Fast Mid-IR Flashes Detected During Small Solar X-Ray Bursts

Solar observations in the mid-infrared 8-14 \mu\m band continuum were carried out with cadence of 5 frames per second, in December 2007. Rapid small heated sources, with typical duration of the order of seconds, were found on the bright plage-like areas around sunspots, in association with relatively weak GOES soft X-ray bursts. This work presents the analysis of fast mid-infrared flashes detected during a GOES B2.0-class event on 10 December 2007, beginning at about 10:40 UT. Rapid brightness temperature enhancements of 0.5 to 2.0 K were detected at the Earth by a microbolometer array, using a telescope with 10.5 cm diameter aperture producing a diffraction limited field-of-view of 25 arcsec. Minimum detectable temperature change was of 0.1 K. The corresponding fluxes are 30-130 solar flux units. At the solar surface the estimated rapid brightenings were of 50-150 KComment: 12 pages including 6 figures. Accepted by Solar Physics, April 201

An ultrasoft X-ray multi-microbeam irradiation system for studies of DNA damage responses by fixed- and live-cell fluorescence microscopy

Localized induction of DNA damage is a valuable tool for studying cellular DNA damage responses. In recent decades, methods have been developed to generate DNA damage using radiation of various types, including photons and charged particles. Here we describe a simple ultrasoft X-ray multi-microbeam system for high dose-rate, localized induction of DNA strand breaks in cells at spatially and geometrically adjustable sites. Our system can be combined with fixed- and live-cell microscopy to study responses of cells to DNA damage

Cross-Shaped Terahertz Metal Mesh Filters: Historical Review and Results

Terahertz frequencies experiments has motivated the development of new sources, detectors and optical components. Here we will present a review of THz bandpass filters ranging from 0.4 to 10 THz. We also demonstrate our fabrication process, simulations and experimental results

Determination of Submillimeter Atmospheric Opacity at El Leoncito, Argentina Andes

We present submillimeter wave atmospheric opacity determinations obtained at 212 GHz and 405 GHz for the site of El Leoncito, San Juan, Argentina Andes, located at an altitude of 2550 meters, using the Solar Submillimeter wave Telescope (SST). The use of SST allowed the comparison of three different methods of measurements: (a) indirect derivation from the sky brightness temperature variation with the elevation angle; (b) directly derived from solar signal attenuation with elevation angle; and (c) use of the product of solar brightness times the antenna coupling factor, as the reference source external to the atmosphere. It has been shown that the last method provides the most consistent measurements for the two frequencies. Preliminary results show that opacities (in nepers) for El Leoncito at 405 GHz are 5.5 times larger than at 212 GHz, smaller than model predictions, which suggest smaller opacities for shorter submm-waves at that site. Preliminary survey for 1999-2001 at El Leoncito indicate most probable values for zenith opacities of 0.18 nepers (212 GHz) and 0.9 nepers (405 GHz), which are comparable to a number of other sites at considerably higher altitudes.Apresentamos determinações de opacidade atmosférica obtidas em 212 GHz e 405 GHz para o sítio de El Leoncito, San Juan, Argentina, localizado a uma altitude de 2550 metros, fazendo uso do Telescópio Solar para Ondas Submilimétricas (SST). O uso do SST permitiu a comparação de três métodos diferentes para as medidas: (a) indireta, através da variação da temperatura de brilhância do céu com o ângulo de elevação; (b) diretamente através da atenuação do sinal solar com o ângulo de elevação; e (c) uso do produto da temperatura de brilhância solar pelo fator de acoplamento da antena, como fonte de referência externa à atmosfera. Mostrou-se que o último método apresenta a melhor consistência entre as medidas nas duas freqüências. Resultados preliminares indicam que as opacidades (em nepers) obtidas para El Leoncito em 405 GHz são 5.5 vezes maiores do que em 212 GHz, fator menor do que previsões de modelos, sugerindo opacidades menores para ondas submilimétricas mais curtas neste sítio. Um levantamento preliminar para El Leoncito para 1999-2001 indicou valores de opacidade mais prováveis de 0.18 nepers em 212 GHz e de 0.9 nepers em 405 GHz, comparáveis a vários outros sítios situados em altitudes consideravelmente maiores.Fil: Melo, Arline M.. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Escola de Engenharia. Centro de Radio Astronomia e Astrofisica; BrasilFil: Giménez de Castro, C. G.. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Kaufmann, Pierre. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Escola de Engenharia. Centro de Radio Astronomia e Astrofisica; BrasilFil: Levato, Orlando Hugo. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie. Escola de Engenharia. Centro de Radio Astronomia e Astrofisica; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Marun, Adolfo Hector. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Pablo Florencio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; ArgentinaFil: Raulin, Jean Pierre. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; Argentin

Erratum: "A new setup for ground-based measurements of solar activity at 10 μm" (Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (2006) 118 (1558))

AddendumFil: Melo, Arline M.. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie; Brasil. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; BrasilFil: Rogerio, Marcon. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. Observatório Solar Bernard Lyot; BrasilFil: Kaufmann, Pierre. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie; BrasilFil: Kudaka, Amauri S.. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie; BrasilFil: Marun, Adolfo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Pablo Florencio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; ArgentinaFil: Raulin, Jean Pierre. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie; BrasilFil: Levato, Orlando Hugo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito". Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Complejo Astronómico "El Leoncito"; Argentin

Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil

Abstract An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the country's biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazil's unique and diverse flora

Initial invasive or conservative strategy for stable coronary disease

BACKGROUND Among patients with stable coronary disease and moderate or severe ischemia, whether clinical outcomes are better in those who receive an invasive intervention plus medical therapy than in those who receive medical therapy alone is uncertain. METHODS We randomly assigned 5179 patients with moderate or severe ischemia to an initial invasive strategy (angiography and revascularization when feasible) and medical therapy or to an initial conservative strategy of medical therapy alone and angiography if medical therapy failed. The primary outcome was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, or hospitalization for unstable angina, heart failure, or resuscitated cardiac arrest. A key secondary outcome was death from cardiovascular causes or myocardial infarction. RESULTS Over a median of 3.2 years, 318 primary outcome events occurred in the invasive-strategy group and 352 occurred in the conservative-strategy group. At 6 months, the cumulative event rate was 5.3% in the invasive-strategy group and 3.4% in the conservative-strategy group (difference, 1.9 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8 to 3.0); at 5 years, the cumulative event rate was 16.4% and 18.2%, respectively (difference, 121.8 percentage points; 95% CI, 124.7 to 1.0). Results were similar with respect to the key secondary outcome. The incidence of the primary outcome was sensitive to the definition of myocardial infarction; a secondary analysis yielded more procedural myocardial infarctions of uncertain clinical importance. There were 145 deaths in the invasive-strategy group and 144 deaths in the conservative-strategy group (hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.32). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with stable coronary disease and moderate or severe ischemia, we did not find evidence that an initial invasive strategy, as compared with an initial conservative strategy, reduced the risk of ischemic cardiovascular events or death from any cause over a median of 3.2 years. The trial findings were sensitive to the definition of myocardial infarction that was used

Health-status outcomes with invasive or conservative care in coronary disease

BACKGROUND In the ISCHEMIA trial, an invasive strategy with angiographic assessment and revascularization did not reduce clinical events among patients with stable ischemic heart disease and moderate or severe ischemia. A secondary objective of the trial was to assess angina-related health status among these patients. METHODS We assessed angina-related symptoms, function, and quality of life with the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) at randomization, at months 1.5, 3, and 6, and every 6 months thereafter in participants who had been randomly assigned to an invasive treatment strategy (2295 participants) or a conservative strategy (2322). Mixed-effects cumulative probability models within a Bayesian framework were used to estimate differences between the treatment groups. The primary outcome of this health-status analysis was the SAQ summary score (scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status). All analyses were performed in the overall population and according to baseline angina frequency. RESULTS At baseline, 35% of patients reported having no angina in the previous month. SAQ summary scores increased in both treatment groups, with increases at 3, 12, and 36 months that were 4.1 points (95% credible interval, 3.2 to 5.0), 4.2 points (95% credible interval, 3.3 to 5.1), and 2.9 points (95% credible interval, 2.2 to 3.7) higher with the invasive strategy than with the conservative strategy. Differences were larger among participants who had more frequent angina at baseline (8.5 vs. 0.1 points at 3 months and 5.3 vs. 1.2 points at 36 months among participants with daily or weekly angina as compared with no angina). CONCLUSIONS In the overall trial population with moderate or severe ischemia, which included 35% of participants without angina at baseline, patients randomly assigned to the invasive strategy had greater improvement in angina-related health status than those assigned to the conservative strategy. The modest mean differences favoring the invasive strategy in the overall group reflected minimal differences among asymptomatic patients and larger differences among patients who had had angina at baseline