Effects of the Symmetry Energy and its Slope on Neutron Star Properties

In this work, we study the influence of the symmetry energy and its slope on three major properties of neutron stars: the maximum mass, the radii of the canonical 1.4 M _⊙ and the minimum mass that enables the direct Urca effect. We utilize four parametrizations of the relativistic quantum hadrodynamics and vary the symmetry energy within accepted values. We see that although the maximum mass is almost independent of it, the radius of the canonical 1.4M _⊙ and the mass that enables the direct Urca effect is strongly correlated with the symmetry energy and its slope. Also, since we expect that the radius grows with the slope, a theoretical limit arises when we increase this quantity above certain values.     

Search for light dark matter in XENON10 data

We report results of a search for light (?10 GeV) particle dark matter with the XENON10 detector. The event trigger was sensitive to a single electron, with the analysis threshold of 5 electrons corresponding to 1.4 keV nuclear recoil energy. Considering spin-independent dark matter-nucleon scattering, we exclude cross sections σ(n)>7×10(-42) cm(2), for a dark matter particle mass m(χ)=7 GeV. We find that our data strongly constrain recent elastic dark matter interpretations of excess low-energy events observed by CoGeNT and CRESST-II, as well as the DAMA annual modulation signal.     

Blowout bifurcation and spatial mode excitation in the bubbling transition to turbulence

The transition to turbulence (spatio-temporal chaos) in a wide class of spatially extended dynamical system is due to the loss of transversal stability of a chaotic attractor lying on a homogeneous manifold (in the Fourier phase space of the system), causing spatial mode excitation. Since the latter manifests as intermittent spikes this has been called a bubbling transition. We present numerical evidences that this transition occurs due to the so-called blowout bifurcation, whereby the attractor as a whole loses transversal stability and becomes a chaotic saddle. We used a nonlinear three-wave interacting model with spatial diffusion as an example of this transition.     

Thermal behavior of jerivá oil (Syagrus romanzoffiana)

The jerivá is a well-known fruit, which belongs to the Arecaceae family, Syagrus romanzoffiana species frequently found in Brazil. Extraction of the jerivá oil was carried out, and the fatty acid profile of this oil indicates the linoleic and oleic acid presence, around 29.35 and 28.89%, respectively. Thermogravimetry (TG), derivative thermogravimetry (DTG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize this oil. Additionally, this oil was evaluated by DSC from 25 to −80 °C, and the crystallization behavior was verified. Details concerning the thermal behavior as well as data of kinetic parameters of these stages have been described here. The obtained data were evaluated, and the values were plotted in activation energy (E _a/kJ mol⁻¹) in function of the conversion degree (α).     

Charge-assisted intramolecular hydrogen bonds in disubstituted cyclohexane derivatives

In this paper, the N(+)-H···N, N(+)-H···O, and O-H···O(-) charge-assisted intramolecular hydrogen bonds (CAHBs) are investigated using different theoretical approaches. Monocharged cyclohexyldiamines (CHDA), aminocyclohexanols (ACHO), and cyclohexanediols (CHDO) are used as model compounds. Geometry optimizations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ level are used to find the equilibrium structures for all possible H-bonded conformers. CAHBs are characterized geometrically and spectroscopically, and their energy is evaluated by means of homodesmic reactions. By comparison with the neutral forms, the presence of the charge is found to have a deep influence on the geometric and energetic H-bond parameters. In addition, these parameters are strongly dependent on the type of the groups involved as well as on their relative position in the cyclohexyl ring. For the systems under study, the H-bond energies vary from -23 to -113 kJ mol(-1), being classified from moderate to strong H-bonds. These H-bonds are also characterized by the application of the NBO and AIM theories. NBO analysis reveals that the energy corresponding to the charge transfer between the lone-pairs of the electron donor group and the antibonding orbitals of the acceptor group represents an important contribution in the H-bond stabilization. From the application of the AIM theory it is possible to see that these H-bonds possess some covalence which varies according to the type and relative position of the intervenient groups.     

Generation of naphthoquinone radical anions by electrospray ionization: solution, gas-phase, and computational chemistry studies

Radical anions are present in several chemical processes, and understanding the reactivity of these species may be described by their thermodynamic properties. Over the last years, the formation of radical ions in the gas phase has been an important issue concerning electrospray ionization mass spectrometry studies. In this work, we report on the generation of radical anions of quinonoid compounds (Q) by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The balance between radical anion formation and the deprotonated molecule is also analyzed by influence of the experimental parameters (gas-phase acidity, electron affinity, and reduction potential) and solvent system employed. The gas-phase parameters for formation of radical species and deprotonated species were achieved on the basis of computational thermochemistry. The solution effects on the formation of radical anion (Q(?-)) and dianion (Q(2-)) were evaluated on the basis of cyclic voltammetry analysis and the reduction potentials compared with calculated electron affinities. The occurrence of unexpected ions [Q+15](-) was described as being a reaction between the solvent system and the radical anion, Q(?-). The gas-phase chemistry of the electrosprayed radical anions was obtained by collisional-induced dissociation and compared to the relative energy calculations. These results are important for understanding the formation and reactivity of radical anions and to establish their correlation with the reducing properties by electrospray ionization analyses.     

The vanishing viscosity limit for some symmetric flows

The focus of this paper is on the analysis of the boundary layer and the associated vanishing viscosity limit for two classes of flows with symmetry, namely, Plane-Parallel Channel Flows and Parallel Pipe Flows. We construct explicit boundary layer correctors, which approximate the difference between the Navier–Stokes and the Euler solutions. Using properties of these correctors, we establish convergence of the Navier–Stokes solution to the Euler solution as viscosity vanishes with optimal rates of convergence. In addition, we investigate vorticity production on the boundary in the limit of vanishing viscosity. Our work significantly extends prior work in the literature.     

A simple and effective scheme for data reduction of stress relaxation incorporating physical-aging effects: An analytical and numerical analysis

A simple methodology for obtaining viscoelastic parameters from the stress relaxation tests incorporating physical-aging effects is presented. The method assumes that the experimental data are in the linear viscoelastic domain. Three different mathematical representations of the viscoelastic stress relaxation modulus are analysed and used. Experimental data obtained from literature and simulated data with a random error are used to evaluate the proposed methodology. It is proved that it can capture very well the relaxation modulus of polymers irrespective of the mathematical representation used for the relaxation modulus. Moreover, the methodology proved to be reasonably insensitive to random noise. Extrapolation predictions were also evaluated for the proposed models with very good results.     

Determination of metal ions extracted by DTPA in a soil treated with effluent using an Hg-electroplated-Pt microelectrode

Determinations of Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn were performed in an oxisol soil treated with effluent originated from a biodigester septic cesspool. The extracts were obtained from a DTPA/TEA (pH 7.3) solution and analysed by electroanalytical methodologies using square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) for the analysis of Cu, Mn and Zn and square wave voltammetry (SWV) for Fe analysis, both of them with a thin mercury film microelectrode (ME-Hg). DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) complexes with Cu, Mn and Fe show electroactivity in the potentials range close to the ones for the free ions in solution, but the Zn complex did not show any electroactivity at the potential range analysed. SWASV/ME-Hg and SWV/ME-Hg results were in good agreement (r² = 0.996) with the flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) analyses, demonstrating that electroanalytical methodologies can be used for micronutrient determinations in soil extracts without serious interferences of the matrix components. Some characteristics of the complex formed between DTPA-metals are explored by EPR experiments.