A computer-controlled multi-electrode switch

A computer-actuated switch was built to control, simultaneously, two automatic titration assemblies each consisting of an electrode pair and a burette, and using only one measuring device. This switch is modular, simple and versatile allowing easy adaptation and expansion; apart from its application in multiple-titration systems, this device can also be used for standard addition analysis and multi-component analysis using ion-selective electrodes (ISE). The repeatability as well as the accuracy of the measurements made with this switch were ensured using high-quality relays, and very high electrical insulation, attained through the use of two separate printed circuit boards (pcb) of good quality and careful design of these pcbs. This low-cost multi-electrode switch is controlled through the parallel port of a PC that collects the data via an inexpensive 12-bit ADC board (8-bit ISA type), and is easily programmable in any high-level language. This type of device allows the collection of a large amount of data in relatively short periods, which can be analysed later allowing the choice of the best compromise of time versus accuracy for the study of any particular system

A computer-controlled multi-electrode switch

A computer-actuated switch was built to control, simultaneously, two automatic titration assemblies each consisting of an electrode pair and a burette, and using only one measuring device. This switch is modular, simple and versatile allowing easy adaptation and expansion; apart from its application in multiple-titration systems, this device can also be used for standard addition analysis and multi-component analysis using ion-selective electrodes (ISE). The repeatability as well as the accuracy of the measurements made with this switch were ensured using high-quality relays, and very high electrical insulation, attained through the use of two separate printed circuit boards (pcb) of good quality and careful design of these pcbs. This low-cost multi-electrode switch is controlled through the parallel port of a PC that collects the data via an inexpensive 12-bit ADC board (8-bit ISA type), and is easily programmable in any high-level language. This type of device allows the collection of a large amount of data in relatively short periods, which can be analysed later allowing the choice of the best compromise of time versus accuracy for the study of any particular system

Representations of Portugal in Herman Hesse, Philip Roth and Paul Auster

The aim of my research is to answer the question: How is Portugal seen by non-Portuguese fictionists? The main reason why I chose this research line is the following: Portuguese essayists like Eduardo Lourenço and José Gil (2005) focus their attention on the image or representation of Portugal as conceived by the Portuguese; indeed there is a tendency in Portuguese cultural studies (and, to a certain extent, also in Portuguese philosophical studies) to focus on studying the so-called ‗portugalidade‘ (portugueseness), i.e., the essence of being Portuguese. In my view, the problem with the studies I have been referring to is that everything is self-referential, and if ‗portugueseness‘ is an issue, then it might be useful, when dealing with it, to separate subject from object of observation. That is the reason why we, in the CEI (Centro de Estudos Interculturais), decided to start this research line, which is an inversion in the current tendency of the studies about ‗portugueseness‘: instead of studying the image or representation of Portugal by the Portuguese, my task is to study the image or representation of Portugal by the non-Portuguese, in this case, in non-Portuguese fiction. For the present paper I selected three writers of the 20th century: the German Hermann Hesse and the North-Americans Philip Roth and Paul AusterO propósito da minha pesquisa é responder à questão: como é Portugal visto pelos escritores de ficção estrangeiros? A principal razão pela qual escolhi esta linha de investigação é o seguinte: ensaístas portugueses, como Eduardo Lourenço e José Gil (2005), centram a sua atenção na imagem ou na representação de Portugal tal como é concebida pelos próprios portugueses. De facto, existe uma tendência nos estudos culturais portugueses (e também, até certo ponto, nos estudos filosóficos) para se centrarem na chamada ‗portugalidade‘, ou seja, na essência de ser português. No meu ponto de vista, o problema com os estudos que referi anteriormente é que tudo é auto-referencial. E se a ‗portugalidade‘ é uma questão a ter em conta, então pode ser útil, ao estudá-la, separarmos o sujeito do objecto de observação. É esta a razão pela qual nós, no CEI (Centro de Estudos Interculturais), decidimos começar esta linha de investigação, que é uma inversão da tendência corrente dos estudos sobre a ‗portugalidade‘: ao invés de estudar a imagem ou a representação de Portugal pelos portugueses, a minha tarefa é estudar a imagem ou a representação de Portugal pelos não-portugueses, neste caso, na ficção não-portuguesa. Para este artigo seleccionei três escritores do século XX: o alemão Hermann Hesse e os norte-americanos Philip Roth e Paul Auster

Influence of synthesis conditions on carbonate entrapment in perovskite SrSnO 3

Strontium stannate (SrSnO 3 ), a perovskite material, was synthesized by the polymeric precursor method, with different routes to eliminate organic matter. The utilization of pure oxygen for the elimination of organic matter changed the Raman spectra, especially in the low frequency region. Some peaks, which were previously assigned to the perovskite phase, were not noticed when the carbonate amount was lower. On the other hand, the profile of the IR spectra and XRD patterns did not change. These results suggest that carbonate may be present inside the perovskite lattice

“Healthy Life”: interaction of polyphenols with lipid bilayers and their effects in human cells

This work concerns the transversal project of the CQB thematic line: “Healthy Life: Molecular Interventions and Regulation Mechanisms”. Biologically active plant phytochemicals have a broad range of pharmacological effects including anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity. [1] Notwithstanding the possibility of having a specific target, phytochemicals must interact and permeate through cell membranes in the body. Indeed, it was suggested that those molecules insert into the membranes and thereby may have a promiscuous activity by changing structural properties of lipid bilayers. [2] Some well-known phenolic acids such as caffeic (CA), rosmarinic (RA) and chlorogenic (CGA) acids, whose identification in plant extracts has been achieved by CQB research groups, were selected to be addressed in first place. All the phenolic acids studied have low lipophilicity and among them, RA was the only one with a partition to biological membrane models measurable by fluorescence spectroscopy, as opposed to CA and CGA. Cyclic voltammetry measurements using an electrode modified with a supported lipid bilayer, also indicated a higher affinity of RA to lipid membranes. In addition, oxidation/reduction of the phenolic acids displayed higher reversibility in the lipid milieu than in the aqueous bulk. Indeed, the reduced form of phenolic acids was unstable in aqueous solution. In particular, in DMEM/F-12 cell culture media, a colour change observed after incubation with each compound could be reverted by the addition of a reducing agent. The higher reversibility of phenolic acids oxidation/reduction, once they were inserted in the lipid membrane, may contribute to the stability of the compounds and prevent the formation of degradation products. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are being performed to probe the location and orientation of these and other selected compounds in lipid bilayers. The influence of the phenolic acids in the cytoskeleton organization, both actin filaments and microtubules, of a human retinal pigment epithelial cell line (RPE1) was also investigated. All compounds induced concentration and time dependent effects, translated in structural alterations mainly at the cell periphery, and also in the perturbation of cell division. Moreover, it was not evident that these compounds induce apoptosis under the conditions tested. RA seemed to induce evident effects at earlier times and at lower concentrations, as compared to CA and CGA. This higher sensibility of RPE1 cells to RA correlates with the higher affinity of this compound to the lipid bilayer.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Purinergic signalling and immune cells

This review article provides a historical perspective on the role of purinergic signalling in the regulation of various subsets of immune cells from early discoveries to current understanding. It is now recognised that adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) and other nucleotides are released from cells following stress or injury. They can act on virtually all subsets of immune cells through a spectrum of P2X ligand-gated ion channels and G protein-coupled P2Y receptors. Furthermore, ATP is rapidly degraded into adenosine by ectonucleotidases such as CD39 and CD73, and adenosine exerts additional regulatory effects through its own receptors. The resulting effect ranges from stimulation to tolerance depending on the amount and time courses of nucleotides released, and the balance between ATP and adenosine. This review identifies the various receptors involved in the different subsets of immune cells and their effects on the function of these cells