Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking Among Young Adults Aged 20–30 Years in Lisbon, Portugal

Background: Over the past decade, the changes to the pattern of alcohol consumption in Portugal, in particular among young people with heavy episodic drinking (binge drinking), are well documented. However, there are limited studies in individuals aged between 20 and 30 years, which is an important period of transition into adulthood where binge drinking can negatively influence the resolution of developmental tasks. Therefore, this study aims at analyzing the pattern of alcohol consumption and binge drinking among young adults aged between 20 and 30 years living in the municipality of Lisbon. Methodology: This is a quantitative, descriptive correlational study using a convenience sample composed of 259 individuals. We used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for data collection. Results: Among the sampled subjects, 19.3% of them reported being nondrinkers. Among the alcohol-drinking subjects (N = 209), 61.3% reported binge drinking behaviors. We found a higher percentage of binge drinkers among vocational training students than among university students, as well as a relatively higher percentage of women. In both cases, we found no statistically significant differences. Within the total sample, 10.8% reported hazardous or harmful consumption, with men showing greater hazardous consumption. Conclusions: Although approximately one fifth of the sampled subjects reported being nondrinkers, the percentage of binge drinkers in this study was significantly higher than that reported in other studies. We also found that binge drinking is more common among vocational training students, although this difference was not statistically significant. Further studies are needed on this age group and in nonacademic settings

Symbolic Sequences and Tsallis Entropy

We address this work to investigate symbolic sequences with long-range correlations by using computational simulation. We analyze sequences with two, three and four symbols that could be repeated $l$ times, with the probability distribution $p(l)\propto 1/ l^{\mu}$. For these sequences, we verified that the usual entropy increases more slowly when the symbols are correlated and the Tsallis entropy exhibits, for a suitable choice of $q$, a linear behavior. We also study the chain as a random walk-like process and observe a nonusual diffusive behavior depending on the values of the parameter $\mu$.Comment: Published in the Brazilian Journal of Physic

First- and second-order phase transitions in Ising models on small world networks, simulations and comparison with an effective field theory

We perform simulations of random Ising models defined over small-world networks and we check the validity and the level of approximation of a recently proposed effective field theory. Simulations confirm a rich scenario with the presence of multicritical points with first- or second-order phase transitions. In particular, for second-order phase transitions, independent of the dimension d_0 of the underlying lattice, the exact predictions of the theory in the paramagnetic regions, such as the location of critical surfaces and correlation functions, are verified. Quite interestingly, we verify that the Edwards-Anderson model with d_0=2 is not thermodynamically stable under graph noise.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures, 1 tabl

Lie Superalgebra Stability and Branes

The algebra of the generators of translations in superspace is unstable, in the sense that infinitesimal perturbations of its structure constants lead to non-isomorphic algebras. We show how superspace extensions remedy this situation (after arguing that remedy is indeed needed) and review the benefits reaped in the description of branes of all kinds in the presence of the extra dimensions.Comment: Talk given at the conference ``Brane New World and Non-commutative Geometry'', held in Torino, October 2000. To appear in the proceedings by World Scientific. 10 pages, 1 figur

The interplay of university and industry through the FP5 network

To improve the quality of life in a modern society it is essential to reduce the distance between basic research and applications, whose crucial roles in shaping today's society prompt us to seek their understanding. Existing studies on this subject, however, have neglected the network character of the interaction between university and industry. Here we use state-of-the-art network theory methods to analyze this interplay in the so-called Framework Programme--an initiative which sets out the priorities for the European Union's research and technological development. In particular we study in the 5th Framework Programme (FP5) the role played by companies and scientific institutions and how they contribute to enhance the relationship between research and industry. Our approach provides quantitative evidence that while firms are size hierarchically organized, universities and research organizations keep the network from falling into pieces, paving the way for an effective knowledge transfer.Comment: 21 pages (including Appendix), 8 figures. Published online at http://stacks.iop.org/1367-2630/9/18

Arp2/3 complex activity in filopodia of spreading cells

Background Cells use filopodia to explore their environment and to form new adhesion contacts for motility and spreading. The Arp2/3 complex has been implicated in lamellipodial actin assembly as a major nucleator of new actin filaments in branched networks. The interplay between filopodial and lamellipodial protrusions is an area of much interest as it is thought to be a key determinant of how cells make motility choices. Results We find that Arp2/3 complex localises to dynamic puncta in filopodia as well as lamellipodia of spreading cells. Arp2/3 complex spots do not appear to depend on local adhesion or on microtubules for their localisation but their inclusion in filopodia or lamellipodia depends on the activity of the small GTPase Rac1. Arp2/3 complex spots in filopodia are capable of incorporating monomeric actin, suggesting the presence of available filament barbed ends for polymerisation. Arp2/3 complex in filopodia co-localises with lamellipodial proteins such as capping protein and cortactin. The dynamics of Arp2/3 complex puncta suggests that they are moving bi-directionally along the length of filopodia and that they may be regions of lamellipodial activity within the filopodia. Conclusion We suggest that filopodia of spreading cells have regions of lamellipodial activity and that this activity affects the morphology and movement of filopodia. Our work has implications for how we understand the interplay between lamellipodia and filopodia and for how actin networks are generated spatially in cells