Testing the Peculiar Velocity Field predicted from Redshift Surveys

The reconstruction of the peculiar velocity field from the 1.936~Jy iras selected sample of galaxies is compared to a similar reconstruction from an optically selected sample. A general method for combining different samples to reconstruct a self-consistent density and peculiar velocity field is presented. The method is applied to determine how sensitive the derived peculiar velocity field is to the characteristics of the sample used. The possibility that the iras galaxies do not trace the general galaxy population is explored adopting a simple model of linear biasing between the iras and optical samples. We find that the velocity fields derived from the two samples are consistent, within the estimated shot noise error, for the case of no relative bias. This result suggests that the predicted peculiar velocity field based on iras samples is not sensitive to the sampling properties of iras galaxies. Combined with previous suggestion of a relative biasing of iras galaxies on small scales (about 5 h^-1Mpc), this result suggests scale dependent biasing.Comment: tar-compressed and uudecoded postscript files, 12 pages+8 figure

AS RÁDIOS FM DE SÃO LUÍS NO CENÁRIODA DESMATERIALIZAÇÃO DA MÚSICA

A migração da música dos formatos físicos como LP e CD para arquivos digitais caracteriza sua desmaterialização. Este fenômeno tem exercido impacto não somente nas estratégias dos artistas e na forma como o ouvinte lida com essa arte, mas também na rotina dos meios de comunicação, especialmente o rádio. Este artigo traça observações sobre a relação entre o rádio e a música desmaterializada. Busca-se apontar aspectos tangentes às mudanças, adaptações e impactos sofridos pelo rádio nesse cenário. Estabelece-se como objetos as rádios Mirante FM, Difusora FM e Universidade FM, de São Luís (MA). Aborda-se a relação entre rádio e música sob uma perspectiva histórica, no Brasil e no Maranhão

Rigid-Frame Porous Material Acoustic Attenuation on Compressor Discharge

Standards have limited the allowable noise levels in different situations, requiring the study of solutions at the source, in the path or the receiver. Muffler is the major factor influencing the noise of rotary compressor. Control and analyze the acoustic characteristics of muffler is essential. Porous materials have been studied and widely applied to reduce aircraft and vehicular noise or industrial problems in general. Generally, designers use absorbing materials available on the market, however they are not always adequate to the problem when there is the presence of another gas, for example in hermetic compressors. Thus it is proposed to model the propagation in rigid porous material, characterize and develop the porous metal optimizing your acoustical absorption performance, when applied in a cavity. Direct techniques for measuring the material properties such as resistivity, porosity, tortuosity and characteristic thermal and viscous length will be studied

Popfrito: estética da droga como objeto artístico e sua emergência na arte contemporânea

Um estudo do objeto-droga na contemporaneidade sob a ótica da arte, tangenciando questões da arte, do design, e da sociedade de consumo. A partir disto, um panorama sobre a influência deste objeto na Arte Pop Contemporânea, seguida da minha produção artística que contempla estes temas

Lectures on Dark Energy and Cosmic Acceleration

The discovery ten years ago that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating put in place the present cosmological model, in which the Universe is composed of 4% baryons, 20% dark matter, and 76% dark energy. Yet the underlying cause of cosmic acceleration remains a mystery: it could arise from the repulsive gravity of dark energy -- for example, the quantum energy of the vacuum -- or it may signal that General Relativity breaks down on cosmological scales and must be replaced. In these lectures, I present the observational evidence for cosmic acceleration and what it has revealed about dark energy, discuss a few of the theoretical ideas that have been proposed to explain acceleration, and describe the key observational probes that we hope will shed light on this enigma in the coming years.Comment: 36 pages, 11 figures, based on 5 lectures given at XII Ciclo de Cursos Especiais at Observatorio Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1-5 Oct. 200

Detection methods of binary stars with low- and intermediate-mass components

This paper reviews methods which can be used to detect binaries involving low- and intermediate-mass stars, with special emphasis on evolved systems. Besides the traditional methods involving radial-velocity or photometric monitoring, the paper discusses as well less known methods involving astrometry or maser (non-)detection. An extensive list of internet resources (mostly catalogues/databases of orbits and individual measurements) for the study of binary stars is provided at the end of the paper.Comment: 53 pages, 30 figures. v2: Eq. 7 modified. A file with full-resolution figures is available at http://www.astro.ulb.ac.be/Html/ps.html#Binaries To appear in P. Pellegrini (ed.), XII Special Courses at the National Observatory of Rio de Janeiro, AIP Conference Proceedings. After it is published, it will be found at http://link.aip.org/link/?ap

Respiratory viral infections and effects of meteorological parameters and air pollution in adults with respiratory symptoms admitted to the emergency room

Background Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are the most common causes of respiratory infections. The prevalence of respiratory viruses in adults is underestimated. Meteorological variations and air pollution are likely to play a role in these infections. Objectives The objectives of this study were to determine the number of emergency visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and to evaluate the association between ILI/SARI, RVI prevalence, and meteorological factors/air pollution, in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, from November 2008 to October 2010. Methods Eleven thousand nine hundred and fifty-three hospitalizations (adults and children) for respiratory symptoms were correlated with meteorological parameters and air pollutants. In a subset of adults, nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected and analyzed through IFI test. The data were analyzed using time-series analysis. Results Influenza-like illness and SARI were diagnosed in 3698 (30 9%) and 2063 (17 7%) patients, respectively. Thirty-seven (9 0%) samples were positive by IFI and 93 of 410 (22 7%) were IFI and/or PCR positive. In a multivariate logistic regression model, IFI positivity was statistically associated with absolute humidity, use of air conditioning, and presence of mold in home. Sunshine duration was significantly associated with the frequency of ILI cases. For SARI cases, the variables mean temperature, sunshine duration, relative humidity, and mean concentration of pollutants were singnificant. Conclusions At least 22% of infections in adult patients admitted to ER with respiratory complaints were caused by RVI. The correlations among meteorological variables, air pollution, ILI/SARI cases, and respiratory viruses demonstrated the relevance of climate factors as significant underlying contributors to the prevalence of RVI

Effects of temperature variations on the modal properties of masonry structures: An experimental-based numerical modelling approach

Long–term ambient vibration monitoring campaigns show that environmental parameters (such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction) can influence the structures' static and dynamic behaviour. In particular, thermal variations can affect the modal characteristics of ancient masonry constructions. This work presents a procedure combining experimental and numerical steps to monitor, assess and model the dynamic behaviour of masonry structures subjected to thermal loads. The procedure is tested and validated through two numerical examples and the simulation of a full-scale masonry structure, the Mogadouro clock tower in Portugal, monitored with accelerometers and temperature and humidity sensors.CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche(undefined

Expansão do agronegócio no Brasil: diferentes discursos e dinâmicas socioeconômicas no Rio Grande do Sul

Since the late 1990s, the expansion of commodity agriculture in Brazil has generated considerable transformations in land use, strongly conditioning local and regional socioeconomic dynamics and generating different interpretations in this regard. The present paper presents the different discourses on the local effects of the expansion of this "agribusiness cycle" and analyzes the socioeconomic aspects related to it in Rio Grande do Sul. Taking into account the degree of participation of soybean production in the municipal economies, the results show less desirable socioeconomic indicators in the municipalities where soybeans are most relevant. From the analysis of the evolution of land use, the paper also examines the extent to which the expansion of agribusiness in Rio Grande do Sul may be associated with an increase in food insecurity.Desde finales de la década de 1990, la expansión de la agricultura de commodities en Brasil ha generado cambios considerables en el uso de la tierra, determinando fuertemente las dinámicas socioeconómicas locales y regionales y generando diferentes interpretaciones al respecto. Este artículo presenta los diferentes discursos sobre los efectos locales de la expansión de este nuevo "ciclo del agronegocio" y analiza aspectos socioeconómicos relacionados en Rio Grande do Sul. Teniendo en cuenta el grado de participación de la producción de soja en las economías municipales del estado, se identifican indicadores socioeconómicos menos deseables en los municipios donde la soja es más relevante. Basado en el análisis de la evolución del uso de la tierra, el documento también examina en qué medida la expansión de los agronegocios en Rio Grande do Sul puede estar asociada con una mayor inseguridad alimentaria.Desde o fim da década de 1990, a expansão da agricultura de commodities no Brasil tem gerado consideráveis transformações no uso da terra, condicionando fortemente dinâmicas socioeconômicas locais e regionais e gerando distintas interpretações a esse respeito. O presente trabalho apresenta os diferentes discursos sobre os efeitos locais da expansão desse novo “ciclo do agronegócio” e analisa aspectos socioeconômicos a ele relacionados no Rio Grande do Sul. Levando em consideração o grau de participação da produção de soja nas economias municipais do estado, identificam-se indicadores socioeconômicos menos desejáveis nos municípios em que a soja tem maior relevância. A partir da análise da evolução do uso da terra, o trabalho examina ainda em que medida a expansão do agronegócio no Rio Grande do Sul pode estar associada a um aumento da insegurança alimentar