Sub-shot-noise photon-number correlation in mesoscopic twin-beam of light

We demonstrate sub-shot-noise photon-number correlations in a (temporal) multimode mesoscopic ($\sim 10^3$ detected photons) twin-beam produced by ps-pulsed spontaneous non-degenerate parametric downconversion. We have separately detected the signal and idler distributions of photons collected in twin coherence areas and found that the variance of the photon-count difference goes below the shot-noise limit by 3.25 dB. The number of temporal modes contained in the twin-beam, as well as the size of the twin coherence areas, depends on the pump intensity. Our scheme is based on spontaneous downconversion and thus does not suffer from limitations due to the finite gain of the parametric process. Twin-beams are also used to demonstrate the conditional preparation of a nonclassical (sub-Poissonian) state.Comment: 5 pages, 5 (low-res) figures, to appear on PR

The LSTS open-source communication and autonomy software: enabling networked vehicle systems to find track, and sample dynamic features of the ocean

Peer Reviewe

Accessibility and local development: interaction between cross-border accessibility and local development in Portugal and Spain

The main objective in this work is to understand road infrastructure’s impact on development, especially in the EU-context and in the border areas between Portugal and Spain. In these areas, a new road infrastructure was built in the last decades, changing completely the accessibility panorama, while the development variables seem to get worst in most of the cross border regions. Some links are still missing, but some already exist and are not having the expected development impact. The analysis is to be done at the municipality level in order to evaluate the regional differences within the cross border area, which is not possible at the higher NUTIII level.Peer Reviewe

Binomial effects of high isostatic pressure and time on the microbiological, sensory characteristics and lipid composition stability of vacuum packed dry fermented sausages “chouriço”

The effect of high pressure processing (HPP), at different combinations of pressure and time, on dry fermented sausages (DFS)was evaluated by chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses. Lipid composition and stability were also assessed. HPP (N400MPa and longer than 154 s) produced a reduction in spoilage microbiota,without negative effect on fermentative microbiota, that will be able to continue their role. Total fatty acids and lipid stability were not affected. Only a small effect on fatty acid (FA) composition was observed. Nutritional value of the lipid fraction was only affected by the ratio n−6/n−3 FA. Treatments at 400MPa for 154 s or 960 s resulted in DFS being detected as different from control by sensory analysis. Those differences did not depreciate the product; on the contrary it seems to improve the bright aspect of the whole sausage, the cohesion and firmness and the correctly dried aspect of slices. Industrial relevance: Dry fermented meat sausages are very popular ready-to-eat meat based products. This study assesses the effects of HPP on this much appreciated traditional products. The results showed that HPP can be successfully applied to theseMediterranean fermented products without losses of sensory and nutritional characteristics. The modelling and optimization of the HPP process applied on dry fermented sausages demonstrated in this study are an advantage to industry efficiency. The utilisation of HPP by the industry can significantly increase dry fermented meat sausage shelf life and safety, providing it an opportunity to reach the global market

O Turismo no espaço rural : uma digressão pelo tema a pretexto da situação e evolução do fenómeno em Portugal

Lançado experimentalmente em Portugal no final da década de setenta, o Turismo no Espaço Rural fez, desde então, um percurso bastante dinâmico, atravessado por algumas hesitações e dificuldades. Como instrumento de desenvolvimento regional, conforme foi tomado amiúde pelas entidades públicas, a controvérsia sobre o seu impacte subsiste. No presente trabalho, ensaia-se um reflexão sobre o tema, ao jeito de balanço do que foi realizado. Como expressão concreta da trajectória percorrida, retém-se o caso do Concelho de Braga. Na síntese da reflexão mantida, conclui-se que o produto turístico Turismo no Espaço Rural possui efectivas qualidades para apoiar dinâmicas de desenvolvimento a nível regional. Cumpre, no entanto, que não seja tomado como panaceia que tudo pode solucionar

UV degradation of deoxyribonucleic acid

The effects of UV synchrotron radiation on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) cast films have been systematically investigated by vacuum ultraviolet and infrared spectrophotometry as a function of irradiation time. Cast DNA films exposed at 140 nm (8.85 eV) for different irradiations times, revealed consistent changes in their VUV spectra which indicate a decrease of thymine groups and an increase of ? ? ?* transition spectral signature associated with the C=O group of the open sugar chain. This result was corroborated by a decrease in C-O stretching vibration at 1061 cm?1 observed in the infrared spectra. Both these results are consistent with the creation of single strand breaks in the deoxyribose component of DNA molecule and a decrease in the phosphate groups. It was also shown that UV radiation is effective in damaging the thymine groups involved in Hoogsteen base pairing with adenine. The analysis of the infrared data suggests that the usual spectroscopic fingerprints of DNA denaturation are not necessarily a reliable measure of DNA damage

Liposome Formulations for the Strategic Delivery of PARP1 Inhibitors: Development and Optimization

first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Liposome Formulations for the Strategic Delivery of PARP1 Inhibitors: Development and Optimization by Carlota J. F. Conceição 1,2ORCID,Elin Moe 3,4,Paulo A. Ribeiro 2ORCID andMaria Raposo 2,*ORCID 1 CEFITEC, Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal 2 Laboratory of Instrumentation, Biomedical Engineering and Radiation Physics (LIBPhys-UNL), Department of Physics, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal 3 Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology (ITQB NOVA), The New University of Lisbon, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal 4 Department of Chemistry, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Nanomaterials 2023, 13(10), 1613; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13101613 Received: 4 April 2023 / Revised: 7 May 2023 / Accepted: 9 May 2023 / Published: 11 May 2023 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Lipid Nanoparticles in Drug and Gene Delivery) Download Browse Figures Review Reports Versions Notes Abstract The development of a lipid nano-delivery system was attempted for three specific poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors: Veliparib, Rucaparib, and Niraparib. Simple lipid and dual lipid formulations with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1′-glycerol) sodium salt (DPPG) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocoline (DPPC) were developed and tested following the thin-film method. DPPG-encapsulating inhibitors presented the best fit in terms of encapsulation efficiency (>40%, translates into concentrations as high as 100 µM), zeta potential values (below −30 mV), and population distribution (single population profile). The particle size of the main population of interest was ~130 nm in diameter. Kinetic release studies showed that DPPG-encapsulating PARP1 inhibitors present slower drug release rates than liposome control samples, and complex drug release mechanisms were identified. DPPG + Veliparib/Niraparib presented a combination of diffusion-controlled and non-Fickian diffusion, while anomalous and super case II transport was verified for DPPG + Rucaparib. Spectroscopic analysis revealed that PARP1 inhibitors interact with the DPPG lipid membrane, promoting membrane water displacement from hydration centers. A preferential membrane interaction with lipid carbonyl groups was observed through hydrogen bonding, where the inhibitors’ protonated amine groups may be the major players in the PARP1 inhibitor encapsulation mode

Type B adverse drug reactions reported by an immunoallergology department

Objective: Characterization of the adverse drug reactions (ADR) reported by the immunoallergology department (IAD), Centro Hospitalar de São João (Porto), to the Northern Pharmacovigilance Centre (NPC). Methods: An observational, descriptive and retrospective study was conducted, based in a spontaneous report system. Participants were all the patients from the IAD, with suspected ADR, reported to NPC by specialists after the study was completed. Results: Studied population had a median age of 41 years, with the predominance of the female gender (73.2%). Allergic rhinitis and asthma were the most frequent comorbidities. All studied ADR were type B, 89.6% were serious, 86.4% unexpected and 2.6% associated with drugs that presented less than 2 years in the market. The most represented drug classes were the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (52.6%) and antibiotics (25.2%). Skin symptoms represented 61.2% of the reported complaints. About 52.9% of these ADR occurred in less than one hour after intake. The most frequent ADR treatment at the time of the reaction was drug interruption (86.2%), followed by the prescription of anti-histamines (42.2%). Conclusions: Reported ADR to NPC by the Drug Alert Unit were mainly serious, unexpected, associated with NSAIDs and antibiotics and related with marketing authorization medicines older than two years. These results could be very useful to develop strategies to prevent the clinical and economic consequences of ADR.publishe