Heavy metals and trace elements analysis in groundwater around Mahaoya hot water springs

Groundwater in and around Mahaoya thermal springs found in the Precambrian highgrade metamorphic terrain of Sri Lanka were investigated to assess their geochemical properties with compared to normal regional groundwater of particular area and to produce a data set to develop a model of identification of thermal springs or mixing of thermal and non-thermal ground water. The main objective is this study is to compare the geochemical parameters of thermal springs with nearby cold ground water and interprets the geochemical relationships among them.Samples of low temperature (<35 °C) groundwater from nearby springs, piezometers and open wells were also collected for comparison. All samples were analyzed for their major and trace element compositions using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and standard methods.These waters showed low concentrations of selected trace elements and were comparable to that of geothermal groundwater. Major cation and anion concentrations of thermal springs are similar to nearby cold springs. Close matches of geochemical data from geothermal and dug wells waters confirm the hypothesis of a common source

Obtención de hidrolizado de aceite de macauba y su aplicación en la producción de ésteres metílicos

This work aimed to obtain a hydrolyzate rich in free fatty acids (FFA) from the hydrolysis of macauba oil for subsequent esterification and obtaining of methyl esters. To determine the conditions that maximize FFA yield in the hydrolysis step, the effects of buffer solution percentage and catalyst concentration (Lipozyme®&nbsp;RM IM) were determined at 55 ºC and 6 h. From the results, it was verified that both variables evaluated in the experimental range had an influence on the reaction and their increase favored the production of FFA. Additional experiments were carried out to assess the influence of reaction time with a progressive increase up to 8 h. Hydrolyzate with ~92 wt % FFA was obtained and its use in the enzymatic esterification step using Novozym® 435 as catalyst resulted in ~95 % FFA conversion. Regarding the reuse of enzymes at each stage, a ~50 % reduction in FFA yield was found and only 98 % FFA conversion.Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo obtener un hidrolizado rico en ácidos grasos libres (AGL) a partir de la hidrólisis del aceite de frutos de macauba, para su posterior esterificación y obtención de ésteres metílicos. Para determinar las condiciones que maximizan el rendimiento de AGL en la etapa de hidrólisis, se determinaron los efectos del porcentaje de solución amortiguadora y la concentración de catalizador (Lipozyme® RM IM) a 55 ºC y 6 h. De los resultados se verificó que ambas variables, en el rango experimental evaluado, tienen influencia en la reacción y su incremento favorece la producción de AGL. Se llevaron a cabo experimentos adicionales para evaluar la influencia del tiempo de reacción, observándose un aumento progresivo hasta las 8 h. Se obtuvo un hidrolizado con ~92 % en peso de FFA y su uso en el paso de esterificación enzimática, usando Novozym® 435 como catalizador, resultó en ~95 % de conversión de FFA. Al investigar la reutilización de enzimas, en cada etapa, se encontró una reducción de ~50 % en el rendimiento de FFA y solo un 98 % en la conversión de FFA

Teste rápido de aglutinação utilizando partículas de látex para a detecção de anticorpos anti-cisticercos em amostras de líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR)

Simple and rapid latex-based diagnostic tests have been used for detecting specific antigens or antibodies in several diseases. In this article, we present the preliminary results obtained with a latex agglutination test (LAT) for diagnosing neurocysticercosis by detection of antibodies in CSF. A total of 43 CSF samples were assayed by the LAT: 19 CSF samples from patients with neurocysticercosis and 24 CSF samples from patients with other neurologic disorders (neurosyphilis, n = 8; neurotoxoplasmosis, n = 3; viral meningitis, n = 4, chronic headache, n = 9). The LAT exhibited 89.5% sensitivity and 75% specificity. The use of LAT seems to be an additional approach for the screening of neurocysticercosis with advantage of simplicity and rapidity. Further studies could be performed using purified antigens and serum samples.Testes diagnósticos simples e rápidos baseados na aglutinação de partículas de látex têm sido utilizados para a pequisa de antígenos ou anticorpos específicos em muitas doenças. No presente trabalho, é descrito um teste de aglutinação em lâmina para a pesquisa de anticorpos contra cisticercos de Taenia solium, utilizando partículas de látex revestidas com um extrato bruto do parasita. Anticorpos anti-cisticercos foram pesquisados em 19 amostras de LCR de pacientes com neurocisticercose e em 24 amostras de LCR de pacientes com outros problemas neurológicos (neurosífilis, n = 8; neurotoxoplasmose, n = 3; meningite viral, n = 4; cefaléia crônica, n = 9). O teste de aglutinação apresentou sensibilidade e especificidade de 89,5% e 75%, respectivamente. O teste de aglutinação para cisticercose idealizado é simples, rápido e barato. Essas características tornam o teste um meio promissor de expansão e simplificação do imunodiagnósico da neurocisticercose. Estudos futuros poderiam testar a sensibilização das partículas de látex com antígenos de cisticercos purificados e a pesquisa de anticorpos em amostras de soros

Theory of a magnetic microscope with nanometer resolution

We propose a theory for a type of apertureless scanning near field microscopy that is intended to allow the measurement of magnetism on a nanometer length scale. A scanning probe, for example a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip, is used to scan a magnetic substrate while a laser is focused on it. The electric field between the tip and substrate is enhanced in such a way that the circular polarization due to the Kerr effect, which is normally of order 0.1% is increased by up to two orders of magnitude for the case of a Ag or W tip and an Fe sample. Apart from this there is a large background of circular polarization which is non-magnetic in origin. This circular polarization is produced by light scattered from the STM tip and substrate. A detailed retarded calculation for this light-in-light-out experiment is presented.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

Longitudinal changes in wellbeing amongst breastfeeding women in Australia and New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted new mothers’ wellbeing and breastfeeding experience. Women have experienced changes in birth and postnatal care and restricted access to their support network. It is unclear how these impacts may have changed over time with shifting rates of infection and policies restricting movement and access to services in Australia and New Zealand. This study investigated the longitudinal effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing in Australia and New Zealand. Mothers (n = 246) completed an online survey every 4 weeks for 6 months that examined feeding methods, maternal mental wellbeing, worries, challenges, and positive experiences during the pandemic. Mothers maintained high full breastfeeding rates at 4 months (81%) which decreased to 37% at 6 months. Perceived low milk supply contributed to the earlier cessation of full breastfeeding. Poor infant sleep was associated with stress, perinatal anxiety, mental wellbeing, and breastfeeding status. Although mothers initially reported that lockdowns helped with family bonding and less pressure, prolonged lockdowns appeared to have adverse effects on access to social networks and extended family support. Conclusion: The results highlight the changing dynamic of the pandemic and the need for adaptable perinatal services which allow mothers access to in-person services and their support network even in lockdowns. Similarly, access to continuous education and clinical care remains critical for women experiencing concerns about their milk supply, infant sleep, and their own wellbeing

Homogeneous Fermion Superfluid with Unequal Spin Populations

For decades, the conventional view is that an s-wave BCS superfluid can not support uniform spin polarization due to a gap $\Delta$ in the quasiparticle excitation spectrum. We show that this is an artifact of the dismissal of quasiparticle interactions $V_{qp}^{}$ in the conventional approach at the outset. Such interactions can cause triplet fluctuations in the ground state and hence non-zero spin polarization at "magnetic field" $h<\Delta$. The resulting ground state is a pairing state of quasiparticles on the ``BCS vacuum". For sufficiently large $V_{qp}$, the spin polarization of at unitarity has the simple form $m\propto \mu^{1/2}$. Our study is motivated by the recent experiments at Rice which found evidence of a homogenous superfluid state with uniform spin polarization.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Paraconiothyrium, a new genus to accommodate the mycoparasite Coniothyrium minitans, anamorphs of Paraphaeosphaeria, and four new species

Coniothyrium-like coelomycetes are drawing attention as biological control agents, potential bioremediators, and producers of antibiotics. Four genera are currently used to classify such anamorphs, namely, Coniothyrium, Microsphaeropsis, Cyclothyrium, and Cytoplea. The morphological plasticity of these fungi, however, makes it difficult to ascertain their best generic disposition in many cases. A new genus, Paraconiothyrium is here proposed to accommodate four new species, P. estuarinum, P. brasiliense, P. cyclothyrioides, and P. fungicola. Their formal descriptions are based on anamorphic characters as seen in vitro. The teleomorphs of these species are unknown, but maximum parsimony analysis of ITS and partial SSU nrDNA sequences showed that they belong in the Pleosporales and group in a clade including Paraphaeosphaeria s. str., the biocontrol agent Coniothyrium minitans, and the ubiquitous soil fungus Coniothyrium sporulosum. Coniothyrium minitans and C. sporulosum are therefore also combined into the genus Paraconiothyrium. The anamorphs of Paraphaeosphaeria michotii and Paraphaeosphaeria pilleata are regarded representative of Paraconiothyrium, but remain formally unnamed. Paraconiothyrium species are phylogenetically distant from typical members of the other coelomycete genera mentioned abov

Anisotropy of Vortex-Liquid and Vortex-Solid Phases in Single Crystals of Bi2_2Sr2_2CaCu2_2O8+δ_{8+\delta}: Violation of the Scaling Law

The vortex-liquid and vortex-solid phases in single crystals of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ placed in tilted magnetic fields are studied by in-plane resistivity measurements using the Corbino geometry to avoid spurious surface barrier effects. It was found that the anisotropy of the vortex-solid phase increases with temperature and exhibits a maximum at $T\approx 0.97 T_c$. In contrast, the anisotropy of the vortex-liquid rises monotonically across the whole measured temperature range. The observed behavior is discussed in the context of dimensional crossover and thermal fluctuations of vortices in the strongly layered system.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let