Mutagenic activity of airborne particulate matter (PM10) in a sugarcane farming area (Araraquara city, southeast Brazil)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Allochthonous matter input in two different stretches of a headstream (Itatinga, São Paulo, Brazil)

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

CP trajectory diagram - a tool for a pictorial representation of CP and matter effects in neutrino oscillations

We introduce a CP trajectory diagram in bi-probability space as a powerful tool for a pictorial representation of the genuine CP and the matter effects in neutrino oscillations. The existence of correlated ambiguity in the B is uncovered. The principles of tuning the beam energy for a determination of CP-violating phase delta and the sign of Deltam(13)(2) given baseline distance are proposed to resolve the ambiguity and to maximize the CP-odd effect. We finally point out, quite contrary to what is usually believed, that the ambiguity may be resolved with similar to 50% chance in the super-JHF experiment despite its relatively short baseline of 300 km. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Duality of coordinates and matter fields in curved spacetime

We show that there exists a duality between the local coordinates and the solutions of the Klein-Gerdon equation in curved spacetime in the same sense as in the Minkowski spacetime. However, the duality in curved spacetime does not have the same generality as in flat spacetime and it holds only if the system satisfies certain constraints. We derive these constraints and the basic equations of duality and discuss the implications in the quantum theory. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatially-antisymmetric localization of matter wave in a bichromatic optical lattice

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

Relation between kinetic parameters for reactions of organic matter degradation in waste environmental matrix

The organic fraction of urban solid residues disposed of in sanitary landfills during the decomposition yields biogas and leachate, which are sources of pollution. Leachate is a resultant liquid from the decomposition of substances contained in solid residues and it contains in its composition organic and inorganic substances. Literature shows an increase in the use of thermoanalytical techniques to study the samples with environmental interest, this way thermogravimetry is used in this research. Thermogravimetric studies (TG curves) carried out on leachate and residues shows similarities in the thermal behavior, although presenting complex composition. Residue samples were collected from landfills, composting plants, sewage treatment stations, leachate, which after treatment, were submitted for thermal analysis. Kinetic parameters were determined using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method. In this case they show little divergence between the kinetic parameter that can be attributed to different decomposition reaction and presence of organic compounds in different phases of the decomposition with structures modified during degradation process and also due to experimental conditions of analysis.

The nuclear matter effects in π0 photoproduction at high energies

The in-medium influence on π0 photoproduction from spin zero nuclei is carefully studied in the GeV range using a straightforward Monte Carlo analysis. The calculation takes into account the relativistic nuclear recoil for coherent mechanisms (electromagnetic and nuclear amplitudes) plus a time dependent multi-collisional intranuclear cascade approach (MCMC) to describe the transport properties of mesons produced in the surroundings of the nucleon. A detailed analysis of the meson energy spectra for the photoproduction on 12C at 5.5 GeV indicates that both the Coulomb and nuclear coherent events are associated with a small energy transfer to the nucleus (≲ 5 MeV), while the contribution of the nuclear incoherent mechanism is vanishing small within this kinematical range. The angular distributions are dominated by the Primakoff peak at extreme forward angles, with the nuclear incoherent process being the most important contribution above θπ0 ≲ 20. Such consistent Monte Carlo approach provides a suitable method to clean up nuclear backgrounds in some recent high precision experiments, such as the PrimEx experiment at the Jefferson Laboratory Facility.

Dynamics of bright matter-wave solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate with inhomogeneous scattering length

We investigate dynamical effects of a bright soliton in Bose-Einstein condensed (BEC) systems with local and smooth space variations of the two-body atomic scattering length. It includes a discussion about the possible observation of a new type of standing nonlinear atomic matter wave in cigar-type traps. A rich dynamics is observed in the interaction between the soliton and an inhomogeneity. By considering an analytical time-dependent variational approach and also full numerical simulation of one-dimensional and three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equations, we study processes such as trapping, reflection and transmission of the bright matter soliton due to the impurity. We also derive conditions for the collapse of the bright solitary wave, considering a quasi-one-dimensional BEC with attractive local inhomogeneity.

Towards a Realization of the Condensed-Matter-Gravity Correspondence in String Theory via Consistent Abelian Truncation of the Aharony-Bergman-Jafferis-Maldacena Model

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopic study of organic matter in a Brazilian Oxisol under different tillage systems

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectroscopy has been proposed as new method for determining the degree of humification of organic matter (OM) in whole soils. It can be also used to analyze the OM in whole soils containing large amounts of paramagnetic materials, and which are neither feasible to Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) nor to C-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In the present study, 3 LIF spectroscopy was used to investigate the OM in a Brazilian Oxisol containing high concentration of Fe+3. Soil samples were collected from two areas under conventional tillage (CT), two areas under no-till management (NT) and from a non-cultivated (NC) area under natural vegetation. The results of LIF spectroscopic analysis of the top layer (0-5 cm) of whole soils showed a less aromatic OM in the non-cultivated than in the cultivated soils. This is consistent with data corresponding to HA samples extracted from the same soils and analyzed by EPR, NMR and conventional fluorescence spectroscopy. The OM of whole soils at 5-10 and 10-20 cm depth was also characterized by LIF spectroscopy.Analysis of samples of NT and NC soils showed a higher OM aromatic content at depth. This is a consequence of the accumulation of plant residues at the soil surface in quantities that are too large for microorganisms to metabolize fully, thus, resulting in less aromatic or less hurnified humic substances. In deeper soil layers, the input of residues was lower and further decomposition of humic substances by microorganisms continued, and the aromaticity and degree of humification increased with soil depth. This data indicates that the gradient of humification of OM in the NT soil was similar to those observed in natural soils. Nevertheless, the degree of humification of the OM in the soils under no-till management varied less than that corresponding to non-cultivated soils. This may be because the former have been managed under these practices for only 5 years, in contrast to the continuous humification process occurring in the natural soils. on the other band, LIF spectroscopic analysis of the CT soils showed less pronounced changes or no change in the degree of humification with depth. This indicates that the ploughing and harrowing involved in CT lead to homogenization of the soil and thereby also of the degree of humification of OM throughout the profile. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EVOLUTION PATTERNS OF THE SOIL ORGANIC-MATTER IN SOME AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO REGION

Several changes in the soil humus characteristics were observed after clearing the Central Brazil virgin forest. When compared with the original ''Cerrado'' forest, the soils from the agricultural systems showed increased values for cation exchange capacity, total organic matter and non-extractable humin. The humic acid fraction underwent some changes suggesting increased oxidation and decreased aliphatic content. The soil organic N tends to accumulate in the insoluble humus fractions.The above changes were much less intense when the virgin forest was transformed into pastures. Under these conditions, the most significant changes were the reduction of readily biodegradable soil organic matter fractions.In view of the intensity of the lixiviation processes in the area studied, the above changes may be connected with the reduction in aggregate stability observed in the cleared sites.In general, the characteristics of the humus formations in the ''Cerrado'' region suggested high resistance to external factors, which is in part attributed to the active insolubilization of humic colloids by the Al and Fe oxides. In the absence of erosive processes in the cleared sites, additional humus stability may conform both to selective biodegradation and/or lixiviation of the humic colloids, or to the effects of the fire used in soil management.

Analysis of the procedures used to evaluate suicide crime scenes in Brazil: A statistical approach to interpret reports

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

Ecological distribution of the shrimp Nematopalaemon schmitti (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) in three bays on the south-eastern coast of Brazil

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

Direct determination of Cu, Cd, Ni and Pb in aquatic humic substances by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

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

Crop sequences in no-tillage system: effects on soil fertility and soybean, maize and rice yield

Os resíduos vegetais das culturas, ao se decomporem, alteram os atributos químicos do solo e, como consequência, influenciam a produtividade das culturas em sucessão. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os atributos químicos do solo e a produtividade das culturas de soja, milho e arroz, cultivadas no verão, em sucessão a culturas de inverno em semeadura direta. O experimento foi realizado em Jaboticabal-SP (48 ° 18 ' 58 '' W e 21 ° 15 ' 22 '' S), em um Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, no esquema em faixas, com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pela combinação de quatro sequências de culturas de verão (monoculturas de milho e soja e rotações soja/milho e arroz/feijão/algodão) com sete culturas de inverno (milho, girassol, nabo forrageiro, milheto, guandu, sorgo e crotalária). Os cultivos iniciaram-se em 2002. Após o manejo das culturas de inverno e antes da semeadura das culturas de verão do ano agrícola 2006/2007, foram coletadas amostras de solo nas camadas de 0-2,5; 2,5-5,0; 5-10; 10-20; e 20-30 cm. Nas amostras de solo, foram determinados: teores de matéria orgânica, pH, teores de P (resina), K, Ca e Mg trocáveis e acidez potencial (H + Al). As sequências de verão rotação soja/milho e milho em monocultura proporcionaram no solo menores teores de matéria orgânica na camada de 0-10 cm e de P do solo na camada de 0-20 cm. Na sequência de verão arroz/feijão/algodão, maiores teores de K foram proporcionados pelas culturas de inverno crotalária e nabo forrageiro, na camada de 0-10 cm, e milheto, na de 0-2,5 cm. Crotalária, milheto, nabo forrageiro e sorgo, cultivados no inverno, proporcionaram maiores teores de matéria orgânica no solo na camada de 0-30 cm. Maiores teores de P no solo foram proporcionados pela crotalária, na camada de 0-2,5 cm, e pelo nabo forrageiro, na de 0-5 cm. Maiores produtividades de soja, como monocultura de verão, foram obtidas após nabo forrageiro e crotalária e, quando em rotação com milho no verão, após nabo forrageiro, crotalária e milheto. Maiores produtividades de milho foram obtidas após nabo forrageiro, milheto e guandu, e menor produtividade de arroz foi obtida após sorgo.