SURVEY OF SANDFLY FAUNA (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE) IN UBERLÂNDIA, MINAS GERAIS STATE, BRAZIL, 2003-2004

We analyzed the sandflies around houses and domestic animal shelters located in residences close to forests in localities on the banks of the Araguari River, Uberlândia, MG, from February 2003 to November 2004. The phlebotomines were captured in the peridomiciliary area, where Shannon traps were utilized in the peridomicile and CDC traps in animal shelters. 2,783 specimens of sandflies were captured, 2,140 females (76.9%) and 643 males (23.1%), distributed between 17 species. The most abundant species was Nyssomyia neivai (88.1%), followed by Nyssomyia whitmani (3.1%). The presence of Lutzomyia longipalpis was also confirmed, it is the main vector of Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi which causes visceral leishmaniasis. The presence of species involved in the transmission of leishmaniases in the municipality of Uberlândia is cause for concern. The presence of L. longipalpis indicates that its urbanization may not have been aleatory and instead occurred through the destruction of wild ecotopes. More studies of their occupation in anthropic environments need to be made

Observation of Two New Excited Ξb0 States Decaying to Λb0 K-π+

Two narrow resonant states are observed in the Λb0K-π+ mass spectrum using a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected by the LHCb experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb-1. The minimal quark content of the Λb0K-π+ system indicates that these are excited Ξb0 baryons. The masses of the Ξb(6327)0 and Ξb(6333)0 states are m[Ξb(6327)0]=6327.28-0.21+0.23±0.12±0.24 and m[Ξb(6333)0]=6332.69-0.18+0.17±0.03±0.22 MeV, respectively, with a mass splitting of Δm=5.41-0.27+0.26±0.12 MeV, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the Λb0 mass measurement. The measured natural widths of these states are consistent with zero, with upper limits of Γ[Ξb(6327)0]<2.20(2.56) and Γ[Ξb(6333)0]<1.60(1.92) MeV at a 90% (95%) credibility level. The significance of the two-peak hypothesis is larger than nine (five) Gaussian standard deviations compared to the no-peak (one-peak) hypothesis. The masses, widths, and resonant structure of the new states are in good agreement with the expectations for a doublet of 1D Ξb0 resonances

Direct CP violation in charmless three-body decays of B± mesons

Measurements of C P asymmetries in charmless three-body decays of B ± mesons are reported using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.9     fb − 1 . The previously observed C P asymmetry in B ± → π ± K + K − decays is confirmed, and C P asymmetries are observed with a significance of more than five standard deviations in the B ± → π ± π + π − and B ± → K ± K + K − decays, while the C P asymmetry of B ± → K ± π + π − decays is confirmed to be compatible with zero. The distributions of these asymmetries are also studied as a function of the three-body phase space and suggest contributions from rescattering and resonance interference processes. An indication of the presence of the decays B ± → π ± χ c 0 ( 1 P ) in both B ± → π ± π + π − and B ± → π ± K + K − decays is observed, as is C P violation involving these amplitudes

Measurement of antiproton production from antihyperon decays in p He collisions at √sNN = 110 GeV

The interpretation of cosmic antiproton flux measurements from space-borne experiments is currently limited by the knowledge of the antiproton production cross-section in collisions between primary cosmic rays and the interstellar medium. Using collisions of protons with an energy of 6.5TeV incident on helium nuclei at rest in the proximity of the interaction region of the LHCb experiment, the ratio of antiprotons originating from antihyperon decays to prompt production is measured for antiproton momenta between 12 and 110GeV. The dominant antihyperon contribution, namely Λ¯→p¯π+ decays from promptly produced Λ¯ particles, is also exclusively measured. The results complement the measurement of prompt antiproton production obtained from the same data sample. At the energy scale of this measurement, the antihyperon contributions to antiproton production are observed to be significantly larger than predictions of commonly used hadronic production models

Measurement of J/ψ -pair production in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV and study of gluon transverse-momentum dependent PDFs

The production cross-section of J/ψ pairs in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 13 TeV is measured using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.2 fb−1 collected by the LHCb experiment. The measurement is performed with both J/ψ mesons in the transverse momentum range 0 < pT< 14 GeV/c and rapidity range 2.0 < y < 4.5. The cross-section of this process is measured to be 16.36 ± 0.28 (stat) ± 0.88 (syst) nb. The contributions from single-parton scattering and double-parton scattering are separated based on the dependence of the cross-section on the absolute rapidity difference ∆y between the two J/ψ mesons. The effective cross-section of double-parton scattering is measured to be σeff = 13.1 ± 1.8 (stat) ± 2.3 (syst) mb. The distribution of the azimuthal angle ϕCS of one of the J/ψ mesons in the Collins-Soper frame and the pT-spectrum of the J/ψ pairs are also measured for the study of the gluon transverse-momentum dependent distributions inside protons. The extracted values of ⟨cos 2ϕCS⟩ and ⟨cos 4ϕCS⟩ are consistent with zero, but the presence of azimuthal asymmetry at a few percent level is allowed

Oleic Acid Surfactant In Polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite-composites For Bone Tissue Engineering

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Bone substitutes are required to repair osseous defects caused by a number of factors, such as traumas, degenerative diseases, and cancer. Autologous bone grafting is typically used to bridge bone defects, but suffers from chronic pain at the donor-site and limited availability of graft material. Tissue engineering approaches are being investigated as viable alternatives, which ideal scaffold should be biocompatible, biodegradable, and promote cellular interactions and tissue development, need to present proper mechanical and physical properties. In this study, poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), oleic acid (OA) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) were used to obtain films whose properties were investigated by contact angle, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, tensile mechanical tests, and in vitro tests with U2OS human osteosarcoma cells by direct contact. Our results indicate that by using OA as surfactant/dispersant, it was possible to obtain a homogenous film with HAp. The PCL/OA/Hap sample had twice the roughness of the control (PCL) and a lower contact angle, indicating increased hydrophilicity of the film. Furthermore, mechanical testing showed that the addition of HAp decreased the load at yield point and tensile strength and increased tensile modulus, indicating a more brittle composition vs. PCL matrix. Preliminary cell culture experiments carried out with the films demonstrated that U2OS cells adhered and proliferated on all surfaces. The data demonstrate the improved dispersion of HAp using OA and the important consequences of this addition on the composite, unveiling the potentially of this composition for bone growth support. (c) 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1076-1082, 2016.10410761082FAPESP [2013/19472-0, 2014/08625-2]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Nickel-Rare Earth (RE = Ce, Sm, Dy) Electrodes for H2O2 Reduction in Fuel Cells

The use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an oxidant is considered a good alternative to oxygen for the cathodic process in liquid fuel cells. Herein, we studied the reduction of H2O2 at nickel and at nickel-rare earth (RE = Ce, Sm, Dy) alloys containing 5 and 10 at.% of RE metal. The alloys were prepared by arc melting, starting from the stoichiometric amounts of the two parent metals, and analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The electrochemical characterization was carried out by voltammetry and chronoamperometry measurements in alkaline media, in which main parameters were calculated, namely diffusion coefficients and number of exchanged electrons. Ni0.95Ce0.05 alloy exhibited the highest catalytic activity for H2O2 reduction reaction, with a number of exchanged electrons of 1.7. Additionally, activation energies were estimated according to Arrhenius equation