Static Observers in Curved Spaces and Non-inertial Frames in Minkowski Spacetime

Static observers in curved spacetimes may interpret their proper acceleration as the opposite of a local gravitational field (in the Newtonian sense). Based on this interpretation and motivated by the equivalence principle, we are led to investigate congruences of timelike curves in Minkowski spacetime whose acceleration field coincides with the acceleration field of static observers of curved spaces. The congruences give rise to non-inertial frames that are examined. Specifically we find, based on the locality principle, the embedding of simultaneity hypersurfaces adapted to the non-inertial frame in an explicit form for arbitrary acceleration fields. We also determine, from the Einstein equations, a covariant field equation that regulates the behavior of the proper acceleration of static observers in curved spacetimes. It corresponds to an exact relativistic version of the Newtonian gravitational field equation. In the specific case in which the level surfaces of the norm of the acceleration field of the static observers are maximally symmetric two-dimensional spaces, the energy-momentum tensor of the source is analyzed.Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures

Institutions and the uneven geography of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper examines the uneven geography of COVID-19-related excess mortality during the first wave of the pandemic in Europe, before assessing the factors behind the geographical differences in impact. The analysis of 206 regions across 23 European countries reveals a distinct COVID-19 geography. Excess deaths were concentrated in a limited number of regions —expected deaths exceeded 20% in just 16 regions— with more than 40% of the regions considered experiencing no excess mortality during the first six months of 2020. Highly connected regions, in colder and dryer climates, with high air pollution levels, and relatively poorly endowed health systems witnessed the highest incidence of excess mortality. Institutional factors also played an important role. The first wave hit regions with a combination of weak and declining formal institutional quality and fragile informal institutions hardest. Low and declining national government effectiveness, together with a limited capacity to reach out across societal divides, and a frequent tendency to meet with friends and family were powerful drivers of regional excess mortality

Desempenho agronômico do BRS Nagai com e sem enxertia.

Fertbio 2016

Qualidade de uvas de mesa procedentes do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma da Embrapa Semiárido.

A região do Submédio do Vale do São Francisco, cujas principais cidades produtoras são Petrolina, em Pernambuco, e Juazeiro, na Bahia, destaca-se na produção de uvas sob condições tropicais no Brasil. As condições climáticas da região permitem a realização de 2,5 ciclos vegetativos/ano e a programação da época de colheita para qualquer dia do ano, o que possibilita a oferta constante de uvas de mesa no mercado e o processamento de grandes volumes da fruta ao longo do ano (PROTAS; CAMARGO, 2011). O mercado brasileiro de uvas de mesa exige cada vez por qualidade, que, em geral, é avaliada com base nos seguintes parâmetros: ausência de manchas, lesões e ferimentos; turgidez do engaço; consistência da polpa; condição microbiológica e 18 entomológica; cor, sabor e formato característicos (LIMA, 2013). Por isso, a indicação de genótipos promissores ao cultivo em determinada região requer ampla caracterização e avaliação da planta e os frutos que produz. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar as características de qualidade de uvas tintas de mesa, conservadas no Banco Ativo de Germoplasma (BAG) da Embrapa Semiárido

Electrical performance of conducting polymer (SPAN) grown on GaAs with different substrate orientations

This article reports the effect of n-type GaAs substrate orientation, namely (100), (311)A and (311)B, on the electrical properties of sulfonated polyaniline (SPAN)/GaAs heterojunction devices. In addition, the inhomogeneity of the interface between various GaAs substrates and SPAN is investigated in terms of barrier height and ideality factor by performing I–V measurements at different temperatures (20–420K). The I–V results indicate that the value of the rectification ratio (IF/IR) at 0.5V is higher for SPAN/(311)B GaAs samples than for SPAN/(100) GaAs and SPAN/(311)A GaAs samples. Moreover, the barrier height decreases and the ideality factor increases with decreasing temperature for all three heterostructure devices. The high value of mean barrier ˚¯ b of SPAN/(311)B (calculated from the plots of ˚b0 as a function of 1/2kT) confirms that the GaAs substrate orientation results in an increase of barrier homogeneities. Furthermore,the C-V characteristics were obtained at room temperature. The C-V measurements showed that the carrier distributions at the interface and away from the interface in high index (311) GaAs orientations are more uniform and have better barrier homogeneity than those grown on the conventional (100) GaAs substrates

SARS-CoV-2 reinfection caused by the P.1 lineage in Araraquara city, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

Reinfection by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-COV-2) has been reported in many countries, suggesting that the virus may continue to circulate among humans despite the possibility of local herd immunity due to massive previous infections. The emergence of variants of concern (VOC) that are more transmissible than the previous circulating ones has raised particular concerns on the vaccines effectiveness and reinfection rates. The P.1 lineage was first identified in December 2020 in Manaus city and is now globally spread. We report the first case of reinfection of SARS-CoV-2 caused by the P.1 variant outside of Manaus. The potential of these new variants to escape naturally and vaccine- induced immunity highlights the need for a global vigilance