Instability and new phases of higher-dimensional rotating black holes

It has been conjectured that higher-dimensional rotating black holes become unstable at a sufficiently large value of the rotation, and that new black holes with pinched horizons appear at the threshold of the instability. We search numerically, and find, the stationary axisymmetric perturbations of Myers-Perry black holes with a single spin that mark the onset of the instability and the appearance of the new black hole phases. We also find new ultraspinning Gregory-Laflamme instabilities of rotating black strings and branes.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. The instability of the black hole is argued to appear at the second zero mode. The first zero mode is not associated to a new branch of black hole solution

The XDSPRES CL-based package for reducing OSIRIS cross-dispersed spectra

We present a description of the CL-based package XDSPRES, which aims at being a complete reducing facility for cross-dispersed spectra taken with the Ohio State Infrared Imager/Spectrometer, as installed at the SOAR telescope. This instrument provides spectra in the range between 1.2um and 2.35um in a single exposure, with resolving power of R ~ 1200. XDSPRES consists of two tasks, namely xdflat and doosiris. The former is a completely automated code for preparing normalized flat field images from raw flat field exposures. Doosiris was designed to be a complete reduction pipeline, requiring a minimum of user interaction. General steps towards a fully reduced spectrum are explained, as well as the approach adopted by our code. The software is available to the community through the web site http://www.if.ufrgs.br/~ruschel/software.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figure

Hormonal regulation of female reproduction

Reproduction is an event that requires the coordination of peripheral organs with the nervous system to ensure that the internal and external environments are optimal for successful procreation of the species. This is accomplished by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis that coordinates reproductive behavior with ovulation. The primary signal from the central nervous system is gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which modulates the activity of anterior pituitary gonadotropes regulating follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) release. As ovarian follicles develop they release estradiol, which negatively regulates further release of GnRH and FSH. As estradiol concentrations peak they trigger the surge release of GnRH, which leads to LH release inducing ovulation. Release of GnRH within the central nervous system helps modulate reproductive behaviors providing a node at which control of reproduction is regulated. To address these issues, this review focuses on several critical questions. How is the HPG axis regulated in species with different reproductive strategies? What internal and external conditions modulate the synthesis and release of GnRH? How does GnRH modulate reproductive behavior within the hypothalamus? How does disease shift the activity of the HPG axis.Fil: Christensen, A.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados UnidosFil: Bentley, G. E.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Cabrera Kreiker, Ricardo Jorge. Universidad de Mendoza; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Ortega, Hugo Hector. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Perfito, N.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Wu, T. J.. Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Micevych, P.. University of California at Los Angeles; Estados Unido

Agrupaciones subnacionales y regalías

En Colombia durante varios años se ha mantenido un fascinante debatesobre las regalías, por lo que ellas significan para las finanzas de los entessubnacionales, por su impacto en lo social y su significado en materia tributariapara las empresas, entre otros. El objeto de este ensayo es matizar estadiscusión y contribuir con una nueva visión sobre el problema, considerandofactores como el marco normativo que las rige, el cual permite una ejecuciónmuy volátil de los recursos de las regalías en el ámbito subnacional.Con base en el peso de las regalías en las finanzas subnacionales y devariables socioeconómicas de cada una de ellas se realiza un conjunto deagrupamientos a partir de una metodología multivariante. Los agrupamientosse analizan con el objeto de asignarles un calificativo que los distinga.externalidades y efectos redistributivos, ingresos subnacionales,relaciones intergubernamentales, leyes de propiedad, tamaño ydistribución espacial de la actividad económica regional.

Variabilidad temporal del crecimiento, talla y duración larvaria, y reclutamiento de un lábrido, Coris julis (Pisces: Labridae), de las Azores

Temporal variability in the size at settlement (SAS), age at settlement (PLD), larval growth and recruitment patterns of a temperate wrasse, Coris julis, were examined over two recruitment seasons for a single island site from the Azores archipelago in the northeastern Atlantic. Relationships between these early life-history traits and recruitment variability over time were also investigated. Average PLD and SAS varied significantly among sampling dates over the settlement season, increasing consistently over time. This pattern was persistent over two consecutive summers. Larval growth was not a good predictor for PLD or SAS, which were in turn positively correlated with each other. Differences in recruitment magnitude over time were not related to SAS, PLD or larval growth. Instead, we found that recruits whose early pelagic stage (first 30 d) overlapped part of a period of enhanced growth (above average and independent of larval age), tended to result in the largest recruitment events; these tended to occur in the mid season. Larvae from earlier and later settlement events, overlapping periods of depressed growth, were linked to more modest recruitment events. We hypothesize that short PLD, with resulting small SAS is favoured early in the season, when post-settlement density is lowest. Over the course of the settlement season, as recruits accumulate competition may increase, and larger SAS (associated with longer PLD), may provide a competitive/survival advantage.La variabilidad temporal en la talla de reclutamiento (SAS), edad de reclutamiento (PLD), crecimiento larvario y patrón de reclutamiento en un lábrido de aguas templadas, Coris julis, fueron examinados en dos épocas de reclutamiento consecutivas, en una isla de las Azores (Atlántico nordeste). Se examinaron también las relaciones entre estas características y la variabilidad de reclutamiento temporal. La PLD y la SAS medios aumentaron significativamente a lo largo del período de reclutamiento en los dos veranos consecutivos. La PLD y la SAS se correlacionaron positivamente, pero el crecimiento larvario no fue un buen predictor de estas características. Las diferencias en magnitud de reclutamiento entre fechas de muestreo sucesivas no fueron explicadas por las SAS/PLD medias, ni tampoco por el crecimiento larvario. En cambio, encontramos que los reclutas cuyos primeros estadios de desarrollo pelágico (30 días) se solapaban, en parte, con un periodo de crecimiento intenso (por encima del promedio e independiente de de edad) resultaron en los mayores reclutamientos; que tienden a suceder a mitad de la estación. Las larvas de asentamientos tempranos o tardíos (periodos de solapamiento, con crecimiento disminuido), se asociaron a reclutamientos modestos. Se plantea la hipótesis de que las PLD cortas, con las resultantes pequeñas SAS deberían ser favorecidas en la fase más temprana del período de reclutamiento, cuando la densidad de juveniles es menor. A lo largo del período de asentamiento, a medida que los reclutas se acumulan, la competición puede aumentar, y las mayores SAS (asociadas a mayores PLD), pueden proporcionar una ventaja competitiva o de supervivencia

Enhanced backward wave propagation in evanescent waveguides loaded with split ring resonators

This paper reports on the design and experimental characterization of evanescent waveguides loaded with split ring resonators SRRs supporting enhanced backward wave propagation. With respect to previous negative refractive index devices based on metallic waveguides, the use of a direct coaxial probe excitation inside an evanescent waveguide drastically improves transmission and reflection characteristics of the periodic structure. Moreover, the addition of metallic windows interleaved between consecutive resonators offers an extra degree of freedom in order to control interresonator couplings, and hence, device parameters like overall transmission, reflection, and bandwidth of the backward wave pass band. A numerical and experimental analysis of different structures overcoming the high loss issue of previously published results is detailed. An experimental validation of the proposed enhancements is done for periodic structures, where no individual tuning of the resonator sections is performed. The proposed technology mainly offers the advantage of miniaturization, and it could be combined in a further step with standard design techniques to provide frequency selective devices.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Gobierno de España-TEC-2004-04313-C02-01 y TEC-2004-04249.C02-02Generalitat Valenciana-ACOMP06/013 y GVA/2007/21

Diagnóstico imagenológico en el Síndrome de Abernethy

El shunt portosistémico congénito (SPSC) o Síndrome de Abernethy es una patología muy poco frecuente, descrita por primera vez en 1793 por John Abernethy. Existen dos tipos de SPSC: tipo I (shunt terminolateral) en el que existe ausencia total de flujo portal intrahepático y tipo II (shunt laterolateral) con flujo portal parcialmente conservado. Los SPSC tipo I se presentan predominantemente en el sexo femenino y se asocian con múltiples malformaciones como poliesplenia, malrotación y cardiopatía. Los tipo II, aún más raros, afectan a ambos sexos y no suelen presentar malformaciones asociadas. La encefalopatía hepática es una complicación posible en ambos tipos de SPSC en la edad adulta. El trasplante hepático es el único tratamiento descrito para el SPSC tipo I cuando se vuelve sintomático, mientras que la ligadura del shunt es una opción quirúrgica para el tipo II. Objetivo: Presentar el diagnóstico imagenológico en un paciente adulto con Síndrome de Abernethy tipo 1B.Congenital portosystemic shunt (CEPS) or Abernethy Syndrome is a rare condition that was first reported by John Abernethy in 1793. Two types of CEPS are described: type I (side to end anastomosis) or congenital absence of the portal vein, and type II (side to side anastomosis) with portal vein supply partially conserved. Type I CEPS is usually seen in girls and associates multiple malformations as polysplenia, malrotation, and cardiac anomalies. Type II is even rarer with no sex preference and no malformations associated. Hepatic encephalopathy is a common complication of both types in adulthood. Liver transplantation is the only effective treatment for symptomatic type I CEPS. A therapeutic approach for type II could be surgical closure of the shunt. Objective: To present the imagenological diagnosis an adult patient with Abernethy Syndrome type 1B.Fil: Pérez Monteleone, Leonardo E.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina). Servicio de Cirugía General.Fil: Manzino, Ricardo. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina). Servicio de Cirugía General.Fil: Gutierrez, Mario. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina). Servicio de Cirugía General.Fil: Bufaliza, Jorge. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina). Servicio de Cirugía General.Fil: Correa, Roberto. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina). Servicio de Cirugía General

Interfaces tácteis baseadas em HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript

Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Universidade do Porto. Faculdade de Engenharia. 201

Projeto e construção de subestações

Relatório de Estágio para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia CivilAs vantagens no transporte de energia elétrica em alta tensão ou muito alta tensão, associadas à minimização de perdas energéticas e ao fator económico na distribuição de energia, criam a necessidade de introduzir na rede elétrica de distribuição, elementos que permitam elevar ou reduzir o nível de tensão na rede, as subestações. Uma vez realizada a atividade de produção de energia elétrica nos centros produtores, sejam hidroelétricos, termoelétricos ou eólicos, as subestações são responsáveis pela elevação da tensão da eletricidade, para que a energia possa ser transportada para junto das zonas de consumo com maiores benefícios energéticos e económicos, ou em alternativa, e uma vez perto destas, baixar o nível de tensão para que a energia elétrica possa ser distribuída em média tensão, sendo exatamente este o tipo de subestações projetadas e executadas na área departamental onde este estágio se realizou. Assim, pretende o presente relatório de estágio, não só descrever a componente de projeto e construção destes elementos integrantes da rede elétrica no nosso país, mas também fornecer uma forte componente crítica, com base em sugestões de carácter técnico relativamente a soluções adotadas, nomeadamente na vertente de projeto.Abstract: The advantages of transporting high or very high voltage electricity, associated to energy loss minimization and economic factor´s in the distribution, create the necessity of introducing elements which raise or lower the level of tension in the grid in the electrical distribution network. These are known as substations. Once the electrical energy production activity is complete in production centers, whether they are thermoelectric, hydroelectric or eolic, substations are responsible for raising the electricity voltage, so that the energy can be transported to consumption areas with greater energy and economic benefits. Once the energy is near the consumption areas, the substations are responsible for lowering the tension level so that the electricity can be distributed in medium voltage. This type of substations are designed and executed in the departmental area, where this internship took place. This internship report intends, not only to describe the project and construction activities of these elements, which integrate the electric distribution network, but also to provide a strong critical component, based on technical nature suggestions, regarding the adopted solutions, mainly in the project area

Contributo da avaliação institucional escolar para a melhoria da prestação do serviço educativo

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Educação (área de especialização em Avaliação)Nos últimos anos, entre nós, a avaliação institucional escolar tem tido um crescente protagonismo no contexto das políticas educativas. Este facto tem conduzido à concretização de vários modelos de avaliação de escolas e, desde dois mil e seis, o programa Avaliação Externa das Escolas está no terreno, tendo-se concluído, no presente ano, o 1º ciclo desta avaliação, que abrangeu a totalidade das escolas portuguesas, pelo que procuramos com este estudo conhecer se a Avaliação Institucional contribui para a melhoria da prestação do serviço educativo. Este trabalho tem como objecto de estudo a Avaliação Institucional, nas suas modalidades externa e interna. Procura mobilizar um quadro conceptual caracterizando diferentes perspectivas da Avaliação Institucional e problematizar alguns conceitos relevantes para análise das organizações educativas, tais como a autonomia; o projecto; a qualidade; a participação ou a liderança, revisitam-se os normativos que enquadram a Avaliação Institucional e abordam-se as teorias organizacionais de estudo da escola, acolhendo no quadro conceptual as propostas de Gareth Morgan, Bolman e Deal, Tony Bush, Jorge Adelino Costa e, principalmente, de Per-Erik Ellstrom e o seu Modelo das “quatro faces”, construído tomando por referências duas dimensões fundamentais: os objectivos e as tecnologias. A Metodologia adoptada privilegia uma abordagem de tipo qualitativo, conferindo grande centralidade à análise de conteúdo, pelo que foram construídas categorias analíticas para posterior aplicação ao corpus de análise – Relatório de Avaliação Externa; Relatório de Avaliação Interna e entrevistas a nove elementos participantes no painel de entrevista da avaliação externa. A análise dos dados aponta para uma relação débil entre a Avaliação Institucional e a melhoria na prestação do serviço educativo, traduzida em medidas pontuais, sem “evidências” consistentes.In the last few years, for us, institutional scholastic evaluation has had a growing protagonism within the context of education policies. This fact has led to the fulfilment of several evaluation models for schools, and since two thousand and six, the External School Evaluation program has been deployed, thus being concluded, in the present year, the 1st cycle of this evaluation, which has encompassed the totality of Portuguese schools, therefore we seek through this study to discover if Institutional Evaluation contributes to the improvement of education service providing. This work has as its object of study Institutional Evaluation, in its external and internal modalities. It seeks to mobilize a conceptual framework characterizing different perspectives of Institutional Evaluation and question some concepts which are relevant to the analysis of educational organizations, such as autonomy; the project; quality; participation or leadership, the norms that frame Institutional Evaluation are revisited and organisational theories for school study are approached, welcoming into the framework proposals by Gareth Morgan, Bolman and Deal, Tony Bush, Jorge Adelino Costa and mainly, by Per-Erik Ellstrom and his “four faces” Model, constructed by taking as reference two essential dimensions: goals and technologies. The adopted methodology privileges a qualitative type approach, giving content analysis a central role, and so analytical categories, for later application to the corpus of analysis, were constructed – External Evaluation Report; Internal Evaluation Report and interviews with nine participating elements in the external evaluation interviewing panel. The data analysis points to a weak relationship between institutional Evaluation and the improvement of education services providing, translated in punctual measures, without consistent "evidences"