State University of Campinas

About: State University of Campinas is a education organization based out in Campinas, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 49454 authors who have published 104606 publications receiving 1841004 citations. The organization is also known as: UNICAMP & State University of Campinas.

Measurement of Neutrino and Antineutrino Oscillations Using Beam and Atmospheric Data in MINOS

Abstract: We report measurements of oscillation parameters from ν_μ and ν_μ disappearance using beam and atmospheric data from MINOS. The data comprise exposures of 10.71×10^(20) protons on target in the ν_μ-dominated beam, 3.36×10^(20) protons on target in the ν_μ-enhanced beam, and 37.88 kton yr of atmospheric neutrinos. Assuming identical ν and ν oscillation parameters, we measure |Δm^2|=(2.41_(-0.10)^(+0.09))×10^(-3) eV^2 and sin^⁡2(2θ)=0.950_(-0.036)^(+0.035). Allowing independent ν and ν oscillations, we measure antineutrino parameters of |Δm^2|=(2.50_(-0.25)^(+0.23))×10^(-3) eV^2 and sin^⁡2(2θ)=0.97_(-0.08)^(+0.03), with minimal change to the neutrino parameters.

Swine and Poultry Pathogens: the Complete Genome Sequences of Two Strains of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and a Strain of Mycoplasma synoviae

Abstract: This work reports the results of analyses of three complete mycoplasma genomes, a pathogenic (7448) and a nonpathogenic (J) strain of the swine pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and a strain of the avian pathogen Mycoplasma synoviae; the genome sizes of the three strains were 920,079 bp, 897,405 bp, and 799,476 bp, respectively. These genomes were compared with other sequenced mycoplasma genomes reported in the literature to examine several aspects of mycoplasma evolution. Strain-specific regions, including integrative and conjugal elements, and genome rearrangements and alterations in adhesin sequences were observed in the M. hyopneumoniae strains, and all of these were potentially related to pathogenicity. Genomic comparisons revealed that reduction in genome size implied loss of redundant metabolic pathways, with maintenance of alternative routes in different species. Horizontal gene transfer was consistently observed between M. synoviae and Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Our analyses indicated a likely transfer event of hemagglutinin-coding DNA sequences from M. gallisepticum to M. synoviae.

Comparative analyses of the complete genome sequences of Pierce's disease and citrus variegated chlorosis strains of Xylella fastidiosa

Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-dwelling, insect-transmitted, gamma-proteobacterium that causes diseases in many plants, including grapevine, citrus, periwinkle, almond, oleander, and coffee. X. fastidiosa has an unusually broad host range, has an extensive geographical distribution throughout the American continent, and induces diverse disease phenotypes. Previous molecular analyses indicated three distinct groups of X. fastidiosa isolates that were expected to be genetically divergent. Here we report the genome sequence of X. fastidiosa (Temecula strain), isolated from a naturally infected grapevine with Pierce's disease (PD) in a wine-grape-growing region of California. Comparative analyses with a previously sequenced X. fastidiosa strain responsible for citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) revealed that 98% of the PD X. fastidiosa Temecula genes are shared with the CVC X. fastidiosa strain 9a5c genes. Furthermore, the average amino acid identity of the open reading frames in the strains is 95.7%. Genomic differences are limited to phage-associated chromosomal rearrangements and deletions that also account for the strain-specific genes present in each genome. Genomic islands, one in each genome, were identified, and their presence in other X. fastidiosa strains was analyzed. We conclude that these two organisms have identical metabolic functions and are likely to use a common set of genes in plant colonization and pathogenesis, permitting convergence of functional genomic strategies.

Production of bioethanol and other bio-based materials from sugarcane bagasse: Integration to conventional bioethanol production process

Abstract: Ethanol may be produced using sugarcane bagasse as raw material through the Organosolv process with dilute acid hydrolysis, thus increasing ethanol production with the same cultivated sugarcane area. In this work simulations of bioethanol production from sugarcane juice and bagasse are carried out using software UniSim Design. A typical large scale production plant is considered: 1000 m 3 /day of ethanol is produced using sugarcane juice as raw material. A three-step hydrolysis process (pre-hydrolysis of hemicellulose, Organosolv delignification and cellulose hydrolysis) of surplus sugarcane bagasse is considered. Pinch analysis is used to determine the minimum hot utility obtained with thermal integration of the plant, in order to find out the maximum availability of bagasse that can be used in the hydrolysis process, taking into consideration the use of 50% of generated sugarcane trash as fuel for electricity and steam production. Two different cases were analyzed for the product purification step: conventional and doubleeffect distillation systems. It was found that the double-effect distillation system allows 90% of generated bagasse to be used as raw material in the hydrolysis plant, which accounts for an increase of 26% in bioethanol production, considering exclusively the fermentation of hexoses obtained from the cellulosic fraction.

Granular Cu-Co alloys as interacting superparamagnets

Abstract: The anhysteretic magnetization of the granular metallic alloy ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{90}{\mathrm{Co}}_{10}$ is experimentally studied over a wide temperature range (2--700 K). The measurements definitely exclude that this alloy is a simple superparamagnet, even in the high-temperature limit, although some features of granular systems [such as the typical Langevin-like form of the anhysteretic magnetization curves $M(H)]$ are often taken as evidence of superparamagnetism. A phenomenological theory is proposed, explicitly considering that particle moments interact through long-ranged dipolar random forces, whose effect is pictured in terms of a temperature ${T}^{*},$ adding to the actual temperature T in the denominator of the Langevin function argument. This simple formula explains all features of the experimental $M(H)$ curves. The theory indicates that the actual magnetic moments on interacting Co particles are systematically larger than those obtained fitting the magnetic data to a conventional Langevin function. The ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{90}{\mathrm{Co}}_{10}$ granular alloy is therefore identified as an ``interacting superparamagnet'' ISP. The ISP regime appears as separating the high-temperature, conventional superparamagnetic phase from the low-temperature, blocked-particle regime. In this way, a magnetic-regime diagram can be drawn for each granular system. The competition between single-particle and collective blocking mechanisms is briefly analyzed. The proposed interpretation is thought to be applicable to other fine particle systems; its main features and intrinsic limits are discussed.