Bimodal Phase Diagram of the Superfluid Density in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Revealed by an Interfacial Waveguide Resonator

We explore the superconducting phase diagram of the two-dimensional electron system at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface by monitoring the frequencies of the cavity modes of a coplanar waveguide resonator fabricated in the interface itself. We determine the phase diagram of the superconducting transition as a function of temperature and electrostatic gating, finding that both the superfluid density and the transition temperature follow a dome shape, but that the two are not monotonically related. The ground state of this 2DES is interpreted as a Josephson junction array, where a transition from long- to short-range order occurs as a function of the electronic doping. The synergy between correlated oxides and superconducting circuits is revealed to be a promising route to investigate these exotic compounds, complementary to standard magneto-transport measurements.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures and 10 pages of supplementary materia

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of essential oils from the medicinal plant Mentha cervina L. grown in Portugal

Mentha cervina is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Portugal in folk medicine, in different gastric disorders and inflammations of the respiratory tract. In order to validate those traditional uses, M. cervina essential oils (EOs) were characterized by GC and GC–MS and their antimicrobial activity was tested against 23 bacterial strains (including multiresistant strains). The EOs were dominated by the monoterpenes pulegone (52–75%), isomenthone (8–24%), limonene (4–6%), and menthone (1–2%). The antibacterial activity of these EOs was compared to that of the main components standards. The most effective antibacterial activity was expressed by the EOs against the Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumanni, with MIC values of 1 mg/ml. The EOs complex mixtures were more active than the individual aromatic components supporting the hypothesis that the EOs antibacterial activity is a function of the synergistic effect of their different aromatic components. These results show the potential role of M. cervina EOs as antibacterial agents and validate the traditional use of this plant

Encapsulation of Nanostructures in a Dielectric Matrix Providing Optical Enhancement in Ultrathin Solar Cells

The incorporation of nanostructures in optoelectronic devices for enhancing their optical performance is widely studied. However, several problems related to the processing complexity and the low performance of the nanostructures have hindered such actions in real-life devices. Herein, a novel way of introducing gold nanoparticles in a solar cell structure is proposed in which the nanostructures are encapsulated with a dielectric layer, shielding them from high temperatures and harsh growth processing conditions of the remaining device. Through optical simulations, an enhancement of the effective optical path length of approximately four times the nominal thickness of the absorber layer is verified with the new architecture. Furthermore, the proposed concept in a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell device is demonstrated, where the short-circuit current density is increased by 17.4%. The novel structure presented in this work is achieved by combining a bottom-up chemical approach of depositing the nanostructures with a top-down photolithographic process, which allows for an electrical contact.This work was funded in part by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) under Grants IF/00133/2015, PD/BD/142780/2018 and SFRH/BD/ 146776/2019. The authors also want to acknowledge the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme through the ARCIGS-M project under Grant 720887, the Special Research Fund (BOF) of Hasselt University, the FCT through the project NovaCell (PTDC/CTM-CTM/28075/ 2017), and InovSolarCells (PTDC/FISMAC/29696/2017) co-funded by FCT and the ERDF through COMPETE2020. The authors also want to acknowledge Sandra Maya for the production of images used in this work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of in vitro Antifungal Activity of Xylosma prockia (Turcz.) Turcz. (Salicaceae) Leaves Against Cryptococcus spp.

Cryptococcus species are responsible for important systemic mycosis and are estimated to cause millions of new cases annually. The available therapy is limited due to the high toxicity and the increasing rates of yeast resistance to antifungal drugs. Popularly known as “sucará,” Xylosma prockia (Turcz.) Turcz. (Salicaceae) is a native plant from Brazil with little information on its pharmacological potential. In this work, we evaluated in vitro anticryptococcal effects of the leaf ethanolic extract of X. prockia and its fractions against Cryptococcus gattii and Cryptococcus neoformans. We also evaluated phenotypic alterations caused by ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) (chosen according to its biological results). The liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of EAF demonstrated the presence of phenolic metabolites that belong to three structurally related groups as majority compounds: caffeoylquinic acid, coumaroyl-glucoside, and caffeoyl-glucoside/deoxyhexosyl-caffeoyl glucoside derivatives. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against C. gattii and C. neoformans ranged from 8 to 64 mg/L and from 0.5 to 8 mg/L, for ethanolic extract and EAF, respectively. The EAF triggered an oxidative burst and promoted lipid peroxidation. EAF also induced a reduction of ergosterol content in the pathogen cell membrane. These effects were not associated with alterations in the cell surface charge or in the thermodynamic fingerprint of the molecular interaction between EAF and the yeasts evaluated. Cytotoxic experiments with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) demonstrated that EAF was more selective for yeasts than was PBMCs. The results may provide evidence that X. prockia leaf extract might indeed be a potential source of antifungal agents.Fil: Folly, Mariany L. C.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: Ferreira, Gabriella F.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: Salvador, Maiara R.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: Sathler, Ana A.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: da Silva, Guilherme F.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: Santos, Joice Castelo Branco. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: Santos, Julliana R. A. dos. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: Nunes Neto, Wallace Ribeiro. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, João Francisco Silva. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: Fernandes, Elizabeth Soares. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: da Silva, Luís Cláudio Nascimento. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: de Freitas, Gustavo José Cota. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Denadai, Ângelo M.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Ivanildes V.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: Mendonça, Leonardo M.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; BrasilFil: Monteiro, Andrea Souza. Ceuma University; BrasilFil: Santos, Daniel Assis. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Cabrera, Gabriela Myriam. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Siless, Gastón Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos en Química Orgánica; ArgentinaFil: Lang, Karen L.. Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora; Brasi

Malaria in pregnancy regulates P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp/ Abcb1a ) and ABCA1 efflux transporters in the Mouse Visceral Yolk Sac

Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) induces intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm labour (PTL). However, its effects on yolk sac morphology and function are largely unexplored. We hypothesized that MiP modifies yolk sac morphology and efflux transport potential by modulating ABC efflux transporters. C57BL/6 mice injected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA (5 × 105 infected erythrocytes) at gestational day (GD) 13.5 were subjected to yolk sac membrane harvesting at GD 18.5 for histology, qPCR and immunohistochemistry. MiP did not alter the volumetric proportion of the yolk sac's histological components. However, it increased levels of Abcb1a mRNA (encoding P-glycoprotein) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (Mif chemokine), while decreasing Abcg1 (P < 0.05); without altering Abca1, Abcb1b, Abcg2, Snat1, Snat2, interleukin (Il)-1β and C-C Motif chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2). Transcripts of Il-6, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (Cxcl1), Glut1 and Snat4 were not detectible. ABCA1, ABCG1, breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and P-gp were primarily immunolocalized to the cell membranes and cytoplasm of endodermic epithelium but also in the mesothelium and in the endothelium of mesodermic blood vessels. Intensity of P-gp labelling was stronger in both endodermic epithelium and mesothelium, whereas ABCA1 labelling increased in the endothelium of the mesodermic blood vessels. The presence of ABC transporters in the yolk sac wall suggests that this fetal membrane acts as an important protective gestational barrier. Changes in ABCA1 and P-gp in MiP may alter the biodistribution of toxic substances, xenobiotics, nutrients and immunological factors within the fetal compartment and participate in the pathogenesis of malaria-induced IUGR and PTL

The Portuguese Society of Rheumatology position paper on the use of biosimilars

Biotechnological drugs have become a fundamental resource for the treatment of rheumatic patients. Patent expiry of some of these drugs created the opportunity for biopharmaceutical manufacturers to develop biosimilar drugs intended to be as efficacious as the originator product but with a lower cost to healthcare systems. Due to the complex manufacturing process and highly intricate structure of biologicals, a biosimilar can never be an exact copy of its reference product. Consequently, regulatory authorities issued strict preclinical and clinical guidelines to ensure safety and efficacy equivalence and, in September 2013, the biosimilar of infliximab was the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody to be authorized for use in the European Union. The current document is a position statement of the "Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia" (Portuguese Society of Rheumatology) on the use of biosimilar drugs in rheumatic diseases. Two systematic literature reviews were performed, one concerning clinical trials and the other one concerning international position papers on biosimilars. The results were presented and discussed in a national meeting and a final position document was discussed, written and approved by Portuguese rheumatologists. Briefly, this position statement is contrary to automatic substitution of the originator by the biosimilar, defends either a different INN or the prescription by brand name, supports that switching between biosimilars and the originator molecule should be done after at least 6 months of treatment and based on the attending physician decision and after adequate patient information, recommends the registration of all biosimilar treated patients in Reuma.pt for efficacy, safety and immunogenicity surveillance, following the strategy already ongoing for originators, and opposes to extrapolation of indications approved to the originator to completely different diseases and/or age groups without adequate pre-clinical, safety or efficacy data.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Systematic analysis of jellyfish galaxy candidates in Fornax, Antlia, and Hydra from the S-PLUS survey: A self-supervised visual identification aid

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/We study 51 jellyfish galaxy candidates in the Fornax, Antlia, and Hydra clusters. These candidates are identified using the JClass scheme based on the visual classification of wide-field, twelve-band optical images obtained from the Southern Photometric Local Universe Survey. A comprehensive astrophysical analysis of the jellyfish (JClass > 0), non-jellyfish (JClass = 0), and independently organized control samples is undertaken. We develop a semi-automated pipeline using self-supervised learning and similarity search to detect jellyfish galaxies. The proposed framework is designed to assist visual classifiers by providing more reliable JClasses for galaxies. We find that jellyfish candidates exhibit a lower Gini coefficient, higher entropy, and a lower 2D Sérsic index as the jellyfish features in these galaxies become more pronounced. Jellyfish candidates show elevated star formation rates (including contributions from the main body and tails) by 1.75 dex, suggesting a significant increase in the SFR caused by the ram-pressure stripping phenomenon. Galaxies in the Antlia and Fornax clusters preferentially fall towards the cluster's centre, whereas only a mild preference is observed for Hydra galaxies. Our self-supervised pipeline, applied in visually challenging cases, offers two main advantages: it reduces human visual biases and scales effectively for large data sets. This versatile framework promises substantial enhancements in morphology studies for future galaxy image surveys.Peer reviewe

Reference gene validation for quantitative RT-PCR during biotic and abiotic stresses in Vitis vinifera

Grapevine is one of the most cultivated fruit crop worldwide with Vitis vinifera being the species with the highest economical importance. Being highly susceptible to fungal pathogens and increasingly affected by environmental factors, it has become an important agricultural research area, where gene expression analysis plays a fundamental role. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is currently amongst the most powerful techniques to perform gene expression studies. Nevertheless, accurate gene expression quantification strongly relies on appropriate reference gene selection for sample normalization. Concerning V. vinifera, limited information still exists as for which genes are the most suitable to be used as reference under particular experimental conditions. In this work, seven candidate genes were investigated for their stability in grapevine samples referring to four distinct stresses (Erysiphe necator, wounding and UV-C irradiation in leaves and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora colonization in wood). The expression stability was evaluated using geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper. In all cases, full agreement was not observed for the three methods. To provide comprehensive rankings integrating the three different programs, for each treatment, a consensus ranking was created using a non-weighted unsupervised rank aggregation method. According to the last, the three most suitable reference genes to be used in grapevine leaves, regardless of the stress, are UBC, VAG and PEP. For the P. chlamydospora treatment, EF1, CYP and UBC were the best scoring genes. Acquaintance of the most suitable reference genes to be used in grapevine samples can contribute for accurate gene expression quantification in forthcoming studiesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Finely tuned fiber-based porous structures for bone tissue engineering applications

[Excerpt] Scaffolds developed for bone tissue engineering (TE) must possess specific structural properties to allow neo-tissue formation and integration within the material[1]. Several polymeric systems and processing methodologies have been proposed to develop bone TE scaffolds. Nevertheless, the so far proposed strategies do not fulfil all the requirements for effective bone regeneration. Textile technologies have recently emerged as an industrial route for producing more complex fibre-based porous scaffolds[2]. Silk fibroin (SF) from Bombyx mori has already proved to be a good biomaterial for bone TE[3]. SF-based structures are known for the impressive mechanical properties and biocompatibility, which meet the basic requirements for developing bone TE scaffolds[4],[5]. [...]Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the project TISSUE2TISSUE (PTDC/CTM/105703/2008); Investigator FCT program IF/00423/2012 and IF/00411/2013

Clinical Manifestations Associated with Neurocysticercosis: A Systematic Review

Neurocysticercosis is an infection of the brain with the flatworm Taenia solium which is normally transmitted between humans and pigs. Sometimes, humans can infect other humans and the larva of the parasite can go the brain, causing the disease neurocysticercosis. There has never been a systematic review of what clinical signs are found among people with neurocysticercosis. We conducted a thorough review of the literature to answer this question. We reviewed 1569 and 21 were of a sufficient quality to be included in the final analysis. Among neurocysticercosis patients who are seeking care in neurology clinics, about 79% have seizures/epilepsy, 38% severe headaches, 16% focal deficits and 12% signs of increased intracranial pressure. Several other symptoms were also reported in less than 10% of patients. People with neurocysticercosis who seek care in neurology clinics show a whole range of manifestations. Clinicians should be encouraged to consider neurocysticercosis in their differential diagnosis when a patient presented with one of the symptoms described in this review. This would ultimately improve the estimates of the frequency of symptoms associated with neurocysticercosis