q-Deformed Kink Solutions

The q-deformed kink of the $\lambda\phi^4-$model is obtained via the normalisable ground state eigenfunction of a fluctuation operator associated with the q-deformed hyperbolic functions. From such a bosonic zero-mode the q-deformed potential in 1+1 dimensions is found, and we show that the q-deformed kink solution is a kink displaced away from the origin.Comment: REvtex, 11 pages, 2 figures. Preprint CBPF-NF-005/03, site at http://www.cbpf.br. Revised version to appear in International Journal of Modern Physics

Accessing the Acceleration of the Universe with Sunyaev-Zel'dovich and X-ray Data from Galaxy Clusters

By using exclusively the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect and X-ray surface brightness data from 25 galaxy clusters in the redshift range 0.023< z < 0.784 we access cosmic acceleration employing a kinematic description. Such result is fully independent on the validity of any metric gravity theory, the possible matter-energy contents filling the Universe, as well as on the SNe Ia Hubble diagram.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, To appear in the Proceedings of the Twelfth Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativit

Optimization conditions of UV-C radiation combined with ultrasound-assisted extraction of cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) lycopene extract

The aim of this work was to study the effect of UV-C radiation on ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE) of cherry tomato bioactive compounds. Cherry tomatoes were exposed to two UV-C radiation doses (0.5 and 1.0 J cm−2 ) and stored at 20 ± 0.5 oC for 7 days. Next, they were lyophilized, and the bioactive compounds were extracted by UAE at 20 KHz. To evaluate the effectiveness of the extraction process of the bioactive compounds, a CCRD (central composite rotational design) was used together with RSM (response surface methodology), for extraction times from 4 to 12 minutes and concentrations (g of lyophilized product / L of ethanol) of 1:10, 1:20 and 1:30. The extracts obtained from the irradiated tomatoes presented 5.8 times more lycopene content than the controls and higher antioxidant activity was obtained for 4 and 8 min, in the concentrations 1:10 and 1:20 (m v−1). Through numerical model optimization, optimal extraction conditions were obtained. The results demonstrated that by previously irradiating tomatoes with UV-C light, the UAE yielded considerably higher amounts of lycopene and other bioactives.CNPq (National Council of Technological and Scientific Development, Brazil), Erasmus Mundus action 2; Fellow Mundus Project; Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Engineering (UFSC - Brazil) and the Department of Food Engineering (UAlg - Portugal) .info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Are Galaxy Clusters Suggesting an Accelerating Universe?

The present cosmic accelerating stage is discussed through a new kinematic method based on the Sunyaev- Zel'dovich effect (SZE) and X-ray surface brightness data from galaxy clusters. By using the SZE/X-ray data from 38 galaxy clusters in the redshift range $0.14 \leq z \leq 0.89$ [Bonamente et al., Astrop. J. {\bf 647}, 25 (2006)] it is found that the present Universe is accelerating and that the transition from an earlier decelerating to a late time accelerating regime is relatively recent. The ability of the ongoing Planck satellite mission to obtain tighter constraints on the expansion history through SZE/X-ray angular diameters is also discussed. Our results are fully independent on the validity of any metric gravity theory, the possible matter- energy contents filling the Universe, as well as on the SNe Ia Hubble diagram from which the presenting accelerating stage was inferred.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, AIP Conf. Proc. Invisible Universe: Proceedings of the Conferenc

Disorder effects at low temperatures in La_{0.7-x}Y_{x}Ca_{0.3}MnO_{3} manganites

With the aim of probing the effect of magnetic disorder in the low-temperature excitations of manganites, specific-heat measurements were performed in zero field, and in magnetic fields up to 9 T in polycrystalline samples of La_{0.7-x}Y_{x}Ca_{0.3}MnO_{3}, with Y concentrations x=0, 0.10, and 0.15. Yttrium doping yielded the appearance of a cluster-glass state, giving rise to unusual low-temperature behavior of the specific-heat. The main feature observed in the results is a strong enhancement of the specific-heat linear term, which is interpreted as a direct consequence of magnetic disorder. The analysis was further corroborated by resistivity measurements in the same compounds.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Formation of Dark Matter Haloes in a Homogeneous Dark Energy Universe

Several independent cosmological tests have shown evidences that the energy density of the Universe is dominated by a dark energy component, which cause the present accelerated expansion. The large scale structure formation can be used to probe dark energy models, and the mass function of dark matter haloes is one of the best statistical tools to perform this study. We present here a statistical analysis of mass functions of galaxies under a homogeneous dark energy model, proposed in the work of Percival (2005), using an observational flux-limited X-ray cluster survey, and CMB data from WMAP. We compare, in our analysis, the standard Press-Schechter (PS) approach (where a Gaussian distribution is used to describe the primordial density fluctuation field of the mass function), and the PL (Power Law) mass function (where we apply a nonextensive q-statistical distribution to the primordial density field). We conclude that the PS mass function cannot explain at the same time the X-ray and the CMB data (even at 99% confidence level), and the PS best fit dark energy equation of state parameter is $\omega=-0.58$, which is distant from the cosmological constant case. The PL mass function provides better fits to the HIFLUGCS X-ray galaxy data and the CMB data; we also note that the $\omega$ parameter is very sensible to modifications in the PL free parameter, $q$, suggesting that the PL mass function could be a powerful tool to constrain dark energy models.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Latex. Accepted for publication in the International Journal of Modern Physics D (IJMPD)

On Matrix Superpotential and Three-Component Normal Modes

We consider the supersymmetric quantum mechanics (SUSY QM) with three- component normal modes for the Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS) states. An explicit form of the SUSY QM matrix superpotential is presented and the corresponding three-component bosonic zero-mode eigenfunction is investigated.Comment: 17 pages, no figure. Paper accepted for publication in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretica

Effects of nanoscale spatial inhomogeneity in strongly correlated systems

We calculate ground-state energies and density distributions of Hubbard superlattices characterized by periodic modulations of the on-site interaction and the on-site potential. Both density-matrix renormalization group and density-functional methods are employed and compared. We find that small variations in the on-site potential $v_i$ can simulate, cancel, or even overcompensate effects due to much larger variations in the on-site interaction $U_i$. Our findings highlight the importance of nanoscale spatial inhomogeneity in strongly correlated systems, and call for reexamination of model calculations assuming spatial homogeneity.Comment: 5 pages, 1 table, 4 figures, to appear in PR

Irreversible magnetization under rotating fields and lock-in effect on ErBa_2Cu_3O_7 single crystal with columnar defects

We have measured the irreversible magnetization M_i of an ErBa_2Cu_3O_7 single crystal with columnar defects (CD), using a technique based on sample rotation under a fixed magnetic field H. This method is valid for samples whose magnetization vector remains perpendicular to the sample surface over a wide angle range - which is the case for platelets and thin films - and presents several advantages over measurements of M_L(H) loops at fixed angles. The resulting M_i(\Theta) curves for several temperatures show a peak in the CD direction at high fields. At lower fields, a very well defined plateau indicative of the vortex lock-in to the CD develops. The H dependence of the lock-in angle \phi_L follows the H^{-1} theoretical prediction, while the temperature dependence is in agreement with entropic smearing effects corresponding to short range vortex-defects interactions.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.