Water activity in lamellar stacks of lipid bilayers: "Hydration forces" revisited

Water activity and its relationship with interactions stabilising lamellar stacks of mixed lipid bilayers in their fluid state are investigated by means of osmotic pressure measurements coupled with small-angle x-ray scattering. The (electrically-neutral) bilayers are composed of a mixture in various proportions of lecithin, a zwitterionic phospholipid, and Simulsol, a non-ionic cosurfactant with an ethoxylated polar head. For highly dehydrated samples the osmotic pressure profile always exhibits the "classical" exponential decay as hydration increases but, depending on Simulsol to lecithin ratio, it becomes either of the "bound" or "unbound" types for more water-swollen systems. A simple thermodynamic model is used for interpreting the results without resorting to the celebrated but elusive "hydration forces"Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in The European Physical Journal

Ondes internes du lac du Bourget: analyse des observations par des modèles linéaires

Deux campagnes de mesures effectuées sur le lac du Bourget en période de faible stratification (avril et décembre 1994) ont mis en évidence des oscillations de la thermocline de période comprise entre deux et trois jours. Ces oscillations atteignent 40 m d'amplitude pour une profondeur maximale de 145 m. Elles ont probablement un impact sur les processus biologiques et physico-chimiques qui gouvernent l'évolution de la qualité des eaux du lac.L'analyse des données brutes des températures révèle une corrélation étroite entre la génération des ondes internes et les événements de vents importants. Il apparaît en particulier que seuls les vents violents (< 8 m/s) affectent la stratification thermique de manière significative.Deux approches sont utilisées pour caractériser ces ondes :- une approche par traitement du signal qui donne accès aux périodes d'oscillations prédominantes ainsi qu'à la répartition de l'énergie dans la colonne d'eau en fonction de la fréquence.- une approche par modélisation mathématique au cours de laquelle les résultats obtenus par tjjois techniques distinctes utilisant plusieurs degrés de représentation de la bathymétrie du lac sont comparés. Ces modèles permettent de calculer les périodes d'oscillations ainsi que les déplacements de l'interface de densité et les vitesses dans chaque couche. A partir des valeurs des amplitudes d'oscillation obtenues expérimentalement, des vitesses maximales de l'ordre de 7 cm/s dans l'épîlîmnion et 3 cm/s dans l'hypolimnion ont pu être estimées pour les deux épisodes considérés.On montre que les modèles mathématiques et l'analyse spectrale corroborent les observations.There is a great concern about the understanding of water mass movements in lakes as they play a crucial role in the way nutrients and pollutants are trans-ported. This work brings new insights to the study of internal waves as it compares field data to various mathematical approaches. During the months of April and December 1994, a thermistor chain was deployed in Lake Bourget, France (length 18 km, width 3 km, maximum depth 145 m) to record temperature every 10 min, over nine unevenly spaced depths, from 10 to 51m. The time series of measurements provide a detailed picture of the characteristics and dynamics of internal waves. Records are discussed in view of the wind data observed at a meteorological station located at the south-end of the lake. According to the intensity of the wind forcing, the thermal structure is altered in different ways. When the winds are weak, the thermo-cline tilts and sets up a hydrostatic pressure gradient which balances the wind stress (TURNER, 1973). When the wind stops, the density interface oscillates until buoyancy is strong enough to balance the baroclinic pressure field. Strong winds, however, enhance large amplitude nonlinear waves which may break (Kelvin-Helmoltz instabilities), and therefore give rise to vertical mixing in the hypolimnion. During the recording periods wind stress in general is low, but occasional bursts of energy generate internal waves (fig. 2 and 3). In this paper, we focus on linear internal waves as records display a dominant response of the first longitudinal mode. The internal seiche continues to oscillate with decreasing amplitude after the wind has ceased. Two approaches have been implemented in order to characterize the internal waves. One consiste of signal treatment through spectral analysis and the second one involves mathematical modeling.Spectral analysis discloses responses of the first mode with periods of about 80h and 40h, respectively, for the April and December fleld survey (fig. 4 and 5). Further analysis of the April spectra shows that winds generate highly non-linear waves with high energy levels in a large band located in the first 30m. This band results from the mergence of two peaks of high energy at 80 and 40h respectively which probably correspond to the fundamental and second harmonie of a nonlinear wave. Then, as the wind stops, internal seiche of the first mode develops in the layer located between 30 and 50m indicating a deepening of the thermocline.Those fluctuations and their energy spectra are compared with the prédictions of three methods which are based on linear théories and consequently are not valid when the magnitude of oscillations is too high. The full phenomenon of wind-forced motion in a lake is not treated here. However, the analysis of postforcing phase is undertaken to charaterize free internai waves. One method is the Merian formula, which considers the lake as a two-layer system of constant properties and assumes the lake as a rectangular box. Another is a modified version of the Defant procédure (MORTIMER, 1979) which again assumes two layers but solves the momentum and mass équations with a varying cross section. The third method is the two layered variable depth model (TVDM) deve-loped by Schwab (HORN et aL, 1986), fitted to the basin topography and inclu-ding the free surface displacement It is expressed here through a one dimensional version directed along the main axis of the lake (i.e. the lateral variations of depth are not considered).The models display pattems of thermocline displacements (illustrated in fig. 7 and 8) which, in periodicity, are closely similar to those observed. Moreover, they give estimates of the maximum velocity induced by the seiche. Values of the order of 7 cm/s and 3 cm/s are found in the epilimnion and hypolimnion respectively. Finally, the influence exerted by the morphometry on the wave shape and associated field velocity is emphasized. In particular, the difference in the maximum speed calculated in the hypolimnion probably stems from the lateral contraction of the lake (and thus increasing speed) near Aix-les-Bains which is not taken into account in the TVD Model. The validity of the models implemented here is thrown back into question when the magnitude of the oscillations is sufficiently high to steepen the thermocline and in this particular case, a nonlinear theory (Korteweg-de Vries Equation) would be appropriate.The importance of a better knowledge of internal seiches goes beyond the field of physics. Through their influence on mixing and dispersal, those motions profoundly affect the chemical and biological economies of many lakes. Internal waves are responsible for periodic vertical displacement of the resuspended biomass, and consequently for variation in the light intensity to which algal cells are exposed. Furthermore, associated bottom currents can enhance dissolution and remobilization of nutrients by transporting the products of bacterial decomposition away from the sediment-water interface into the water column

Avaliação agronômica de acessos do banco ativo de germoplasma de cebola da Embrapa Clima Temperado em sistema convencional e orgânico de cultivo.

Objetivou-se avaliar o desempenho de oito acessos do banco ativo de germoplasma de cebola (Allium cepa) da Embrapa Clima Temperado nos sistemas orgânico e convencional de cultivo, em Pelotas-RS, na safra 2013/2014

Critical exponents from parallel plate geometries subject to periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions

We introduce a renormalized 1PI vertex part scalar field theory setting in momentum space to computing the critical exponents $\nu$ and $\eta$, at least at two-loop order, for a layered parallel plate geometry separated by a distance L, with periodic as well as antiperiodic boundary conditions on the plates. We utilize massive and massless fields in order to extract the exponents in independent ultraviolet and infrared scaling analysis, respectively, which are required in a complete description of the scaling regions for finite size systems. We prove that fixed points and other critical amounts either in the ultraviolet or in the infrared regime dependent on the plates boundary condition are a general feature of normalization conditions. We introduce a new description of typical crossover regimes occurring in finite size systems. Avoiding these crossovers, the three regions of finite size scaling present for each of these boundary conditions are shown to be indistinguishable in the results of the exponents in periodic and antiperiodic conditions, which coincide with those from the (bulk) infinite system.Comment: Modified introduction and some references; new crossover regimes discussion improved; Appendixes expanded. 48 pages, no figure

Avaliação de peras para fins de melhoramento.

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Seleccion de especies y procedencias del genero Eucalyptus para la region costera de Bahia, Brasil.

Con el objetivo de evaluar y seleccionar las mejores especies y/o procedencias de Eucalyptus para la region costera del Estado de Bahia (Brasil), el presente trabajo fue establecido en la Hacienda Buri, de la empresa Reflora/Ferbasa, provincia de Pojuca, Estado de Bahia, ubicada entre las coordenadas 12ø2S~51"Lat. S y 38ø19~40"Long. W, con altitud respecto al nivel del mar de 55 m. La precipitacion media anual es de 1.200 mm, concentrada entre los meses de abril y julio, con temperatura media de 25øC. Los suelos son acidos y de baja fertilidad natural. Los plantones fueron producidos en vivero de la Ernbrapa Semi-Arido, en Petrolina-PE, y conducidos al campo con altura media de 25 cm y plantados con espaciado de 3,0 m x 1,33 m, sin abono de fundacion. Fueron testadas cinco procedencias de E. urophylla, cuatro de E. camaldulensis, tres de E. brassiana y E. pellita, dos de E. citriodora, E. grandis y E. tereticornis y una de E. drepanophylla. Ei diseflo estadistico fue el de bloques al azar, con parcelas en lineas de cinco plantas, con diez repeticiones. En la evaluacion a los 30 dias del plantio, fue observado 100% de supervivencia en todas las especies y buen desempeflo silvicultural sin problemas fitosanitarios. A los 8 meses de edad los resultados apuntan variaciones significativas para la altura y supervivencia. Las especies/procedencias de mayor desarrollo en la region de Pojuca-BA, fueron E. urophylla, Proc. 14540, E. tereticornis Proc. CPATSA, E. grandis Proc. Rio Claro-SP, E. camaldulensis Proc. 14517, con alturas de 3,94; 3,64; 3,51; 3,46 y 3,45 m respectivamente, y estadisticamente superiores a las demas, con supervivencia por encima de 83%

Brucelose bovina no Pantanal Sul-Matogrossense: dados preliminares.

Com o objetivo de levantar a freqüência preliminar de bovinos de corte não vacinados do Pantanal, foram visitados, no período de 1994 a 1996, 16 rebanhos e 309 animais, sorteados dentre as fazendas cadastradas na Embrapa Pantanal. A freqüência foi estimada com base no número de animais que apresentavam resultados positivos em ambos os testes (AAT e soroaglutinação lenta/2 mercaptoetanol (2ME)) Os resultados do testes diagnósticos confirmatórios foram positivos, negativos ou inconclusivos e classificou-se como positiva a propriedade que apresentou pelo menos um animal positivo no teste confirmatório (2ME); negativa, quando todas os animais apresentaram-se negativos nos testes sorológicos e inconclusiva, quando existiram resultados sorológicos negativos e inconclusivo em pelo menos um dos animais.bitstream/CPAC/28669/1/COT58.pd