Gravitomagnetic moments of the fundamental fields

The quadratic form of the Dirac equation in a Riemann space-time yields a gravitational gyromagnetic ratio κ(S) = 2 for the interaction of a Dirac spinor with curvature. A gravitational gyromagnetic ratio κ(S) = 1 is also found for the interaction of a vector field with curvature. It is shown that the Dirac equation in a curved background can be obtained as the square-root of the corresponding vector field equation only if the gravitational gyromagnetic ratios are properly taken into account.

Theoretical study on the molecular mechanism for the reaction of VO2+ with C2H4

The complex reaction between VO2+ ((1)A(1)/(3)A) and C2H4 (Ag-1(g)/(3)A(1)) to yield VO+ ((1)Delta/(3)Sigma) and CH3CHO ('A'/(3)A) has been studied by means of B3LYP/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-311G(2d,p) calculations. The structures of all reactants, products, intermediates, and transition structures of this reaction have been optimized and characterized at the fundamental singlet and first excited triplet electronic states. Crossing points are localized, and possible spin inversion processes are discussed by means of the intrinsic reaction coordinate approach. Relevant stationary points along the most favorable reaction pathways have been studied at the CCSD/6-311G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-311G(2d,p) calculation level. The theoretical results allow the development of thermodynamic and kinetic arguments about the reaction pathways of the title process. In the singlet state, the first step is the barrierless obtention of a reactant complex associated with the formation of a V-C bond, while in the triplet state a three-membered ring addition complex with the V bonded to the two C atoms is obtained. Similar behavior is found in the exit channels: the product complexes can be formed from isolated products without barriers. The reactant and product complexes are the most stable stationary points in the singlet and triplet electronic states. From the singlet state reactant complex, two reaction pathways are posssible to reach the triplet state product complex. (i) A mechanism in which a hydrogen transfer process is the first and rate limiting step and the second step is an oxygen transfer between vanadium and carbon atoms with a concomitant change in the spin state. The crossing point between singlet and triplet spin states is not kinetically relevant because it takes place at a later stage occurring in the exit channel. (ii) A mechanism in which the first stage renders a four-membered ring between vanadyl cation and the ethylene fragment and an oxygencarbon bond is formed; on going from this minimum to the second transition structure, associated with a carbon-vanadium bond breaking process, the crossing point between singlet and triplet spin states is reached. The final step is the hydrogen transfer between both carbon atoms to yield the product complex. In this case the spin change opens a lower barrier pathway. The transition structures with larger values of relative energies for both reactive channels of VO2+ ((1)A(1)) + C2H4 (Ag-1) --> VO+ ((3)Sigma) + CH3CHO ((1)A') present similar energies, and the two reaction pathways can be considered as competitive.

The effect of acoustic mode on time-resolved temperature measurements in a Rijke-tube pulse combustor

Radial profiles are reported of average and rms temperature in a propane flame for the first, second, and third acoustic modes at four different axial positions above the burner in a Rijke-tube combustor. Selected plots of the power spectral density (PSD) of temperature fluctuations are also reported. These radial profiles are then compared to similar ones made in the same flame, but in the absence of the acoustic field. Visual observations and photographs of the flame showed a remarkable change in flame height and structure with the onset of acoustic oscillations. This reduction in flame length, caused by the enhanced mixing due to the acoustic velocity fluctuations, gave rise to higher and lower average and rms temperatures near or well above the burner, respectively. In general, the PSD plots had a broad frequency content. The general trend was a decrease in magnitude with an increase in frequency. All cases presented broad-band peaks at around 5 Hz related to the flame flickering phenomenon. Preferred frequencies were observed in the oscillating PSD plots related to the fundamental frequency as well as subharmonics in the tube. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Electrical Characteristics of an Alternative Solution for the Brazilian-Amazon Transmission System

This article analyzes the electrical parameters of a 3-phase transmission line using a 280-m-high steel tower that has been proposed for the Amazon transmission system in Brazil. The height of the line conductors and the distance between them are intrinsically related to the longitudinal and transverse parameters of the line. Hence, an accurate study is carried out in order to show the electrical variations between a transmission line using the new technology and a conventional 3-phase 440-kV line, considering a wide range of frequencies and variable soil resistivity. First, a brief review of the fundamental theory of line parameters is presented. In addition, by using a digital line model, simulations are carried out in the time domain to analyze possible and critical over-voltage transients on the proposed line representation.

Valor e variações da freqüência fundamental no choro de dor de recém-nascidos

OBJETIVO: estudar o valor da freqüência fundamental e suas variações presentes no choro de dor de recém-nascidos. MÉTODOS: foram gravadas as emissões de 111 recém-nascidos de termo e saudáveis, com idade de 24 a 72 horas durante procedimento da punção venosa periférica. A análise acústica foi realizada por meio dos softwares VOXMETRIA 1.1 com extração do valor da freqüência fundamental e GRAM 5.7 para verificar a ocorrência de variações da freqüência fundamental como quebras, bitonalidade e freqüência hiperaguda. A escala de dor NIPS foi realizada no momento da punção. A análise estatística é descritiva com extração dos valores de média, desvio-padrão e freqüência de ocorrência dos eventos. RESULTADOS: os recém-nascidos apresentaram 100% de suas emissões com variações de freqüência, ou seja, quebras e bitonalidade. A freqüência hiperaguda foi encontrada em 34,2% dos recém-nascidos. CONCLUSÃO: por meio do choro, o recém-nascido comunica sua dor. A emissão de dor do recém-nascido é tensa e estridente, com freqüência fundamental aguda e variações encontradas no traçado espectrográfico, como quebras, bitonalidade e freqüência hiperaguda. Tais características são importantes para chamar a atenção do adulto no pronto atendimento ao recém-nascido e auxiliar na avaliação de dor durante um procedimento.

What About the Actor's Formant in Actresses' Voices?

Spectrographic analysis of male actors' voices showed a cluster, the actor's formant (AF), which is related to the perception of good and projected voice quality. To date, similar phenomena have not been described in the voices of actresses. Therefore, the objective of the current investigation was to compare actresses' and nonactresses' voices through acoustic analysis to verify the existence of the AF cluster or the strategies used to produce the performing voice. Thirty actresses and 30 nonactresses volunteered as subjects in the present study. All subjects read a 40-second text at both habitual and loud levels. Praat (v.5.1) was then used to analyze equivalent sound pressure level (Leq), speaking fundamental frequency (SFF), and in the long-term average spectrum window, the difference between the amplitude level of the fundamental frequency and first formant (L1 - L0), the spectral tilt (alpha ratio), and the amplitude and frequency of the AF region. Significant differences between the groups, in both levels, were observed for SFF and L1 - L0, with actresses presenting lower values. There were no significant differences between groups for Leq or alpha ratio at either level. There was no evidence of an AF cluster in the actresses' voices. Voice projection for this group of actresses seemed to be mainly a result of a laryngeal setting instead of vocal tract resonances.

The use of biodiversity as source of new chemical entities against defined molecular targets for treatment of malaria, tuberculosis, and T-cell mediated diseases: a review

The modern approach to the development of new chemical entities against complex diseases, especially the neglected endemic diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, is based on the use of defined molecular targets. Among the advantages, this approach allows (i) the search and identification of lead compounds with defined molecular mechanisms against a defined target (e.g. enzymes from defined pathways), (ii) the analysis of a great number of compounds with a favorable cost/benefit ratio, (iii) the development even in the initial stages of compounds with selective toxicity (the fundamental principle of chemotherapy), (iv) the evaluation of plant extracts as well as of pure substances. The current use of such technology, unfortunately, is concentrated in developed countries, especially in the big pharma. This fact contributes in a significant way to hamper the development of innovative new compounds to treat neglected diseases. The large biodiversity within the territory of Brazil puts the country in a strategic position to develop the rational and sustained exploration of new metabolites of therapeutic value. The extension of the country covers a wide range of climates, soil types, and altitudes, providing a unique set of selective pressures for the adaptation of plant life in these scenarios. Chemical diversity is also driven by these forces, in an attempt to best fit the plant communities to the particular abiotic stresses, fauna, and microbes that co-exist with them. Certain areas of vegetation (Amazonian Forest, Atlantic Forest, Araucaria Forest, Cerrado-Brazilian Savanna, and Caatinga) are rich in species and types of environments to be used to search for natural compounds active against tuberculosis, malaria, and chronic-degenerative diseases. The present review describes some strategies to search for natural compounds, whose choice can be based on ethnobotanical and chemotaxonomical studies, and screen for their ability to bind to immobilized drug targets and to inhibit their activities. Molecular cloning, gene knockout, protein expression and purification, N-terminal sequencing, and mass spectrometry are the methods of choice to provide homogeneous drug targets for immobilization by optimized chemical reactions. Plant extract preparations, fractionation of promising plant extracts, propagation protocols and definition of in planta studies to maximize product yield of plant species producing active compounds have to be performed to provide a continuing supply of bioactive materials. Chemical characterization of natural compounds, determination of mode of action by kinetics and other spectroscopic methods (MS, X-ray, NMR), as well as in vitro and in vivo biological assays, chemical derivatization, and structure-activity relationships have to be carried out to provide a thorough knowledge on which to base the search for natural compounds or their derivatives with biological activity.

Structural insights into the catalytic mechanism of sphingomyelinases D and evolutionary relationship to glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterases

Spider venom sphingomyelinases D catalyze the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin via an Mg2+ ion-dependent acid-base catalytic mechanism which involves two histidines. In the crystal structure of the sulfate free enzyme determined at 1.85 angstrom resolution, the metal ion is tetrahedrally coordinated instead of the trigonal-bipyramidal coordination observed in the sulfate bound form. The observed hyperpolarized state of His47 requires a revision of the previously suggested catalytic mechanism. Molecular modeling indicates that the fundamental structural features important for catalysis are fully conserved in both classes of SMases D and that the Class II SMases D contain an additional intra-chain disulphide bridge (Cys53-Cys201). Structural analysis suggests that the highly homologous enzyme from Loxosceles bonetti is unable to hydrolyze sphingomyelin due to the 95G1y -> Asn and 134Pro -> Glu mutations that modify the local charge and hydrophobicity of the interfacial face. Structural and sequence comparisons confirm the evolutionary relationship between sphingomyelinases D and the glicerophosphodiester phosphoesterases which utilize a similar catalytic mechanism. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teleparallel origin of the Fierz picture for spin-2 particle

A new approach to the description of a spin-2 particle in flat and curved spacetime is developed on the basis of the teleparallel gravity theory. We show that such an approach is in fact a true and natural framework for the Fierz representation proposed recently by Novello and Neves. More specifically, we demonstrate how the teleparallel theory fixes uniquely the structure of the Fierz tensor, discover the transparent origin of the gauge symmetry of the spin-2 model, and derive the linearized Einstein operator from the fundamental identity of the teleparallel gravity. In order to cope with the consistency problem on the curved spacetime, similarly to the usual Riemannian approach, one needs to include the nonminimal (torsion dependent) coupling terms.

Affine Toda model coupled to matter and the string tension in 2D QCD

The sl(2) affine Toda model coupled to matter is shown to describe various features, such as the spectrum and string tension, of the low-energy effective Lagrangian of two-dimensional QCD (one flavor and N colors). The corresponding string tension is computed when the dynamical quarks are in the fundamental representation of SU(N) and in the adjoint representation of SU(2).

Search for large extra spatial dimensions in dimuon production with the D0 detector

We present the results of a search for the effects of large extra spatial dimensions in p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1: 96 TeV in events containing a pair of energetic muons. The data correspond to 246 pb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Good agreement with the expected background was found, yielding no evidence for large extra dimensions. We set 95% C. L. lower limits on the fundamental Planck scale between 0.85 and 1.27 TeV within several formalisms. These are the most stringent limits achieved in the dimuon channel to date.

Gravitation and the local symmetry group of space-time

According to general relativity, the interaction of a matter field with gravitation requires the simultaneous introduction of a tetrad field, which is a field related to translations, and a spin connection, which is a field assuming values in the Lie algebra of the Lorentz group. These two fields, however, are not independent. By analyzing the constraint between them, it is concluded that the relevant local symmetry group behind general relativity is provided by the Lorentz group. Furthermore, it is shown that the minimal coupling prescription obtained from the Lorentz covariant derivative coincides exactly with the usual coupling prescription of general relativity. Instead of the tetrad, therefore, the spin connection is to be considered as the fundamental field representing gravitation.

A New Boson with a Mass of 125 GeV Observed with the CMS Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Light composite Higgs boson from the normalized Bethe-Salpeter equation

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fixed points on torus fiber bundles over the circle

The main purpose of this work is to study fixed points of fiber-preserving maps over the circle S-1 for spaces which axe fibrations over S-1 and the fiber is the torus T. For the case where the fiber is a surface with nonpositive Euler characteristic, we establish general algebraic conditions, in terms of the fundamental group and the induced homomorphism, for the existence of a deformation of a map over S-1 to a fixed point, free map. For the case where the fiber is a torus, we classify all maps over S-1 which can be deformed fiberwise to a fixed point free map.