NANOPTICS: in-depth analysis of NANomaterials for OPTICal localized surface plasmon resonance sensing

Thin films containing metal (gold, silver, etc.) nanoparticles are important platforms for molecularsensing based on the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) phenomenon. To support their usein high-resolution LSPR spectroscopy systems, a software package, called NANOPTICS, was developed.It performs a statistical analysis of the LSPR band of the films, employing central moments of the normalized spectral distribution of optical transmittance. LSPR band parameters, signal-to-noise ratio and refractive index sensitivity are the outputs. It is shown that NANOPTICS can be a powerful tool to perform fast diagnostics of LSPR-based sensors’ sensitivity and to analyse their response to target analytes.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UIDB/04650/2020; and by the projects NANOSENSING POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016902, with FCT reference PTDC/FIS-NAN/1154/2014; and project NANO4BIO POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032299, with FCT reference PTDC/FIS-MAC/32299/2017. Marco S. Rodrigues acknowledges FCT for his PhD Scholarship, SFRH/BD/118684/2016. Joel Borges acknowledges FCT for his Researcher Contract from project NANO4BIO

Água e saúde: análise do risco da presença de trihalometanos na água para consumo humano

A aplicação de compostos clorados e do ozono na desinfeção da água trouxe enormes benefícios para a preservação da saúde pública, através da obtenção duma água bacteriologicamente segura para consumo humano. Contudo estes compostos podem induzir a formação de subprodutos da desinfeção (SPD) com efeitos cancerígenos e mutagénicos comprovados. Neste trabalho apresenta-se uma síntese do estudo sobre a ocorrência de trihalometanos na água distribuída, realizado nos 14 municípios do distrito de Braga (Portugal), visando a avaliação do risco de cancro (RC) e do risco de efeitos não carcinogénicos (RENC) através do método proposto pela USEPA e IRIS. Num cenário gravoso, o RC deu um valor superior ao limite máximo definido como negligenciável, em todos os municípios analisados, sendo a ingestão a via de exposição mais relevante. O resultado do RENC foi quase sempre inferior à unidade indicando um nível de risco aceitável. O uso de indicadores do risco para a saúde pode constituir uma ferramenta útil quer no apoio à decisão das entidades gestoras de sistemas de abastecimento de água, quer na definição de estratégias e políticas de saúde pública que visem a mitigação deste risco de modo a preservar/aumentar a qualidade de vida das populações

Optimized Gauss and Cholesky algorithms for using the LMMSE decoder in MIMO/BLAST systems with frequency-selective channels - Reduced-complexity equalization

The LMMSE (Linear Minimum Mean Square Error) algorithm is one of the best linear receivers for DSCDMA (Direct Sequence-Code Division Multiple Access). However, for the case of MIMO/BLAST (Multiple Input, Multiple Output/Bell Laboratories Layered Space Time), the perceived complexity of the LMMSE receiver is taken as too big, and thus other types of receivers are employed, yielding worse results. In this paper, we investigate the complexity of the solution to the LMMSE and the Zero-Forcing (LMMSE without noise estimation) receiver's equations. It will be shown that the equation can be solved with optimized Gauss or Cholesky algorithms. Some of those solutions are very computationally efficient and thus, allow for the usage of the LMMSE in fully-loaded MIMO systems

Mecanismos de participação cívica em Portugal: o caso dos teferendos locais

O presente trabalho procura dar o seu humilde contributo para a dignificação e qualificação do Poder Local em Portugal, analisando um dos mecanismos que a lei coloca ao serviço dos órgãos autárquicos e da iniciativa popular: o referendo local. Pretende-se verificar até que ponto a teoria da escolha pública e dos custos de transação políticos poderão explicar o comportamento dos políticos locais relativamente ao seu posicionamento em relação ao recurso a mecanismos de participação cívica, em concreto, aos referendos locais. O escasso recurso a estes últimos estará relacionado com critérios de racionalidade política ou de oportunismo político, para lá do mero interesse público que juram defender? Não terão os eleitos locais receio das suas consequências políticas no caso de aprovação (ou não), sobretudo se a votação for no sentido oposto ao que defendem? Poderão os resultados colocar em causa a sua reeleição? A opção por essa temática prende-se com o facto de serem escassos os estudos e obras dedicadas ao referendo local, embora abundem no que concerne à participação cívica e ao divórcio entre eleitos e eleitores. Por outro lado, pretendemos dignificar este instrumento e tentar colocá-lo na agenda política atual por lhe reconhecermos virtualidades inegáveis no aprofundamento e na qualidade da democracia local. A pergunta de investigação a que procuraremos responder de forma adequada é a seguinte: Quais os fatores que explicam ou motivam a apresentação de propostas de referendos locais em Portugal?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An efficient experimental methodology for viscoelastic complex modulus identification

The numerical simulation of viscoelastic damping treatments requires a correctidentification of the complex modulus of the viscoelastic materials. In this work, a simple andaccurate experimental setup and methodology to identify the complex modulus of viscoelasticmaterials in shear are presented, tested and validated using commonly applied viscoelasticmaterials. The test system is based on the direct complex stiffness measurement. A numericalprocessing analysis is performed on the measured data in order to verify the validity of themeasurement and to construct the usual nomogram representation of the complex modulus. Thisdirect approach avoids the identification limitations of the vibrating beams technique usuallyapplied in the viscoelastic complex modulus characterization

Interaction between cannabinoid type 1 and type 2 receptors in the modulation of subventricular zone and dentate Gyrus neurogenesis

Copyright © 2017 Rodrigues, Ribeiro, Ferreira, Vaz, Sebastião and Xapelli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.Neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain occurs mainly in two neurogenic niches, the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG). Cannabinoid type 1 and 2 receptors (CB1R and CB2R) have been shown to differently modulate neurogenesis. However, low attention has been given to the interaction between CB1R and CB2R in modulating postnatal neurogenesis (proliferation, neuronal differentiation and maturation). We focused on a putative crosstalk between CB1R and CB2R to modulate neurogenesis and cultured SVZ and DG stem/progenitor cells from early postnatal (P1-3) Sprague-Dawley rats. Data showed that the non-selective cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 promotes DG cell proliferation (measured by BrdU staining), an effect blocked by either CB1R or CB2R selective antagonists. Experiments with selective agonists showed that facilitation of DG cell proliferation requires co-activation of both CB1R and CB2R. Cell proliferation in the SVZ was not affected by the non-selective receptor agonist, but it was enhanced by CB1R selective activation. However, either CB1R or CB2R selective antagonists abolished the effect of the CB1R agonist in SVZ cell proliferation. Neuronal differentiation (measured by immunocytochemistry against neuronal markers of different stages and calcium imaging) was facilitated by WIN55,212-2 at both SVZ and DG. This effect was mimicked by either CB1R or CB2R selective agonists and blocked by either CB1R or CB2R selective antagonists, cross-antagonism being evident. In summary, our findings indicate a tight interaction between CB1R and CB2R to modulate neurogenesis in the two major neurogenic niches, thus contributing to further unraveling the mechanisms behind the action of endocannabinoids in the brain.This work was supported by LISBOA-01-0145-FEDER-007391, project co-funded by FEDER through POR Lisboa 2020 (Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa) from PORTUGAL 2020, and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT). AS thanks the following supports: PTDC/DTP-FTO/3346/2014 from FCT and H2020 Twinning Action from EU (SynaNet 692340). SX is grateful for the support by the COST action BM1402. RR (IMM/BI/42-2016), FR (SFRH/BD/74662/2010), SV (SFRH/BPD/81627/2011), and SX (SFRH/BPD/76642/2011 and IF/01227/2015) were in receipt of a fellowship from FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio