142 research outputs found
Searches for axion-like particles via fusion at future colliders
Opportunities for searches for axion-like particles (ALPs) coupling to
photons in collisions at the Future Circular
Collider (FCC-ee) and International Linear Collider (ILC) are investigated. We
perform a study of the photon-fusion production of ALPs decaying into two
photons, , over the light-by-light
continuum background, for the planned FCC-ee and ILC center-of-mass energies
and integrated luminosities. An analysis of the feasibility measurements is
presented using parametrized simulations for two types of detectors. Upper
limits at 95% confidence level (CL) on the cross section for ALP production,
, and on the ALP-photon coupling
are obtained over the --1000 GeV ALP mass range, and compared
to current and future collider searches. Production cross sections down to
fb (1 ab) will be
probed at (300) GeV, corresponding to constraints on the
axion-photon coupling as low as TeV
Levantamentos geofísicos no setor português da Faixa Piritosa Ibérica: perspetiva global da sua importância em prospeção de sulfuretos maciços e interpretação geológica
ABSTRACT: The application of geophysical techniques to massive
sulphide deposits exploration has proven to be a success in the Iberian
Pyrite Belt (IPB) metallogenetic province, both in Portugal and in Spain.
Several hidden deposits were discovered through the interpretation of
geological models, supported by geophysical data collected in land and
airborne surveys, as well as applied using down hole techniques in
selected drill holes. This paper presents an overview of the methodologies
applied in Portugal in the South Portuguese Zone (SPZ) geological
domain, where the IPB is included, mostly by the LNEG and mining
companies, with emphasis on the interpretation of the regional gravity,
magnetometry and radiometry surveys, published in 1/400 000 scale by
the EXPLORA/Alentejo2020 Project. In this regional mapping program,
the large volume of data collected by LNEG and mining companies since
the 1960’s was compiled and processed. The integrated interpretation and
correlation between these methods will enable a better planning of new
IPB exploration investments. IPB Volcano-Sedimentary Complex (VSC,
Famennian to Late Visean age) lineaments are well defined in the gravity
and magnetic fields along the IPB western region (e.g. Alcoutim/Neves Corvo/Montinho/Sesmarias/Lousal/Caveira). Aeromagnetic data also
reflect deep and large anomalies related with the SPZ basement. A rock
density database is presented and used to interpret the gravity data.
Radiometric map (Natural Radioactivity), based mostly in airborne
radiometric surveys, show contrasts between rocks in Paleozoic,
Mesozoic and Cenozoic formations and correlations with geological and
hydrothermal mapping are highlighted. The use of geophysical
techniques is particularly critical in areas where VSC is concealed by
younger sediments (e.g. Baixo Alentejo Flysch Group and/or Cenozoic
formations), allowing the selection of target areas. Case studies are
discussed based on electromagnetic, seismic and magnetotelluric methods
and on the high mineral potential of defined targets. Multilayered data
correlation (geophysics including petrophysical data, geochemistry and
stratigraphic high-resolution models) is a key prospecting methodology
and is essential for the accurate modelling of ore horizons and geological
structures. Considering the IPB potential for VMS deposits, including the
possible discovery of new giant (> 200 Mt) deposits, an increase of
investment in new geophysical methods can be predicted. LNEG
development of R&D projects such as EXPLORA/Alentejo2020 and
SmartExplorationTM/H2020 also contribute to a favourable setting in the
province, both in near mining and green fields scenarios. Thus, new
discoveries are expected, like others made in the recent times in the IPB
Portuguese sector, such as Lagoa Salgada (SFM, 1992, SFM;
Redcorp/EDM, 2011; Redcorp/Ascendant/EDM, 2017), Semblana
(Somincor-AGC-Lundin Mining, 2010), Monte Branco (Somincor Lundin Mining, 2012) and Sesmarias (Maepa/Avrupa, 2014). The
importance of these data goes beyond the mineral exploration purpose.
Since some of them use rock and mineral physical properties that can be
related with environmental contamination (e.g. radiometry and
magnetics) they can also be used in geochemical background studies, acid
mine drainage and metal dispersion. Therefore, they can also promote a
deeper knowledge in other areas of research related with environment
preservation.RESUMO: A aplicação de técnicas de prospeção geofísica na pesquisa de
jazigos de sulfuretos maciços na Faixa Piritosa Ibérica (FPI) tem-se
revelado um sucesso em Portugal e em Espanha. Vários jazigos ocultos
foram descobertos a partir da interpretação de modelos geológicos, com o
apoio de dados geofísicos recolhidos em levantamentos terrestres,
aerotransportados ou em profundidade, em sondagens (diagrafias). Neste
artigo, apresenta-se uma análise das metodologias aplicadas
principalmente pelo LNEG e empresas mineiras em Portugal, na Zona
Sul Portuguesa (ZSP), onde se insere a FPI. Destaca-se a interpretação
dos levantamentos regionais, esc. 1/400 000, de gravimetria,
magnetometria e radiometria (EXPLORA/Alentejo2020). Nestes
programas, foi feito o processamento de um volume de informação
significativo, a partir de dados obtidos desde a década de 1960. Neste
contexto indicam-se diversos alinhamentos de gravimetria e de
aeromagnetometria relativos a unidades geológicas com elevado
potencial mineiro, como o Complexo Vulcano-Sedimentar (CVS, idade
Famenniano a Viseano sup.), sobressaindo o eixo Alcoutim/Neves Corvo/Montinho/Sesmarias/Lousal/Caveira. Os dados de
aeromagnetismo refletem também anomalias com origens mais profundas
e relacionadas com a estrutura basal da ZSP. A base de dados de
densidades de rocha é utilizada na interpretação gravimétrica da FPI. O
mapa radiométrico (Radioatividade Natural), baseado fundamentalmente
em radiometria aeroportada (contagens totais) mostra o contraste à
superfície de litologias das formações paleozoicas, mesozoicas e
cenozoicas, sendo salientado, no primeiro caso, a sua correlação com a
cartografia de alterações hidrotermais. Em áreas onde o CVS se encontra
subjacente sob sedimentos mais recentes (ex. Grupo Flysch Baixo
Alentejo e formações cenozoicas), o uso de técnicas geofísicas é
fundamental para a seleção de alvos. São também descritos exemplos
sobre a aplicação de métodos eletromagnéticos, sísmicos e
magnetotelúricos na identificação e caracterização de estruturas
geológicas. A análise integrada de diferentes métodos geofísicos,
complementados com informação geológica e geoquímica, constitui a
melhor metodologia de prospeção, sendo essencial para a pesquisa de
horizontes de mineralização. Considerando a FPI como uma das principais províncias metalogenéticas do mundo, é expectável que
venham a ocorrer mais investimentos e assim serem identificados novos
jazigos, inclusive com dimensão superior a 200 Mt. Através de projetos
ID como o EXPLORA/Alentejo2020 e SmartExplorationTM/H2020 o
LNEG contribui para um melhor conhecimento na FPI em cenários de
prospeção near mining e green fields. Nesta perspetiva, são esperadas
novas descobertas de jazigos à semelhança do que tem acontecido em
Portugal, como por exemplo Lagoa Salgada (SFM-1992, Redcorp/EDM 2011, Redcorp/Ascendant/EDM-2017), Semblana (Somincor-AGC Lundin Mining, 2010), Monte Branco (Somincor-Lundin Mining, 2012) e
Sesmarias (Maepa/Avrupa, 2014). A importância destes dados vai muito
para além da prospeção mineira. Uma vez que alguns métodos utilizam
propriedades físicas que podem ser relacionadas com contaminações
ambientais. Certos métodos geofísicos como radiometria e
magnetometria, resistividade e métodos elétricos em geral, podem ser
utilizados também em trabalhos de investigação sobre background
geoquímico, drenagem ácida de mina e dispersão de metais. Desta forma,
a aplicação destes métodos promove também um conhecimento mais
aprofundado noutras áreas de investigação relacionadas com a
preservação do ambiente.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Rifabutin-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as a Tool in Oral Anti-Mycobacterial Treatment of Crohn s Disease
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Oral anti-mycobacterial treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD) is limited by the low aqueous solubility of drugs, along with the altered gut conditions of patients, making uncommon their clinical use. Hence, the aim of the present work is focused on the in vitro evaluation of rifabutin (RFB)-loaded Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), in order to solve limitations associated to this therapeutic approach. RFB-loaded NLC were prepared by hot homogenization and characterized in terms of size, polydispersity, surface charge, morphology, thermal stability, and drug payload and release. Permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayers and cytotoxicity and uptake in human macrophages was also determined. NLC obtained were nano-sized, monodisperse, negatively charged, and spheroidal-shaped, showing a suitable drug payload and thermal stability. Furthermore, the permeability profile, macrophage uptake and selective intracellular release of RFB-loaded NLC, guarantee an effective drug dose administration to cells. Outcomes suggest that rifabutin-loaded NLC constitute a promising strategy to improve oral anti-mycobacterial therapy in Crohn’s disease.This research was funded by V-A POCTEP Program (0245_IBEROS_1_E) of EU (FEDER), Xunta de Galicia (Competitive Reference Groups, ED431C 2016/008 and ED431C2017/09-FEDER), as well as by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (under iMED.ULisboa project Pest-UID/DTP/04138/2019).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Population homogeneity for the antibody response to COVID-19 BNT162b2/Comirnaty vaccine is only reached after the second dose across all adult age ranges
ABSTRACT: While mRNA vaccines are administrated worldwide in an effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the heterogeneity of the humoral immune response they induce at the population scale remains unclear. Here, in a prospective, longitudinal, cohort-study, including 1245 hospital care workers and 146 nursing home residents scheduled for BNT162b2 vaccination, together covering adult ages from 19 to 99 years, we analyse seroconversion to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and amount of spike-specific IgG, IgM and IgA before vaccination, and 3-5 weeks after each dose. We show that immunogenicity after a single vaccine dose is biased to IgG, heterogeneous and reduced with increasing age. The second vaccine dose normalizes IgG seroconversion in all age strata. These findings indicate two dose mRNA vaccines is required to reach population scale humoral immunity. The results advocate for the interval between the two doses not to be extended, and for serological monitoring of elderly and immunosuppressed vaccinees.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Rifabutin-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers as a Tool in Oral Anti-Mycobacterial Treatment of Crohn’s Disease
Oral anti-mycobacterial treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD) is limited by the low aqueous solubility of drugs, along with the altered gut conditions of patients, making uncommon their clinical use. Hence, the aim of the present work is focused on the in vitro evaluation of rifabutin (RFB)-loaded Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), in order to solve limitations associated to this therapeutic approach. RFB-loaded NLC were prepared by hot homogenization and characterized in terms of size, polydispersity, surface charge, morphology, thermal stability, and drug payload and release. Permeability across Caco-2 cell monolayers and cytotoxicity and uptake in human macrophages was also determined. NLC obtained were nano-sized, monodisperse, negatively charged, and spheroidal-shaped, showing a suitable drug payload and thermal stability. Furthermore, the permeability profile, macrophage uptake and selective intracellular release of RFB-loaded NLC, guarantee an effective drug dose administration to cells. Outcomes suggest that rifabutin-loaded NLC constitute a promising strategy to improve oral anti-mycobacterial therapy in Crohn’s diseaseThis research was funded by V-A POCTEP Program (0245_IBEROS_1_E) of EU (FEDER), Xunta de Galicia (Competitive Reference Groups, ED431C 2016/008 and ED431C2017/09-FEDER), as well as by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (under iMED.ULisboa project Pest-UID/DTP/04138/2019)S
Substantia nigra area evaluated by neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as an imaging biomarker of disease progression in Parkinson's disease
Poster presented at the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders. 4-8 June 2017, Vancouver, CanadaN/
TPCS/PBAT blown extruded films added with curcumin as a technological approach for active packaging materials
The development of active packaging is a relevant topic demanding the development of films with diverse
properties to preserve specific foodstuff. The objective of this work was to obtain extruded TPCS/PBAT films
containing curcumin and evaluate it as an active antimicrobial and antioxidant packaging to protect chia oil
from oxidative degradation. Morphology, thermal, mechanical, antimicrobial, and antioxidant evaluation of the
films were conducted to determine whether the presence of curcumin affected the film’s properties. Infrared
Spectroscopy indicated that curcumin addition affected the crosslinking reaction between citric acid and starch,
which explains the changes in hydrophilicity and mechanical strength of the films. The incorporation of curcumin
conferred antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative
(Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) bacteria, as well as antioxidant activity. Films were tested as chia
oil packaging, being verified that they successfully prevented oil degradation under accelerated stability test
(60 °C for 7 days), demonstrating the feasibility of using TPCS/PBAT biodegradable films containing curcumin to
obtain active packaging materials.Authors thank to CNPq (Chamada Universal– MCTI/CNPq Nº 14/2014, Processo 447768/2014-0), CAPES (Coordenação de Pessoal de
Nível Superior Master's scholarship) and Fundação Araucária
(Programa Universal/Pesquisa Básica e Aplicada 24/2012, protocolo
7334133700514041013) for the finantial support. This work was financially
supported by Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM (UID/EQU/50020/2019) funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC),
and Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal). CIMO
(UID/AGR/00690/2019) through FEDER under Program PT2020. To
the national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific
employment program-contract for I.P. Fernandes contract.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Health outcomes, education, healthcare delivery and quality – 3051. Profiles of diagnosis and treatment of asthma in the public health system in Brazil
Report of Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE).
As a consequence of the impact of the COVID pandemic on international travel which prevented the traditional meeting from taking place, the Working Group on Widely Distributed Stocks (WGWIDE) met online via WebEx hosted by ICES. Prior to the 2020 meeting, the generic ToRs for species and regional working groups were re-prioritised by ACOM to allow the WG to focus primarily on those ToRs most applicable to the provision of advice. WGWIDE reports on the status and considerations for management of Northeast Atlantic mackerel, blue whiting, Western and North Sea horse mackerel, Northeast Atlantic boarfish, Norwegian springspawning herring, striped red mullet (Subareas 6, 8 and Divisions 7.a-c, e-k and 9.a), and red gurnard (Subareas 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) stocks. Northeast Atlantic (NEA) Mackerel. This stock is highly migratory and widely distributed throughout the Northeast Atlantic with significant fisheries is most ICES subareas. A diverse range of fleets from smaller artisanal, handline vessels to large (100m+) factory freezer vessels and modern RSW trawlers and purse seiners take part in what is one of the most valuable European fisheries. The assessment conducted in 2020 is an update assessment, based on the configuration agreed during the most recent inter-benchmark exercise in 2019 and incorporates the most recent data available from sampling of the commercial catch in 2019, the final 2019 egg survey SSB estimate, an updated recruitment index and tagging time series along with 2020 survey data from the IESSNS swept area survey. Advice is given based on stock reference points which were updated during a management strategy evaluation carried out in 2020. Following a strong increase from 2007 to 2014, SSB has been declining although it remains well above MSY Btrigger. Fishing mortality has been below FMSY since 2016. There have been a number of large year classes since 2001 with above average recruitment over much of the most recent decade. Blue Whiting. This pelagic gadoid is widely distributed in the eastern part of the North Atlantic. The 2020 update assessment followed the protocol from the most recent inter-benchmark in 2016 and used preliminary catch data from 2020. Due to the cancellation of the 2020 acoustic survey, this data was not available. The effect on the assessment was minimal and limited to increases in uncertainty of the terminal year estimates. The SSB continues to decrease from the most recent maximum in 2017 mainly due to below average recruitment since 2017, although it remains above MSY Btrigger. Fishing mortality has been above FMSY since 2014. Norwegian Spring Spawning Herring. This is one of the largest herring stocks in the world. It is highly migratory, spawning along the Norwegian coast and feeding throughout much of the Norwegian Sea. The 2020 assessment is based on an implementation of the XSAM assessment model introduced at the benchmark in 2016. This years’ assessment indicates that the stock is continuing to decline from the peak in 2008 of 7Mt to just above MSY Btrigger due to successive years of average or below average recruitment. Catch advice for 2021 is given on the basis of the agreed management plan and represents a substantial increase over the 2020 advice due to an upward revision in the estimate of the 2016 year-class which is considered to be the most significant year-class since 2004
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