Effective action for a quantum scalar field in warped spaces

We investigate the one-loop corrections at zero, as well as finite temperature, of a scalar field taking place in a braneworld motived warped background. After to reach a well defined problem, we calculate the effective action with the corresponding quantum corrections to each case.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in The European Physical Journal

Desempenho produtivo da Bananeira Pacovan ken Na chapada do Apodi.

A bananeira é cultivada em todos os estados brasileiros, sendo que a maior parte da produção provém da Região Nordeste do país, onde são produzidos 34% do volume total. O Brasil vem destacando com o quinto lugar no ranking mundial na produção de banana, mas apresentando produtividade média de apenas 19 toneladas/ha/ano (4)

Small-Scale Fluidized Bed Bioreactor for Long-Term Dynamic Culture of 3D Cell Constructs and in vitro Testing

With the increasing interest in three-dimensional (3D) cell constructs that better represent native tissues, comes the need to also invest in devices, i.e., bioreactors, that provide a controlled dynamic environment similar to the perfusion mechanism observed in vivo. Here a laboratory-scale fluidized bed bioreactor (sFBB) was designed for hydrogel (i.e., alginate) encapsulated cells to generate a dynamic culture system that produced a homogenous milieu and host substantial biomass for long-term evolution of tissue-like structures and “per cell” performance analysis. The bioreactor design, conceptualized through scale-down empirical similarity rules, was initially validated through computational fluid dynamics analysis for the distributor capacity of homogenously dispersing the flow with an average fluid velocity of 4.596 × 10–4 m/s. Experimental tests then demonstrated a consistent fluidization of hydrogel spheres, while maintaining shape and integrity (606.9 ± 99.3 μm diameter and 0.96 shape factor). It also induced mass transfer in and out of the hydrogel at a faster rate than static conditions. Finally, the sFBB sustained culture of alginate encapsulated hepatoblastoma cells for 12 days promoting proliferation into highly viable (>97%) cell spheroids at a high final density of 27.3 ± 0.78 million cells/mL beads. This was reproducible across multiple units set up in parallel and operating simultaneously. The sFBB prototype constitutes a simple and robust tool to generate 3D cell constructs, expandable into a multi-unit setup for simultaneous observations and for future development and biological evaluation of in vitro tissue models and their responses to different agents, increasing the complexity and speed of R&D processes

Barragem subterrânea uma opção para exploração agrícola no semi-árido.

Desde 1982 a Embrapa Semi-Árido vem desenvolvendo estudos com Barragem Subterrânea (BS), objetivando aumentar a disponibilidade de água no meio rural para obtenção de condições favoráveis para a exploração agrícola. O modelo de barragens subterrâneas construídas pela Embrapa Semi-Árido utiliza septo impermeável de lona plástica de polietileno. O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o manejo e a produtividade obtida em quatro barragens subterrâneas nos anos agrícolas 1982/1983, 1990/1991 e 2004/2005. Os resultados demonstram que a BS é uma alternativa que minimiza os riscos da agricultura dependente de chuva, proporcionando mais uma opção viável para exploração agrícola em regiões semi-áridas

Decisional tool for cost of goods analysis of bioartificial liver devices for routine clinical use

BACKGROUND AIMS: Bioartificial liver devices (BALs) are categorized as advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) with the potential to provide temporary liver support for liver failure patients. However, to meet commercial demands, next-generation BAL manufacturing processes need to be designed that are scalable and financially feasible. The authors describe the development and application of a process economics decisional tool to determine the cost of goods (COG) of alternative BAL process flowsheets across a range of industrial scales. METHODS: The decisional tool comprised an information database linked to a process economics engine, with equipment sizing, resource consumption, capital investment and COG calculations for the whole bioprocess, from cell expansion and encapsulation to fluidized bed bioreactor (FBB) culture to cryopreservation and cryorecovery. Four different flowsheet configurations were evaluated across demands, with cell factories or microcarriers in suspension culture for the cell expansion step and single-use or stainless steel technology for the FBB culture step. RESULTS: The tool outputs demonstrated that the lowest COG was achieved with microcarriers and stainless steel technology independent of the annual demand (1500-30 000 BALs/year). The analysis identified the key cost drivers were parameters impacting the medium volume and cost. CONCLUSIONS: The tool outputs can be used to identify cost-effective and scalable bioprocesses early in the development process and minimize the risk of failing to meet commercial demands due to technology choices. The tool predictions serve as a useful benchmark for manufacturing ATMPs

Impact of Storage at -80°C on Encapsulated Liver Spheroids After Liquid Nitrogen Storage

For many bioengineered tissues to have practical clinical application, cryopreservation for use on demand is essential. This study examined different thermal histories on warming and short holding periods at different subzero temperatures on subsequent functional recoveries of alginate encapsulated liver spheroids (ELS) for use in a bioartificial liver device. This mimicked transport at liquid nitrogen (-196°C) or dry ice (∼-80°C) temperatures. Holding at -80°C on warming after -196°C storage resulted in ELS expressing significant (p < 0.001) damage compared with direct thaw from liquid nitrogen, with viable cell number falling from 74.0 ± 8.4 million viable cells/mL without -80°C storage to 1.9 ± 0.6 million viable cells/mL 72 h post-thaw after 8 days storage at -80°C. Even 1 day at -80°C after -196°C storage resulted in lower viability (down 21% 24 h post-thaw), viable cell count (down 29% 24 h post-thaw), glucose, and alpha-1-fetoprotein production (reduced by 59% and 95% 24 h from 1 day post-thaw, respectively). Storage at -80°C was determined to be harmful only during the warming cycle. Chemical measurements of the alginate component of ELS were unchanged by cryogenic exposure in either condition

Caracterização de solos de quatro barragens subterrâneas: atributos físicos e químicos.

O Nordeste brasileiro enfrenta graves problemas com a escassez de água. Dentre várias tecnologias criadas para garantir a viabilidade agrícola da região, o uso de barragem subterrânea (BS) tem se destacado como uma das mais adaptadas a essa realidade. Esse trabalho visa levantar os impactos sofridos no solo no qual essa tecnologia foi implantada, por meio da caracterização física e química de quatro BS?s na Estação Experimental de Manejo da Caatinga da Embrapa Semi-Árido em Petrolina - PE. Os resultados da caracterização física apontam para solos bastante intemperizados com alta concentração de argila nos horizontes de maior profundidade o que, em conjunto com a ação de minerais primários nesses horizontes, acabam interferindo nos valores de saturação por bases. Os perfis de solo analisados apresentam ainda baixos teores de fósforo e carbono orgânico, baixa CTC, que juntamente com os atributos físicos caracterizam solos de baixa fertilidade que apresentam restrições físicas.Edição dos Resumos do V Congresso Brasileiro de Agroecologia, Guarapari, 2007

The extracellular fluid macromolecular composition differentially affects cell-substrate adhesion and cell morphology

Soluble macromolecules present in the tumour microenvironment (TME) alter the physical characteristics of the extracellular fluid and can affect cancer cell behaviour. A fundamental step in cancer progression is the formation of a new vascular network which may originate from both pre-existing normal endothelium and cancer-derived cells. To study the role of extracellular macromolecules in the TME affecting endothelial cells we exposed normal and cancer-derived endothelial cells to inert polymer solutions with different physicochemical characteristics. The cancer cell line SK-HEP-1, but not normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells, responded to high-macromolecular-content solutions by elongating and aligning with other cells, an effect that was molecular weight-dependent. Moreover, we found that neither bulk viscosity, osmotic pressure, nor the fractional volume occupancy of polymers alone account for the induction of these effects. Furthermore, these morphological changes were accompanied by an increased extracellular matrix deposition. Conversely, cell-substrate adhesion was enhanced by polymers increasing the bulk viscosity of the culture medium independently of polymer molecular weight. These results show that the complex macromolecular composition of the extracellular fluid strongly influences cancer-derived endothelial cell behaviour, which may be crucial to understanding the role of the TME in cancer progression

Crescimento inicial de porta enxertos cítricos em substratos alternativos.

A produção de mudas cítricas de qualidade, passa pela produção em ambiente protegido, que apesar de aumentar o preço das mudas, qualifica-as com padrão fitossanitário. Entretanto, o que limita a adoção desse sistema de forma irrestrita no país é o alto custo da estufa e do substrato comercial. Para tanto, estudos que visem à elaboração de substratos alternativos, de fácil e constante disponibilidade a um baixo custo, tornam-se essenciais para dar suporte à modernização na produção de mudas, principalmente pelos pequenos viveiristas da região Nordeste e especialmente do Estado da Paraíba

Avaliação qualitativa da água de barragens subterrâneas no semi-árido nordestino brasileiro.

Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade físico-química da água em áreas de captação/plantio de barragens subterrâneas, foram monitoradas oito barragens em propriedades localizadas nos Municípios de Petrolina-PE, Ouricuri-PE, Afrânio-PE e Filadélfia-BA, no período chuvoso de novembro 2006 a março de 2007. As análises fisicoquímicas permitiram avaliar a qualidade da água das barragens, empregando-se índices clássicos da literatura, como CE e RAS. Das oito barragens subterrâneas monitoradas, duas apresentaram problemas de salinidade, sendo que em uma delas a situação é mais grave devido, a presença de teores elevados de sódio. É fundamental, antes de construir uma barragem subterrânea, certificar-se da qualidade da água do riacho, bem como do solo circundante, através de análise destes dois recursos, assegurando, assim, maior eficiência da tecnologia.Edição dos Resumos do V Congresso Brasileiro de Agroecologia, Guarapari, 2007