Echelle long-slit optical spectroscopy of evolved stars

We present echelle long-slit optical spectra of a sample of objects evolving off the AGB, most of them in the pre-planetary nebula (pPN) phase, obtained with the ESI and MIKE spectrographs at Keck-II and Magellan-I, respectively. The total wavelength range covered with ESI (MIKE) is ~3900 to 10900 A (~3600 to 7200A). In this paper, we focus our analysis mainly on the Halpha profiles. Prominent Halpha emission is detected in half of the objects, most of which show broad Halpha wings (up to ~4000 km/s). In the majority of the Halpha-emission sources, fast, post-AGB winds are revealed by P-Cygni profiles. In ~37% of the objects Halpha is observed in absorption. In almost all cases, the absorption profile is partially filled with emission, leading to complex, structured profiles that are interpreted as an indication of incipient post-AGB mass-loss. All sources in which Halpha is seen mainly in absorption have F-G type central stars, whereas sources with intense Halpha emission span a larger range of spectral types from O to G. Shocks may be an important excitation agent of the close stellar surroundings for objects with late type central stars. Sources with pure emission or P Cygni Halpha profiles have larger J-K color excess than objects with Halpha mainly in absorption, which suggests the presence of warm dust near the star in the former. The two classes of profile sources also segregate in the IRAS color-color diagram in a way that intense Halpha-emitters have dust grains with a larger range of temperatures. (abridged)Comment: 68 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in ApJS (abstract abridged

Potencialidades de cátodos compósitos à base de LaCoO3+ZrO2

Este trabalho desenvolve-se no âmbito da investigação em novos materiais de cátodo para aplicações baseadas em condutores de oxigénio de temperatura intermédia (600 a 800 oC). Em particular, pretende-se tirar partido das excelentes propriedades catalíticas e de transporte de materiais de cátodo baseados em LaCoO3.δ, controlando a excessiva expansão térmica através da mistura com o pirocloro de baixa expansão térmica La2(Zr,Y)2O7. Materiais compósitos de LaCoO3, La2(Zr,Y)2O7 e CoO1+δ foram obtidos a partir da reacção no estado sólido entre (ZrO2)0,92(Y2O3)0,08 e LaCoO3-δ. Foram igualmente obtidos compósitos bifásicos LaCoO3/La2(Zr,Y)2O7 por mistura simples de pós. As propriedades eléctricas e termomecânicas destes materiais foram relacionadas com a composição e com aspectos microestruturais. A condutividade iónica foi estimada a partir de medidas de permeabilidade electroquímica. Para interpretar estes resultados é proposto um modelo em que as equações de transporte são revistas de modo a incluir a possibilidade de transporte limitado pela cinética dos processos de superfície. O desempenho catódico dos materiais compósitos foi comparado ao dos materiais monofásicos mais comuns através de curvas de polarização e de espectros de impedância. O efeito do choque térmico foi avaliado em termos da deterioração das propriedades eléctricas e electroquímicas, podendo considerar-se reduzido.This work represents an attempt to take profit of the excellent transport and catalytic properties of LaCoO3-δ-based cathode materials, and their excessive thermal expansion is countered by adding significant volume fractions of dispersed La2(Zr,Y)2O7 with relatively low thermal expansion. Three phase LaCoO3/La2(Zr,Y)2O7/CoO1+δ composite materials were obtained by high temperature solid state reaction of (ZrO2)0,92(Y2O3)0,08 with excess LaCoO3-δ. Two phase LaCoO3/La2(Zr,Y)2O7 materials were also prepared . The thermal expansion and the electrical properties of these materials were related to composition and microstructure. The ionic conductivity was estimated by electrochemical permeability measurements and the correspondent transport equations were re-examined to include a slow surface exchange overpotential term. The performance of screen-printed composite cathodes was evaluated by polarization measurements and impedance spectroscopy and compared to some state-of-the-art materials. The resistance to thermal cycling was evaluated in terms of deterioration of electrical and electrochemical properties and it was found satisfactory.Programa Doutoral em Ciência e Engenharia de Materiai

Enumeration and phenotypical analysis of distinct dendritic cell subsets in psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Dendritic cells (DCs) comprise heterogeneous subsets of professional antigen-presenting cells, linking innate and adaptive immunity. Analysis of DC subsets has been hampered by a lack of specific DC markers and reliable quantitation assays. We characterised the immunophenotype and functional characteristics of psoriatic arthritis (PsA)-derived and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-derived myeloid DCs (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) to evaluate their potential role in arthritis. Circulating peripheral blood (PB) pDC numbers were significantly reduced in PsA patients (P = 0.0098) and RA patients (P = 0.0194), and mDCs were significantly reduced in RA patients (P = 0.0086) compared with healthy controls. The number of circulating mDCs in RA PB was significantly inversely correlated to C-reactive protein (P = 0.021). The phenotype of both DC subsets in PsA PB and RA PB was immature as compared with healthy controls. Moreover, CD62L expression was significantly decreased on both mDCs (PsA, P = 0.0122; RA, P = 0.0371) and pDCs (PsA, P = 0.0373; RA, P = 0.0367) in PB. Both mDCs and pDCs were present in PsA synovial fluid (SF) and RA SF, with the mDC:pDC ratio significantly exceeding that in matched PB (PsA SF, P = 0.0453; RA SF, P = 0.0082). pDCs isolated from RA SF and PsA SF displayed an immature phenotype comparable with PB pDCs. RA and PsA SF mDCs, however, displayed a more mature phenotype (increased expression of CD80, CD83 and CD86) compared with PB mDCs. Functional analysis revealed that both SF DC subsets matured following toll-like receptor stimulation. pDCs from PB and SF produced interferon alpha and tumour necrosis factor alpha on TLR9 stimulation, but only SF pDCs produced IL-10. Similarly, mDCs from PB and SF produced similar tumour necrosis factor alpha levels to TLR2 agonism, whereas SF mDCs produced more IL-10 than PB controls. Circulating DC subset numbers are reduced in RA PB and PsA PB with reduced CD62L expression. Maturation is incomplete in the inflamed synovial compartment. Immature DCs in SF may contribute to the perpetuation of inflammation via sampling of the inflamed synovial environment, and in situ presentation of arthritogenic antigen

Amphipoda (Crustacea) Associados a “Bostrychietum” em uma Área de Manguezal na Região Norte do Estado de São Paulo

O manguezal é um sistema ecológico tropical que se restringe a estreitas faixas costeiras, apresentando condições propícias para alimentação, proteção e reprodução de muitas espécies de animais. Nos manguezais ocorrem importantes associações de macroalgas aderidas em pneumatóforos, rizóforos e troncos das árvores dos gêneros Avicennia L., Rhizophora L. e Laguncularia Gaertn denominadas como “Bostrychietum”. Essas associações incluem cianobactérias e clorofíceas, contudo há imensa dominância de rodofïceas, mais precisamente dos gêneros Bostrychia Mont., Caloglossa (Harv.) G. Martens e Catenella Grev. Os Amphipoda são muito comuns em ambientes de manguezal ao redor do mundo, no entanto não há nenhum estudo faunístico abrangente sobre este grupo para manguezais brasileiros. A área de estudo é uma região de manguezal localizada no Município de São Vicente, Baixada Santista, região norte do estado de São Paulo. A comunidade de “Bostrychietum” é coletada por meio de raspagem dos substratos (pneumatóforos, rizóforos e troncos). Os anfípodes são anestesiados por meio de submerssão em etanol 5-10%. Posteriormente, os anfípodes são triados em laboratório, fixados em etanol 70% e identificados com base em literatura especializada. As amostras de “Bostrychietum” foram depositadas na coleção de algas da Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Campus do Litoral Paulista. Todo o material de Amphipoda está conservado em etanol 70% na coleção do Laboratório de Zoologia do UniFOA. Após a realização do estudo todo o material será depositado em coleções zoológicas de referência. Este projeto está em fase intermediária e parte das amostras já foi analisada. Uma lista preliminar da fauna Amphipoda identificada será apresentada

Three Wide-Separation L dwarf Companions from the Two Micron All Sky Survey: Gl 337C, Gl 618.1B, and HD 89744B

We present two confirmed wide separation L-dwarf common proper motion companions to nearby stars and one candidate identified from the Two Micron All Sky Survey. Spectral types from optical spectroscopy are L0 V, L2.5 V, and L8 V. Near-infrared low resolution spectra of the companions are provided as well as a grid of known objects spanning M6 V -- T dwarfs to support spectral type assignment for these and future L-dwarfs in the z'JHK bands. Using published measurements, we estimate ages of the companions from physical properties of the primaries. These crude ages allow us to estimate companion masses using theoretical low-mass star and brown dwarf evolutionary models. The new L-dwarfs in this paper bring the number of known wide-binary (Separation >= 100 AU) L-dwarf companions of nearby stars to nine. One of the L-dwarfs is a wide separation companion to the F7 IV-V + extrasolar planet system HD89744Ab.Comment: 20 pages including 6 tables and 4 figures, AJ, in pres

Nanosafety: an evolving concept to bring the safest possible nanomaterials to society and environment

The use of nanomaterials has been increasing in recent times, and they are widely used in industries such as cosmetics, drugs, food, water treatment, and agriculture. The rapid development of new nanomaterials demands a set of approaches to evaluate the potential toxicity and risks related to them. In this regard, nanosafety has been using and adapting already existing methods (toxicological approach), but the unique characteristics of nanomaterials demand new approaches (nanotoxicology) to fully understand the potential toxicity, immunotoxicity, and (epi)genotoxicity. In addition, new technologies, such as organs-on-chips and sophisticated sensors, are under development and/or adaptation. All the information generated is used to develop new in silico approaches trying to predict the potential effects of newly developed materials. The overall evaluation of nanomaterials from their production to their final disposal chain is completed using the life cycle assessment (LCA), which is becoming an important element of nanosafety considering sustainability and environmental impact. In this review, we give an overview of all these elements of nanosafety.European Union’s H2020 project Sinfonia (N.857253). SbDToolBox, with reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000047, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fun