Exciton swapping in a twisted graphene bilayer as a solid-state realization of a two-brane model

It is shown that exciton swapping between two graphene sheets may occur under specific conditions. A magnetically tunable optical filter is described to demonstrate this new effect. Mathematically, it is shown that two turbostratic graphene layers can be described as a "noncommutative" two-sheeted (2+1)-spacetime thanks to a formalism previously introduced for the study of braneworlds in high energy physics. The Hamiltonian of the model contains a coupling term connecting the two layers which is similar to the coupling existing between two braneworlds at a quantum level. In the present case, this term is related to a K-K' intervalley coupling. In addition, the experimental observation of this effect could be a way to assess the relevance of some theoretical concepts of the braneworld hypothesis.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures, final version published in European Physical Journal

Postcranial morphology of the middle Pleistocene humans from Sima de los Huesos, Spain

Current knowledge of the evolution of the postcranial skeleton in the genus Homo is hampered by a geographically and chronologically scattered fossil record. Here we present a complete characterization of the postcranium of the middle Pleistocene paleodeme from the Sima de los Huesos (SH) and its paleobiological implications. The SH hominins show the following: (i) wide bodies, a plesiomorphic char- acter in the genus Homo inherited from their early hominin ancestors; (ii) statures that can be found in modern human middle-latitude pop- ulations that first appeared 1.6–1.5 Mya; and (iii) large femoral heads in some individuals, a trait that first appeared during the middle Pleistocene in Africa and Europe. The intrapopulational size variation in SH shows that the level of dimorphism was similar to modern humans (MH), but the SH hominins were less encephalized than Ne- andertals. SH shares many postcranial anatomical features with Ne- andertals. Although most of these features appear to be either plesiomorphic retentions or are of uncertain phylogenetic polarity, a few represent Neandertal apomorphies. Nevertheless, the full suite of Neandertal-derived features is not yet present in the SH popula- tion. The postcranial evidence is consistent with the hypothesis based on the cranial morphology that the SH hominins are a sister group to the later Neandertals. Comparison of the SH postcranial skeleton to other hominins suggests that the evolution of the postcranium oc- curred in a mosaic mode, both at a general and at a detailed level

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge, it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

No known hominin species matches the expected dental morphology of the last common ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans

10.1073/pnas.1302653110A central problem in paleoanthropology is the identity of the last common ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans ([N-MH] LCA). Recently developed analytical techniques now allow this problem to be addressed using a probabilistic morphological framework. This study provides a quantitative reconstruction of the expected dental morphology of the [N-MH]LCA and an assessment of whether known fossil species are compatible with this ancestral position. We show that no known fossil species is a suitable candidate for being the [N-MH]LCA and that all late Early and Middle Pleistocene taxa from Europe have Neanderthal dental affinities, pointing to the existence of a European clade originated around 1 Ma. These results are incongruent with younger molecular divergence estimates and suggest at least one of the following must be true: (i) European fossils and the [N-MH]LCA selectively retained primitive dental traits; (ii) molecular estimates of the divergence between Neanderthals and modern humans are underestimated; or (iii) phenotypic divergence and speciation between both species were decoupled such that phenotypic differentiation, at least in dental morphology, predated speciation

Digestibilidade dos nutrientes e parâmetros ruminais de bovinos de corte alimentados com rações contendo bagaço de cana-de-açúcar obtido pelo método de extração por difusão ou por moagem convencional Digestibility of nutrients and ruminal characteristics in beef cattle fed rations containing sugarcane bagasse obtained by diffusion or conventional milling extraction method

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito da utilização do bagaço de cana-de-açúcar in natura (BIN), obtido pelo método de extração do açúcar por difusão (BINdif) ou moagem convencional (BINmoa) como fonte de fibra íntegra, associado ao bagaço tratado sob pressão e vapor (BTPV) sobre a digestibilidade dos nutrientes e os parâmetros ruminais de bovinos de corte. Quatro machos da raça Nelore, não-castrados, com fístulas ruminais e peso vivo médio inicial de 380 kg, foram distribuídos em delineamento experimental quadrado latino 4 &#215; 4. Os tratamentos foram compostos das combinações dos bagaços: 5% BINmoa + 45% BTPV; 5% BINdif + 45% BTPV; 10% BINdif + 40% BTPV; 15% BINdif + 35% BTPV. A utilização do BIN obtido por difusão, mesmo no nível mais elevado, não teve efeito sobre a digestibilidade dos nutrientes (MS, MO, PB, FDN, FDA e EE) da dieta. Entretanto, o fornecimento do bagaço obtido por difusão provocou redução nos consumos de MS, MO, PB e FDN em relação ao bagaço obtido por moagem. A produção total de ácidos graxos voláteis no rúmen, a porcentagem molar dos ácidos acético, propiônico e butírico, a relação acético/propiônico, o pH ruminal e a concentração ruminal de nirogênio amoniacal não diferiram entre os bagaços fornecidos. A utilização do bagaço obtido pelo processo de difusão ou de moagem convencional como fonte de fibra íntegra associado ao bagaço tratado sob pressão e vapor não prejudicou a digestibilidade dos nutrientes e os parâmetros ruminais de bovinos de corte alimentados com rações contendo 50% de concentrado.<br>The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding sugarcane bagasse, obtained by extraction of sugar using diffusion (BINdif) or conventional milling (BINmoa) method, as a fiber source associated with bagasse treated under pressure and steam (BTPV) on nutrient digestibility and ruminal characteristics in beef cattle. Four Nellore young bulls (380 kg BW), fitted with ruminal cannula, were assigned to a 4 &#215; 4 Latin Square design. Combination of bagasse in a 50:50 (concentrate:roughage) experimental rations were: 5% BINmoa + 45% BTPV; 5% BINdif + 45% BTPV; 10% BINdif + 40% BTPV; 15% BINdif + 35% BTPV. There was no effect of using BINdif on digestibility of nutrients (DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF and EE) of the diets. However, feeding bagasse obtained by diffusion reduced DM, OM and NDF intakes when compared to bagasse obtained by milling. Total production of ruminal volatile fatty acids, molar percentage of acetic, propionic and butyric acids, acetate:propionate ratio, ruminal pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration did not differ among treatments. Feeding sugarcane bagasse obtained by diffusion or conventional milling method, as source of raw fiber, associated with hydrolized bagasse by pressure and steam had no detrimental effect on nutrient digestibility and ruminal characteristics in beef cattle fed diets containing 50% concentrate

Distúrbios ondulatórios de leste (DOLs) na região do centro de lançamento de Alcântara-MA Easterly waves disturbance (DOLs) at the region of Alcântara Launching Center-MA

Neste artigo foi realizada uma climatologia dos Distúrbios Ondulatórios de Leste (DOLs) que passaram pela região de Alcântara-MA, no período de 1988 a 1997, utilizando-se de um método baseado na mudança do sinal da componente meridional do vento (V). Este método foi aplicado para 3 camadas distintas (entre 850 a 700 hPa, entre 700 e 500 hPa e entre 850 a 500 hPa), objetivando identificar a camada que melhor indicasse a ocorrência dos DOLs. Após a identificação dos eventos de DOLs, estes foram confirmados por um conjunto de dados independentes de cobertura de nuvens (dados ISCCP e imagens infravermelho de satélites GOES-E) e pelos espectros de potência da componente meridional do vento usando as re-análises do ECMWF. Ocorreram eventos de DOLs durante todo o ano com duração de tempo variando de 3 a 6 dias. Esse método mostrou-se adequado para caracterizar os eventos de DOLs e que, durante a época chuvosa, as 3 camadas identificam a passagem do sistema atmosférico. No caso do período seco (jul-dez), as camadas com espessura maior (camadas entre 700 e 500 hPa e entre 850-500 hPa) conseguiram identificar os eventos, mas não a camada mais baixa (entre 850-500 hPa).<br>A climatology of the easterly waves disturbances (DOLs) over Alcântara - MA was investigated using a method that compute the signal of the observational meridional wind (rawinsoundings from 1988 up to 1997). This technique has been applied to three different layers (850-700, 700-500 and 850-500 hPa) in order to identify the best layer to indicate the DOLs occurrence. The DOLs events have been confirmed by independent data-sets available: cloud cover (ISPCC data set), infra-red satellite images (from GOES-E) and power spectrum of the meridional component (ECMWF re-analysis). The method detected the presence of the DOLs during the whole year with time-scale of 3-6 days. During the wet period (jan-jun) all three layers identified these atmospheric systems. For the dry season (jul-dec), only the deeper layers (layers between 700 - 500 hPa and/or 850-500 hPa) were able to identify the events

Séries temporais de NDVI do sensor SPOT Vegetation e algoritmo SAM aplicados ao mapeamento de cana‑de‑açúcar

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o mapeamento de área de cana‑de‑açúcar por meio de série temporal, de seis anos de dados do índice de vegetação por diferença normalizada (NDVI), oriundos do sensor Vegetation, a bordo do satélite "système pour l'observation de la Terre" (SPOT). Três classes de cobertura do solo (cana‑de‑açúcar, pasto e floresta), do Estado de São Paulo, foram selecionadas como assinaturas espectro‑temporais de referência, que serviram como membros extremos ("endmembers") para classificação com o algoritmo "spectral angle mapper" (SAM). A partir desta classificação, o mapeamento da área de cana‑de‑açúcar foi realizado com uso de limiares na imagem-regra do SAM, gerados a partir dos valores dos espectros de referência. Os resultados mostram que o algoritmo SAM pode ser aplicado a séries de dados multitemporais de resolução moderada, o que permite eficiente mapeamento de alvo agrícola em escala mesorregional. Dados oficiais de áreas de cana‑de‑açúcar, para as microrregiões paulistas, apresentam boa correlação (r² = 0,8) com os dados obtidos pelo método avaliado. A aplicação do algoritmo SAM mostrou ser útil em análises temporais. As séries temporais de NDVI do sensor SPOT Vegetation podem ser utilizadas para mapeamento da área de cana‑de‑açúcar em baixa resolução

El Niño: ocorrência e duração dos veranicos do Estado de Minas Gerais El Niño: occurrence and duration of dry spells in the State of Minas Gerais - Brazil

Com o objetivo de caracterizar o início do período chuvoso (IPC), a quantidade de chuvas durante o período chuvoso (PC) e a ocorrência e duração dos veranicos em anos de ocorrência da fase quente do fenômeno climático El Niño-Oscilação Sul (ENOS), analisaram-se dados de precipitação pluvial de 123 localidades do Estado de Minas Gerais e as relações entre a duração dos períodos chuvosos (DPC) e/ou os IPCs com os veranicos de duração de três a seis dias (A) e de sete a dez dias (B), e os IPCs com os totais pluviométricos durante os PCs com os veranicos de classes A e B, respectivamente. Os resultados indicaram uma característica marcante do El Niño em ocasionar chuvas abaixo da média no nordeste do Estado e chuvas acima da média climática no sudoeste de Minas Gerais. As estiagens ao norte e nordeste do Estado corresponderam a períodos superiores a 15 dias e as chuvas acima da média, no sudoeste, foram melhor correlacionadas com os veranicos de duração de três a seis dias.<br>Daily precipitation data from 123 locations of the State of Minas Gerais were analyzed to characterize the beginning of the rainy season (IPC), the amount of rainfall during the rainy season (PC) and the occurrence and length of the dry spell in years associated to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The relationship between the duration of rainy season (DPC), begining of the rainy period and the dry spells from three to six days (A); from seven to ten days (B) and the IPC with the rainfall during the rainy periods with dry spells (A) and (B) were also studied. The results showed that ENSO is related to rainfall below historical average in the northeastern region of the State of Minas Gerais, and to rainfalls above the climatic average in the southwestern region. The duration of the dry spells in the northern and northeastern region of the state were higher than 15 days, and the rainfall above normal in the southwestern part of the state were better correlated to dry spells of three to six days

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Cellular mechanisms in basic and clinical gastroenterology and hepatolog