Solution of an associating lattice gas model with density anomaly on a Husimi lattice

We study a model of a lattice gas with orientational degrees of freedom which resemble the formation of hydrogen bonds between the molecules. In this model, which is the simplified version of the Henriques-Barbosa model, no distinction is made between donors and acceptors in the bonding arms. We solve the model in the grand-canonical ensemble on a Husimi lattice built with hexagonal plaquettes with a central site. The ground-state of the model, which was originally defined on the triangular lattice, is exactly reproduced by the solution on this Husimi lattice. In the phase diagram, one gas and two liquid (high density-HDL and low density-LDL) phases are present. All phase transitions (GAS-LDL, GAS-HDL, and LDL-HDL) are discontinuous, and the three phases coexist at a triple point. A line of temperatures of maximum density (TMD) in the isobars is found in the metastable GAS phase, as well as another line of temperatures of minimum density (TmD) appears in the LDL phase, part of it in the stable region and another in the metastable region of this phase. These findings are at variance with simulational results for the same model on the triangular lattice, which suggested a phase diagram with two critical points. However, our results show very good quantitative agreement with the simulations, both for the coexistence loci and the densities of particles and of hydrogen bonds. We discuss the comparison of the simulations with our results.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Lack of plasma albumin impairs intravascular lipolysis and explains the associated free fatty acids deficiency and hypertriglyceridemia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Abnormalities in lipid metabolism and transport are hallmarks in analbuminemic Nagase rats (NAR) and humans. Triglyceridemia is nearly 3- to 5-fold higher in female NAR than in control Sprague-Dawley rats (SDR). Also, NAR present with a severe plasma free fatty acid (FFA) deficit. There are conflicting results regarding the mechanisms underlying NAR hypertriglyceridemia.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>We aimed at investigating whether liver lipogenesis and triglyceride secretion rates into the plasma contribute to the hypertriglyceridemia in NAR. We also studied whether heparin or albumin administration would release the hypothesized lipolysis inhibition in NAR.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The incorporation of tritiated water into lipids and the linear accumulation rate of plasma triglycerides after Triton WR1339 injection were the measures of liver lipogenesis and triglyceride secretion rates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Lipogenesis (596 ± 40 vs. 929 ± 124 μmol ³H₂O/g/h) and triglyceride (4.25 ± 1.00 vs. 7.04 ± 1.68 mg/dL/min) secretion rates were slower (<it>P </it>≤ 0.05) in fasted NAR than in control SDR. The injection of either heparin or albumin elicited an increase in NAR plasma FFA levels over time. FFA levels reached control levels 90 min after the albumin administration, increasing from 0.36 ± 0.05 to 1.34 ± 0.16 mEq/L (<it>P </it>≤ 0.05). These results indicate that the lack of plasma albumin inhibits intravascular lipolysis and causes the FFA deficit observed in NAR.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>NAR hepatic triglyceride synthesis and output do not contribute to NAR hypertriglyceridemia. We propose that the lack of albumin diminishes intravascular lipolysis which reduces the plasma triglyceride removal rate and explain both NAR hypertriglyceridemia and FFA deficiency.</p

Low-Power Laser Irradiation (LPLI): A Clinical Point of View on a Promising Strategy to Improve Liver Regeneration

The capacity of the liver to regenerate is an important clinical issue after major hepatectomies and makes the difference between life and death in some cases of post-operative malfunction when the liver remnant is too small or has an impaired regenerative capacity. Several approaches have been tested to stimulate hepatic regeneration after post-operative hepatic failure syndrome; however, they have produced controversial results. A quick, simple, and harmless method that can be used intraoperatively and capable of promoting an increased regenerative capacity of the remaining liver would be very welcome. Thus, based on the data in the literature, we presented low-power laser irradiation (LPLI) as a quick, simple, and harmless method to improve liver regeneration after major hepatectomies. This article highlights the current evidence about the effects of LPLI on liver regeneration, and also suggests laser therapy as an important tool for regenerative stimulation in clinical practice

Solution of a model of SAW's with multiple monomers per site on the Husimi lattice

We solve a model of self-avoiding walks which allows for a site to be visited up to two times by the walk on the Husimi lattice. This model is inspired in the Domb-Joyce model and was proposed to describe the collapse transition of polymers with one-site interactions only. We consider the version in which immediate self-reversals of the walk are forbidden (RF model). The phase diagram we obtain for the grand-canonical version of the model is similar to the one found in the solution of the Bethe lattice, with two distinct polymerized phases, a tricritical point and a critical endpoint.Comment: 16 pages, including 6 figure

Grand canonical and canonical solution of self-avoiding walks with up to three monomers per site on the Bethe lattice

We solve a model of polymers represented by self-avoiding walks on a lattice which may visit the same site up to three times in the grand-canonical formalism on the Bethe lattice. This may be a model for the collapse transition of polymers where only interactions between monomers at the same site are considered. The phase diagram of the model is very rich, displaying coexistence and critical surfaces, critical, critical endpoint and tricritical lines, as well as a multicritical point. From the grand-canonical results, we present an argument to obtain the properties of the model in the canonical ensemble, and compare our results with simulations in the literature. We do actually find extended and collapsed phases, but the transition between them, composed by a line of critical endpoints and a line of tricritical points, separated by the multicritical point, is always continuous. This result is at variance with the simulations for the model, which suggest that part of the line should be a discontinuous transition. Finally, we discuss the connection of the present model with the standard model for the collapse of polymers (self-avoiding self-attracting walks), where the transition between the extended and collapsed phases is a tricritical point.Comment: 34 pages, including 10 figure

Assessing the impact of LAI data assimilation on simulations of the soil water balance and maize development using MOHID-Land

Hydrological modeling at the catchment scale requires the upscaling of many input parameters for better characterizing landscape heterogeneity, including soil, land use and climate variability. In this sense, remote sensing is often considered as a practical solution. This study aimed to access the impact of assimilation of leaf area index (LAI) data derived from Landsat 8 imagery on MOHID-Land’s simulations of the soil water balance and maize state variables (LAI, canopy height, aboveground dry biomass and yield). Data assimilation impacts on final model results were first assessed by comparing distinct modeling approaches to measured data. Then, the uncertainty related to assimilated LAI values was quantified on final model results using a Monte Carlo method. While LAI assimilation improved MOHID-Land’s estimates of the soil water balance and simulations of crop state variables during early stages, it was never sufficient to overcome the absence of a local calibrated crop dataset. Final model estimates further showed great uncertainty for LAI assimilated values during earlier crop stages, decreasing then with season reaching its end. Thus, while model simulations can be improved using LAI data assimilation, additional data sources should be considered for complementing crop parameterizationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Longitudinally aligned inner-patterned silk fibroin conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration

Published 18 April 2023Peripheral nerve injuries represent a major clinical challenge, if nerve ends retract, there is no spontaneous regeneration, and grafts are required to proximate the nerve ends and give continuity to the nerve. The nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) presented in this work are silk fibroin (SF)-based, which is biocompatible and very versatile. The formation of conduits is obtained by forming a covalently cross-linked hydrogel in two concentric moulds, and the inner longitudinally aligned pattern of the SF NGCs is obtained through the use of a patterned inner mould. SF NGCs with two wall thicknesses of ~ 200 to ~ 400 μm are synthesized. Their physicochemical and mechanical characteristics have shown improved properties when the wall thickness is thicker such as resistance to kinking, which is of special importance as conduits might also be used to substitute nerves in flexible body parts. The Young modulus is higher for conduits with inner pattern, and none of the conduits has shown any salt deposition in presence of simulated body fluid, meaning they do not calcify; thus, the regeneration does not get impaired when conduits have contact with body fluids. In vitro studies demonstrated the biocompatibility of the SF NGCs; proliferation is enhanced when iSCs are cultured on top of conduits with longitudinally aligned pattern. BJ fibroblasts cannot infiltrate through the SF wall, avoiding scar tissue formation on the lumen of the graft when used in vivo. These conduits have been demonstrated to be very versatile and fulfil with the requirements for their use in PNR.Open access funding provided by FCT|FCCN (b-on)

Modeling soil water dynamics and pasture growth in the montado ecosystem using MOHID land

The southern Iberian Peninsula is characterized by evergreen oak woodlands (locally known as montado), which constitute an important savanna-type agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystem. This ecosystem is facing a progressive decline for several reasons, with the foremost being overgrazing. Better management tools are necessary to accurately quantify the systems’ carrying capacity and the sustainable stocking rates that prevent land degradation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the MOHID-Land model could adequately simulate soil water dynamics and pasture growth in the montado ecosystem. The study area was located in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. The model successfully simulated soil water contents and aboveground biomass during the 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 growing seasons, producing acceptable errors of the estimates (0.015 RMSE 0.026 cm3 cm3; 279 RMSE 1286.5 kg ha1), and relatively high modeling efficiencies (0.481 EF 0.882). The model was further used to simulate the same variables for a longer period (1979/2009 seasons), to account for the effect of climate variability on model estimates. Water balance and dry biomass estimates were found to be significantly different between rainfed and irrigated pastures, as well as between the ten driest and ten wettest seasons, with the model responding well to climate variability. The results showed the potential of using the MOHID-Land model for improving pasture management in the montado ecosysteminfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Marine-inspired drugs and biomaterials in the perspective of pancreatic cancer therapies

Despite its low prevalence, pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest, typically characterised as silent in early stages and with a dramatically poor prognosis when in its advanced stages, commonly associated with a high degree of metastasis. Many efforts have been made in pursuing innovative therapeutical approaches, from the search for new cytotoxic drugs and other bioactive compounds, to the development of more targeted approaches, including improved drug delivery devices. Marine biotechnology has been contributing to this quest by providing new chemical leads and materials originating from different organisms. In this review, marine biodiscovery for PC is addressed, particularly regarding marine invertebrates (namely sponges, molluscs, and bryozoans), seaweeds, fungi, and bacteria. In addition, the development of biomaterials based on marine-originating compounds, particularly chitosan, fucoidan, and alginate, for the production of advanced cancer therapies, is also discussed. The key role that drug delivery can play in new cancer treatments is highlighted, as therapeutical outcomes need to be improved to give further hope to patients.The authors would like to acknowledge the funding from the European Union Framework Program for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 through project SponGES (H2020-BG-01-2015-679849) and from the European Regional Development Fund, through INTERREG España-Portugal 2014-2020 under BLUEBIOLAB (0474_BLUEBIOLAB_1_E) project and through NORTE2020/PT2020 Programme under ATLANTIDA (Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000040) project

Is leg kicking workout position affecting kinematic and hydrodynamic variables in front-craw?

Swimming training includes leg kicking workouts, whereas swimmerschoose betweenhead out (RO) or headin (HI) position holding afllitter kick board. Ourobjective was to characterize andanalyse differences between the t\vo legkicking positions in Swimming Vdocity (Y, 1n m/s), lntra-cyclic variation of the horizontal velocity (dv, dimensionless), Active Drag (D, in N), Hydrodynamic Coefficient (CD •. dimensionless), Mechanical Power (P, in W) andfrontal surfacearea (FSA, ia m2). Thirteen swimmers (15.3 ± 2,9 years~old) participated in thisstudy. Frontal surface area was calculated according to the proposal of Morais et aI. (201l)byphotogrammetry. Aftefa standard warmup, swimmers performed 4x25mbouts at maximum velocity as follows: i) 2XcrawI HO Ieg-kick; ii) 2XcrawI HI Ieg-kick. ln the first bout ofeach the V and the dv were measured usingaspeedmeter cable that Was attached to lhe swimmer's hip (Barbosaet aI., 2013). In the secondbout CD was obtained through the velocity perturbation method (Kolmogorov and Duplishcheva, 1992).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio