SEARCH FOR POINT-LIKE SOURCES OF ULTRA-HIGH ENERGY NEUTRINOS AT THE PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY AND IMPROVED LIMIT ON THE DIFFUSE FLUX OF TAU NEUTRINOS

The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory can detect neutrinos with energy E-nu between 10(17) eV and 10(20) eV from point-like sources across the sky south of +55 degrees and north of -65 degrees declinations. A search has been performed for highly inclined extensive air showers produced by the interaction of neutrinos of all flavors in the atmosphere (downward-going neutrinos), and by the decay of tau leptons originating from tau neutrino interactions in Earth's crust (Earth-skimming neutrinos). No candidate neutrinos have been found in data up to 2010 May 31. This corresponds to an equivalent exposure of similar to 3.5 years of a full surface detector array for the Earth-skimming channel and similar to 2 years for the downward-going channel. An improved upper limit on the diffuse flux of tau neutrinos has been derived. Upper limits on the neutrino flux from point-like sources have been derived as a function of the source declination. Assuming a differential neutrino flux k(PS) . E-nu(-2). from a point-like source, 90% confidence level upper limits for k(PS) at the level of approximate to 5x10(-7) and 2.5x10(-6) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) have been obtained over a broad range of declinations from the searches for Earth-skimming and downward-going neutrinos, respectively.

Benefits of Combinations of Vitamin A, C and E Derivatives in the Stability of Cosmetic Formulations

Chemically stable ester derivatives of vitamins A, C and E have become a focus of interest for their role in the satisfactory results in skin aging treatments. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical stability of a cosmetic formulation containing 1% retinyl palmitate, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate and tocopheryl acetate, alone or in combination. In the studies of physical stability, a Brookfield rheometer was used to determine rheological behavior of formulations containing the vitamins. Chemical stability was determined by HPLC on a Shimadzu system with UV detection. Results showed that formulations had pseudoplastic behavior and that vitamins did not alter their apparent viscosity and thixotropy. In the chemical stability studies, first-order reaction equations were used for determinations of the shelf-life of vitamins derivatives considering a remaining concentration of 85%. Combined vitamins in a single formulation had a slightly lower degradation rate as compared to different preparations containing only one of the vitamins. Considering that many cosmetic formulations contain vitamin combinations it is suggested that the present study may contribute to the development of more stable formulations containing liposoluble vitamins.

A search for point sources of EeV neutrons

A thorough search of the sky exposed at the Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory reveals no statistically significant excess of events in any small solid angle that would be indicative of a flux of neutral particles from a discrete source. The search covers from -90 degrees to +15 degrees in declination using four different energy ranges above 1 EeV (10(18) eV). The method used in this search is more sensitive to neutrons than to photons. The upper limit on a neutron flux is derived for a dense grid of directions for each of the four energy ranges. These results constrain scenarios for the production of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays in the Galaxy.

LARGE-SCALE DISTRIBUTION OF ARRIVAL DIRECTIONS OF COSMIC RAYS DETECTED ABOVE 10(18) eV AT THE PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY

A thorough search for large-scale anisotropies in the distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays detected above 10(18) eV at the Pierre Auger Observatory is presented. This search is performed as a function of both declination and right ascension in several energy ranges above 10(18) eV, and reported in terms of dipolar and quadrupolar coefficients. Within the systematic uncertainties, no significant deviation from isotropy is revealed. Assuming that any cosmic-ray anisotropy is dominated by dipole and quadrupole moments in this energy range, upper limits on their amplitudes are derived. These upper limits allow us to test the origin of cosmic rays above 10(18) eV from stationary Galactic sources densely distributed in the Galactic disk and predominantly emitting light particles in all directions.

Measurement of the proton-air cross section at root s=57 TeV with the Pierre Auger Observatory

We report a measurement of the proton-air cross section for particle production at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon of 57 TeV. This is derived from the distribution of the depths of shower maxima observed with the Pierre Auger Observatory: systematic uncertainties are studied in detail. Analyzing the tail of the distribution of the shower maxima, a proton-air cross section of [505 +/- 22(stat)(-36)(+28)(syst)] mb is found.

Resultados da gastrectomia D2 para o câncer gástrico: dissecção da cadeia linfática ou ressecção linfonodal múltipla?

RACIONAL: A literatura oriental é notável por apresentar taxas de sobrevida para o tratamento cirúrgico do adenocarcinoma gástrico superiores àquelas apresentadas nos países ocidentais. OBJETIVO: Analisar o resultado a longo prazo após a gastrectomia D2 por câncer gástrico. MÉTODOS: Duzentos e setenta e quatro pacientes foram submetidos à gastrectomia com dissecção linfonodal D2 como tratamento exclusivo. Os critérios de inclusão foram: 1) remoção dos linfonodos de acordo com dissecção linfática padronizada Japonesa, 2) operação potencialmente curativa descrita no prontuário como dissecção D2 ou mais linfonodos; 3) invasão tumoral da parede gástrica restrita ao órgão (T1-T3); 4) ausência de metástases à distância (N0-N2/M0); 5) mínimo de cinco anos de acompanhamento. Dados clinicopatológicos incluíam sexo, idade, localização do tumor, classificação de Borrmann do tumor macroscópico, o tipo de gastrectomia, as taxas de mortalidade, tipo histológico, classificação e estadiamento TNM de acordo com a UICC TNM 1997. RESULTADOS: Gastrectomia total foi realizada em 77 casos (28,1%) e subtotal em 197 (71,9%). O tumor foi localizado no terço superior em 28 casos (10,2%), no terço médio em 53 (19,3%), e no terço inferior em 182 (66,5%). Borrmann foi atribuído cinco casos (1,8%) como BI, 34 (12,4%) BII, 230 (84,0%) BIII e 16 (5,9%) BIV. Os tumores foram histologicamente classificados como Laurén tipo intestinal em 119 casos (43,4%) e como o tipo difuso em 155 (56,6%). De acordo com a UICC TNM foram câncer gástrico precoce (T1) foi diagnosticada em 68 casos (24,8%); 51 (18,6%) T2 e 155 (56,6%) T3. Nenhum envolvimento linfonodal (N0) foi observado em 129 casos (47,1%), enquanto 100 (36,5%) eram N1 (1-6 linfonodos) e 45 (16,4%) N2 (7-15 gânglios linfáticos). O número médio de linfonodos dissecados foi de 35. A sobrevida em cinco anos para os estádios de I a III B foi de 70,4%. CONCLUSÃO: Cirurgiões digestivos devem ser estimulados a realizarem gastrectomias D2 para não deixar de lado o único tratamento para adenocarcinoma gástrico que provou ser eficiente os dias atuais. Deve ser enfatizado que a padronização da dissecção linfática de acordo com a localização do tumor é mais importante do que apenas o número de gânglios removidos

Análise do erro de previsão de vazões mensais com diferentes horizontes de previsão

Este trabalho aborda o problema de previsão para séries de vazões médias mensais, no qual denomina-se de horizonte de previsão (h), o intervalo de tempo que separa a última observação usada no ajuste do modelo de previsão e o valor futuro a ser previsto. A análise do erro de previsão é feita em função deste horizonte de previsão. Estas séries possuem um comportamento periódico na média, na variância e na função de autocorrelação. Portanto, considera-se a abordagem amplamente usada para a modelagem destas séries que consiste inicialmente em remover a periodicidade na média e na variância das séries de vazões e em seguida calcular uma série padronizada para a qual são ajustados modelos estocásticos. Neste estudo considera-se para a série padronizada os modelos autorregressivos periódicos PAR (p m). As ordens p m dos modelos ajustados para cada mês são determinadas usando os seguintes critérios: a análise clássica da função de autocorrelação parcial periódica (FACPPe); usando-se o Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) proposto em (MecLeod, 1994); e com a análise da FACPPe proposta em (Stedinger, 2001). Os erros de previsão são calculados, na escala original da série de vazão, em função dos parâmetros dos modelos ajustados e avaliados para horizontes de previsão h variando de 1 a 12 meses. Estes erros são comparados com as estimativas das variâncias das vazões para o mês que está sendo previsto. Como resultado tem-se uma avaliação da capacidade de previsão, em meses, dos modelos ajustados para cada mês.

Custo-efetividade e impacto orçamentário da saxagliptina como terapia adicional à metformina para o tratamento do diabetes mellitus tipo 2 no sistema de saúde suplementar do Brasil

OBJETIVOS: Comparar custos e benefícios clínicos de três terapias adicionais à metformina (MF) para pacientes com diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2). MÉTODOS: Um modelo de simulação de eventos discretos foi construído para estimar a relação custo-utilidade (custo por QALY) da saxagliptina como uma terapia adicional à MF comparada à rosiglitazona ou pioglitazona. Um modelo de impacto orçamentário (BIM - Budget Impact Model) foi construído para simular o impacto econômico da adoção de saxagliptina no contexto do Sistema Suplementar de Saúde brasileiro. RESULTADOS: O custo de aquisição da medicação para o grupo de pacientes hipotéticos analisados, para o horizonte temporal de três anos, foi de R$ 10.850.185,00, R$ 14.836.265,00 e R$ 14.679.099,00 para saxagliptina, pioglitazona e rosiglitazona, respectivamente. Saxagliptina exibiu menores custos e maior efetividade em ambas as comparações, com economias projetadas para os três primeiros anos de -R$ 3.874,00 e -R$ 3.996,00, respectivamente. O BIM estimou uma economia cumulativa de R$ 417.958,00 com o reembolso da saxagliptina em três anos a partir da perspectiva de uma operadora de plano de saúde com 1 milhão de vidas cobertas. CONCLUSÃO: Da perspectiva da fonte pagadora privada, a projeção é de que o acréscimo de saxagliptina à MF poupe custos quando comparado ao acréscimo de rosiglitazona ou pioglitazona em pacientes com DMT2 que não atingiram a meta de hemoglobina glicada (HbA1c) com metformina em monoterapia. O BIM, para a inclusão de saxagliptina nas listas de reembolso das operadoras de planos de saúde, indicou uma economia significativa para o horizonte de 3 anos.

Fatigue crack growth assessments in welded components including crack closure effects: Experiments and 3-D numerical modeling

This work provides a numerical and experimental investigation of fatigue crack growth behavior in steel weldments including crack closure effects and their coupled interaction with weld strength mismatch. A central objective of this study is to extend previously developed frameworks for evaluation of crack clo- sure effects on FCGR to steel weldments while, at the same time, gaining additional understanding of commonly adopted criteria for crack closure loads and their influence on fatigue life of structural welds. Very detailed non-linear finite element analyses using 3-D models of compact tension C ( T ) fracture spec- imens with center cracked, square groove welds provide the evolution of crack growth with cyclic stress intensity factor which is required for the estimation of the closure loads. Fatigue crack growth tests con- ducted on plane-sided, shallow-cracked C ( T ) specimens provide the necessary data against which crack closure effects on fatigue crack growth behavior can be assessed. Overall, the present investigation pro- vides additional support for estimation procedures of plasticity-induced crack closure loads in fatigue analyses of structural steels and their weldments

Inhibition of human platelet aggregation by eosinophils

AIMS: The relationship between the activity of eosinophils and platelets has been observed in recent decades by many scientists. These observations include increased numbers of eosinophils associated with platelet disorders, including changes in the coagulation cascade and platelet aggregation. Based on these observations, the interaction between eosinophils and platelets in platelet aggregation was analyze. MAIN METHODS: Human platelets were incubated with eosinophil cytosolic fraction, promyelocytic human HL-60 clone 15 cell lineage, and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP). Platelet rich plasma (PRP) aggregation was induced by adenosine diphosphate, platelet activating factor, arachidonic acid, and collagen, and washed platelets (WP) were activated by thrombin. KEY FINDINGS: Aggregation induced by all agonists was dose dependently inhibited by eosinophil cytosolic fraction. This inhibition was only partially reversed by previous incubation of the eosinophils with l-Nitro-Arginine-Methyl-Ester (l-NAME). Previous incubation with indomethacin did not prevent the cytosolic fraction induced inhibition. The separation of eosinophil cytosolic fraction by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 showed that the inhibitory activity was concentrated in the lower molecular weight fraction. HL-60 clone 15 cells differentiated into eosinophils for 5 and 7 day were able to inhibit platelet aggregation. The ECP protein inhibited the platelet aggregation on PRP and WP. This inhibition was more evident in WP, and the citotoxicity MTT assay proved the viability of tested platelets, showing that the observed inhibition by the ECP protein does not occur simply by cell death. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results indicate that eosinophils play a fundamental role in platelet aggregation inhibition

Intrinsic organization of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the capuchin monkey

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is the main circadian biological clock in mammals, is composed of multiple cells that function individually as independent oscillators to express the self-sustained mRNA and protein rhythms of the so-called clock genes. Knowledge regarding the presence and localization of the proteins and neuroactive substances of the SCN are essential for understanding this nucleus and for its successful manipulation. Although there have been advances in the investigation of the intrinsic organization of the SCN in rodents, little information is available in diurnal species, especially in primates. This study, which explores the pattern of expression and localization of PER2 protein in the SCN of capuchin monkey, evaluates aspects of the circadian system that are common to both primates and rodents. Here, we showed that PER2 protein immunoreactivity is higher during the light phase. Additionally, the complex organization of cells that express vasopressin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, neuron-specific nuclear protein, calbindin and calretinin in the SCN, as demonstrated by their immunoreactivity, reveals an intricate network that may be related to the similarities and differences reported between rodents and primates in the literature.

Oral leucine supplementation is sensed by the brain but neither reduces food intake nor induces an anorectic pattern of gene expression in the hypothalamus

Leucine activates the intracellular mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and hypothalamic mTOR signaling regulates food intake. Although central infusion of leucine reduces food intake, it is still uncertain whether oral leucine supplementation is able to affect the hypothalamic circuits that control energy balance. We observed increased phosphorylation of p70s6k in the mouse hypothalamus after an acute oral gavage of leucine. We then assessed whether acute oral gavage of leucine induces the activation of neurons in several hypothalamic nuclei and in the brainstem. Leucine did not induce the expression of Fos in hypothalamic nuclei, but it increased the number of Fos-immunoreactive neurons in the area postrema. In addition, oral gavage of leucine acutely increased the 24 h food intake of mice. Nonetheless, chronic leucine supplementation in the drinking water did not change the food intake and the weight gain of ob/ob mice and of wild-type mice consuming a low- or a high-fat diet. We assessed the hypothalamic gene expression and observed that leucine supplementation increased the expression of enzymes (BCAT1, BCAT2 and BCKDK) that metabolize branched-chain amino acids. Despite these effects, leucine supplementation did not induce an anorectic pattern of gene expression in the hypothalamus. In conclusion, our data show that the brain is able to sense oral leucine intake. However, the food intake is not modified by chronic oral leucine supplementation. These results question the possible efficacy of leucine supplementation as an appetite suppressant to treat obesity

Verifica del livello di servizio di componenti della viabilità a Borgo Panigale. Intersezione Via Cavalieri Ducati - Via De Gasperi

Le intersezioni stradali, sono le aree individuate da tre o più tronchi stradali (archi) che convergono in uno stesso punto, nonchè dai dispositivi e dagli apprestamenti atti a consentire ed agevolare le manovre per il passaggio da un tronco all'altro. Rappresentano punti critici della rete viaria per effetto delle mutue interferenze tra le diverse correnti di traffico durante il loro attraversamento. Si acuiscono pertanto, nella loro "area di influenza", i problemi legati alla sicurezza e quelli relativi alla regolarità  ed efficienza della circolazione. Dalla numerosità  dei fattori da cui dipende la configurazione di un incrocio (numero e tipo di strade, entità  dei flussi, situazioni locali, ecc.) deriva una ancor più vasta gamma di tipologie e di schemi. La rotatoria, come particolare configurazione di intersezione a raso, è lo schema che viene considerato nel presente lavoro di tesi, sia nei suoi caratteri essenziali e generali, sia nel particolare di una intersezione che, nel Comune di Bologna, è stata realizzata in luogo dell'intersezione semaforizzata precedente.