shifts faster than the traditional (X) over bar chart. This article extends these studies for processes that are monitored by both the (X) over bar and R charts. A Markov chain model is used to determine the properties of the joint (X) over bar and R charts with variable sample sizes and sampling intervals (VSSI). The VSSI scheme improves the joint (X) over bar and R control chart performance in terms of the speed with which shifts in the process mean and/or variance are detected.

Drying of persimmon: Mathematical model for diffusivity as a simultaneous function of moisture content and shrinkage

Fresh persimmon has a high moisture content (about 85% wet basis) making it highly perishable and requiring adequate drying conditions to obtain an acceptable dehydrated product. Drying kinetics of persimmon cv. Rama Forte was studied in a fixed bed dryer at temperatures ranging from 50 to 80 degreesC and air velocity of 0.8 m/s. Shrinkage during drying was described by a linear correlation with respect to water content. Evaluation of effective diffusivity as a function of moisture content, with undergoing shrinkage during drying was based on Fourier series solution of Fick's diffusion equation. Effective diffusivity values at moisture contents between 0.09 - 4.23 kg water/kg dry matter were found to be in the range of 2.6 x 10(-10) m(2)/s to 5.4 x 10(-10) m(2)/s, and its dependence on air drying temperature was represented by an Arrhenius type equation. Activation energy increased with decreasing water content in persimmons.

Intra-articular pressure profiles of the cadaveric equine fetlock joint in motion

The study of the influence of motion and initial intra-articular pressure (IAP) on intra-articular pressure profiles in equine cadaver metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints was undertaken as a prelude to in vivo studies, Eleven equine cadaver MTP joints were submitted to 2 motion frequencies of 5 and 10 cycles/min of flexion and extension, simulating the condition of lower and higher (double) rates of passive motion. These frequencies were applied and pressure profiles generated with initial normal intra-articular pressure (-5 mmHg) and subsequently 30 mmHg intra-articular pressure obtained by injection of previously harvested synovial fluid.The 4 trials performed were 1) normal IAP; 5 cyles/min; 2) normal IAP; 10 cycles/min; 3) IAP at 30 mmHg; 5 cycles/min and 4) IAP at 30 mmHg; 10 cycles/min. The range of joint motion applied (mean +/- s.e.) was 67.6 +/- 1.61 degrees with an excursion from 12.2 +/- 1.2 degrees in extension to 56.2 +/- 2.6 degrees in flexion, Mean pressure recorded in mmHg for the first and last min of each trial, respectively, were 1) -5.7 +/- 0.9 and -6.3 +/- 1.1; 2) -5.3 +/- 1.1 and -6.2 +/- 1.1; 3) 58.8 +/- 8.0 and 42.3 +/- 7.2; 4) 56.6 +/- 3.7 and 40.3 +/- 4.6. Statistical analyses showed a trend for difference between the values for the first and last minute in trial 3 (0.05>P<0.1) with P = 0.1 and significant difference (P = 0.02) between the mean IAP of the first and last min in trial 4. The loss of intra-articular pressure associated with time and motion was 10.5, 16.9, 28.1 and 28.9% for trials 1-4, respectively. As initial intraarticular pressure and motion increased, the percent loss of intra-articular pressure increased.The angle of lowest pressure was 12.2 +/- 1.2 (mean +/- s.e.) in extension in trials 1 and 2, In trials 3 and 4, the lowest pressures were obtained in flexion with the joints at 18.5 +/- 2.0 degrees (mean +/- s.e.). This demonstrated that the joint angle of least pressure changed as the initial intra-articular pressure changed and there would not be a single angle of least pressure for a given joint.The volume of synovial fluid recovered from the MTP joints in trial 3 compared to 4 (trials in which fluid was injected to attain IAP of 30 mmHg) was not significantly different, supporting a soft tissue compliance change as a cause for the significant loss of intra-articular pressure during the 15 min of trial 4.The pressure profiles generated correlate well with in vivo values and demonstrated consistent pressure profiles. Our conclusions are summarised as follows:1. Clinically normal equine MTP joints which were frozen and then later thawed were found to have mostly negative baseline intra-articular pressures, as would be expected in living subjects,2. Alternate pressure profiles of the dorsal and plantar pouch at baseline intra-articular pressure document the presence of pressure forces that would support 'back and forth' fluid movement between joint compartments. This should result in movement of joint fluid during motion, assisting in lubrication and nutrition of articular cartilage,3. If joint pressure was initially greater than normal (30 mmHg), as occurs in diseased equine MTP joints, joint motion further increased joint capsule relaxation (compliance) and, therefore, reduced intra-articular pressure.4. Peak intra-articular pressures reached extremely high values (often >100 mmHg) in flexion when initial pressure was 30 mmHg. Joint effusion pressures recorded for clinical MCP joints are frequently 30 mmHg. These IAP values are expected to produce intermittent synovial ischaemia in clinical cases during joint flexion.5, Additional in vivo studies are necessary to confirm our conclusions from this study and to identify the contributions of fluid absorption and the presence of ischaemia in a vascularised joint.