A computationally efficient method for calculating the maximum conductance of disordered networks: Application to 1-dimensional conductors

Random networks of carbon nanotubes and metallic nanowires have shown to be very useful in the production of transparent, conducting films. The electronic transport on the film depends considerably on the network properties, and on the inter-wire coupling. Here we present a simple, computationally efficient method for the calculation of conductance on random nanostructured networks. The method is implemented on metallic nanowire networks, which are described within a single-orbital tight binding Hamiltonian, and the conductance is calculated with the Kubo formula. We show how the network conductance depends on the average number of connections per wire, and on the number of wires connected to the electrodes. We also show the effect of the inter-/intra-wire hopping ratio on the conductance through the network. Furthermore, we argue that this type of calculation is easily extendable to account for the upper conductivity of realistic films spanned by tunneling networks. When compared to experimental measurements, this quantity provides a clear indication of how much room is available for improving the film conductivity.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Óxidos de ferro e suas aplicações em processos catalíticos: uma revisão

A review of most of the reported studies on the use of iron oxides as catalyst in specific processes, namely Haber-Bosch reaction, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, Fenton oxidation and photolytic molecular splitting of water to produce gaseous hydrogen, was carried out. An essential overview is thus presented, intending to address the fundamental meaning, as well as the corresponding chemical mechanisms, and perspectives on new technological potentialities of natural and synthetic iron oxides, more specifically hematite (α-Fe2O3), goethite (α-FeOOH), magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), in heterogeneous catalysis

The use of crumb rubber in asphalt mixtures using the dry process

The modification process of hot mix asphalts in which crumb rubber is initially mixed with the mineral aggregates before the addition of the binder is known as dry process. This process has as main advantages the use of conventional mixing plants and, at least in principle, has no limitation of the incorporated rubber content. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of the incorporated crumb rubber content in the mechanical behavior of dense graded mixes ( grade envelope C of Brazilian specification DNER-ES 313/97). For this purpose, laboratory tests were carried out to determine the main properties to be used in numerical analyses of a structure of flexible pavement executed with that type of asphalt mixture. The mechanical properties of asphalt hot mixes used in the numerical analysis were determined by laboratory tests (stiffness modulus and fatigue life). The studied asphalt hot mixes were produced with a crumb rubber obtained by the milling process at ambient temperature and a straight binder AC 50/70 (classification by penetration). The incorporated rubber content varied from 2% up to 3,6% in relation to the mineral aggregate mixture. For the sake of comparison, a conventional asphalt mixture produced with straight binder AC 50/70 and an asphalt-rubber hot mix produced by wet process were also studied. The results showed that the asphalt hot mixes modified with crumb rubber by dry process presented a significant improvement in terms of mechanical behavior in relation to conventional asphalt hot mixes, especially in terms of increase of fatigue life, as can be observed in the numerical analysis performed.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPQ).Cepsa.Biosafe.Bezerras Ltda

Exercise induction of gut microbiota modifications in obese, non-obese and hypertensive rats

Background: Obesity is a multifactor disease associated with cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension. Recently, gut microbiota was linked to obesity pathogenesisand shown to influence the host metabolism. Moreover, several factors such as host-genotype and life-style have been shown to modulate gut microbiota composition. Exercise is a well-known agent used for the treatment of numerous pathologies, such as obesity and hypertension; it has recently been demonstrated to shape gut microbiota consortia. Since exercise-altered microbiota could possibly improve the treatment of diseases related to dysfunctional microbiota, this study aimed to examine the effect of controlled exercise training on gut microbial composition in Obese rats (n = 3), non-obese Wistar rats (n = 3) and Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (n = 3). Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes from fecal samples collected before and after exercise training was used for this purpose. Results: Exercise altered the composition and diversity of gut bacteria at genus level in all rat lineages. Allobaculum (Hypertensive rats), Pseudomonas and Lactobacillus (Obese rats) were shown to be enriched after exercise, while Streptococcus (Wistar rats), Aggregatibacter and Sutturella (Hypertensive rats) were more enhanced before exercise. A significant correlation was seen in the Clostridiaceae and Bacteroidaceae families and Oscillospira and Ruminococcus genera with blood lactate accumulation. Moreover, Wistar and Hypertensive rats were shown to share a similar microbiota composition, as opposed to Obese rats. Finally, Streptococcus alactolyticus, Bifidobacterium animalis, Ruminococcus gnavus, Aggregatibacter pneumotropica and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum were enriched in Obese rats. Conclusions: These data indicate that non-obese and hypertensive rats harbor a different gut microbiota from obese rats and that exercise training alters gut microbiota from an obese and hypertensive genotype background

Anthocyanin composition of young red wine cv. Ruby Cabernet and Syrah: effect of time and storage conditions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of anthocyanins in red wines for 12 months of storage in bottles in two different conditions. The wine samples cv. Ruby Cabernet and cv. Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) used for this study were produced in the Sub-middle São Francisco Valley, in the Northeast Region of Brazil, during the 2013 harvest

Anthocyanin composition of young red wine cv. Ruby Cabernet and Syrah: effect of time and storage conditions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the evolution of anthocyanins in red wines for 12 months of storage in bottles in two different conditions. The wine samples cv. Ruby Cabernet and cv. Syrah (Vitis vinifera L.) used for this study were produced in the Sub-middle São Francisco Valley, in the Northeast Region of Brazil, during the 2013 harvest

Water regimes and bean cultivar effects on the soil porous system characteristics

Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a crop of great economic and social impacts in Brazil. This crop is extremely appreciated by the Brazilian population and an important source of protein. Usually the small farmers are responsible by the largest production of the bean in Brazil. This work deals with the analysis of the effect of different water regimes (35, 28, 21 and 14%) on the porous system of a soil cropped with two distinct cultivars (Campos Gerais and Tuiuiú). Soil water retention curve (SWRC) and its derivative were utilized with the aim of investigating the changes in the porous system. Pore size distribution was also evaluated. The experiment was carried out at a greenhouse and the soil water content for the different water regimes was monitored by means of a TDR. Four undisturbed samples were collected from each wooden bed (eight) for the physic-hydrical characterization. Discrepancies in the SWRC were noticed for the region of small pressure heads. Differences were not observed between bean cultivars to SWRC. However, the water capacity function was sensitive to show differences in the soil porous system due to the treatments and cultivars. The lowest water regimes promoted the highest volume of fissures (big pores >250 µm) and, consequently, the highest ones had the largest volume of storage pores (<25 µm)

Produção de mudas de almeirão e cultivo no campo, em sistema agroecológico.

Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar o desenvolvimento das mudas de almeirão em diferentes substratos orgânicos e verificar o comportamento em bandejas, após o transplante no campo e na pós-colheita, constituindo três experimentos. Foram avaliados o uso do substrato comercial e quatro misturas de proporções de composto, areia e pó de basalto. Foram quatro fases de avaliação: aos 13 e 26 dias após a emergência (DAE), aos 74 dias após o transplante e na pós-colheita. Avaliaram-se o comprimento e a massa da matéria seca de raiz e de parte aérea, número de folhas por planta, diâmetro do coleto, área foliar e a conservação pós-colheita. O composto orgânico e as misturas foram superiores ao substrato comercial, na maioria das características avaliadas nos 13 e 26 DAE; entretanto, o substrato comercial superou os demais tratamentos para o comprimento de raiz. Os substratos orgânicos (T2 e T3) podem ser recomendados para a produção de mudas de almeirão com desenvolvimento satisfatório em sistema de cultivo em bandejas e a campo e, de igual forma, em pós-colheita; o uso de composto orgânico como substrato para produção de mudas propiciou o desenvolvimento de mudas mais vigorosas e plantas mais resistentes no campo do que o substrato comercial