Particle Ratios and the QCD Critical Temperature

We show how the measured particle ratios at RHIC can be used to provide non-trivial information about the critical temperature of the QCD phase transition. This is obtained by including the effects of highly massive Hagedorn resonances on statistical models, which are used to describe hadronic yields. Hagedorn states are relevant close to $T_c$ and have been shown to decrease $\eta/s$ to the KSS limit and allow for quick chemical equilibrium times in dynamical calculations of hadrons. The inclusion of Hagedorn states creates a dependence of the thermal fits on the Hagedorn temperature, $T_H$, which is assumed to be equal to $T_c$, and leads to an overall improvement of thermal fits. We find that for Au+Au collisions at RHIC at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$ GeV the best square fit measure, $\chi^2$, occurs at $T_c \sim 176$ MeV and produces a chemical freeze-out temperature of 170.4 MeV and a baryon chemical potential of 27.8 MeV.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, talk presented at the International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter, Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 27 - oct. 2, 200

Hidden Order in Crackling Noise during Peeling of an Adhesive Tape

We address the long standing problem of recovering dynamical information from noisy acoustic emission signals arising from peeling of an adhesive tape subject to constant traction velocity. Using phase space reconstruction procedure we demonstrate the deterministic chaotic dynamics by establishing the existence of correlation dimension as also a positive Lyapunov exponent in a mid range of traction velocities. The results are explained on the basis of the model that also emphasizes the deterministic origin of acoustic emission by clarifying its connection to sticks-slip dynamics.Comment: 5 pages, 10 figure

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers as functional surfaces for protein chromatography

Stationary phase plays a crucial role in the operation of a protein chromatography column. Conventional resins composed of acrylic polymers and their derivatives contribute to heterogeneity of the packing of stationary phase inside these columns. Alternative polymer combinations through customized surface functionalization schemes which consist of multiple steps using static coating techniques are well known. In comparison, it is hypothesized that a single-step scheme is sufficient to obtain porous adsorbents as stationary phase for tuning surface morphology and protein immobilization. To overcome the challenge of heterogeneous packing and ease of fabrication at a laboratory scale, a change in the form factor of separation materials has been proposed in the form of functional copolymer surfaces. In the present work, an amphiphilic, block copolymer, poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) has been chosen and fully characterized for its potential usage in protein chromatography. Hydrophilicity of the acrylic copolymer and abundance of carboxyl groups inherently on the copolymer surface have been successfully demonstrated through contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies. Morphological studies indicate presence of a microporous region (nearly 1 to 1.5 $\mu$m pore size) that could be beneficial as a cation exchange media as part of the stationary phase in protein chromatography.Comment: 10 figures, submitted to Journa

Tkachenko modes as sources of quasiperiodic pulsar spin variations

We study the long wavelength shear modes (Tkachenko waves) of triangular lattices of singly quantized vortices in neutron star interiors taking into account the mutual friction between the superfluid and the normal fluid and the shear viscosity of the normal fluid. The set of Tkachenko modes that propagate in the plane orthogonal to the spin vector are weakly damped if the coupling between the superfluid and normal fluid is small. In strong coupling, their oscillation frequencies are lower and are undamped for small and moderate shear viscosities. The periods of these modes are consistent with the observed ~100-1000 day variations in spin of PSR 1828-11.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, uses RevTex, v2: added discussion/references, matches published versio

Absence of the London limit for the first-order phase transition to a color superconductor

We study the effects of gauge-field fluctuations on the free energy of a homogeneous color superconductor in the color-flavor-locked (CFL) phase. Gluonic fluctuations induce a strong first-order phase transition, in contrast to electronic superconductors where this transition is weakly first order. The critical temperature for this transition is larger than the one corresponding to the diquark pairing instability. The physical reason is that the gluonic Meissner masses suppress long-wavelength fluctuations as compared to the normal conducting phase where gluons are massless, which stabilizes the superconducting phase. In weak coupling, we analytically compute the temperatures associated with the limits of metastability of the normal and superconducting phases, as well as the latent heat associated with the first-order phase transition. We then extrapolate our results to intermediate densities and numerically evaluate the temperature of the fluctuation-induced first-order phase transition, as well as the discontinuity of the diquark condensate at the critical point. We find that the London limit of magnetic interactions is absent in color superconductivity.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Color-flavor locked superconductor in a magnetic field

We study the effects of moderately strong magnetic fields on the properties of color-flavor locked color superconducting quark matter in the framework of the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model. We find that the energy gaps, which describe the color superconducting pairing as well as the magnetization, are oscillating functions of the magnetic field. Also, we observe that the oscillations of the magnetization can be so strong that homogeneous quark matter becomes metastable for a range of parameters. We suggest that this points to the possibility of magnetic domains or other types of magnetic inhomogeneities in the quark cores of magnetars.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. Version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Demonstration project on epilepsy in Brazil - Outcome assessment

Purpose: To assess the outcome of patients with epilepsy treated at primary care health units under the framework of the demonstration project on epilepsy in Brazil, part of the WHO/ILAE/IBE Global Campaign Against Epilepsy. Method. We assessed the outcome of patients treated at four primary health units. The staff of the health units underwent information training in epilepsy. The outcome assessment was based on: 1) reduction of seizure frequency, 2) subjective perception from the patient's and the physician's point of view, 3) reduction of absenteeism, 4) social integration (school and work), and 5) sense of independence. Results: A total of 181 patients (93 women - 51%) with a mean age of 38 (range from 2 to 86) years were studied. The mean follow-up was 26 months (range from 1 to 38 months, 11 patients had follow-up of less than 12 months). Seizure frequency was assessed based on a score system, ranging from 0 (no seizure in the previous 24 months) to 7 (> 10 seizure/day). The baseline median seizure-frequency score was 3 (one to three seizures per month). At the end of the study the median seizure-frequency score was 1 (one to three seizures per year). The patients' and relatives' opinions were that in the majority (59%) the health status had improved a lot, some (19%) had improved a little, 20% experienced no change and in 2% the health status was worse. With regard to absenteeism, social integration and sense of independence, there were some modest improvements only. Discussion: The development of a model of epilepsy treatment at primary health level based on the existing health system, with strategic measures centred on the health care providers and the community, has proved to be effective providing important reductions in seizure frequency, as well as in general well being. This model can be applied nationwide, as the key elements already exist provided that strategic measures are put forward in accordance with local health providers and managers

How Do Axisymmetric Black Holes Grow Monopole and Dipole Hair?

We study the dynamical formation of scalar monopole and dipole hair in scalar Gauss-Bonnet theory and dynamical Chern-Simons theory. We prove that the spherically-symmetric mode of the dipole hair is completely determined by the product of the mass of the spacetime and the value of the monopole hair. We then show that the dynamics of the $\ell=1$ mode of the dipole hair is intimately tied to the appearance of the event horizon during axisymmetric collapse, which results in the radiation of certain modes that could have been divergent in the future of the collapse. We confirm these analytical predictions by simulating the gravitational collapse of a rapidly rotating neutron star in the decoupling limit, both in scalar Gauss-Bonnet and dynamical Chern-Simons theory. Our results, combined with those of Ref.~\cite{R:2022cwe}, provide a clear physical picture of the dynamics of scalar monopole and dipole radiation in axisymmetric and spherical gravitational collapse in these theories.Comment: v2-matches published version in PR

Levantamento de inimigos naturais de Diaphorina citri vetor do Huanglongbing (HLB) em Murraya paniculata no estado do Pará.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo registrar a ocorrência de inimigos naturais de Diaphorina citri em plantas de Murraya paniculata em municípios no estado do Pará. Coletas periódicas de ramos de M. paniculata, de aproximadamente 15 cm, foram efetuadas no período de agosto de 2013 a maio de 2014 em quatro municípios do Estado (Belém, Castanhal, Irituia e Tomé-Açu). O material foi analisado em laboratório para a observação de adultos mortos e quantificação do número de ninfas viáveis, ninfas possivelmente parasitadas e ninfas com orifício característico de emergência de inimigo natural. Foram amostrados 273 ramos e quantificadas 1291 ninfas viáveis de D. citri, 212 ninfas provavelmente parasitadas e 281 ninfas com orifícios característicos de emergência de inimigo natural. Foram obtidos 122 parasitoides pertencentes à ordem Hymenoptera. Adultos de D. citri foram encontrados mortos e infectados por fungo. Esse é o primeiro relato de inimigos naturais de D. citri no Estado