A Leitura de Objetos de Ciência e Tecnologia: a experiência do Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins

O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir a experiência, desenvolvida entre junho de 2017 e março de 2018, de "leitura" de objetos de ciência e tecnologia (C&T) pertencentes ao acervo do Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (MAST/MCTIC). O MAST possui uma coleção de cerca de 2500 objetos de valor histórico procedentes de diversas instituições de pesquisa do sistema nacional de C&T, e fazer com que o público se relacione com sua coleção é um dos objetivos do museu. Por essa razão, foi aberta a chamada "Sala de Leitura de Objetos", um espaço especialmente preparado na reserva técnica visitável do museu. Ali, durante cerca de trinta dias, um único instrumento científico ficou em exposição, sem qualquer tipo de informação que o identificasse. O projeto expositivo foi pensado para dar destaque ao objeto, sendo coadjuvantes todos os demais elementos (vitrines, painéis, iluminação e textos). A proposta era que o público visitasse a sala, observasse o objeto e fizesse a sua própria análise orientado por um guia de leitura que foi disponibilizado em um painel. Os visitantes também foram convidados a registrar suas impressões por escrito. Ao final de cada período foi organizada uma discussão entre um especialista da área científica do objeto e um pesquisador de Museologia ou História. Os resultados da experiência reforçam as percepções iniciais acerca da dificuldade de "leitura" de um objeto de C&T, tanto por parte do público do museu quanto dos especialistas convidados. Indicam também a necessidade de continuidade de experiências análogas que, em última instância, ajudam na compreensão da própria instituição museu e na discussão do que seria um objeto de museu

REVISITANDO UMA DÉCADA DE ATIVIDADES DE CONSCIENTIZAÇÃO ACERCA DOS PROBLEMAS DA POLUIÇÃO LUMINOSA NO BRASIL

Neste trabalho busco revisar dez anos de atividades de conscientização pública sobre os prejuízos causados pela poluição luminosa e de divulgação sobre maneiras de controlá-la. Estas atividades incluem palestras e eventos para diversos públicos, preparação de material impresso, manutenção de um blog, atendimento a jornalistas, tentativas de articular políticas públicas para regulamentação da iluminação, tanto a nível municipal quanto nacional, pesquisas sobre como salvaguardar o céu noturno enquanto patrimônio natural e ações de monitoramento quantitativo da iluminação artificial em áreas selecionadas. Entre os problemas enfrentados, estão a pouca mobilização de profissionais em torno da divulgação do tema, a falta de avaliação adequada das atividades de divulgação científica e o fato de que a própria humanidade tem recusado a noite ao naturalizar cada vez mais o uso excessivo da iluminação artificial para estender as horas de atividade

Prime Focus Spectrograph - Subaru's future -

The Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) of the Subaru Measurement of Images and Redshifts (SuMIRe) project has been endorsed by Japanese community as one of the main future instruments of the Subaru 8.2-meter telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii. This optical/near-infrared multi-fiber spectrograph targets cosmology with galaxy surveys, Galactic archaeology, and studies of galaxy/AGN evolution. Taking advantage of Subaru's wide field of view, which is further extended with the recently completed Wide Field Corrector, PFS will enable us to carry out multi-fiber spectroscopy of 2400 targets within 1.3 degree diameter. A microlens is attached at each fiber entrance for F-ratio transformation into a larger one so that difficulties of spectrograph design are eased. Fibers are accurately placed onto target positions by positioners, each of which consists of two stages of piezo-electric rotary motors, through iterations by using back-illuminated fiber position measurements with a wide-field metrology camera. Fibers then carry light to a set of four identical fast-Schmidt spectrographs with three color arms each: the wavelength ranges from 0.38 {\mu}m to 1.3 {\mu}m will be simultaneously observed with an average resolving power of 3000. Before and during the era of extremely large telescopes, PFS will provide the unique capability of obtaining spectra of 2400 cosmological/astrophysical targets simultaneously with an 8-10 meter class telescope. The PFS collaboration, led by IPMU, consists of USP/LNA in Brazil, Caltech/JPL, Princeton, & JHU in USA, LAM in France, ASIAA in Taiwan, and NAOJ/Subaru.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, submitted to "Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, Ian S. McLean, Suzanne K. Ramsay, Hideki Takami, Editors, Proc. SPIE 8446 (2012)

ST-segment elevation during levosimendan infusion

Levosimendan increases the sensitivity of the heart to calcium and consequently exerts positive inotropic effects. Levosimendan is indicated in acutely decompensated severe congestive heart failure. We report that levosimendan infusion may induce myocardial ischemia in patients with acute heart failure. J Cardiovasc Med 2012, 13:454-45

Clopidogrel plus indobufen in acute coronary syndrome patients with hypersensitivity to aspirin undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

The prescription of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)) to patients with a history of hypersensitivity to this drug could prove harmful. The aim of the study was to assess the antiplatelet activity and safety of a combined antiplatelet treatment with indobufen and clopidogrel in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with hypersensitivity to aspirin, undergoing coronary stenting. Forty-two consecutive ACS patients treated with stent implantation were randomly assigned to receive clopidogrel 75 mg daily (loading dose 300 mg) plus indobufen 100 mg twice a day (group A), or clopidogrel 75 mg daily, after 300 mg of loading dose (group B). Platelet activity and safety were monitored in both groups at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months with laboratory and clinical evaluation. A lower value of max % platelet aggregation to arachidonic acid and collagen was found in group A compared to group B (31.79 ± 27.33 vs. 73.67 ± 19.92; p < 0.0001 and 28.53 ± 21.32 vs. 73.58 ± 17.71; p < 0.0001, respectively). There was no difference in max % of platelet inhibition to adenosine diphosphate between the two groups (14.23 ± 18.92 vs. 10.30 ± 18.97; p = 0.23). In the population that was under indobufen treatment, the serum thromboxane B2 (TXB2) production at 1 week and 1 month was very low (2.6 ± 1.6 ng/ml and 3.0 ± 2.7 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.82). The combined treatment was well tolerated in group A patients. This study suggests that the combined antiplatelet treatment with clopidogrel and indobufen could be a good option in ACS patients with hypersensitivity to aspirin undergoing coronary stenting

Ivabradine in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock: A Preliminary Randomized Prospective Study

Background and objective: An elevated heart rate (HR) is an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity in patients with acute heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ivabradine, a selective HR-lowering agent, in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: Patients with post-AMI CS were randomized to standard treatment (SDT, 28 patients) or to standard treatment plus ivabradine (I + SDT, 30 patients). In the presence of orotracheal intubation (OTI), ivabradine was administered by nasogastric intubation. HR, BP, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, NT-proBNP, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and diastolic function (LVDF) were monitored at specific times after the onset of AMI. The primary (surrogate) end-point was the in-hospital halving of plasma NT-proBNP levels. The secondary end-points were cardiovascular death, hospital re-admission for worsening HF, and clinical and haemodynamic improvement. Results: Treatment groups were statistically similar with regard to age, gender distribution, cardiovascular risk factors, number of diseased vessels and overall treated lesions, AMI site and occurrence of OTI. In-hospital mortality was double in the SDT group in comparison with the I + SDT group (14.3 vs. 6.7 %), but the difference was not statistically significant. HR, BP, NT-proBNP and LVEF favorably changed in both groups, but the change was more relevant in the I + SDT group. LVDF significantly changed only in the I + SDT group (p < 0.01). Patients in the I + SDT group did not experience adverse effects. Conclusion: Ivabradine in CS complicating AMI is safe, is associated with a short-term favourable outcome and can be effectively administered by nasogastric intubation