Ancient Israel’s Neighbors [review]/Doak, Brian R.

This is a book review by Ronaldo Da Silva

Photospheric parameters and C abundances in solar-like stars with and without planets

We have been analyzing a large sample of solar-like stars with and without planets in order to homogeneously measure their photospheric parameters and Carbon abundances. Our sample contains around 200 stars in the solar neighborhood observed with the ELODIE spectrograph, for which the observational data are publicly available. We performed spectral synthesis of prominent bands of C$_{2}$ and C I lines, aiming to accurately obtain the C abundances. We intend to contribute homogeneous results to studies that compare elemental abundances in stars with and without known planets. New arguments will be brought forward to the discussion of possible chemical anomalies that have been suggested in the literature, leading us to a better understanding of the planetary formation process. In this work we focus on the C abundances in both stellar groups of our sample.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, to be published in the proceedings of the IAU Symposium No. 265, 200

International Road Race of São Silvestre: why don't brazilians win anymore and what do we need to do?

Aim: To compare the Brazilian and foreign runners in the International Road Race of São Silvestre. Methods: Retrospective study that evaluated the results of 220 athletes of  both genders that reached the top 10. The time of each race was converted in seconds to compare the performance. Results: After 11 editions of the International Road Race of São Silvestre only one Brazilian athlete won without any female victory. In the male 10 foreign athletes won (Kenya 5 x 5 Ethiopia) and all the females proved were won by foreign athletes (Kenya 9 x 2 Ethiopia). There was a difference when comparing the performance of foreign elite runners in the male (p<0.004) and female (p<0.001). Conclusion: Despite the large number of existing runners, the Brazilian elite does not develop the same level of performance to beat African athletes. To change this condition, it is necessary to change the strategy for preparing Brazilian athletes from the base of training athletes

Two semi-automated computational approaches for spectroscopic analysis of stellar photospheres: detailed characterization at high resolution and abundance determination at medium resolution

We report on two distinct computational approaches to self-consistently measure photospheric properties of large samples of stars. Both procedures consist of a set of several semi-integrated tasks based on shell and Python scripts, which efficiently run either our own codes or open source software commonly adopted by the astronomical community. One approach aims to derive the main stellar photospheric parameters and abundances of a few elements by analysing high-resolution spectra from a given public library homogeneously constructed. The other one is applied to recover the abundance of a single element in stars with known photospheric parameters by using mid-resolution spectra from another open homogeneous database and calibrating derived abundances. Both semi-automated computational approaches provide homogeneity and objectivity to every step of the process and represent a fast way to reach partial and final results as well as to estimate measurement errors, making possible to systematically evaluate and improve the distinct steps.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, conference paper (I Workshop of Computacao Cientifica em Astronomia, Brazil, 2011) to appear in the Journal of Computational Interdisciplinary Sciences - JCI

Confirmatory factor analysis of a scale for impact of training at work

Impacto do treinamento no trabalho é o principal indicador da efetividade de ações de treinamento no nível individual. Nos modelos de avaliação de treinamento impacto é um indicador de mudança do comportamento no cargo. A delimitação de conceitos similares, como transferência de aprendizagem, e o teste desses construtos tornam-se relevantes para a pesquisa na área. Estc estudo tem como objetivo testar a estrutura empírica de um instrumento de impacto do treinamento no trabalho por meio de modelagem por equações estruturais. Participaram do estudo 2.966 funcionários de sete organizações, divididos em três sub-amostras. Os resultados das análises sugeriram ré-especificações do modelo hipotético, e a análise cruzada da estrutura foi corroborada nas três sub-amostras. Desta forma, conclui-se que existe a necessidade de aprimoramento da medida. Entretanto, a proposta conceitual de impacto do treinamento no trabalho foí corroborada.Training impact at work ís the main indícator 01' traíníng elfectiveness at the individual Ievel, In thc training cvaluation modcls, impact is a mcasure of behavior change on the job, Thc conceptual delimitation 01' similar constructs, as transler of learning, ís importam to research. The main objective of thís study were to test the ernpirical structure of the training impaci ai work 's scale with a couíirmarory factor analysis and the adequacy 01' the construct. In this study, participated 2.966 workcrs of scvcn organlzatíons, dividcd in thrcc sub-sarnplcs. Thc rcsults indicatcd modcl rnodifications, and the analysis was corroborated on the three sub-samples, Thus, the measurement should be improved. However, the conceptual proposition 01' trainíng impacr at work was corroborated

Analysis, Design and Implementation of Biodiesel Projects in Brazil

During the oil crisis of the seventies, Brazil has developed a successful program for gasoline substitution by ethanol (Proálcool). Nowadays the biomass accounts for 27% of total national energy consumed in Brazil and the ethanol participates with 40% of the total national fuel consumption of Otto cycle vehicles. In 2004, the National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (Biodiesel Program) was launched. One priority of the Biodiesel Program is the inclusion of family agriculture and smallholders into the production chain. The Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) has developed a software for the analysis of biodiesel projects with the participation of family agriculture. Results of production chain analysis and economic indicators calculated by the Biosoft system have allowed identifying the regular supply of oil at competitive prices as the key point to the efficiency of biodiesel production chains. The use of oil cake as feedstock is the leverage point of chain performance. The meal sale can lead to a vegetal oil price reduction, without compromising farmers´ income, since they can be able to set up their own oil extraction plants. Coordination is then the critical element and has the potential to improve the performance of both the biodiesel industry and the animal production chain.Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Industrial Organization,

A imagem musical compreendida à luz dos estágios de audiação notacional: Um estudo sobre a leitura musical significativa aplicada a músicos profissionais

Este artigo apresenta um estudo exploratório acerca da natureza da leitura musical significativa aplicada a vinte e um músicos profissionais, em que busca verificar de que maneira o grau de complexidade da música notada influencia a compreensão aural dos participantes, frente às limitações da memória humana. Como instrumento de pesquisa, foi desenvolvido o Teste de avaliação da compreensão musical (TACMus) a fim de colher indícios acerca do pensamento musical dos participantes, baseando-se nos estágios de audiação de Gordon. Alguns dos resultados apontaram a possibilidade de se atingir estágios de audiação mais elevados diante de um rendimento inferior de estágios anteriores, evidenciando que as variáveis analisadas tendem a se polarizar ao redor de padrões rítmicos e dos padrões tonais. Por fim, foi possível observar que a totalidade dos estágios de audiação pôde ser alcançada mediante abordagens mistas de leitura, ascendente e descendente

Female sexual dysfunction in patients with sub-stance-related disorders

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction symptoms and the associated risk factors in a sample of patients with substance-related disorders admitted to a specialized in-patient care unit. METHODS: This study used a cross-section design, with eight months of data collection, conducted with substance-dependent women using structured questionnaires to collect socio-demographic data and identify their drug of choice. The Drug Abuse Screening Test, Short Alcohol Dependence Data questionnaire, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale were also administered. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 105 women who had a mean age of 34.8 years (SD = 12.1, range = 18-65) and were predominantly heterosexual (74.3%), single (47.6%), Caucasian (50.5%), catholic (36.2%), and educated only to the level of primary education (40%), with a monthly family income of up to one minimum salary (37.5%). In 42.9% of the patients, crack was the drug of choice; 47.6% of the sample qualified for the Drug Abuse Screening Test (substantial problems related to drugs), 43.8% exhibited Short Alcohol Dependence Data (moderate or severe dependency), 47.6% exhibited Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (high or very high nicotine dependence). The prevalence of sexual dysfunction symptoms was 34.2% (95% CI = [25.3, 44.1]), and a high level of nicotine dependence and low income increased the chances of having sexual dysfunction by 2.72-fold and 2.54 fold, respectively. An association was also observed between female sexual dysfunction symptoms and schooling and levels of drug dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Female sexual dysfunction symptoms were common among this sample and primarily associated with high levels of nicotine use.Federal University of São Paulo Psychiatry Department Alcohol and Drug Research UnitUNIFESP, Psychiatry Department Alcohol and Drug Research UnitSciEL

Female sexual dysfunction in patients with sub-stance-related disorders

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of female sexual dysfunction symptoms and the associated risk factors in a sample of patients with substance-related disorders admitted to a specialized in-patient care unit. METHODS: This study used a cross-section design, with eight months of data collection, conducted with substance-dependent women using structured questionnaires to collect socio-demographic data and identify their drug of choice. The Drug Abuse Screening Test, Short Alcohol Dependence Data questionnaire, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale were also administered. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 105 women who had a mean age of 34.8 years (SD = 12.1, range = 18-65) and were predominantly heterosexual (74.3%), single (47.6%), Caucasian (50.5%), catholic (36.2%), and educated only to the level of primary education (40%), with a monthly family income of up to one minimum salary (37.5%). In 42.9% of the patients, crack was the drug of choice; 47.6% of the sample qualified for the Drug Abuse Screening Test (substantial problems related to drugs), 43.8% exhibited Short Alcohol Dependence Data (moderate or severe dependency), 47.6% exhibited Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (high or very high nicotine dependence). The prevalence of sexual dysfunction symptoms was 34.2% (95% CI = [25.3, 44.1]), and a high level of nicotine dependence and low income increased the chances of having sexual dysfunction by 2.72-fold and 2.54 fold, respectively. An association was also observed between female sexual dysfunction symptoms and schooling and levels of drug dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Female sexual dysfunction symptoms were common among this sample and primarily associated with high levels of nicotine use