Testing strong gravity with gravitational waves and Love numbers

The LIGO observation of GW150914 has inaugurated the gravitational-wave astronomy era and the possibility of testing gravity in extreme regimes. While distorted black holes are the most convincing sources of gravitational waves, similar signals might be produced also by other compact objects. In particular, we discuss what the gravitational-wave ringdown could tell us about the nature of the emitting object, and how measurements of the tidal Love numbers could help us in understanding the internal structure of compact dark objects

Alterations in heterosis of maize populations derived from single-cross hybrids after reciprocal recurrent selection.

One hundred and sixty-nine interpopulational half sib progenies were obtained from maize populations derived from the commercial single-cross hybrids AG9012 (1) and C333 (2) to investigate the efficiency of reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS). Fifteen progenies with highest hulled ear yield were obtained. Two recombination trials were sown with remnant S1 seeds, and the improved CI1 and CI2 populations were simultaneously obtained with their hybrid combination. Yield trials were set up in three sites to assess the efficiency of the RRS. The F1 from single-cross hybrid AG9012 and C333, the double-cross (F1(1)x F1(2) hybrids, the C0 1 and C02 populations, the interpopulational hybrid (C01 x C02), the CI1 and CI2 improved populations, and their hybrid (CI1 x CI2) were compared. A 5.7% progress was obtained in one cycle of RRS for ear yield, mainly attributed to increased heterosis. The yield of the improved hybrid was superior to the F1 from single-cross hybrids AG9012 and C333, demonstrating the potential of the referred hybrid combination. Para verificar a eficiência da seleção recorrente recíproca (SRR) em populações originárias dos híbridos simples comerciais AG9012 (1) e C333 (2) foram obtidas, inicialmente, 169 progênies de meios-irmãos interpopulacionais. As 15 melhores progênies em produção de espigas despalhadas foram identificadas. Utilizando-se sementes S1 remanescentes, semearam-se dois campos de recombinação, sendo simultaneamente obtidas as populações melhoradas C1 1 e C1 2 e a combinação híbrida entre elas. Os experimentos para avaliar a eficiência da SRR foram instalados em três locais. Foram comparados o F1 dos híbridos simples AG9012 e C333, o híbrido duplo F1(1) x F1 (2), entre eles as populações CD1 e CD2, o híbrido interpopulacinal (CD1 e CD2), as populações melhoradas C1 1 e C1 2 e a sua combinação híbrida (C1 1 e C 1 2). O progresso com um ciclo de SRR foi de 5,7% para a produção de espigas e deveu-se , principalmente, ao incremento na heterose. O desempenho do híbrido melhorado superou a geração F1 dos híbridos simples AG9012 e C333, evidenciando o potencial da referida combinação híbrida

First Diabetic Retinopathy Prevalence Study in Portugal: RETINODIAB Study-Evaluation of the Screening Programme for Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In Portugal, so far, there is no study or even accurate data on the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR), based on a large representative sample and on a long-term follow-up. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of DR based on a national screening community-based programme. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective analysis of the RETINODIAB screening programme results was implemented in Lisbon and Tagus Valley area between July 2009 and October 2014. We estimated the prevalence of retinopathy for all patients with type 2 diabetes and studied the association between known risk factors and retinopathy emergence at their first screening. RESULTS: Throughout this period, from a total of 103 102 DR readable screening examinations, 52 739 corresponded to patients who attended RETINODIAB screening at entry. Globally, DR was detected in 8584 patients (16.3%). Of these, 5484 patients (10.4%) had mild non-proliferative (NP) DR, 1457 patients (2.8%) had moderate NPDR and 672 (1.3%) had severe NPDR. Finally, 971 patients (1.8%) had proliferative DR requiring urgent referral to an ophthalmologist. The presence of any DR, non-referable DR or referable DR was strongly associated with increasing duration of diabetes and earlier age at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of DR in our study (16.3%) was slightly lower than other published international data. The RETINODIAB network proved to be an effective screening programme as it improved DR screening in Lisbon and Tagus Valley surrounding are

Quantum oscillator and Kepler-Coulomb problems in curved spaces: deformed shape invariance, point canonical transformations, and rational extensions

The quantum oscillator and Kepler-Coulomb problems in $d$-dimensional spaces with constant curvature are analyzed from several viewpoints. In a deformed supersymmetric framework, the corresponding nonlinear potentials are shown to exhibit a deformed shape invariance property. By using the point canonical transformation method, the two deformed Schr\"odinger equations are mapped onto conventional ones corresponding to some shape-invariant potentials, whose rational extensions are well known. The inverse point canonical transformations then provide some rational extensions of the oscillator and Kepler-Coulomb potentials in curved space. The oscillator on the sphere and the Kepler-Coulomb potential in a hyperbolic space are studied in detail and their extensions are proved to be consistent with already known ones in Euclidean space. The partnership between nonextended and extended potentials is interpreted in a deformed supersymmetric framework. Those extended potentials that are isospectral to some nonextended ones are shown to display deformed shape invariance, which in the Kepler-Coulomb case is enlarged by also translating the degree of the polynomial arising in the rational part denominator.Comment: 32 pages, no figure; published versio

Sobre modos de fazer etnografia e modos de fazer mundos

Apresentação do Dossiê "Artes e antropologias: políticas, poéticas das ruas e modos de fazer etnográficos". Na organização desse dossiê (per)seguimos um itinerário que, há longa data, vem nos ocupando e está ligado, por um lado, aos cruzamentos entre arte e política e, por outro, à imbricação entre práticas e modos de fazer etnográficos e artísticos. Junto com outra antropóloga e fazedora de artes do corpo, Julia Ruiz di Giovanni, aqui ausente, mas sempre presente num diálogo que mantemos nos últimos anos, fomos potencializar essa troca que se deu tanto em momentos de discussão acadêmica, com congressos, seminários e cursos ou em eventos de caráter híbrido, com artistas e pesquisadoras, para não mencionar as conversas menos formais que vem atravessando o oceano Atlântico inúmeras vezes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Alternative products to carbazoles in the oxidation of diphenylamines with palladium (II) acetate

Although simple diphenylamines are conveniently oxidised with Palladium (II) acetate to give carbazoles, for more complex examples, carbazoles are minor products amongst many.CRUP (Portugal). British Council - Treaty of Windsor Programme. Junta Nacional de Investigação Científica e Tecnológica

Identifying the unmet needs of individuals with Type 2 diabetes: an international web-based survey

Aim: To identify and understand the main unmet needs of individuals with Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Materials & methods: An online survey was conducted in Brazil, China and Russia of individuals with recently diagnosed T2D. Results: The survey, involving 300 individuals with T2D, identified a need for more information regarding food/diet and for increased awareness of T2D symptoms. While most participants (94%) had experienced symptoms prior to their diagnosis, only 55% of symptomatic individuals sought medical attention. Conclusion: Novel strategies to increase awareness of diabetes should be developed and tested, and may enable earlier diagnosis and improve patients' quality of life.publishersversionpublishe