Rayleigh-Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy of nitrous oxide (N2_2O)

High signal-to-noise and high-resolution light scattering spectra are measured for nitrous oxide (N$_2$O) gas at an incident wavelength of 403.00 nm, at 90$^\circ$ scattering, at room temperature and at gas pressures in the range $0.5-4$ bar. The resulting Rayleigh-Brillouin light scattering spectra are compared to a number of models describing in an approximate manner the collisional dynamics and energy transfer in this gaseous medium of this polyatomic molecular species. The Tenti-S6 model, based on macroscopic gas transport coefficients, reproduces the scattering profiles in the entire pressure range at less than 2\% deviation at a similar level as does the alternative kinetic Grad's 6-moment model, which is based on the internal collisional relaxation as a decisive parameter. A hydrodynamic model fails to reproduce experimental spectra for the low pressures of 0.5-1 bar, but yields very good agreement ($< 1$\%) in the pressure range $2-4$ bar. While these three models have a different physical basis the internal molecular relaxation derived can for all three be described in terms of a bulk viscosity of $\eta_b \sim (6 \pm 2) \times 10^{-5}$ Pa$\cdot$s. A 'rough-sphere' model, previously shown to be effective to describe light scattering in SF$_6$ gas, is not found to be suitable, likely in view of the non-sphericity and asymmetry of the N-N-O structured linear polyatomic molecule

Análise volumétrica de cerebelo e tronco cerebral de pacientes com doença de Machado Joseph

Machado-Joseph disease, or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3(MJD/SCA3), is the most frequent late onset spinocerebellar ataxia and results from a CAG repeat expansion in the ataxin-3 gene. Previous studies have found correlation between atrophy of cerebellum and brainstem with age and CAG repeats, although no such correlation has been found with disease duration and clinical manifestations. In this study we test the hypothesis that atrophy of cerebellum and brainstem in MJD/SCA3 is related to clinical severity, disease duration and CAG repeat length as well as to other variables such as age and ICARS (International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale). Whole brain high resolution MRI and volumetric measurement with cranial volume normalization were obtained from 15 MJD/SCA3 patients and 15 normal, age and sex-matchedcontrols. We applied ICARS and compared the score with volumes and CAG number, disease duration and age. We found significant correlation of both brain stem and cerebellar atrophy with CAG repeat length, age, disease duration and degree of disability. The Spearman rank correlation was stronger with volumetric reduction of the cerebellum than with brain stem. Our data allow us to conclude that volumetric analysis might reveal progressive degeneration after disease onset, which in turn is linked to both age and number of CAG repeat expansions in SCA 3.Doença de Machado-Joseph, ou ataxia espinocerebelar tipo 3 (MJD/SCA3) é ataxia espinocerebelar de início tardio mais frequente e resulta de uma expansão da repetição CAG no gene da ataxina-3. Estudos precedentes encontraram correlação entre a atrofia do cerebelo e do tronco cerebral com a idade e número de expansões CAG. Tais correlações não foram encontradas em relação ao tempo de doença ou manifestações clínicas. Neste estudo testamos a hipótese de que a atrofia do cerebelo e do tronco encefálico em MJD/SCA3 está relacionada à gravidade clínica, duração da doença e número de repetições CAG, bem como com outras variáveis como a idade e a ICARS (escala cooperativa internacional de avaliação de ataxias). Foram realizados estudos de imagem pela ressonância magnética de alta resolução e volumetria com normalização de volume craniano de 15 pacientes portadores de MJD/SCA3 e 15 controles pareados por idade e sexo. Nós aplicamos a ICARS e correlacionamos com o escore de volumes e número de CAG, duração da doença e idade. Encontramos correlação significativa entre atrofia de tronco cerebral e cerebelo com duração da doença, repetição CAG, idade e grau de acometimento da doença. O índice de correlação de Spearman foi maior em relação à atrofia de cerebelo do que à atrofia de tronco. Nossos dados permitem concluir que a análise volumétrica pode revelar degeneração progressiva após o início da doença que, por sua vez, está ligada à idade e número de expansões CAG em SCA 3.(FAEPA) Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - Fundação de Amparo ao Ensino e Pesquisa do Hospital das ClínicasFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

MAPEAMENTO GEOMORFOLÓGICO DO PARQUE ESTADUAL DO IBITIPOCA (MG) E ADJACÊNCIAS

O presente paper tem por objetivo apresentar os resultados do mapeamento geomorfológico do Parque Estadual do Ibipoca (MG) e adjacências. Localizado na Zona da Mata Mineira, entre os municípios de Lima Duarte e Santa Rita do Ibitipoca, a reserva insere-se em área de relevo montanhoso expresso por cristas quartzíticas que estabelecem contato abrupto com morros emoldurados em gnaisses e granitos, delimitando-se contextos contrastantes quanto a formas e processos associados, bem como em relação aos programas de uso da terra a serem implementados

What is in a pebble shape?

We propose to characterize the shapes of flat pebbles in terms of the statistical distribution of curvatures measured along the pebble contour. This is demonstrated for the erosion of clay pebbles in a controlled laboratory apparatus. Photographs at various stages of erosion are analyzed, and compared with two models. We find that the curvature distribution complements the usual measurement of aspect ratio, and connects naturally to erosion processes that are typically faster at protruding regions of high curvature.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett. (to appear

The shape and erosion of pebbles

The shapes of flat pebbles may be characterized in terms of the statistical distribution of curvatures measured along their contours. We illustrate this new method for clay pebbles eroded in a controlled laboratory apparatus, and also for naturally-occurring rip-up clasts formed and eroded in the Mont St.-Michel bay. We find that the curvature distribution allows finer discrimination than traditional measures of aspect ratios. Furthermore, it connects to the microscopic action of erosion processes that are typically faster at protruding regions of high curvature. We discuss in detail how the curvature may be reliable deduced from digital photographs.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figure

Equilibrium and stability properties of detonation waves in the hydrodynamic limit of a kinetic model

A shock wave structure problem, like the one which can be formulated for the planar detonation wave, is analyzed here for a binary mixture of ideal gases undergoing the symmetric reaction A1+A1=A2+A2 . The problem is studied at the hydrodynamic Euler limit of a kinetic model of the reactive Boltzmann equation. The chemical rate law is deduced in this frame with a second-order reaction rate, in a hemical regime such that the gas flow is not far away from the chemical equilibrium. The caloric and the thermal equations of state for the specific internal energy and temperature are employed to close the system of balance laws. With respect to other approaches known in the kinetic literature for detonation problems with a reversible reaction, this paper aims to improve some aspects of the wave solution. Within the mathematical analysis of the detonation model, the equation of the equilibrium Hugoniot curve of the final states is explicitly derived for the first time and used to define the correct location of the equilibrium Chapman–Jouguet point in the Hugoniot diagram. The parametric space is widened to investigate the response of the detonation solution to the activation energy of the chemical reaction. Finally, the mathematical formulation of the linear stability problem is given for the wave detonation structure via a normal-mode approach, when bidimensional disturbances perturb the steady solution. The stability equations with their boundary conditions and the radiation condition of the considered model are explicitly derived for small transversal deviations of the shock wave location. The paper shows how a second-order chemical kinetics description, derived at the microscopic level, and an analytic deduction of the equilibrium Hugoniot curve, lead to an accurate picture of the steady detonation with reversible reaction, as well as to a proper bidimensional linear stability analysis.Brazilian Research Council (CNPq), by Italian Research Council GNFM-INdAM, and by the Research Centre of Mathematics of the University of Minho with the Portuguese Funds of FCT, project PEstOE/MAT/UI0013/2014

Muscle Hemangiomatosis presenting as a severe feature in a patient with the pten mutation: Expanding the phenotype of vascular malformations in bannayan-riley-ruvalcaba syndrome

Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (BRRS) is a rare autosomal, dominantly-inherited, hamartoma syndrome with distinct phenotypic features. Mutations in the PTEN gene have been identified in PTEN hamartoma tumor syndromes. Our aim was to determine the correlation of phenotype-genotype relationships in a BRRS case. We have evaluated a PTEN mutation in a patient with vascular anomalies and the phenotypic findings of BRRS. We described an 8-year-old girl with the clinical features of BRRS, specifically with vascular anomalies. The mutation in the PTEN gene was identified by DNA sequencing. In our patient, we defined a de novo nonsense R335X (c.1003 C>T) mutation in exon 8, which results in a premature termination codon. Due to vascular anomalies and hemangioma, the patient's left leg was amputated 1 year after the hemangioma diagnosis. Bannayan - Riley - Ruvalcaba syndrome patients with macrocephaly and vascular anomalies should be considered for PTEN mutation analysis and special medical care

Extended hydrodynamics from Enskog's equation for a two-dimensional system general formalism

Balance equations are derived from Enskog's kinetic equation for a two-dimensional system of hard disks using Grad's moment expansion method. This set of equations constitute an extended hydrodynamics for moderately dense bi-dimensional fluids. The set of independent hydrodynamic fields in the present formulations are: density, velocity, temperature {\em and also}--following Grad's original idea--the symmetric and traceless pressure tensor $p_{ij}$ and the heat flux vector $\mathbf q^{k}$. An approximation scheme similar in spirit to one made by Grad in his original work is made. Once the hydrodynamics is derived it is used to discuss the nature of a simple one-dimensional heat conduction problem. It is shown that, not too far from equilibrium, the nonequilibrium pressure in this case only depends on the density, temperature and heat flux vector.Comment: :9 pages, 1 figure, This will appear in J. Stat. Phys. with minor corrections and corresponds to Ref[9] of cond-mat/050710