Non universality of entanglement convertibility

Recently, it has been suggested that operational properties connected to quantum computation can be alternative indicators of quantum phase transitions. In this work we systematically study these operational properties in 1D systems that present phase transitions of different orders. For this purpose, we evaluate the local convertibility between bipartite ground states. Our results suggest that the operational properties, related to non-analyticities of the entanglement spectrum, are good detectors of explicit symmetries of the model, but not necessarily of phase transitions. We also show that thermodynamically equivalent phases, such as Luttinger liquids, may display different convertibility properties depending on the underlying microscopic model.Comment: 5 pages + references, 4 figures - improved versio

Arts, literature and reflective writing as educational stratagies to facilitate empathy and reflexive skills among physiotherapy students

Comunicação apresentada no 3rd European Congress on Physiotherapy Education, Viena, 201

Kinetic Modeling of 1‐G Ethanol Fermentations

The most recent rise in demand for bioethanol, due mainly to economic and environmental issues, has required highly productive and efficient processes. In this sense, mathematical models play an important role in the design, optimization, and control of bioreactors for ethanol production. Such bioreactors are generally modeled by a set of first‐order ordinary differential equations, which are derived from mass and energy balances over bioreactors. Complementary equations have also been included to describe fermentation kinetics, based on Monod equation with additional terms accounting for inhibition effects linked to the substrate, products, and biomass. In this chapter, a reasonable number of unstructured kinetic models of 1‐G ethanol fermentations have been compiled and reviewed. Segregated models, as regards the physiological state of the biomass (cell viability), have also been reviewed, and it was found that some of the analyzed kinetic models are also applied to the modeling of second‐generation ethanol production processes

A high-fat meal impairs muscle vasodilatation response to mental stress in humans with Glu27 β2-adrenoceptor polymorphism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Forearm blood flow responses during mental stress are greater in individuals homozygous for the Glu27 allele. A high-fat meal is associated with impaired endothelium-dependent dilatation. We investigated the impact of high-fat ingestion on the muscle vasodilatory responses during mental stress in individuals with the Glu27 allele and those with the Gln27 allele of the β₂-adrenoceptor gene.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 162 preselected individuals were genotyped for the Glu27Gln β₂-adrenoceptor polymorphism. Twenty-four individuals participated in the study. Fourteen were homozygous for the Gln27 allele (Gln27Gln, 40 ± 2 years; 64 ± 2 kg), and 10 were homozygous for the Glu27 allele (Glu27Glu, 40 ± 3 years; 65 ± 3 kg). Forearm blood flow was evaluated by venous occlusion plethysmography before and after ingestion of 62 g of fat.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The high-fat meal caused no changes in baseline forearm vascular conductance (FVC, 2.2 ± 0.1 vs. 2.4 ± 0.2; <it>P </it>= 0.27, respectively), but reduced FVC responses to mental stress (1.5 ± 0.2 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2 units; <it>P </it>= 0.04). When volunteers were divided according to their genotypes, baseline FVC was not different between groups (Glu27Glu = 2.4 ± 0.1 vs. Gln27Gln = 2.1 ± 0.1 units; <it>P </it>= 0.08), but it was significantly greater in Glu27Glu individuals during mental stress (1.9 ± 0.4 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3 units; <it>P </it>= 0.04). High-fat intake eliminated the difference in FVC responses between Glu27Glu and Gln27Gln individuals (FVC, 1.3 ± 0.4 vs. 1.2 ± 0.4; <it>P </it>= 0.66, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings demonstrate that a high-fat meal impairs muscle vasodilatation responses to mental stress in humans. However, this reduction can be attributed to the presence of the homozygous Glu27 allele of the β₂-adrenoceptor gene.</p

Fast batch injection analysis system for on-site determination of ethanol in gasohol and fuel ethanol

AbstractA simple, accurate and fast (180injectionsh−1) batch injection analysis (BIA) system with multiple-pulse amperometric detection has been developed for selective determination of ethanol in gasohol and fuel ethanol. A sample aliquot (100μL) was directly injected onto a gold electrode immersed in 0.5molL−1 NaOH solution (unique reagent). The proposed BIA method requires minimal sample manipulation and can be easily used for on-site analysis. The results obtained with the BIA method were compared to those obtained by gas-chromatography and similar results were obtained (at 95% of confidence level)

Genetic mapping of a new heart rate QTL on chromosome 8 of spontaneously hypertensive rats

BACKGROUND: Tachycardia is commonly observed in hypertensive patients, predominantly mediated by regulatory mechanisms integrated within the autonomic nervous system. The genetic loci and genes associated with increased heart rate in hypertension, however, have not yet been identified. METHODS: An F2 intercross of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) × Brown Norway (BN) linkage analysis of quantitative trait loci mapping was utilized to identify candidate genes associated with an increased heart rate in arterial hypertension. RESULTS: Basal heart rate in SHR was higher compared to that of normotensive BN rats (365 ± 3 vs. 314 ± 6 bpm, p < 0.05 for SHR and BN, respectively). A total genome scan identified one quantitative trait locus in a 6.78 cM interval on rat chromosome 8 (8q22–q24) that was responsible for elevated heart rate. This interval contained 241 genes, of which 65 are known genes. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that an influential genetic region located on the rat chromosome 8 contributes to the regulation of heart rate. Candidate genes that have previously been associated with tachycardia and/or hypertension were found within this QTL, strengthening our hypothesis that these genes are, potentially, associated with the increase in heart rate in a hypertension rat model

The Steiner Multi Cycle Problem with Applications to a Collaborative Truckload Problem

We introduce a new problem called Steiner Multi Cycle Problem that extends the Steiner Cycle problem in the same way the Steiner Forest extends the Steiner Tree problem. In this problem we are given a complete weighted graph G=(V,E), which respects the triangle inequality, a collection of terminal sets {T_1,..., T_k}, where for each a in [k] we have a subset T_a of V and these terminal sets are pairwise disjoint. The problem is to find a set of disjoint cycles of minimum cost such that for each a in [k], all vertices of T_a belong to a same cycle. Our main interest is in a restricted case where |T_a| = 2, for each a in [k], which models a collaborative less-than-truckload problem with pickup and delivery. In this problem, we have a set of agents where each agent is associated with a set T_a containing a pair of pickup and delivery vertices. This problem arises in the scenario where a company has to periodically exchange goods between two different locations, and different companies can collaborate to create a route that visits all its pairs of locations sharing the total cost of the route. We show that even the restricted problem is NP-Hard, and present some heuristics to solve it. In particular, a constructive heuristic called Refinement Search, which uses geometric properties to determine if agents are close to each other. We performed computational experiments to compare this heuristic to a GRASP based heuristic. The Refinement Search obtained the best solutions in little computational time

Compression and bending behavior of steel fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete

A method to design cost competitive steel fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFRSCC) for precasting industrial applications is described in this paper. Since demolding the elements as soon as possible is an important requirement in this industry, the influence of the age on the resistance and toughness of the designed SFRSCC was assessed carrying out an experimental program. Based on the force-deflection relationship obtained in the three point bending notched beam tests performed according to the RILEM TC 162-TDF recommendations, the stress-crack opening relationship of the SFRSCC was determined. The influence of the SFRSCC age on the fracture parameters of this material was analyzed.Inserido no programa de pesquisa suportado pelo FEDER e o Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia (MCT) e promovido pelo Agencia de Inovação (ADI)

Resgatando potencialidades: um trabalho em campo com idosos institucionalizados

An extensionist action, carried out by students of psychology, is reported in a private asylum institution. Group workshops were developed with goals of health promotion and prevention using artistic-expressive resources, cooking and gardening. It was noticed that the intervention favored the coexistence, the recovery of potentialities, having promoted a closer bond between the university and the communit