Gas Accretion and Star Formation Rates

Cosmological numerical simulations of galaxy evolution show that accretion of metal-poor gas from the cosmic web drives the star formation in galaxy disks. Unfortunately, the observational support for this theoretical prediction is still indirect, and modeling and analysis are required to identify hints as actual signs of star-formation feeding from metal-poor gas accretion. Thus, a meticulous interpretation of the observations is crucial, and this observational review begins with a simple theoretical description of the physical process and the key ingredients it involves, including the properties of the accreted gas and of the star-formation that it induces. A number of observations pointing out the connection between metal-poor gas accretion and star-formation are analyzed, specifically, the short gas consumption time-scale compared to the age of the stellar populations, the fundamental metallicity relationship, the relationship between disk morphology and gas metallicity, the existence of metallicity drops in starbursts of star-forming galaxies, the so-called G dwarf problem, the existence of a minimum metallicity for the star-forming gas in the local universe, the origin of the alpha-enhanced gas forming stars in the local universe, the metallicity of the quiescent BCDs, and the direct measurements of gas accretion onto galaxies. A final section discusses intrinsic difficulties to obtain direct observational evidence, and points out alternative observational pathways to further consolidate the current ideas.Comment: Invited review to appear in Gas Accretion onto Galaxies, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, eds. A. J. Fox & R. Dav\'e, to be published by Springe

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Comportamento de baixas doses de herbicidas na cultura da soja (Glycine max (L.) Merril). I I-Efeitos sobre o controle das plantas daninhas, desenvolvimento e absorção de nutrientes pela cultura Behavior of low-rates of herbicides, in the soybean (Glycine max (L .) Merril ) Crop. II - Effects on the weed control, development and nutrients uptake by the crop

Foi estudada a possibilidade de redução nas doses recomendadas de herbicidas, isolados ou em misturas, sem afetar algumas características das plantas de soja (Santa Rosa), tais como o acúmulo total de matéria secada parte aérea (caule + ramos, folhas e vagens), índice de Area Foliar (IAF) e teores de macro e micronutrientes (Diagnose Foliar e nos grãos). O experimento foi ins talado em Solo Latos - sol Vermelho Escuro - fase arenosa, município de Jaboticabal, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, em vinte tratamentos e três repetições, te stando-se a dose total recomendad a e reduções de 25% e 50% de la , para o trifluralin, alachlor e metribuzin, isolados e em misturas. As doses recomendadas foram 0,86; 1,72 e 0,28 kg/ha de trifluralin, alachlor e metribuzin, respectivamente. As 'misturas com doses reduzidas, de tri - fluralin + metribuzin (0 ,6 5 + 0, 21 kg/h a) e alachlor + metribuzin (1 ,4 4 + 0, 21 kg /h a), apresentaram controle geral das plantas daninhas acima de 90% at é o 60 .° dia após a semeadura, sem apresentar fitotoxicida de ou efeitos deletérios nas plantas de soja. Além disso apresenta ram os melhores resultados relativos ao acúmulo de matéria seca na parte aérea, juntamente com as mesmas misturas nas doses padrões e testemunha capinada. A absorção de nutrientes também sempre foi maior nestes tratamentos , com maiores teores nas folhas, na matéria seca geral e nos grãos. O IAF alto e a sua manutenção por um período maior, nestes tratamentos, podem ter tido influência decisiva, com maior eficiência fotossintética das plantas.<br>The feasibility of reducing the recommended herbicide rate, single or in mixtures, without affecting any desirable features of soybean ('Santa Rosa') , was studied such as the total dry weight of aerial parts (stem + shoots, leaves and pods) , Leaf Area Index (LAI ) and levels of macro and micro nutrients (Foliar Diagnosis and in the grains). A field trial was settled in a Dark - Red Latossol- sandy phase, at Jaboticabal, São Paulo State, Brazil . The experimental design used was the randomized blocks, with 20 treatments repplicated 3 ti mes, testing the full recommended rate , 25% and 50% reduction of full rate of trifluralin, alachlor and metribuzin, alone and in mixtures. The recommended rates were 0,86; 1, 72 and 0, 28 kg /ha of trifluralin, alachlor and metribuzin, respectivelly. The mixture with low rates, of trifluralin + metribuzin (0 ,6 5 + 0, 21 kg /ha) and alachlor + metribuzin (1 ,44 + 0, 21 kg /h a) , presented control rate higher than 90% up to the 60th day after so wing, without any phytotoxicity or deleterious effects to the soyeban plan ts . It also achieved the best results relating to dry matter content of aerial parts, together with the same mixtures in the recommended rates and weed -free check. The nutrients up take was also greater in this treatments, with highe