Non trivial critical exponents for finite temperature chiral transitions at fixed total fermion number

We analyze the finite temperature chiral restoration transition of the $(D=d+1)$-dimensional Gross-Neveu model for the case of a large number of flavors and fixed total fermion number. This leads to the study of the model with a nonzero imaginary chemical potential. In this formulation of the theory, we have obtained that, in the transition region, the model is described by a chiral conformal field theory where the concepts of dimensional reduction and universality do apply due to a transmutation of statistics which makes fermions act as if they were bosons, having zero energy. This result should be generic for theories with dynamical symmetry breaking, such as Quantum Chromodynamics.Comment: 14 pages Latex, no figures, final version to be published in Phys. Lett.

Prevalence, predictors, and prognostic implications of residual impairment of functional capacity after transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Background: Patients with degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) typically have advanced cardiac and vascular adverse remodeling and multiple comorbidities and, therefore, might not recover a normal functional capacity after valve replacement. We sought to investigate the prevalence, the predictors, and the prognostic impact of residual impairment of functional capacity after TAVI. Methods and results: Out of 790 patients undergoing TAVI with impaired functional capacity (NYHA II–IV

Incorporating oldman saltbush hay and prickly pear in diets for red Sindhi calves

This study was designed to evaluate the nutrient intake, digestibility, degradability, and ruminal characteristics of Sindhi heifers fed diets that contained a combined total of 75% oldman saltbush hay (hereafter saltbush hay) and prickly pear cactus. Eight 12-month old intact male red Sindhi calves (four fistulated and four non-fistulated) with an initial mean weight of 170 ± 5 kg were assigned to 4 × 4 Latin squares, where factors consisted of four diets, namely 15% hay and 60% cactus; 30% hay and 45% cactus; 45% hay and 30% cactus; and 60% hay and 15% cactus, and four times at which rumen fluid was collected. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) intakes in kg/day and NDF in percentage live weight (LW), water intake, salinity, and conductivity increased with hay level. Intake and digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrates were curvilinear with higher values in diets containing 30% saltbush hay. The apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) and organic matter decreased linearly as the concentration of saltbush hay increased in the diet. The pH of the rumen fluid was within the acceptable range for favourable microbial growth. The low temperature and high salinity and conductivity indices in the diets should be viewed with caution at higher concentrations of saltbush hay, because of a possible decrease in nutrient absorption and the development of health problems in the animals. Apparent degradability coefficients of DM and NDF were affected significantly by inclusion of prickly pear and saltbush hay in the diets.Keywords: animal nutrition, apparent digestibility, Atriplex nummularia Lindl, Opuntia ficus, ruminal degradation, semi-arid environmen

Colheita de sêmen por eletroejaculação em cutia-parda (Dasyprocta azarae)

As cutias são animais que vivem nas Américas Central e do Sul, com potencial zootécnico e que despertam crescente interesse científico. O objetivo deste estudo foi estabelecer um padrão para colheita de sêmen por eletroejaculação em cutia-parda (Dasyprocta azarae). Foram utilizados machos adultos (n=4) anestesiados e submetidos a quatro séries de 20 estímulos eletroejaculatórios, com 3 segundos de duração cada, com uma intensidade de 2, 4, 6 e 8 volts, com dois minutos de intervalo entre cada série. A colheita de sêmen foi obtida em todos os animais, com ereção parcial com 2 volts, ereção evidente com 4 volts, ejaculação com 6 volts e exacerbação da glande e exteriorização das espículas penianas com 8 volts, observando-se espermatozoides em 100% das amostras. A técnica descrita para colheita de sêmen em cutia-parda foi eficaz.Agoutis are animals that live in South and Central America, present rearing potential and call increasing scientific interest. The aim of this paper was to establish a model for semen collection by electroejaculation in Azara´s agouti (Dasyprocta azarae). Anesthetized adult males (n=4) were submitted to four series of 20 electroejaculatory stimuli, during 3 seconds each and with 2, 4, 6 and 8 volts, with a 2 minutes rest among series. Semen collection was accomplished in every animal, with partial penis erection at 2 volts, makeable erection at 4 volts, ejaculation at 6 volts, glans and penis spines exposition at 8 volts, and sperm collected in all samples. The described technique for Azara's agouti semen collection was efficient.Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) Departamento de VeterináriaUniversidade Estadual de São PauloUniversidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU

Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

On the mechanisms governing gas penetration into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection

A new 1D radial fluid code, IMAGINE, is used to simulate the penetration of gas into a tokamak plasma during a massive gas injection (MGI). The main result is that the gas is in general strongly braked as it reaches the plasma, due to mechanisms related to charge exchange and (to a smaller extent) recombination. As a result, only a fraction of the gas penetrates into the plasma. Also, a shock wave is created in the gas which propagates away from the plasma, braking and compressing the incoming gas. Simulation results are quantitatively consistent, at least in terms of orders of magnitude, with experimental data for a D 2 MGI into a JET Ohmic plasma. Simulations of MGI into the background plasma surrounding a runaway electron beam show that if the background electron density is too high, the gas may not penetrate, suggesting a possible explanation for the recent results of Reux et al in JET (2015 Nucl. Fusion 55 093013)

Perfil metabólico de ovinos em crescimento alimentados com dietas constituídas de feno ou silagem de maniçoba e palma forrageira

Resumo: Objetivando-se avaliar o efeito da adição de palma forrageira associado à maniçoba na dieta de ovinos sobre o perfil de indicadores bioquímicos do metabolismo energético e proteico, foi realizado um delineamento em blocos casualizados onde foram utilizados 24 ovinos machos, sem padrão racial definido, com peso corporal médio de 19,77±1,95 kg e idade média de seis meses, divididos igualmente em três tratamentos: concentrado + feno Tifton 85, concentrado + feno de maniçoba e concentrado + silagem de maniçoba, e semelhantes partes de palma forrageira. Realizaram-se quatro coletas de sangue, que constituíram as repetições, com intervalos de 15 dias (0d, 15d, 3d0 e 45d). Em seguida, procederam-se as análises dos seguintes indicadores bioquímicos: creatinina sérica, ureia, proteína total, albumina, globulina, glicose, frutosamina, aspartato aminotransferase, fosfatase alcalina, gama glutamiltransferase, sódio, potássio, cloro, cálcio e fósforo. Maior consumo de matéria seca foi observado no grupo com feno de maniçoba. O tratamento com silagem de maniçoba apresentou diferença (P&lt;0,05) no consumo de fibra em detergente neutro. Houve variações significativas na concentração de ureia nos animais que receberam a dieta composta de feno de maniçoba. Tanto o feno como a silagem de maniçoba, em até 30%, pode substituir o feno de Tifton 85 na alimentação de ovinos em terminação, mantendo efetivamente o consumo de matéria seca, rendimento de carcaça, os metabolismos proteico, energético e mineral, além de ser uma boa alternativa para a alimentação de ovinos.</jats:p