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.

Lattice constellations and codes from quadratic number fields

We propose new classes of linear codes over integer rings of quadratic extensions of Q, the field of rational numbers. The codes are considered with respect to a Mannheim metric, which is a Manhattan metric modulo a two-dimensional (2-D) grid. In particular, codes over Gaussian integers and Eisenstein-Jacobi integers are extensively studied. Decoding algorithms are proposed for these codes when up to two coordinates of a transmitted code vector are affected by errors of arbitrary Mannheim weight. Moreover, we show that the proposed codes are maximum-distance separable (MDS), with respect to the Hamming distance. The practical interest in such Mannheim-metric codes is their use in coded modulation schemes based on quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM)-type constellations, for which neither the Hamming nor the Lee metric is appropriate.

Confinement and soliton solutions in the SL(3) Toda model coupled to matter fields

We consider an integrable conformally invariant two-dimensional model associated to the affine Kac-Moody algebra sl3(ℂ). It possesses four scalar fields and six Dirac spinors. The theory does not possesses a local Lagrangian since the spinor equations of motion present interaction terms which are bilinear in the spinors. There exists a submodel presenting an equivalence between a U(1) vector current and a topological current, which leads to a confinement of the spinors inside the solitons. We calculate the one-soliton and two-soliton solutions using a procedure which is a hybrid of the dressing and Hirota methods. The soliton masses and time delays due to the soliton interactions are also calculated. We give a computer program to calculate the soliton solutions. © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Spatial pattern of parasitism in Diatraea saccharalis Fab. (Lep., Crambidae) populations at two different spatial scales in sugarcane fields in Brazil

The biological control of Diatraea saccharalis is regarded as one of the best examples of successful classical biological control in Brazil. Since the introduction of the exotic parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes, the decrease in D. saccharalis infestation in sugarcane fields has been attributed to the effectiveness of this agent. Native Tachinidae fly parasitoids (Lydella minense and Paratheresia claripalpis) have also been implicated in the success. Quantitative data confirming the actual contribution of these agents to the control of D. saccharalis are, however, rather scant. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial pattern of parasitism of these parasitoids in D. saccharalis populations at two large spatial scales (fields and zones). To investigate this subject, a large data set comprising information collected from a sugarcane mill located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil (São João sugarcane mill) was analysed. When regressions between the proportion parasitism against host density were computed, the percentage of significant regressions with either a positive or a negative slope was very small at both spatial scales for both parasitoid species. Regressing the densities of tachinid-parasitized hosts against host densities per field showed that these parasitoids presented a 'moderate aggregative' response to host densities, as 53.33% of the regressions were positively significant. Cotesia flavipes was 'weakly aggregated' on host densities at the field level, because only 33.33% of the regressions were positively significant. At the zone level, neither aggregative nor spatial proportion parasitism responses were evident for either parasitoid species due to the small percentage of significant regressions computed.

Steel bars identification in reinforced concrete structures by using ANN and magnetic fields

This work proposes a methodology for non destructive testing (NDT) of reinforced concrete structures, using superficial magnetic fields and artificial neural networks, in order to identify the size and position of steel bars, embedded into the concrete. For the purposes of this paper, magnetic induction curves were obtained by using a finite element program. Perceptron Multilayered (PML) ANNs, with Levemberg-Marquardt training algorithm were used. The results presented very good agreement with the expect ones, encouraging the development of real systems based upon the proposed methodology.

On the nucleation of GaP/GaAs and the effect of buried stress fields

We have recently shown that spatial ordering for epitaxially grown InP dots can be obtained using the periodic stress field of compositional modulation on the InGaP buffer layer. The aim of this present work is to study the growth of films of GaP by Chemical Beam Epitaxy (CBE), with in-situ monitoring by Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED), on layers of unstressed and stressed GaAs. Complementary, we have studied the role of a buried InP dot array on GaP nucleation in order to obtain three-dimensional structures. In both cases, the topographical characteristics of the samples were investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in non-contact mode. Thus vertically-coupled quantum dots of different materials have been obtained keeping the in-place spatial ordering originated from the composition modulation. © 2006 Materials Research Society.

Effect of the Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-splitting terms on the electron g factor in semiconductor quantum wells under applied magnetic fields

We use the Ogg-McCombe Hamiltonian together with the Dresselhaus and Rashba spin-splitting terms to find the g factor of conduction electrons in GaAs-(Ga,Al)As semiconductor quantum wells (QWS) (either symmetric or asymmetric) under a magnetic field applied along the growth direction. The combined effects of non-parabolicity, anisotropy and spin-splitting terms are taken into account. Theoretical results are given as functions of the QW width and compared with available experimental data and previous theoretical works. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cytogenetic and random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of Leptodactylus species from rural and urban environments (Anura, Amphibia)

Cytogenetic and random amplified polymorphic DNA analyses carried out in the species Leptodactylus podicipinus, L. ocellatus, L. labyrinthicus, and L. fuscus from rural and urban habitats of the northwest region of São Paulo State, Brazil, showed that the karyotypes (2n = 22), constitutive heterochromatin distribution and nucleolus organizer region (NOR) location did not differ between the populations from the two environments. The in situ hybridization with an rDNA probe confirmed the location of the NORs on chromosome 8 revealing an in tandem duplication of that region in one of the chromosomes of L. fuscus. DAPI showed that part of the C-band-positive heterochromatin is rich in AT, including that in the proximity the NORs in L. podicipinus and L. ocellatus. The molecular analyses showed that the two populations (urban and rural) of L. podicipinus and L. fuscus are similar from a genetic point of view. The urban and rural populations of species L. ocellatus and L. labyrinthicus showed differences in genetic structures, probably due to urbanization which interferes with the dispersion of those frogs. The marked differences observed between the two populations of L. ocellatus can be representing the cryptic condition of the species. Unweighted pair-group method of analysis and genetic distance analysis detected the genetic proximity between L. ocellatus and L. fuscus. The results indicate that there was no reduction in the genetic diversity in the populations from the urban environment; however, the survival of these frogs would not be guaranteed in the case of an increase in human impact especially for populations of L. labyrinthicus and L. ocellatus. ©FUNPEC-RP.

Multi-trait and random regression mature weight heritability and breeding value estimates in Nelore cattle

Mature weight breeding values were estimated using a multi-trait animal model (MM) and a random regression animal model (RRM). Data consisted of 82 064 weight records from 8 145 animals, recorded from birth to eight years of age. Weights at standard ages were considered in the MM. All models included contemporary groups as fixed effects, and age of dam (linear and quadratic effects) and animal age as covariates. In the RRM, mean trends were modelled through a cubic regression on orthogonal polynomials of animal age and genetic maternal and direct and maternal permanent environmental effects were also included as random. Legendre polynomials of orders 4, 3, 6 and 3 were used for animal and maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects, respectively, considering five classes of residual variances. Mature weight (five years) direct heritability estimates were 0.35 (MM) and 0.38 (RRM). Rank correlation between sires' breeding values estimated by MM and RRM was 0.82. However, selecting the top 2% (12) or 10% (62) of the young sires based on the MM predicted breeding values, respectively 71% and 80% of the same sires would be selected if RRM estimates were used instead. The RRM modelled the changes in the (co)variances with age adequately and larger breeding value accuracies can be expected using this model. © South African Society for Animal Science.

Influence of the vinasse application in sugar cane fields in Patrocínio Paulista, São Paulo State, Brazil

This investigation was carried out in Patrocínio Paulista municipality, located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Sugarcane has been extensively cultivated in the area in order to be utilized by the sugar and ethanol industries. The major effluent from the ethanol industry, vinasse, has been applied in the sugarcane fields as an alternative to supply several nutrients in crop production. Because it may represent a major environmental problem in that area, with implications to human health, soil samples from six points were collected and analyzed in order to evaluate the main factors related to the vinasse application in the ground. The importance of clays, iron oxides, organic matter and minor refractory minerals was also considered for explaining several relationships identified from the acquired data. © 2009 WIT Press.

Upconversion ultraviolet random lasing in Nd 3+ doped fluoroindate glass powder

An upconversion random laser (RL) operating in the ultraviolet is reported for Nd 3+ doped fluoroindate glass powder pumped at 575 nm. The RL is obtained by the resonant excitation of the Nd 3+ state 2G 7/2 followed by energy transfer among two excited ions such that one ion in the pair decays to a lower energy state and the other is promoted to state 4D 7/2 from where it decays emitting light at 381 nm. The RL threshold of 30 kW/cm 2 was determined by monitoring the photoluminescence intensity as a function of the pump laser intensity. The RL pulses have time duration of 29 ns that is 50 times smaller than the decay time of the upconversion signal when the sample is pumped with intensities below the RL laser threshold. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

A Markov random field model for combining optimum-path forest classifiers using decision graphs and game strategy approach

The research on multiple classifiers systems includes the creation of an ensemble of classifiers and the proper combination of the decisions. In order to combine the decisions given by classifiers, methods related to fixed rules and decision templates are often used. Therefore, the influence and relationship between classifier decisions are often not considered in the combination schemes. In this paper we propose a framework to combine classifiers using a decision graph under a random field model and a game strategy approach to obtain the final decision. The results of combining Optimum-Path Forest (OPF) classifiers using the proposed model are reported, obtaining good performance in experiments using simulated and real data sets. The results encourage the combination of OPF ensembles and the framework to design multiple classifier systems. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.