The Redner - Ben-Avraham - Kahng cluster system

We consider a coagulation model first introduced by Redner, Ben-Avraham and Krapivsky in [Redner, Ben-Avraham, Kahng: Kinetics of 'cluster eating', J. Phys. A: Math. Gen., 20 (1987), 1231-1238], the main feature of which is that the reaction between a j-cluster and a k-cluster results in the creation of a |j-k|-cluster, and not, as in Smoluchowski's model, of a (j+k)-cluster. In this paper we prove existence and uniqueness of solutions under reasonably general conditions on the coagulation coefficients, and we also establish differenciability properties and continuous dependence of solutions. Some interesting invariance properties are also proved. Finally, we study the long-time behaviour of solutions, and also present a preliminary analysis of their scaling behaviour.Comment: 24 pages. 2 figures. Dedicated to Carlos Rocha and Luis Magalhaes on the occasion of their sixtieth birthday

The Redner - Ben-Avraham - Kahng coagulation system with constant coefficients: the finite dimensional case

We study the behaviour as $t\to\infty$ of solutions $(c_j(t))$ to the Redner--Ben-Avraham--Kahng coagulation system with positive and compactly supported initial data, rigorously proving and slightly extending results originally established in [4] by means of formal arguments.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figur

The active microbial community more accurately reflects the anaerobic digestion process: 16S rRNA (gene) sequencing as a predictive tool

Background: Amplicon sequencing methods targeting the 16S rRNA gene have been used extensively to investigate microbial community composition and dynamics in anaerobic digestion. These methods successfully characterize amplicons but do not distinguish micro-organisms that are actually responsible for the process. In this research, the archaeal and bacterial community of 48 full-scale anaerobic digestion plants were evaluated on DNA (total community) and RNA (active community) level via 16S rRNA (gene) amplicon sequencing. Results: A significantly higher diversity on DNA compared with the RNA level was observed for archaea, but not for bacteria. Beta diversity analysis showed a significant difference in community composition between the DNA and RNA of both bacteria and archaea. This related with 25.5 and 42.3% of total OTUs for bacteria and archaea, respectively, that showed a significant difference in their DNA and RNA profiles. Similar operational parameters affected the bacterial and archaeal community, yet the differentiating effect between DNA and RNA was much stronger for archaea. Co-occurrence networks and functional prediction profiling confirmed the clear differentiation between DNA and RNA profiles. Conclusions: In conclusion, a clear difference in active (RNA) and total (DNA) community profiles was observed, implying the need for a combined approach to estimate community stability in anaerobic digestion

Effects of zinc on microalgal biofilms in intertidal and subtidal habitats

Microalgal biofilms are sensitive to environmental conditions. Impacts of contaminants on assemblages of marine biofilm are often investigated in laboratories or in mesocosms. Such experiments are rarely representative of the effects of contaminants on biofilms under natural conditions. Studies in field situations, with enough power to detect impacts, are necessary to develop a better understanding of the effects of contaminants on ecological processes. Metals are a common contaminant of marine systems and can cause disturbances to assemblages. Using a new technique to experimentally deliver contaminants to microalgal assemblages, hypotheses were tested regarding the effects of zinc on microalgal biofilms growing on settlement panels in subtidal and intertidal habitats. PAM fluorometry was used to assess the amount and physiological state of biofilms on panels. Control panels deployed for 1 month in each habitat had significantly greater amounts of biofilm than those exposed to zinc. After deployment for 3 months, the results varied with location. The observed effects on the biofilm did not, however, cause significant changes in the macro-invertebrate assemblages that developed on the panels

Scalar Perturbations in Scalar Field Quantum Cosmology

In this paper it is shown how to obtain the simplest equations for the Mukhanov-Sasaki variables describing quantum linear scalar perturbations in the case of scalar fields without potential term. This was done through the implementation of canonical transformations at the classical level, and unitary transformations at the quantum level, without ever using any classical background equation, and it completes the simplification initiated in investigations by Langlois \cite{langlois}, and Pinho and Pinto-Neto \cite{emanuel2} for this case. These equations were then used to calculate the spectrum index $n_s$ of quantum scalar perturbations of a non-singular inflationary quantum background model, which starts at infinity past from flat space-time with Planckian size spacelike hypersurfaces, and inflates due to a quantum cosmological effect, until it makes an analytical graceful exit from this inflationary epoch to a decelerated classical stiff matter expansion phase. The result is $n_s=3$, incompatible with observations.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, accepted version to Physical Review D 7

Probabilistic models to describe the dynamics of migrating microbial communities

In all but the most sterile environments bacteria will reside in fluid being transported through conduits and some of these will attach and grow as biofilms on the conduit walls. The concentration and diversity of bacteria in the fluid at the point of delivery will be a mix of those when it entered the conduit and those that have become entrained into the flow due to seeding from biofilms. Examples include fluids through conduits such as drinking water pipe networks, endotracheal tubes, catheters and ventilation systems. Here we present two probabilistic models to describe changes in the composition of bulk fluid microbial communities as they are transported through a conduit whilst exposed to biofilm communities. The first (discrete) model simulates absolute numbers of individual cells, whereas the other (continuous) model simulates the relative abundance of taxa in the bulk fluid. The discrete model is founded on a birth-death process whereby the community changes one individual at a time and the numbers of cells in the system can vary. The continuous model is a stochastic differential equation derived from the discrete model and can also accommodate changes in the carrying capacity of the bulk fluid. These models provide a novel Lagrangian framework to investigate and predict the dynamics of migrating microbial communities. In this paper we compare the two models, discuss their merits, possible applications and present simulation results in the context of drinking water distribution systems. Our results provide novel insight into the effects of stochastic dynamics on the composition of non-stationary microbial communities that are exposed to biofilms and provides a new avenue for modelling microbial dynamics in systems where fluids are being transported

Development of casein micellar pediatric formulations

Poster presented at the 1st European Conference on Pharmaceutics. 13-14 April 2015, Reims, France."The current need for medicines specifically designed for children, which consider ease of administration, dose flexibility, palatability, safety of excipients, stability and therapeutic equivalency of pediatric dosage forms, has driven the development of pediatric drug formulations. In the present work casein (CN) based micellar formulations are evaluated as vehicles for the oral delivery of pediatric drugs, since caseins are nontoxic, biodegradable, GRAS materials and nanoencapsulation of drugs can improve their bioavailability. Chemical crosslinking of casein by carbodiimide (EDC) has been studied as an approach to improve the stability of the CN micelles and to tailor drug release."Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal (Research grant PTDC/DTPFTO/1057/2012

Evaluation of the ability of powdered milk to produce mini-tablets containing paracetamol

Poster presented at the 1st European Conference on Pharmaceutics. 13-14 April 2015, Reims, France"In recent years the development of medicines for paediatric use have gained increase interest. Small, flexible solid dosage forms, such as mini-tablets, are an attractive choice when developing new medicines for children. Excipients, though innocuous in adults, may pose a threat to the different paediatric age groups and, therefore, milk, a complete, universally accepted food, used in children’s diet since birth, seems to be an innovative and attractive excipient when formulating for the aforementioned population. In this study a full factorial design was employed to identify the variables (both formulation and manufacturing) and their interactions with significant impact on selected properties of mini-tablets, containing paracetamol and powdered milk, produced by direct compression."Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PTDC/DTP-FTO/1057/2012

Comment on the Adiabatic Condition

The experimental observation of effects due to Berry's phase in quantum systems is certainly one of the most impressive demonstrations of the correctness of the superposition principle in quantum mechanics. Since Berry's original paper in 1984, the spin 1/2 coupled with rotating external magnetic field has been one of the most studied models where those phases appear. We also consider a special case of this soluble model. A detailed analysis of the coupled differential equations and comparison with exact results teach us why the usual procedure (of neglecting nondiagonal terms) is mathematically sound.Comment: 9 page