Intrinsic and extrinsic resistive switching in a planar diode based on silver oxide nanoparticles

Resistive switching is investigated in thin-film planar diodes using silver oxide nanoparticles capped in a polymer. The conduction channel is directly exposed to the ambient atmosphere. Two types of switching are observed. In air, the hysteresis loop in the current–voltage characteristics is S-shaped. The high conductance state is volatile and unreliable. The switching is mediated by moisture and electrochemistry. In vacuum, the hysteresis loops are symmetric, N-shaped and exhibit a negative differential resistance region. The conductance states are non-volatile with good data retention, programming cycling endurance and large current modulation ratio. The switching is attributed to electroforming of silver oxide clusters

The effect of weaning age on the reproductive performance of Nellore cows raised in native and jaraguá pastures

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi o de testar três idades de desmama, em regime exclusivo de pasto, na tentativa de diminuir o intervalo entre partos (IEP') das matrizes. O experimento, conduzido no período de julho de 1977 a julho de 1982, envolveu dois grupos de 51 vacas Nelore: um, em pastagem de Jaraguá, e outro, em campo nativo; seus bezerros foram desmamados aos três, cinco e sete meses de idade. A média geral do IEP foi estimada em 422 ± 5 dias. A análise de variância evidenciou efeitos significativos (P < 0,05) do ano do parto, tipo de pasto, ordem de parição, época de fecundação e idade da desmama sobre os IEPs. O IEP observado no campo nativo (434 dias) foi mais elevado que no do Jaraguá (411 dias). Não se observaram diferenças de IEP de vacas da segunda até a sétima ordem de parição. O aumento do IEP a partir da sétima ordem deve estar associado à queda nas condições corporais das vacas, em decorrência da idade. As diferenças de IEP em função da época de fecundação são discutidas, levando-se em consideração as épocas de parição correspondentes. O IEP mais curto (393 dias) foi observado em vacas paridas entre setembro e dezembro. O IEP correspondente à desmama de sete meses (448 dias) foi mais elevado (P < 0,05) que os da desmama de cinco meses (414 dias) e de três meses de idade (406 dias). Vacas destes dois últimos grupos apresentaram, em relação às demais, oscilações mais favoráveis de peso pré-parto, o que propiciou menor período de serviço.The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of three different weaning ages on the calving intervals (CI) of Nellore cows. It was carried out from July 1977 through July 1982 and envolved two groups of 51 cows, one in a Jaraguá pasture (Hyparrhenia rufa) and the other in a native pasture. The calves in each herd were weaned at three, five and seven months of age. The CI estimated overall mean was 422 ± 5 days. Year of parturition, pasture, parturition order, season of conception and weaning age had significant (P < 0.05) effects on Cl. The CI was higher in native (434 days) than in Jaraguá pasture (411 days). There were no differences among CI of cows from 2nd through 7th parturition order. The increased CI up to 7th parturition order was associated with poor body conditions of older cows. The effects of season of conception on calving intervals were discussed based on the related season of parturition. The shortest CI (393 days) was observed on cows calving from September through December. The CI of cows that weaned calves with seven months of age (448 days) was longer than those whose calves were weaned at five (414 days) and three months (406 days)- This result probably is associated with more favorable pre-partum weight gain variations

Proteomic analysis of total cellular proteins of human neutrophils

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Epidemia de dengue em Fortaleza, Ceará: inquérito soro-epidemiológico aleatório

OBJECTIVE: A seroepidemiological random survey was carried out in Fortaleza city, State of Ceará, Brazil, following an epidemic of dengue virus type 2 (DEN 2), with the purpose of evaluating the frequency of clinical manifestations (signs and symptoms) and the prevalence of dengue infection. METHOD: A questionnaire calling for information on address, sex, age, clinical, epidemiological and economic status was applied to the population, followed by venupuncture collection of 5-10 ml of blood for testing by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI). The sample was calculated to obtain a prevalence of 20% with relative risk of 10% and confidence interval of 95%. All information obtained was analyzed by computer using Epi Info 5.0®, Lotus 123®, Excel 5.0®, and Stata® software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A total of 1,341 serum samples were obtained from nine Health Districts (SD) and tested by hemagglutination inhibition. Of these, 589 (44%) were positive and 752 (56%) negative. Of the positive results, 93 primary responses (PR) (7%) to DEN-2 and 496 secondary responses (SR) (37%) were observed. The global prevalence in the SD ranged from 21% to 71%. There were 41% (243/589) asymptomatic infections and 59% (346/589) symptomatic infections. Data analysis showed no difference in frequency by sex, age, on schooling, although a highly statistically significant difference was found as between the different social classes, the infection most commonly observed being among people of better social status.The stratification of positive cases showed greater prevalence of AI (pOBJETIVO: Seguindo-se à epidemia de dengue (DEN), em 1994, em Fortaleza, Ceará, causada pelo sorotipo 2 (DEN-2), realizou-se inquérito soro-epidemiológico aleatório para avaliar e dimensionar o impacto da mesma e a prevalência do dengue por distrito sanitário. MÉTODO: Foi aplicado questionário contendo informações gerais, condições socio-econômicas, informações sobre o quadro clínico e tempo de doença. A amostra foi calculada para estimar uma prevalência de 20%, com erro relativo de 10%, e intervalo de confiança de 95% (erro a de 5%). O sorteio e as análises foram realizadas por meio de computador usando programas apropriados. RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÕES: Foram colhidas 1.341 amostras de soro de 9 distritos sanitários, testadas por inibição da hemaglutinação, sendo classificadas como negativas e positivas (respostas primária - RP e secundária - RS). Foram reativas 588 (44%) amostras, sendo 93 (7%) RP e 495 (37%) RS. A prevalência global em Fortaleza variou de 21% a 71%. Houve 41% (243/588) de infecções assintomáticas (IA) e 59% (346/588) sintomáticas (IS). Não houve diferença da prevalência quanto ao sexo, faixa etária e escolaridade, ao contrário da condição socioeconômica que apresentou diferenças estatisticamente significantes (p < 0,001). Ocorreram mais IA (

Planar non-volatile memory based on metal nanoparticles

Resistive switching properties of silver nanoparticles hosted in an insulating polymer matrix (poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) are reported. Planar devices structures using interdigitated gold electrodes were fabricated. These devices have on/off resistance ratio as high as 103 , retention times reaching to months and good endurance cycles. Temperature-dependent measurements show that the charge transport is weakly thermal activated (73 meV) for both states suggesting that nanoparticles will not aggregate into a metallic filament

Estudo clínico duplo cego comparando praziquantel com oxamniquine

Com objetivo de se compararem a tolerabilidade e eficácia do praziquantel e oxamniquine, procedeu-se a um estudo prospectivo duplo-cego envolvendo 120 pacientes com esquistossomose intestinal ou hepatintestinal. Os pacientes foram randomizados em dois grupos. Um foi tratado com praziquantel, na dose de 55 mg/kg de peso, o outro com oxamniquine, 15 mg/kg de peso, sempre administrados em dose única por via oral. O diagnóstico e seguimento parasitológicos basearam-se ho exame de fazes peio método de Kate Katz. Em 73 de 77 casos negativos após tratamento, executaram-se biópsias retais. Efeitos colaterais, principalmente tontura, sonolência, dores abdominais, cefaléia, náuseas e diarréia foram observados em 87% dos casos. Sua incidência, intensidade e duração foram semelhantes em ambos os grupos, mas a dor abdominal foi significativamente mais freqüente após praziquantel, havendo maior tendência para tontura intensa após oxamniquine. Observou-se aumento significante de alamina-aminotransferase e gama-glutamiltransferase após oxamniquine e de bilirrubina total após praziquantel. Um total de 48 pacientes tratados com praziquantel e 46 com oxamniquine completaram os exames de controle até o sexto mês. As percentages de cura foram de 79,2% e de 84,8% respectivamente, diferença não significativa. Os pacientes não curados mostraram redução média do número de ovos de 93,5% e de 84,1%, diferença não significativa. Cinco pacientes retratados com praziquantel curaram-se, mas somente um de três retratados com oxamniquine. Estes resultados mostram, que ambas as drogas-apesar de diferentes propriedades farmacológicas provocam reações colaterais semelhantes e apresentam eficácia terapêutica comparável.A double-blind clinical trial involving 120 patients with chronic schistosomiasis was carried out to compare the tolerability and efficacy of praziquantel and oxamniquine. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups. One was treated with praziquantel, 55 mg/kg of body weight CBWT), and the other one with oxamniquine, 15mg/kg bwt, administered in a single oral dose. The diagnosis and the parasitological follow-up was based on stool examinations by quantitative Kato-Katz method and on rectal biopsies. Side-effects mainly dizziness, sleepness, abdominal distress, headache, nausea and diarrhea were observed in 87% of the cases. Their incidence, intensity and duration were similar for both drugs but abdominal pain was significantly more frequent after praziquantel intake and severe dizziness was more commonly reported after oxamniquine. A significant increase of alanine-aminotransferase and y-glutamyltransferase was found with the latter drug and of total bilirubin with the former one. A total of 48 patients treated with praziquantel and 46 with oxamniquine completed with negative findings the required three post-treatment parasitological controls three slides of each stool sample on the first, third and sixth month. The achieved cure rates were 79.2% and 84.8%, respectively, a difference without statistical significance. The non-cured cases showed a mean reduction in the number of eggs per gram of feces of 93.5% after praziquantel and of 84.1% after oxamniquine. This diference also was not significant. Five patients retreated with praziquantel were cured but only one out of three treated a second time with oxamniquine. These findings show that both drugs despite their different chemical structures, pharmacological properties and mechanisms-of-action induce similar side-effects as well as a comparable therapeutical efficacy, in agreement with the results reported from analogous investigations

Substituent and ring effects on enthalpies of formation: 2-methyl- and 2-ethylbenzimidazoles versus benzene-and imidazole-derivatives

The enthalpies of combustion, heat capacities, enthalpies of sublimation and enthalpies of formation of 2-methylbenzimidazole (2MeBIM) and 2-ethylbenzimidazole (2EtBIM) are reported and the results compared with those of benzimidazole itself (BIM). Theoretical estimates of the enthalpies of formation were obtained through the use of atom equivalent schemes. The necessary energies were obtained in single-point calculations at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) on B3LYP/6-31G* optimized geometries. The comparison of experimental and calculated values of benzenes, imidazoles and benzimidazoles bearing H (unsubstituted), methyl and ethyl groups shows remarkable homogeneity. The energetic group contribution transferability is not followed, but either using it or adding an empirical interaction term, it is possible to generate an enormous collection of reasonably accurate data for different substituted heterocycles (pyrazole-derivatives, pyridine-derivatives, etc.) from the large amount of values available for substituted benzenes and those of the parent (pyrazole, pyridine) heterocycles.We acknowledge the financial support of the DGI/MCyT (project nos. BQU-2003-00976, 01251 and 05827). This work has been partially supported by the DGI project no. BQU-2003-00894. A generous allocation of computational time at the CCC of the Universidad Auto´noma de Madrid is also gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also due to Instituto de Cooperac¸a˜o Cientı´fica e Tecnolo´gica Internacional (ICCTI), Lisbon, Portugal, and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı´ficas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain, for a joint research project ICCTI/CSIC. MLPFA thanks Fundac¸a˜o para a Cieˆncia e Tecnologia (FCT), Lisbon, Portugal, for the award of a postdoctoral fellowship (PRAXIS XXI/BPD/16319/98) and MT thanks MECD/SEEU (AP 2002-0603), Spain, for financial support

Experimental thermochemical study of two 2-alkylbenzimidazole isomers (alkyl = propyl and isopropyl)

This paper reports the values of the standard (p∘=0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation in the condensed, at T=298.15 K, for 2-R-benzimidazoles (R=propyl, isopropyl), derived from, the respective enthalpies of combustion in oxygen, measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry and the standard molar enthalpies of sublimation, at T=298.15 K, obtained using Calvet microcalorimetry in the case of 2-isopropylbenzimidazole and, by the variation of vapour pressures, determined by the Knudsen effusion technique, with temperatures between (344 and 365) K for 2-propylbenzimidazole. Heat capacities, in the temperature ranges from T=268 K to near their respective melting temperatures, T=421 K for 2-propylbenzimidazole and T=464 K for 2-isopropylbenzimidazole, were measured with a differential scanning calorimeter. These values were used to derive the standard molar enthalpies of formation, of the two 2-benzimidazole derivatives, in gaseous phase.Thanks are due to Instituto de Cooperação Cientı́fica e Tecnológica Industrial (ICCTI), Lisbon, Portugal, and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain for a joint research project CSIC/ICCTI; M.L.P.F.A. thanks Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Lisbon, Portugal, for the award of a postdoctoral fellowship (SRFH/BPD/5595/2001). The Spanish DGI/MCyT is acknowledged under projects BQU2000-0252, 0906 and 1497; M.T. thanks MECD/SEEU, AP2002-0603, Spain for financial support

Substituent effects on enthalpies of formation of nitrogen heterocycles: 2-substituted benzimidazoles and related compounds

The enthalpies of combustion, heat capacities, enthalpies of sublimation and enthalpies of formation of 2-tert-butylbenzimidazole (2tBuBIM) and 2-phenylimidazole (2PhIM) are reported and the results compared with those of benzene derivatives and a series of azoles (imidazoles, pyrazoles, benzimidazoles and indazoles). Theoretical estimates of the enthalpies of formation were obtained through the use of atom equivalent schemes. The necessary energies were obtained in single-point calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) on B3LYP/6-31G* optimized geometries. The comparison of experimental and calculated values of all studied compounds bearing H (unsubstituted), methyl (Me) ethyl (Et), propyl (Pr), isopropyl (iPr), tert-butyl (tBu), benzyl (Bn) and phenyl (Ph) groups show remarkable homogeneity. The remarkable consistency of both the calculated and experimental results allows us to predict with reasonable certainty the missing experimental values. The crystal and molecular structure of the 2-benzylbenzimidazole (2BnBIM) has been determined by X-ray analysis. The observed molecular conformation permits the crystal being built up through N−H···N hydrogen bonds and van der Waals contacts between the molecules. An attempt has been made to relate the crystal structure to the enthalpies of sublimation.Thanks are due to Instituto de Cooperac¸a˜o Cientı´fica e Tecnolo´gica International (ICCTI), Lisbon, Portugal, and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı´ficas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. L.M.P.F.A. thanks Fundac¸a˜o para a Cieˆncia e Tecnologia (FCT), Lisbon, Portugal, for the award of a postdoctoral fellowship (PRAXIS XXI/BPD/16319/98). This work has also been financed by DGICYT (BQU-2003- 00894, -00976 and -01251)

Comparative descriptions of eggs from three species of Rhodnius (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae)

The authors describe and compare the morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of eggs from the three most recent described species of the genus Rhodnius Stål, 1859, which have not previously been studied. These species are Rhodnius colombiensis (Mejia, Galvão & Jurberg 1999), Rhodnius milesi (Carcavallo, Rocha, Galvão & Jurberg 2001) and Rhodnius stali (Lent, Jurberg & Galvão 1993). The results revealed that there are similarities in the exochorial architecture of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy; these include the predominance of hexagonal cells that are common to all Rhodnius species and variable degrees of lateral flattening, which is common not only to species of this genus, but also to the Rhodniini tribe. Differences in overall colour, the presence of a collar in R. milesi, a longitudinal bevel in R. stali and the precise length of R. colombiensis can be useful distinguishing features. As a result of this study, the key for egg identification proposed by Barata in 1981 can be updated.European Community - Chagas Disease Intervention ActivitiesCNPqCoordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES