Defects in the supersymmetric mKdV hierarchy via Backlund transformations

The integrability of the ${\cal N}=1$ supersymmetric modified Korteweg de-Vries (smKdV) hierarchy in the presence of defects is investigated through the construction of its super B\"acklund transformation. The construction of such transformation is performed by using essentially two methods: the B\"acklund-defect matrix approach and the superfield approach. Firstly, we employ the defect matrix associated to the hierarchy which turns out to be the same for the supersymmetric sinh-Gordon (sshG) model. The method is general for all flows and as an example we derive explicitly the B\"acklund equations in components for the first few flows of the hierarchy, namely $t_3$ and $t_5$. Secondly, the supersymmetric extension of the B\"acklund transformation in the superspace formalism is constructed for those flows. Finally, this super B\"acklund transformation is employed to introduce type I defects for the supersymmetric mKdV hierarchy. Further integrability aspects by considering modified conserved quantities are derived from the defect matrix.Comment: 40 pages. Some comments and references added. Version accepted for publication in JHE

Correlations and Omori law in Spamming

The most costly and annoying characteristic of the e-mail communication system is the large number of unsolicited commercial e-mails, known as spams, that are continuously received. Via the investigation of the statistical properties of the spam delivering intertimes, we show that spams delivered to a given recipient are time correlated: if the intertime between two consecutive spams is small (large), then the next spam will most probably arrive after a small (large) intertime. Spam temporal correlations are reproduced by a numerical model based on the random superposition of spam sequences, each one described by the Omori law. This and other experimental findings suggest that statistical approaches may be used to infer how spammers operate.Comment: Europhysics Letters, to appea

Seed bank and control of Rottboellia exaltata using clomazone alone and in combination with other herbicides.

Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, estudar o banco de sementes e o controle de Rottboellia exaltata L.f. com clomazone, isolado e em associação com outros herbicidas, em áreas de cana-soca com baixa e alta infestação.bitstream/item/131076/1/4466-18529-1-PB-Nubia.pdfOn line

Nitric oxide release from antimicrobial peptide hydrogels for wound healing

Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenously produced molecule that has been implicated in several wound healing mechanisms. Its topical delivery may improve healing in acute or chronic wounds. In this study an antimicrobial peptide was synthesized which self-assembled upon a pH shift, forming a hydrogel. The peptide was chemically functionalized to incorporate a NO-donor moiety on lysine residues. The extent of the reaction was measured by ninhydrin assay and the NO release rate was quantified via the Griess reaction method. The resulting compound was evaluated for its antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, and its effect on collagen production by fibroblasts was assessed. Time-kill curves point to an initial increase in bactericidal activity of the functionalized peptide, and collagen production by human dermal fibroblasts when incubated with the NO-functionalized peptide showed a dose-dependent increase in the presence of the NO donor within a range of 0–20 µM.This work was financed by FEDER (Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional) funds via COMPETE 2020 (Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020), and by Portuguese funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/ Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior) in the framework of the projects “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274) and PTDC/QUI-QFI/29914/2017, as well through the grant SFRH/BD/84914/2012. Thanks to FCT also for supporting Research Unit LAQV-REQUIMTE through the project UID/QUI/5006/2013

Supergiant Barocaloric Effects in Acetoxy Silicone Rubber over a Wide Temperature Range: Great Potential for Solid-state Cooling

Solid-state cooling based on caloric effects is considered a viable alternative to replace the conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems. Regarding barocaloric materials, recent results show that elastomers are promising candidates for cooling applications around room-temperature. In the present paper, we report supergiant barocaloric effects observed in acetoxy silicone rubber - a very popular, low-cost and environmentally friendly elastomer. Huge values of adiabatic temperature change and reversible isothermal entropy change were obtained upon moderate applied pressures and relatively low strains. These huge barocaloric changes are associated both to the polymer chains rearrangements induced by confined compression and to the first-order structural transition. The results are comparable to the best barocaloric materials reported so far, opening encouraging prospects for the application of elastomers in near future solid-state cooling devices.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures, 2 table