An update of the on-sky performance of the Layer-Oriented wave-front sensor for MAD

The Multi-conjugate Adaptive optics Demonstrator, MAD, successfully demonstrated on sky the MCAO technique both in Layer Oriented and Star Oriented modes. As results of the Guaranteed Time Observations in Layer Oriented mode quality astronomy papers have been published. In this paper we concentrate on the instrumentation issues and technical aspects which stay behind this success.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, Proceedings of the SPIE conference "Adaptive Optics Systems II", 27 June 2010, San Diego, California, US

CXCR4 pos circulating progenitor cells coexpressing monocytic and endothelial markers correlating with fibrotic clinical features are present in the peripheral blood of patients affected by systemic sclerosis

There is still controversy regarding the role of circulating endothelial and progenitor cells (CECs/CEPs) in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Using a sequential Boolean gating strategy based on a 4-color flow cytometric protocol, an increased number of CD31(pos)/CD184(pos)(CXCR4)/CD34(pos)/CD45(pos) and CD31(pos)/CD117(pos) (c-kit-R) /CD34(pos)/ CD45(pos) hematopoietic circulating progenitor cells (HCPCs) was detected in SSc patients compared with healthy subjects. In SSc, no circulating mature and progenitor endothelial cells were observed, while an enhanced generation of erythroid progenitor cells was found to be correlated with the presence of CD117+ HCPCs. The presence of freshly detected CXCR4posHCPC was correlated either to the in vitro cultured spindle-shaped endothelial like cells (SELC) with an endo/myelomonocytic profile or to SDF-1 and VEGF serum level. These data are related to more fibrotic clinical features of the disease, thus supporting a possible role of these cells in fibrosis

Modifiable risk factors associated with bronchiolitis

Background: We sought to clarify possibly modifiable risk factors related to pollution responsible for acute bronchiolitis in hospitalized infants. Methods: For this observational study, we recruited 213 consecutive infants with bronchiolitis (cases: median age: 2 months; age range: 0.5-12 months; boys: 55.4%) and 213 children aged <3 years (controls: median age: 12 months; age range: 0.5-36 months; boys: 54.5%) with a negative medical history for lower respiratory tract diseases hospitalized at 'Sapienza' University Rome and IRCCS Bambino Gesù Hospital. Infants' parents completed a standardized 53-item questionnaire seeking information on social-demographic and clinical characteristics, indoor pollution, eating habits and outdoor air pollution. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were run to assess the independent effect of risk factors, accounting for confounders and effect modifiers. Results: In the 213 hospitalized infants the questionnaire identified the following risk factors for acute bronchiolitis: breastfeeding 3/43 months (OR: 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-3.6), presence of older siblings (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.7-4.7), 3/44 cohabitants (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1), and using seed oil for cooking (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.6). Having renovated their home in the past 12 months and concurrently being exposed daily to smoking, involving more than 11 cigarettes and two or more smoking cohabitants, were more frequent factors in cases than in controls (p = 0.021 and 0.05), whereas self-estimated proximity to road and traffic was similar in the two groups. Conclusions: We identified several risk factors for acute bronchiolitis related to indoor and outdoor pollution, including inhaling cooking oil fumes. Having this information would help public health authorities draw up effective preventive measures - for example, teach mothers to avoid handling their child when they have a cold and eliminate exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke

Audio Lecture Notes : supplementary lecture materials with added value

We present a discussion on charged Higgs boson searches at the Large Hadron Collider in CP-conserving two-Higgs Doublet Models.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Prospects for Charged Higgs Discovery at Colliders - CHARGED2010, September 27-30, 2010, Uppsala, Swede

Gestão e orientação para os clientes: um estudo em restaurantes por quilo utilizando o modelo de análise de importância e desempenho (IPA)

Os estudos sobre gestão de pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) sob a ótica da orientação para o mercado (OPM) têm sido raros no Brasil. Este artigo tem como objetivo averiguar quais atividades de marketing, concebidas sob os princípios da OPM, são adotadas por uma amostra de restaurantes por quilo (PMEs) com mais de 10 anos de existência na cidade de São Paulo, na qual foi aplicado o modelo de análise de importância (IPA). Os resultados parecem indicar que há uma dinâmica gerada pelos colaboradores internos que identificam desejos e preferência dos clientes e os transformam em serviços.Studies on management of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the perspective of market orientation (OPM) have been rare in Brazil. This article, which applied the model analysis of importance (IPA), aims to determine which marketing activities, designed under the principles of OPM, are adopted by a sample of restaurants per kilogram (SMEs) with over 10 years of existence in the city of São Paulo. The results indicate that there is a momentum generated by the internal staff to identify customer preferences and desires and transform them into services

STEM TAPERING OF Eucalyptus spp. USING DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

The objective of this work was to test and evaluate different configurations of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for modeling tree stem taper in Eucalyptus spp. in strands in the microregion of Pirapora, Minas Gerais. The data used came from 8,410 Eucalyptus spp. at different speeds. The quantitative variables measured were: age, total height, diameter at the height of 1.30 m (dbh), diameter and height in different positions on the stem. The only qualitative variable measured was the clone. Four scenarios were evaluated: scenario 1 with Ht, dbh, hi, A and Clone inputs; scenario 2 with Ht, dbh, hi and Clone; scenario 3 with Ht, dbh, hi and A; and scenario 4 with Ht, dbh and hi. We tested different ANNs topologies of the Multilayer Perceptron type. The ANNs 102 (neurons in the hidden layer = 18; function = Exponential; algorithm = Rprop), 91 (neurons in the hidden layer = 19; function = Exponential; algorithm = Rprop), 13 (neurons in the hidden layer = 7; Function = Exponential; Algorithm = SCG) and 27 (neurons in the hidden layer = 6; function = Exponential; algorithm = Rprop) presented the best measures of statistical accuracy in training to predict the bottleneck in scenarios 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The ANN 103 (neurons in the hidden layer = 19; function = Exponential; algorithm = Rprop) from scenario 1 presented good statistical results in the validation. Thus, the ANNs were efficient in predicting the diameter along the Eucalyptus spp stem

Interesse e práticas relacionadas à oncologia ginecológica entre os membros da federação brasileira de associações de ginecologia e obstetrícia

Objective The present study aims to obtain basic demographic information, the level of interest and of training in gynecology oncology among Brazilian obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYNs) to create a professional profile. Methods An online questionnaire was sent to 16,008 gynecologists affiliated to the Brazilian Federation of Associations of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FEBRASGO, in the Portuguese acronym). We considered gynecologists dedicated to gynecologic oncology (OB-GYNs ONCO) those who self-reported that > 50% of their daily practice consists in working with women's cancer care. Results A total of 1,608 (10%) of 16,008 FEBRASGO members responded. The OB-GYNs are concentrated in the southern and southeastern states of Brazil. Gynecologic oncology was considered the 8th greatest area of interest in gynecology among the OB-GYNs. A total of 95 (5.9%) of the OB-GYNs were considered OB-GYNs ONCO. Obstetricians and gynecologists are actively engaged in cancer care: > 60% of them dedicate up to 25% of their daily practice to oncology. The role of the physicians in screening and prevention, diagnosis, in the treatment of precancerous lesions, and in low complexity surgical procedures is notably high. Gynecologists dedicated to gynecologic oncology in Brazil have a heterogeneous, nonstandardized and short training period in gynecologic oncology. These professionals had a more significantly role in performing medium- and high-complexity operations compared with OB-GYNs (65.2% versus 34%, and 47.3% versus 8.4%, respectively). Conclusion The role of OB-GYNs and of OB-GYNs ONCO appears to be complementary. Obstetricians and gynecologists act more often in screening and prevention and in low-complexity surgical procedures, whereas OB-GYNs ONCO are more involved in highly complex cases. Strategies to raise standards in cancer training and to encourage the recognition of gynecologic oncology as a subspecialty should be adopted in Brazil416394399Objetivo O presente estudo tem como objetivo obter informações demográficas básicas, o nível de interesse e de treinamento em ginecologia oncológica entre obstetras e ginecologistas (OB-GYNs) brasileiros para criar um perfil destes profissionais. Métodos Um questionário online foi enviado a 16.008 ginecologistas filiados à Federação Brasileira de Associações de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia (FEBRASGO). Nós consideramos ginecologistas dedicados à oncologia ginecológica (OB-GYNs ONCO) aqueles que referiram atuar em > 50% de sua prática diária com o tratamento do câncer feminino. Resultados Um total de 1.608 (10%) dos 16.008 membros da FEBRASGO responderam ao questionário. Os OB-GYNs estão concentrados nos estados do sul e sudeste do Brasil. A oncologia ginecológica foi considerada a 8ª área de maior interesse em ginecologia entre os OB-GYNs. Um total de 95 (5,9%) dos OB-GYNs foram considerados ginecologistas dedicados à oncologia ginecológica (OB-GYNs ONCO). Obstetras e ginecologistas estão ativamente envolvidos no tratamento do câncer: > 60% deles dedicam até 25% de sua prática diária à oncologia. O papel dos médicos na triagem e na prevenção, no diagnóstico, no tratamento de lesões pré-cancerosas e em procedimentos cirúrgicos de baixa complexidade é notavelmente alto. Ginecologistas dedicados à oncologia ginecológica no Brasil têm um período de treinamento em oncologia ginecológica heterogêneo, não padronizado e curto. Estes profissionais tiveram um papel mais significativo na realização de operações de média e alta complexidade em comparação com OB-GYNs (65,2% versus 34%, e 47,3% versus 8,4%, respectivamente). Conclusão Os papéis dos OB-GYN e dos OB-GYNs ONCO parecem ser complementares. Os OB-GYNs frequentemente atuam em triagem e prevenção e em procedimentos cirúrgicos de baixa complexidade, enquanto os OB-GYNs ONCO estão mais envolvidos em casos de mais alta complexidade. Estratégias para elevar os padrões de treinamento em oncoginecologia e incentivar o reconhecimento da oncologia ginecológica como uma subespecialidade devem ser adotadas no Brasil