Spectral Classification of Galaxies

We investigate the integrated spectra of a sample of 24 normal galaxies. A principal component analysis suggests that most of the variance present in the spectra is due to the differences in morphology of the galaxies in the sample. We show that spectroscopic parameters extracted from the spectra, like the amplitude of the 4000 \AA~ break or of the CN band, correlate well with Hubble types and are useful for quantitative classification.Comment: 7 pages uuencoded compressed PostScript file. To appear in Vistas in Astronomy, special issue on Artificial Neural Networks in Astronom

Formação em saúde : práticas e perspectivas no campo da saúde coletiva

Organizadores Francis Sodré, Maria Angélica Carvalho Andrade, Rita de Cássia Duarte Lima, Ana Cláudia Pinheiro Garcia

Determinantes sociais da saúde: o “social” em questão

This article seeks to discuss the vision of the ‘social’ in the field called social determinants of health. For this, bibliographical research was conducted, based on references from the field of human sciences, by authors such as Latour (2012) and Santos (1988). It begins with a general characterization of the field of social determinants of health, especially political and scientific views. Then, it presents the critical elements characterizing paths on the thinking of these authors. The study sought to highlight reductionism increasingly present in the approach to the field of social determinants of health. These reductionisms that ultimately limit further reading about the complexity of life in society and reinforce the commodification and trivialization of life. Santos (1988) notes that, in front of these reductionism, science cannot be merely producing a scientific paradigm, but also a social paradigm - the paradigm of a decent life. The thinking of Latour (2012) brought arguments to rethink the ‘social’ beyond a specific and limited domain of reality, as something always external to the subject and to their own health. The fragmented view of the field of social determinants of health is what we put into analysis and make inquiries as a way to raise future discussions on the topic

Diversidade de gênero e Sistema Único de Saúde: uma problematização sobre o processo transexualizador

In this article, based on an exploratory documentary and bibliographic study, we discuss the transexualizador process of the Unified Health System (SUS), facing the challenges of guaranteeing rights to gender identity and citizenship. We believe that the dilemmas for access and follow-up to the transexualizador process are the same faced by the whole working class regarding the role of the State in guaranteeing health needs in medium and high complexity. In a conjuncture of cuts in state spending and the commodification of social services. In this sense, we point out the inequalities in access, the difficulties in releasing the process and criticism regarding the diagnosis and in its post process follow-up. Finally, the result instigates us to problematize access to the SUS, conditioned the social needs of this fraction of the working class as opposed to the pathologization of transsexuality, with the understanding of the biomedical and mercantile model.Neste artigo, a partir de um estudo exploratório documental e bibliográfico, problematizamos o processo transexualizador, do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), frente aos desafios da garantia de direitos à identidade de gênero e de cidadania. Acreditamos que os dilemas para acesso e acompanhamento ao processo transexualizador são os mesmos enfrentados por toda a classe trabalhadora referente ao papel do Estado na garantia às necessidades de saúde na média e na alta complexidade, numa conjuntura de cortes nos gastos estatais e na mercantilização dos serviços sociais. Neste sentido, apontamos as desigualdades no acesso, as dificuldades na liberação do processo e críticas quanto ao diagnóstico e no seu acompanhamento pós-processo. Por fim, o resultado instiga-nos a problematizar o acesso ao SUS, condicionado às necessidades sociais dessa fração da classe trabalhadora em contraposição a patologização da transexualidade, com o entendimento do modelo biomédico e mercantil

Issues faced by Social Workers in the transsexualization process

This article reflects on the possibilities for social workers in the Brazilian transsexualization process based on a documentary research in resolutions and ethical-political devices produced by the Brazilian Social Work. We discuss here the social name defense, the struggle against transvestiphobia, work with the families, the social assistance networks and the construction of the health conscience, as a rich field for professional intervention in this program. The conclusion is that although there is no specific technical note to offer a reference for the social workers practice in this program, the guidelines for professional work with the transgender population provided in the National Health System (SUS) are included in the Professional Ethical-Political Project

Principal Component Analysis Of Synthetic Galaxy Spectra

We analyse synthetic galaxy spectra from the evolutionary models of Bruzual&Charlot and Fioc&Rocca-Volmerange using the method of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We explore synthetic spectra with different ages, star formation histories and metalicities, and identify the Principal Components (PCs) of variance in the spectra due to these different model parameters. The PCA provides a more objective and informative alternative to diagnostics by individual spectral lines. We discuss how the PCs can be used to estimate the input model parameters and explore the impact of noise in this inverse problem. We also discuss how changing the sampling of the ages and other model parameters affects the resulting PCs. Our first two synthetic PCs agree with a similar analysis on observed spectra obtained by Kennicutt and the 2dF redshift survey. We conclude that with a good enough signal-to-noise (S/N>> 10) it is possible to derive age, star formation history and metallicity from observed galaxy spectra using PCA.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figures, submitted to MNRA

(Trans)formations of the body: reflections on health and beauty

This article discusses the interpretations of health, illness and beauty engendered in body transformation processes experienced by trans people. From a qualitative approach, 15 semi-structured interviews, recorded in digital audio, were performed with trans people living in the Metropolitan area of Vitória, Espírito Santo (ES), Brazil. Transcription and content analysis were performed. We observed that beauty appears directly related to the perceptions about health and illness among the participants. We also noticed major divergences between the concepts of health and illness produced by the biomedical powers and knowledge about trans people and those that trans people have about themselves, especially in specific health care programs such as the transexualizing processes. We conclude that the respect concerning the autonomy of trans people in the transformation of their bodies, taking into account their interpretations about health or illness, is fundamental for health promotion of this population.Este artigo discute interpretações sobre saúde, adoecimento e beleza engendradas nos processos de transformação do corpo vivenciados por pessoas trans. A partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, foram realizadas 15 entrevistas semiestruturadas, gravadas em áudio, com pessoas trans residentes na Região Metropolitana de Vitória, Espírito Santo (ES). Foram realizadas transcrição e análise de conteúdo. Observa-se que a beleza aparece diretamente relacionada às percepções sobre saúde e adoecimento entre as participantes da pesquisa. Evidencia-se importante divergência entre as compreensões de saúde e doença produzidas pelos poderes e saberes biomédicos sobre os corpos trans e aquelas que as pessoas trans produzem sobre si mesmas, sobretudo em programas de atenção à saúde específica, como os processos transexualizadores. Conclui-se que o respeito à autonomia das pessoas trans na transformação de seus corpos, sendo consideradas as suas interpretações sobre a produção de saúde ou adoecimento, afirma-se como fundamental para a promoção da saúde da população trans

Saúde e transexualidade entre dispositivos e tecnologias do gênero

A partir do diálogo com Michel Foucault, Judith Butler e Paul Preciado, analisamos que o processo de diagnóstico como requisito para o acesso ao processo transexualizador opera segundo os princípios de um racismo do Estado, realizando um corte entre pessoas que terão acesso aos procedimentos do processo transexualizador e aquelas que estarão desamparadas por aquele programa, operando como dispositivo que produz parte da população usuária como vida indigna de ser vivida, não passível de luto.

Principal component analysis of IUE galaxy spectra

We analyse the UV spectral energy distribution of a sample of normal galaxies listed in the IUE-INES Guide No. 2-Normal Galaxies (Formiggini & Brosch, 2000) using a Principal Component Analysis. The sample consists of the IUE-SW spectra of the central regions of 118 galaxies, where the IUE aperture included more than 1 per cent of the galaxy size. The principal components are associated with the main components observed in the UV spectra of galaxies. The first component, accounting for the largest source of diversity, can be associated with the UV continuum emission. The second component represents the UV contribution of an underlying evolved stellar population. The third component is sensitive to the amount of activity in the central regions of galaxies and measures the strength of star formation events. In all the samples analysed here the principal component representative of star-forming activity accounts for a significant percentage of the variance. The fractional contribution to the SED by the evolved stars and by the young population are similar. Projecting the SEDs onto their eigenspectra, we find that none of the coefficients of the principal components can outline an internal correlation or can correlate with the optical morphological types. In a sub-sample of 43 galaxies, consisting of almost only compact and BCD galaxies, the third principal component defines a sequence related to the degree of starburst activity of the galaxy.Comment: 13 pages, incl. 14 figures. Accepted by MNRA

The Millennium Galaxy Catalogue: the space density and surface brightness distribution(s) of galaxies

We recover the joint and individual space density and surface brightness distribution(s) of galaxies from the Millennium Galaxy Catalogue. The MGC is a local survey spanning 30.9 sq deg and probing approximately one--two mag/sq arcsec deeper than either the Two-Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) or the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The MGC contains 10,095 galaxies to B_mgc < 20 mag with 96 per cent spectroscopic completeness. We implement a joint luminosity-surface brightness step-wise maximum likelihood method to recover the bivariate brightness distribution (BBD) inclusive of most selection effects. Integrating the BBD over surface brightness we recover the following Schechter function parameters: phi* = (0.0177 +/- 0.0015) h^3 Mpc^{-3}, M_{B}* - 5 log h = (-19.60 +/- 0.04) mag and alpha =-1.13 +/- 0.02. Compared to the 2dFGRS (Norberg et al 2002) we find a consistent M* value but a slightly flatter faint-end slope and a higher normalisation, resulting in a final luminosity density j_{b_J} = (1.99 +/- 0.17) x 10^8 h L_{odot} Mpc^{-3}. The MGC surface brightness distribution is a well bounded Gaussian at the M* point with phi* = (3.5 +/- 0.1) x 10^{-2} h^3 Mpc^{-3}, mu^{e*} = (21.90 +/- 0.01) mag/sq arcsec and sigma_{ln R_e} = 0.35 +/- 0.01. The characteristic surface brightness for luminous systems is invariant to M_{B} - 5 log h ~ -19 mag faintwards of which it moves to lower surface brightness. Higher resolution (FWHM 26 mag/sq arcsec in the B-band) observations of the local universe are now essential to probe to lower luminosity and lower surface brightness levels. [abridged]Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 26 pages with 21 figures (some degraded). A full pdf version, along with MGC data release, is available from the MGC website at, http://www.eso.org/~jliske/mg