Measurement of isolated photon production in pp and PbPb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Forward energy flow, central charged-particle multiplicities, and pseudorapidity gaps in W and Z boson events from pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Measurement of jet fragmentation into charged particles in pp and PbPb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Water deficit affects photosynthetic induction in Bauhinia forficata Link (Fabaceae) and Esenbeckia leiocarpa Engl. (Rutaceae) growing in understorey and gap conditions

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

Natural latex graft in lamellar and penetrating sclerectomies in rabbits

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Sugarcane grown in an oxisol amended with sewage sludge and vinasse: nitrogen contents in soil and plant

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

THAUMATOMYRMEX STRIPS MILLIPEDES FOR PREY - A NOVEL PREDATORY BEHAVIOR IN ANTS, AND THE 1ST CASE OF SYMPATRY IN THE GENUS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

We describe, for the first time, the predatory behaviour of Thaumatomyrmex ants on millipedes of the family Polyxenidae, based on field observations of T. atrox and a field and laboratory study of T. contumax. The capture of the prey and the removal process of its body-covering setae by the ants before they eat the millipede are described. This specialized behaviour in at least two species of the genus, belonging to two distinct groups of species, indicates a general trend in Thaumatomyrmex. We coupled this study with a comparative morphological analysis of the mouthparts and digestive tube of these and other Thaumatomyrmex species. Also, we report the first case of sympatry in the genus, which suggests that Thaumatomyrmex includes several species. and not only one highly variable taxon, as hypothesized earlier.

LIMITED MULTIPLE-MATING IN MALES AND SINGLE-MATING IN FEMALES OF THE ANT SPECIES, PARATRECHINA-FLAVIPES (FR SMITH) (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE)

This study determined how many times alates of Paratrechina flavipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) can copulate in the field and laboratory. In the field, females preferred to mate once and the mating number of males is unknown. In the laboratory, females mated singly but males could inseminate two or three females. The duration of succeeding copulations was greater than the first copulation. Multiple mating males died sooner than single mating ones. The results suggest that male death is promoted by sperm consumption.

A general treatment for the conductivity of electrolytes in the whole concentration range in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions

Despite the great importance of ion transport, most of the widely accepted models and theories are valid only in the not very practical limit of low concentrations. Aiming to extend the range of applicability to moderate concentrations, a number of modified models and equations (some approximate, some fundamented on different assumptions, and some just empirical) have been reported. In this work, a general treatment for the electrical conductivity of ionic solutions has been developed, considering the electrical conductivity as a transport phenomenon governed by dissipation and feedback. A general expression for the dependence of the specific conductivity on the solution viscosity (and indirectly on concentration), from which the whole conductivity curve can be obtained, has been derived. The validity of this general approach is demonstrated with experimental results taken from the literature for aqueous and nonaqueous solutions of electrolytes.

SUPERSYMMETRIC CONSTRUCTION OF W-ALGEBRAS FROM SUPER TODA AND WZNW THEORIES

A systematic construction of super W algebras in terms of the WZNW model based on a super Lie algebra is presented. These are shown to be the symmetry structure of the super Toda models, which can be obtained from the WZNW theory by Hamiltonian reduction. A classification, according to the conformal spin defined by an improved energy momentum tensor, is discussed in general terms for all super Lie algebras whose simple roots are fermionic. A detailed discussion employing the Dirac bracket structure and an explicit construction of W algebras for the cases of OSP(1, 2), OSP(2, 2), OSP(3, 2) and D(2, 1\ alpha) are given. The N = 1 and N = 2 superconformal algebras are discussed in the pertinent cases.

Effects of prenatal exposure to deltamethrin on forced swimming behavior, motor activity, and striatal dopamine levels in male and female rats

The effects of prenatal exposure of rat pups to 0.08 mg/kg deltamethrin (DTM) on physical, reflex and behavioral developmental parameters, on forced swimming and open-field behaviors, and on striatal monoamine levels at 60 days of age were observed. Maternal and offspring body weight, physical and reflex development were unaffected by the exposure to the pesticide. At 21 days of age, open-field locomotion frequency and immobility duration of male and female offspring were not different between control and exposed animals. However, male rearing frequency was increased in experimental animals. A decreased immobility latency to float and in general activity after the swimming test in male offspring was observed at adult age; no interference was detected in the float duration during the swimming test. In addition, these animals presented higher striatal 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels without modification in dopamine (DA) levels and an increased DOPAC/DA ratio. These data indicate a higher activity of the dopaminergic system in these animals. Noradrenaline (NA) levels were increased, while MHPG levels were not detectable in the system studied. Serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels, as well as the homovanillic acid (HVA)/DA ratio, were not modified by the exposure to the pesticide. No changes were observed in swimming and open-field behaviors nor were there any changes in striatal monoamines or their metabolites in the female experimental group. In relation to the pesticide formula, the present data showing that prenatal exposure to DTM alters latency to float and the activity of striatal dopaminergic system might reflect a persistent effect of the pesticide on animal motor activity, mainly in males. on the other hand, the decrease in general activity observed in experimental male rats suggests higher levels of emotionality induced by previous exposure to the swimming behavior test in relation to control animals. Data gathered in the present study may be important for the assessment of the safety of pyrethroid insecticides. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An animal model for the study of Chamomilla in stress and depression: pilot study

The behavioral and hematological effects of treatment with Chamomilla 6cH in mice subjected to experimental stress are described. Swiss mice were randomly divided into pairs, one animal was inoculated with Ehrlich's tumor, the other was treated daily with Chamomilla 6cH or control or received no treatment. After 7 days, the animals were observed in an open-field arena and blood samples taken. Mice who cohabitated with a sick cage-mate showed a decrease in their general activity, but those treated with Chamomilla 6cH were less severely affected (p = 0.0426). No hematologicall changes were observed.In a second experiment, the forced swimming test was applied to mice pre-treated with Chamomilla 6cH, controls were: water, 10% ethanol or amitriptyline. Only the amitriptyline and ethanol treated groups showed significant excitatory behavior (p = 0.0020), Chamomilla 6cH treated animals' scores intermediate between water control and ethanol or amitriptyline. A decrease in the leukocyte count was observed in the amitriptyline and Chamomilla 6cH treated groups (p = 0.039). These data suggest that treatment with Chamomilla 6cH is related to the recovery of basal behavioral conditions in mice subjected to stressful conditions.

Global and diffuse solar irradiances in urban and rural areas in southeast Brazil

The seasonal evolution of daily and hourly values of global and diffuse solar radiation at the surface are compared for the cities of São Paulo and Botucatu, both located in Southeast Brazil and representative of urban and rural areas, respectively. The comparisons are based on measurements of global and diffuse solar irradiance carried out at the surface during a six year simultaneous period in these two cities. Despite the similar latitude and altitude, the seasonal evolution of daily values indicate that São Paulo receives, during clear sky days, 7.8% less global irradiance in August and 5.1% less in June than Botucatu. on the other hand, São Paulo receives, during clear sky days, 3.6% more diffuse irradiance in August and 15.6% more in June than Botucatu. The seasonal variation of the diurnal cycle confirms these differences and indicates that they are more pronounced during the afternoon. The regional differences are related to the distance from the Atlantic Ocean, systematic penetration of the sea breeze and daytime evolution of the particulate matter in São Paulo. An important mechanism controlling the spatial distribution of solar radiation, on a regional scale, is the sea breeze penetration in São Paulo, bringing moisture and maritime aerosol that in turn further increases the solar radiation scattering due to pollution and further reduces the intensity of the direct component of solar radiation at the surface. Surprisingly, under clear sky conditions the atmospheric attenuation of solar radiation in Botucatu during winter - the biomass burning period due to the sugar cane harvest - is equivalent to that at São Paulo City, indicating that the contamination during sugar cane harvest in Southeast Brazil has a large impact in the solar radiation field at the surface.

Residues of Some Pesticides in Fresh and Dried Apricots

The persistence of three pesticides (fenitrothion, dimethoate, and ziram) in apricots in field conditions and their fate during the drying process were studied. After the treatments, the pesticides showed fast decay rates with pseudo-first-order kinetics and half-lives ranging from 6.9 to 9.9 days. The drying process showed a different effect on residue concentrations in dried apricots: omethoate (metabolite of dimethoate) and ziram residues had almost doubled, while fenitrothion disappeared and dimethoate remained constant.

Light-induced electric dipole relaxation in synthetic and natural alexandrite

We present results of thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) measurements in synthetic and natural alexandrite, which show TSDC bands related to the presence of electric dipoles in both types of samples. Synthetic material shows a wide TSDC band with a peak at 179 K, which can be fitted by two distinct relaxing dipole distributions. For natural alexandrite the TSDC band has a maximum around 195 K and can be fitted by three different distributions. Both samples present one of the calculated curves with a peak about 179 K, with activation energy of 0.57 eV and constant relaxation time of 1 × 10-14 sec. Photo-induced TSDC shows that TSDC bands can also be generated by simultaneous application of light and an electric field at 77 K.