33,735 research outputs found
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
Revestimentos Comestíveis na Conservação Pós-Colheita de Morangos Cultivar Camarosa Produzidos em Sistema Orgânico e Convencional
As perdas pós-colheita de frutas promovem a elevação do custo dos produtos e diminuem a oferta ao consumidor. Suas principais causas estão na colheita, transporte e armazenamento inadequados. A aplicação de revestimentos comestíveis juntamente com a redução da temperatura de armazenamento constitui um dos métodos empregados para a conservação pós-colheita de produtos com vida útil curta, como frutas e hortaliças. O morango é um fruto consumido preferencialmente in natura. Desta forma, torna-se promissora a utilização de revestimento comestível para aumentar seu período de armazenamento e comercialização, sem alteração do sabor, da cor e do aroma dos frutos. A produção orgânica frente a convencional de frutos podem apresentar diferenças, sendo interessante o estudo envolvendo as formas de cultivo. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a conservação pós-colheita de morangos cv. Camarosa, oriundos de cultivo orgânico e convencional revestidos com coberturas comestíveis. Os morangos foram revestidos com fécula de mandioca, gelatina e cera de carnaúba, armazenados durante 10 dias a 10 ºC. A cada 2 dias de armazenamento foram determinados perda de massa, sólidos solúveis, pH, acidez titulável, firmeza, antocianinas totais e podridão fúngica. Análise sensorial foi realizada para verificar a aceitação dos morangos e para avaliar a influência da informação nesta aceitação. A perda de massa foi maior no cultivo orgânico a partir do 8º dia de armazenamento, chegando a 11,47% contra 8,88% do cultivo convencional no final do 10º dia de armazenamento. O revestimento que possibilitou menor perda de massa foi o de cera de carnaúba em relação ao controle. A contaminação fúngica iniciou-se no 4º dia de armazenamento em ambos os tipos de cultivo. No 8º dia de armazenamento observou-se diferenças na podridão entre os tipos de cultivo, sendo o orgânico visualmente mais contaminado. O revestimento de cera de carnaúba apresentou menor podridão fúngica em relação aos outros revestimentos, porém não diferiu da amostra controle. Das variáveis físico-químicas avaliadas, apenas o teor de sólidos solúveis apresentou diferenças entre os tipos de cultivo, sendo o morango convencional o que obteve maiores valores. O teor de antocianinas dos morangos revestidos com fécula de mandioca diferiu do controle, porém o revestimento com fécula não diferiu dos revestidos com gelatina e cera de carnaúba. Foram verificadas diferenças na firmeza dos frutos em relação aos revestimentos. Ao longo do tempo foi observado diferenças no pH, teor de antocianinas e firmeza. O revestimento com cera de carnaúba se mostrou mais adequado em relação aos demais revestimentos, porém sua aparência mostrou-se com pouco brilho e esbranquiçado. Os frutos avaliados apresentaram vida útil pós-colheita de aproximadamente 6 dias. Os morangos, do ponto de vista microbiológico, se mostraram aptos para consumo. A aceitação dos morangos foi boa, não tendo diferenças significativas entre morango orgânico e convencional. O fornecimento da informação de morango orgânico e a apresentação de um texto adicional informativo não influenciaram na aceitação dos morangos. Entre os revestimentos testados o de cera de carnaúba se mostrou mais aplicável, os demais nas condições testadas não mostraram bons resultados
Dynamical Evolution of a Cylindrical Shell with Rotational Pressure
We prepare a general framework for analyzing the dynamics of a cylindrical
shell in the spacetime with cylindrical symmetry. Based on the framework, we
investigate a particular model of a cylindrical shell-collapse with rotational
pressure, accompanying the radiation of gravitational waves and massless
particles. The model has been introduced previously but has been awaiting for
proper analysis. Here the analysis is put forward: It is proved that, as far as
the weak energy condition is satisfied outside the shell, the collapsing shell
bounces back at some point irrespective of the initial conditions, and escapes
from the singularity formation.
The behavior after the bounce depends on the sign of the shell pressure in
the z-direction. When the pressure is non-negative, the shell continues to
expand without re-contraction. On the other hand, when the pressure is negative
(i.e. it has a tension), the behavior after the bounce can be more complicated
depending on the details of the model. However, even in this case, the shell
never reaches the zero-radius configuration.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev.
Synthesis of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 9V oligosaccharide antigens
Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) bacteria cause serious invasive diseases. SP bacteria are covered by a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) that is a virulence factor and the basis for SP polysaccharide and glycoconjugate vaccines. The serotype 9V is part of the currently marketed conjugate vaccine and contains an acetate modification. To better understand the importance of glycan modifications in general and acetylation in particular, defined oligosaccharide antigens are needed for serological and immunological studies. Here, we demonstrate a convergent [2 + 3] synthetic strategy to prepare the pentasaccharide repeating unit of 9V with and without an acetate group at the C-6 position of mannosamine
Third edge for a graphene nanoribbon: A tight-binding model calculation
The electronic and transport properties of an extended linear defect embedded
in a zigzag nanoribbon of realistic width are studied, within a tight binding
model approach. Our results suggest that such defect profoundly modify the
properties of the nanoribbon, introducing new conductance quantization values
and modifying the conductance quantization thresholds. The linear defect along
the nanoribbon behaves as an effective third edge of the system, which shows a
metallic behavior, giving rise to new conduction pathways that could be used in
nanoscale circuitry as a quantum wire.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. Two new figures and a few references adde
Experimental and theoretical evidences for the ice regime in planar artificial spin ices
In this work, we explore a kind of geometrical effect in the thermodynamics
of artificial spin ices (ASI). In general, such artificial materials are
athermal. Here, We demonstrate that geometrically driven dynamics in ASI can
open up the panorama of exploring distinct ground states and thermally magnetic
monopole excitations. It is shown that a particular ASI lattice will provide a
richer thermodynamics with nanomagnet spins experiencing less restriction to
flip precisely in a kind of rhombic lattice. This can be observed by analysis
of only three types of rectangular artificial spin ices (RASI). Denoting the
horizontal and vertical lattice spacings by a and b, respectively, then, a RASI
material can be described by its aspect ratio =a/b. The rhombic lattice
emerges when =. So, by comparing the impact of thermal
effects on the spin flips in these three appropriate different RASI arrays, it
is possible to find a system very close to the ice regime
Density functional investigations of defect induced mid-gap states in graphane
We have carried out ab initio electronic structure calculations on graphane
(hydrogenated graphene) with single and double vacancy defects. Our analysis of
the density of states reveal that such vacancies induce the mid gap states and
modify the band gap. The induced states are due to the unpaired electrons on
carbon atoms. Interestingly the placement and the number of such states is
found to be sensitive to the distance between the vacancies. Furthermore we
also found that in most of the cases the vacancies induce a local magnetic
moment.Comment: 15 page
Vascular disease modeling using induced pluripotent stem cells: Focus in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome
Transparency document related to this article can be found
online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.10.014Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent today an invaluable tool to create disease cell models for modeling and drug screening. Several lines of iPSCs have been generated in the last 7 years that changed the paradigm for studying diseases and the discovery of new drugs to treat them. In this article we focus our attention to vascular diseases in particular Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), a devastating premature aging disease caused by a mutation in the lamin A gene. In general, patients die because of myocardial infarction or stroke. Because the patients are fragile the isolation of a particular type of cells is very difficult. Therefore in the last 5 years, researchers have used cells derived from iPSCs to model aspects of the HGPS and to screen libraries of chemicals to retard or treat the disease.This work was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PTDC/SAU-TOX/121887/2010; SFRH/BD/71042/2010; SFRH/BD/51678/2011; SFRH/BPD/79323/2011) and COMPETE funding (Project “Stem cell based platforms for Regenerative and Therapeutic Medicine”, Centro-07-ST24-FEDER-002008). The authors declare no conflict of interest to disclose
- …