373 research outputs found
Barn owl feathers as biomonitors of mercury: sources of variation in sampling procedures.
Given their central role in mercury (Hg) excretion and suitability as reservoirs, bird feathers are useful Hg biomonitors. Nevertheless, the interpretation of Hg concentrations is still questioned as a result of a poor knowledge of feather physiology and mechanisms affecting Hg deposition. Given the constraints of feather availability to ecotoxicological studies, we tested the effect of intra-individual differences in Hg concentrations according to feather type (body vs. flight feathers), position in the wing and size (mass and length) in order to understand how these factors could affect Hg estimates. We measured Hg concentration of 154 feathers from 28 un-moulted barn owls (Tyto alba), collected dead on roadsides. Median Hg concentration was 0.45 (0.076-4.5) mg kg(-1) in body feathers, 0.44 (0.040-4.9) mg kg(-1) in primary and 0.60 (0.042-4.7) mg kg(-1) in secondary feathers, and we found a poor effect of feather type on intra-individual Hg levels. We also found a negative effect of wing feather mass on Hg concentration but not of feather length and of its position in the wing. We hypothesize that differences in feather growth rate may be the main driver of between-feather differences in Hg concentrations, which can have implications in the interpretation of Hg concentrations in feathers. Finally, we recommend that, whenever possible, several feathers from the same individual should be analysed. The five innermost primaries have lowest mean deviations to both between-feather and intra-individual mean Hg concentration and thus should be selected under restrictive sampling scenarios
J/Psi suppression in colliding nuclei: statistical model analysis
We consider the suppression at a high energy heavy ion collision. An
ideal gas of massive hadrons in thermal and chemical equilibrium is formed in
the central region. The finite-size gas expands longitudinally in accordance
with Bjorken law. The transverse expansion in a form of the rarefaction wave is
taken into account. We show that suppression in such an environment,
when combined with the disintegration in nuclear matter, gives correct
evaluation of NA38 and NA50 data in a broad range of initial energy densities.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Enrelvamento da vinha: dois casos de estudo â Monção e Alenquer
Estudos conducentes à avaliação das possibilidades de enrelvamento em vinhas estão a decorrer na
Região dos Vinhos Verdes (sub-região de Monção) e na Estremadura (Alenquer). No ensaio de Monção, com
a casta âAlvarinhoâ e no ensaio em Alenquer, com a casta âCabernet Sauvignonâ, comparam-se 4 sistemas de
gestĂŁo do solo. Em qualquer dos ensaios a densidade e a biomassa total da flora foi influenciada
significativamente pelas tÊcnicas de gestão do solo tendo-se tambÊm verificado uma selecção de espÊcies por
modalidade, com incremento de gramĂneas e leguminosas no enrelvamento.
No ensaio de Monção, em três anos consecutivos, e comparativamente às modalidades herbicida
foliar a toda a årea e mobilização do solo, o enrelvamento a toda a årea por espÊcies residentes induziu uma
redução significativa da produção e vigor da videira em resultado de um menor peso unitårio do cacho e do
sarmento, sem afectar a qualidade do mosto Ă vindima.
Nos dois primeiros anos do ensaio de Alenquer (2002-03) os 4 sistemas de gestĂŁo do solo -
mobilização da entrelinha, cobertura orgânica morta (casca de pinheiro) alternada com enrelvamento natural
permanente, enrelvamento natural permanente e enrelvamento semeado permanente - nĂŁo influenciaram de
forma significativa quer a produção quer o vigor das videiras. Quanto à qualidade das uvas, apenas em 2003
se registaram diferenças significativas na acidez total, tendo-se obtido valores inferiores nas modalidades
com enrelvamento. Em 2002, devida à elevada precipitação ocorrida no final da maturação, na modalidade
mobilizada verificou-se uma maior dificuldade de circulação da måquina de vindimar comparativamente à s
modalidades com cobertura do solo.
Os resultados evidenciam a possibilidade de utilização dos relvados como tĂŠcnicas passĂveis de
manipulação do vigor da videira e de melhoria da circulação das måquinasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Increased BDNF levels and NTRK2 gene association suggest a disruption of BDNF/TrkB signaling in autism
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin fundamental for brain development and function, has previously been implicated in autism. In this study, the levels of BDNF in platelet-rich plasma were compared between autistic and control children, and the role of two genetic factors that might regulate this neurotrophin and contribute to autism etiology, BDNF and NTRK2, was examined. We found that BDNF levels in autistic children (n = 146) were significantly higher (t = 6.82; P < 0.0001) than in control children (n = 50) and were positively correlated with platelet serotonin distribution (r = 0.22; P = 0.004). Heritability of BDNF was estimated at 30% and therefore candidate genes BDNF and NTRK2 were tested for association with BDNF level distribution in this sample, and with autism in 469 trio families. Genetic association analysis provided no evidence for BDNF or NTRK2 as major determinants of the abnormally increased BDNF levels in autistic children. A significant association with autism was uncovered for six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) [0.004 (Z((1df)) = 2.85) < P < 0.039 (Z((1df)) = 2.06)] and multiple haplotypes [5 Ă 10(-4) (Ď((3df)) = 17.77) < P < 0.042 (Ď((9df)) = 17.450)] in the NTRK2 gene. These results do not withstand correction for multiple comparisons, however, reflect a trend toward association that supports a role of NTRK2 as a susceptibility factor for the disorder. Genetic variation in the BDNF gene had no impact on autism risk. By substantiating the previously observed increase in BDNF levels in autistic children in a larger patient set, and suggesting a genetic association between NTRK2 and autism, this study integrates evidence from multiple levels supporting the hypothesis that alterations in BDNF/tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) signaling contribute to an increased vulnerability to autism
Hybrid materials based on polyethylene and MCM-41 microparticles functionalized with silanes: catalytic aspects of in situ polymerization, crystalline features and mechanical properties
New nanocomposites based on polyethylene have been prepared by in situ polymerization of ethylene in
presence of mesoporous MCM-41. The polymerization reactions were performed using a zirconocene
catalyst either under homogenous conditions or supported onto mesoporous MCM-41 particles, which
are synthesized and decorated post-synthesis with two silanes before polymerization in order to promote
an enhanced interfacial adhesion. The existence of polyethylene chains able to crystallize within
the mesoporous channels in the resulting nanocomposites is figured out from the small endothermic
process, located at around 80 C, on heating calorimetric experiments, in addition to the main melting
endotherm. These results indicate that polyethylene macrochains can grow up during polymerization
either outside or inside the MCM-41 channels, these keeping their regular hexagonal arrangements.
Mechanical response is observed to be dependent on the content in mesoporous MCM-41 and on the
crystalline features of polyethylene. Accordingly, stiffness increases and deformability decreases in the
nanocomposites as much as MCM-41 content is enlarged and polyethylene amount within channels is
raised. Ultimate mechanical performance improves with MCM-41 incorporation without varying the
final processing temperature
Quarkonium production in high energy proton-proton and proton-nucleus collisions
We present a brief overview of the most relevant current issues related to
quarkonium production in high energy proton-proton and proton-nucleus
collisions along with some perspectives. After reviewing recent experimental
and theoretical results on quarkonium production in pp and pA collisions, we
discuss the emerging field of polarisation studies. Thereafter, we report on
issues related to heavy-quark production, both in pp and pA collisions,
complemented by AA collisions. To put the work in a broader perspective, we
emphasize the need for new observables to investigate quarkonium production
mechanisms and reiterate the qualities that make quarkonia a unique tool for
many investigations in particle and nuclear physics.Comment: Overview for the proceedings of QUARKONIUM 2010: Three Days Of
Quarkonium Production in pp and pA Collisions, 29-31 July 2010, Palaiseau,
France; 34 pages, 30 figures, Late
Heavy quarkonium: progress, puzzles, and opportunities
A golden age for heavy quarkonium physics dawned a decade ago, initiated by
the confluence of exciting advances in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and an
explosion of related experimental activity. The early years of this period were
chronicled in the Quarkonium Working Group (QWG) CERN Yellow Report (YR) in
2004, which presented a comprehensive review of the status of the field at that
time and provided specific recommendations for further progress. However, the
broad spectrum of subsequent breakthroughs, surprises, and continuing puzzles
could only be partially anticipated. Since the release of the YR, the BESII
program concluded only to give birth to BESIII; the -factories and CLEO-c
flourished; quarkonium production and polarization measurements at HERA and the
Tevatron matured; and heavy-ion collisions at RHIC have opened a window on the
deconfinement regime. All these experiments leave legacies of quality,
precision, and unsolved mysteries for quarkonium physics, and therefore beg for
continuing investigations. The plethora of newly-found quarkonium-like states
unleashed a flood of theoretical investigations into new forms of matter such
as quark-gluon hybrids, mesonic molecules, and tetraquarks. Measurements of the
spectroscopy, decays, production, and in-medium behavior of c\bar{c}, b\bar{b},
and b\bar{c} bound states have been shown to validate some theoretical
approaches to QCD and highlight lack of quantitative success for others. The
intriguing details of quarkonium suppression in heavy-ion collisions that have
emerged from RHIC have elevated the importance of separating hot- and
cold-nuclear-matter effects in quark-gluon plasma studies. This review
systematically addresses all these matters and concludes by prioritizing
directions for ongoing and future efforts.Comment: 182 pages, 112 figures. Editors: N. Brambilla, S. Eidelman, B. K.
Heltsley, R. Vogt. Section Coordinators: G. T. Bodwin, E. Eichten, A. D.
Frawley, A. B. Meyer, R. E. Mitchell, V. Papadimitriou, P. Petreczky, A. A.
Petrov, P. Robbe, A. Vair
Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset
corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected
during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV.
The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the
couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and
right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary
mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b,
leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing
transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W'
boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to
the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for
masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC
data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed
coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant
improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe
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