Thermally induced behavior of the K-exchanged erionite. A further step in understanding the structural modifications of the erionite group upon heating

Fibrous erionite is a naturally occurring zeolite considered to be highly carcinogenic upon inhalation, even more than crocidolite. Since no iron is typically present in erionite, its toxicity has been attributed to ion-exchanged Fe participating in Fenton chemistry. Recently, a study aimed at investigating possible fiber inactivation routes surprisingly showed that, despite having completely occluded all available pores with K ions, the erionite-Na sample preserved the property to upload Fe (II) within the structure. In this work, the thermal behavior of the K-exchanged erionite-Na was investigated by TG/ DSC and in situ XRPD analyses in order to provide relevant information for modeling the thermally induced behavior of the erionite group. Rietveld refinement results evidenced a general trend of cell parameters and volume with temperature similar to that observed for erionite-K from Rome (Oregon, USA). However, the dependence of Tdehydrand Tbreakfrom Si/Si+Al ratio observed in zeolites (high Si content favours a lower Tdehydrand a higher Tbreak) is not observed, possibly due to the effect of the relevant amount of large K ions dispersed within the erionite cage, acting as reinforcing blocks for the framework. Heating produces a progressive emptying of the Ca sites, common effect previously observed in erionite samples showing different chemistry. In addition, K1 s.s. remains unchanged evidencing the absence of any “internal ion exchange” process, whereas s.s. at K2 increases in the range 438-573 K and then slowly decreases in the range 700-1218 K. Both Rietveld and DSC data suggest the motion of K ions from OW sites toward the walls of the erionite cavity during dehydration

Cognitive behavioral group therapy versus psychoeducational intervention in Parkinson's disease

Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate whether cognitive behavioral group therapy has a positive impact on psychiatric, and motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: We assigned 20 PD patients with a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder to either a 12-week cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group or a psychoeducational protocol. For the neurological examination, we administered the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and the non-motor symptoms scale. The severity of psychiatric symptoms was assessed by means of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and the Clinical Global Impressions. Results: Cognitive behavioral group therapy was effective in treating depression and anxiety symptoms as well as reducing the severity of non-motor symptoms in PD patients; whereas, no changes were observed in PD patients treated with the psychoeducational protocol. Conclusion: CBT offered in a group format should be considered in addition to standard drug therapy in PD patient

Primary cosmic ray spectrum in the 10 to the 12th power - 10 to the 16th power eV energy range from the NUSEX experiment

A primary cosmic ray spectrum was derived which fits both experimental multiple muon rates and the all-nucleon flux derived from the single muon intensities underground. In the frame of the interaction model developed by Gaisser, Elbert and Stanev, it is possible to reproduce NUSEX muon data with a primary composition in which the iron spectrum is only slightly flatter than the proton one. This result rules out the popular idea that the primary composition varies drastically with increasing energy, leading to the dominance of heavier nuclei at energies 10 to the 15th power to 10 to the 16th power eV

Kaon physics with the KLOE detector

In this paper we discuss the recent finalized analyses by the KLOE experiment at DA$\Phi$NE: the CPT and Lorentz invariance test with entangled $K^0 \bar{K}^0$ pairs, and the precision measurement of the branching fraction of the decay ${ K^+} \rightarrow \pi^+\pi^-\pi^+(\gamma)$. We also present the status of an ongoing analysis aiming to precisely measure the $K^{\pm}$ mass

Avaliação da fertilidade dos solos do Distrito Federal.

O SNLCS tem procurado ampliar o alcance e a utilização prática, dos dados obtidos através dos levantamentos de solos que realiza. Prosseguindo as pesquisas que objetivam a elaboração do mapa de solos do Brasil a nível de reconhecimento, esta entidade vem complementando seus trabalhos com mapas de aptidão agrícola das terras, em relação com diferentes tipos de manejo e culturas. Dentro dos parâmetros usados para definir a aptidão agrícola dos solos, a fertilidade e o mais facilmente controlável e aquele cuja alteração modifica mais sensivelmente a produtividade das terras. Por outro lado, os mapas de aptidão, pela sua natureza, não mostram claramente as limitações de uso devido unicamente ao nível de fertilidade das terras. Tal informação é de grande importância ao estudo de viabilidade econômica de projetos agropecuários, por permitir estimar a necessidade de fertilizantes e corretivos para determinada área. A análise conjunta dos mapas de classificação e aptidão agrícola e ainda de uma avaliação da fertilidade dos solos, daria aos usuários dos trabalhos de levantamento uma visão mais completa dos recursos disponíveis, facilitando as decisões quanto ao tipo de exploração agrícola e ao sistema de manejo mais adequado em cada caso. O presente projeto propõe a complementação de cada trabalho de levantamento com uma avaliação e quantificação da fertilidade, cuja precisão e confiabilidade serão tanto maiores quanto maior for o nível de detalhe do levantamento de solos em que seja baseado.bitstream/item/62835/1/CNPS-BOL.-TEC.-74-80.pdf; bitstream/item/125962/1/Avaliacao-da-Fertilidade-dos-Solos-do-Distrito-Federal.pdfAcompanha 1 mapa, color. Escala 1:100.000

Atmospheric pressure non-equilibriumplasma for the production of composite materials

In the evolving field of tissue engineering, continuous advances are required to improve scaffold design and fabrication to obtain biomimetic supports for cell adhesion, proliferation, penetration and differentiation. Both electrospun fibrous scaffolds and hydrogels are used in this field since they well reproduce the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of many biological tissues. Limitations of these two types of materials can be overcome through their combination, by developing composite structures combining enhanced mechanical properties (provided by the fibrous components) and improved cell penetration (provided by the gel phase) in a superior ability to mimic natural ECM that is constituted by both a fibrous protein network and a hydrogel matrix. Here we develop new composite materials made of electrospun PLLA scaffolds and poly(amidoamine) hydrogels with different degrees of crosslinking. To promote compatibilization and good adhesion between the two materials, surface chemical reactions between hydrogels and PLLA mats are induced by inserting amino functional groups on electrospun PLLA mats by means of atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma. Results will be presented concerning the exposure of PLLA substrates to the plasma region generated by a Dielectric Barrier Discharge at atmospheric pressure, driven by a HV Amplifier connected to a function generator operating with a microsecond rise time and operated in N2. Surface and solid-state thermo-mechanical characterizations of plasma treated substrates and of resulting composite materials at different crosslinking degrees are presented. Results of mechanical tests show a high adhesion between hydrogel and plasma treated PLLA electrospun mats, underlining the opportunity to use atmospheric non-thermal plasmas to fabricate a composite starting from two materials otherwise physically incompatible. Potential effects of nanofibrous-hydrogel were evaluated by investigating pluripotent stem cells response

A petro-chemical study of ancient mortars from the archaeological site of Kyme (Turkey)

Fourteen samples of ancient mortars (joint mortars and plasters) from the archaeological site of Kyme (Turkey) were studied by optical microscopy (OM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) and micro- Raman spectroscopy to obtain information about their composition.The study allowed us to identify a new type of plaster inside the archaeological site of Kyme, not detected by previous studies of this site, in which vegetable fibers were intentionally added to the mixture. The combination of a petrographic analysis on thin sections by polarized light microscopy with a chemical analysis, has allowed us to highlight similarities and differences between the mortars and to get information about the evolution of constructive techniques in the archaeological area

Association of USF1 and APOA5 polymorphisms with familial combined hyperlipidemia in an Italian population.

Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH) is a polygenic and multifactorial disease characterized by a variable phenotype showing increased levels of triglycerides and/or cholesterol. The aim of this study was to identify single nucleotides (SNPs) in lipid-related genes associated with FCH. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty SNPs in lipid-related genes were studied in 142 control subjects and 165 FCH patients after excluding patients with mutations in the LDLR gene and patients with the E2/E2 genotype of APOE. In particular, we studied the 9996G > A (rs2073658) and 11235C > T (rs3737787) variants in the Upstream Stimulatory Factor 1 gene (USF1), and the -1131T > C (rs662799) and S19W (rs3135506) variants in the Apolipoprotein A-V gene (APOA5). We found that the frequencies of these variants differed between patients and controls and that are associated with different lipid profiles. At multivariate logistic regression SNP S19W in APOA5 remained significantly associated with FCH independently of age, sex, BMI, cholesterol and triglycerides. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the USF1 and APOA5 polymorphisms are associated with FCH and that the S19W SNP in the APOA5 gene is associated to the disease independently of total cholesterol, triglycerides and BMI. However, more extensive studies including other SNPs such as rs2516839 in USF1, are required

How the recent BABAR data for P to \gamma\gamma* affect the Standard Model predictions for the rare decays P to l+l-

Measuring the lepton anomalous magnetic moments $(g-2)$ and the rare decays of light pseudoscalar mesons into lepton pairs $P\to l^{+}l^{-}$, serve as important tests of the Standard Model. To reduce the theoretical uncertainty in the standard model predictions, the data on the charge and transition form factors of the light pseudoscalar mesons play a significant role. Recently, new data on the behavior of the transition form factors $P\to\gamma\gamma*$ at large momentum transfer were supplied by the BABAR collaboration. There are several problems with the theoretical interpretation of these data: 1) An unexpectedly slow decrease of the pion transition form factor at high momenta, 2) the qualitative difference in the behavior of the pion form factor and the $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ form factors at high momenta, 3) the inconsistency of the measured ratio of the $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ form factors with the predicted one. We comment on the influence of the new BABAR data on the rare decay branchings.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

The cusp effect in eta' --> eta pi pi decays

Strong final-state interactions create a pronounced cusp in eta' --> eta pi0 pi0 decays. We adapt and generalize the non-relativistic effective field theory framework developed for the extraction of pi pi scattering lengths from K --> 3 pi decays to this case. The cusp effect is predicted to have an effect of more than 8% on the decay spectrum below the pi+ pi- threshold.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures; comment added, typos corrected, version published in Eur. Phys. J.