Hydrothermal synthesis to water-stable luminescent carbon dots from acerola fruit for photoluminescent composites preparation and its application as sensors

Carbon dots (C-dots) possess the attractive properties of high stability, low toxicity, good water solubility, simple synthetic routes as well as size and excitation-dependent photoluminescence (PL).The aim of this work was to synthesize photoluminescent C-dots by hydrothermal method using acerola fruit (Malpighiaemarginata) as a row material, since this fruit contains large number of organic molecules. Studies about the optimal synthesis conditions were performed, where these organic molecules were converted into C-dots by hydrothermal carbonization at 180 ºC for 18 h. The C-dots exhibited a green emission light at 459 nm when excited under UV-light (λ ex= 370 nm). These nanomaterials were also successfully used to prepare C-dots/poly (vinyl alcohol) luminescent composites (C-dots/PVA). Both C-dots and C-dots/PVA composite films were investigated by using colorimetric visual sensor for Fe3+ metal ions detection. The results show that the prepared C-dots and C-dots/poly presented strong green emission light. The emission spectra of above materials were quenched in the presence of Fe3+ ions. Thus, highly specific “turn off” fluorescence sensing of Fe3+ was achieved using fluorescent C-dots. Regarding, this work describe that the polymeric films as sensors of metallic ions in aqueous solution appears as a new perspectives to design new composite materials22

Multicore resource management

Current resource management mechanisms and policies are inadequate for future multicore systems. Instead, a hardware/software interface based on the virtual private machine abstraction would allow software policies to explicitly manage microarchitecture resources. VPM policies, implemented primarily in software, translate application and system objectives into VPM resource assignments. Then, VPM mechanisms securely multiplex, arbitrate, or distribute hardware resources to satisfy the VPM assignments.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Estimação dos componentes da variância fenotípica em feijoeiro utilizando o método genealógico.

A obtenção de informações a respeito do controle genético dos caracteres por meio de variâncias com associação aos métodos de condução de populações de feijoeiro tem sido uma estratégia pouco empregada, porém pode ser de grande auxílio aos melhoristas na tomada de decisões. Com esse objetivo foi utilizada uma população segregante proveniente do cruzamento entre as cultivares BRS MG Talismã e BRS Valente. O avanço das gerações foi realizado de acordo com o preconizado pelo método genealógico. Em F4:5 obtiveram-se 256 progênies que foram avaliadas na safra das águas 2004/2005. As sementes de cada progênie foram colhidas em bulk originando as progênies F4:6, as quais foram avaliadas na safra das secas 2005. Os caracteres avaliados foram produtividade de grãos e porte das plantas. Constatou-se que na produção de grãos por planta, a variância ambiental dentro da parcela foi o principal componente da variância fenotípica entre progênies. A variância genética aditiva foi predominante para a produção de grãos, enquanto que para o porte a variância genética de dominância foi expressiva

Recommendations for perioperative prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in the adult patient. National multidisciplinary consensus 2014

O propósito destas recomendações é fornecer uma ferramenta fundamentada na evidência científica atual, centrada no doente, que possa ser útil na prática clínica e que contribua para a implementação adequada, sistemática e transversal da profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso no doente adulto. Foram aprovadas, com o apoio da Sociedade Portuguesa de Anestesiologia, por Consenso Nacional Multidisciplinar entre as especialidades de: Anestesiologia, Cardiologia; Cirurgia Cardiotorácica; Cirurgia Geral - Cirurgia da Obesidade; Cirurgia Plástica, Reconstrutiva e Estética; Cirurgia Vascular; Ginecologia e Obstetrícia; Imuno-Hemoterapia; Neurocirurgia; Oncologia; Ortopedia e Urologia. O tromboembolismo venoso constitui um grave problema de saúde pública. No período peri-operatório o risco de tromboembolismo está relacionado com fatores individuais do doente, tipo de cirurgia e de anestesia e tempo de internamento. Trombose venosa prévia, doença oncológica, idade avançada, cirurgia major ortopédica, cirurgia bariátrica e imobilização no leito, constituem alguns dos principais fatores de risco de eventos tromboembólicos. O bloqueio do neuro-eixo está associado a redução destes eventos. O estudo ENDORSE que avaliou o cumprimento internacional das recomendações do 7º Consenso do American College of Chest Physicians sobre profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso, revelou que em Portugal a taxa de profilaxia adequada no doente cirúrgico em risco era inferior à de outros países europeus. Neste estudo, alguns dos doentes a quem foi prescrita tromboprofilaxia não preenchiam critérios de indicação, ficando expostos a riscos desnecessários. Os hiatos identificados na profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso relacionam-se com a falta de comunicação interdisciplinar efetiva, desconhecimento das recomendações e da farmacologia dos agentes e o receio de complicações hemorrágicas. A falta de modelos de avaliação de risco validados e fáceis de aplicar tem dificultado a uniformização de critérios. Estas recomendações consideram o modelo de avaliação de risco de Caprini. A avaliação do risco de tromboembolismo venoso está indicada em todos os doentes propostos para cirurgia, devendo ser registada no processo clínico. A tromboprofilaxia é uma responsabilidade multidisciplinar, deve basear-se na ponderação dos riscos de tromboembolismo venoso e de hemorragia e ter em conta os valores e preferências do doente. A tromboprofilaxia deve iniciar-se 6-12 horas após a cirurgia (com exceções)

CITES, wild plants, and opportunities for crime

The illegal trade in endangered plants damages both the environment and local communities by threatening and destroying numerous species and important natural resources. There is very little research which systematically addresses this issue by identifying specific opportunities for crime. This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study which brings together criminological and conservation science expertise to identify criminal opportunities in the illegal wild plant trade and suggest strategies in order to prevent and mitigate the problem. Methodologically, the study adapts a crime proofing of legislation approach to the UN Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and is based on documentary and interview data. Situational crime prevention is used as a framework to provide points for effective intervention

Low pre-transplant levels of mannosebinding lectin are associated with viral infections and mortality after haematopoietic allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Background: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a key component of innate immunity. Low serum MBL levels, related to promoter polymorphism and structural variants, have been associated with an increased risk of infection. The aim of this work was to analyse the incidence and severity of infections and mortality in relation to the MBL2 genotype and MBL levels in patients underwent allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-HSCT). Results: This was a prospective cohort study of 72 consecutive patients underwent Allo-HSCT between January 2007 and June 2009 in a tertiary referral centre. Three periods were considered in the patients? follow-up: the early period (0?30 days after Allo-HSCT), the intermediate period (30?100 days after Allo-HSCT) and the late period (> 100 days after Allo-HSCT). A commercial line probe assay for MBL2 genotyping and an ELISA Kit were used to measure MBL levels. A total of 220 episodes of infection were collected in the 72 patients. No association between donor or recipient MBL2 genotype and infection was found. The first episode of infection presented earlier in patients with pre-transplant MBL levels of < 1000 ng/ml (median 6d vs 8d, p = 0.036). MBL levels < 1000 ng/ml in the pre-transplant period (risk ratio (RR) 2.48, 95% CI 1.00?6.13), neutropenic period (0?30 days, RR 3.28, 95% CI 1.53?7.06) and intermediate period (30?100 days, RR 2.37, 95% CI 1.15?4.90) were associated with increased risk of virus infection. No association with bacterial or fungal disease was found. Mortality was associated with pre-transplant MBL levels < 1000 ng/ml (hazard ratio 5.55, 95% CI 1.17?26.30, p = 0.03) but not with MBL2 genotype. Conclusions: Patients who underwent Allo-HSCT with low pre-transplant MBL levels presented the first episode of infection earlier and had an increased risk of viral infections and mortality in the first 6 months post-transplant. Thus, pre-transplant MBL levels would be important in predicting susceptibility to viral infections and mortality and might be considered a biomarker to be included in the pre-transplantation risk assessment.This work was supported by grants from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (Ministry of Health of Spain) PI04/0492 to MC Fariñas and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL) API 06/01. The content of the paper is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views. The funding body was not involved in the design of the study, collection or analysis of the data, interpretation of the data, or in the writing of the manuscript

Unraveling the effect of silent, intronic and missense mutations on VWF splicing: contribution of next generation sequencing in the study of mRNA

Large studies in von Willebrand disease patients, including Spanish and Portuguese registries, led to identification of >250 different mutations. It is a challenge to determine the pathogenic effect of potential splice site mutations on VWF mRNA. This study aimed to elucidate the true effects of 18 mutations on VWF mRNA processing, investigate the contribution of next-generation sequencing to in vivo mRNA study in von Willebrand disease, and compare the findings with in silico prediction. RNA extracted from patient platelets and leukocytes was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced using Sanger and next generation sequencing techniques. Eight mutations affected VWF splicing: c.1533+1G>A, c.5664+2T>C and c.546G>A (p.=) prompted exon skipping; c.3223-7_3236dup and c.7082-2A>G resulted in activation of cryptic sites; c.3379+1G>A and c.7473G>A (p.=) demonstrated both molecular pathogenic mechanisms simultaneously; and the p.Cys370Tyr missense mutation generated two aberrant transcripts. Of note, the complete effect of 3 mutations was provided by next generation sequencing alone because of low expression of the aberrant transcripts. In the remaining 10 mutations, no effect was elucidated in the experiments. However, the differential findings obtained in platelets and leukocytes provided substantial evidence that 4 of these would have an effect on VWF levels. In this first report using next generation sequencing technology to unravel the effects of VWF mutations on splicing, the technique yielded valuable information. Our data bring to light the importance of studying the effect of synonymous and missense mutations on VWF splicing to improve the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind von Willebrand disease.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio