Anomalous diffusion of pions at RHIC

After pointing out the difference between normal and anomalous diffusion, we consider a hadron resonance cascade (HRC) model simulation for particle emission at RHIC and point out that rescattering in an expanding hadron resonance gas leads to a heavy tail in the source distribution. The results are compared to recent PHENIX measurements of the tail of the particle emitting source in Au+Au collisions at RHIC. In this context, we show how can one distinguish experimentally the anomalous diffusion of hadrons from a second order QCD phase transition.

The stable archipelago in the region of the Pallas and Hansa dynamical families

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

Scales of critically stable few-body halo systems

We review the scaling properties of few-body observables near the critical conditions for binding, with particular attention to light exotic nuclei, molecules and ultracold atoms.

Seasonal variations in chemical composition and stable isotopes of farmed and wild Brazilian freshwater fish

This study examined variations in the Fulton condition factor, chemical composition, and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in the Brazilian freshwater fish cachara (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum), comparing farmed and wild fish in different seasons. Values for energy, protein, moisture, and Fulton's condition factor were higher for farmed than for wild fish in the rainy season, indicating better nutritional quality; however, these differences were not observed in the dry season. Likewise, we found significant enhancement of delta(15)N in farmed fish in the rainy season but not in the dry season, whereas enhancement of delta(13)C was observed in both seasons. The combined measurement of delta(13)C and delta(15)N provided traceability under all conditions. Our findings show that stable isotope analysis of C and N can be used to trace cachara origin, and that seasonal variations need to be considered when applying chemical and isotopic authentication of fish and fish products. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of stable isotopes for authentication of gadoid fish species

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Spontaneous Interblink Time Distributions in Patients with Graves' Orbitopathy and Normal Subjects

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Carbohydrate Composition and Water-Stable Aggregation of an Oxisol as Affected by Crop Sequence under No-Till

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

Fractionation of Zn, Cd and Pb in a Tropical Soil After Nine-Year Sewage Sludge Applications

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

Selection strategies for dairy buffaloes: economic and genetic consequences

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

Spatial variations at different observational scales and the seasonal distributions of stream macroalgae in a Brazilian subtropical region

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Static simulation of bulk and selected surfaces of anatase TiO2

A theoretical investigation has been carried out to characterize bulk and selected surfaces of anatase TiO2. The calculations are performed using a B3LYP hybrid functional and 6-31G basis set within the periodic density functional approximation. Optimization procedures have been employed to determine the equilibrium geometry of the crystal and slab surface models. The compressibility, band structure, and the bulk and surface charge distributions are reported. The surface relative energies are identified to follow the sequence: (001) < (101) < (100) much less than (110) < < < (111), from the most stable surface to the least stable one. Relaxation of (001) and (101) surfaces are moderate, with no displacements exceeding; approximate to0.19 Angstrom. The theoretical results are compared with previous theoretical studies and available experimental data. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Poultry offal meal in chicken: Traceability using the technique of carbon (C-13/C-12)- and nitrogen (N-15/N-14)-stable isotopes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Traceability of bovine meat and bone meal in poultry by stable isotope analysis

Bovine meat and bone meal (MBM) was widely used in animal diets until outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encefalopathy (BSE) occurred in some countries. It has not been confirmed yet whether or not BSE may be transmitted to man through chicken meat originated from poultry that had been fed diets containing MBM. Therefore, consumers nowadays express preference for meat originated from birds fed exclusively vegetable diets. This study analyzed samples of major breast muscle (Pectoralis major) using mass spectrometry of stable isotopes (carbon and nitrogen) as a means to assess the presence of MBM in broiler diets, a technique that might be used in the certification of poultry quality. A total of 150 day-old chicks were reared in five randomized treatments with increasing MBM dietary inclusion levels (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8%). on day 42, breast muscle samples were collected from three birds per treatment and used in the determination of 13C/12C and 15N/14N isotope ratios. The breast muscle isotope values were expressed as delta in parts per thousand (delta ). The following carbon isotope values (13C) were found: 18.74 ±0.11, 18.51 ±0.19, 18.24 ±0.10, -17.79 ±0.12, and -17.15 ±0.15 for 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8% MBM dietary levels, respectively. Nitrogen isotope values (15N) were 1.65 ±0.14, 1.65 ±0.28, 1.72 ±0.08, 1.95 ±0.16, and 2.52 ± 0.09 for 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8% MBM dietary levels, respectively. This study showed important differences in delta13C and delta15N values in breast meat, evidencing a simultaneous enrichment of this isotopic pair, which allowed tracing MBM in bird diets. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes may be used to ensure feeding with exclusively vegetable diets, and might also be used as a reliable evaluation tool in broiler meat certification. The diet with 1% inclusion level of MBM and the exclusively vegetable diet showed similar results.

Parturition intervals and distributions of parturitions by months of buffalo in Southern and South-eastern Brazil

Reproductive rate is an important component of economic success in livestock production. Parturition interval (IEP) is a direct measure of the productivity of the animal. Long IEP reduce the number of calves produced per year. The objective this study was to determine the distribution of parturitions across month and to evaluate factors affecting IEP. The data included 7,588 parturitions of Murrah, Mediterranean and Carabobo buffalo from 10 herds in Southern and South-eastern Brazil. The analysis of distribution of parturitions evaluated the effects of month, year and their interaction on birth date of calves by using a Chi-Square test in SAS PROC FREQ (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA). Parturition intervals (n = 2,630) were evaluated using analysis of variance in SAS PROC GLM. The model for IEP included the fixed effects of season (December to May = 1, June to November = 2), year, season x year, sex of the preceding parturition, age of weaning of the previous calf, and herd. All sources of variation were significant (P<0.0001) except sex of the preceding parturition (P <0.85). The mean IEP was 446.7 +/- 10.4 days, for seasons 1 and 2 IEP were 419.8 +/- 11.3 and 473.6 +/- 40.7 days, respectively, a difference of 54 days. As weaning age increased there was a lengthening of IEP. Buffalo in Brazil showed seasonal parturition with calving concentrated from January to April, although the frequency by month differed across years (P<0.0001). These months also had the lowest calving interval.

Traceability of animal byproducts in quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) tissues using carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) stable isotopes

Consistent information on meat products consumed by the public is essential. The technique of stable isotopes is a powerful tool to recover consumers' confidence, as it allows the detection of animal byproduct residues in poultry meat, particularly in quail meat. This study aimed at checking the presence of poultry byproduct mixtures in quail diets by applying the technique of carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) stable isotopes in quail breast muscle, keel, and tibia. Sixty four one-day-old male quails were obtained from a commercial farm. Birds were housed in an experimental house from one to 42 days of age, and were randomly distributed into 8 experimental treatments, and fed diets containing poultry offal meal (POM), bovine meat and bone meal (MBM) or poultry feather meal (PFM), or their mixtures. Four birds per treatment were slaughtered at 42 days of age, and breast (Pectoralis major), keel, and tibia were collected for analyses. The inclusion of animal byproducts in quail diets was detected by 13C e 15N analyses in the tissues of the birds; however, it was not possible to specify which byproducts were used. It was concluded that quail meat can be certified by the technique of stable isotopes.