On the P-representable subset of all bipartite Gaussian separable states

P-representability is a necessary and sufficient condition for separability of bipartite Gaussian states only for the special subset of states whose covariance matrix are $Sp(2,R)\otimes Sp(2,R)$ locally invariant. Although this special class of states can be reached by a convenient $Sp(2,R)\otimes Sp(2,R)$ transformation over an arbitrary covariance matrix, it represents a loss of generality, avoiding inference of many general aspects of separability of bipartite Gaussian states.Comment: Final version with new results added. Slightly more detailed than the accepted manuscript (to appear in Phys. Rev. A

INFLUENCE OF CELL WALL CALCIUM CONTENT IN FRUIT FIRMNESS DURING THE RIPENING OF PLUMS (PRUNUS DOMESTICA L.).

‘Rainha Claudia Verde’ is a regional cultivar of Prunus domestica L. well adapted to a specific region in the south of Portugal. In order to understand the postharvest behavior of this cultivar produced in different orchards, cell wall poly-saccharides and cell wall calcium fruit content were studied during ripening in two consecutive years. During harvest period pectic fractions soluble in water, carbonate and KOH were prepared from alcohol-insoluble residue (AIR) of plums. Galacturonic and neutral sugars contents were measured during fruit ripening and fruit firmness was also evaluated. The calcium fruit level was determined in the AIR during harvest season as well as in dry matter. Fruit firmness was significantly higher in the second year and was probably related with calcium fruit content and pectic polysaccharides. There was a significant difference in calcium fruit content between orchards, and this might influence the overall fruit texture during the postharvest period. During fruit ripening water soluble pectic polysaccharides did not change significantly, which corresponded with the small decrease in tissue firmness. The occurrence in the supernatant of the cellulosic residue of highly branched polysaccharides might be the consequence of matrix material associated with microfibrilar phase. Depolymerization of the hemicellulosic fraction was not evident during plum ripening. The loss of fruit firmness is a consequence of many cellular events which are influenced by external factors. The knowledge of calcium content in the cell wall and the pectic poly¬saccharides could be of great importance to local farmers to predict fruit texture

La Serpiente Cascabel Sudamericana Crotalus Durissus: Ecología Alimentar En La Región Central De Brasil

We investigated food patterns in the diet composition of 452 specimens of Crotalus durissus from Central Brazil. Thirty-three items were recorded corresponding to four categories: rodents (75.76%), marsupials (6.06%), unidentified mammals (9.09%) and reptiles (9.09%). Adults of both sexes and some juveniles feed mostly on mammals, specifically rodents, it is the most active and abundant prey throughout the year mainly in areas from Cerrado. In addition, we observed that in C. durissus there is a trend in the diet of females could be more diverse, maybe this can be associated to sexual differences involving different strategies of the feeding biology of this rattlesnake. © 2016, Universidade Estadual de Campinas UNICAMP. All rights reserved.1631

On The Symplectic Two-Form of Gravity in Terms of Dirac Eigenvalues

The Dirac eigenvalues form a subset of observables of the Euclidean gravity. The symplectic two-form in the covariant phase space could be expressed, in principle, in terms of the Dirac eigenvalues. We discuss the existence of the formal solution of the equations defining the components of the symplectic form in this framework.Comment: misprints corrected, final interpretation of results give

Influence of the strong metal support interaction effect (SMSI) of Pt/TiO2 and Pd/TiO2 systems in the photocatalytic biohydrogen production from glucose solution

Two different catalysts consisting of Pt/TiO2 and Pd/TiO 2 were submitted to diverse oxidative and reductive calcination treatments and tested for photocatalytic reforming of glucose water solution (as a model of biomass component) in H2 production. Oxidation and reduction at 850°C resulted in better photocatalysts for hydrogen production than Degussa P-25 and the ones prepared at 500°C, despite the fact that the former consisted in very low surface area (6-8 m2/g) rutile titania specimens. The platinum-containing systems prepared at 850°C give the most effective catalysts. XPS characterization of the systems showed that thermal treatment at 850°C resulted in electron transfer from titania to metal particles through the so-called strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) effect. Furthermore, the greater the SMSI effect, the better the catalytic performance. Improvement in photocatalytic behavior is explained in terms of avoidance of electron-hole recombination through the electron transfer from titania to metal particles

Improved Transfer-Matrix Schemes of Phenomenological Renormalization

Different phenomenological RG transformations based on scaling relations for the derivatives of the inverse correlation length and singular part of the free-energy density are considered. These transformations are tested on the 2D square Ising and Potts models as well as on the 3D simple-cubic Ising model. Variants of RG equations yielding more accurate results than Nightingale's RG scheme are obtained. In the 2D case the finite-size equations which give the {\it exact} values of the critical point or the critical exponent are found.Comment: LATTICE99(spin), 3 pages, no figures; to be published in Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.

Stationary micropolar fluid with boundary data in L2

AbstractWe consider the Dirichlet boundary value problem for the equations of a stationary micropolar fluid in a bounded three-dimensional domain. We show the existence and uniqueness of a distributional solution with boundary values in L2

Slow-release N fertilisers are not an alternative to urea for fertilisation of autumn-grown tall cabbage

Tall cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. costata, cv. Penca de Mirandela) is grown in Portugal during autumn and winter months when heavy rains can be expected. In this agrosystem the management of N is a considerable challenge due to the risk of nitrate leaching. Field experiments with tall cabbage and rye were carried out during the growing seasons of 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. The experimental design included three fertilisers that delay N availability by different mechanisms [Floranid permanent, containing isobutylidene diurea (IBDU); Basacote, a polymer-coated fertiliser; and Entec 26, containing 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) as nitrification inhibitor], two urea treatments (total N applied basally; and divided into two equal rates in preplant and topdress application), and a zero N control. The fertilisers were applied at a rate of 120 kg N ha−1. A pot experiment with tall cabbage followed by ryegrass grown in the same pots was carried out in 2007/2008. The fertiliser treatments were essentially the same and a rate of 2.94 g N/pot was applied. Dry matter yield, plant N concentration, plant N recovery and indices of N-use efficiency were compared among the fertiliser treatments. In the pot experiment, soil nitrate concentration was also monitored by using anion exchange membranes inserted directly into the soil. Urea produced mean DM yields statistically higher than control in all crops and in both field and pot experiments and years. No significant differences in DM yield were usually found among fertilised treatments. Basacote produced DM yields often not significantly different from that of control. In the field experiment of tall cabbage, plants recovered 20 and 50% of the amount of N applied, respectively in Basacote and in the other fertilised plots. In the pot experiment, tall cabbage + ryegrass recovered 49.6 and ≈100% of N applied, respectively in Basacote and in the other fertilised plots. From the strictly agronomic point of view, none of the slow-release N materials provided advantages over urea to be advised for this agrosystem, considering also their high cost

Avaliação dos teores de fenólicos e flavonóides totais em frutos

Os frutos, em particular os frutos vermelhos, têm vindo a suscitar um interesse crescente entre os consumidores devido às propriedades nutricionais que apresentam. Constituem uma fonte natural de antioxidantes, compostos bioativos e vitaminas, e o seu consumo está associado à diminuição dos fatores de risco para diversas doenças. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o teor de compostos fenólicos e flavonóides totais em frutos. Em 2016 foram adquiridos em grandes superfícies da região de Lisboa 14 tipos de frutos. O teor de compostos fenólicos totais foi determinado pelo método Folin-Ciocalteu, sendo os resultados expressos em equivalentes de ácido gálhico (EAG) e o teor de flavonóides totais foi expresso em equivalentes de epicatequina (EEC). De acordo com os resultados obtidos, os mirtilos foram a amostra que apresentou maior teor de compostos fenólicos totais e de flavonóides totais, 1,29 ± 0,0 mg EAG/mL e 164 ± 10,4 µg EEC/mL, respetivamente. Por outro lado, o pêssego foi a amostra que apresentou o menor valor para os dois métodos, 0,187 ± 0,0 mg EAG/mL para os fenólicos totais e 11,5 ± 0,4 µg EEC/mL para os flavonóides totais. Tendo por base os resultados obtidos, é possível concluir que os frutos vermelhos analisados (mirtilos, framboesas e morangos) apresentaram maior teor de compostos fenólicos e flavonóides totais, quando comparados com as restantes amostras analisadas.Este trabalho foi financiado pelo INSA no âmbito do projeto BioCOMP (2012DAN730). Tânia Gonçalves Albuquerque agradece a Bolsa de Doutoramento (SFRH/BD/99718/2014) financiada por FCT, FSE e MEC.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio