Numerical Simulations of the Magnetodielectric response in Ising Pyrochlores

In this paper, we examine the magnetoelectric response of Ising pyrochlores, focusing on both the ordered antiferromagnetic state and the frustrated ferromagnetic case known as "spin-ice". We employ a model which accounts for magnetoelastic effects by considering the interplay between oxygen distortions and superexchange magnetic interactions within pyrochlores. This, together with numerical simulations, provides a tool to make quantitative comparisons with experiments. Our main target is then to see how to extract relevant information from this simple model, and to explore its limitations. We obtain a direct estimation of quantities such as the electric dipole moment, the central oxygen displacement and the effective magnetoelastic energy for the canonical spin-ice material \DTO. We also inquire about the possibility of using the electric dipole carried by magnetic monopoles to obtain a direct measure of their density. In each studied scenario the correlations between monopoles, induced by their number or by the magnetic background,renders these findings less straightforward than initially anticipated. Furthermore, the coupling between electrical and magnetic degrees of freedom provides additional tools to investigate magnetic order in these systems. As an example of this we discuss the phase diagram of the antiferromagnetic pyrochlore under applied magnetic field along the [111] direction. We find an instance where the phase stability at nonzero temperatures is not dictated by the energy associated with different ground states but (akin to the phenomenon of order-by-disorder) is instead determined by their accessibility to thermal fluctuations

Oral administration of eucalyptol reduces cell migration and pain-like behavior in zymosan-induced arthritis mice

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease that utilizes nonbiologic and biologic drugs for appropriate disease management. However, high cost, adverse effects, reduced effectiveness, and risk of infection have stimulated the search for safer and more efficacious therapeutic strategies. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of eucalyptol in an experimental model of arthritis. Mice were administered zymosan or saline intra-articularly. One hour before the zymosan administration, the mice were treated with oral eucalyptol (200-400 mg/kg) and vehicle. Cell influx, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were measured in joint exudates. Joint pain was assessed using paw-pressure tests. Orally administered eucalyptol (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced cell influx, as well as neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes, when compared with the control. Eucalyptol at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly reversed joint pain and demonstrated analgesic activity (60%); however, 200 mg/kg failed to alter joint pain. These results indicate that oral eucalyptol promotes anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity in mice subjected to zymosan-induced arthritis

Implementação de mecanismos de avaliação da participação online: um estudo na plataforma Sapo Campus

Mestrado em Comunicação MultimédiaOs serviços da Web 2.0 têm vindo a ser cada vez mais utilizados no contexto educativo dado o seu potencial na criação e dinamização de comunidades de aprendizagem distribuídas. Devido às suas características, estes serviços potenciam a comunicação entre os membros da comunidade, levando à partilha de informação entre estes. Surge assim o projecto SAPO Campus, que tem como objectivo a criação de uma plataforma integrada de serviços Web 2.0 para instituições de Ensino Superior. Assumindo que a implementação desta metodologia, baseada na construção de uma comunidade de aprendizagem, implica a existência de uma constante participação e interacção entre os membros da comunidade torna-se, então, pertinente efectuar a avaliação da forma como os alunos participam nessa mesma comunidade. Devido a este tipo de avaliação ser uma actividade recente e à existência de dificuldades inerentes à sua aplicação, somos confrontados com a necessidade de fornecer ferramentas que apoiem a actividade de avaliação da participação online dos alunos. No presente estudo é feita a conceptualização e implementação de uma ferramenta, integrada na plataforma SAPO Campus, que permite efectuar a avaliação dos contributos dos alunos. Esta ferramenta foi testada de forma a validar as soluções adoptadas e encontrar pontos de trabalho futuro. Para além disso, é feita ainda a conceptualização de uma ferramenta de visualização dos resultados das avaliações efectuadas e o estudo teórico de uma ferramenta que forneça feedback aos alunos acerca da avaliação da sua participação na comunidade. ABSTRACT: The Web 2.0 services are increasingly being used in educational environment due to their potential in the creation and promotion of distributed learning communities. As a result of their characteristics, these services enhance the communication between community members, leading them to share information. This brings us to the SAPO Campus project which aims to create an integrated Web 2.0 services platform to be applied on Higher Education institutions. Implementing this platform consists in building a learning community which will promote constant participation and interaction amongst its members. It then becomes pertinent to carry out an assessment of how students participate in the community. The assessment of the social interactions within Learning communities poses a great deal of problems given the large amount of data and players involved. As such we are faced with the need to provide tools to support the process of evaluating the students' online participation. In the present study it's made the conceptualization and implementation of a tool, integrated in the SAPO Campus platform, that allows the assessment of students' contributions. This tool was tested to validate the adopted solutions and find points of interest to work with in the future. In addition, it's made the conceptualization of a tool that allows to visualize the assessments' results and a theoretical study of a tool that provides feedback to students about the assessment of their participation in the community

Estágio realizado no Centro de Saúde de Paço de Arcos : programa comunitário PLE2NO : atividade física na osteoartrose

A Osteoartrose (OA) é uma doença reumática crónica com elevado impacto na sociedade afetando a saúde, interferindo na realização das atividades de vida diárias e na qualidade de vida da pessoa. O exercício e a educação do paciente destacam-se como medidas de controlo de sintomas. Os objetivos do estágio curricular foram: adquirir conhecimentos teórico-práticos relacionados com OA, desenvolver competências essenciais à ótima comunicação e liderança com as pessoas e instituições envolvidas e prescrever exercícios adaptados a indivíduos com OA no joelho. O estágio esteve relacionado com o desenvolvimento de uma intervenção: Programa Livre de Educação e Exercício Na Osteoartrose - PLE²NO (programa de três meses de educação e exercício), tendo como principal objetivo: cativar e motivar as pessoas para a prática de exercício; determinar a eficácia na gestão da patologia, e controlo dos sintomas, e verificar a sua efetividade na aptidão física e qualidade de vida de pessoas com OA no joelho. Em suma, esta intervenção mostrou-se uma mais-valia na aquisição de conhecimento e relação interpessoal com a população alvo deste programa.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic rheumatic disease with a high impact on society, affecting health, interfering in the performance of daily life activities and in the person's quality of life. Exercise and patient education stand out as symptom control measures. The objectives of the curricular internship were: to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge related to OA, to develop essential skills for excellent communication and leadership with the people and institutions involved and to prescribe exercises adapted to individuals with OA in the knee. The internship was related to the development of an intervention: Free Education and Exercise Program in Osteoarthritis - PLE²NO (three-month education and exercise program), with the main objective: to captivate and motivate people to exercise; to determine the effectiveness in the management of the pathology, and control of the symptoms, and to verify its effectiveness in the physical fitness and quality of life of people with OA in the knee. In short, this intervention showed a capture of knowledge and interpersonal relationship with the target population of this program

Sustainability assessment of a self-consumption wood-energy chain on small scale for heat generation in central Italy

The sustainability of a small-scale self-consumption wood-energy chain for heat generation in central Italy was analyzed from a technical, economic and energetic point of view. A micro-chain was developed within the CRA-ING farm at Monterotondo (Rome, Italy): The purpose of this system was to produce biomass for supplying a heating plant within the CRA-ING property as a substitute for diesel fuel. A poplar short rotation coppice, established with clones AF2, AF6 and Monviso, fed the micro-chain. The rotation was biennial. The average plantation production (Mgd.m.·ha−1·year−1) was 10.2, with a maximum of 13.53 for the twin-rows AF2 and a minimum of 8.00 for the single-row Monviso. The economic assessment was based on the Net Present Value (NPV) method and the equivalent annuity cost, and found an average saving of 15.60 €·GJ−1 of heat generated by the wood chips heating system in comparison with the diesel heating system over a 10 year lifetime of the thermal power plant. The energy assessment of the poplar plantation, carried out using the Gross Energy Requirements method, reported an energy output/input ratio of 12.3. The energy output/input ratio of the whole micro-chain was 4.5

Effects of Low-Volume Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Functionality of People with Parkinson’s Disease

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(3): 567-580, 2019. Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system that affects the elderly and results in a decrease of functional capacity, motor control, and muscle strength. Resistance training (RT) has been shown to be a non-drug alternative in both elderly and parkinsonian patients in increasing functional capacity and muscle strength. The present study aimed to verify the effects of low-volume RT in people with PD in relation to muscular strength, body composition, anthropometry and functional capacity. Fifteen elderly patients with idiopathic PD were divided into two groups: 7 in the resistance-training group (RTG): RT twice a week for 12 weeks, and 8 in the control group (CG): No exercise. Before the training period, the subjects performed maximum strength (1-RM), body composition (Bioimpedance), anthropometry, and functional capacity (GDLAM protocol) tests. The endpoints were analyzed by the Generalized Estimates (GEE) with post hoc Bonferroni, being adopted for the analyses α \u3c 0.05. The results showed that the RTG had muscle strength gains: Bench Press 113.33%, Lat Pull Down 71.83% and Leg press 45º 94.48%, (p \u3c 0.001), functional capacity (IG: -10.47%), and lean mass: 11.98%, (p \u3c 0.001), while the GC presented significant changes before and after functional capacity only (GI: -1.61%) (p \u3c 0.001). In addition, the RTG obtained reductions in the percentage of body fat (-2.30%) and in the waist-hip ratio (-2.22) without changes indicated in the CG. RT was efficient in improving muscle strength, functional capacity, body composition and anthropometric health indicators in individuals with PD