Long-term correlations in hourly wind speed records in Pernambuco, Brazil

We study the statistical properties of hourly wind speed time series detected at four weather stations in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, in the period 2008-2009. We find that the average and maximum hourly wind speeds deviate from a mutual linear relationship, and that they may be well explained individually by a Weibull distribution, however, with different shape parameter values. On the other hand, the long-term correlations of both of these observables obey the same power-law behavior, with two distinct scaling regimes. Our results agree with previous studies on wind speed series correlations in other regions of the world, which is suggestive of universal behavior.     

Kinetics of ultrasound-assisted lipase-catalyzed glycerolysis of olive oil in solvent-free system

This work reports experimental kinetic data of solvent-free glycerolysis of olive oil using a commercial immobilized lipase (Novozym 435) under the influence of ultrasound irradiation. The experiments were performed in a mechanically stirred reactor under ultrasound irradiation, evaluating the effects of temperature (50-70 °C), enzyme concentration (2.5-10 wt%) and glycerol to oil molar ratio (0.8:1-3:1). Results show that ultrasound-assisted lipase-catalyzed glycerolysis might be a potential alternative route to conventional methods, as high contents of reaction products, especially monoglycerides, were achieved at mild irradiation power supply (∼130 W) and temperature, in a relatively short reaction time (2 h) and low enzyme content (7.5 wt%). To completeness, two simplified kinetic modeling approaches, based on the ordered-sequential bi bi mechanism and reaction stoichiometry, were employed to represent the experimental data, thus allowing a better understanding of the reaction kinetics.     

Phase diagram of a 2D Ising model within a nonextensive approach

In this work we report Monte Carlo simulations of a 2D Ising model, in which the statistics of the Metropolis algorithm is replaced by the nonextensive one. We compute the magnetization and show that phase transitions are present for q ≠ 1. A q - phase diagram (critical temperature vs. the entropic parameter q) is built and exhibits some interesting features, such as phases which are governed by the value of the entropic index q. It is shown that such phases favors some energy levels of magnetization states. It is also shown that the contribution of the Tsallis cutoff is capital to the existence of phase transitions.     

Hidden Symmetries in the Two-Dimensional Isotropic Antiferromagnet

We discuss the two-dimensional isotropic antiferromagnet in the framework of gauge invariance. Gauge invariance is one of the most subtle useful concepts in theoretical physics, since it allows one to describe the time evolution of complex physical system in arbitrary sequences of reference frames. All theories of the fundamental interactions rely on gauge invariance. In Dirac’s approach, the two-dimensional isotropic antiferromagnet is subject to second-class constraints, which are independent of the Hamiltonian symmetries and can be used to eliminate certain canonical variables from the theory. We have used the symplectic embedding formalism developed by a few of us to make the system under study gauge invariant. After carrying out the embedding and Dirac analysis, we systematically show how second-class constraints can generate hidden symmetries. We obtain the invariant second-order Lagrangian and the gauge-invariant model Hamiltonian. Finally, for a particular choice of factor ordering, we derive the functional Schröodinger equations for the original Hamiltonian and for the first-class Hamiltonian and show them to be identical, which justifies our choice of factor ordering.     

High order harmonic generation by non-linear reflection of a pedestal-free intense laser pulse on a plasma

We demonstrate the influence of the prepulses and ASE of ultrashort pulses interacting with a solid target by addressing the direct comparison of the harmonic spectra generated by reflection onto a solid target with and without the introduction of a plasma mirror system. Harmonics up to the 20th of the fundamental of the Ti-Sa laser are clearly visible in a situation free from any plasma expansion. PACS 42.65. Ky; 52.38.-r; 52.38.Ph; 52.50.Jm     

Interaction of Candida parapsilosis isolates with human hair and nail surfaces revealed by scanning electron microscopy analysis

Candida parapsilosis is found frequently as commensal organism on epithelial tissues, and is also an increasing cause of nosocomial infection. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations were used to analyse the capability of C. parapsilosis cells to adhere and grow as biofilm on human natural substrates and to compare the adherence pattern of isolates exhibiting distinct phenotypes. Cells from the crepe phenotype are predominantly elongated and form pseudohyphae whereas cells from the smooth phenotype are yeast-shaped, either in liquid cultures or on human nail and hair surfaces. The electron micrographs revealed that C. parapsilosis cells from the smooth phenotype adhered in higher number to both surfaces compared to the observed for the crepe phenotype. SEM analysis of human hair surface revealed that cells from the smooth phenotype appear as clumped blastoconidia of uniform morphology embedded in a flocculent extracellular material forming biofilm. The extracellular material and biofilm were seeing in a less extension in the crepe phenotype. A distinct adherence pattern was observed when human nail was used as substrate. Here C. parapsilosis cells seem to be linked to surface structures of human nail plate. Fibrillar extracellular material was observed connecting neighbouring cells as well as nail surface.     

Electron transport in corona charged 12 μm teflon FEP with saturable deep traps

Surface-potential measurements carried out in negatively corona charged 12 m samples of fluorethylenepropylene (Teflon FEP) showed the following characteristics: 1) with a constant charging current, the potential initially rises linearly, and then sublinearly; 2) the potential saturates irrespectively of the charging process and 3) practically no potential decay is observed after switching off the corona. These results have been interpreted in terms of an usual model (field-independent trapping time) for charge transport in insulators, with saturable deep traps in both surface and bulk of the sample and a relatively high electron mobility in order to prevent free-space charge accumulation. The partial differential equations derived from the model are numerically solved and it was found that only the product of the mobility with the trapping time is relevant to the fitting of experimental results, provided that >10^–8 cm²/Vs. A field-dependent trapping time model leads to poorer fittings.     

Comparison of Singer's Formant, Speaker's Ring, and LTA Spectrum Among Classical Singers and Untrained Normal Speakers

Many studies have described and analyzed the singer's formant. A similar phenomenon produced by trained speakers led some authors to examine the speaker's ring. If we consider these phenomena as resonance effects associated with vocal tract adjustments and training, can we hypothesize that trained singers can carry over their singing formant ability into speech, also obtaining a speaker's ring? Can we find similar differences for energy distribution in continuous speech? Forty classically trained singers and forty untrained normal speakers performed an all-voiced reading task and produced a sample of a sustained spoken vowel /a/. The singers were also requested to perform a sustained sung vowel /a/ at a comfortable pitch. The reading was analyzed by the long-term average spectrum (LTAS) method. The sustained vowels were analyzed through power spectrum analysis. The data suggest that singers show more energy concentration in the singer's formant/speaker's ring region in both sung and spoken vowels. The singers' spoken vowel energy in the speaker's ring area was found to be significantly larger than that of the untrained speakers. The LTAS showed similar findings suggesting that those differences also occur in continuous speech. This finding supports the value of further research on the effect of singing training on the resonance of the speaking voice.