Storage of localized structure matrixes in nematic liquid crystals

We show experimentally that large matrixes of localized structures can be stored as elementary pixels in a nematic liquid crystal cell. Based on optical feedback with phase modulated input beam, our system allows to store, erase and actualize in parallel the localized structures in the matrix.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Light self-trapping in a large cloud of cold atoms

We show that, for a near-resonant propagating beam, a large cloud of cold 87Rb atoms acts as a saturable Kerr medium and produces self-trapping of light. By side fluorescence imaging we monitor the transverse size of the beam and, depending on the sign of the laser detuning with respect to the atomic transition, we observe self-focusing or -defocusing, with the waist remaining stationary for an appropriate choice of parameters. We analyze our observations by using numerical simulations based on a simple 2-level atom model.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Optics Letter

Effect of pasture and soybean supplementation on fatty acid profile and CLA content in dairy cow milk

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been related to several beneficial effects on human and animal health (anticancerogens, antiatherogenics, etc.) The main dietary source of CLA for humans are foods derived from ruminants. In dairy products CLA content depends on ruminal bio-hydrogenation of the dietary unsaturated fats and it is also related to the Δ9desaturase activity in the mammary gland. The CLA level of milk is affected by various factors, including diet composition, that seems to play an important role (Jensen, 2002). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of toasted and raw soybean addition to a mixed diet and..........

Diagnóstico ambiental de uma nascente na cabeceira de drenagem do Rio Tibagi, Municipio de Ponta Grossa: análise preliminar.

A área de estudo encontra - se no município de Ponta Grossa, e compreende um campo hidrófilo de altitude que abriga uma das nascente do rio Caracará , afluente da margem direita do r io Tibagi . Com objetivo de caracterizar a qualidade das águas d esta nascente foi realizado campanhas de campo para a realização de uma caracterização hidroquímica preliminar. Os parâmetros avaliados foram Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Na + , K+, Cl - , HCO 3 - e SO 4= , compostos nitrogenados, NH 3 e NO 3 - , dureza, Fe; pH e CE . Neste estudo foram analisados 9 pontos amostrais distribuídos em triplicata , sendo 3 pontos de coleta instalados em cada faixa de declive representativa na nascente . A caracterização hidroquímica preliminar foi elaborada com base n a Portaria n° 2914 /2011 e n a Resolução C ONAMA n° 357/2005 e 396/2008 . O resultados preliminares indicaram que a nascente do rio Caracará localizada no campo hidrófilo de altitude apresentou teores de fósforo (0,0 4 mg/L) acima dos valores máximos permitidos para ambientes lêntico s. A s águas forma classificadas como bicabornatadas cálcicas ou magnesianas . Este monitoramento preliminar reuniu informações para dar aporte a proteção das nascentes e propiciar um melhor planejamento do manejo das águas superficiais no município de Ponta Grossa e d a bacia do rio Tibagi no estado do Paraná

Effects of sugar beet pulp on growth and health status of weaned piglets

The effects on growth performance and on some health parameters due to the inclusion of sugar beet pulp in antibioticfreediets for weaned piglets were evaluated on a commercial farm. A conventional diet (C) and one containing 120 g/kgof sugar beet pulp (SBP) were fed to 668 weaned piglets from 21 to 64±3 days of age. Every two weeks, live weight andfeed consumption (FC) of the two groups were recorded by pens. Fecal samples were collected from 8 pairs of piglets foreach treatment to evaluate the evolution over the time of the apparent digestibility of the nutrients, as well as the volatilefatty acids content and the microbial count in the feces. The dietary treatment did not affect FC. In comparison to C, SBPslightly reduced average daily gain over 36 to 49 (528 vs. 498 g/d; P<0.05) and 50 to 64±3 (677 vs. 631 g/d, respectively;P<0.01) days of age. Digestibility of NDF of diet C increased with age from 441 to 526 g/kg whereas that of dietSBP increased from 465 to 638 g/kg. The differences between diets became significant after 36 days of age (P<0.01).From 29 to 35 days of age higher contents of water (793 vs. 713 g/kg; P<0.01), acetic (322 vs. 206 μmol/g dm; P<0.01)propionic (108 vs. 81 μmol/kg dm; P<0.01) acids and lower counts for fecal-coliforms (6.9 vs. 8.2 log10/g; P<0.01),clostridia (1.3 vs. 2.3 log10/g; P<0.01) and Staphylococcus spp. (6.7 vs. 8.1 log10/g; P<0.01) were found in the feces ofthe SBP piglets compared to those of C. These differences progressively disappeared with time. Some piglets showedclinical signs of purulent arthritis and meningitis, but no signs of diarrhea were observed. The SBP group showed, withrespect to C, a significantly lower number of piglet deaths caused by meningitis (15 vs. 30 ‰, respectively; χ2, P<0.05),and a significantly lower number of piglets removed because lack of growth (33 vs. 76 ‰, respectively; χ2, P<0.01). Noclear evidence to explain this result was found, however it was concluded that the inclusion of 12% of sugar beet pulpin antibiotic-free diets can improve the health status of piglets with little effect on growth performance