Application of Neutron Scattering in Amino Acid Crystals – Structural and Dynamical Information

In this work results of neutron powder diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering on aliphatic amino acid (L-alanine, L-valine and L-leucine) crystals are presented. The study allows inferring important informations about both the stability of the structures and the dynamics of phase transitions. In particular, it was possible to compare the behavior of different amino acids and to infer that changes in the mean-square displacements observed for two deuterated forms of L-alanine ND3+ – C2H4 – CO2- and NH3+ – C2D4 – CO2- are due to a structural rearrangement related to thermally activated amplitude reorientation of NH3+ and CO2-. Conformation changes in L-valine and L-leucine related to the phase transition are also discussed

Raman Spectroscopy of Amino Acid Crystals

In this chapter, we investigate the Raman spectra of proteinogenic amino acid crystals. Amino acids are fundamental organic molecules that compose polypeptides (a linear chain of amino acids) and proteins (folded polypeptides with specific functions) found in all living beings. Surprisingly, the number of these basic molecules is not more than 22 (20 of them commonly known as the standard amino acids, plus pyrrolysine and selenocysteine). They are defined as a molecule formed by an NH2 group, a COOH group, a lateral chain (the R group), and a hydrogen atom, all of them connected to a single carbon, the α-carbon. Interestingly, α-amino acids show chirality, i.e., they present different distributions of group of atoms around the α-carbon, being defined as l- and d-form. For amino acids and proteins found in the living beings, the l-form is the dominant form, although some exceptions have been discovered in the last decades. In this chapter, we present the Raman spectra of all standard amino acids and discuss the different kinds of vibrations found, comparing them. As complementary part of the work, we present results on vibrational properties of some amino acids using Raman spectroscopy when subjected to specific conditions, with variation in temperature or pressure. Finally, we present some perspectives as the investigation of purines, a group of molecules associated with the DNA molecule

Endovascular Management Of Extremity Arterial Trauma

Treatment of arterial traumatic injuries is usually performed with conventional revascularization techniques. However, vascular injuries can increasingly be repaired efficiently through minimally invasive procedures. We report four cases of extremity arterial trauma treated by endovascular techniques in a reference center. All patients showed satisfactory development over a 15-month follow-up. We suggest that endovascular therapy is a promising alternative to surgery for selected patients with extremity arterial trauma.715661Deguara, J., Ali, T., Modarai, B., Burnand, K.G., Upper limb ischemia: 20 years experience from a single center (2005) Vascular, 13, pp. 84-91Huynh, T.T., Pham, M., Griffin, L.W., Management of distal femoral and popliteal arterial injuries: An update (2006) Am J Surg, 192, pp. 773-778Peck, M.A., Rasmussen, T.E., Management of blunt peripheral arterial injury (2006) Perspect Vasc Surg Endovasc Ther, 18, pp. 159-173Vasdekis, S.N., Kakisis, J.D., Lazaris, A.M., Panayiotides, J.G., Angeli, A.A., Karkaletsis, K.G., Common femoral artery injury secondary to tennis ball strike (2006) J Vasc Surg, 44, pp. 1350-1352Starnes, B.W., Arthurs, Z.M., Endovascular management of vascular trauma (2006) Perspect Vasc Surg Endovasc Ther, 18, pp. 114-129Criado, E., Marston, W.A., Ligush, J., Mauro, M.A., Keagy, B.A., Endovascular repair of peripheral aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas (1997) Ann Vasc Surg, 11, pp. 253-263du Toit, D.F., Strauss, D.C., Blaszczyk, M., de Villiers, R., Warren, B.L., Endovascular treatment of penetrating thoracic outlet arterial injuries (2000) Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg, 19, pp. 489-495du Toit, D.F., Leith, J.G., Strauss, D.C., Blaszczyk, M., Odendaal, J.V., Warren, B.L., Endovascular management of traumatic cervicothoracic arteriovenous fistula (2003) Br J Surg, 90, pp. 1516-1521Kember, P.G., Wood, R.F., Gaines, P.A., Endovascular management of a non-penetrating traumatic axillary artery occlusion (1997) Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg, 14, pp. 227-228Mattox KL, Hirshberg A. Traumatismo vascular. In: Haimovici H, editor. Cirurgia vascular. Rio de Janeiro: Di-Livros2000. p. 480-96Strauss, D.C., du Toit, D.F., Warren, B.L., Endovascular repair of occluded subclavian arteries following penetrating trauma (2001) J Endovasc Ther, 8, pp. 529-533Kuzniec, S., Traumatismos vasculares (2002) Cirurgia vascular, pp. 706-720. , Brito CJ, editor, Rio de Janeiro: Revinter;Aun, R., Leão, P.P., Tratamento dos ferimentos vasculares por métodos endovasculares (2002) Cirurgia vascular, pp. 721-727. , Brito CJ, editor, Rio de Janeiro: Revinter;Lönn, L., Delle, M., Karlström, L., Risberg, B., Should blunt arterial trauma to the extremities be treated with endovascular techniques? (2005) J Trauma, 59, pp. 1224-1227Alvarez-Tostado, J., Tulsyan, N., Butler, B., Rizzo, A., Endovascular management of acute critical ischemia secondary to blunt tibial artery injury (2006) J Vasc Surg, 44, pp. 1101-1103Johnson SF, Johnson SB, Strodel WE, Barker DE, Kearney PA. Brachial plexus injury: association with subclavian and axillary vascular trauma. J Trauma. 1991;31:1546-50. J Vasc Bras. 2008;7(1):62-

Associated factors to serious infections in a large cohort of juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus from Lupus Registry (RELESSER).

Objective: To assess the incidence of serious infection (SI) and associated factors in a large juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE) retrospective cohort. Methods: All patients in the Spanish Rheumatology Society Lupus Registry (RELESSER) who meet =4 ACR-97 SLE criteria and disease onset <18 years old (jSLE), were retrospectively investigated for SI (defined as either the need for hospitalization with antibacterial therapy for a potentially fatal infection or death caused by the infection). Standardized SI rate was calculated per 100 patient years. Patients with and without SI were compared. Bivariate and multivariate logistic and Cox regression models were built to calculate associated factors to SI and relative risks. Results: A total of 353 jSLE patients were included: 88.7% female, 14.3 years (± 2.9) of age at diagnosis, 16.0 years (± 9.3) of disease duration and 31.5 years (±10.5) at end of follow-up. A total of 104 (29.5%) patients suffered 205 SI (1, 55.8%; 2-5, 38.4%; and =6, 5.8%). Incidence rate was 3.7 (95%CI: 3.2–4.2) SI per 100 patient years. Respiratory location and bacterial infections were the most frequent. Higher number of SLE classification criteria, SLICC/ACR DI score and immunosuppressants use were associated to the presence of SI. Associated factors to shorter time to first infection were higher number of SLE criteria, splenectomy and immunosuppressants use. Conclusions: The risk of SI in jSLE patients is significant and higher than aSLE. It is associated to higher number of SLE criteria, damage accrual, some immunosuppressants and splenectomy

Portuguese Ministers, 1851-1999: Social Background and Paths to Power

Disponível em: http://193.136.113.6/Opac/Pages/Search/Results.aspx?SearchText=UID=bb8aa8d5-c6b6-466a-81bb-fe8a67693cee&DataBase=10449_UNLFCSHThis paper provides an empirical analysis of the impact of regime changes in the composition and patterns of recruitment of the Portuguese ministerial elite throughout the last 150 years. The ‘out-of-type’, violent nature of most regime transformations accounts for the purges in and the extensive replacements of the political personnel, namely of the uppermost officeholders. In the case of Cabinet members, such discontinuities did not imply, however, radical changes in their social profile. Although there were some significant variations, a series of salient characteristics have persisted over time. The typical Portuguese minister is a male in his midforties, of middle-class origin and predominantly urban-born, highly educated and with a state servant background. The two main occupational contingents have been university professors - except for the First Republic (1910-26) - and the military, the latter having only recently been eclipsed with the consolidation of contemporary democracy. As regards career pathways, the most striking feature is the secular trend for the declining role of parliamentary experience, which the democratic regime did not clearly reverse. In this period, a technocratic background rather than political experience has been indeed the privileged credential for a significant proportion of minister

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset

Implementation of beam-steering front-ends at 2.45 GHz using modified Wilkinson power dividers, reflexion type phase shifters and C-shape monopole antennas: First results

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Modified Wilkinson Power Divider and dipole antenna for beamforming systems at 5.8 GHz

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