Deconfinement transition in protoneutron stars: analysis within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model

We study the effect of color superconductivity and neutrino trapping on the deconfinement transition of hadronic matter into quark matter in a protoneutron star. To describe the strongly interacting matter a two-phase picture is adopted. For the hadronic phase we use different parameterizations of a non-linear Walecka model which includes the whole baryon octet. For the quark matter phase we use an $SU(3)_f$ Nambu-Jona-Lasinio effective model which includes color superconductivity. We impose color and flavor conservation during the transition in such a way that just deconfined quark matter is transitorily out of equilibrium with respect to weak interactions. We find that deconfinement is more difficult for small neutrino content and it is easier for lower temperatures although these effects are not too large. In addition they will tend to cancel each other as the protoneutron star cools and deleptonizes, resulting a transition density that is roughly constant along the evolution of the protoneutron star. According to these results the deconfinement transition is favored after substantial cooling and contraction of the protoneutron star

Programmed buckling by controlled lateral swelling in a thin elastic sheet

Recent experiments have imposed controlled swelling patterns on thin polymer films, which subsequently buckle into three-dimensional shapes. We develop a solution to the design problem suggested by such systems, namely, if and how one can generate particular three-dimensional shapes from thin elastic sheets by mere imposition of a two-dimensional pattern of locally isotropic growth. Not every shape is possible. Several types of obstruction can arise, some of which depend on the sheet thickness. We provide some examples using the axisymmetric form of the problem, which is analytically tractable.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure

Geometry of the energy landscape of the self-gravitating ring

We study the global geometry of the energy landscape of a simple model of a self-gravitating system, the self-gravitating ring (SGR). This is done by endowing the configuration space with a metric such that the dynamical trajectories are identified with geodesics. The average curvature and curvature fluctuations of the energy landscape are computed by means of Monte Carlo simulations and, when possible, of a mean-field method, showing that these global geometric quantities provide a clear geometric characterization of the collapse phase transition occurring in the SGR as the transition from a flat landscape at high energies to a landscape with mainly positive but fluctuating curvature in the collapsed phase. Moreover, curvature fluctuations show a maximum in correspondence with the energy of a possible further transition, occurring at lower energies than the collapse one, whose existence had been previously conjectured on the basis of a local analysis of the energy landscape and whose effect on the usual thermodynamic quantities, if any, is extremely weak. We also estimate the largest Lyapunov exponent $\lambda$ of the SGR using the geometric observables. The geometric estimate always gives the correct order of magnitude of $\lambda$ and is also quantitatively correct at small energy densities and, in the limit $N\to\infty$, in the whole homogeneous phase.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figure

Balancing torques in membrane-mediated interactions: Exact results and numerical illustrations

Torques on interfaces can be described by a divergence-free tensor which is fully encoded in the geometry. This tensor consists of two terms, one originating in the couple of the stress, the other capturing an intrinsic contribution due to curvature. In analogy to the description of forces in terms of a stress tensor, the torque on a particle can be expressed as a line integral along any contour surrounding the particle. Interactions between particles mediated by a fluid membrane are studied within this framework. In particular, torque balance places a strong constraint on the shape of the membrane. Symmetric two-particle configurations admit simple analytical expressions which are valid in the fully nonlinear regime; in particular, the problem may be solved exactly in the case of two membrane-bound parallel cylinders. This apparently simple system provides some flavor of the remarkably subtle nonlinear behavior associated with membrane-mediated interactions.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, REVTeX4 style. The Gaussian curvature term was included in the membrane Hamiltonian; section II.B was rephrased to smoothen the flow of presentatio

Interface mediated interactions between particles -- a geometrical approach

Particles bound to an interface interact because they deform its shape. The stresses that result are fully encoded in the geometry and described by a divergence-free surface stress tensor. This stress tensor can be used to express the force on a particle as a line integral along any conveniently chosen closed contour that surrounds the particle. The resulting expression is exact (i.e., free of any "smallness" assumptions) and independent of the chosen surface parametrization. Additional surface degrees of freedom, such as vector fields describing lipid tilt, are readily included in this formalism. As an illustration, we derive the exact force for several important surface Hamiltonians in various symmetric two-particle configurations in terms of the midplane geometry; its sign is evident in certain interesting limits. Specializing to the linear regime, where the shape can be analytically determined, these general expressions yield force-distance relations, several of which have originally been derived by using an energy based approach.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, REVTeX4 style; final version, as appeared in Phys. Rev. E. Compared to v2 several minor mistakes, as well as one important minus sign in Eqn. (18a) have been cured. Compared to v1, this version is significantly extended: Lipid tilt degrees of freedom for membranes are included in the stress framework, more technical details are given, estimates for the magnitude of forces are mad

Bioprospecção de bactérias com potencial antagônico a fusarium spp. associado à morte de brachiaria brizantha

Há uma crescente busca nos últimos tempos por sistemas agropecuários que sejam produtivos, econômicos e sustentáveis. A síndrome da morte do capim Marandu (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) é um problema que vem crescendo nos últimos anos, um dos principais sinais de baixa sustentabilidade da pecuária brasileira. A morte das plantas forrageiras ocorre na época chuvosa, geralmente em solos mal drenados, devido a falta de adaptação da planta à baixa oxigenação das raízes, deixando-a suscetível ao ataque de fitopatógenos oportunistas. Diante da problemática, objetivou-se isolar e selecionar bactérias com potencial antagônico a Fusarium spp., um dos agentes fitopatogênicos que participam desse processo. Foram avaliados 10 sistemas, no período de chuva e seca: 1-F: floresta; 2-L: lavoura; 3-P: pecuária; 4-iPL: integração pecuária-lavoura; 5-iLP: integração lavoura-pecuária; 6-iLF: integração lavoura-floresta; 7-iPF: integração pecuária-floresta; 8-iLPF: lavoura e floresta por 2 anos e após pecuária e floresta por 2 anos; 9iLPF: pecuária e floresta por 2 anos e lavoura e floresta por 2 anos; 10-iLPF: integração lavoura-pecuária-floresta; além da mata nativa e área de pousio, distribuídos em blocos casualizados com 4 repetições. Os isolados bacterianos foram obtidos de amostras de solo diluídas, aplicadas em meio de cultura TSA 10% (Triptona soja ágar) e incubadas a 28ºC. Após a purificação os isolados foram armazenados em solução de glicerol 20% a -80°C. Foram testadas 20 bactérias em cada sistema. O método para avaliação de antagonismo foi o de cultura pareada em placa de Petri, por confronto direto, e em meio sólido BDA (Batata dextrose ágar). Na avaliação, foi considerado como positivo as bactérias que formaram halo de inibição ou quando o crescimento do corpo fúngico não encostou na bactéria. Dois isolados foram testados, Fusarium spp. isolado de planta de soja acometida (1) e Fusarium spp. isolado de solo onde ocorreu a morte da forrageira (2). Primeiramente, todos os isolados bacterianos foram testados contra o patógeno 1 e então, somente as bactérias antagônicas foram testadas contra o patógeno 2. Para o patógeno 1, na época da chuva, 7,5% dos isolados testados apresentaram antagonismo enquanto na seca esse valor foi maior (15%). Para o patógeno 2, nem todos os isolados positivos para o patógeno 1 foram eficientes no controle, demonstrando a ocorrência de interações entre isolados bacterianos e Fusarium spp. Quando considerados os sistemas, na chuva, para o patógeno 1, a mata apresentou maior número de isolados positivos (20%). Na seca, mata, 1-F e 8-iLPF para o patógeno 1, foram os que apresentaram maior número de positivos (25%). Dentre as épocas avaliadas, a seca teve mais bactérias antagonistas, e o tratamento 8-iLPF apresentou melhores resultados. O que demonstra possibilidade de encontrar um controlador biológico à Fusarium spp. neste sistema. Os sistemas mais biodiversos parecem favorecer o equilíbrio entre os microrganismos (antagonismo), o que pode reduzir ação do Fusarium spp. no capim Marandu. Isso deve ser evidenciado em análises posteriores com testes in vivo, a fim de comprovar e desenvolver novas biotecnologias. Palavras-chave: controle biológico, forragem, microbiologia

The compensation of Gaussian curvature in developable cones is local

In this paper we use the angular deficit scheme [V. Borrelli, F. Cazals, and J.-M. Morvan, {\sl Computer Aided Geometric Design} {\bf 20}, 319 (2003)] to determine the distribution of Gaussian curvature in developable cones (d-cones) [E. Cerda, S. Chaieb, F. Melo, and L. Mahadevan, {\sl Nature} {\bf 401}, 46 (1999)] numerically. These d-cones are formed by pushing a thin elastic sheet into a circular container. Negative Gaussian curvatures are identified at the rim where the sheet touches the container. Around the rim there are two narrow bands with positive Gaussian curvatures. The integral of the (negative) Gaussian curvature near the rim is almost completely compensated by that of the two adjacent bands. This suggests that the Gauss-Bonnet theorem which constrains the integral of Gaussian curvature globally does not explain the spontaneous curvature cancellation phenomenon [T. Liang and T. A. Witten, {\sl Phys. Rev. E} {\bf 73}, 046604 (2006)]. The locality of the compensation seems to increase for decreasing d-cone thickness. The angular deficit scheme also provides a new way to confirm the curvature cancellation phenomenon.Comment: 12 pages; 5 figure

Assessment of the Kinematic Adaptations in Parkinson’s Disease Using the Gait Profile Score: Influences of Trunk Posture, a Pilot Study

Introduction: Postural abnormalities are common in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and lead to gait abnormalities. Relationships between changes in the trunk posture of PD patients and gait profile score (GPS) and gait spatiotemporal parameters are poorly investigated. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationships between trunk posture, GPS, and gait spatiotemporal parameters, in patients with PD. Materials and Methods: Twenty-three people with PD and nineteen age-matched healthy people participated in this study. A 3D gait kinematical analysis was applied to all participants using the Plug-In Gait Full Body™ tool. Trunk and limb kinematics patterns and gait spatio-temporal parameters of patients with PD and the control group were compared. Additionally, correlations between trunk kinematics patterns, gait spatio-temporal parameters, and GPS of the PD group were tested. Results: Cadence, opposite foot off, step time, single support, double support, foot off, gait speed, trunk kinematics, and GPS showed significant differences between the two groups (p ≤ 0.05). Posture of the trunk during gait was not related to the spatio-temporal parameters and gait profile score in the PD group. The trunk flexor pattern influenced GPS domains, mainly of the ankle and the knee. Discussion and Conclusions: Flexed posture of the trunk in patients with PD seems to influence both ankle and knee movement patterns during the gait. The GPS analysis provided direct and simplified kinematic information for the PD group. These results may have implications for understanding the importance of considering the positioning of the trunk during gait

Complexity Characterization in a Probabilistic Approach to Dynamical Systems Through Information Geometry and Inductive Inference

Information geometric techniques and inductive inference methods hold great promise for solving computational problems of interest in classical and quantum physics, especially with regard to complexity characterization of dynamical systems in terms of their probabilistic description on curved statistical manifolds. In this article, we investigate the possibility of describing the macroscopic behavior of complex systems in terms of the underlying statistical structure of their microscopic degrees of freedom by use of statistical inductive inference and information geometry. We review the Maximum Relative Entropy (MrE) formalism and the theoretical structure of the information geometrodynamical approach to chaos (IGAC) on statistical manifolds. Special focus is devoted to the description of the roles played by the sectional curvature, the Jacobi field intensity and the information geometrodynamical entropy (IGE). These quantities serve as powerful information geometric complexity measures of information-constrained dynamics associated with arbitrary chaotic and regular systems defined on the statistical manifold. Finally, the application of such information geometric techniques to several theoretical models are presented.Comment: 29 page

Desempenho de bovinos em sistema de Integração Lavoura-Pecuária de longa duração.

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