LUNA: Nuclear Astrophysics Deep Underground

Nuclear astrophysics strives for a comprehensive picture of the nuclear reactions responsible for synthesizing the chemical elements and for powering the stellar evolution engine. Deep underground in the Gran Sasso laboratory the cross sections of the key reactions of the proton-proton chain and of the Carbon-Nitrogen-Oxygen (CNO) cycle have been measured right down to the energies of astrophysical interest. The salient features of underground nuclear astrophysics are summarized here. The main results obtained by LUNA in the last twenty years are reviewed, and their influence on the comprehension of the properties of the neutrino, of the Sun and of the Universe itself are discussed. Future directions of underground nuclear astrophysics towards the study of helium and carbon burning and of stellar neutron sources in stars are pointed out.Comment: Invited review, submitted to Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Scienc

PROJETO DE UM SISTEMA PARA LANÇAMENTO DE VEÍCULO AÉREO NÃO TRIPULADO (VANT) DE ASA FIXA

O tema deste trabalho envolve o projeto de um sistema para lançamento de um Veículo Aéreo Não Tripulado (VANT) de asa fixa. A pesquisa desenvolvida com esse fim envolveu o estudo das tecnologias atualmente utilizadas para o lançamento de aeronaves tripuladas e não tripuladas envolvendo métodos padronizados para a aquisição e o tratamento de dados e informações, que se transformam em conhecimentos para o desenvolvimento do projeto. A pesquisa é caracterizada como pesquisa-ação e para conduzi-la utilizou-se a metodologia de projeto das quatro fases, amplamente utilizada no desenvolvimento de sistemas técnicos complexos. Após o planejamento do projeto, desenvolveu-se uma revisão da literatura buscando identificar tecnologias, patentes e ideias de produtos similares já existentes que pudessem ser empregados. Os resultados dessa etapa, com as necessidades observadas no projeto informacional, permitiram identificar os requisitos de projeto, um conjunto de informações com requisitos e metas que balizam o desenvolvimento das outras etapas do projeto. As funções do sistema técnico definidas no projeto conceitual permitiram identificar os princípios de solução que podem ser empregados para cada função, os quais foram escolhidos focando os aspectos tecnológicos e as necessidades dos stakeholders.Palavras-chave: Catapulta para VANTs. Sistema para lançamento de VANTs

Avaliação eletromiográfica dos músculos posturais e mastigatórios em cirurgiã dentista com e sem a prática de atividade física: Relato de caso clínico

A décadas tem-se discutido a prevalência de distúrbios osteomusculares relacionados às posturas corporais inerentes às práticas laborais, comuns em profissionais da área de saúde, nos quais diversos músculos como o eretor da espinha, trapézio e masseter podem ter suas funções afetadas. Na busca de minorar tais danos, a prática de atividades físicas regulares surge como um grande aliado. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi de observar por meio da eletromiografia de superfície o efeito de um dia de trabalho na atividade elétrica de músculos posturais e mastigatórios de cirurgiã dentista antes e após o início da prática habitual de atividade física. A coleta de dados se deu em três momentos distintos: 1- no período matutino, antes do início dos atendimentos; 2- ao final de um dia de trabalho; 3- ao final do dia de trabalho após três meses de início da atividade física de pilates. Os dados foram analisados por meio do root means square. Após a introdução do pilates, a sintomatologia dolorosa inicialmente relatada para os músculos trapézio e masseter diminuiu significativamente. Notou-se que houve uma redução na atividade elétrica dos músculos trapézios da primeira para a terceira coleta, caracterizando o equilíbrio postural. Percebeu-se, também, um aumento significativo nos sinais elétricos dos eretores da espinha em decorrência do seu fortalecimento após as sessões de exercício físico. Dessa forma, conclui-se que o treinamento físico corrige incorreções posturais musculoesqueléticas, reduz mialgias e fatores de risco vinculados a lesões do aparelho locomotor

Fluid overload and changes in serum creatinine after cardiac surgery: predictors of mortality and longer intensive care stay. A prospective cohort study

Introduction: Fluid overload is a clinical problem frequently related to cardiac and renal dysfunction. the aim of this study was to evaluate fluid overload and changes in serum creatinine as predictors of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity after cardiac surgery.Methods: Patients submitted to heart surgery were prospectively enrolled in this study from September 2010 through August 2011. Clinical and laboratory data were collected from each patient at preoperative and trans-operative moments and fluid overload and creatinine levels were recorded daily after cardiac surgery during their ICU stay. Fluid overload was calculated according to the following formula: (Sum of daily fluid received (L) - total amount of fluid eliminated (L)/preoperative weight (kg) x 100). Preoperative demographic and risk indicators, intra-operative parameters and postoperative information were obtained from medical records. Patients were monitored from surgery until death or discharge from the ICU. We also evaluated the survival status at discharge from the ICU and the length of ICU stay (days) of each patient.Results: A total of 502 patients were enrolled in this study. Both fluid overload and changes in serum creatinine correlated with mortality (odds ratio (OR) 1.59; confidence interval (CI): 95% 1.18 to 2.14, P = 0.002 and OR 2.91; CI: 95% 1.92 to 4.40, P <0.001, respectively). Fluid overload played a more important role in the length of intensive care stay than changes in serum creatinine. Fluid overload (%): b coefficient = 0.17; beta coefficient = 0.55, P <0.001); change in creatinine (mg/dL): b coefficient = 0.01; beta coefficient = 0.11, P = 0.003).Conclusions: Although both fluid overload and changes in serum creatinine are prognostic markers after cardiac surgery, it seems that progressive fluid overload may be an earlier and more sensitive marker of renal dysfunction affecting heart function and, as such, it would allow earlier intervention and more effective control in post cardiac surgery patients.Fundacao Univ Cardiol IC FUC, Inst Cardiol Rio Grande Sul, Intens Care Unit, BR-90620001 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Med, Div Nephrol, BR-04021001 São Paulo, BrazilHeart Inst INCOR, Hypertens Unit, BR-05403900 São Paulo, BrazilNove de Julho Univ, Med Pos Grad Program, BR-01504001 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Med, Div Nephrol, BR-04021001 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

New direct measurement of the 10 B(p,α) 7 Be reaction with the activation technique

Boron plays an important role in astrophysics and, together with lithium and beryllium, is a probe of stellar structure during the pre-main sequence and main-sequence phases. In this context, the 10 B(p, α ) 7 Be reaction is of particular interest.The literature data show discrepancies in the energy range between 100 keV and 2 MeV. This also poses a normalization problem for indirect data obtained with the Trojan Horse Method.A new measurement of the 10 B(p, α ) 7 Be reaction cross section was performed at Legnaro National Laboratories (LNL). At LNL, the cross section was determined with the activation technique by measuring the activated samples at a low-background counting facility. The analysis of that experiment is now complete and the results are here presented

Resonance strengths in the 14N(p, \gamma)15O and 15N(p, \alpha \gamma)12C reactions

The 14N(p, \gamma)15O reaction is the slowest reaction of the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen cycle of hydrogen burning in stars. As a consequence, it determines the rate of the cycle. The 15N(p, \alpha \gamma)12C reaction is frequently used in inverse kinematics for hydrogen depth profiling in materials. The 14N(p, \gamma)15O and 15N(p, \alpha \gamma)12C reactions have been studied simultaneously, using titanium nitride targets of natural isotopic composition and a proton beam. The strengths of the resonances at Ep = 1058 keV in 14N(p, \gamma)15O and at Ep = 897 and 430 keV in 15N(p, \alpha \gamma)12C have been determined with improved precision, relative to the well-known resonance at Ep = 278 keV in 14N(p, \gamma)15O. The new recommended values are \omega \gamma = 0.353$\pm$0.018, 362$\pm$20, and 21.9$\pm$1.0 eV for their respective strengths. In addition, the branching ratios for the decay of the Ep = 1058 keV resonance in 14N(p, \gamma)15O have been redetermined. The data reported here should facilitate future studies of off-resonant capture in the 14N(p, \gamma)15O reaction that are needed for an improved R-matrix extrapolation of the cross section. In addition, the data on the 430 keV resonance in 15N(p, \alpha \gamma)12C may be useful for hydrogen depth profiling.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures. Corrected typos in the abstract, table IV made more comprehensible. As accepted in Phys.Rev.

Viral diversity of Rhipicephalus microplus parasitizing cattle in southern Brazil

Ticks are ectoparasites spread worldwide and are well known as vectors of many viruses of great importance to human and animal health. However, the viral diversity in ticks is still poorly understood, particularly in South America. Here we characterized the viral diversity present in Rhipicephalus microplus parasitizing cattle in the southern region of Brazil using metagenomics. Our study revealed the presence of viruses that had not been previously described in the region, including lihan tick virus (Phenuiviridae family) and wuhan tick virus 2 (Chuviridae family), as well as expands the biogeography of jingmen tick virus (Flaviviridae family) in Brazil. Also, we described three novel tymoviruses (Tymovirales order), named guarapuava tymovirus-like 1 to 3. We described the genomic and phylogenetic characterization of these viruses. Our study sheds light on the viral diversity of Rhipicephalus microplus in South America, and also expands the biogeography of tick viruses that were previously described only in Asia