The use of pocket-size imaging devices: a position statement of the European Association of Echocardiography.

Pocket-size imaging devices are a completely new type of echo machines which have recently reached the market. They are very cheap, smartphone-size hand-held echo machines with limited technical capabilities. The aim of this European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) position paper is to provide recommendations on the use of pocket-size imaging devices in the clinical arena by profiling the educational needs of potential users other than cardiologists experts in echo. EAE recommendations about pocket-size imaging devices can be summarized in: (1) pocket-size imaging devices do not provide a complete diagnostic echocardiographic examination. The range of indications for their use is therefore limited. (2) Imaging assessment with pocket-size imaging devices should be reported as part of the physical examination of the patient. Image data should be stored according to the applicable national rules for technical examinations. (3) With the exception of cardiologists who are certified for transthoracic echocardiography according to national legislation, specific training and certification is recommended for all users. The certification should be limited to the clinical questions that can potentially be answered by pocket-size devices. (4) The patient has to be informed that an examination with the current generation of pocket-size imaging devices does not replace a complete echocardiogram.Peer reviewe

Glicerólisis de oleínas de cacao con lipasa Candida antarctica en un sistema libre de solventes

In this paper we present the valorization of cocoa olein obtained from the acid fat-splitting of soapstocks. The aim is to develop a solvent free process (enzymatically catalyzed) to maximize the production of a final product with high content of monoglycerides (MAG) and diglycerides (DAG). The effect of the enzyme dose, glycerol content, reaction times as well as the modification of the raw material and pressure were studied. The yield of the reaction increased up to 90-95% when using a vacuum of 2-3 mbar at 65 °C, enough to evaporate the water which is generated as a by-product, an enzyme dose of 1% and molar ratio oil:glycerol of 1:2. The highest yield in terms of MAG and DAG production was obtained by starting from a raw material which was rich in free acidity (FFA), rendering oil with 33.4 and 44.2% MAG and DAG, respectively. Short reaction times (6-8 h) were observed compared to previously reported results (24 h).En el presente trabajo se pretende valorizar la oleína vegetal de cacao procedente de la ruptura ácida de las pastas de refinación química. El objetivo es poner a punto un proceso de glicerólisis enzimática en un sistema libre de solventes maximizando la producción de monoglicéridos (MAG) y diglicéridos (DAG). Se ha estudiado el efecto de la dosis de enzima, el contenido de glicerol y el tiempo de reacción, la modificación de la presión de reacción y la composición de la materia prima. Se concluye que el rendimiento de la reacción aumenta hasta el 90-95% cuando se aplica un vacío de 2-3 mbar a 65 ºC suficiente para evaporar el agua que se va generando como producto, una dosis de enzima del 1% y una relación molar aceite:glicerol 1:2. El mayor rendimiento en cuanto a la producción de MAG y DAG se ha conseguido partiendo de una materia prima rica en acidez libre (FFA), obteniéndose un aceite con un 33.4 y 44.2% de MAG y DAG, respectivamente. Se observa que los tiempos de reacción son cortos (6-8h) comparados con los descritos en la bibliografía encontrada (24h)

A contribution to the selection of emission-line galaxies using narrow-band filters in the optical airglow windows

Emission line galaxies are an invaluable tool for our understanding of the evolution of galaxies in the Universe. Imaging of deep fields with narrow-band filters allows not only the selection of these objects, but also to infer the line flux and the equivalent width of the emission line with some assumptions. The narrow-band filter technique provides homogeneous samples of galaxies in small comoving volumes in the sky. We present an analysis of the selection of emission-line galaxies using narrow-band filters. Different methods of observation are considered: broad-band -- narrow-band filters and two broad-band and one narrow-band filters. We study also the effect of several lines entering simultaneously inside the filters (this is the case of Halpha). In each case the equations to obtain the equivalent width and line flux from the photometry are obtained. Candidates to emission-line objects are selected by their color excess in a magnitude-color diagram. For different narrow-band filters, we compute the mean colors of stars and galaxies, showing that, apart from galaxies, some types of stars could be selected with certain filter sets. We show how to compute the standard deviation of the colors of the objects even in the usual case when there are not enough objects to determine the standard deviation from the data. We present also helpful equations to compute the narrow-band and the broad-band exposure times in order to obtain minimum dispersion in the ratio of fluxes of both bands with minimum total exposure time.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASP 48 pages, 10 figures Corrected typos, fixed references. Updated reference to T

Combined effects of land use and hunting on distributions of tropical mammals

Land use and hunting are 2 major pressures on biodiversity in the tropics. Yet, their combined impacts have not been systematically quantified at a large scale. We estimated the effects of both pressures on the distributions of 1884 tropical mammal species by integrating species’ range maps, detailed land-use maps (1992 and 2015), species-specific habitat preference data, and a hunting pressure model. We further identified areas where the combined impacts were greatest (hotspots) and least (coolspots) to determine priority areas for mitigation or prevention of the pressures. Land use was the main driver of reduced distribution of all mammal species considered. Yet, hunting pressure caused additional reductions in large-bodied species’ distributions. Together, land use and hunting reduced distributions of species by 41% (SD 30) on average (year 2015). Overlap between impacts was only 2% on average. Land use contributed more to the loss of distribution (39% on average) than hunting (4% on average). However, hunting reduced the distribution of large mammals by 29% on average; hence, large mammals lost a disproportional amount of area due to the combination of both pressures. Gran Chaco, the Atlantic Forest, and Thailand had high levels of impact across the species (hotspots of area loss). In contrast, the Amazon and Congo Basins, the Guianas, and Borneo had relatively low levels of impact (coolspots of area loss). Overall, hunting pressure and human land use increased from 1992 to 2015 and corresponding losses in distribution increased from 38% to 41% on average across the species. To effectively protect tropical mammals, conservation policies should address both pressures simultaneously because their effects are highly complementary. Our spatially detailed and species-specific results may support future national and global conservation agendas, including the design of post-2020 protected area targets and strategies

The stellar mass assembly of galaxies from z=0 to z=4. Analysis of a sample selected in the rest-frame near-infrared with Spitzer

Using a sample of ~28,000 sources selected at 3.6-4.5 microns with Spitzer observations of the HDF-N, the CDF-S, and the Lockman Hole (surveyed area: ~664 arcmin^2), we study the evolution of the stellar mass content of the Universe at 0<z<4. We calculate stellar masses and photometric redshifts, based on ~2,000 templates built with stellar and dust emission models fitting the UV-to-MIR SEDs of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts. We estimate stellar mass functions for different redshift intervals. We find that 50% of the local stellar mass density was assembled at 0<z<1 (average SFR:0.048 M_sun/yr/Mpc^3), and at least another 40% at 1<z<4 (average SFR: 0.074 M_sun/yr/Mpc^3). Our results confirm and quantify the ``downsizing'' scenario of galaxy formation. The most massive galaxies (M>10^12.0 M_sun) assembled the bulk of their stellar content rapidly (in 1-2 Gyr) beyond z~3 in very intense star formation events (producing high specific SFRs). Galaxies with 10^11.5<M/M_sun<10^12.0 assembled half of their stellar mass before z~1.5, and more than 90% of their mass was already in place at z~0.6. Galaxies with M<10^11.5 M_sun evolved more slowly (presenting smaller specific SFRs), assembling half of their stellar mass below z~1. About 40% of the local stellar mass density of 10^9.0<M/M_sun<10^11.0 galaxies was assembled below z~0.4, most probably through accretion of small satellites producing little star formation. The cosmic stellar mass density at z>2.5 is dominated by optically faint (R>25) red galaxies (Distant Red Galaxies or BzK sources) which account for ~30% of the global population of galaxies, but contribute at least 60% to the cosmic stellar mass density. Bluer galaxies (e.g., Lyman Break Galaxies) are more numerous but less massive, contributing less than 50% to the global stellar mass density at high redshift.Comment: Published in ApJ. 38 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables, 2 appendices. Some changes to match the final published versio

Numerical stability of a family of Osipkov-Merrit models

We have investigated the stability of a set of non-rotating anisotropic spherical models with a phase-space distribution function of the Osipkov-Merritt type. The velocity distribution in these models is isotropic near the center and becomes radially anisotropic at large radii. They are special members of the family studied by Dehnen and Tremaine et al. where the mass density has a power-law cusp $\rho\propto r^{-\gamma}$ at small radii and decays as $\rho\propto r^{-4}$ at large radii. The radial-orbit instability of models with $\gamma$ = 0, 1/2, 1, 3/2, and 2, was studied using an N-body code written by one of us and based on the `self-consistent field' method developed by Hernquist and Ostriker. These simulations have allowed us to delineate a boundary in the $(\gamma,r_{a})$-plane that separates the stable from the unstable models. This boundary is given by $2T_{r}/T_{t} = 2.31 \pm 0.27$, for the ratio of the total radial to tangential kinetic energy. We also found that the stability criterion $df/dQ\le 0$, recently raised by Hjorth, gives lower values compared with our numerical results.Comment: AASTEX, 22 pages, 11 figures, Figs. 5 available from author. Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journa

Towards a runtime verification framework for the Ada Programming Language

Runtime verification is an emerging discipline that investigates methods and tools to enable the verification of program properties during the execution of the application. The goal is to complement static analysis approaches, in particular when static verification leads to the explosion of states. Non-functional properties, such as the ones present in real-time systems are an ideal target for this kind of verification methodology, as are usually out of the range of the power and expressiveness of classic static analyses. In this paper, we present a framework that allows real-time programs written in Ada to be augmented with runtime verification capabilities. Our framework provides the infrastructures which is needed to instrument the code with runtime monitors. These monitors are responsible for observing the system and reaching verdicts about whether its behavior is compliant with its non-functional properties. We also sketch a contract language to extend the one currently provided by Ada, with the long term goal of having an elegant way in which runtime monitors can be automatically synthesized and instrumented into the target systems. The usefulness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by showing its use for an application scenario.This work was partially supported by Portuguese National Funds through FCT (Portuguese Founda- tion for Science and Technology) and by ERDF (European Regional Develop- ment Fund) through COMPETE (Operational Programme ’Thematic Factors of Competitiveness’), within projects FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037281 (CISTER), FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-015006 (VIPCORE) and FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER- 020486 (AVIACC); and by FCT and EU ARTEMIS JU, within project ARTEMIS/0003/2012, JU grant nr. 333053 (CONCERTO)