Mechanical cleaning of graphene

Contamination of graphene due to residues from nanofabrication often introduces background doping and reduces charge carrier mobility. For samples of high electronic quality, post-lithography cleaning treatments are therefore needed. We report that mechanical cleaning based on contact mode AFM removes residues and significantly improves the electronic properties. A mechanically cleaned dual-gated bilayer graphene transistor with hBN dielectrics exhibited a mobility of ~36,000 cm2/Vs at low temperature.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Efficient C-Phase gate for single-spin qubits in quantum dots

Two-qubit interactions are at the heart of quantum information processing. For single-spin qubits in semiconductor quantum dots, the exchange gate has always been considered the natural two-qubit gate. The recent integration of magnetic field or g-factor gradients in coupled quantum dot systems allows for a one-step, robust realization of the controlled phase (C-Phase) gate instead. We analyze the C-Phase gate durations and fidelities that can be obtained under realistic conditions, including the effects of charge and nuclear field fluctuations, and find gate error probabilities of below 10-4, possibly allowing fault-tolerant quantum computation.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Apparent dominance of the G1-G3 genetic cluster of echinococcus granulosus strains in the central inland region of Portugal

Infection by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus causes a disease known as cystic echinococcosis or hydatidosis, which is one of the most widespread zoonotic infections of veterinary and medical importance. Numerous studies have shown that E. granulosus exists as a complex of strains differing in a wide variety of criteria. Ten distinct genotypes (G1-G10) have been identified with potential impact on the pathology, epidemiology and the effect of the measures implemented for the control of hydatidosis. Our main objective was to carry out a preliminary analysis of the genotypes of E. granulosus circulating in the central inland region of Portugal. Parasite samples (hydatid cysts, n=27) were isolated from the liver and lung of sheep and cattle. The DNA extracted from protoscoleces isolated from the fertile cysts served a template for the PCR amplification of part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), ATP synthase F0 subunit 6 (atp6) as well as the large (rrnL/16S) and small (rrnS/12S) ribosomal RNA genes. Similarity searches with homologous sequences in the databanks indicated very high similarity with references assigned to the G1, G3 and/or G1-G3 complex of Echinococcus strains. Phylogenetic analysis (Bayesian approach) supported these observations, and confirmed the assignment of all the analyzed sequences to the G1-G3 genetic cluster

PCR-RFLP e genotipagem de echinococcus granulosus

A hidatidose é uma zoonose, causada pelo helminta Echinococcus granulosus, presente de um modo geral, em todo o globo terrestre tendo na região mediterrânica uma elevada importância. Estão descritos, para esta espécie, 10 genótipos (G1 a G10) em saúde pública ligados a diferentes hospedeiros intermediários. Das técnicas de biologia molecular utilizadas para a genotipagem do E. granulosus, umas mostraram-se mais específicas e sensíveis que outras. Assim, neste estudo, pretende-se avaliar a PCR-RFLP na genotipagem de amostras de E. granulosus provenientes de Portugal. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS Foram obtidos 30 quistos hidáticos de ovinos e bovinos parasitados com E. granulosus e procedeu-se à extracção da areia hidática contida nos quistos. Foi extraído o DNA do parasita a partir da areia hidática e amplificada a região ITS-1 com três pares de “primers” diferentes (Eg16-PCR, Eg9-PCR e ITS-1-PCR). Foram aplicadas enzimas de restrição (Alu I, Cfo I, Msp I e Rsa I) a estes produtos de amplificação, os quais foram visualizados em electroforese em gel de agarose a 2,5%. Foi ainda amplificado o gene citocromo oxidase sub-unidade I (COI) e sequenciado. As sequências obtidas foram comparadas com algumas existentes no GenBank. RESULTADOS Foram obtidos produtos de amplificação para as reacções Eg16-PCR, Eg9-PCR e ITS-1-PCR. A eficiência de reacção foi de 100% para as primeiras duas PCR e cerca de 60% para a ITS-1-PCR. Foram obtidos diferentes padrões de corte, no produto amplificado, consoante a enzima usada. CONCLUSÕES Foram encontradas algumas divergências no padrão de corte com a mesma enzima, tendo sido essas amostras amplificadas para o gene COI e sequenciadas para determinar o genótipo em questão. Verificou-se, em todas as amostras que suscitaram dúvidas com a aplicação das enzimas de restrição, que se estava perante o genótipo G1. Assim, podemos concluir que para a genotipagem da espécie E. granulosus é necessário associar à técnica PCR-RFLP uma técnica mais específica, o que está de acordo com o mencionado por Villalobos et al. (2007) e Manterola et al. (2008

Sustained gene expression in the retina by improved episomal vectors

Gene and cellular therapies are nowadays part of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of diverse pathologies. The drawbacks associated with gene therapy-low levels of transgene expression, vector loss during mitosis, and gene silencing-need to be addressed. The pEPI-1 and pEPito family of vectors was developed to overcome these limitations. It contains a scaffold/matrix attachment region, which anchors its replication to cell division in eukaryotic cells while in an extrachromosomal state and is less prone to silencing, due to a lower number of CpG motifs. Recent success showed that ocular gene therapy is an important tool for the treatment of several diseases, pending the overcome of the aforementioned limitations. To achieve sustained gene delivery in the retina, we evaluated several vectors based on pEPito and pEPI-1 for their ability to sustain transgene expression in retinal cells. These vectors stably transfected and replicated in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Expression levels were promoter dependent with constitutive promoters cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter (CMV) and human CMV enhancer/human elongation factor 1 alpha promoter yielding the highest levels of transgene expression compared with the retina-specific RPE65 promoter. When injected in C57Bl6 mice, transgene expression was sustained for at least 32 days. Furthermore, the retina-specific RPE65 promoter showed higher efficiency in vivo compared to in vitro. In this study, we demonstrate that by combining tissue-specific promoters with a mitotic stable system, less susceptible to epigenetic silencing such as pEPito-based plasmids, we can achieve prolonged gene expression and a sustained therapeutic effect.Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, Portugal [PEst/OE/EQB-LA 0023/2013, SFRH/BD/76873/2011, SFRH/BD/70318/2010, PTDC/SAU/BEB/098475/2008]; European Union [PIRG-GA-2009-249314

pEPito-driven PEDF Expression Ameliorates Diabetic Retinopathy Hallmarks

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus. It is characterized by retinal microvascular changes caused by chronic exposure to hyperglycemia, leading to low tissue oxygenation and ultimately to neovascularization. Laser photocoagulation and vitrectomy are the most efficient treatments for DR, but display severe side effects such as the destruction of the healthy retina. Another clinical approach uses antiangiogenic agents to prevent and delay progression of neovascularization, but these require recurrent local administrations that increase the possibility of retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage, and cataract formation. Studies in human diabetic retinas have revealed an imbalance between proangiogenic factors such as the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and antiangiogenic factors, such as pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF). This imbalance favors pathological angiogenesis contributing to DR, and can constitute a therapeutic target. Gene therapy was recently shown to be an adequate intervention for long-term treatment of several retinal pathologies. We have previously shown the newly engineered episomal vector pEPito to be able of sustained gene expression in the mouse retina. We here show that pEPito was able to overexpress PEDF for up to three months, both in in vitro cultures of human retinal pigment epithelial cells and in the retina of diabetic mice after a single subretinal injection. In vivo, in parallel with the increase in PEDF we observed a decrease in VEGF levels in injected compared with noninjected eyes and a significant effect on two hallmarks of DR: reduction of glucose transport (by glucose transporter GLUT1), and reduction of inflammation by decreased reactivity of microglia. Jointly, these results point to a significant therapeutic potential of gene therapy with pEPito-PEDF for the treatment of DR

Directiva Seveso na Península de Setúbal: sinergias entre os Agentes de Prevenção/Socorro e a População

Dissertação apresentada para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Segurança e Higiene do TrabalhoMesmo antes da revolução industrial que a população tem tendência a morar em zonas adjacentes às unidades de produção, abandonando o campo e localizar-se nas zonas exteriores das cidades e formando os subúrbios. Com avanço da tecnologia o ser Humano conseguiu descobrir novos elementos e substancias mais voláteis desta forma aumentado as possíveis consequência de uma ocorrência nessas unidades fabris, após a ocorrência de acidentes industriais graves com consequências para a população do ambiente foi necessário criar normas para a localização estratégica dos estabelecimentos, para que em caso de acidente grave as consequências fossem mitigadas, assim como a adopção de normas e regras de segurança para prevenção de acidentes graves. Em Portugal existe um normativo legal referente à prevenção de acidentes graves (Decreto-lei nº 254/2007 de 12 julho) alterado pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 42/2014, de 18 de Março, e num país que normalmente não se vai além do que esta estabelecido é importante verificar as sinergias que são criadas entre a população e agentes de prevenção, para verificar esse facto foi escolhido o concelho de Palmela para estudar este facto e discutir as sinergias presentes entre os agentes e as populações.Abstract: Even before the industrial revolution that the population tends to live in adjacent areas to production units, abandoning the field and to be located in the outer areas of cities and thus forming the suburbs. With the advancement of technology Human Being was able to discover new elements and more volatile substances in this way increased the possible consequence of an hazardous occurrence, after the occurrence of major accidents with consequences for the population and the environment was necessary to create standards for the strategic location establishments, so that in case of severe accident, the consequences were mitigated, and the adoption of safety rules for accident prevention. In Portugal there is a legal policy concerning the prevention of major accidents (Decreto-lei nº254/2007 de 12 de Julho) Changed by Decreto-Lei n.º 42/2014, de 18 de Março, and in a country that usually does not go beyond what this set, is important to check the synergies that are created among the population and prevention agents, to verify that fact was chosen Palmela in order to study and discuss the synergies present between agents for prevention and population

The Safe-Port project: an approach to port surveillance and protection

SAFE-PORT is a recently started project addressing the complex issue of determining the best configurations of resources for harbour and port surveillance and protection. More specifically, the main goal is to find, for any given scenario, an adequate set of configuration solutions — i.e., number and type of sensors and equipments, their locations and operating modes, the corresponding personnel and other support resources — that maximize protection over a specific area. The project includes research and development of sensors models, novel algorithms for optimization and decision support, and a computer-based decision support system (DSS) to assist decision makers in that task. It includes also the development of a simulation environment for modelling relevant aspects of the scenario (including sensors used for surveillance, platforms, threats and the environment), capable to incorporate data from field-trials, used to test and validate solutions proposed by the DSS. Test cases will consider the use of intelligent agents to model the behaviour of threats and of NATO forces in a realistic way, following experts’ definitions and parameters

Lesão Pituitária Agressiva com Ki-67 Notavelmente Elevado

Os raros tumores pituitários agressivos são chamados carcinomas quando são detectadas metástases, sejam sistêmicas e/ou em sistema nervoso central. Alguns casos estão associados com superprodução de hormônio, mas a maioria é diagnosticada em função dos sintomas locais. Essas neoplasias são geralmente refratárias aos tratamentos atuais. Uma mulher com 51 anos de idade apresentou dor de cabeça de início súbito, paralisia de braço esquerdo e hipoestesia facial esquerda. A tomografia e a ressonância magnética revelaram um tumor pituitário invadindo os seios esfenoidal e cavernoso esquerdos. Os dados laboratoriais excluíram hipersecreção hormonal. A paciente foi submetida à cirurgia transesfenoidal, e os achados histológicos mostraram uma neoplasia com Ki-67 estimado em 75%. As imagens excluíram tanto um tumor oculto primário quanto disseminação sistêmica ou do sistema nervoso central. Três semanas após a cirurgia, a condição neurológica apresentou piora com início de ataxia, ptose bilateral, oftalmoplegia e aumento do tamanho da lesão, levando à intervenção cirúrgica por craniotomia, seguida por apenas algumas sessões de radioterapia devido à progressão grave da doença. A paciente veio a óbito depois de quase dois meses das manifestações iniciais. O caso ilustra a agressividade de algumas lesões pituitárias, a eficácia limitada das modalidades atuais de tratamento, como a cirurgia ou a radioterapia, e as limitações da classificação atual de tumores pituitários. Até onde sabemos, esse caso corresponde a uma das neoplasias pituitárias mais agressivas descritas até hoje, com um nível muito alto de Ki-67 (75%) e sobrevida curta (2 meses). O nível de Ki-67 pode ser de valor prognóstico em tumores pituitários. A classificação da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para tumores pituitários deveria ser revisitada