Rastall Cosmology and the \Lambda CDM Model

Rastall's theory is based on the non-conservation of the energy-momentum tensor. We show that, in this theory, if we introduce a two-fluid model, one component representing vacuum energy whereas the other pressureless matter (e.g. baryons plus cold dark matter), the cosmological scenario is the same as for the \Lambda CDM model, both at background and linear perturbative levels, except for one aspect: now dark energy may cluster. We speculate that this can lead to a possibility of distinguishing the models at the non-linear perturbative level.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Redução de altura de plantas de sorgo forrageiro com uso de regulador de crescimento.

O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de aplicação do regulador de crescimento Moddus (Trinexapaque-etílico), em três cultivares de sorgo silageiro, e sua influência sobre o desenvolvimento da planta em dois anos agrícolas

Dermatomyositis and Breast Calcinosis

The authors report a rare case of dermatomyositis diagnosed at the Mastology Sector of the Division of Gynecology of the Federal University of São Paulo - Escola Paulista de Medicina, which caused breast deformity due to formation of bilateral dystrophic calcifications.Os autores relatam caso raro de dermatomiosite diagnosticado no Setor de Mastologia da Disciplina de Ginecologia da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) - Escola Paulista de Medicina, causando deformidade mamária devido à formação de calcificações distróficas bilateralmente.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Setor de MastologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Setor de MastologiaSciEL

A study of hormone activity in premenopausal tamoxifen-treated women

Purpose: to evaluate the effects of tamoxifen (TAM) on plasma levels of estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and steroid hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) when given to premenopausal women in the doses of 10 and 20 mg/day for 22 days. Patients and Methods: a randomized double-blind study was performed with 43 premenopausal eumenorrheic women. The patients were divided into three groups: A (N = 15, placebo); B (N = 15, TAM 10 mg/day) and C (N = 13, 20 mg/day). They started taking an oral dose of TAM or placebo on the very first day of the menstrual cycle. Two hormone determinations were performed, both on the 22nd day of the menstrual cycle: the first in the cycle that preceded the use of the drug and the second, in the following cycle, after 22 days of using the medication. We used the Levine and Student tests in order to evaluate the homogeneity of the sample and the variation of the hormone determinations respectively. Results:serum levels of estradiol, progesterone and SHBG increased significantly in groups B and C. In group C, we also observed increase in serum level of FSH (p < 0.0045) and a fall in prolactin level (p < 0.0055). Conclusions: TAM promoted a significant increase in serum concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and SHBG either in the doses of 10 or 20 mg/day. However, significant increase in FSH and decrease in prolactin were obtained only with the dose of 20 mg/day.Objetivos: Avaliar o efeito do tamoxifeno nos níveis séricos de progesterona, estradiol, prolactina, hormônio luteinizante (LH), hormônio folículo-estimulante (FSH) e da globulina transportadora dos hormônios sexuais (SHBG), quando administrado a mulheres no menacme, nas doses de 10 e 20 mg/dia por 22 dias. Métodos: Estudo aleatório e duplo-cego. Foram incluídas 43 mulheres pré-menopausadas e eumenorréicas. Foram distribuídas em 3 grupos: A (N = 15; placebo), B (N = 15; 10 mg/dia) e C (N = 13; 20 mg/dia). Foram realizadas duas dosagens hormonais, sendo a primeira no 22º dia do ciclo menstrual que precedeu o uso da droga e a segunda após 22 dias de uso do medicamento. Utilizaram-se os testes de Levene e t-pareado para avaliar a homogeneidade da amostra e a variação das dosagens hormonais, respectivamente. Resultados: As concentrações séricas de estradiol, progesterona e SHBG aumentaram significantemente nos grupos B e C. No grupo C, observou-se ainda elevação no nível sérico de FSH (p < 0,0045) e queda dos valores de prolactina (p < 0,0055). Conclusões: O tamoxifeno promoveu aumento significante nas concentrações séricas de estradiol, progesterona e SHBG, tanto na dose de 10 como de 20 mg/dia. Porém, o aumento significante de FSH e a diminuição da prolactina foram obtidos apenas com a dose de 20 mg/dia.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

A comparison of methods for the evaluation of the physiological quality of soybean seeds with emphasis to the use of the electrical conductivity test.

Sementes de três cultivares de soja foram submetidas a testes de germinação, tetrazólio, frio, envelhecimento artificial, condutividade elétrica e emergência das plântulas em campo, nas instalações do Departamento de Agricultura da ESALQ/USP, entre os meses de outubro de 1987 e abril de 1988. Avaliaram-se diferentes períodos de embebição pré-leitura da condutividade elétrica, com o objetivo principal de verificar a possibilidade da redução da duração desse teste. Concluiu-se que a avaliação do potencial fisiológico das sementes em laboratório deve ser baseada no conjunto dos resultados de diferentes testes. Dentre eles, períodos mais curtos de embebição (4 e 8 horas) pré-leitura da condutividade podem ser utilizados para identificação de diferenças mais acentuadas de vigor, enquanto a embebição durante 16 ou 20 horas toma esse teste mais sensível às diferenças do vigor de sementes de sojaAn experiment was set at the Agriculture Dept., ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba, Brasil, between October/ 1987 and April 1988 with the purpose of comparing the efficiency of diferent tests in evaluating the physiological quality of seeds from three soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cultivars. The comparisons included the germination, tetrazolium, cold, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity and field emergence tests. Different imbibition periods for the electrical conductivity test were also compared. It was concluded that the physiological quality of soybean seeds is best estimated when based upon results from several different tests. Among them, the shorter imbibition periods (4 and 8 hours) for the bulk conductivity test can be used for the detection of wide vigor differences, while a 16 or 20 hours imbibition period can be used for identifying smaller differences among soybean seed lots

Routine screening of harmful microorganisms in beach sands: implications to public health

Beaches worldwide provide recreational opportunities to hundreds of millions of people and serve as important components of coastal economies. Beach water is often monitored for microbiological quality to detect the presence of indicators of human sewage contamination so as to prevent public health outbreaks associated with water contact. However, growing evidence suggests that beach sand can harbor microbes harmful to human health, often in concentrations greater than the beach water. Currently, there are no standards for monitoring, sampling, analyzing, or managing beach sand quality. In addition to indicator microbes, growing evidence has identified pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi in a variety of beach sands worldwide. The public health threat associated with these populations through direct and indirect contact is unknown because so little research has been conducted relating to health outcomes associated with sand quality. In this manuscript, we present the consensus findings of a workshop of experts convened in Lisbon, Portugal to discuss the current state of knowledge on beach sand microbiological quality and to develop suggestions for standardizing the evaluation of sand at coastal beaches. The expert group at the "Microareias 2012" workshop recommends that 1) beach sand should be screened for a variety of pathogens harmful to human health, and sand monitoring should then be initiated alongside regular water monitoring; 2) sampling and analysis protocols should be standardized to allow proper comparisons among beach locations; and 3) further studies are needed to estimate human health risk with exposure to contaminated beach sand. Much of the manuscript is focused on research specific to Portugal, but similar results have been found elsewhere, and the findings have worldwide implications

Routine screening of harmful microorganisms in beach sands: implications to public health

Beaches worldwide provide recreational opportunities to hundreds of millions of people and serve as important components of coastal economies. Beach water is often monitored for microbiological quality to detect the presence of indicators of human sewage contamination so as to prevent public health outbreaks associated with water contact. However, growing evidence suggests that beach sand can harbor microbes harmful to human health, often in concentrations greater than the beach water. Currently, there are no standards for monitoring, sampling, analyzing, or managing beach sand quality. In addition to indicator microbes, growing evidence has identified pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi in a variety of beach sands worldwide. The public health threat associated with these populations through direct and indirect contact is unknown because so little research has been conducted relating to health outcomes associated with sand quality. In this manuscript, we present the consensus findings of a workshop of experts convened in Lisbon, Portugal to discuss the current state of knowledge on beach sand microbiological quality and to develop suggestions for standardizing the evaluation of sand at coastal beaches. The expert group at the "Microareias 2012" workshop recommends that 1) beach sand should be screened for a variety of pathogens harmful to human health, and sand monitoring should then be initiated alongside regular water monitoring; 2) sampling and analysis protocols should be standardized to allow proper comparisons among beach locations; and 3) further studies are needed to estimate human health risk with exposure to contaminated beach sand. Much of the manuscript is focused on research specific to Portugal, but similar results have been found elsewhere, and the findings have worldwide implications

Capacidade combinatória de linhagens e seleção de hibridos de sorgo granífero.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi selecionar parentais e híbridos de sorgo granífero para características agronômicas. Foram avaliados 184 cruzamentos oriundos de um dialelo parcial envolvendo 16 linhagens machoestéreis e 12 restauradoras da fertilidade. Foram realizados 8 experimentos, com 23 híbridos cada e duas testemunhas adicionais (BRS 304 e BRS 330), em blocos casualizados, com duas repetições. Foram avaliadas as características rendimento de grãos, florescimento e altura de plantas. Os efeitos de CGC e CEC foram significativos para as três características, mostrando a importância dos efeitos aditivos e dominantes no controle destes caracteres. O quadrado médio para CGC foi superior ao da CEC. Todos os parentais que contribuíram para aumentar o rendimento de grãos também o fizeram para altura de plantas, exceto pelos parentais femininos CMSXS 1006 e CMSXS 1011, mostrando a dificuldade de dissociar estas duas características. Os híbridos mais produtivos apresentaram altura de plantas acima do recomendado para sorgo granífero, mesmo assim foi possível a seleção de cruzamentos que apresentaram rendimento de grãos acima da média, florescimento abaixo da média e altura dentro do padrão exigido. Dentre estes, pode-se destacar os híbridos CMSXS 1002 x CMSXS 1102, CMSXS 1006 x RTx2907, ATx ARG 1 x SC1155 e CMSXS 1008 x Tx2741