Graphite Electrode Modified with a New Phenothiazine Derivative and with Carbon Nanotubes for NADH Electrocatalytic Oxidation

The electrochemical behavior of a modified electrode obtained by immobilization of single-walled carbon nanotubes onto a graphite electrode modified with a new phenothiazine derivative, bis-phenothiazin-3-yl methane (BPhM), G/BPhM-CNT, has been evaluated and compared with BPhM adsorbed on graphite electrode (G/BPhM). The G/BPhM-CNT electrode presents improved performances for NADH electrocatalytic oxidation in comparison with G/BPhM electrode, expressed by: (i) a significant increase of electrocatalytic rate constant (kobs,[NADH] 0) for NADH oxidation (856.32 L mol–1 s–1 for G/BPhM-CNT and 51.63 L mol–1 s–1 for G/BPhM, in phosphate buffer, pH 7); (ii) the obtained amperometric sensors for NADH detection present increase sensitivity (S = 6.9 mA L mol–1 for G/BPhM-CNT and S = 0.55 mA L mol–1 for G/BPhM, pH 7)

Staghorn Calculi: an Unusual and Serious Clinical Case

Introdução: Este artigo tem como objectivo apresentar um caso clínico de litíase coraliforme que exemplifica a gravidade resultante desta patologia. Caso Clínico: Caso clínico de uma doente do sexo feminino, 43 anos, sem antecedentes pessoais de relevo, que recorreu ao Serviço de Urgência por prostração, astenia e anorexia. Foi-lhe diagnosticada insuficiência renal grave, litíase coraliforme bilateral e hidronefrose com conteúdo não puro no excretor. A doente foi submetida a colocação bilateral de nefrostomias e uma semana depois, num contexto de pionefrose à esquerda e sépsis, foi submetida a nefrectomia total à esquerda. Ficou a realizar hemodiálise em ambulatório. Posteriormente concluiu-se perda irreversível da função renal, com consequente nefrectomia direita. Discussão: Este caso constitui um exemplo da gravidade resultante da litíase coraliforme. Mesmo sem manifestação clínica prévia, pode causar insuficiência renal avançada, com infecção urinária grave e sépsis que colocam a vida em risco

Traumatic brain injury patients: does frontal brain lesion influence basic emotion recognition?

Adequate emotion recognition is relevant to individuals’ interpersonal communication. Patients with frontal traumatic brain injury (TBI) exhibit a lower response to facial emotional stimuli, influencing social interactions. In this sense, the main goal of the current study was to assess the ability of TBI patients in recognizing basic emotions. Photographs of facial expressions of five basic emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and surprise) were presented to 32 TBI patients and 41 healthy controls. Emotion recognition was measured by accuracy and reaction time. Overall performance of the TBI group was poorer than control group for emotion recognition, both in terms of accuracy and reaction time. It is suggested that TBI patients show impairment on emotion recognition, and this relation seems to be moderated by the lesion localization. Keywords: emotion recognition, basic emotions, TBI patients

A Portable Implementation on Industrial Devices of a Predictive Controller Using Graphical Programming

This paper presents an approach for developing an Extended Prediction Self-Adaptive Controller employing graphical programming of industrial standard devices, for controlling fast processes. For comparison purposes, the algorithm has been implemented on three different FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) chips. The paper presents research aspects regarding graphical programming controller design, showing that a single advanced control application can run on different targets without requiring significant program modifications. Based on the time needed for processing the control signal and on the application, one can efficiently and easily select the most appropriate device. To exemplify the procedure, a conclusive case study is presented

DETERMINATION OF ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES RESIDUES FROM LARD

The determination of residues of organochlorine pesticides from lard was done with a gas chromatograph, with electron capture detection. The permitted maximum level was surpassed for a single organochlorine compoun

QUALITY CONTROL OF MILK HYGIENE

Variation is a typical characteristic for food products because they consist of biological materials. Especially raw materials which are directly delivered from primary production to processing companies show considerable variation. Taking into consideration the raw milk hygiene, the large variation from the incoming materials will be a great importance for the stages of processing. A real control considering hygiene of the raw and pasteurized milk is very important for the consumer safety. At the same time a statistically method used for the analysis of the quality will establish the degree of the milk hygiene but also will increase the possibility to determine the out of control situations and also could become a basic part for the process of improvement. The effect of any improvement cannot be measured if the process is unstable and shows great variation. Also the extension of some statistically method for monitoring the hygienic control of the raw material will provide us with a useful tool for the next steps in processing. Therefore, being required a profound understanding of the sources of variation. In our case quality control must be considered a major process in obtaining hygienic products

State-of-the-art report: Intergenerational linkages in families

__Abstract__ We present a state-of-the-art of the literature on linkages between generations within families. We focus specifically on intergenerational coresidence, upward and downward intergenerational transfers in families and the relationship between norms of family obligation and intergenerational transfers. An overview of the academic literature on these topics is provided, as well as suggestions for future research

Mutations in NR5A1 Associated with Ovarian Insufficiency

BackgroundThe genetic causes of nonsyndromic ovarian insufficiency are largely unknown. A nuclear receptor, NR5A1 (also called steroidogenic factor 1), is a key transcriptional regulator of genes involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-steroidogenic axis. Mutation of NR5A1 causes 46, XY disorders of sex development, with or without adrenal failure, but growing experimental evidence from studies in mice suggests a key role for this factor in ovarian development and function as well.MethodsTo test the hypothesis that mutations in NR5A1 cause disorders of ovarian development and function, we sequenced NR5A1 in four families with histories of both 46, XY disorders of sex development and 46, XX primary ovarian insufficiency and in 25 subjects with sporadic ovarian insufficiency. None of the affected subjects had clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency.ResultsMembers of each of the four families and 2 of the 25 subjects with isolated ovarian insufficiency carried mutations in the NR5A1 gene. In-frame deletions and frame-shift and missense mutations were detected. Functional studies indicated that these mutations substantially impaired NR5A1 transactivational activity. Mutations were associated with a range of ovarian anomalies, including 46, XX gonadal dysgenesis and 46, XX primary ovarian insufficiency. We did not observe these mutations in more than 700 control alleles.ConclusionsNR5A1 mutations are associated with 46, XX primary ovarian insufficiency and 46, XY disorders of sex development.March of Dimes FoundationNational Institute for Health ResearchWellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship in Clinical ScienceInst Pasteur, F-75724 Paris, FranceUniv Paris 05, Paris, FranceAP HP, Paris, FranceHop Bicetre, Le Kremlin Bicetre, FranceUCL Inst Child Hlth, Clin & Mol Genet Unit, Dev Endocrinol Res Grp, London, EnglandLab Cytogenet, Luxembourg, LuxembourgCHU Brabois, Serv Endocrinol, Vandoeuvre Les Nancy, FranceHop Notre Dame de Bon Secours, Unite Endocrinol, Metz, FranceUniv Estadual Campinas, Dept Pediat, Fac Med Sci, Campinas, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Dept Med Genet, Fac Med Sci, Campinas, BrazilMarch of Dimes Foundation: 1-FY07-490)Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship in Clinical Science: 079666Web of Scienc

Grammar Approximation by Representative Sublanguage: A New Model for Language Learning

We propose a new language learning model that learns a syntactic-semantic grammar from a small number of natural language strings annotated with their semantics, along with basic assumptions about natural language syntax. We show that the search space for grammar induction is a complete gram- mar lattice, which guarantees the uniqueness of the learned grammar