Non-singular inflation with vacuum decay

On the basis of a semi-classical analysis of vacuum energy in an expanding spacetime, we describe a non-singular cosmological model in which the vacuum density decays with time, with a concomitant production of matter. During an infinitely long period we have an empty, inflationary universe, with H \approx 1. This primordial era ends in a fast phase transition, during which H and \Lambda decrease to nearly zero in a few Planck times, with release of a huge amount of radiation. The late-time scenario is similar to the standard model, with the radiation phase followed by a long dust era, which tends asymptotically to a de Sitter universe, with vacuum dominating again. An analysis of the redshift-distance relation for supernovas Ia leads to cosmological parameters in agreement with other current estimations.Comment: Work presented at IRGAC 2006, Barcelona, July 11-15 2006. To appear in a special issue of Journal of Physics

Evidence of Two Distinct Dynamic Critical Exponents in Connection with Vortex Physics

The dynamic critical exponent $z$ is determined from numerical simulations for the three-dimensional (3D) lattice Coulomb gas (LCG) and the 3D XY models with relaxational dynamics. It is suggested that the dynamics is characterized by two distinct dynamic critical indices $z_0$ and $z$ related to the divergence of the relaxation time $\tau$ by $\tau\propto \xi^{z_0}$ and $\tau\propto k^{-z}$, where $\xi$ is the correlation length and $k$ the wavevector. The values determined are $z_0\approx 1.5$ and $z\approx 1$ for the 3D LCG and $z_0\approx 1.5$ and $z\approx 2$ for the 3D XY model. It is argued that the nonlinear $IV$ exponent relates to $z_0$, whereas the usual Hohenberg-Halperin classification relates to $z$. Possible implications for the interpretation of experiments are pointed out. Comparisons with other existing results are discussed.Comment: to appear in PR

Sociodemographic profile and self-referred health conditions of the elderly in a city of Southern Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between gender and age groups and socioeconomic and health variables among older adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out in the a city in Southern Brazil, in 2004. Elderly over 60 years of age (N= 292) were selected through two-stage probabilistic sampling. Data from socioeconomic and demographic variables were collected through household survey. Health conditions were self-referred. Descriptive statistics, and Pearson's Chi-square test with linear-by-linear association model were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Among the elderly, 67.8% were female, 84% were between 60 to 79 years and 81% considered themselves healthy. Compared to men, women were more likely to live alone (p=0.046), have no partner (p<0.001), be less educated (p=0.021), report more health conditions (p=0,003), use more medications (p=0.016), exercise less (p=0.015), be more dependent to perform activities of daily living (p<0.001), receive lower pension benefits (p<0,001), have less paid jobs (p=0.002). But women perceived themselves as having more social support (p=0.023), consumed less alcohol (p=0.003) and were not smokers (p<0.001). Those with more advanced age were less educated (p<0.001), had poorer economic conditions (p=0.004), received lower pension benefits (p<0,001), were less likely have a partner (p<0.001) and were more dependent to perform activities of daily living (p<0.001) but perceived themselves with more social support (p=0.014) and were not smokers (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Differences between gender and age group were evidenced and they were more marked among women and those with more advanced age.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre sexo e grupo etário com variáveis socioeconômicas e de saúde dos idosos. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado no Distrito Noroeste de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, em 2004. Foram estudados indivíduos acima de 60 anos (N=292), selecionados por amostra probabilística em dois estágios. Os dados de variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas foram coletados por inquérito domiciliar. As condições de saúde foram auto-referidas. Foram realizadas análises descritivas, de qui-quadrado de Pearson e tendência linear. RESULTADOS: Entre os idosos, 67,8% eram do sexo feminino, 84% encontravam-se na faixa dos 60 aos 79 anos, 81% consideravam-se saudáveis. Em comparação com os homens, as mulheres moravam mais sozinhas (p=0,046), sem companheiro (p<0,001), tinham menor escolaridade (p=0,021); relatavam mais problemas de saúde (p=0,003) e uso de medicação sistemática (p=0,016); realizavam menos atividades físicas (p=0,015) e eram mais dependentes nas atividades de vida diária (p<0,001), recebiam menos aposentadoria (p<0,001), exerciam menos atividades remuneradas (p=0,002), mas se percebiam mais apoiadas pela rede social informal (p=0,023), consumiam menos bebidas alcoólicas (p=0,003) e não eram fumantes (p<0,001). Os mais idosos tinham menor escolaridade (p<0,001), piores condições econômicas (p=0,004), recebiam menos aposentadoria (p<0,001), não tinham companheiro (p<0,001), eram mais dependentes nas atividades de vida diária (p<0,001), mas se percebiam mais apoiados pela rede social informal (p=0,014) e não eram fumantes (p<0,001). CONCLUSÕES: Foram evidenciadas diferenças quanto a gênero e grupo etário para variáveis socioeconômicas e de saúde, sendo piores para as mulheres e para os idosos mais velhos.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESP Departamento de EnfermagemUNIFESP, Depto. de EnfermagemSciEL

Host status of fruit plants to meloidogyne enterolobii.

Edição dos Proceedings do 6th International Congress of Nematology, Cape Town, South Africa, May 2014

Symmetries and Ambiguities in the linear sigma model with light quarks

We investigate the role of undetermined finite contributions generated by radiative corrections in a $SU(2)\times SU(2)$ linear sigma model with quarks. Although some of such terms can be absorbed in the renormalization procedure, one such contribution is left in the expression for the pion decay constant. This arbitrariness is eliminated by chiral symmetry.Comment: 9 pages. Added references through the text; an author was added due to an important contribution; corrected typos; the title also was changed. Submitted to Modern Physics Letter

Vortex-line liquid phases: Longitudinal superconductivity in the lattice London model

We study the vortex-line lattice and liquid phases of a clean type-II superconductor by means of Monte Carlo simulations of the lattice London model. Motivated by a recent controversy regarding the presence, within this model, of a vortex-liquid regime with longitudinal superconducting coherence over long length scales, we directly compare two different ways to calculate the longitudinal coherence. For an isotropic superconductor, we interpret our results in terms of a temperature regime within the liquid phase in which longitudinal superconducting coherence extends over length scales larger than the system thickness studied. We note that this regime disappears in the moderately anisotropic case due to a proliferation, close to the flux-line lattice melting temperature, of vortex loops between the layers.Comment: 8 pages, Revtex, with eps figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.

A SOA web-based group decision support system considering affective aspects

The topic of Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) has been studied over the last decades. Supporting decision-makers that participate in group decision-making processes is a complex task, especially when decision-makers have no opportunity to gather at the same place and at the same time. In this work, we propose a Web based Group Decision Support System (WebGDSS) which intends to support decision-makers anywhere, anytime and through almost any kind of devices. Our system was developed under a SOA architecture and we used a multi criteria algorithm that features decision-makers’ cognitive aspects, as well as a component of generation of intelligent reports to feedback the results of decision-making processes to the decision-makers.This work was supported by GECAD - Research Group on Intelligent Engineering and Computing for Advanced Innovation and Development and by National Funds through the FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) with the João Carneiro Ph.D. Grant with the Reference SFRH/BD/89697/2012.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio