Fluctuations and correlations of conserved charges in the (2+1) Polyakov quark meson model

We consider the (2 + 1) flavor Polyakov quark meson model and study the fluctuations (correlations) of conserved charges up to sixth (fourth) order. A comparison is made with lattice data wherever available and overall good qualitative agreement is found, more so for the case of the normalized susceptibilities. The model predictions for the ratio of susceptibilities go to that of an ideal gas of hadrons as in hadron resonance gas model at low temperatures while at high temperature the values are close to that of an ideal gas of massless quarks. Our study provides a strong basis for the use of the Polyakov quark meson model as an effective model to understand the topology of the QCD phase diagram. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.86.114021 PACS numbers: 12.39.-x, 05.40.-a, 12.38.Aw, 12.38.Mh

O Programa de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde adaptado à cidade do Rio de Janeiro: uma análise das suas concepções

Este trabalho trata de um estudo sobre uma experiência de adaptação do modelo Programa de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde, executado pela Coordenação de Saúde da Comunidade, da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde do Rio de Janeiro, no período de 2002 a 2005, que se coloca com certa divergência ao projeto político do Ministério da Saúde. Propõe-se a apresentar o contexto em que surge essa proposta e identificar e analisar as concepções da sua formulação. Poucos foram os documentos oficiais disponíveis para este estudo, transformando as entrevistas na técnica primordial para a realização do mesmo. Verificamos que havia um vazio de formulação de uma política de mudança da atenção básica para a cidade e, dessa forma, a oportunidade para formulações técnicas de modelos experimentais se colocou. Nesse cenário, surge a proposta da implantação de equipes de PACS, como uma tentativa de dar resposta aos obstáculos colocados à expansão da ESF, sendo aproveitado para ser adaptado de forma a aumentar a oferta de ações da atenção básica, nas áreas consideradas estratégicas pela NOAS 01/01.

The role of the surfaces in the photon absorption in Ge nanoclusters embedded in silica.

The usage of semiconductor nanostructures is highly promising for boosting the energy conversion efficiency in photovoltaics technology, but still some of the underlying mechanisms are not well understood at the nanoscale length. Ge quantum dots (QDs) should have a larger absorption and a more efficient quantum confinement effect than Si ones, thus they are good candidate for third-generation solar cells. In this work, Ge QDs embedded in silica matrix have been synthesized through magnetron sputtering deposition and annealing up to 800°C. The thermal evolution of the QD size (2 to 10 nm) has been followed by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques, evidencing an Ostwald ripening mechanism with a concomitant amorphous-crystalline transition. The optical absorption of Ge nanoclusters has been measured by spectrophotometry analyses, evidencing an optical bandgap of 1.6 eV, unexpectedly independent of the QDs size or of the solid phase (amorphous or crystalline). A simple modeling, based on the Tauc law, shows that the photon absorption has a much larger extent in smaller Ge QDs, being related to the surface extent rather than to the volume. These data are presented and discussed also considering the outcomes for application of Ge nanostructures in photovoltaics.PACS: 81.07.Ta; 78.67.Hc; 68.65.-k.

A screening study on persistent bioaccumulation toxins (PBT) in fuel combustion soot

Persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs) are organic substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative and can cause severe toxic effects (e.g. potential oncogens, mutagenic, endocrine disrupters) to human health or environment which are the ones that need special attention. PBT chemicals could be released to the environment from several types of sources and are ubiquitous in environment. However, fast and efficiency monitoring and assessment methods to investigate PBTs in environment are still lacking. In this study, a cleaning-up procedure of analyzing PBTs in fuels combustion soot was developed and its performance was assessed through comparing the chromatograms of crude extracts with their cleaned extracts after the cleaning-up procedure. The results showed that polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were the main components in fuel combustion soot and the clean-up procedure developed in this paper can be well used as the method of analyzing PBTs in fuels combustion soot.

Pulsed excimer laser annealing of Mg-doped cubic GaN

A KrF (248 nm) excimer laser with a 38 ns pulse width was used to study pulsed laser annealing (PLA) on Mg-doped cubic GaN alms. The laser-induced changes were monitored by photoluminescence (PL) measurement. It indicated that deep levels in as-grown cubic GaN : Mg films were neutralized by H and PLA treatment could break Mg-H-N complex. The evolution of emissions around 426 and 468 nm with different PLA conditions reflected the different activation of the involved deep levels. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) in N-2 atmosphere reverts the luminescence of laser annealed samples to that of the pre-annealing state. The reason is that most H atoms still remained in the epilayers after PLA due to the short duration of the pulses and reoccupied the original locations during RTA. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 61.72.Vv; 61.72.Cc; 18.55. -m.

Yb3+-doped 200 mu m diameter core, gain guided index-antiguided fiber

The lasing in an end-pumped gain guided index-antiguided (GG-IAG) Yb3+-doped silicate glass fiber with a 200 mu m diameter core is demonstrated. Laser beams with similar beam propagation factors M (2) and mode field diameters W (0) (> 160 mu m) were observed at the output end of the GG-IAG fibers under different pump powers, which indicated that single mode behavior and excellent beam quality were achieved during propagation. Furthermore, the laser amplifier characteristics in the present Yb3+-doped GG-IAG fiber were also evaluated.

海洋环境中有机锡的形态分析及其代谢降解研究

有机锡化合物被广泛用作塑料制品中的稳定剂、船舶油漆的防污剂、工业催化剂、农林业杀虫杀菌剂以及用于木材的防腐保存等，已经引起严重的环境污染。世界上许多国家纷纷制定相应的法规对其使用加以禁止或限制。我国目前还没有明确的限制有机锡使用的法律法规，缺少有机锡污染的第一手资料，更没有长期的控制、监测与研究计划。由于有机锡的种类繁多，理化性质存在差别，所以在提取、分离和测定中均存在较大的困难。从我国这方面己有的工作来看，缺乏各种高选择性的分离方法和高灵敏度的检测方法是制约这项研究广泛开展的原因之一。有机锡的痕量与超痕量分析技术是当今环境和食品安全分析领域的前沿技术。 本论文利用高效液相色谱和电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术建立了海洋环境中多种有机化合物的同时快速检测方法；发展了多种海洋环境样品中有机锡的前处理技术；研究了有机锡在海洋生物中的分布、代谢及降解过程中化学形态的变化；同时发展了海洋环境中多种痕量元素的快速检测方法。所建立的高效液相色谱和电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术可同时、快速分析5种有机锡的形态(三甲基锡TMT、二苯基锡DPhT、二丁基锡DBT、三丁基锡TBT和三苯基锡TPhT)，其检出限均低于0.3μg/L。 用所建立方法对南海海洋生物样品中的有机锡污染进行了研究，利用SPSS软件对检测结果进行了探讨，发现在所研究海洋生物样品的97.2%中可检出丁基锡和苯基锡化合物，其浓度分布处于该化合物检出限～1487.8ng/g范围内。其中，贝类样品中总有机锡的平均浓度为416.9ng/g，远远高于鱼类样品中总有机锡的平均浓度（211.9ng/g）。海洋生物中存在高浓度的有机锡说明本海域有机锡污染严重，已经对生态环境造成了严重影响，危害到人类生活。其主要的污染源是防污涂料的应用，目前紧迫的问题是采取必要的措施来控制有机锡的使用。 本工作建立了海水样品和沉积物样品中五种有机锡的简单快速萃取方法。采用加入2%的环庚三烯酚（tropolone）的二氯甲烷CH2Cl2对海水中的有机锡进行萃取，大大提高了有机锡的萃取率，减少了萃取的时间，二苯基锡（DPhT）、二丁基锡（DBT）、三丁基锡（TBT）和三苯基锡（TPhT）的萃取率均在80%以上，仅三甲基锡（TMT）的萃取率较低（在50%左右），究其原因，可能是因为在萃取的过程中三甲基锡（TMT）产生了降解。采用流动相和0.2%环庚三烯酚酮（tropolone）对沉积物国际标准物质PACS-2进行超声萃取及高速离心后，用所建方法进行了分析。结果表明，测定值与标准值吻合。研究表明，所建立的方法可用于实际环境沉积物中有机锡的形态分析。 本文建立了流动注射与电感耦合等离子体质谱联用技术直接同时测定海水中多种痕量元素的方法。该方法采用痕量进样技术，能够有效地减少海水中Na，Mg, Ca和Cl等大量基体元素对待测痕量元素测定的干扰，减少这些元素在电感耦合等离子体采样锥上的盐沉积，可以同时测量海水中的V、Cr、Mn、Fe、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Mo、Cd、Pb，Hg和U等痕量级元素。用所建的方法测定南海海域海水中的重金属元素，发现Cd，Cr，As等有毒有害元素的污染很轻，均符合Ⅰ级海水的限量。 在海洋沉积物样品处理研究中，本工作改进了不需要赶走HF酸就可以对沉积物消解完全的密闭容器消解法，由于减少了赶走HF酸的步骤，使消解的时间由原来的二十个小时降低为十个小时，大大降低了消解的时间。采用该样品消解方法，并用ICP-MS测定了南黄海海域沉积物中锡及其他重金属元素的含量。建立了微波消解-ICP-MS测定海洋生物中锡、砷、镉、汞及铅等有害重金属元素的分析方法，并用于南黄海7个及南海海域29个海产品中的测定。测定结果表明海洋生物中上述有毒有害元素有不同程度的超标问题；不同种类，不同产地的海洋生物中重金属元素的含量有一定的差别，这些研究结果为海产品安全质量控制提供了有价值的科学信息。 在上述各章工作的基础上，本文研究了有机锡在海洋生物中的分布、代谢及降解过程，并初步建立了高效液相-电喷雾-飞行时间质谱（LC-APCI-TOF-MS）测定有机锡的方法，可对未知的有机锡化合物进行结构表征。有机锡在贝类中不同的组织显示，其内脏中有机锡的含量高于肌肉中有机锡含量。常规的煮、炸、蒸及微波的烹饪方式并不能降解海产品中的有机锡化合物。

Numerical modelling of adsorption of metallic particles on graphite substrate via molecular dynamics simulation

A computer-based numerical modelling of the adsorption process of gas phase metallic particles on the surface of a graphite substrate has been performed via the application of molecular dynamics simulation method. The simulation relates to an extensive STM-based experiment performed in this field, and reproduces part of the experimental results. Both two-body and many-body inter-atomic potentials have been employed. A Morse-type potential describing the metal-carbon interactions at the interface was specifically formulated for this modelling. Intercalation of silver in graphite has been observed as well as the correct alignments of monomers, dimers and two-dimensional islands on the surface. PACS numbers: 02.60.Cb, 07.05.Tp, 68.55.-a, 81.05.Tp

Where is the "e" in eLearning?

In this paper, we consider what is meant by elearning and contrast the delivery of material with the actual learning process using an analogy derived from Searle. A case study describes an attempt to use a groupware system in a knowledge management course that met with mixed results. The reasons for these are explored with issues regarding extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and scaffolding being considered in the elearning context

The Sentinel-3 Mission Performance Center

As part of the Sentinel-3 mission and in order to ensure the highest quality of products, ESA in cooperation with EUMETSAT has set up the Sentinel-3 Mission Performance Centre (S-3 MPC). This facility is part of the Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) and aims at controlling the quality of all generated products, from L0 to L2. The S-3 MPC is composed of a Coordinating Centre (CC), where the core infrastructure is hosted, which is in charge of the main routine activities (especially the quality control of data) and the overall service management. Expert Support Laboratories (ESLs) are involved in calibration and validation activities and provide specific assessment of the products (e.g., analysis of trends, ad hoc analysis of anomalies, etc.). The S-3 MPC interacts with the Processing Archiving Centres (PACs) and the Marine centre at EUMETSAT.

Laser peripheral iridoplasty for angle-closure

BACKGROUND: Angle-closure glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Treatment is aimed at opening the anterior chamber angle and lowering the IOP with medical and/or surgical treatment (e.g. trabeculectomy, lens extraction). Laser iridotomy works by eliminating pupillary block and widens the anterior chamber angle in the majority of patients. When laser iridotomy fails to open the anterior chamber angle, laser iridoplasty may be recommended as one of the options in current standard treatment for angle-closure. Laser peripheral iridoplasty works by shrinking and pulling the peripheral iris tissue away from the trabecular meshwork. Laser peripheral iridoplasty can be used for crisis of acute angle-closure and also in non-acute situations.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of laser peripheral iridoplasty in the treatment of narrow angles (i.e. primary angle-closure suspect), primary angle-closure (PAC) or primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in non-acute situations when compared with any other intervention. In this review, angle-closure will refer to patients with narrow angles (PACs), PAC and PACG.

SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 12), MEDLINE (January 1950 to January 2012), EMBASE (January 1980 to January 2012), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) (January 1982 to January 2012), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). There were no date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. The electronic databases were last searched on 5 January 2012.

SELECTION CRITERIA: We included only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in this review. Patients with narrow angles, PAC or PACG were eligible. We excluded studies that included only patients with acute presentations, using laser peripheral iridoplasty to break acute crisis.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: No analysis was carried out as only one trial was included in the review.

MAIN RESULTS: We included one RCT with 158 participants. The trial reported laser peripheral iridoplasty as an adjunct to laser peripheral iridotomy compared to iridotomy alone. The authors report no superiority in using iridoplasty as an adjunct to iridotomy for IOP, number of medications or need for surgery.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is currently no strong evidence for laser peripheral iridoplasty's use in treating angle-closure.

Herschel key program HERITAGE:A far-infrared source catalog for the Magellanic Clouds

Observations from the HERschel Inventory of the Agents of Galaxy Evolution (HERITAGE ) have been used to identify dusty populations of sources in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (LMC and SMC). We conducted the study using the HERITAGE catalogs of point sources available from the Herschel Science Center from both the Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS; 100 and 160 μm) and Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE; 250, 350, and 500 μm) cameras. These catalogs are matched to each other to create a Herschel band-merged catalog and then further matched to archival Spitzer IRAC and MIPS catalogs from the Spitzer Surveying the Agents of Galaxy Evolution (SAGE) and SAGE-SMC surveys to create single mid- to far-infrared (far-IR) point source catalogs that span the wavelength range from 3.6 to 500 μm. There are 35,322 unique sources in the LMC and 7503 in the SMC. To be bright in the FIR, a source must be very dusty, and so the sources in the HERITAGE catalogs represent the dustiest populations of sources. The brightest HERITAGE sources are dominated by young stellar objects (YSOs), and the dimmest by background galaxies. We identify the sources most likely to be background galaxies by first considering their morphology (distant galaxies are point-like at the resolution of Herschel) and then comparing the flux distribution to that of the Herschel Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (ATLAS ) survey of galaxies. We find a total of 9745 background galaxy candidates in the LMC HERITAGE images and 5111 in the SMC images, in agreement with the number predicted by extrapolating from the ATLAS flux distribution. The majority of the Magellanic Cloud-residing sources are either very young, embedded forming stars or dusty clumps of the interstellar medium. Using the presence of 24 μm emission as a tracer of star formation, we identify 3518 YSO candidates in the LMC and 663 in the SMC. There are far fewer far-IR bright YSOs in the SMC than the LMC due to both the SMC's smaller size and its lower dust content. The YSO candidate lists may be contaminated at low flux levels by background galaxies, and so we differentiate between sources with a high ("probable") and moderate ("possible ") likelihood of being a YSO. There are 2493/425 probable YSO candidates in the LMC/SMC. Approximately 73% of the Herschel YSO candidates are newly identified in the LMC, and 35% in the SMC. We further identify a small population of dusty objects in the late stages of stellar evolution including extreme and post-asymptotic giant branch, planetary nebulae, and supernova remnants. These populations are identified by matching the HERITAGE catalogs to lists of previously identified objects in the literature. Approximately half of the LMC sources and one quarter of the SMC sources are too faint to obtain accurate ample FIR photometry and are unclassified.

Radiological imaging in digital systems: the effect of exposure parameters in diagnostic quality and patient dose

Esta tese pretende contribuir para o estudo e análise dos factores relacionados com as técnicas de aquisição de imagens radiológicas digitais, a qualidade diagnóstica e a gestão da dose de radiação em sistema de radiologia digital. A metodologia encontra-se organizada em duas componentes. A componente observacional, baseada num desenho do estudo de natureza retrospectiva e transversal. Os dados recolhidos a partir de sistemas CR e DR permitiram a avaliação dos parâmetros técnicos de exposição utilizados em radiologia digital, a avaliação da dose absorvida e o índice de exposição no detector. No contexto desta classificação metodológica (retrospectiva e transversal), também foi possível desenvolver estudos da qualidade diagnóstica em sistemas digitais: estudos de observadores a partir de imagens arquivadas no sistema PACS. A componente experimental da tese baseou-se na realização de experiências em fantomas para avaliar a relação entre dose e qualidade de imagem. As experiências efectuadas permitiram caracterizar as propriedades físicas dos sistemas de radiologia digital, através da manipulação das variáveis relacionadas com os parâmetros de exposição e a avaliação da influência destas na dose e na qualidade da imagem. Utilizando um fantoma contrastedetalhe, fantomas antropomórficos e um fantoma de osso animal, foi possível objectivar medidas de quantificação da qualidade diagnóstica e medidas de detectabilidade de objectos. Da investigação efectuada, foi possível salientar algumas conclusões. As medidas quantitativas referentes à performance dos detectores são a base do processo de optimização, permitindo a medição e a determinação dos parâmetros físicos dos sistemas de radiologia digital. Os parâmetros de exposição utilizados na prática clínica mostram que a prática não está em conformidade com o referencial Europeu. Verifica-se a necessidade de avaliar, melhorar e implementar um padrão de referência para o processo de optimização, através de novos referenciais de boa prática ajustados aos sistemas digitais. Os parâmetros de exposição influenciam a dose no paciente, mas a percepção da qualidade de imagem digital não parece afectada com a variação da exposição. Os estudos que se realizaram envolvendo tanto imagens de fantomas como imagens de pacientes mostram que a sobreexposição é um risco potencial em radiologia digital. A avaliação da qualidade diagnóstica das imagens mostrou que com a variação da exposição não se observou degradação substancial da qualidade das imagens quando a redução de dose é efectuada. Propõe-se o estudo e a implementação de novos níveis de referência de diagnóstico ajustados aos sistemas de radiologia digital. Como contributo da tese, é proposto um modelo (STDI) para a optimização de sistemas de radiologia digital.

Diversifying medical imaging of breast lesions

Dissertação de mestrado, Engenharia Informática, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015