Effect of particle polydispersity on the irreversible adsorption of fine particles on patterned substrates

We performed extensive Monte Carlo simulations of the irreversible adsorption of polydispersed disks inside the cells of a patterned substrate. The model captures relevant features of the irreversible adsorption of spherical colloidal particles on patterned substrates. The pattern consists of (equal) square cells, where adsorption can take place, centered at the vertices of a square lattice. Two independent, dimensionless parameters are required to control the geometry of the pattern, namely, the cell size and cell-cell distance, measured in terms of the average particle diameter. However, to describe the phase diagram, two additional dimensionless parameters, the minimum and maximum particle radii are also required. We find that the transition between any two adjacent regions of the phase diagram solely depends on the largest and smallest particle sizes, but not on the shape of the distribution function of the radii. We consider size dispersions up-to 20% of the average radius using a physically motivated truncated Gaussian-size distribution, and focus on the regime where adsorbing particles do not interact with those previously adsorbed on neighboring cells to characterize the jammed state structure. The study generalizes previous exact relations on monodisperse particles to account for size dispersion. Due to the presence of the pattern, the coverage shows a non-monotonic dependence on the cell size. The pattern also affects the radius of adsorbed particles, where one observes preferential adsorption of smaller radii particularly at high polydispersity.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Recent advances and open challenges in percolation

Percolation is the paradigm for random connectivity and has been one of the most applied statistical models. With simple geometrical rules a transition is obtained which is related to magnetic models. This transition is, in all dimensions, one of the most robust continuous transitions known. We present a very brief overview of more than 60 years of work in this area and discuss several open questions for a variety of models, including classical, explosive, invasion, bootstrap, and correlated percolation

Desenvolvimento de mudas de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L.) submetidas a diferentes substratos e sombreamentos.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes substratos e níveis de sombreamento no desenvolvimento de mudas de pinhão-manso (Jatropha curcas L. Os frutos foram colhidos em uma área comercial. Após beneficiamento e assepsia, duas sementes foram semeadas em sacos de polietileno de aproximadamente 3 litros, preenchidos com quatro diferentes substratos. Sendo eles, solo (S); areia (A); S1-A1-NPK (solo + areia, na proporção de 1:1, com 5 g de NPK 6:24:12 por litro de substrato); S1-A2-NPK (solo + areia, na proporção de 1:2, com 5 g de NPK 6:24:12 por litro de substrato); S1-A1-E1 (solo + areia + esterco curtido, na proporção de 1:1:1); S1-A1-E1 NPK (solo + areia + esterco curtido, na proporção de 1:1:1, com 5 g de NPK 6:24:12 por litro de substrato). O experimento foi conduzido em três diferentes intensidades de sombreamento: 0% (a céu aberto), 25% e 75% (em telado, com tela sombrite). O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, em um esquema fatorial 4 x 3 (quatro substratos x três sombreamentos), perfazendo um total de 12 tratamentos. As plântulas mantidas em sombreamento de 25% apresentaram, em geral, melhores resultados para todas as variáveis avaliadas. Conclui-se que tanto o sombreamento como o substrato interferiram na emergência da espéci

Teor de água sobre a germinação de sementes de aroeira-do-sertão.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o efeito do teor de água sobre a germinação de sementes de Aroeira-do-sertão.Edição dos Anais do 1 Simpósio da Rede de Recursos Genéticos Vegetais do Nordeste, Cruz das Almas, nov. 2013

Teor de água sobre a germinação de sementes de angico.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o efeito do teor de água sobre a germinação de sementes de angico.Edição dos Anais do 1 Simpósio da Rede de Recursos Genéticos Vegetais do Nordeste, Cruz das Almas, nov. 2013

Inhibition of the formation in vitro of putatively carcinogenic metabolites derived from S. Haematobium and O. Viverrini by Combination of Drugs with Antioxidants

Infections caused by Schistosoma haematobium and Opisthorchis viverrini are classified as carcinogenic. Although carcinogenesis might be a multifactorial process, it has been postulated that these helminth produce/excrete oxysterols and estrogen-like metabolites that might act as initiators of their infection-associated carcinogenesis. Current treatment and control of these infections rely on a single drug, praziquantel, that mainly targets the parasites and not the pathologies related to the infection including cancer. Thus, there is a need to search for novel therapeutic alternatives that might include combinations of drugs and drug repurposing. Based on these concepts, we propose a novel therapeutic strategy that combines drugs with molecule antioxidants. We evaluate the efficacy of a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent the formation of putative carcinogenic metabolites precursors and DNA adducts. Firstly, we used a methodology previously established to synthesize metabolites precursors and DNA adducts in the presence of CYP450. Then, we evaluated the inhibition of their formation induced by drugs and antioxidants alone or in combination. Drugs and resveratrol alone did not show a significant inhibitory effect while N-acetylcysteine inhibited the formation of most metabolite precursors and DNA adducts. Moreover, the combinations of classical drugs with antioxidants were more effective rather than compounds alone. This strategy might be a valuable tool to prevent the initiation of helminth infection-associated carcinogenesis.This work was financed by FEDER-Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in the framework of the projects "Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences" (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274). N.V. also acknowledges support from FCT and FEDER (European Union), award number IF/00092/2014/CP1255/CT0004. FUNDING TEXT 2: Funding: This work was financed by FEDER-Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in the framework of the projects “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274). N.V. also acknowledges support from FCT and FEDER (European Union), award number IF/00092/2014/CP1255/CT0004

Produçãode fruteiras irrigadas com água de chuva na região Semiárida do Nordeste.

A busca pela água para o consumo no semiárido do Nordeste foi significativamente alterada pelo Programa Um Milhão de Cisternas (P1MC),que tem como meta construir um milhão de cisternas para coletar água dachuva. Todavia, em função do volume das precipitações da região semiárida, pode-se utilizar parte da água armazenada nas cisternas para produção de alimentos. Com esse objetivo foi avaliada a utilização da água de chuva captada em um telhado e armazenada em uma cisterna para produção de fruteiras. O trabalho foi realizado no período de agosto de 2006 a dezembro de 2011 com a construção de uma cisterna de 16 mil litros, um telhado de 78,6 m2 e a implantação de um pomar com 36 fruteiras. Com os resultados obtidos podese concluir que a água da chuva armazenada em cisternas pode contribuir significativamente para melhoria das condições de vida dos pequenos agricultores da região semiárida

Pet ownership during the first 5 years after breast cancer diagnosis in the NEON-BC cohort

Background Although human-animal interactions (HAI) have been associated with health benefits, they have not been extensively studied among cancer patients nor which factors may influence HAI during cancer survivorship. Therefore, this study aims to describe pet ownership in a breast cancer cohort within 5 years post-diagnosis and to identify associated factors. Methods Four hundred sixty-six patients from the NEON-BC cohort were evaluated. Four groups of pet ownership over the 5 years were defined: 'never had', 'stopped having', 'started having' and 'always had'. Multinomial logistic regression was used to quantify the association between the patient characteristics and the groups defined (reference: 'never had'). Results 51.7% of patients had pets at diagnosis, which increased to 58.4% at 5 years; dogs and cats were the most common. Women presenting depressive symptoms and poor quality of life were more likely to stop having pets. Older and unpartnered women were less likely to start having pets. Those retired, living outside Porto, having diabetes or having owned animals during adulthood were more likely to start having pets. Women with higher education and unpartnered were less likely to always have pets. Those living in larger households, with other adults or having animals throughout life, were more likely to always have pets. Obese women had lower odds of stopping having dogs/cats. Women submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and longer chemotherapy treatments were more likely to stop having dogs/cats. Conclusions Pet ownership changed over the 5 years and is influenced by sociodemographic, clinical and treatment characteristics, patient-reported outcomes and past pet ownership, reflecting the importance of HAI during cancer survivorship.This work was funded by FEDER through the Operational Programme Competitiveness and Internationalization and national funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology-FCT (Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education) under the project 'A five-year prospective cohort study on the neurological complications of breast cancer: frequency and impact in patient-reported outcomes' (POCI-01-0145-FEDER016867, Ref. PTDC/DTP-EPI/7183/2014), and national funding from FCT under the Unidade de Investigacao em Epidemiologia-Instituto de Saude Publica da Universidade do Porto (EPIUnit) (UIDB/04750/2020). Individual grants attributed to NA (SFRH/BD/119390/2016) and FF (SFRH/BD/92630/2013) were funded by FCT and the 'Programa Operacional Capital Humano' (POCH/FSE). Data management activities up to the first year of follow-up were supported by the Chair on Pain Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto and by the Grunenthal Foundation-Portugal