Rio de Janeiro State University

About: Rio de Janeiro State University is a education organization based out in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 16631 authors who have published 30919 publications receiving 465753 citations. The organization is also known as: UERJ & Rio de Janeiro State University.

A Dynamic Piecewise Linear Model for DC Transmission Losses in Optimal Scheduling Problems

Abstract: This paper proposes a dynamic piecewise linear model to represent dc transmission losses in optimal scheduling problems. An iterative procedure is proposed, where the linear cuts to approximate quadratic losses in each transmission line are adjusted iteratively as the optimization problem is solved. Applications of this approach to the network constrained short-term hydrothermal scheduling problem and to static dc optimal power flow problems yield a higher accuracy in representing line transmission losses as compared to other approaches, such as a priori iterative estimation, static piecewise liner model and successive linear programming. Study cases for a large-scale system also show reasonable results regarding CPU times.

Jararhagin, a snake venom metalloproteinase, induces a specialized form of apoptosis (anoikis) selective to endothelial cells.

Abstract: Jararhagin is a snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) from Bothrops jararaca involved in several hemostatic and inflammatory disorders that occur in human envenomings. In this study, we evaluated the effect of jararhagin on endothelial cells (tEnd). The exposure of tEnd to jararhagin (20 and 40μg/ml) resulted in apoptosis with activation of pro-caspase-3 and alterations in the ratio between Bax/Bcl-xL. We observed that apoptosis was followed by decrease of cell viability and the loss of cell adhesion. Jararhagin induced changes in cell shape with a decrease in cell spreading, rounding up and detachment. This was accompanied by a rearrangement of actin network and a decrease in FAK association to actin and in tyrosine phosphorylated proteins. Morphological alterations and apoptosis were abolished when jararhagin catalytic activity was inhibited, indicating the importance of catalysis. Treatment of murine peritoneal adherent cells or fibroblasts with jararhagin did not result in apoptosis. The data indicate that the pro-apoptotic effect of jararhagin is selective to endothelial cells, interfering with the adhesion mechanisms and inducing anoikis. The present model might be useful for the study of the relationships between the architectural changes in the cytoskeleton and the complex phenomenon named anoikis.

Estudo Pró-Saúde: características gerais e aspectos metodológicos

Abstract: Neste artigo, relatamos as motivacoes e caracteristicas do Estudo Pro-Saude enfatizando aspectos tematicos e metodologicos. Estudos longitudinais de populacoes "saudaveis" em idade laboral nas grandes metropoles brasileiras sao ainda escassos. Nessas metropoles, a vida contemporânea pode modificar caracteristicas de varias exposicoes e possivelmente seus efeitos; por outro lado, as condicoes vigentes de vida e trabalho de seus habitantes impoem dificuldades especiais a conducao de estudos de coorte, com previsao de longo periodo de acompanhamento, em amostras da populacao geral. Populacoes de funcionarios publicos apresentam patamar de escolaridade que permite a utilizacao de metodos eficientes de coleta de dados (por exemplo, autopreenchimento de questionarios), heterogeneidade socioeconomica, e estabilidade do vinculo de trabalho que facilita o seguimento. Serao acompanhados 3.253 funcionarios de uma universidade publica no Rio de Janeiro, que participaram da coleta de dados de base (fases 1 e 2, 1999-2001). Foram aplicados questionarios autopreenchiveis e aferidos peso, altura, circunferencia da cintura e pressao arterial. O estudo tem como foco principal a investigacao de determinantes sociais da saude. Sao detalhadamente investigados marcadores de posicao socioeconomica, raca/etnia, religiao, historia conjugal e de migracao. Enfatiza-se a afericao de indicadores relativos, como desigualdade e trajetorias sociais, e efeitos contextuais das areas de residencia e setores de trabalho. Finalmente, busca-se abordar temas ainda pouco explorados em nosso meio, como rede e apoio social, estresse no trabalho e experiencia de discriminacao.

Search for neutral MSSM Higgs bosons decaying into a pair of bottom quarks

Abstract: A search for neutral Higgs bosons decaying into a b (b) over bar quark pair and produced in association with at least one additional b quark is presented. This signature is sensitive to the Higgs sector of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) with large values of the parameter tan beta. The analysis is based on data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1). The results are combined with a previous analysis based on 7 TeV data. No signal is observed. Stringent upper limits on the cross section times branching fraction are derived for Higgs bosons with masses up to 900 GeV, and the results are interpreted within different MSSM benchmark scenarios, m(h)(max), m(h)(mod+), m(h)(mod-), light-stau and light-stop. Observed 95% confidence level upper limits on tan beta, ranging from 14 to 50, are obtained in the m(h)(mod+) benchmark scenario.

Breastfeeding during the first hour of life and neonatal mortality

Abstract: Objective: To analyze the correlation between breastfeeding in the first hour of life with neonatal mortality rates. Methods: The present study used secondary data from 67 countries, obtained from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Initially, for data analysis, Spearman Correlation (95% CI) and Kernel graphical analysis were employed, followed by a Negative Binomial Poisson regression model, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Breastfeeding within the first hour of life was negatively correlated with neonatal mortality (Spearman's Rho = −0.245, p = 0.046), and this correlation was stronger among countries with more than 29 neonatal deaths per 1000 newborns (Spearman's Rho = −0.327, p = 0.048). According to the statistical model, countries with the lowest breastfeeding tertiles had 24% higher neonatal mortality rates (Rate ratio = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.07-1.44, p < 0.05), even when adjusted for potential confounders. Conclusion: The protective effect of breastfeeding during the first hour of life on neonatal mortality in this ecological study is consistent with findings from previous observational