Evidence for short range orbital order in paramagnetic insulating (Al,V)_2O_3

The local structure of (Al_0.06V_0.94)_2O_3 in the paramagnetic insulating (PI) and antiferromagnetically ordered insulating (AFI) phase has been investigated using hard and soft x-ray absorption techniques. It is shown that: 1) on a local scale, the symmetry of the vanadium sites in both the PI and the AFI phase is the same; and 2) the vanadium 3d - oxygen 2p hybridization, as gauged by the oxygen 1s absorption edge, is the same for both phases, but distinctly different from the paramagnetic metallic phase of pure V_2O_3. These findings can be understood in the context of a recently proposed model which relates the long range monoclinic distortion of the antiferromagnetically ordered state to orbital ordering, if orbital short range order in the PI phase is assumed. The measured anisotropy of the x-ray absorption spectra is discussed in relation to spin-polarized density functional calculations.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Norms, Networks, Power, and Control: Understanding Informal Payments and Brokerage in Cross-Border Trade in Sierra Leone

Recent research has cast light on the variety of informal payments and practices that govern the day-to-day interactions between traders and customs agents at border posts in low-income countries. Building on this literature, this paper draws on survey and qualitative evidence in an effort to explore which groups are most advantaged and disadvantaged by the largely informal processes and norms governing cross-border trade. We find that understanding variation in strategies and outcomes across traders can only be effectively understood with reference to the importance of norms, networks, power, and the logic of control.Department for International DevelopmentBill and Melinda Gates Foundatio

Implication of anthropometric profile and alimentary consumption on risk for diseases among school children in the 1st to 4th grades

This study aimed to determine the anthropometric profile and diet of 652 school children from the 1st to 4th grades of elementary education in six private schools in the city of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil. Children's weight and height were classified according to the Body Mass Index proposed by Must et al. (1991). Food consumption was evaluated by means of a questionnaire about daily food frequency. Statistical analysis was carried out using linear and logistic regression tests, with a significance level of 5%. High rates of overweight and obesity, 21.9% and 13.3% respectively, were observed, which did not show a significant relationship with total food consumption. The data obtained were: high consumption of foods rich in energy, such as sugar- and fat-rich foods, and insufficient consumption of low-energy foods that are sources of micronutrients, such as vegetables. It is necessary to enhance the promotion of good alimentary and health habits within schools to lower risk factors for developing diseases, as well as to develop and validate a questionnaire to reliably assess the diet of the infant population.Este trabalho objetivou determinar o perfil antropométrico e o consumo alimentar entre escolares de 1ª a 4ª séries do ensino fundamental de escolas privadas de Maringá - PR. A amostra de estudo foi de 652 alunos. Verificou-se o peso e a estatura e classificados de acordo com o Índice de Massa Corporal proposto por Must et al. (1991). O consumo alimentar foi avaliado por meio de um questionário de freqüência alimentar diária. A análise estatística foi realizada pelos testes de associação e regressão logística linear, com nível de significância de 5%. Verificaram-se índices altos de sobrepeso e obesidade, 21,9% e 13,3%, respectivamente, os quais não mostraram relação significativa com o consumo alimentar. Os dados obtidos foram: alto consumo de alimentos ricos em energia, como aqueles ricos em açúcares e gorduras, e um consumo insuficiente de alimentos pouco energéticos e fonte de micronutrientes, como os vegetais. Para diminuir os fatores de risco do desenvolvimento de doenças faz-se necessário o aumento da promoção de bons hábitos alimentares e saúde dentro das escolas, além da necessidade de elaborar e validar um questionário de consumo alimentar para avaliar a população infantil

Consumo de matéria seca e desempenho de novilhas das raças Girolando e Guzerá sob suplementação na caatinga, na época chuvosa, em Pernambuco, Brasil

Com os objetivos de estimar o consumo de matéria seca e avaliar a variação do peso vivo de novilhas, conduziu-se um experimento no período entre março e julho de 2003, com quatro estratégias de suplementação: sem suplementação (controle); torta de algodão (1 kg); palma-forrageira (10 kg); e de palma (5,0 kg) + torta de algodão (0,5 kg). O fornecimento de suplemento não influenciou o consumo de matéria seca (MS) do pasto nativo, no entanto afetou o consumo de MS total. O consumo de matéria seca total diferiu entre as raças, com valores de 5,44 e 6,75 kg/dia, respectivamente, para as raças Guzerá e Girolando. Nos animais sob suplementação com torta de algodão, o consumo de MS total foi superior ao do grupo controle (sem suplementação), porém semelhante ao daqueles sob suplementação com palma-forrageira e com torta de algodão + palma-forrageira. O ganho de peso vivo médio diário (de 517 e 434 g/animal, respectivamente, para os grupos Girolando e Guzerá) não diferiu entre as raças nem foi influenciado pela interação raça õ suplementação. Entre as estratégias de suplementação, no entanto, os valores tiveram diferença significativa e foram de 412, 620, 371 e 498 g/animal/dia, respectivamente, para os grupos controle e sob suplementação com torta de algodão; palma-forrageira; torta de algodão + palma-forrageira. No semiárido de Pernambuco, a suplementação com 1 kg de torta de algodão na época chuvosa do ano melhora o ganho de peso médio diário, independentemente da raça do animal

Search for long-lived neutral particles in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV that decay into displaced hadronic jets in the ATLAS calorimeter

This paper describes a search for pairs of neutral, long-lived particles decaying in the ATLAS calorimeter. Long-lived particles occur in many extensions to the Standard Model and may elude searches for new promptly decaying particles. The analysis considers neutral, long-lived scalars with masses between 5 and 400 GeV, produced from decays of heavy bosons with masses between 125 and 1000 GeV, where the long-lived scalars decay into Standard Model fermions. The analysis uses either 10.8 fb−1 or 33.0 fb−1 of data (depending on the trigger) recorded in 2016 at the LHC with the ATLAS detector in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. No significant excess is observed, and limits are reported on the production cross section times branching ratio as a function of the proper decay length of the long-lived particles