A L\'evy flight for electrons in graphene: superdiffusive-to-diffusive transport transition

In this work we propose an electronic L\'evy flight device, analogous to a recent optical realization. To that end, we investigate the transmission of electrons in graphene nanoribbons in the presence of circular electrostatic clusters, whose diameter follow a power-law distribution. We analyze the effect of the electrostatic clusters on the electronic transport regime of the nanoribbons, in terms of its diffusion behavior. Our numerical calculations show that the presence of circular electrostatic clusters induces a transition from L\'evy (superdiffusive) to diffusive transport as the energy increases. Furthermore, we argue that in our electronic L\'evy flight device, superdiffusive transport is an exclusive feature of the low-energy quantum regime, while diffusive transport is a feature of the semiclassical regime. Therefore, we attribute the observed transition to the chiral symmetry breaking, once the energy moves away from the Dirac point of graphene.Comment: Accepted for publication as a Regular Article in Physical Review

Combining advantages from parameters in modeling and control of discrete event systems

Although Finite-State Automata (FSA) have been successfully used in modeling and control of Discrete Event Systems (DESs), they are limited to represent complex and advanced features of DESs, such as context recognition and switching. The literature has suggested that a FSA can nevertheless be enriched with parameters properly collected from the modeled system, so that this favors design and control. A parameter can be embedded either on transitions or states. However, each approach is structured within a specific framework, so that their comparison and integration are not straightforward and they may lead to different control solutions, modeled, computed and implemented using distinct strategies. In this paper, we show how to combine advantages from parameters in modeling and control of DESs. Each approach is structured and their advantages are identified and exemplified. Then, we propose a conversion method that allows to translate a design-friendly model into a synthesis-efficient structure. Examples illustrate the approach.CNPq, under grant number 402145/2016-0, 09, Araucaria Foundation, CAPES, and FINEP, and partially supported by ERDF - The European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation - COMPETE 2020 Programme, and by National Funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, within project POCI- ˆ 01-0145-FEDER-030947 (KLEE

Desenvolvimento e produtividade de algodoeiros sob efeito de reguladores vegetais

In this work effects of plant regulators on cotton Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. IAC-17 were studied, through growth analysis and productivity measures in plants subjected to different dosages of plant regulators applied at various stages of growth. To discover the growth, production and agronomic characteristics of the cotton plant and the technological characteristics of the fibers, under the effect of plant regulators, an experiment, under field conditions was carried out in Piracicaba (SP) on the 1978/79 crop. Cotton was treated with 84, 167 and 250 ppm DPC; 250, 350 and 450 ppm CCC and 1670, 3340 and 6680 ppm CEPA, at respectively 5, 65 and 143 days after germination. The results show that DPC and CCC tended to reduce plant height and crown diameter. DPC applications did not affect growth analysis parameters while 250 ppm CCC reduced foliar area and the" dry matter weight of cotton. The leaf area index was reduced during 28 days, with 250 ppm and 350 ppm applications; the lowest concentrations reduced the photosynthetic efficiency of the plants and the highest concentration of CEPA and CCC tended to reduce the number of boll number of seeds and wool weight. CCC 350 ppm apparently increased the average bool weight while CEPA 6680 ppm tended to reduce it. With each treatment the seed weight and fiber percentage sampled in 50 g of seed as well as the weight of seeds were not affected by CCC, DPC and CEPA applications. The technological characteristics of the fibers were not affected by plant regulators.Neste trabalho efetuaram-se estudos para determinar os efeitos de reguladores vegetais em algodoeiro Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. IAC-17, através da análise de crescimento e produtividade em plantas submetidas a diferentes dosagens e épocas de aplicação de reguladores vegetais. Para conhecimento do desenvolvimento, produção, características agronômicas dos algodoeiros e características tecnológicas das fibras, sob ação de reguladores vegetais, realizou-se em Piracicaba (SP) na safra 1978/79 um experimento sob condições de campo, em uma área de 1700 m², onde foi implantada a cultura. Trataram-se os algodoeiros com: cloreto -1,1 - dimetil piperidíneo (DPC) nas concentrações de 84, 167 e 250 ppm; cloreto (2-cloroetil) trimetilamônio (CCC) nas concentrações de 250, 350 e 450 ppm e ácido (2 - cloroetil) fosfônico (CEPA) nas concentrações 1670, 3340 e 6680 ppm, sendo cada substância aplicada a 51, 65 e 143 dias após a germinação, respectivamente. Realizaram-se os tratos culturais normais recomendados para a cultura. Os resultados indicam que DPC e CCC tendem a reduzir a altura das plantas e o diâmetro da copa. Aplicações de DPC não afetaram os parâmetros da análise de crescimento do algodoeiro, sendo que CCC 25O ppm reduziu a área foliar e o peso da matéria seca. O índice de área foliar foi diminuído por 28 dias com aplicações de CCC 250 e 350 ppm, sendo que a menor concentração reduziu a eficiência fotossintética nas plantas e as concentrações mais elevadas de CEPA e CCC tenderam a diminuir o número de capulhos e o peso de algodão em caroço. CCC 350 ppm aparentemente aumentou o peso médio do algodão por capulho, enquanto CEPA 6680 ppm tendeu a reduzi-lo. Em cada tratamento, o peso das sementes e a porcentagem de fibras amostradas em 50 g de algodão em caroço,bem como o peso de 100 sementes, não foram afetados pela aplicação de CCC, DPC e CEPA. Também as características tecnológicas das fibras não foram afetadas pela aplicação dos reguladores vegetais

Ação de reguladores vegetais na germinação do algodoeiro (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. 'IAC - 17')

This research deals with the effects of exogenous growth substances on germination of cotton 'IAC - 17'. To study the influence of the chemicals, cotton seeds were immersed during 22 hours in water solutions of (2-chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) at concentration of 2000 ppm, succinic acid-2,2-dimethylhydrazide (SADH) 4000 ppm, gibberellic acid (GA) 100 ppm, indoleacetic acid (IAA) 100 ppm, and water as check treatment. CCC 2000 ppm delayed germination of cotton, reducing plant development. Soaking cotton seeds in GA at a concentration of 100 ppm before planting were found to result in a more rapid growth and that the germination is hastened. SADH 4000 ppm reduced the growth of the seedlings and IAA 100 ppm did not alter the germination or the development of cotton seedlings in relation to control.A aplicação de reguladores de crescimento em sementes poderá facilitar a utilização desses produtos químicos na agricultura devido a praticidade da operação e por evitar inconvenientes que podem ocorrer na pulverização. Para se determinar dosagens e tempo de aplicação de alguns destes compostos, efetuou-se ensaio utilizando-se CCC 2000 ppm, SADH 4000 ppm, GA 100 ppm, IAA 100 ppm, além do controle. As sementes de algodoeiro cultivar 'IAC - 17' foram imersas por 22 horas nas soluções aquosas dos fitoreguladores, sendo o controle imerso em água. Após este período de tempo as sementes foram lavadas em água corrente e deixadas para secar a sombra, A semeadura foi realizada em caixas de madeira contendo quartzo, sendo mantidas em condições de estufa. Observou-se que o CCC atrasa a germinação do algodoeiro, produzindo plântulas compactas mostrando 55% de germinação em relação ao controle. SADH apresentou 90% de germinação. GA acelerou o processo germinativo, originando plântulas mais densevolvidas com 52% de germinação. IAA produziu germinação de 82%. A altura media das plantas, determinada 71 dias após a semeadura, mostrou maior desenvolvimento no tratamento com GA, redução no crescimento com CCC e SADH, sendo que IAA não diferiu do controle

COMPARISON BETWEEN ANALYTICAL PYROLYSIS AND NITROBENZENE OXIDATION FOR DETERMINATION OF SYRINGYL/GUAIACYL RATIO IN Eucalyptus spp. LIGNIN

Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) was applied to measure the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio in E. dunni, E. grandis, E. nitens, E. urograndis, and E. urophylla woods. A total of 41 compounds were identified, of which 11 were derived from carbo-hydrates and 30 from lignins. The S/G ratio was calculated on the basis of the areas of peaks recorded in the pyrograms and compared with the results obtained by alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation. The values of S/G found by pyrolysis were similar for all the species using the compounds guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 4-vinylguaiacol, vanillin, 4-ethylsyringol, 4-vinylsyringol, homosyringaldehyde, acetosyringone, and syringylacetone, as lignin markers. The selected markers were efficient for the deter-mination of S/G ratio in eucalyptus wood by Py-GC-MS. The Py-GC-MS technique produced results that are comparable to the nitrobenzene oxidation method, with the advantage of requiring small wood samples and a short analysis time

BioWorkbench: A High-Performance Framework for Managing and Analyzing Bioinformatics Experiments

Advances in sequencing techniques have led to exponential growth in biological data, demanding the development of large-scale bioinformatics experiments. Because these experiments are computation- and data-intensive, they require high-performance computing (HPC) techniques and can benefit from specialized technologies such as Scientific Workflow Management Systems (SWfMS) and databases. In this work, we present BioWorkbench, a framework for managing and analyzing bioinformatics experiments. This framework automatically collects provenance data, including both performance data from workflow execution and data from the scientific domain of the workflow application. Provenance data can be analyzed through a web application that abstracts a set of queries to the provenance database, simplifying access to provenance information. We evaluate BioWorkbench using three case studies: SwiftPhylo, a phylogenetic tree assembly workflow; SwiftGECKO, a comparative genomics workflow; and RASflow, a RASopathy analysis workflow. We analyze each workflow from both computational and scientific domain perspectives, by using queries to a provenance and annotation database. Some of these queries are available as a pre-built feature of the BioWorkbench web application. Through the provenance data, we show that the framework is scalable and achieves high-performance, reducing up to 98% of the case studies execution time. We also show how the application of machine learning techniques can enrich the analysis process

Influence of nutrients on enhancing laccase production by Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05

The physiological requirements needed to enhance the production of laccases by the ascomycete Botryosphaeria rhodina MAMB-05 in submerged cultivation were examined under non-induced and induced (veratryl alcohol, VA) conditions. Under non-induced conditions (–VA), the initial pH, C:N ratio, and inorganic N source did not influence laccase production, in contrast to Tween 80, soybean oil, and copper, which significantly increased laccase production, and proline and urea, which suppressed laccase formation. In addition, Tween 60 could serve as the sole carbon source for the production of these enzymes. Under VA-induced conditions of fungal growth, factors such as inoculum type, time-point of addition of inducer, initial pH, C:N ratio, and type of N source, influenced the production of laccases; however, unlike the non-induced conditions, proline and urea did not act as suppressors. Each of these physiological conditions exerted different effects on biomass production. The nutritional conditions examined for B. rhodina MAMB-05 are discussed in relation to their influence on fungal growth and laccase production. [Int Microbiol 2007; 10(3):177-185

Comparative Analysis of Continuous versus Reciprocating Instruments in Retreatment of Flat-oval Root Canals

Introduction: Flat-oval root canals of incisors can be problematic in retreatments. This study assessed the efficacy of continuous and reciprocating rotation instruments in retreatment of flat-oval root canals in lower incisors via micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). File systems studied were ProTaper universal retreatment rotary system associated with ProTaper Next (PTUR+PTN), D-RaCe associated with iRaCe (DR+iR), Reciproc (REC), and WaveOne (WO). Materials and Methods: Thirty-two mandibular incisors with flat root canal were divided into 4 groups (n=8). The groups were initially prepared with PTN, iRaCe, REC, and WO, then instrumented, filled, and subjected to micro-CT analyses. All the canals were then retreated with the PTUR+PTN, DR+iR, REC, and WO, and then subjected to new micro-CT analysis  which allowed quantification of residual filling material volume and change in the diameter of the root canal apical third. Endodontic retreatment time was also quantified. Data were analyzed with One-Way ANOVA and post hoc t tests. Results: None of the systems completely removed the filling material. The groups differed in terms of remnant filling material volume (PTUR+PTN=2.9±1.1 mm3; DR+iR=3.6±3.1 mm3; REC=4.9±1.9 mm3; WO=3.1±1.9 mm3) and retreatment time (PTUR+PTN=1:36±0:12 sec; DR+iR=0:57±0:13 sec; REC=2:10±0:44 sec; WO=2:03±0:31 sec), but had similar values in terms of change in apical root canal diameter (P>0.05). Conclusions: Based on this in vitro study, the type of endodontic instrument did not affect the diameter of the root canal apical third. However, PTUR with ProTaper Next had the lowest residual filling material volume and second lowest retreatment time, in flat-oval root canals in mandibular incisors