Coupling vortex dynamics with collective excitations in Bose-Einstein Condensates

Here we analyze the collective excitations as well as the expansion of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate with a vortex line at its center. To this end, we propose a variational method where the variational parameters have to be carefully chosen in order to produce reliable results. Our variational calculations agree with numerical simulations of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. The system considered here turns out to exhibit four collective modes of which only three can be observed at a time depending of the trap anisotropy. We also demonstrate that these collective modes can be excited using well established experimental methods such as modulation of the s-wave scattering length

Primeiro registro de nematoide de cisto da soja na Região Centro-Sul de Mato Grosso do Sul.

O nematoide de cisto da soja (NCS), Heterodera glycines, é um dos principais fatores limitantes à produção de soja no Brasil. Desde a sua constatação na safra 1991/1992, o NCS distribuiu-se por praticamente todas as regiões produtoras de soja do País, estando presente atualmente em cerca de 2 milhões de hectares nos seguintes estados: Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Tocantins, Maranhão e Bahia (EMBRAPA, 2009). Em Mato Grosso do Sul, o NCS permaneceu limitado às regiões Norte e Nordeste do estado, onde causa perdas consideráveis.bitstream/item/51822/1/COT-2011-170.pd

RNA-Oligonucleotide Quantification Technique (ROQT) for the Enumeration of Uncultivated Bacterial Species in Subgingival Biofilms

Approximately 35% of the species present in subgingival biofilms are as yet uncultivated, so their role in periodontal pathogenesis is unknown. The aim of the present study was to develop a high throughput method to quantify a wide range of cultivated and uncultivated taxa in subgingival biofilm samples associated with periodontal disease or health. Oligonucleotides targeting the 16S ribosomal DNA gene were designed, synthesized and labeled with digoxigenin. These probes were hybridized with the total nucleic acids of pure cultures or subgingival biofilm samples. Target species included cultivated taxa associated with periodontal health and disease, as well as uncultivated species, such as TM7 sp OT 346, Mitsuokella sp. OT 131 and Desulfobulbus sp. OT 041. Sensitivity and specificity of the probes were determined. A Universal probe was used to assess total bacterial load. Sequences complementary to the probes were used as standards for quantification. Chemiluminescent signals were visualized after film exposure or using a CCD camera. In a pilot clinical study, 266 subgingival plaque samples from eight periodontally healthy people and 11 patients with periodontitis were examined. Probes were specific and sensitivity reached 104 cells. Fusobacterium nucleatum ss polymorphum and Actinomyces gerencseriae were the most abundant cultivated taxa in clinical samples. Among uncultivated/unrecognized species, Mitsuokella sp. OT 131 and Prevotella sp. OT 306 were the most numerous. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Desulfobulbus sp. OT 041 were only detected in patients with periodontitis. Direct hybridization of total nucleic acids using oligonucleotide probes permitted the quantification of multiple cultivated and uncultivated taxa in mixed species biofilm samples

Relationships Among IL-6, TNF-α, Adipokines, Vitamin D and Chronic Periodontitis

Objectives to explore relationships among serum adipokines, vitamin D, clinical and microbial parameters of chronic periodontitis before and after treatment. Methods weight, height and smoking status were recorded for 56 patients with chronic periodontitis. Plaque, gingivitis, bleeding on probing (BOP), suppuration, pocket depth (PD) and attachment level (AL) were measured at all teeth present. Subgingival biofilm samples from each tooth were analyzed for levels of 40 bacterial species using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. Serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), adiponectin, leptin, resistin and vitamin D were measured at baseline. Sample collection was then performed in a subset of the population 6 months post-therapy (n=17). Serum samples were analyzed using ELISA and immunoassays. Differences in clinical, microbial and serum factors among groups were sought using the Mann-Whitney test. Correlations among factors were evaluated using regression analysis. Effects of therapy were sought using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test Results There were positive correlations between adiponectin/vitamin D and between IL-6/leptin; negative correlations between IL-6/vitamin D, and leptin/vitamin D, but no associations between serum analytes and clinical or microbial parameters. Gender and BMI were associated with levels of adipokines. Periodontal therapy improved clinical and microbiological parameters, but did not influence the levels of serum analytes. Conclusions Adipokines and IL-6 levels were affected by gender and BMI. Serum analytes were not influenced by periodontal therapy

Relationships Among Gingival Crevicular Fluid Biomarkers, Clinical Parameters of Periodontal Disease, and the Subgingival Microbiota

Background The objectives were to measure the levels of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) biomarkers and subgingival bacterial species in periodontally healthy and periodontitis subjects in order to explore relations among these biomarkers, the subgingival microbiota, and clinical parameters of periodontal disease. Material and methods Clinical periodontal parameters were measured at 6 sites per tooth in 20 periodontitis and 20 periodontally healthy subjects. GCF and subgingival plaque samples were obtained from the mesiobuccal aspect of every tooth. GCF levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) and IL-8 were measured using checkerboard immunoblotting and the levels of 40 bacterial taxa quantified using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. A subset of “clinically healthy” (CH) sites from each group was analyzed separately. Significance of differences between groups was determined using the unpaired t-test or the Mann-Whitney test. Correlations among immunological, microbiological and clinical data were determined using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results There were positive correlations among mean clinical parameters and mean levels of the 3 biomarkers and proportions of Orange and Red complex species (p\u3c0.05). CH sites from periodontitis subjects had higher levels of IL-1β and IL-8 and higher proportions of Orange and Red complex species (p\u3c0.05) than CH sites from periodontally healthy subjects. Red complex species were positively associated with the expression of all biomarkers (p\u3c0.05), while Purple and Yellow complex species had negative correlations with IL-1β and IL-8 (p\u3c0.05). Conclusions CH sites from periodontitis subjects present higher levels of GCF biomarkers and periodontal pathogens than CH sites from periodontally healthy subjects. Different microbial complexes demonstrated distinct associations with specific GCF biomarkers

Normalization procedure for relaxation studies in NMR quantum information processing

NMR quantum information processing studies rely on the reconstruction of the density matrix representing the so-called pseudo-pure states (PPS). An initially pure part of a PPS state undergoes unitary and non-unitary (relaxation) transformations during a computation process, causing a "loss of purity" until the equilibrium is reached. Besides, upon relaxation, the nuclear polarization varies in time, a fact which must be taken into account when comparing density matrices at different instants. Attempting to use time-fixed normalization procedures when relaxation is present, leads to various anomalies on matrices populations. On this paper we propose a method which takes into account the time-dependence of the normalization factor. From a generic form for the deviation density matrix an expression for the relaxing initial pure state is deduced. The method is exemplified with an experiment of relaxation of the concurrence of a pseudo-entangled state, which exhibits the phenomenon of sudden death, and the relaxation of the Wigner function of a pseudo-cat state.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, to appear in QI