Basis invariant conditions for supersymmetry in the two-Higgs-doublet model

The minimal supersymmetric standard model involves a rather restrictive Higgs potential with two Higgs fields. Recently, the full set of classes of symmetries allowed in the most general two Higgs doublet model was identified; these classes do not include the supersymmetric limit as a particular class. Thus, a physically meaningful definition of the supersymmetric limit must involve the interaction of the Higgs sector with other sectors of the theory. Here we show how one can construct basis invariant probes of supersymmetry involving both the Higgs sector and the gaugino-higgsino Higgs interactions.Comment: RevTex, 11 pages, v2-small section adde

Near-infrared spectroscopy for the detection and quantification of bacterial contaminations in pharmaceutical products

Accurate detection and quantification of microbiological contaminations remains an issue mainly due the lack of rapid and precise analytical techniques. Standard methods are expensive and time-consuming being associated to high economic losses and public health threats. In the context of pharmaceutical industry, the development of fast analytical techniques able to overcome these limitations is crucial and spectroscopic techniques might constitute a reliable alternative. In this work we proved the ability of Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIRS) to detect and quantify bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus epidermidis) from 10-108 CFUs/mL in sterile saline solutions (NaCl 0.9%). Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models showed that FT-NIRS was able to discriminate between sterile and contaminated solutions for all bacteria as well as to identify contaminant bacteria. Partial least squares (PLS) models allowed bacterial quantification with limits of detection ranging from 5.1 to 9CFU/mL for E. coli and B. subtilis, respectively. This methodology was successfully validated in three pharmaceutical preparations (contact lens solution, cough syrup and topic anti-inflammatory solution) proving that this technique possess a high potential to be routinely used for the detection and quantification of bacterial contaminations.This work was funded by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) under the project UID/QUI/50006/2013. The authors also thank the FCT Strategic Project of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and the project "BioInd-Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes", REF. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028 co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON. 2-O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. Daniela Mesquita (SFRH/BPD/82558/2011) and Cristina Quintelas were funded by post-doctoral grants from FCT and ON.2. Clara Sousa was funded by a CIENCIA2008 contract from FCT

Ductility and durability of strain hardening cementitious composites in the marine environment

Modern structures are being exposed to severe environments and the lack of durability is one of the most serious problems in concrete infrastructures. Structural concrete exposed to marine environment deserves special attention as the sea salts chemically react with the cement matrix and the steel reinforcement which results in loss of strength, cracking, spalling, etc. The challenges of Civil Engineering, especially within the structures in extreme environments, pose considerable expectations with regards to the development of fibre reinforced materials for the development of more resistant and durable solutions. In the present work, the behaviour of an Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) was studied. All the specimens prepared were cured in 4 types of environments: exposed to air (20ºC of temperature and 60% of humidity) immersed in tap water, immersed in salted water and immersed in seawater, all at an average temperature of 18ºC. A series of experiments, including compressive and direct tension tests were carried out to characterize the mechanical properties of the ECC materials while exposed to different environments. The most important characteristic of ECC, which include multiple-cracking behaviour at increasing tensile strains when subjected to increasing tensile loading, was confirmed in all types of curing environments. In all cases the cementitious composites performed well with regards to the strain hardening behaviour typically observed in these materials, although the cracking processes have shown different characteristics. Due to the ability of the material to control crack opening below extremely low values, typically under 100 µm, the durability of structures can be significantly improved when ECC materials are used in the in marine environments. It was shown also that the salted water does not represent well the effect of seawater while characterising ECC mechanical characteristics in the laboratory.The authors acknowledge the material suppliers Secil, Civitest, Sika, Saint-Gobain (Fibraflex) and Eurocálcio – Calcários e Inertes SA for providing the materials used in this study

Determinação da concentração de CBD-FITC adsorvidos em fibras por análise de imagem

Neste trabalho, foi elaborado um programa de processamento e análise de imagem para a determinação da quantidade de CBD-FITC adsorvido em fibras de celulose. Este programa consiste em duas fases em que a primeira se dedica à elaboração da curva de calibração e a segunda à determinação da concentração do CBD-FITC adsorvido. Para a elaboração da curva de calibração é necessário proceder a uma prévia aquisição de amostras de celulose com uma concentração de CBD-FITC espacialmente uniforme e conhecida. A curva de calibração é então obtida com recurso a uma interpolação multivariável por polinómios. Na segunda fase deste programa as imagens das fibras são primeiramente convertidas em concentração, através da curva de calibração obtida, e seguidamente o utilizador pode seleccionar a(s) zona(s) da(s) fibra(s) para a determinação da concentração do CBD-FITC. Esta concentração permitirá conhecer a distribuição dos CBD’s na superfície das fibras de celulose

Development of a method using image analysis for the measurement of cellulose-binding domains adsorbed onto cellulose fibers

The surface concentration of CBD-FITC conjugates, adsorbed on cellulose fibers, was determined by image analysis. The program consists of two scripts, the first dedicated to the elaboration of the calibration curve. The emission of fluorescent light, detected by image analysis, is correlated with the concentration of CBD solutions. This calibration is then used (second script) to determine the concentration of CBDs adsorbed on cellulosic fibers. This method allows the direct estimation of the surface concentration of adsorbed CBDs, which usually is not accurately calculated from depletion studies, since the surface area is hardly known. By observing different spots in the surface of the fibers, site-specific information is obtained. It was verified that the physically heterogeneous fibers exhibit different amounts of adsorbed CBDs.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Evaluation of antifungal activity and potential application as fluorescent probes of indolenine and benzo[e]indole-based squarylium dyes

The antifungal performance and the possible use as fluorescent probes of a series of squarylium dyes derived from indolenine and benzo[e]indole previously synthesized was evaluated. Some photophysical properties were performed in ethanol and phosphate buffer, and the type of aggregates form in phosphate buffer was analyzed. Using the 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran assay, a qualitative assessment of the capacity of dyes to produce singlet oxygen after irradiation was performed. Regarding the antifungal activity, this was studied through a broth microdilution assay using Saccharomyces cerevisiae PYCC 4072 as a biological model. The effect of irradiation of the dyes, with an appropriate light emitting diode system, on the antifungal activity was also evaluated, and it was verified that some of the dyes improve their activity after irradiation. Using fluorescence microscopy techniques, the colocalization of dyes in S. cerevisae cells was investigated and it was possible to verify that some of the squarylium dyes with a barbituric moiety in the four-membered central ring stained and accumulated preferentially in the mitochondrial web and perinuclear membrane of the cells. The possible use as a fluorescent probe for the detection of HSA was also evaluated for one of the dyes of the series, demonstrating a linear variation of the fluorescence intensity accompanied by the increase of the protein concentration.We thank to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (CCDR-N) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETEQREN-EU for financial support to the research centers CQ/UM (UIDB/00686/2020), CBMA (UID/BIA/04050/2020), CQ/VR (UID/QUI/UI0616/2019) and CICSUBI (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007491), as well as PhD grants to V.S.D.G. (UMINHO/BD/43/2016) and J.C.C.F. (SFRH/BD/133207/2017)

Squaraine dyes derived from indolenine and benzo[e]indole as potential fluorescent probes for HSA detection and antifungal agents

Four squaraine dyes derived from 2,3,3-trimethylindolenine and 1,1,2-trimethyl-1H-benzo[e]indole with different combinations of barbituric groups attach to the central ring, having ester groups and alkyl chains in the nitrogen atoms of heterocyclic rings were synthesized. These dyes were fully characterized and their photophysical behavior was studied in ethanol and phosphate-buffered saline solution. Absorption and emission bands between 631 and 712 nm were detected, with the formation of aggregates in aqueous media, which is typical of this class of dyes. Tests carried out with 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran allowed us to verify the ability of the dyes to produce singlet oxygen. The interaction of synthesized dyes with human serum albumin (HSA) was also evaluated, being demonstrated a linear correlation between fluorescence intensity and protein concentration. The antifungal potential of the dyes against the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was evaluated using a broth microdilution assay. In order to test the photosensitizing capacity of the synthesized dyes, tests were carried out in the dark and with irradiation, using a custom-built light-emitting diode that emits close to the absorption wavelength of the studied dyes. The results showed that the interaction of dyes with HSA and the antifungal activity depends on the different structural modifications of the dyes.We thanks to Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional do Norte (CCDR-N) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETEQREN-EU for financial support to the research centers CQ/UM (UIDB/00686/2020), CBMA (UID/BIA/04050/2020), CQ/VR (UID/QUI/UI0616/2019) and CICSUBI (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007491), as well as PhD grants to V.S.D.G. (UMINHO/BD/43/2016) and J.C.C.F. (SFRH/BD/133207/2017)

Skeletal quality in Senegalese sole: characterization of fish resulting from environmental and nutritional trials

The Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is characteristic from southern Europe and Mediterranean. It has recently been adapted for aquaculture production since it is well accepted by consumers and reaches high commercial values. After the initial description of the ontogenic events of skeletogenesis, systematic evaluation of the incidence of skeletal malformations by several groups revealed high levels of skeletal deformities reaching up to 90% of the population

5-Arylazo-2,2´-bithiophenes: a novel promising series of NLO chromophores

The synthesis of 5-arylazo- substituted bithiophenes and their UV-visible, solvatochromic and nonlinear optical properties (NLO) are described. In agreement with the solvatochromic data and also with the second-order molecular NLO characterization, the new donor-acceptor systems could find application as suitable solvatochromic probes and also as new NLO materials.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT