The superconducting phase transition and gauge dependence

The gauge dependence of the renormalization group functions of the Ginzburg-Landau model is investigated. The analysis is done by means of the Ward-Takahashi identities. After defining the local superconducting order parameter, it is shown that its exponent $\beta$ is in fact gauge independent. This happens because in $d=3$ the Landau gauge is the only gauge having a physical meaning, a property not shared by the four-dimensional model where any gauge choice is possible. The analysis is done in both the context of the $\epsilon$-expansion and in the fixed dimension approach. It is pointed out the differences that arise in both of these approaches concerning the gauge dependence.Comment: RevTex, 3 pages, no figures; accepted for publication in PRB; this paper is a short version of cond-mat/990527

Potentialities of two solventless extraction approaches—Stir bar sorptive extraction and headspace solid-phase microextraction for determination of higher alcohol acetates, isoamyl esters and ethyl esters in wines

A stir bar sorptive extraction with liquid desorption followed by large volume injection coupled to gas chromatography–quadrupole mass spectrometry (SBSE-LD/LVI-GC–qMS) was evaluated for the simultaneous determination of higher alcohol acetates (HAA), isoamyl esters (IsoE) and ethyl esters (EE) of fatty acids. The method performance was assessed and compared with other solventless technique, the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) in headspace mode (HS). For both techniques, influential experimental parameters were optimised to provide sensitive and robust methods. The SBSE-LD/LVI methodology was previously optimised in terms of extraction time, influence of ethanol in the matrix, liquid desorption (LD) conditions and instrumental settings. Higher extraction efficiency was obtained using 60 min of extraction time, 10% ethanol content, n-pentane as desorption solvent, 15 min for the back-extraction period, 10 mL min−1 for the solvent vent flow rate and 10 °C for the inlet temperature. For HS-SPME, the fibre coated with 50/30 μm divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS) afforded highest extraction efficiency, providing the best sensitivity for the target volatiles, particularly when the samples were extracted at 25 °C for 60 min under continuous stirring in the presence of sodium chloride (10% (w/v)). Both methodologies showed good linearity over the concentration range tested, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.984 for HS-SPME and 0.982 for SBES-LD approach, for all analytes. A good reproducibility was attained and low detection limits were achieved using both SBSE-LD (0.03–28.96 μg L−1) and HS-SPME (0.02–20.29 μg L−1) methodologies. The quantification limits for SBSE-LD approach ranging from 0.11 to 96.56 μg L−and from 0.06 to 67.63 μg L−1 for HS-SPME. Using the HS-SPME approach an average recovery of about 70% was obtained whilst by using SBSE-LD obtained average recovery were close to 80%. The analytical and procedural advantages and disadvantages of these two methods have been compared. Both analytical methods were used to determine the HAA, IsoE and EE fatty acids content in “Terras Madeirenses” table wines. A total of 16 esters were identified and quantified from the wine extracts by HS-SPME whereas by SBSE-LD technique were found 25 esters which include 2 higher alcohol acetates, 4 isoamyl esters and 19 ethyl esters of fatty acids. Generally SBSE-LD provided higher sensitivity with decreased analysis time

Desenvolvimento de metodologia analítica para determinação de resíduos de medicamentos veterinários em carne bovina.

Objetivo de desenvolver e avalidar uma metodologia analítica, empregando a despersão da matriz em fase sólida (DMFS), seguida pela cromatografia gasosa acoplada á espectrometria de massa (GG-MS), na análise de resíduos de medicamentos veterinários ( carrapticidas), clorfensvinfos, fipronil cipermetrina, os quais são aplicados no rebanho bovino, utilizando como matriz de estudo a carne bovina

Avaliação da interface de colisão e reação (CRI) na remoção de interferentes originados no preparo de amostras de solo por extração sequencial.

A extração sequencial de amostras de solo fornece informações importantes sobre a disponibilidade e mobilidade de elementos traço. A espectrometria de massa com plasma acoplado indutivamente (ICP-MS) é uma técnica analítica adequada para a determinação de elementos presentes em baixas concentrações, porém podem ocorrer interferências severas em meios complexos devido à formação de espécies poliatômicas. Visando corrigir ou eliminar esses efeitos algumas estratégias podem ser adotadas, tais como seleção de isótopos alternativos, correção pelo branco analítico, uso de plasma frio e introdução de gases reacionais e/ou colisionais, como H2 ou He, em celas ou na interface. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a interface de colisão e reação (CRI) na remoção de interferentes poliatômicos formados a partir do plasma de Ar e dos reagentes utilizados na extração sequencial (BCR) para a determinação de As, Cr e V

Redistribuição de carbono orgânico e fósforo pelo escoamento superficial em sistemas agrícolas convencionais e agroflorestais no semi-árido cearense.

Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a redistribuição de carbono orgânico e fósforo (P) pelo escoamento superficial, para verificar a hipótese de que os sistemas agroflorestais promovem uma menor redistribuição de carbono orgânico e P no solo. A área experimental localiza-se na Fazenda Crioula, pertencente ao Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Caprinos da EMBRAPA, no município de Sobral-CE. A partir de projeto desenvolvido desde 1997 foram selecionadas as seguintes áreas: Agrossilvipastoril (AGP), Silvipastoril (SILV), Tradicional (TR), Cultivo Intensivo em Pousio (CIP), Mata Nativa 1 (MN-1) e Mata Nativa 2 (MN-2). A área estudada foi georeferenciada, sendo alocados transectos para coleta de amostras de solo na profundidade de 0-5 cm, a cada 10 m. Em seguida, foi feito o levantamento altimétrico utilizandose o nível topográfico. Os teores de carbono orgânico foram determinados por oxidação úmida e o P disponível por extração com Mehlich I e colorimetria. Os resultados foram avaliados por meio de medidas descritivas e técnicas geoestatísticas. Observou-se a existência de grande variabilidade quantitativa dos teores de C e P entre as áreas estudadas. Entretanto, quando se avaliou a variabilidade espacial em cada uma das áreas estudadas, constatou-se o predomínio de um aspecto uniforme da distribuição de C e P nas áreas TR e CIP, enquanto que isto não ocorreu com as áreas mais conservadoras (AGP e SILV). Tais resultados podem ser explicados pela maior ação dos agentes erosivos no caso específico da área CIP que apresentou uma tendência de redistribuir os nutrientes para outras regiões. O mesmo não acontece com a área AGP, um sistema muito mais conservador: tanto que a variação espacial é muito semelhante à da condição natural. [Redistribution of organic carbon and phosphorus by surface runoff in agroforestry and conventional systems in the semi-arid region of Ceará]. Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the redistribution of organic carbon and phosphorus (P) by surface runoff, in order to verify the hypothesis that agroforestry systems promote lower redistribution of organic carbon and P than conventional systems. The experimental area is located in the Crioula Farm, CNPC – EMBRAPA, in the municipality of Sobral, CE. The following systems were selected: Agrisilvipastoral (AGP), Silvipastoral (SILV), Traditional (TR) Fallow Intense Cropping (FIC), Natural Forest-1 (NF-1) and Natural Forest-2 (NF-2). The studied field was georeferenced and transects were allocated for sampling every 10 m along the area at 0-5 cm depth. An altimetric survey was carried out using topographic leveling. C content was determined by wet oxidation and P was extracted by Mehlich-1 and determined by colorimetry. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistic and geostatistic techniques. Large variability of C and P content was observed, however, when spatial variability was evaluated in each area, it showed a uniform pattern of C and P for TR and FIC systems, but not for the most conservative systems such as AGP and SILV. These results can be explained by the more intense action of erosive agents in FIC that tends to redistribute nutrients to other areas. But the same does not occur in AGP, a much more conservative system, in which spatial variation is very similar to natural condition

Sequential Extraction of Cr, Cu anel V in Soil anel Determination Using ICP·MS.

Among the instrumental techniques that can be useel for eletermination of trace elements in soils inductively coupled plaSl1la mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) presents aelvantages such as multielemental character and superb sensitivity. However, aspects such as the content of total e1issolveel solids anel the polyatomic íons formeel in complex matrices may limit its application. The determination of Cr. Cu and V may suffer from polyatomic intelierences either originated in the argon plasma 01' in the matrix. In the case of 65Cu+ the main interferents are 23Na40Ar+ anel 23Na40Ca+ The eletermination of 52Cr+ is affecteel by 40Ar12C+ and 51V+ is affected by 35Cl16O+. Notwithstanding, all these elements also have less abundant isotopes not affected by severe interference processes

Multimode Hong-Ou-Mandel Interferometry

We review some recent experiments based upon multimode two-photon interference of photon pairs created by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. The new element provided by these experiments is the inclusion of the transverse spatial profiles of the pump, signal and idler fields. We discuss multimode Hong-Ou-Mandel interference, and show that the transverse profile of the pump beam can be manipulated in order to control two-photon interference. We present the basic theory and experimental results as well as several applications to the field of quantum information.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures, Brief Review to be published in Modern Physics Letters