BP Reduction, Kidney Function Decline, and Cardiovascular Events in Patients without CKD.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT), intensive systolic BP treatment (target <120 mm Hg) was associated with fewer cardiovascular events and higher incidence of kidney function decline compared with standard treatment (target <140 mm Hg). We evaluated the association between mean arterial pressure reduction, kidney function decline, and cardiovascular events in patients without CKD. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: We categorized patients in the intensive treatment group of the SPRINT according to mean arterial pressure reduction throughout follow-up: <20, 20 to <40, and ≥40 mm Hg. We defined the primary outcome as kidney function decline (≥30% reduction in eGFR to <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 on two consecutive determinations at 3-month intervals), and we defined the secondary outcome as cardiovascular events. In a propensity score analysis, patients in each mean arterial pressure reduction category from the intensive treatment group were matched with patients from the standard treatment group to calculate the number needed to treat regarding cardiovascular events and the number needed to harm regarding kidney function decline. RESULTS: In the intensive treatment group, 1138 (34%) patients attained mean arterial pressure reduction <20 mm Hg, 1857 (56%) attained 20 to <40 mm Hg, and 309 (9%) attained ≥40 mm Hg. Adjusted hazard ratios for kidney function decline were 2.10 (95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 3.59) for mean arterial pressure reduction between 20 and 40 mm Hg and 6.22 (95% confidence interval, 2.75 to 14.08) for mean arterial pressure reduction ≥40 mm Hg. In propensity score analysis, mean arterial pressure reduction <20 mm Hg presented a number needed to treat of 44 and a number needed to harm of 65, reduction between 20 and <40 mm Hg presented a number needed to treat of 42 and a number needed to harm of 35, and reduction ≥40 mm Hg presented a number needed to treat of 95 and a number needed to harm of 16. CONCLUSIONS: In the intensive treatment group of SPRINT, larger declines in mean arterial pressure were associated with higher incidence of kidney function decline. Intensive treatment seemed to be less favorable when a larger reduction in mean arterial pressure was needed to attain the BP target.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Optimized generation of spatial qudits by using a pure phase spatial light modulator

We present a method for preparing arbitrary pure states of spatial qudits, namely, D-dimensional (D > 2) quantum systems carrying information in the transverse momentum and position of single photons. For this purpose, a set of D slits with complex transmission are displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM). In a recent work we have shown a method that requires a single phase-only SLM to control independently the complex coefficients which define the quantum state of dimension D. The amplitude information was codified by introducing phase gratings inside each slit and the phase value of the complex transmission was added to the phase gratings. After a spatial filtering process we obtained in the image plane the desired qudit state. Although this method has proven to be a good alternative to compact the previously reported architectures, it presents some features that could be improved. In this paper we present an alternative scheme to codify the required phase values that minimizes the effects of temporal phase fluctuations associated to the SLM where the codification is carried on. In this scheme the amplitudes are set by appropriate phase gratings addressed at the SLM while the relative phases are obtained by a lateral displacement of these phase gratings. We show that this method improves the quality of the prepared state and provides very high fidelities of preparation for any state. An additional advantage of this scheme is that a complete 2\pi modulation is obtained by shifting the grating by one period, and hence the encoding is not limited by the phase modulation range achieved by the SLM. Numerical simulations, that take into account the phase fluctuations, show high fidelities for thousands of qubit states covering the whole Bloch sphere surface. Similar analysis are performed for qudits with D = 3 and D = 7.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

Comment on Bress et al. Effect of Intensive Versus Standard Blood Pressure Treatment According to Baseline Prediabetes Status: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Trial. Diabetes Care 2017;40:1401-1408.

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Crescimento e acúmulo de nutrientes por plantas espontâneas e por leguminosas utilizadas para adubação verde.

As especies vegetais espontaneas, nas areas de cultivo agricola, tem sido tratadas como "plantas daninhas". "ervas invasoras", "incos" e outras denominacoes, do ponto de vista dos prejuizos que podem acarretar as especies cultivadas. No entanto, as espontaneas podem promover os mesmos efeitos de protecao do solo e ciclagem de nutrientes que especies cultivadas ou introduzidas para adubacao verde. O crescimento e o acumulo de nutrientes pela parte aerea de espontaneas e de leguminosas utilizadas como adubos verdes foram medidos em um experimento de campo em Sete Lagoas (MG), na Embrapa Milho e Sorgo. O experimento consistiu de cinco especies de leguminosas (feijao-de-porco, feijao bravo do Ceara, mucuna-preta, lab-lab e guandu), submetidos a duas condicoes de manejo (com e sem capina), e uma testemunha (somente espontaneas). No florescimento das leguminosas, foram obtidos a massa da materia seca e o teor de nutrientes da parte aerea de cada especie de leguminosa e das espontaneas presentes nas parcelas. O sistema com apenas as espontaneas produziu menos biomassa e acumulou menos nutrientes que os sistemas com leguminosas. Foram poucas as espontaneas que apresentaram teores de carbono, calcio e nitrogenio proximos ou superiores aos das leguminosas. No entanto, para potassio, magnesio e fosforo, ocorreu o inverso. A maioria das espontaneas apresentou teores de potassio, magnesio e de fosforo superiores aos das leguminosas, destacando-se: Portulaca oleracea, Euphorbia heterophylla, Bidens pilosa, Commelina benghalensis e Melanpodium perfoliatum

Propagation of spatially entangled qudits through free space

We show the propagation of entangled states of high-dimensional quantum systems. The qudits states were generated using the transverse correlation of the twin photons produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion. Their free-space distribution was performed at the laboratory scale and the propagated states maintained a high-fidelity with their original form. The use of entangled qudits allow an increase in the quantity of information that can be transmitted and may also guarantee more privacy for communicating parties. Therefore, studies about propagating entangled states of qudits are important for the effort of building quantum communication networks.Comment: 5 Pages, 4 Figures, REVTeX

Adequação ao Requisito Cintilação em Sistemas de Comunicação via Luz Visível Mediante uso de Sinais OFDM com Envoltória Constante

Não consta

Resultados de pesquisa obtidos na cultura do algodão nos cerrados da região Meio-Norte do Brasil no período de 1999 a 2008.

O objetivo deste trabalho é informar aos produtores de algodão da região Meio-Norte do Brasil sobre os resultados de pesquisa obtidos no período de 1999 a 2008. Nesse período foram conduzidos 91 experimentos de avaliação de genótipos visando a introdução da cultura algodoeira como uma alternativa para a rotação com as culturas de soja e milho. No Piauí, os trabalhos de pesquisa foram realizados nos municípios de Teresina, Bom Jesus, Uruçuí, Palmeira do Piauí e Baixa Grande do Ribeiro e, no Maranhão, nos municípios de Tasso Fragoso, Sambaíba, São Raimundo das Mangabeiras, Chapadinha, Brejo, Anapurus e Mata Roma. A amplitude para produtividade média de algodão em caroço variou de 2.628 kg ha-1 a 3.598 kg/ha-1 , no Piauí e, de 2.522 kg/ha-1 a 3.360 kg/ha-1, no Maranhão. No Piauí, os municípios de Baixa Grande do Ribeiro e Uruçuí apresentaram as maiores produtividades com uma amplitude de variação de 3.254 kg/ha-1 a 4.356 kg/ha-1 e 2.730 kg/ha-1 a 3.419 kg/ha-1, respectivamente. No Maranhão as melhores produtividades ocorreram nos municípios de Tasso Fragoso com uma amplitude de variação de 2.751 kg/ha-1 a 4.236 kg/ha-1 e, em São Raimundo das Mangabeiras com uma amplitude de variação de 3.313 kg/ha-1 a 3.943 kg/ha-1