The Low Energy Spectrum of Cosmic Rays as an Indicator of Primary Source Characteristics and Interstellar Propagation

Low energy spectrum of cosmic rays as indicator of primary source characteristics and interstellar propagatio

Motivation: key to a healthy lifestyle in people with diabetes? Current and emerging knowledge and applications

Aim Motivation to take up and maintain a healthy lifestyle is key to diabetes prevention and management. Motivations are driven by factors on the psychological, biological and environmental levels, which have each been studied extensively in various lines of research over the past 25 years. Here, we analyse and reflect on current and emerging knowledge on motivation in relation to lifestyle behaviours, with a focus on people with diabetes or obesity. Structured according to psychological, (neuro‐)biological and broader environmental levels, we provide a scoping review of the literature and highlight frameworks used to structure motivational concepts. Results are then put in perspective of applicability in (clinical) practice. Results Over the past 25 years, research focusing on motivation has grown exponentially. Social–cognitive and self‐determination theories have driven research on the key motivational concepts ‘self‐efficacy’ and ‘self‐determination’. Neuro‐cognitive research has provided insights in the processes that are involved across various layers of a complex cortical network of motivation, reward and cognitive control. On an environmental – more upstream – level, motivations are influenced by characteristics in the built, social, economic and policy environments at various scales, which have provided entry points for environmental approaches influencing behaviour. Conclusions Current evidence shows that motivation is strongly related to a person's self‐efficacy and capability to initiate and maintain healthy choices, and to a health climate that supports autonomous choices. Some approaches targeting motivations have been shown to be promising, but more research is warranted to sustainably reduce the burden of diabetes in individuals and populations

Geosynthetic reinforcement for reflective cracking reduction in asphalt pavements

A survey by the National Confederation of Transportation of Brazil (CNT, 2011) shows that 47.9% of the country’s roads need urgent interventions to recover satisfactory traffic conditions. This paper presents results of an investigation on the use of geosynthetic reinforcement in asphalt pavements with reference to capping of old courses. The use of geosynthetic reinforcement was intended to reduce crack reflection between an old surface course and the new hot mix asphalt (HMA) layer. In order to investigate crack reflection, two prismatic beams of dense HMA were prepared and geogrids or a geocomposite (geogrid with a geotextile coated with bitumen) reinforcement was placed in between them. An initial crack was induced by cutting the lower HMA specimen and a vertical cyclic loading was applied with a steel plate at the center of top layer. The test was interrupted when the vertical displacement at the surface reached 25 mm. The results show that geogrid reinforcement may increase by up to 15 times the number of loading cycles required to reach the pre-established value of vertical displacement (25 mm). In addition, it was noticed that the severity of the cracking mechanism was reduced and that crack reflection to the upper layer was reduced by the reinforcement inclusion

Description of seedless grape drying and determination of drying rate

This article compares some empirical models, with one or two parameters, used to describe seedless grape drying at low temperature. Chosen models have, as a common characteristic, an analytical expression for the derivative of dimensionless moisture content with respect to time. Comparison of the results for the simulations of drying kinetics indicates that, despite Page and Silva et alli models well represent the process, the best model is Peleg. For this model, the statistical indicators of the simulation can be considered excellent (the determination coefficient is R2 = 0.99944 and the chi-square is χ^2 = 1.2335 x 10-3)

Influência da função pulmonar e da força muscular na capacidade funcional de portadores de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crónica

AbstractAim: To determine which variable (forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2), nocturnal hypoxaemia and muscular strength of femoral quadriceps) can predict the distance walked in the six-minute walk test (6MWT) by COPD patients.Methods: A cross-sectional and observational study of thirty patients referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation programme at a university hospital. Lung function was evaluated by spirometry, arterial blood gas analysis and nocturnal oximetry. Muscle function was evaluated by quadriceps strength and functional capacity by the 6MWT.Results: Bivariate regression analysis showed that quadriceps strength, was the only variable to correlate significantly with the distance walked in the 6MWT (p=0.002), accounting for 38% of the 6MWT variance. The statistical relationship established for these variables was 1kg of quadriceps strength equalled 5.9 metres walked in the 6MWT.Conclusions: Our results showed the importance of lower limb muscle strength in submaximal exercise testing. We conclude that femoral quadriceps muscle strength is the only one of the variables studied which can predict the distance COPD patients walk in the 6MWT.Rev Port Pneumol 2009; XV (2): 199-21

Structure-antifouling activity relationship and molecular targets of bio-inspired(Thio)xanthones

The development of alternative ecological and effective antifouling technologies is still challenging. Synthesis of nature-inspired compounds has been exploited, given the potential to assure commercial supplies of potential ecofriendly antifouling agents. In this direction, the antifouling activity of a series of nineteen synthetic small molecules, with chemical similarities with natural products, were exploited in this work. Six (4, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 17) of the tested xanthones showed in vivo activity toward the settlement of Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae (EC50: 3.53–28.60 µM) and low toxicity to this macrofouling species (LC50 > 500 µM and LC50/EC50: 17.42–141.64), and two of them (7 and 10) showed no general marine ecotoxicity (<10% of Artemia salina mortality) after 48 h of exposure. Regarding the mechanism of action in mussel larvae, the best performance compounds 4 and 5 might be acting by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity (in vitro and in silico studies), while 7 and 10 showed specific targets (proteomic studies) directly related with the mussel adhesive structure (byssal threads), given by the alterations in the expression of Mytilus collagen proteins (PreCols) and proximal thread proteins (TMPs). A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was built with predictive capacity to enable speeding the design of new potential active compounds.This research was supported by national funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of UIDB/04423/2020 and UIDP/04423/2020 and under the project PTDC/AAG-TEC/0739/2014 (reference POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016793) supported through national funds provided by FCT and ERDF - European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE - Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade (POFC) programme and RIDTI - Reforçar a Investigação, o Desenvolvimento Tecnológico e a Inovação (project 9471) and the project NASCEM PTDC/BTA-BTA/31422/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031422) also financed by FCT, COMPETE2020 and PORTUGAL2020

Antimicrobial activity of a library of thioxanthones and their potential as efflux pump inhibitors

The overexpression of efflux pumps is one of the causes of multidrug resistance, which leads to the inefficacy of drugs. This plays a pivotal role in antimicrobial resistance, and the most notable pumps are the AcrAB-TolC system (AcrB belongs to the resistance-nodulation-division family) and the NorA, from the major facilitator superfamily. In bacteria, these structures can also favor virulence and adaptation mechanisms, such as quorum-sensing and the formation of biofilm. In this study, the design and synthesis of a library of thioxanthones as potential efflux pump inhib-itors are described. The thioxanthone derivatives were investigated for their antibacterial activity and inhibition of efflux pumps, biofilm formation, and quorum-sensing. The compounds were also studied for their potential to interact with P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1), an efflux pump present in mammalian cells, and for their cytotoxicity in both mouse fibroblasts and human Caco-2 cells. The results concerning the real-time ethidium bromide accumulation may suggest a potential bacterial efflux pump inhibition, which has not yet been reported for thioxanthones. Moreover, in vitro studies in human cells demonstrated a lack of cytotoxicity for concentrations up to 20 µM in Caco-2 cells, with some derivatives also showing potential for P-gp modulation.This research was supported by national funds through FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) within the scope of UIDB/04423/2020, UIDP/04423/2020 (Group of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry-CIIMAR), and under the project PTDC/SAU-PUB/28736/2017 (reference POCI-01–0145-FEDER-028736), co-financed by COMPETE 2020, Portugal 2020 and the European Union through the ERDF and by FCT through national funds and structured program of R&D&I ATLANTIDA (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000040), supported by NORTE2020, through ERDF, and CHIRALBIO ACTIVE-PI-3RL-IINFACTS-2019

Biologia do Curimbatá (Prochilodus lineatus), Pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) e Cachara (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Miranda, Pantanal do Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil.

E analisada a biologia do curimbata (P. lineatus), do pintado (P. corruscans) e da cachara (P. fasciatum) na bacia hidrografia do rio Miranda. Estas especies realizam migracoes ascendentes para reproducao a partir de setembro-outubro. A desova, do tipo total, ocorre nos cursos superiores dos rios Miranda e Aquidauna, principalmente de dezembro a fevereiro. Apos a desova, retornam aos cursos inferiores, onde se espalham pelas areas alagadas, alimentando-se fartamente. Este padrao de migracao esta ligado ao ciclo fluviometrico desses rios. P. lineatus e uma especie detritivora, enquanto P. corruscans e P. fasciatum sao ictiofagas generalistas. Jovens e adultos apresentam distribuicao diferenciada. O crescimento dessas especies e analisado.bitstream/item/37461/1/BP02.pd