SDSS-III: Massive Spectroscopic Surveys of the Distant Universe, the Milky Way Galaxy, and Extra-Solar Planetary Systems

Building on the legacy of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-I and II), SDSS-III is a program of four spectroscopic surveys on three scientific themes: dark energy and cosmological parameters, the history and structure of the Milky Way, and the population of giant planets around other stars. In keeping with SDSS tradition, SDSS-III will provide regular public releases of all its data, beginning with SDSS DR8 (which occurred in Jan 2011). This paper presents an overview of the four SDSS-III surveys. BOSS will measure redshifts of 1.5 million massive galaxies and Lya forest spectra of 150,000 quasars, using the BAO feature of large scale structure to obtain percent-level determinations of the distance scale and Hubble expansion rate at z<0.7 and at z~2.5. SEGUE-2, which is now completed, measured medium-resolution (R=1800) optical spectra of 118,000 stars in a variety of target categories, probing chemical evolution, stellar kinematics and substructure, and the mass profile of the dark matter halo from the solar neighborhood to distances of 100 kpc. APOGEE will obtain high-resolution (R~30,000), high signal-to-noise (S/N>100 per resolution element), H-band (1.51-1.70 micron) spectra of 10^5 evolved, late-type stars, measuring separate abundances for ~15 elements per star and creating the first high-precision spectroscopic survey of all Galactic stellar populations (bulge, bar, disks, halo) with a uniform set of stellar tracers and spectral diagnostics. MARVELS will monitor radial velocities of more than 8000 FGK stars with the sensitivity and cadence (10-40 m/s, ~24 visits per star) needed to detect giant planets with periods up to two years, providing an unprecedented data set for understanding the formation and dynamical evolution of giant planet systems. (Abridged)Comment: Revised to version published in The Astronomical Journa

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure &lt;= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Measurement of fat in the ovine milk: comparative study of the results acquired by official methodology and by electr onic equipments

The aim of this work was to perform a comparative study between the official method recommended by Brazilian laws and the electronic equipment of photometric measurement and ultrasound spectroscopy equipment for the quantification of total lipids of the ovine milk in order to check which equipment establishes the lipids level better. The experiment took place at Technology of Food Department in Santa Maria Federal University together with School Plant of Dairy products and Ovine culture Section of Zoo Technical Department. It was used twelve sheeps half Lacaune Lait blood, milked individually from the first to the tenth week of lactation. The milking was performed manually and the analyses took place after the refrigeration of the samples. Before executing the analyses, the samples were homogenized and soon after evaluated in terms of fat amount by three distinct methodologies: official Brazilian methodology through Gerber’s butyrometer (GB), electronic equipment of photometric measurement Milko-Tester® (MT) and ultrasound spectroscopic equipment Lactoscan 90® (LS), which all analyses were performed in triple. The reproducibility of LS equipment was 100% for the analyzed samples, while MT equipment showed variability in most of the analyzed samples obtaining reproducibility of the results in just 22,5% of the samples. For the others samples the latter equipment obtained 50% of overrated values and 27,5% underrated values. Therefore, the results of this study let us to settle that the analysis of ovine Milk by ultrasound spectroscopy is efficient for the fat parameter when compared to the official Brazilian methodology

Caracterização físico-química e perfil lipídico de queijos produzidos com leite ovino

Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar os queijos Pecorino Toscano, Feta e Labneh produzidos com leite ovino quanto aos aspectos físico-químicos e perfil lipídico. Foram adquiridos e analisados queijos tipo Pecorino Toscano Fresco, com 90, 180 e 270 dias de maturação, Feta e Labneh elaborados com leite de ovelha, comercializados no estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. As análises realizadas foram: pH, acidez titulável, proteína, gordura, umidade, cinzas e perfil de ácidos graxos. O maior pH ocorreu nos queijos tipo Pecorino Toscano com 180 dias de maturação e Feta. Em relação à acidez titulável estes apresentaram comportamento contrário ao do pH. Os valores de proteína oscilaram entre 15,98 e 28,29% m/m, sendo os maiores valores para os queijos com maior tempo de maturação. A gordura apresentou variação idêntica à proteína, onde os queijos tipo Pecorino Toscano com 180 e 270 dias de maturação apresentaram maior valor. Os valores de umidade apresentaram-se inversos ao tempo de maturação, sendo que os queijos com 270, 180 e 90 dias de maturação apresentaram valores de 25,14, 25,95 e 30,26% m/m respectivamente. As cinzas também se demonstraram maiores para os queijos maturados. Em relação ao perfil lipídico, foram identificados 23 ácidos graxos, ocorrendo diferença significativa na maioria dos resultados, inclusive no somatório dos ácidos graxos saturados, monoinsaturados, poliinsaturados e na relação entre insaturados e saturados. Portanto, devido à escassez de informações sobre a composição de queijos produzidos com leite ovino, outras pesquisas devem ser realizadas para caracterizar de forma consistente estes produtos

COMPARAÇÃO DE DIFERENTES MÉTODOS ANALÍTICOS PARA QUANTIFICAÇÃO DE LIPÍDIOS EM CREME DE RICOTA

A complexidade de cada amostra não permite diagnosticar apenas um método de análise como sendo o melhor, portanto, devem-se considerar as vantagens e desvantagens que cada método oferece e relacioná-lo com a amostra em questão. Com o objetivo de identificar o melhor método de quantificação de lipídios para creme de ricota realizou-se um estudo comparativo entre três métodos físico-químicos de análise de lipídios. As metodologias utilizadas foram a de Soxhelt (extração a quente, usando éter de petróleo como solvente), Bligh; Dyer (extração a frio, com clorofórmio, metanol e água) e Butirômetro de Gerber (hidrólise ácida, através do uso de ácido sulfúrico e álcool isoamílico). Avaliou-se no presente trabalho o método, dentre os mencionados, que proporcionasse maior eficiência e reprodutibilidade. O método do Butirômetro de Gerber apresentou o menor rendimento dentre os métodos analisados, apesar de não diferir estatisticamente da metodologia de Soxhlet, a não reprodutibilidade da técnica do butirômetro deprecia este tipo de método. O método de Soxhlet apresentou melhor reprodutibilidade dos resultados, assim como valores mais próximos daqueles pré-determinados para esta amostra. Em relação ao método de extração de Bligh; Dyer obteve-se o maior rendimento do teor lipídico da amostra, portanto, os métodos de extração a quente (Soxhlet) e a frio (Bligh; Dyer) são os que melhor expressam o conteúdo lipídico do creme de ricota analisado

Efeito inicial da roçada ou controle químico sobre a disponibilidade de forragem e controle de espécies indesejáveis em pastagem natural na Depressão Central do RS

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Back to school with tablets embedded in digital desks

A digital-desk pilot program, named One Laptop Per Child (OPLC), in Brazil uses a unique display design to provide an interactive interface developed to enhance education and minimize ergonomic concerns. The one-to-one computer strategy as proposed by Nicholas Negroponte is a way of circumventing the tragedy of the locked computer lab because it gives children full access to computers anytime. The OLPC program has focused on a solution that minimizes power consumption, which also limits the display's maximum size and processor performance because the LCD backlights are responsible for a significant part of the power consumption in laptops. The government has also developed a new type of low-cost tablet that is based on a resistive principle. High transparencies can be obtained in the 90% range in the tablet, while robustness is guaranteed by the outstanding tribological characteristics of Sn02 on glass

Assessment of the Relationship of Ankle-Brachial Index With Coronary Artery Disease Severity

<div><p>Abstract Background: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is associated with cardiovascular events and can be diagnosed and estimated by use of the Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI). ABI is a worsening factor in the stratification of cardiovascular risk, but its contribution to define the severity of coronary artery disease has not been well established. Objectives: To compare the ABI value with the coronary atherosclerotic disease severity by use of the Syntax Score (SS) in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Methods: This prospective study measured the ABI of all patients with ACS consecutively admitted to the São Lucas Hospital of PUCRS from May to September 2016, and compared the ABI values with the SS and ACS types of those patients. The analyzes were performed considering the 95%confidence interval (a = 5%). Results: This study assessed 101 patients [mean age, 62.6 ± 12.0 years; 58 men (57.4%)], 74 (82.2%) were hypertensive, 33 (45.8%) had diabetes and 46 (45,5%) had ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). The PAD severity was not related to the anatomical severity of the coronary artery disease (CAD). We found a significant association of intermediate SS with non-ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and of low SS with unstable angina (UA) [OR (95% CI): 1.11 (1.03-1.20) (p = 0.004)], which remained after multivariate analysis adjusted to age, smoking, family history of CAD and previous CAD [(OR 95%): 1.13 (1.02-1.25) (p = 0.019)]. Conclusions: Patients with ABI < 0.9 showed no association with higher disease complexity determined by the SS in patients with ACS. Patients with NSTEMI were more associated with an intermediate risk on the SS.</p></div

SDSS-III : massive spectroscopic surveys of the distant universe, the Milk Way, and extra-solar planetary systems

Building on the legacy of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-I and II), SDSS-III is a program of four spectroscopic surveys on three scientific themes: dark energy and cosmological parameters, the history and structure of the Milky Way, and the population of giant planets around other stars. In keeping with SDSS tradition, SDSS-III will provide regular public releases of all its data, beginning with SDSS Data Release 8 (DR8), which was made public in 2011 January and includes SDSS-I and SDSS-II images and spectra reprocessed with the latest pipelines and calibrations produced for the SDSS-III investigations. This paper presents an overview of the four surveys that comprise SDSS-III. The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey will measure redshifts of 1.5 million massive galaxies and Lyα forest spectra of 150,000 quasars, using the baryon acoustic oscillation feature of large-scale structure to obtain percent-level determinations of the distance scale and Hubble expansion rate at z < 0.7 and at z ≈ 2.5. SEGUE- 2, an already completed SDSS-III survey that is the continuation of the SDSS-II Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration (SEGUE), measured medium-resolution (R = λ/Δλ ≈ 1800) optical spectra of 118,000 stars in a variety of target categories, probing chemical evolution, stellar kinematics and substructure, and the mass profile of the dark matter halo from the solar neighborhood to distances of 100 kpc. APOGEE, the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment, will obtain high-resolution (R ≈ 30,000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N 100 per resolution element), H-band (1.51μm < λ < 1.70μm) spectra of 105 evolved, late-type stars, measuring separate abundances for ∼15 elements per star and creating the first high-precision spectroscopic survey of all Galactic stellar populations (bulge, bar, disks, halo) with a uniform set of stellar tracers and spectral diagnostics. The Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS) will monitor radial velocities of more than 8000 FGK stars with the sensitivity and cadence (10–40ms−1, ∼24 visits per star) needed to detect giant planets with periods up to two years, providing an unprecedented data set for understanding the formation and dynamical evolution of giant planet systems. As of 2011 January, SDSS-III has obtained spectra of more than 240,000 galaxies, 29,000 z 2.2 quasars, and 140,000 stars, including 74,000 velocity measurements of 2580 stars for MARVELS