Magnon delocalization in ferromagnetic chains with long-range correlated disorder

We study one-magnon excitations in a random ferromagnetic Heisenberg chain with long-range correlations in the coupling constant distribution. By employing an exact diagonalization procedure, we compute the localization length of all one-magnon states within the band of allowed energies $E$. The random distribution of coupling constants was assumed to have a power spectrum decaying as $S(k)\propto 1/k^{\alpha}$. We found that for $\alpha < 1$, one-magnon excitations remain exponentially localized with the localization length $\xi$ diverging as 1/E. For $\alpha = 1$ a faster divergence of $\xi$ is obtained. For any $\alpha > 1$, a phase of delocalized magnons emerges at the bottom of the band. We characterize the scaling behavior of the localization length on all regimes and relate it with the scaling properties of the long-range correlated exchange coupling distribution.Comment: 7 Pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Spectrochemical analysis in blood plasma combined with subsequent chemometrics for fibromyalgia detection

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatologic condition characterized by multiple and chronic body pain, and other typical symptoms such as intense fatigue, anxiety and depression. It is a very complex disease where treatment is often made by non-medicated alternatives in order to alleviate symptoms and improve the patient’s quality of life. Herein, we propose a method to detect patients with fibromyalgia (n = 252, 126 controls and 126 patients with fibromyalgia) through the analysis of their blood plasma using attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy in conjunction with chemometric techniques, hence, providing a low-cost, fast and accurate diagnostic approach. Different chemometric algorithms were tested to classify the spectral data; genetic algorithm with linear discriminant analysis (GA-LDA) achieved the best diagnostic results with a sensitivity of 89.5% in an external test set. The GA-LDA model identified 24 spectral wavenumbers responsible for class separation; amongst these, the Amide II (1,545 cm−1) and proteins (1,425 cm−1) were identified to be discriminant features. These results reinforce the potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with multivariate analysis as a new tool to screen and detect patients with fibromyalgia in a fast, low-cost, non-destructive and minimally invasive fashion

Can transcranial direct current stimulation improve the resistance strength and decrease the rating perceived scale in recreational weight-training experience?

Lattari, E, Andrade, ML, Filho, AS, Moura, AM, Neto, GM, Silva, JG, Rocha, NB, Yuan, T-F, Arias-Carrión, O, and Machado, S. Can transcranial direct current stimulation improve the resistance strength and decrease the rating perceived scale in recreational weight-training experience? J Strength Cond Res 30(12): 3381-3387, 2016-The goal of this study was to evaluate the acute efficacy of anodic transcranial direct current stimulation on the total volume of repetitions and perceived exertion in recreationally trained individuals in strength. The sample consisted of 10 participants trained in exercise against resistance for at least 3 months. Participants underwent elbow flexion exercise at barbell with a specific load of 10 repetition maximum (10RM), responded immediately after the OMNI-RES scale, and were stimulated for 20 minutes with a tDSC protocol (2 mA), depending on randomization. After applying the tDSC, subjects were again subjected to perform elbow flexion with 10RM load and, soon after, again responded to OMNI-RES scale. All subjects underwent the 3 experimental conditions of the study, c-tDSC, a-tDSC, and sham-tDSC, which were randomized. A range of 48-72 hours was allowed between each assessment visit. An interaction to condition and time (F = 52.395; p ≤ 0.001) has shown that repetitions completed after anodic condition were higher compared with the other conditions in the postsession. In relation to perceived exertion, verified by OMNI-RES scale, 2-way analysis of variance for repeated measures showed an interaction between condition and time (F = 28.445; p ≤ 0.001), where the perceived exertion was decreased after the a-tDSC condition and increased after the c-tDSC condition. In strict terms of performance, it seems to be beneficial to attend a session of 20 minutes a-tDSC, when strength training practitioners can no longer support high-volume training and have increased responses in the perceived exertion.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bioactivity Evaluation of Plant Extracts Used in Indigenous Medicine against the Snail, Biomphalaria glabrata

This investigation examined the molluscicidal and larvicidal activity of eight plants that are used in the traditional medicine of the Pankararé indigenous people in the Raso da Catarina region, Bahia state, Brazil. The tested plants were chosen based on the results of previous studies. Only those plants that were used either as insect repellents or to treat intestinal parasitic infections were included in the study. Crude extracts (CEs) of these plants were tested for their larvicidal activity (against Aedes aegypti larvae in the fourth instar) and molluscicidal activity (against the snail Biomphalaria glabrata). The plant species Scoparia dulcis and Helicteres velutina exhibited the best larvicidal activities (LC50 83.426 mg/L and LC50 138.896 mg/L, resp.), and Poincianella pyramidalis, Chenopodium ambrosoides, and Mimosa tenuiflora presented the best molluscicidal activities (LC50 0.94 mg/L, LC50 13.51 mg/L, and LC50 20.22 mg/L, resp.). As we used crude extracts as the tested materials, further study is warranted to isolate and purify the most active compounds

Avaliação das técnicas de massagem e ordenha no tratamento do ingurgitamento mamário por termografia

OBJETIVO: evaluar los métodos de masaje y bombeo en el tratamiento de la congestión mamaria posparto a través de la termografía. MÉTODO: el estudio se realizó en el Banco de Leche Humana de un hospital en Curitiba, Brasil. Se seleccionaron al azar 16 mujeres en periodo de lactancia con congestión con clasificación lobar, ampular y glandular, moderada e intensa. Se compararon los patrones diferenciales de temperatura, antes y después del tratamiento por medio de masaje y bombeo. RESULTADOS: se encontró un degradado negativo de 0,3°C de temperatura entre el pre y post-tratamiento en el grupo experimental. Las mamas con intensa congestión eran 0,7°C más caliente en comparación a aquellos con congestión moderada. CONCLUSIÓN: el masaje y el bombeo electromecánico fueron superiores a los métodos manuales cuando se evaluaron por termografía. REBEC: U1111-1136-9027.OBJETIVO: avaliar técnicas de massagem e ordenha no tratamento do ingurgitamento mamário puerperal, por meio da termografia. MÉTODO: a pesquisa foi realizada no Banco de Leite Humano de um hospital de Curitiba, Brasil. Selecionaram-se, aleatoriamente, 16 lactantes com ingurgitamento com classificação lobar, ampolar e glandular moderado e intenso. Compararam-se os padrões diferenciais de temperatura, antes e após o tratamento realizado, por meio de massagem e ordenha. RESULTADOS: constatou-se um gradiente negativo de 0,3ºC de temperatura entre o pré e o pós-tratamento no grupo experimental. Mamas com ingurgitamento intenso foram 0,7ºC mais quentes quando comparadas com ingurgitamento moderado. CONCLUSÃO: a massagem e ordenha eletromecânicas são superiores às manuais, quando avaliadas por termografia. REBEC: U1111-1136-9027.OBJECTIVE: to evaluate techniques of massage and pumping in the treatment of postpartum breast engorgement through thermography. METHOD: the study was conducted in the Human Milk Bank of a hospital in Curitiba, Brazil. We randomly selected 16 lactating women with engorgement with the classification lobar, ampullary and glandular, moderate and intense. We compared the differential patterns of temperature, before and after the treatment by means of massage and pumping. RESULTS: we found a negative gradient of 0.3°C of temperature between the pre- and post-treatment in the experimental group. Breasts with intense engorgement were 0.7°C warmer when compared with moderate engorgement. CONCLUSION: massage and electromechanical pumping were superior to manual methods when evaluated by thermography. REBEC: U1111-1136-9027

Larvicidal Activity against Aedes aegypti

This study investigated the biological activities of five benthic marine algae collected from Northeastern Region of Brazil. The tested activities included larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti, molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria glabrata, and toxicity against Artemia salina. Extracts of Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta), Padina gymnospora, Sargassum vulgare (Phaeophyta), Hypnea musciformis, and Digenea simplex (Rhodophyta) were prepared using different solvents of increasing polarity, including dichloromethane, methanol, ethanol, and water. Of the extracts screened, the dichloromethane extracts of H. musciformis and P. gymnospora exhibited the highest activities and were subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation in hexane and chloroform. The chloroform fractions of the P. gymnospora and H. musciformis extracts showed molluscicidal activity at values below 40 μg·mL−1 (11.1460 μg·mL−1 and 25.8689 μg·mL−1, resp.), and the chloroform and hexane fractions of P. gymnospora showed larvicidal activity at values below 40 μg·mL−1 (29.018 μg·mL−1 and 17.230 μg·mL−1, resp.). The crude extracts were not toxic to A. salina, whereas the chloroform and hexane fractions of P. gymnospora (788.277 μg·mL−1 and 706.990 μg·mL−1) showed moderate toxicity, indicating that the toxic compounds present in these algae are nonpolar