Forward-angle incoherent photoproduction of pseudoscalar mesons off nuclei

The mechanism of forward angle incoherent photoproduction of pseudoscalar mesons off nuclei is revisited via the time-dependent multicollisional Monte Carlo (MCMC) intranuclear cascade model. Our results-combined with recent developments to address coherent photoproduction-reproduce with good accuracy recent JLab data of pi(0) photoproduction from carbon and lead at an average photon energy k similar to 5.2 GeV. For the case of. photoproduction, our results for k = 9 GeV suggest that future measurements to extract the eta ->gamma gamma decay width via the Primakoff method should be focused on light nuclei, where the disentanglement between the Coulomb and strong amplitudes is more easily achieved. The prospects to use heavy nuclei data to access the unknown eta N cross section in cold nuclear matter are also presented.Brazilian agency FAPES

Fragmentation of extracellular DNA by long-term exposure to radiation from uranium in aquatic environments

Persistent harmful scenarios associated with disposal of radioactive waste, high-background radiation areas and severe nuclear accidents are of great concern regarding consequences to both human health and the environment. Of particular concern is the extracellular DNA in aquatic environments contaminated by radiological substances. Strand breaks induced by radiation promote decrease in the transformation efficiency for extracellular DNA. The focus of this study is the quantification of DNA damage following long-term exposure (over one year) to low doses of natural uranium (an alpha particle emitter) to simulate natural conditions, since nothing is known about alpha radiation induced damage to extracellular DNA. A high-resolution Atomic Force Microscope was used to evaluate DNA fragments. Double-stranded plasmid pBS as a model for extracellular DNA was exposed to different amounts of natural uranium. It was demonstrated that low concentrations of U in water (50 to 150 ppm) produce appreciable numbers of double strand breaks, scaling with the square of the average doses. The importance of these findings for environment monitoring of radiological pollution is addressed.Brazilian agency FAPESPFAPESP Brazilian agencyCNPq Brazilian agencyBrazilian agency CNP

Guidelines for the management of neuroendocrine tumours by the Brazilian gastrointestinal tumour group

Neuroendocrine tumours are a heterogeneous group of diseases with a significant variety of diagnostic tests and treatment modalities. Guidelines were developed by North American and European groups to recommend their best management. However, local particularities and relativisms found worldwide led us to create Brazilian guidelines. Our consensus considered the best feasible strategies in an environment involving more limited resources. We believe that our recommendations may be extended to other countries with similar economic standards.Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Canc Estado Sao Paulo, BR-01246000 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Radiol & Oncol, BR-01246903 Sao Paulo, BrazilHosp Sirio Libanes, BR-01308050 Sao Paulo, BrazilHosp Moinhos de Vento Porto Alegre, BR-90035000 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilOncoctr, BR-30360680 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Dept Cirurgia, BR-90040060 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilHosp Clin Porto Alegre, BR-90035903 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Fed Ceara, Fac Med, Dept Fisiol & Farmacol, BR-60020180 Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilHosp Univ Walter Cantidio, BR-60430370 Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilInst Nacl Canc, BR-20230240 Rio De Janeiro, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Disciplina Endocrinol & Metabol, BR-01246903 Sao Paulo, BrazilAC Camargo Canc Ctr, Dept Surg, BR-01509010 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Gastroenterol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Ciencias Saude Porto Alegre, BR-90050170 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilHosp Albert Einstein, BR-05652900 Sao Paulo, BrazilHosp Base, Fac Med Sao Jose do Rio Preto, BR-15090000 Sao Paulo, BrazilSanta Casa Sao Jose do Rio Preto, BR-15025500 Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, BrazilPontificia Univ Catolica Parana, Hosp Erasto Gaertner, BR-81520060 Curitiba, Parana, BrazilUniv Fed Rio Grande do Norte, BR-59300000 Natal, RN, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Inst Coracao, BR-05403900 Sao Paulo, BrazilAC Camargo Canc Ctr, Med Oncol, BR-01509010 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Disciplina Gastroenterol, BR-04021001 Sao Paulo, BrazilHosp Sao Rafael, BR-41253190 Salvador, BA, BrazilHosp Canc Barretos, Dept Cirurgia Aparelho Digest Alto & Hepatobiliop, BR-14784400 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Fac Med, Dept Patol, BR-01246903 Sao Paulo, BrazilClin AMO, BR-1950640 Salvador, BA, BrazilHosp Sao Jose, BR-01323001 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Nove de Julho, BR-02111030 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Disciplina Gastroenterol, BR-04021001 Sao Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Electro and photo-disintegration of \'ANTPOT.64 Zn\' between 12 and 60 MeV: delineation of statistical and direct processes

As seções de choque de eletrodesintegração \'sigma\'(e, n), \'sigma\'(e, np) e \'sigma\' (e, 2n) do \'ANTPOT.64 Zn\' foram medidas entre os limiares e 60 MeV a partir da análise da atividade residual. As seções de choque de fotodesintegração \'sigma\'(\'gama\', n) e \'sigma\'(\'gama\', np) foram determinadas, via formalismo de fótons virtuais, através da deconvolução dos yields de eletrodesintegração com o método de \"mínima estrutura\", sendo que os espectros de fótons virtuais formam calculados na aproximação de Born para onda distorcida (DWBA), levando-se em conta as dimensões nucleares. A seção de choque \'sigma\'(\'gama\', n) foi analisada na região da Ressonância Gigante de Dipolo Elétrico (GDR), onde utilizamos um modelo híbrido de excitação nuclear (código ALICE/LIVERMORE-82) para reproduzir os resultados experimentais, tanto na aproximação de função degrau (SCO) para os coeficientes de transmissão, quanto no modelo óptico (OM). Verificamos que o nosso resultado de \'sigma\'(\'gama\', n) foi razoavelmente bem produzido pelo OM, enquanto que o resultado obtido pelo grupo de SACLAY, embora apresentando comportamento similar, estava aproximadamente 35% acima deste. Constatamos, portanto, a hipótese de núcleo composto na região da GDR, de maneira que a reação (\'gama\', n) foi interpretada como um processo em duas etapas: (1) a absorção do fóton, excitando os modos coletivos de vibração nuclear e (2) decaimento puramente estatístico do núcleo composto (CN). A seção de choque \'sigma\'(\'gama\', np) foi medida pela primeira vez em escala absoluta do limiar até 60 MeV, sendo bem reproduzida pelo modelo do quase-dêuteron (QD) para energias entre 45 e 60 MeV, o que indicou um mecanismo direto de reação nessa faixa de energia. Para energias menores, entretanto, constatamos que contribuições estatísticas provenientes do decaimento do CN devem ser consideradas. A partir do comportamento de \'sigma\'(\'gama\', np) para energias entre 45 e 60 MeV, ) estimamos a seção de choque \'sigma\'(\'gama\', 2np), bem como das interações do estado final (FSI) decorrentes do processo de emissão do par n-p, que foi separado, de acordo com o modelo do QD, pelo fóton incidente. Finalmente, verificamos a compatibilidade dos nossos resultados de \'sigma\'(\'gama\', np) na região da GDR com medidas relativas disponíveis na literatura, assim como com resultados inferidos a partir das medidas de SACLAYElectro and photo-disintegration of \'ANTPOT.64 Zn\' between 12 and 60 MeV: delineation of statistical and direct processe

The Intranuclear Cascade Model MCMC and its Applications for the Quasi-Deuteron Mechanism and Pion Photoproduction at Intermediate and High Energies

O Presente trabalho propôs o estudo de reações fotonucleares e fotoprodução de pions em energias intermediárias e altas usando o modelo de cascata intranuclear MCMC para a fase rápida de reação e outro algoritmo de Monte Carlo para descrever o processo de decaimento do núcleo composto via evaporação de partículas e fissão nuclear. Dentre as principais inovações implementadas no MCMC, podemos citar: i) a inclusão detalhada do canal do quase-dêuteron no intervalo 20 GG.Photonuclear reactions and pion photoproduction at intermediate and high energies have been studied using the multicollisional intranuclear cascade model (MCMC) for the rapid reaction step and another Monte Carlo algorithm to describe the de-excitation of the compound nucleus via particle evaporation and nuclear fission. The new features of the MCMC are: i) the detailed inclusion of the quasideuteron channel in the range 20 < Eg < 140 MeV; ii) the development of a rigorous and completely new non stochastic Pauli blocking mechanism, taking into account particle - hole excitations during the pre-equilibrium stage; iii) the incorporation of an energetic criterion to stop de cascade; iv) the employment of an appropriate momentum distribution for light nuclei (Shell Model); v) the inclusion of pi^0 photoproduction channels in the Delta (1232) region and at high energies 4.0 < Eg < 6.0 GeV and forward angles, and vi) the new methodology to evaluate the pion-nucleus and Delta - nucleus Final State Interactions via a multiple scattering scenario. The quasideuteron mechanism reproduces the total photoabsorption cross sections and neutron multiplicities in heavy nuclei, giving a qualitative interpretation for the cross sections of the electrodisintegration channels (e,xnyp) from 232Th. The contribution of a possible few body photoabsorption process in 232Th is evaluated via fission channel. The calculations of the pi^0 angular distributions for incoherent production at intermediate energies for 12C and 208Pb are in excellent agreement with the experimental data of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI). The results of the pi^0 angular distributions at higher energies will be reference for the PrimEx Collaboration at the Jefferson Laboratory Facility, propitiating the separation of the incoherent part from the remaining nuclear and electromagnetic contributions and helping to perform a high precision measurement of the pi^0 to gamma-gamma radiactive decay width

Avaliação de métodos de concentração e detecção molecular de adenovírus em águas não tratadas - uma metanálise

Resumo: Metodologias moleculares baseadas em PCR t&ecirc;m sido utilizadas para detectar adenov&iacute;rus (AdVs) em amostras ambientais. &Eacute; consenso entre os pesquisadores que estas metodologias oferecem vantagens sobre os m&eacute;todos tradicionais de isolamento viral por cultura celular, sendo mais sens&iacute;veis, espec&iacute;ficas e propiciando menor tempo de diagn&oacute;stico; contudo, h&aacute; diverg&ecirc;ncias em rela&ccedil;&atilde;o ao m&eacute;todo de concentra&ccedil;&atilde;o viral a ser utilizado em amostras ambientais. Assim sendo, realizou-se uma metan&aacute;lise com o intuito de responder aos questionamentos concernentes &agrave; efic&aacute;cia do uso de tr&ecirc;s metodologias de concentra&ccedil;&atilde;o viral associadas &agrave; detec&ccedil;&atilde;o molecular de AdVs em amostras de &aacute;guas n&atilde;o tratadas, para a qual foram selecionados 33 estudos. Concluiu-se que: a) PCR n&atilde;o deve ser o m&eacute;todo de escolha para detectar AdVs em amostras ambientais, devendo-se priorizar qPCR ou Nested-PCR; b) para detectar AdVs em amostras de rios ou lagos, a metodologia de escolha deve ser a associa&ccedil;&atilde;o entre ultracentrifuga&ccedil;&atilde;o e Nested-PCR; c) &eacute; aconselh&aacute;vel utilizar associa&ccedil;&atilde;o entre microfiltra&ccedil;&atilde;o em membrana, ultrafiltra&ccedil;&atilde;o e qPCR para detectar AdVs em amostras de esgotos tratados e n&atilde;o tratados. Estudos adicionais s&atilde;o necess&aacute;rios para avaliar os m&eacute;todos que foram empregados em um &uacute;nico estudo e/ou com n&uacute;mero escasso de amostras.Evaluaci&oacute;n de m&eacute;todos para concentraci&oacute;n y detecci&oacute;n molecular de adenovirus en agua no tratada: un meta-an&aacute;lisis&nbsp; Resumen: La detecci&oacute;n de adenovirus (AdVs) en muestras ambientales se realiza por medio de metodolog&iacute;as moleculares basadas en PCR. Existe consenso entre los investigadores que estas metodolog&iacute;as ofrecen algunas ventajas en comparaci&oacute;n con los m&eacute;todos tradicionales de aislamiento de virus por medio de cultivos celulares; sin embargo, el m&eacute;todo que se debe usar para concentrar los virus en muestras ambientales todav&iacute;a es controversial. Por consiguiente, realizamos un meta-an&aacute;lisis dirigido a responder las preguntas respecto a la eficacia de tres m&eacute;todos de concentraci&oacute;n de virus asociados a la detecci&oacute;n molecular de AdVs en muestras de agua no tratada, seleccionando 33 estudios. Concluimos que: a) el PCR no debe ser el m&eacute;todo de elecci&oacute;n para la detecci&oacute;n de AdVs en muestras ambientales y que en vez debe usarse prioritariamente el m&eacute;todo de qPCR o PCR-Anidada; b) para la detecci&oacute;n de AdVs en muestras de agua tomadas de r&iacute;os o lagos, el m&eacute;todo de elecci&oacute;n debe ser una asociaci&oacute;n de ultracentrifugaci&oacute;n y PCR-Anidada; c) es aconsejable usar una asociaci&oacute;n de membrana de microfiltraci&oacute;n, ultrafiltraci&oacute;n y qPCR para la detecci&oacute;n de AdVs en muestras de aguas negras tratadas o no tratadas. Se necesitan m&aacute;s estudios para evaluar los m&eacute;todos que se han usado en un solo estudio y/o con un n&uacute;mero escaso de muestras.Assessment of methods for the concentration and molecular detection of adenovirus in untreated water: a meta-analysis&nbsp; Abstract: Molecular methodologies based on PCR have been used for the detection of adenovirus (AdVs) in environmental samples. It is a consensus among researchers that these methodologies offer some advantages compared with traditional methods for the isolation of virus by cell culture, since they are more sensitive and specific and also require less processing time; however, the method to be used for virus concentration in environmental samples is still controversial. Consequently, we carried out a meta-analysis, aiming at responding the questions concerning the efficacy of three methods for virus concentration associated to the molecular detection of AdVs in untreated water samples, by selecting 33 studies. We concluded that: a) PCR should not be the method of choice for the detection of AdVs in environmental samples, and instead the use of qPCR or Nested-PCR should be prioritized; b) for the detection of AdVs in water samples collected in rivers or lakes, the method of choice should be an association of ultracentrifugation and Nested-PCR; c) it is advisable to use an association of microfiltration membrane, ultrafiltration, and qPCR for the detection of AdVs in treated and untreated sewage samples. Further studies are needed to evaluate the methods that have been used in only one study and/or with a limited number of samples