The EDELWEISS-II experiment

EDELWEISS is a direct dark matter search situated in the low radioactivity environment of the Modane Underground Laboratory. The experiment uses Ge detectors at very low temperature in order to identify eventual rare nuclear recoils induced by elastic scattering of WIMPs from our Galactic halo. The commissioning of the second phase of the experiment, involving more than 7 kg of Ge, has been completed in 2007. Two new type of detectors with active rejection of events due to surface contamination have demonstrated the performances required to achieve the physics goal of the present phase.Comment: 43rd Rencontres de Moriond - Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories, La Thuile : Italie (2008

Galaxy Morphologies in the Cluster CL1358+62 at z=0.33

We describe the morphological composition of a sample of 518 galaxies in the field of CL1358+62 at z=0.33, drawn from a large HST mosaic covering 53 sq. arcmin. The sample is complete to I=22, corresponding to M_V=-18.5 in the rest frame. The galaxies have been independently classified by the authors of this paper and by Alan Dressler. For galaxies with I<21, the two sets of classifiers agree on the total early-type population, but disagree on the S0/E ratio. We discuss the constraints on morphological evolution and the implication of the differing S0/E ratios. We use our large body of spectra to make the correspondence between morphological and spectral type.Comment: includes 10 fig

Size-effect independence of hybrid fiber-reinforced roller-compacted concrete fracture toughness

The present paper aims to prove the size-effect independence of Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced RCC (HyFR-RCC) fracture toughness determined through the Modified Two-Parameter Model (MTPM). A micromechanical numerical model is applied to simulate the fracture behavior of seven series of single edge-notched specimens, made of both plain-RCCs and FR-RCCs (single and hybrid reinforcements), subjected to three-point bending. The MTPM is applied to the numerical load vs CMOD curves to compute the fracture toughness. A comparison with experimental values, available in the literature, is performed. Therefore, RCC specimens with different sizes are numerically simulated and the fracture toughness is analytically determined through the MTPM, proving the size-effect independence

ACHA: Avaliação da Contaminação hídrica por agrotóxico.

Modelos matemáticos e simuladores têm sido desenvolvidos para prever a lixiviação de agrotóxicos em solos, permitindo grande economia de tempo e recursos financeiros, além de permitir análises de risco com maior representatividade e confiabilidade. O Brasil ainda não faz uso dessas ferramentas no processo de avaliação de risco e classificação ambiental dos agrotóxicos. Estas ferramentas não são utilizadas pelas autoridades nacionais por não estarem adaptadas às condições brasileiras. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver uma ferramenta computacional para simulação da lixiviação de agrotóxicos em cenários agrícolas brasileiros. A ferramenta computacional recebeu o nome de ACHA, que se refere ao acrônimo de Avaliação da Contaminação Hídrica por Agrotóxico. Para simulação do fluxo no solo utilizou-se a equação de Richards e para o transporte de agrotóxicos considerou-se os mecanismos de convecção, dispersão e difusão na fase líquida. A sorção do agrotóxico na fase sólida foi descrita pela isoterma de Freundlich e a degradação por uma equação de primeira ordem. O efeito dos fatores ambientais como temperatura, umidade e profundidade do solo é considerado na simulação da degradação do agrotóxico no solo. Os processos de absorção de água e agrotóxicos pelas plantas não são considerados. A ferramenta é composta de três partes: (i) código em Fortran para solução e integração dos modelos matemáticos; (ii) base de dados para armazenamento dos cenários e (iii) interface gráfica para inserção dos dados de entrada e visualização das simulações. Como resultados, a ferramenta é capaz de simular perfis de umidade e concentração do agrotóxico no solo em função do tempo.bitstream/item/29245/1/BP201058.pd

A novel methodology for fatigue assessment of Ductile Cast Iron (DCI) with solidification defects

In the present research work, the fatigue strength assessment of a DCI containing solidification defects is theoretically carried out by means of a procedure implementing: (i) a defect content analysis, (ii) the varea-parameter model, and (iii) the multiaxial critical plane-based criterion by Carpinteri at al. An experimental campaign available in the literature, performed on DCI specimens under multiaxial fatigue loading, is analysed. The comparison between the obtained results and the experimental data shows a quite satisfactory agreement, highlighting the criterion accuracy

Degradação do herbicida sulfentrazone em dois solos de Mato Grosso do Sul.

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Dynamical Evolution of Globular Cluster Systems formed in Galaxy Mergers: Deep HST/ACS Imaging of Old and Intermediate-Age Globular Clusters in NGC 3610

(ABRIDGED) The ACS camera on board the Hubble Space Telescope has been used to obtain deep images of the giant elliptical galaxy NGC 3610, a well-established dissipative galaxy merger remnant. These observations supersede previous WFPC2 images which revealed the presence of a population of metal-rich globular clusters (GCs) of intermediate age (~1.5-4 Gyr). We detect a total of 580 GC candidates, 46% more than from the previous WFPC2 images. The new photometry strengthens the significance of the previously found bimodality of the color distribution of GCs. Peak colors in V-I are 0.93 +/-0.01 and 1.09 +/- 0.01 for the blue and red subpopulations, respectively. The luminosity function (LF) of the inner 50% of the metal-rich (`red') population of GCs differs markedly from that of the outer 50%. In particular, the LF of the inner 50% of the red GCs shows a flattening consistent with a turnover that is about 1.0 mag fainter than the turnover of the blue GC LF. This is consistent with predictions of recent models of GC disruption for the age range mentioned above and for metallicities that are consistent with the peak color of the red GCs as predicted by population synthesis models. We determine the specific frequency of GCs in NGC 3610 and find a present-day value of S_N = 1.4 +/- 0.6. We estimate that this value will increase to S_N = 3.8 +/- 1.7 at an age of 10 Gyr, which is consistent with typical S_N values for `normal' ellipticals. Our findings constitute further evidence in support of the notion that metal-rich GC populations formed during major mergers involving gas-rich galaxies can evolve dynamically (through disruption processes) into the red, metal-rich GC populations that are ubiquitous in `normal' giant ellipticals.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal. Figure 6 somewhat degraded to adhere to astro-ph rule

Determinants of depression in 111 italian patients with systemic sclerosis

Background: A high prevalence of depressive symptoms has been described in systemic sclerosis (SSc), but no clear association with organ involvement or objective indices of disease severity has been depicted. To date, no effort has been made to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in Italian patients with SSc or to clarify their cause. Methods: One-hundred-eleven SSc patients were asked to fill in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, the scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (sHAQ) and two additional questions assessing the patient's familiar support and the social consequences of the patient's change in physical appearnace. Results: Thirty-seven subjects (33.4%) presented mild to severe depressive symptoms (BDI ³17). On univariate analysis the diffuse cutaneous form of the disease (p=0.019), higher pulmonary systolic pressures on echocardiogram (p=0.016), lower FVC percentage of predicted values (p=0.022), higher sHAQ values (p<0.001) or higher VAS values for pain (p=0.007), lung involvement (p=0.02), Raynaud's phenomenon severity (p=0.002), ulcers severity (p=0.006) or disease severity (p<0.001), were associated with the presence of pathologic depressive symptoms. On multivariate analysis only the VAS for disease severity relevant to BDI scores (p=0.016). Social behaviour changes due to SSc-related physical involvement were reported in 14 patients (38%) with depressive symptoms (p=0,006) and were more likely to be observed in younger patients (p=0.001) with a more severe Raynauds's phenomenon (p=0.013). Conclusions: Mild to severe depressive symptoms are common in SSc patients especially in those with a worse perception of disease severity, these patients should be carefully monitored and a psychological assistance counselled whenever necessary

A deep Chandra, VLA and Spitzer IRAC study of the very low luminosity nucleus of the elliptical NGC821

The relatively nearby (distance=24.1 Mpc) elliptical galaxy NGC821 hosts an extreme example of a quiescent central massive black hole, for which deep Chandra observations revealed a nuclear source for the first time (with L(2-10 keV)/L_Edd ~ 3.6X10^{-8}). We present here a multiwavelength study of this nucleus, including VLA observations that detect a radio counterpart to the Chandra nuclear source at 1.4 GHz, with a flux density of 127 $\mu$m and possibly a flat spectral shape; we also consider new Spitzer IRAC observations and archival HST images. With these data we discuss possible scenarios for the accretion modalities of the sole material that is available for fuelling, i.e., the stellar mass losses steadily replenishing the circumnuclear region. The final stages of accretion could be radiatively inefficient and coupled to a compact nuclear jet/outfow. The stellar mass losses could instead end up in a standard disc only if a Compton-thick AGN is present. Two extended sources detected by Chandra close to the nucleus could be due to several unresolved knots in a jet. If a jet is present, though, its kinetic energy would be only a very small fraction of the energy associated with the rest mass of the material being accreted. Starformation close to the nucleus is not shown by the available data. Deeper NICMOS, radio and far-IR observations should further constrain the accretion process.Comment: 32 pages, 4 figures; minor changes; accepted for publication in ApJ. This is the companion paper of astro-ph/070163