Surface trap with dc-tunable ion-electrode distance

We describe the design, fabrication, and operation of a novel surface-electrode Paul trap that produces a radio-frequency-null along the axis perpendicular to the trap surface. This arrangement enables control of the vertical trapping potential and consequentially the ion-electrode distance via dc-electrodes only. We demonstrate confinement of single $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ions at heights between $50~\mu$m and $300~\mu$m above planar copper-coated aluminium electrodes. We investigate micromotion in the vertical direction and show cooling of both the planar and vertical motional modes into the ground state. This trap architecture provides a platform for precision electric-field noise detection, trapping of vertical ion strings without excess micromotion, and may have applications for scalable quantum computers with surface ion traps

Differences and similarities of postprandial lipemia in rodents and humans

The rat has been a mainstay of physiological and metabolic research, and more recently mice. This study aimed at characterizing the postprandial triglyceride profile of two members of the Muridae family: the Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) and C57BL/6 mice (Mus musculus) plus comparing them to the profile obtained in humans. Thirty-one male and twelve female Wistar rats, ten C57BL/6 male and nine female mice received a liquid meal containing fat (17%), protein (4%) and carbohydrates (4%), providing 2 g fat/Kg. Thirty-one men and twenty-nine women received a standardized liquid meal containing fat (25%), dextromaltose (55%), protein (14%), and vitamins and minerals (6%), and providing 40 g of fat per square meter of body surface. Serial blood samples were collected at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h after the ingestion in rats, at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 h in mice and in humans at 2, 4, 6 and 8 h. Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were used. The triglyceride responses were evaluated after the oral fat loads. Fasting and postprandial triglyceridemia were determined sequentially in blood sample. AUC, AUIC, AR, RR and late peaks were determined. Rats are prone to respond in a pro-atherogenic manner. The responses in mice were closer to the ones in healthy men. This study presents striking differences in postprandial triglycerides patterns between rats and mice not correlated to baseline triglycerides, the animal baseline body weight or fat load in all animal groups.101CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPNão temNão te

Fragmented adipose tissue graft for bone healing: histological and histometric study in rabbits' calvaria

Objective The adipose tissue represents an important reservoir of stem cells. There are few studies in the literature with which to histologically evaluate whether or not the adipose tissue graft is really a safe option to achieve bone repair. This study histologically analyzed the effect of fragmented autogenous adipose tissue grafts on bone healing in surgically created, critical-size defects (CSD) in a rabbit's calvaria. Study design Forty-two New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. CSD that were 15 mm in diameter were created in the calvarium of each animal. The defects were randomly divided into two groups: in Group C (control), the defect was filled only by a blood clot and, in Group FAT (i.e., fragmented adipose tissue), the defect was filled with fragmented autogenous adipose tissue grafts. The groups were divided into subgroups (n = 7) for euthanasia at 7, 15, and 40 days after the procedure had been conducted. Histologic and histometric analyses were performed. Data were statistically analysed with ANOVA and Tukey's tests (p < 0.05). Results The amount of bone formation did not show statistically significant differences seven days after the operation, which indicates that the groups had similar amounts of mineral deposition in the earlier period of the repair. Conversely, a significant of amount of bone matrix deposition was identified in the FAT group at 15 and 40 days following the operation, both on the border and in the body of the defect. Such an outcome was not found in the control group. Conclusion In this study, an autologous adipose tissue graft may be considered as likely biomaterial for bone regeneration, since it positively affected the amount of bone formation in surgically created CSD in the rabbits' calvaria 40 days after the procedure had been performed. Further investigations with a longer time evaluation are warranted to determine the effectiveness of autologous adipose tissue graft in the bone healing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM TO MEASURE PLANTAR FORCE DISTRIBUTION IN PATIENTS

This article describes an electronic system, projected to measure the force distribution under patients’ foot soles by instrumented soles with sensors. The system is basically composed of load cells installed in the soles, signal conditioning circuit, interfacing circuit and a computer, from which the measurement results can be read. It is possible to measure static and dynamic forces. Data visualization on the computer screen is displayed by a Visual Basic program. The system presents linear response with the applied force, small hysteresis, precision higher than 99.4%, in addition to its simple operation and handling. It could be used by sports and fitness professionals and other health area professionals to assist in the evaluation of specific programs that aim at increasing athletes’ performance

Upper limits for a narrow resonance in the reaction p + p -> K^+ + (Lambda p)

The reaction pp -> K^+ + (Lambda p) has been measured at T_p = 1.953 GeV and \Theta = 0 deg with a high missing mass resolution in order to study the Lambda p final state interaction. Narrow S = -1 resonances predicted by bag model calculations are not visible in the missing mass spectrum. Small structures observed in a previous experiment are not confirmed. Upper limits for the production cross section of a narrow resonance are deduced for missing masses between 2058 and 2105 MeV/c^2.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Tearing Out the Income Tax by the (Grass)Roots

Landscapes are increasingly fragmented, and conservation programs have started to look at network approaches for maintaining populations at a larger scale. We present an agent-based model of predator–prey dynamics where the agents (i.e. the individuals of either the predator or prey population) are able to move between different patches in a landscaped network. We then analyze population level and coexistence probability given node-centrality measures that characterize specific patches. We show that both predator and prey species benefit from living in globally well-connected patches (i.e. with high closeness centrality). However, the maximum number of prey species is reached, on average, at lower closeness centrality levels than for predator species. Hence, prey species benefit from constraints imposed on species movement in fragmented landscapes since they can reproduce with a lesser risk of predation, and their need for using anti-predatory strategies decreases.authorCount :

Unexpected features of branched flow through high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases

GaAs-based two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) show a wealth of remarkable electronic states, and serve as the basis for fast transistors, research on electrons in nanostructures, and prototypes of quantum-computing schemes. All these uses depend on the extremely low levels of disorder in GaAs 2DEGs, with low-temperature mean free paths ranging from microns to hundreds of microns. Here we study how disorder affects the spatial structure of electron transport by imaging electron flow in three different GaAs/AlGaAs 2DEGs, whose mobilities range over an order of magnitude. As expected, electrons flow along narrow branches that we find remain straight over a distance roughly proportional to the mean free path. We also observe two unanticipated phenomena in high-mobility samples. In our highest-mobility sample we observe an almost complete absence of sharp impurity or defect scattering, indicated by the complete suppression of quantum coherent interference fringes. Also, branched flow through the chaotic potential of a high-mobility sample remains stable to significant changes to the initial conditions of injected electrons.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Cross section of the pp→K+Σ+npp\to K^+\Sigma^+n reaction close to threshold

We have measured inclusive data on $K^+$-meson production in $pp$ collisions at COSY J\"ulich close to the hyperon production threshold and determined the hyperon-nucleon invariant mass spectra. The spectra were decomposed into three parts: $\Lambda p$, $\Sigma^0p$ and $\Sigma^+n$. The cross section for the $\Sigma^+n$ channel was found to be much smaller than a previous measurement in that excess energy region. The data together with previous results at higher energies are compatible with a phase space dependence.Comment: accepted by Phys. lett. B some typos correcte

High resolution study of the Lambda p final state interaction in the reaction p + p -> K+ + (Lambda p)

The reaction pp -> K+ + (Lambda p) was measured at Tp=1.953 GeV and Theta = 0 deg with a high missing mass resolution in order to study the Lambda p final state interaction. The large final state enhancement near the Lambda p threshold can be described using the standard Jost-function approach. The singlet and triplet scattering lengths and effective ranges are deduced by fitting simultaneously the Lambda p invariant mass spectrum and the total cross section data of the free Lambda p scattering.Comment: submitted to Physics Letters B, 10 pages, 3 figure