Hamilton-Jacobi approach for first order actions and theories with higher derivatives

In this work, we analyze systems described by Lagrangians with higher order derivatives in the context of the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism for first order actions. Two different approaches are studied here: the first one is analogous to the description of theories with higher derivatives in the hamiltonian formalism according to [D.M. Gitman, S.L. Lyakhovich, I.V. Tyutin, Soviet Phys. J. 26 (1983) 730; D.M. Gitman, I.V. Tyutin, Quantization of Fields with Constraints, Springer-Verlag, New York, Berlin, 1990] the second treats the case where degenerate coordinate are present, in an analogy to reference [D.M. Gitman, I.V. Tyutin, Nucl. Phys. B 630 (2002) 509]. Several examples are analyzed where a comparison between both approaches is made. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Search for first generation scalar leptoquarks in the e nu jj channel in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Hylin a1, the first cytolytic peptide isolated from the arboreal South American frog Hypsiboas albopunctatus ('spotted treefrog')

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Understanding the origin of photoluminescence in disordered Ca0.60Sr0.40WO4: An experimental and first-principles study

Visible photoluminescence (PL) was observed for the first time at room temperature in structurally disordered calcium strontium tungstate powder, Ca0.60Sr0.40WO4 (CSW), obtained by the polymeric precursor method. The PL behavior of CSW powders has been analyzed as a function of the disorder rate, based on experimental and theoretical studies. Quantum mechanical theory based on density functional theory at the B3LYP level has been employed to study the electronic structure of two periodic models representing both crystalline and disordered powders. Their electronic structures have been analyzed in terms of density of states, band dispersion and charge densities. The calculations indicate a break in symmetry when passing from crystalline to disordered models, creating localized electronic levels above the valence band. Moreover, a negative charge transfer process takes place from the [WO3] cluster to the [WO4] cluster. The polarization induced by the break in symmetry and the existence of localized levels favors the creation of trapped holes and electrons, originating the PL phenomenon. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First order reversal curve analysis of nanocrystalline Pd80Co20 alloy films

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

Self-assembly of organometallic Pd(II) complexes via CH3 center dot center dot center dot pi interactions: the first example of a cyclopalladated compound with herringbone stacking pattern

Two binuclear cyclometallated compounds [Pd(C-2,N-dmba)(mu-N-3)](2) (1) and [Pd-2(C-2,N-dmba)(2)(mu-N-3)(mu-Cl)] (2) (dmba = N,N-dimethylbenzylarnine) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental 3 analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopies and single crystal X-ray diffraction crystallography. The ability of CH3 groups to form C(sp(3))-H...pi hydrogen bonds with phenyl rings is responsible for the molecular self-assembly within the crystals of 1 and 2. Compound 1 crystallizes as one-dimensional supramolecular chains whereas the crystal packing of 2 consists of a herringbone of sandwiches composed by two inversely related [Pd-2(C-2,N-dmba)(2)(mu-N-3)(mu-Cl)] molecules. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

First record of petrified Permian pecopterids from the Parana Basin, Brazil (Corumbatai Formation, Passa Dois Group, northeastern State of São Paulo): Morphology, anatomy and paleoecological implications

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

Tannery sludge compost amendment rates on soil microbial biomass of two different soils

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The first report of Hepatozoon sp (Apicomplexa : Hepatozoidae) in neotropical felids from Brazil

In order to investigate the occurrence of Hepatozoon infection in Neotropical felids from Brazil, blood from the jugular or cephalic vein was taken from 29 non-domestic felids including ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), little spotted cat (Leopardus tigrinus), margay (Leopardus wiedii), and jaguarondi (Puma yagouaroundi) from the Northeast region of Brazil. Hepatozoon infection was confirmed by light microscopy and molecular techniques. The results showed five naturally infected felids. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene of the Hepatozoon sp. from these felids were further analyzed. Sequences revealed that the isolates found are closely related to Hepatozoon sp. from domestic cats in Spain. Hepatozoon species from Neotropical felids were identified molecularly and characterized for the first time. This is also the first report of Hepatozoon infection in a little spotted cat. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surveillance Programme for Healthcare Associated Infections in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Implementation and the first three years' results

Governmental programmes should be developed to collect and analyse data on healthcare associated infections (HAIs). This study describes the healthcare setting and both the implementation and preliminary results of the Programme for Surveillance of Healthcare Associated Infections in the State of São Paulo (PSHAISP), Brazil, from 2004 to 2006. Characterisation of the healthcare settings was carried out using a national database. The PSHAISP was implemented using components for acute care hospitals (ACH) or long term care facilities (LTCF). The components for surveillance in ACHs were surgical unit, intensive care unit and high risk nursery. The infections included in the surveillance were surgical site infection in clean surgery, pneumonia, urinary tract infection and device-associated bloodstream infections. Regarding the LTCF component, pneumonia, scabies and gastroenteritis in all inpatients were reported. In the first year of the programme there were 457 participating healthcare settings, representing 51.1% of the hospitals registered in the national database. Data obtained in this study are the initial results and have already been used for education in both surveillance and the prevention of HAI. The results of the PSHAISP show that it is feasible to collect data from a large number of hospitals. This will assist the State of São Paulo in assessing the impact of interventions and in resource allocation. (C) 2010 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of different tannery sludge compost amendment rates on growth, biomass accumulation and yield responses of Capsicum plants

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

First record of L-quebrachitol in Allophylus edulis (Sapindaceae)

Allophylus edulis, commonly called 'Chal chal', is a member of the Sapindaceae occurring in the Uruguayan and Brazilian native flora. During the phytochemical analysis of two Chal chal specimens from two welldifferentiated geographical zones (Assis, São Paulo, Brazil, and Santa Lucia, Canelones, Uruguay), considerable amounts of L-quebrachitol were isolated from both samples. The isolation was carried out from the ethanolic twig extracts obtained by maceration of both vegetal samples. White easily distinguishable crystals were mechanically separated, washed, and characterized by 1D and 2D NMR experiments and by MS data. Such techniques confirmed that the crystals isolated from sources collected in both countries resulted in the same compound, L-quebrachitol, a natural product not previously reported for this species and one that has been investigated as a sugar substitute for diabetics. Worthy of note, the content of L-quebrachitol in A. edulis may be the chemical basis to explain its ethnobotanical uses, since infusions of this plant are used to treat diabetes in the practice of local traditional medicine. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Superspace action for the first massive states of the superstring

Using the manifestly spacetime-supersymmetric version of open superstring field theory, we construct the free action for the first massive states of the open superstring compactified to four dimensions. This action is in N = 1 D = 4 superspace and describes a massive spin-2 multiplet coupled to two massive scalar multiplets. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Follicular dynamics and plasma FSH and progesterone concentrations during follicular deviation in the first post-ovulatory wave in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers

The objective of the present study was to characterize ovarian follicular dynamics and hormone concentrations during follicular deviation in the first wave after ovulation in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers. Ultrasonographic exams were performed and blood samples were collected every 12 h from the day of estrus until 120-144 h after ovulation in seven females. Deviation was defined as the point at which the growth rate of the dominant follicle became greater than the growth rate of the largest subordinate follicle. Deviation occurred approximately 65 h after ovulation. Growth rate of the dominant follicle increased (P < 0.05) after deviation, while growth rate of the subordinate follicle decreased (P < 0.05). Diameter of the dominant follicle did not differ from the subordinate follicle at deviation (approximately 5.4 mm). The dominant follicle (7.6 mm) was larger (P < 0.05) than the subordinate follicle (5.3 mm) 96 h after ovulation or 24 h after deviation. Plasma FSH concentrations did not change significantly during the post-ovulatory period. The first significant increase in mean plasma progesterone concentration occurred on the day of follicular deviation. In conclusion, the interval from ovulation to follicular deviation (2.7 days) was similar to that previously reported in B. taurus females, but follicles were smaller. Diameters of the dominant follicle and subordinate follicle did not differ before deviation and deviation was characterized by an increase in dominant follicle and decrease in subordinate follicle growth rate. Variations in FSH concentrations within 12-h intervals were not involved in follicular deviation in Nelore heifers. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategy proposal, from the perspective of Latin America and the Caribbean, for advancing towards an international convention on the human rights of older persons

The Brasilia Declaration, adopted in 2007 at the second Regional Intergovernmental Conference on Ageing in Latin America and the Caribbean: towards a society for all ages and rights-based social protection and ratified in ECLAC resolution 644(XXXII) of 2008, called on participating governments to work towards adopting a international convention regarding the rights of older persons (Article 24). It also established a mandate for a Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur who would be responsible for promoting and protecting the rights of older persons (Article 25).Three meetings were held during the past biennium pursuant to that commitment. The first and second meetings took place, respectively, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2008) and in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2009). At the third meeting, held in Santiago (Chile), on 5-6 October 2009, participating countries requested the Secretariat of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC) to prepare "a proposal for a strategy on how to follow up article 24 and 25 of the Brasilia Declaration." This proposal should include the "minimum content necessary in an international convention on the rights of older persons from the Latin American and Caribbean perspective."In response to this request, this document first presents a general overview of existing human rights standards, both at the international and at the regional levels, that are relevant to the promotion and the protection of the rights of older persons. It then provides the arguments that, from a Latin American and Caribbean perspective, justify the adoption of an international convention regarding the rights of older persons, as well as the minimum contents that this convention should include. The document finally presents a proposed strategy to move towards the adoption of an international convention in this realm from a Latin American and Caribbean perspective.