Constraints on extra dimensions from precision molecular spectroscopy

Accurate investigations of quantum level energies in molecular systems are shown to provide a test ground to constrain the size of compactified extra dimensions. This is made possible by the recent progress in precision metrology with ultrastable lasers on energy levels in neutral molecular hydrogen (H$_2$, HD and D$_2$) and the molecular hydrogen ions (H$_2^+$, HD$^+$ and D$_2^+$). Comparisons between experiment and quantum electrodynamics calculations for these molecular systems can be interpreted in terms of probing large extra dimensions, under which conditions gravity will become much stronger. Molecules are a probe of space-time geometry at typical distances where chemical bonds are effective, i.e. at length scales of an \AA. Constraints on compactification radii for extra dimensions are derived within the Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali framework, while constraints for curvature or brane separation are derived within the Randall-Sundrum framework. Based on the molecular spectroscopy of D$_2$ molecules and HD$^+$ ions, the compactification size for seven extra dimensions (in connection to M-theory defined in 11 dimensions) of equal size is shown to be limited to $R_7 < 0.6 \mu$m. While limits on compactification sizes of extra dimensions based on other branches of physics are compared, the prospect of further tightening constraints from the molecular method is discussed

Minería de textos: una herramienta útil para mejorar la gestión del bibliotecario en el entorno digital

In the current stage of human development, the boom, assimilation and intensive use of knowledge has led to what we know as Knowledge Society, in which information management, documentation and knowledge are considered as vital strategic components. The horizons have been widened towards other jobs summoned to cooperate with information professionals: system designers, data providers, editors, salespersons, archivists, technicians, engineers and electronic text codification specialists, whose opinions and experiences make possible the localization, management, retrieval and use of digital information. New tools have been created to make easier the access to the great amount of knowledge generated daily. One of the most used is Text Mining, which allows the different organizations to explore a great number of texts that are not organized in data form, as well as to establish patterns and to extract useful knowledge

Why the embryo still matters: CSF and the neuroepithelium as interdependent

Producción CientíficaThe key focus of this review is that both the neuroepithelium and embryonic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) work in an integrated way to promote embryonic brain growth, morphogenesis and histiogenesis. The CSF generates pressure and also contains many biologically powerful trophic factors; both play key roles in early brain development. Accumulation of fluid via an osmotic gradient creates pressure that promotes rapid expansion of the early brain in a developmental regulated way, since the rates of growth differ between the vesicles and for different species. The neuroepithelium and ventricles both contribute to this growth but by different and coordinated mechanisms. The neuroepithelium grows primarily by cell proliferation and at the same time the ventricle expands via hydrostatic pressure generated by active transport of Na+ and transport or secretion of proteins and proteoglycans that create an osmotic gradient which contribute to the accumulation of fluid inside the sealed brain cavity. Recent evidence shows that the CSF regulates relevant aspects of neuroepithelial behavior such as cell survival, replication and neurogenesis by means of growth factors and morphogens. Here we try to highlight that early brain development requires the coordinated interplay of the CSF contained in the brain cavity with the surrounding neuroepithelium. The information presented is essential in order to understand the earliest phases of brain development and also how neuronal precursor behavior is regulated

Genomic Evolution of Two Acinetobacter baumannii Clinical Strains from ST-2 Clones Isolated in 2000 and 2010 (ST-2_clon_2000 and ST-2_clon_2010)

Acinetobacter baumannii is a successful nosocomial pathogen due to its ability to persist in hospital environments by acquiring mobile elements such as transposons, plasmids, and phages. In this study, we compared two genomes of A. baumannii clinical strains isolated in 2000 (ST-2_clon_2000) and 2010 (ST-2_clon_2010) from GenBank project PRJNA308422

Nutrição e adubação: conceitos e aplicações na formação de mudas de pimenta longa.

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Going against mass tourism: Creative tourism as an alternative, creatour as an example

In recent years, tourism statistics in Portugal have been showing a growth that is already beginning to cause some concern in the two major cities - Lisbon and Porto - while the rest of the country still expects to grow and benefit from this wave of tourist attractiveness that have been projecting the country in several international rankings. However, there is the notion that this growth should be done with some caution and in an adjusted manner, regarding the different territorial realities and in order to value the tangible and intangible assets that constitute tourism resources.For peripheral territories, such as rural areas or small sized cities, investing on creative tourism as a wide process of co-creation and exchange of cultural and symbolic experiences can be a good opportunity, not only to retain population and revitalize their cultural and social heritage, but also to enhance creative milieus and foster organic territorial dynamics, reflecting the “sense of place” and the unique characteristics of local communities.This communication will focus on cultural and creative tourism as a more sustainable and adapted alternative for low-density territories, giving the CREATOUR project as an example. This national multidisciplinary research project is being currently developed in the four NUTS II regions of Portugal. Simultaneously, CREATOUR works as an incubator of ideas and actions, aimed at providing the visitor-tourist co-production and knowledge experiences. Alongside with this creative tourism project and its conceptual bases, some of the results already obtained in the four regions of the country will also be presented and explored.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An impact self-assessment tool for creative tourism with insights from its application to the CREATOUR ® project

Considering the small scale of creative tourism, the limited resources in any specific case, and the high engagement level of stakeholders, a self-assessment exercise (i.e. carried out by the organizers/promoters of creative tourism activities) is most appropriate in order to monitor activities and results. Thus, within the CREATOUR ® project, a self-assessment process for creative tourism initiatives was developed, beginning with an initial diagnosis and proceeding to an assessment of outcomes and impacts. The process and tools were co-developed between researchers and practitioners to help various types of creative tourism organizers to measure, monitor, and evaluate the course of their activities in order to improve management and decisionmaking processes. The main objective was to assist practitioners and stakeholder organizations to become more aware of the intentional and unintentional effects generated by creative tourism activities, highlighting the potential benefits of artistic, cultural, and creative experiences for territorial development. This article is divided into three parts: part I outlines the development of the self-assessment process and tools; part II presents a synthesis of overall findings from the CREATOUR ® project resulting from this self-assessment process; and part III lists take-aways for practitioners.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Time-Dependent Regulation of Apoptosis by Aen and Bax in Response to 2-Aminoanthracene Dietary Consumption

Background/Objective: The modulation of the toxic effects of 2-aminoanthracene (2AA) on the liver by apoptosis was investigated. Fisher-344 (F344) rats were exposed to various concentrations of 2AA for 14 and 28 days. The arylamine 2AA is an aromatic hydrocarbon employed in manufacturing chemicals, dyes, inks, and it is also a curing agent in epoxy resins and polyurethanes. 2AA has been detected in tobacco smoke and cooked foods. Methods: Analysis of total messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) extracts from liver for apoptosis-related gene expression changes in apoptosis enhancing nuclease (AEN), Bcl2-associated X protein (BAX), CASP3, Jun proto-oncogene (JUN), murine double minute-2 p53 binding protein homolog (MDM2), tumor protein p53 (p53), and GAPDH genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was coupled with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and caspase-3 (Casp3) activity assays. Results: Specific apoptosis staining result does not seem to show significant difference between control and treated animals. This may be due to freeze-thaw artifacts observed in the liver samples. However, there appears to be a greater level of apoptosis in medium- and high-dose (MD and HD) 2AA treated animals. Analyses of apoptosis-related genes seem to show AEN and BAX as the main targets in the induction of apoptosis in response to 2AA exposure, though p53, MDM2, and JUN may play supporting roles. Conclusion: Dose-dependent increases in mRNA expression were observed in all genes except Casp3. BAX was very highly expressed in the HD rats belonging to the 2-week exposure group. This trend was not observed in the animals treated for 4 weeks. Instead, AEN was rather very highly expressed in the liver of the MD animals that were treated with 2AA for 28 days

The CREATOUR® project as a learning laboratory: Reflections of a research team

Beyond a research project, CREATOUR® [mainland Portugal] was a true laboratory of methodological experiences and joint learnings that challenged the necessity and the usefulness of developing evaluative reflection afterwards. This paper intends to provide an overview of some of the work done by the research team of DINAMIA’CET_Iscte in the CREATOUR® project and to present some reflections on this action-research experience. Based on this work are several methodologies used throughout a collaborative process with promoters of the 40 creative tourism pilot initiatives developed under CREATOUR and that allowed to identify an array of challenges and opportunities which the future national network of creative tourism may face, as well as a first reflection on the possible impacts arising from these activities. Already with some temporal distance and after a difficult pandemic, these reflections seek to provide a more comprehensive and complementary glance at the results achieved, in particular in relation to the perspectives of sustainability and resilience of a future network of creative tourism, as well as the impacts of this niche offer in the respective territories.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluating the Efficiency of Treatment Comparison in Crossover Design by Allocating Subjects Based On Ranked Auxiliary Variable

The validity of statistical inference depends on proper randomization methods. However, even with proper randomization, we can have imbalanced with respect to important characteristics. In this paper, we introduce a method based on ranked auxiliary variables for treatment allocation in crossover designs using Latin squares models. We evaluate the improvement of the efficiency in treatment comparisons using the proposed method. Our simulation study reveals that our proposed method provides a more powerful test compared to simple randomization with the same sample size. The proposed method is illustrated by conducting an experiment to compare two different concentrations of titanium dioxide nanofiber (TDNF) on rats for the purpose of comparing weight gain