Digital electric field induced switching of plasmonic nanorods using an electro-optic fluid fiber

We demonstrate the digital electric field induced switching of plasmonic nanorods between 1 and 0 orthogonal aligned states using an electro-optic fluid fiber component. We show by digitally switching the nanorods, that thermal rotational diffusion of the nanorods can be circumvented, demonstrating an approach to achieve submicrosecond switching times. We also show, from an initial unaligned state, that the nanorods can be aligned into the applied electric field direction in 110 nanoseconds. The high-speed digital switching of plasmonic nanorods integrated into an all-fiber optical component may provide novel opportunities for remote sensing and signaling applications

New lower bound for the Hilbert number in low degree Kolmogorov systems

Our main goal in this paper is to study the number of small-amplitude isolated periodic orbits, so-called limit cycles, surrounding only one equilibrium point a class of polynomial Kolmogorov systems. We denote by $\mathcal M_{K}(n)$ the maximum number of limit cycles bifurcating from the equilibrium point via a degenerate Hopf bifurcation for a polynomial Kolmogorov vector field of degree $n$. In this work, we obtain another example such that $\mathcal M_{K}(3)\geq 6$. In addition, we obtain new lower bounds for $\mathcal M_{K}(n)$ proving that $\mathcal M_{K}(4)\geq 13$ and $\mathcal M_{K}(5)\geq 22$

Intra and inter-rater reliability study of pelvic floor muscle dynamometric measurements

The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra and inter-rater reliability of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) dynamometric measurements for maximum and average strengths, as well as endurance. A convenience sample of 18 nulliparous women, without any urogynecological complaints, aged between 19 and 31 (mean age of 25.4±3.9) participated in this study. They were evaluated using a pelvic floor dynamometer based on load cell technology. The dynamometric evaluations were repeated in three successive sessions: two on the same day with a rest period of 30 minutes between them, and the third on the following day. All participants were evaluated twice in each session; first by examiner 1 followed by examiner 2. The vaginal dynamometry data were analyzed using three parameters: maximum strength, average strength, and endurance. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was applied to estimate the PFM dynamometric measurement reliability, considering a good level as being above 0.75. The intra and inter-raters' analyses showed good reliability for maximum strength (ICCintra-rater1=0.96, ICCintra-rater2=0.95, and ICCinter-rater=0.96), average strength (ICCintra-rater1=0.96, ICCintra-rater2=0.94, and ICCinter-rater=0.97), and endurance (ICCintra-rater1=0.88, ICCintra-rater2=0.86, and ICCinter-rater=0.92) dynamometric measurements. The PFM dynamometric measurements showed good intra- and inter-rater reliability for maximum strength, average strength and endurance, which demonstrates that this is a reliable device that can be used in clinical practice.1929710

Coronaviruses Detected in Brazilian Wild Birds Reveal Close Evolutionary Relationships with Beta- and Deltacoronaviruses Isolated From Mammals

This study showed that the most of the coronaviruses (CoVs) detected in Brazilian wild birds clustered with the mouse hepatitis virus A59 strain, belonging to the BetaCoV group. Furthermore, CoV detected in two different bird species, Amazona vinacea and Brotogeris tirica, clustered with a CoV isolated from Sparrow (SpaCoV HKU17) belonging to a monophyletic group related with the CoVs isolated from swines (PorCoV HKU15), both belonging to the DeltaCoV genus, previously unreported in South America. Considering the risk of inter-species host switching and further adaptation to new hosts, detection in bird species of CoVs closely related to mammal CoVs should warn for the potential emergence of new threatening viruses.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Grants 2013/03922-6 and 2011/50919-5