Showing papers by "State University of Campinas published in 2014"
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TL;DR: Software-Defined Networking (SDN) as discussed by the authors is an emerging paradigm that promises to change this state of affairs, by breaking vertical integration, separating the network's control logic from the underlying routers and switches, promoting (logical) centralization of network control, and introducing the ability to program the network.
Abstract: Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is an emerging paradigm that promises to change this state of affairs, by breaking vertical integration, separating the network's control logic from the underlying routers and switches, promoting (logical) centralization of network control, and introducing the ability to program the network. The separation of concerns introduced between the definition of network policies, their implementation in switching hardware, and the forwarding of traffic, is key to the desired flexibility: by breaking the network control problem into tractable pieces, SDN makes it easier to create and introduce new abstractions in networking, simplifying network management and facilitating network evolution. In this paper we present a comprehensive survey on SDN. We start by introducing the motivation for SDN, explain its main concepts and how it differs from traditional networking, its roots, and the standardization activities regarding this novel paradigm. Next, we present the key building blocks of an SDN infrastructure using a bottom-up, layered approach. We provide an in-depth analysis of the hardware infrastructure, southbound and northbound APIs, network virtualization layers, network operating systems (SDN controllers), network programming languages, and network applications. We also look at cross-layer problems such as debugging and troubleshooting. In an effort to anticipate the future evolution of this new paradigm, we discuss the main ongoing research efforts and challenges of SDN. In particular, we address the design of switches and control platforms -- with a focus on aspects such as resiliency, scalability, performance, security and dependability -- as well as new opportunities for carrier transport networks and cloud providers. Last but not least, we analyze the position of SDN as a key enabler of a software-defined environment.
1,968 citations
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Betty Abelev1, Luke David Hanratty2, M. Esposito3, Edmundo Javier Garcia-Solis4 +940 more•Institutions (90)
TL;DR: The ALICE experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider as mentioned in this paper continuously took data during the first physics campaign of the machine from fall 2009 until early 2013, using proton and lead-ion beams.
Abstract: ALICE is the heavy-ion experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The experiment continuously took data during the first physics campaign of the machine from fall 2009 until early 2013, using proton and lead-ion beams. In this paper we describe the running environment and the data handling procedures, and discuss the performance of the ALICE detectors and analysis methods for various physics observables.
691 citations
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TL;DR: This review discusses recent results based on in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies of graphene-related materials and critically examines the methodologies employed to evaluate their toxicities.
Abstract: Graphene and its derivatives are promising candidates for important biomedical applications because of their versatility. The prospective use of graphene-based materials in a biological context requires a detailed comprehension of the toxicity of these materials. Moreover, due to the expanding applications of nanotechnology, human and environmental exposures to graphene-based nanomaterials are likely to increase in the future. Because of the potential risk factors associated with the manufacture and use of graphene-related materials, the number of nanotoxicological studies of these compounds has been increasing rapidly in the past decade. These studies have researched the effects of the nanostructural/biological interactions on different organizational levels of the living system, from biomolecules to animals. This review discusses recent results based on in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity and genotoxicity studies of graphene-related materials and critically examines the methodologies employed to evaluate ...
671 citations
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TL;DR: This critical review summarizes known risks associated with refractory epilepsy, provides practical clinical recommendations, and indicates areas for future research.
463 citations
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Sao Paulo State University1, University of São Paulo2, University of East Anglia3, National Institute for Space Research4, Universidade Federal de Goiás5, University of Brasília6, Universidade Federal de Viçosa7, State University of Campinas8, International Institute of Minnesota9, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro10, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi11
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the evolving relationship between land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil and argue that strong enforcement of sector-oriented policies and solving long-standing land tenure problems, rather than simply waiting for market self-regulation, are key steps to buffer the detrimental effects of agricultural intensification at the forefront of a sustainable pathway for land use in Brazil.
Abstract: This Review considers the evolving relationship between land-use change and greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil. Despite the intensification of agriculture over the past decade or so, deforestation has decreased, resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, inequality in land ownership and city growth fuelled by rural–urban migration remain pressing issues for policymakers. Agriculture, deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and local/regional climate change have been closely intertwined in Brazil. Recent studies show that this relationship has been changing since the mid 2000s, with the burgeoning intensification and commoditization of Brazilian agriculture. On one hand, this accrues considerable environmental dividends including a pronounced reduction in deforestation (which is becoming decoupled from agricultural production), resulting in a decrease of ∼40% in nationwide greenhouse gas emissions since 2005, and a potential cooling of the climate at the local scale. On the other hand, these changes in the land-use system further reinforce the long-established inequality in land ownership, contributing to rural–urban migration that ultimately fuels haphazard expansion of urban areas. We argue that strong enforcement of sector-oriented policies and solving long-standing land tenure problems, rather than simply waiting for market self-regulation, are key steps to buffer the detrimental effects of agricultural intensification at the forefront of a sustainable pathway for land use in Brazil.
446 citations
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23 Jan 2014
TL;DR: The beam energy and collision centrality dependence of the mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis of the net-proton multiplicity distributions in Au+Au collisions and the products of moments are found to be significantly below the Skellam expectation and close to expectations based on independent proton and antiproton production.
Abstract: We report the beam energy (root S-NN = 7.7-200 GeV) and collision centrality dependence of the mean (M), standard deviation (sigma), skewness (S), and kurtosis (kappa) of the net-proton multiplicity distributions in Au + Au collisions. The measurements are carried out by the STAR experiment at midrapidity (vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.5) and within the transverse momentum range 0.4 < p(T) < 0.8 GeV/c in the first phase of the Beam Energy Scan program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. These measurements are important for understanding the quantum chromodynamic phase diagram. The products of the moments, S sigma and K sigma(2), are sensitive to the correlation length of the hot and dense medium created in the collisions and are related to the ratios of baryon number susceptibilities of corresponding orders. The products of moments are found to have values significantly below the Skellam expectation and close to expectations based on independent proton and antiproton production. The measurements are compared to a transport model calculation to understand the effect of acceptance and baryon number conservation and also to a hadron resonance gas model.
432 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, a study of the distributions of the depth of maximum, X-max, of extensive air-shower profiles with energies above 10(17.8) eV was performed with the fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory.
Abstract: We report a study of the distributions of the depth of maximum, X-max, of extensive air-shower profiles with energies above 10(17.8) eV as observed with the fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The analysis method for selecting a data sample with minimal sampling bias is described in detail as well as the experimental cross-checks and systematic uncertainties. Furthermore, we discuss the detector acceptance and the resolution of the X-max measurement and provide parametrizations thereof as a function of energy. The energy dependence of the mean and standard deviation of the X-max distributions are compared to air-shower simulations for different nuclear primaries and interpreted in terms of the mean and variance of the logarithmic mass distribution at the top of the atmosphere.
408 citations
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TL;DR: The data reveal that hypertension activates dendritic cell activation of T cells, in large part by promoting the formation of isoketals, and suggest that reducing isokets has potential as a treatment strategy for this disease.
Abstract: Oxidative damage and inflammation are both implicated in the genesis of hypertension; however, the mechanisms by which these stimuli promote hypertension are not fully understood. Here, we have described a pathway in which hypertensive stimuli promote dendritic cell (DC) activation of T cells, ultimately leading to hypertension. Using multiple murine models of hypertension, we determined that proteins oxidatively modified by highly reactive γ-ketoaldehydes (isoketals) are formed in hypertension and accumulate in DCs. Isoketal accumulation was associated with DC production of IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-23 and an increase in costimulatory proteins CD80 and CD86. These activated DCs promoted T cell, particularly CD8+ T cell, proliferation; production of IFN-γ and IL-17A; and hypertension. Moreover, isoketal scavengers prevented these hypertension-associated events. Plasma F2-isoprostanes, which are formed in concert with isoketals, were found to be elevated in humans with treated hypertension and were markedly elevated in patients with resistant hypertension. Isoketal-modified proteins were also markedly elevated in circulating monocytes and DCs from humans with hypertension. Our data reveal that hypertension activates DCs, in large part by promoting the formation of isoketals, and suggest that reducing isoketals has potential as a treatment strategy for this disease.
390 citations
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TL;DR: This article critically reviewed the bioactivities and cytotoxicity of copper nanoparticles and focused on possible mechanism involved in its interaction with microbes.
Abstract: Nanotechnology is an emerging branch of science, which has potential to solve many problems in different fields. The union of nanotechnology with other fields of sciences including physics, chemistry, and biology has brought the concept of synthesis of nanoparticles from their respective metals. Till date, many types of nanoparticles have been synthesized and being used in different fields for various applications. Moreover, copper nanoparticles attract biologists because of their significant and broad-spectrum bioactivity. Due to the large surface area to volume ratio, copper nanoparticles have been used as potential antimicrobial agent in many biomedical applications. But the excess use of any metal nanoparticles increase the chance of toxicity to humans, other living beings, and environment. In this article, we have critically reviewed the bioactivities and cytotoxicity of copper nanoparticles. We have also focused on possible mechanism involved in its interaction with microbes.
385 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the main properties of high-viscosity crude oils, as well as compares traditional and emergent methods for their recovery and transportation, are discussed to highlight the oil properties that affect their flowability in the processes of recovery and pipeline transportation.
Abstract: Unconventional oils - mainly heavy oils, extra heavy oils and bitumens - represent a significant share of the total oil world reserves. Oil companies have expressed interest in unconventional oil as alternative resources for the energy supply. These resources are composed usually of viscous oils and, for this reason, their use requires additional efforts to guarantee the viability of the oil recovery from the reservoir and its subsequent transportation to production wells and to ports and refineries. This review describes the main properties of high-viscosity crude oils, as well as compares traditional and emergent methods for their recovery and transportation. The main characteristics of viscous oils are discussed to highlight the oil properties that affect their flowability in the processes of recovery and pipeline transportation. Chemical composition is the starting point for the oil characterization and it has major impact on other properties, including key properties for their dynamics, such as density and viscosity. Next, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods are presented, followed by a discussion about pipeline and transportation methods. In addition, the main challenges to achieve viable recovery and transportation of unconventional oils are compared for the different alternatives proposed. The work is especially focused on the heavy oils, while other hydrocarbon solid sources, such as oil sands and shale oil, are outside of the scope of this review.
367 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined 59 tumor/normal pairs by whole-exome, whole-genome, and RNA-sequencing, and found that only the TP53 gene was mutated at significant frequency across all samples.
Abstract: Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone tumor, yet there have been no substantial advances in treatment or survival in three decades. We examined 59 tumor/normal pairs by whole-exome, whole-genome, and RNA-sequencing. Only the TP53 gene was mutated at significant frequency across all samples. The mean nonsilent somatic mutation rate was 1.2 mutations per megabase, and there was a median of 230 somatic rearrangements per tumor. Complex chains of rearrangements and localized hypermutation were detected in almost all cases. Given the intertumor heterogeneity, the extent of genomic instability, and the difficulty in acquiring a large sample size in a rare tumor, we used several methods to identify genomic events contributing to osteosarcoma survival. Pathway analysis, a heuristic analytic algorithm, a comparative oncology approach, and an shRNA screen converged on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/mTOR) pathway as a central vulnerability for therapeutic exploitation in osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma cell lines are responsive to pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR pathway both in vitro and in vivo.
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S. Chatrchyan1, Vardan Khachatryan1, Albert M. Sirunyan1, Armen Tumasyan1 +2280 more•Institutions (177)
TL;DR: In this paper, a search for a standard model Higgs boson decaying into a pair of tau leptons is performed using events recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2011 and 2012.
Abstract: A search for a standard model Higgs boson decaying into a pair of tau leptons is performed using events recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2011 and 2012. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 inverse femtobarns at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 19.7 inverse femtobarns at 8 TeV. Each tau lepton decays hadronically or leptonically to an electron or a muon, leading to six different final states for the tau-lepton pair, all considered in this analysis. An excess of events is observed over the expected background contributions, with a local significance larger than 3 standard deviations for m[H] values between 115 and 130 GeV. The best fit of the observed H to tau tau signal cross section for m[H] = 125 GeV is 0.78 +- 0.27 times the standard model expectation. These observations constitute evidence for the 125 GeV Higgs boson decaying to a pair of tau leptons.
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TL;DR: The aim of the present review is to discuss broad-spectrum multifunctional activities of silver nanoparticles and stress their therapeutic potential as smart nanomedicine.
Abstract: There are alarming reports of growing microbial resistance to all classes of antimicrobial agents used against different infections. Also the existing classes of anticancer drugs used against different tumours warrant the urgent search for more effective alternative agents for treatment. Broad-spectrum bioactivities of silver nanoparticles indicate their potential to solve many microbial resistance problems up to a certain extent. The antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiprotozoal, acaricidal, larvicidal, lousicidal and anticancer activities of silver nanoparticles have recently attracted the attention of scientists all over the world. The aim of the present review is to discuss broad-spectrum multifunctional activities of silver nanoparticles and stress their therapeutic potential as smart nanomedicine. Much emphasis has been dedicated to the antimicrobial and anticancer potential of silver nanoparticles showing their promising characteristics for treatment, prophylaxis and control of infections, as well as for diagnosis and treatment of different cancer types.
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TL;DR: This work provides the first direct evidence that GO-Ag nanocomposites can inhibit the growth of microbial adhered cells, thus preventing the process of biofilm formation, and support the idea thatGO-Ag Nanocomposite may be applied as antibacterial coatings material to prevent the development of biofilms in food packaging and medical devices.
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02 Jun 2014
TL;DR: It is demonstrated how Software-Defined Networking (SDN), an emerging network paradigm, can be used to provide the flexibility and programmability to networks and introduces new services and features to today's VANETs.
Abstract: Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) have in recent years been viewed as one of the enabling technologies to provide a wide variety of services, such as vehicle road safety, enhanced traffic and travel efficiency, and convenience and comfort for passengers and drivers. However, current VANET architectures lack in flexibility and make the deployment of services/protocols in large-scale a hard task. In this paper, we demonstrate how Software-Defined Networking (SDN), an emerging network paradigm, can be used to provide the flexibility and programmability to networks and introduces new services and features to today's VANETs. We take the concept of SDN, which has mainly been designed for wired infrastructures, especially in the data center space, and propose SDN-based VANET architecture and its operational mode to adapt SDN to VANET environments. We also discuss benefits of a Software-Defined VANET and the services that can be provided. We demonstrate in simulation the feasibility of a Software-Defined VANET by comparing SDN-based routing with traditional MANET/VANET routing protocols. We also show in simulation fallback mechanisms that must be provided to apply the SDN concept into mobile wireless scenarios, and demonstrate one of the possible services that can be provided by a Software-Defined VANET.
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TL;DR: A short description of the Atlantic Forest biota and its historical degradation is provided, conceptual models describing major shifts experienced by tree assemblages at local scales are offered and landscape ecological processes that can help to maintain this biota at larger scales are discussed.
Abstract: The Brazilian Atlantic Forest hosts one of the world's most diverse and threatened tropical forest biota. In many ways, its history of degradation describes the fate experienced by tropical forests around the world. After five centuries of human expansion, most Atlantic Forest landscapes are archipelagos of small forest fragments surrounded by open-habitat matrices. This 'natural laboratory' has contributed to a better understanding of the evolutionary history and ecology of tropical forests and to determining the extent to which this irreplaceable biota is susceptible to major human disturbances. We share some of the major findings with respect to the responses of tropical forests to human disturbances across multiple biological levels and spatial scales and discuss some of the conservation initiatives adopted in the past decade. First, we provide a short description of the Atlantic Forest biota and its historical degradation. Secondly, we offer conceptual models describing major shifts experienced by tree assemblages at local scales and discuss landscape ecological processes that can help to maintain this biota at larger scales. We also examine potential plant responses to climate change. Finally, we propose a research agenda to improve the conservation value of human-modified landscapes and safeguard the biological heritage of tropical forests.
30 Jan 2014
TL;DR: The chemical composition, identify the bioactive compounds and measure the antioxidant activity present in blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry fruits produced in the subtropical areas of Brazil are evaluated to verify that the chemical properties of these fruit are similar when compared to the temperate production zones.
Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, identify the bioactive compounds and measure the antioxidant activity present in blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry fruits produced in the subtropical areas of Brazil and to verify that the chemical properties of these fruit are similar when compared to the temperate production zones. Compared with berries and cherries grown in temperate climates, the centesimal composition and physical chemical characteristics found in the Brazilian berries and cherries are in agreement with data from the literature. For the mineral composition, the analyzed fruits presented lower concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn and higher levels of Fe. The values found for the bioactive compounds generally fit the ranges reported in the literature with minor differences. The greatest difference was found in relation to ascorbic acid, as all fruits analyzed showed levels well above those found in the literature.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate the chemical composition, identify the bioactive compounds and measure the antioxidant activity present in blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, sweet cherry and blueberry fruits produced in the subtropical areas of Brazil and verify that the chemical properties of these fruit are similar when compared to the temperate production zones.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed two deep learning approaches for spoofing detection of iris, face, and fingerprint modalities based on a very limited knowledge about biometric spoofing at the sensor.
Abstract: Biometrics systems have significantly improved person identification and authentication, playing an important role in personal, national, and global security. However, these systems might be deceived (or "spoofed") and, despite the recent advances in spoofing detection, current solutions often rely on domain knowledge, specific biometric reading systems, and attack types. We assume a very limited knowledge about biometric spoofing at the sensor to derive outstanding spoofing detection systems for iris, face, and fingerprint modalities based on two deep learning approaches. The first approach consists of learning suitable convolutional network architectures for each domain, while the second approach focuses on learning the weights of the network via back-propagation. We consider nine biometric spoofing benchmarks --- each one containing real and fake samples of a given biometric modality and attack type --- and learn deep representations for each benchmark by combining and contrasting the two learning approaches. This strategy not only provides better comprehension of how these approaches interplay, but also creates systems that exceed the best known results in eight out of the nine benchmarks. The results strongly indicate that spoofing detection systems based on convolutional networks can be robust to attacks already known and possibly adapted, with little effort, to image-based attacks that are yet to come.
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01 Dec 2014TL;DR: The use of botanical insecticides associated with nanotechnology offers considerable potential for increasing agricultural productivity, while at the same time reducing impacts on the environment and human health.
Abstract: This review article discusses the use of nanotechnology in combination with botanical insecticides in order to develop systems for pest control in agriculture. The main types of botanical insecticides are described, together with different carrier systems and their potential uses. The botanical insecticides include those based on active principles isolated from plant extracts, as well as essential oils derived from certain plants. The advantages offered by the systems are highlighted, together with the main technological challenges that must be resolved prior to future implementation of the systems for agricultural pest control. The use of botanical insecticides associated with nanotechnology offers considerable potential for increasing agricultural productivity, while at the same time reducing impacts on the environment and human health.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a search for new physics in multijet events with large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions at 8 TeV using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns collected with the CMS detector at the LHC.
Abstract: A search for new physics is performed in multijet events with large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)=8 TeV using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample is divided into three jet multiplicity categories (3-5, 6-7, and 8 or more jets), and studied further in bins of two variables: the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta and the missing transverse momentum. The observed numbers of events in various categories are consistent with backgrounds expected from standard model processes. Exclusion limits are presented for several simplified supersymmetric models of squark or gluino pair production.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported antifungal activity of copper nanoparticles against selected crop pathogenic fungi, which were synthesized by chemical reduction of Cu 2+ in the presence of Cetyl trimethyl ammonium Bromide and isopropyl alcohol.
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17 Jan 2014
TL;DR: In this article, a search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a W-boson pair at the LHC is reported, and an excess of events above background is observed.
Abstract: A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a W-boson pair at the LHC is reported. The event sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb−1 and 19.4 fb−1 collected with the CMS detector in pp collisions at s√ = 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. The Higgs boson candidates are selected in events with two or three charged leptons. An excess of events above background is observed, consistent with the expectation from the standard model Higgs boson with a mass of around 125 GeV. The probability to observe an excess equal or larger than the one seen, under the background-only hypothesis, corresponds to a significance of 4.3 standard deviations for m H = 125.6 GeV. The observed signal cross section times the branching fraction to WW for m H = 125.6 GeV is 0.72+0.20−0.18 times the standard model expectation. The spin-parity J P = 0+ hypothesis is favored against a narrow resonance with J P = 2+ or J P = 0− that decays to a W-boson pair. This result provides strong evidence for a Higgs-like boson decaying to a W-boson pair.
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TL;DR: It was concluded that the encapsulation of paraquat in nanoparticles can provide a useful means of reducing adverse impacts on human health and the environment, and that the formulation therefore has potential for use in agriculture.
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31 Jul 2014
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TL;DR: These measurements provide a valuable tool to extract the freeze-out parameters in heavy-ion collisions by comparing with theoretical models and show nonmonotonic behavior as a function of collision energy.
Abstract: We report the first measurements of the moments-mean (M), variance (sigma(2)), skewness (S), and kurtosis (kappa)-of the net-charge multiplicity distributions at midrapidity in Au + Au collisions at seven energies, ranging from root s(NN) = 7.7 to 200 GeV, as a part of the Beam Energy Scan program at RHIC. The moments are related to the thermodynamic susceptibilities of net charge, and are sensitive to the location of the QCD critical point. We compare the products of the moments, sigma(2)/M, S sigma, and kappa sigma(2), with the expectations from Poisson and negative binomial distributions (NBDs). The S sigma values deviate from the Poisson baseline and are close to the NBD baseline, while the kappa sigma(2) values tend to lie between the two. Within the present uncertainties, our data do not show nonmonotonic behavior as a function of collision energy. These measurements provide a valuable tool to extract the freeze-out parameters in heavy-ion collisions by comparing with theoretical models.
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TL;DR: AM technologies were applied to design and fabricate a biomodel and customized implant for the surgical reconstruction of a large cranial defect and the design and manufacture of the patient-specific implant are presented.
Abstract: Additive manufacturing (AM) technology from engineering has helped to achieve several advances in the medical field, particularly as far as fabrication of implants is concerned. The use of AM has made it possible to carry out surgical planning and simulation using a three-dimensional physical model which accurately represents the patient's anatomy. AM technology enables the production of models and implants directly from a 3D virtual model, facilitating surgical procedures and reducing risks. Furthermore, AM has been used to produce implants designed for individual patients in areas of medicine such as craniomaxillofacial surgery, with optimal size, shape and mechanical properties. This work presents AM technologies which were applied to design and fabricate a biomodel and customized implant for the surgical reconstruction of a large cranial defect. A series of computed tomography data was obtained and software was used to extract the cranial geometry. The protocol presented was used to create an anatomic biomodel of the bone defect for surgical planning and, finally, the design and manufacture of the patient-specific implant.
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Leipzig University1, Odense University Hospital2, Université libre de Bruxelles3, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro4, University Health Network5, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust6, Ege University7, Ankara University8, Université de Montréal9, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul10, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro11, Hannover Medical School12, University of Plymouth13, University of New South Wales14, Cairo University15, Örebro University16, Ain Shams University17, Dokuz Eylül University18, Karolinska University Hospital19, Federal University of São Paulo20, Carlos III Health Institute21, University of Copenhagen22, State University of Campinas23, University of São Paulo24, Medical University of Vienna25, Masaryk University26, University of Manitoba27, Istanbul University28, University of British Columbia29, Aalborg University30, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven31, University of Western Ontario32, University of Düsseldorf33, University of Zurich34, University of Calgary35, Geneva College36, Dalhousie University37, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre38, Monash University39, University College London40, Goethe University Frankfurt41, University of St. Gallen42, Université catholique de Louvain43, Medical University of Graz44, University of Melbourne45, Charles University in Prague46, Ghent University Hospital47, University of Hasselt48, Ghent University49, Copenhagen University Hospital50, University of Antwerp51, Karolinska Institutet52
TL;DR: In most countries, prevalence rates were higher among males, reflecting higher rates of injection drug use, and Diagnosis, treatment and transplant levels also differed considerably between countries.
Abstract: Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading indicator for liver disease. New treatment options are becoming available, and there is a need to characterize the epidemiology and disease burden of HCV. Data for prevalence, viremia, genotype, diagnosis and treatment were obtained through literature searches and expert consensus for 16 countries. For some countries, data from centralized registries were used to estimate diagnosis and treatment rates. Data for the number of liver transplants and the proportion attributable to HCV were obtained from centralized databases. Viremic prevalence estimates varied widely between countries, ranging from 0.3% in Austria, England and Germany to 8.5% in Egypt. The largest viremic populations were in Egypt, with 6,358,000 cases in 2008 and Brazil with 2,106,000 cases in 2007. The age distribution of cases differed between countries. In most countries, prevalence rates were higher among males, reflecting higher rates of injection drug use. Diagnosis, treatment and transplant levels also differed considerably between countries. Reliable estimates characterizing HCV-infected populations are critical for addressing HCV-related morbidity and mortality. There is a need to quantify the burden of chronic HCV infection at the national level.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measured the transverse momentum spectra of pi(+/-), K-+/- and p((p) over bar) up to p(T) = 20 GeV/c at mid-rapidity in pp, peripheral (60-80%) and central (0-5%) Pb-Pb collisions.
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University of Edinburgh1, University of Leeds2, University of Exeter3, University College London4, Imperial College London5, National Institute of Amazonian Research6, Naturalis7, Utrecht University8, Australian National University9, Universidad Autónoma Gabriel René Moreno10, National Institute for Space Research11, University of Amsterdam12, Institut national de la recherche agronomique13, Universidade Federal do Acre14, Woods Hole Research Center15, Central University of Ecuador16, Paul Sabatier University17, National Park Service18, National Agrarian University19, University of Texas at Austin20, University of São Paulo21, Smithsonian Institution22, Ferrum College23, World Wide Fund for Nature24, James Cook University25, Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso26, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee27, National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco28, Wageningen University and Research Centre29, Duke University30, University of East Anglia31, National University of Colombia32, University of Los Andes33, University of Florida34, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi35, Conservation International36, Georgetown University37, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute38, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee39, State University of Campinas40, Northern Arizona University41, University of Oxford42
TL;DR: Pantropical biomass maps are widely used by governments and by projects aiming to reduce deforestation using carbon offsets, but may have significant regional biases and carbon accounting techniques must be revised to account for the known ecological variation in tree wood density and allometry.
Abstract: Aim The accurate mapping of forest carbon stocks is essential for understanding the global carbon cycle, for assessing emissions from deforestation, and for rational land-use planning. Remote sensing (RS) is currently the key tool for this purpose, but RS does not estimate vegetation biomass directly, and thus may miss significant spatial variations in forest structure. We test the stated accuracy of pantropical carbon maps using a large independent field dataset. Location Tropical forests of the Amazon basin. The permanent archive of the field plot data can be accessed at: http://dx.doi.org/10.5521/FORESTPLOTS.NET/