Factors Affecting Atrazine Fate in North Central U.S. soils

Atrazine (6-chloro-N-ethyl-N′-(l-methylethyl)-l,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) is a herbicide of the triazine family used for controlling broadleaf and some grassy weeds in corn and sorghum. Since its introduction in the late 1950s, atrazine has been a popular herbicide because it is relatively inexpensive and, in most cases, gives good season-long weed control. It can be applied pre-or postemergence and is often tank mixed with grass herbicides, such as alachlor (2-chloro-N-(2,6-diethylphenyl-N-(methoxymethyl)acetamide), metolachlor(2-chloro-N-(2-2ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-l-methylethyl) acetamide), butylate (S-ethyl bis(2-methylpropyl)carbamothioate), or EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylcarbamothioate), or with other broadleaf herbicides, such as dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid), to obtain broad-spectrum weed control. Atrazine mixed with nicosulfuron {2-[[[[(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]-N,N-dimethyl-3-pyridinecarboxamide} or bromoxynil (3,5-dibromo-4-hydro-xybenzonitrile) is commonly used across the northern Corn Belt; when mixed with cyanazine {2-[[4-chloro-6-(ethylamino)-l,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino]-2-methylpropanenitrile}, it is commonly used in total weed control programs in southern Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio

Magnetic phases of one-dimensional lattices with 2 to 4 fermions per site

We study the spectral and magnetic properties of one-dimensional lattices filled with 2 to 4 fermions (with spin 1/2) per lattice site. We use a generalized Hubbard model that takes account all interactions on a lattice site, and solve the many-particle problem by exact diagonalization. We find an intriguing magnetic phase diagram which includes ferromagnetism, spin-one Heisenberg antiferromagnetism, and orbital antiferromagnetism.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Optical response of two-dimensional electron fluids beyond the Kohn regime: strong non-parabolic confinement and intense laser light

We investigate the linear and non-linear optical response of two-dimensional (2D) interacting electron fluids confined by a strong non-parabolic potential. We show that such fluids may exhibit higher-harmonic spectra under realistic experimental conditions. Higher harmonics arise as the electrons explore anharmonicities of the confinement potential (electron-electron interactions reduce this non-linear effect). This opens the possibility of controlling the optical functionality of such systems by engineering the confinement potential. Our results were obtained within time-dependent density-functional theory, employing the adiabatic local-density approximation. A classical hydrodynamical model is in good agreement with the quantum-mechanical results.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Hartree-Fock dynamics in highly excited quantum dots

Time-dependent Hartree-Fock theory is used to describe density oscillations of symmetry-unrestricted two-dimensional nanostructures. In the small amplitude limit the results reproduce those obtained within a perturbative approach such as the linearized time-dependent Hartree-Fock one. The nonlinear regime is explored by studying large amplitude oscillations in a non-parabolic potential, which are shown to introduce a strong coupling with internal degrees of freedom. This excitation of internal modes, mainly of monopole and quadrupole character, results in sizeable modifications of the dipole absorption.Comment: 4 pages, 4 embedded figure

Association of shift work with mood disorders and sleep problems according to chronotype: a 17-year cohort study

Both evening chronotype and shift work are associated with depressive symptoms. This study examined whether the association between shift work and mood disorders and sleep problems varies by chronotype. The study population included 10637 participants from the Finnish Hospital Personnel Cohort Study. Work schedule was assessed using repeated questionnaires between 2000 and 2017. Chronotype, assessed using a single item from the Diurnal Type Scale, was categorized into definite morning, somewhat morning, somewhat evening, and definite evening types. The presence of mood disorders was identified by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. Sleep problems were assessed by self-reported frequency of difficulty falling asleep and maintaining asleep. Longitudinal fixed effects models were used to examine the associations between shift work and the presence of mood disorders and sleep problems, stratified by chronotype. We found that fixed night work was associated with mood disorders among somewhat evening (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% CI 1.09-3.34) and definite evening-type workers (adjusted OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.06-3.98). Shift work with night shifts was associated with mood disorders among definite evening-type workers (adjusted OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.18-2.60). Similarly, fixed night work was associated with difficulty maintaining sleep only among evening-type workers. In conclusion, evening chronotype increase the vulnerability to mood disorders and sleep disturbances related to night work

Nanohybrids of Mg/Al layered double hydroxide and long-chain (C18) unsaturated fatty acid anions: Structure and sorptive properties

10 páginas.-- 8 figuras.-- 1 tabla. 59 referencias.-- Appendix A. Supplementary data con 6 páginas (3 tablas y 2 figuras.-- Número espeical: Clay Science & Technology (XV International Clay Conference)Long-chain (C18) unsaturated fatty acid anions, elaidate (ELA), oleate (OLE), linoleate (LINO), and linolenate (LINOLEN), were intercalated into Mg/Al (3:1) layered double hydroxide (LDH) and the resultant organo-LDH nanohybrid materials were characterized and subsequently evaluated as sorbents of six pesticides (clopyralid, imazethapyr, diuron, atrazine, alachlor, and terbuthylazine). The effect of the degree (18:1, 18:2, 18:3) and type (cis/trans) of unsaturation in the fatty acid alkyl chain on both the structure and sorptive properties of the LDH-unsaturated fatty acid nanohybrids was determined. All fatty acid anions were readily intercalated into the LDH, yielding structures with basal spacing values ranging between 32 Å (LDH-LINOLEN) and 40 Å (LDHELA). The bend imposed by the cis geometry of the double bonds present in OLE, LINO and LINOLEN was identified as a major factor determining the arrangement of these anions in the LDH interlayer space. Intercalation of cis-unsaturated fatty acid anions led to less densely packed structures and reduced the interlayer distance of the resultant nanohybrid compared to the structures resulting from intercalation of the linear, trans-unsaturated elaidate anion. All organo-LDHs displayed higher affinity to uncharged pesticides as compared to unmodified LDH, but double bonds in the fatty acid alkyl chain, particularly when present in cis configuration, reduced the affinity of the organo-LDHs to all pesticides, presumably because they led to structures with reduced hydrophobicity as compared to those resulting from the incorporation of linear organic anions.This work has been financed by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO Project AGL2011-23779) and Junta de Andalucía (JA Projects P07-AGR-03077 and P11-AGR-7400 and Research Group AGR-264), cofinanced with European FEDER-FSE funds (Operative Program 2007–2013). B. Gámiz thanks JA for a post-doctoral contract linked to the project P07-AGR-03077. M.A. Adelino thanks MINECO for her pre-doctoral FPI fellowship.Peer reviewe

Influence of Olive Oil Mill Waste Amendment on Fate of Oxyfluorfen in Southern Spain Soils

7 páginas.-- 1 figura.-- 3 tablas.-- 37 referencias.--Oxyfluorfen herbicide residues have been previously reported in surface and ground water in the Guadalquivir river basin in Spain. Soil factors and processes (sorption, dissipation, and leaching) influencing the potential offsite transport of oxyfluorfen to surface and ground water were characterized in laboratory experiments for two soils from Southern Spain. The influence of olive-oil mill waste amendment on the soil processes was also determined. Oxyfluorfen sorption in unamended soils was not significantly affected by soil active components (organic matter and clay fraction). However, a significant increase in soil sorption of the herbicide was observed upon amendment. Laboratory half-life values for oxyfluorfen in unamended sandy clay loam and silty clay soils at 40% moisture content and 25°C were 29 and 19 days, respectively, and it increased by a factor of four upon amendment. Oxyfluorfen's mobility along soil profile increased with the amendment in leaching studies at 25°C, suggesting that dissolved organic matter of amendment can play an important role enhancing soil vertical movement of the pesticide. The increase in soil adsorption and persistence observed with olive-oil mill waste amendment can promote its losses by runoff following winter application, whereas vertical movement of oxyfluorfen can be enhanced following spring application when olive-oil mill waste amendment is also applied.This work has been partially financed by research projects P06-AGR-565, P07-AGR-03077, and AGR-264 from Junta de Andalucia, all of them cofinanced with EU FEDER-FSE funds (Operative Program 2003/06 and 2007/11). This work has been specially supported by I-Link 0025 research project from CSIC. We are grateful to Dow Agrosciences LLC, Indianapolis, IN for supplying 14C-labeled oxyfluorfen. Authors also thank to Dra. L. Cox and Dr. R. Celis for manuscript valuable support, comments and suggestions.Peer reviewe

Spectral properties of rotating electrons in quantum dots and their relation to quantum Hall liquids

The exact diagonalization technique is used to study many-particle properties of interacting electrons with spin, confined in a two-dimensional harmonic potential. The single-particle basis is limited to the lowest Landau level. The results are analyzed as a function of the total angular momentum of the system. Only at angular momenta corresponding to the filling factors 1, 1/3, 1/5 etc. the system is fully polarized. The lowest energy states exhibit spin-waves, domains, and localization, depending on the angular momentum. Vortices exist only at excited polarized states. The high angular momentum limit shows localization of electrons and separation of the charge and spin excitations.Comment: 14 pages 18 figure

Crossover from Fermi liquid to Wigner molecule behavior in quantum dots

The crossover from weak to strong correlations in parabolic quantum dots at zero magnetic field is studied by numerically exact path-integral Monte Carlo simulations for up to eight electrons. By the use of a multilevel blocking algorithm, the simulations are carried out free of the fermion sign problem. We obtain a universal crossover only governed by the density parameter $r_s$. For $r_s>r_c$, the data are consistent with a Wigner molecule description, while for $r_s<r_c$, Fermi liquid behavior is recovered. The crossover value $r_c \approx 4$ is surprisingly small.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 3 figures, corrected Tabl

Plasma Magnetohydrodynamics and Energy Conversion

Contains reports on six research projects.National Science Foundation under Grant G-24073U. S. Air Force (Aeronautical Systems Division) under Contract AF33(616)-7624 with the Aeronautical Accessories Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohi