Is India on the right pathway to reduce CO2 emissions? Decomposing an enlarged Kaya identity using the LMDI method for the period 1990-2016.

Nowadays, India is the third-largest CO2 emitter and energy consumer in the world, and, it is soon expected to surpass China as the most populated country. Therefore, it is of great interest to analyse how India is developing its energy transition to a lower-carbon economy. This work analyses the evolution of the main driving forces of CO2 emissions in India during the period 1990-2016 through the use of an enlarged version of the Kaya identity, which establishes a link between CO2 emissions, types of energy sources (16), size of the economic sectors (3) and value of the Gross Domestic Product. India's CO2 emissions increased by 276% in the period under study, due to the rapid economic growth of India, which has been the dominating driving force contributing to the increase in CO2 emissions by 241%, while the energy intensity has been the main one reducing them by approximately -47%. So far, the use of coal has supported the rapid economic growth and the contribution of renewable energy, although significant, is still short compared to the total amount of energy employed. Remarkably, the estimated value of the emission intensity for 2020 supposes a 26% reduction concerning the value in 2005. According to this result, India is on the right pathway to fulfil its Nationally Determined Contribution but not to reduce its net CO2 emissions.

Shape coexistence in the neutron-deficient even-even (182-188)Hg isotopes studied via coulomb excitation.

Coulomb-excitation experiments to study electromagnetic properties of radioactive even-even Hg isotopes were performed with 2.85 MeV/nucleon mercury beams from REX-ISOLDE. Magnitudes and relative signs of the reduced E2 matrix elements that couple the ground state and low-lying excited states in Hg182-188 were extracted. Information on the deformation of the ground and the first excited 0+ states was deduced using the quadrupole sum rules approach. Results show that the ground state is slightly deformed and of oblate nature, while a larger deformation for the excited 0+ state was noted in Hg182,184. The results are compared to beyond mean field and interacting-boson based models and interpreted within a two-state mixing model. Partial agreement with the model calculations was obtained. The presence of two different structures in the light even-mass mercury isotopes that coexist at low excitation energy is firmly established.

Metal-impregnated carbon applied as adsorbent for removal of sulphur compounds using fixed-bed column technology.

Metal-impregnated carbons (Cu--AC; Ag--AC and Pd--AC) were studied as adsorbents for the desulphurization of liquid fuels. A real gasoline was examined for sulphur compounds. Textural characteristics of adsorbents were determined by nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms at 77 K. The adsorption isotherms were obtained by frontal analysis in a single fixed bed at 30 degrees C and 45 degrees C. Breakthrough curves were simulated according to a mathematical model that assumed axially dispersed flow and mass transfer described by a linear driving force approximation and nonlinear adsorption equilibrium reached instantaneously on the external surface of the adsorbents particles. The model was solved numerically by orthogonal collocation in finite elements, using the commercial solver gPROMS. The proposed model matched experimental data reasonably well. Resistance to mass transfer was significant and thought to be due to intraparticle diffusion kinetics. The results confirmed the efficiency of the use of activated carbon (AC) in the adsorption of sulphur compounds, especially when its surface is modified with metals. Comparing adsorption capacities of sulphur compounds from real gasoline, AC-Pd material appeared more selective than other materials, even presenting a behaviour of rapid saturation explained by the presence of other components competing for adsorption sites, reducing their effectiveness in removing sulphur compounds. Both pristine AC and Pd--AC showed good regenerability. The regenerated Pd--AC sorbent can recover about 85% of the desulphurization capacity.

The soy isoflavone genistein inhibits the reduction in Achilles tendon collagen content induced by ovariectomy in rats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of genistein and moderate intensity exercise on Achilles tendon collagen and cross-linking in intact and ovariectomized (OVX) female Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were separated into eight groups (n = 9/group): intact or OVX, treadmill exercised or sedentary, genistein-treated (300 mg/kg/day) or vehicle. After 6 weeks, tendons were assayed for the collagen-specific amino acid hydroxyproline and hydroxylyslpyridinoline (HP). Collagen content was not influenced by exercise (P = 0.40) but was lower (P < 0.001) in OVX-vehicle rats compared with intact vehicle rats (OVX: 894 ± 35 µg collagen/mg dry weight; intact: 1185 ± 72 µg collagen/mg dry weight). In contrast, collagen content in OVX rats treated with genistein was greater (P = 0.010, 1198 ± 121 µg collagen/mg dry weight) when compared with untreated rats and was not different from intact rats (P = 0.89). HP content was lower in OVX genistein-treated rats when compared with intact genistein-treated rats, but only within the sedentary animals (P = 0.05, intact-treated: 232 ± 39 mmol/mol collagen; OVX-treated: 144 ± 21 mmol/mol collagen). Our findings suggest that ovariectomy leads to a reduction in tendon collagen, which is prevented by genistein. HP content, however, may not have increased in proportion to the addition of collagen. Genistein may be useful for improving tendon collagen content in conditions of estrogen deficiency.

Excited-state phase transition and onset of chaos in quantum optical models.

We study the critical behavior of excited states and its relation to order and chaos in the Jaynes-Cummings and Dicke models of quantum optics. We show that both models exhibit a chain of excited-state quantum phase transitions demarcating the upper edge of the superradiant phase. For the Dicke model, the signatures of criticality in excited states are blurred by the onset of quantum chaos. We show that the emergence of quantum chaos is caused by the precursors of the excited-state quantum phase transition.

Partial dynamical symmetry in quantum Hamiltonians with higher-order terms.

A generic procedure is proposed to construct many-body quantum Hamiltonians with partial dynamical symmetry. It is based on a tensor decomposition of the Hamiltonian and allows the construction of a hierarchy of interactions that have selected classes of solvable states. The method is illustrated in the SO(6) limit of the interacting boson model of atomic nuclei and applied to the nucleus 196Pt.

Observation of two-proton radioactivity of 19Mg by tracking the decay products.

We have observed the two-proton radioactivity of the previously unknown (19)Mg ground state by tracking the decay products in-flight. For the first time, the trajectories of the 2p-decay products, (17)Ne+p+p, have been measured by using tracking microstrip detectors which allowed us to reconstruct the 2p-decay vertices and fragment correlations. The half-life of (19)Mg deduced from the measured vertex distribution is 4.0(15) ps in the system of (19)Mg. The Q value of the 2p decay of the (19)Mg ground state inferred from the measured p-p-(17)Ne correlations is 0.75(5) MeV.

Phase diagram of the proton-neutron interacting boson model.

We study the phase diagram of the proton-neutron interacting boson model with special emphasis on the phase transitions leading to triaxial phases. The existence of a new critical point between spherical and triaxial shapes is reported.

Quantum phase transitions in the interacting boson model: integrability, level repulsion, and level crossing.

We study the quantum phase transition mechanisms that arise in the interacting boson model. We show that the second-order nature of the phase transition from U(5) to O(6) may be attributed to quantum integrability, whereas all the first-order phase transitions of the model are due to level repulsion with one singular point of level crossing. We propose a model Hamiltonian with a true first-order phase transition for finite systems due to level crossings.

Reimplantacao de dedos - uma tecnica cirurgica altamente especializada. / Reimplantation of fingers - a highly specialized surgical technic

Os autores relatam suas experiencias em reimplantacao de dedos. Eles descrevem e comentam as indicacoes, tecnica cirurgica, principios de microcirurgia e os cuidados pos-operatorios

Reimplantacao de dedos - uma tecnica cirurgica especializada. / Reimplantation of fingers - a special surgical technique

Os autores relatam suas experiencias em reimplantacao de dedos. Eles descrevem e comentam as indicacoes, tecnicas cirurgicas principios de microcirurgia e os cuidados pos-operatorios. A microcirurgia vascular e nervosa e um ramo altamente especializado da cirurgia.Utiliza material ultrafiono e sofisticado com o auxilio do microscopio. A era da reimplantacao comecou com R. Malt (4) em 1962, obtendo exito na reimplantacao de um braco completamente seccionado. Nas amputacoes, medidas urgentes, sao necessarias, nao somente para assegurar sucesso na reimplantacao, bem como para torna-la possivel. O dedo, a mao ou parte amputada devera ser colocada "dentro de um saco plastico e depositado em um recipiente contendo gelo. (1). Fig 5. Na extremidade proximal, arterias e veias nao devem ser pincadas, "e necessario somente um curativo compressivo e elevar o membro, evitando hemorragias". O paciente devera ser encaminhado com urgencia ao servico especializado, para que possa ser iniciada a revascularizacao, no maximo, dentro de 10 horas seguintes ao traumatismo

Reconstrucao total de arco mandibular e assoalho da boca com retalho osteomiocutaneo bilateral do trapezio e escapula. / Total reconstruction of mandibular arch and mouth floor with bilateral osteomyocutaneous flap of the trapezius and scapula

Os autores apresentam um caso inedito de reconstrucao imediata total do arco mandibular e assoalho de boca com retalho osteomiocutaneo bilateral do trapezio e escapula, seguindo resseccao de cancer avancado da boca, num unico tempo cirurgico. Sao apresentadas uma descricao detalhada das consideracoes anatomicas e tecnica cirurgica. Os varios tipos de retalhos osseos para reconstrucao mandibular sao discutidos. Experiencia com este retalho sugere que ele pode ser o mais versatil e confiavel em largas reparacoes de mandibula e assoalho de boca

[Relations between the oxytocin test and morphometry of the placenta]. / Relations entre test à l'ocytocine et la morphométrie du placenta

We have studied placental morphometry after delivery in 23 cases in which the oxytocin challenge test was carried out towards the end of the pregnancy. Thus we have been able to compare the results of the two and establish details of placental measurement that have the greatest influence on its function. The following parameters seem to have the most direct influence, by statistical relationship, with placental insufficiency: the total surface of the villi, the concentration of villi per unit sectioned, the surface of fetal capillaries and the mean diameter of these capillaries. On the other hand the mean diameter of the villi and the number of capillaries per villus do not seem to have any relationship to function. These results bring further proof to our old ideas as to the value of placental morphometry and confirm the value of the oxytocin challenge test.

The oxytocin challenge test in the prognosis of high-risk labor.

In of 707 pregnant women in the last five weeks of pregnancy a total of 1025 Oxytocin-Challenge Tests (OCT) were performed. Perinatal mortality in the toral material was 16,8% crude and 14,2% corrected. The results of the test were classified into three patterns: normal, borderline (or prepathological) and pathological. The main characteristics of these three patterns are described. Normal OCT was found in 84.9% of the tests and 83,7% of the cases. Borderline OCT was present in 8% of the tests and 7,7% of the cases. Finally pathological profiles were present in 7% and 8,4% respectively. The results of the OCT were compared with the perinatal mortality in the three groups and with the percentage of fetal distress intra partum. It is concluded that the OCT is perhaps the most accurate method to ascertain acute placental insufficiency pre partum. Even the more controversial borderline cases, have a clinical significance.