Search for Planetary Candidates within the OGLE Stars

We propose a method to distinguish between planetary and stellar companions to stars which present a periodic decrease in brightness, interpreted as a transit. Light curves from a total of 177 stars from the OGLE project were fitted by the model which simulates planetary transits using an opaque disk in front of an image of the Sun. The simulation results yield the orbital radius in units of stellar radii, the orbital inclination angle, and the ratio of the planet to the star radii. Combining Kepler's third law with a mass-radius relation for main sequence stars, it was possible to estimate values for the masses and radii of both the primary and secondary objects. This model was successfully tested with the confirmed planets orbiting the stars HD 209458, TrES-1, OGLE-TR-10, 56, 111, 113, and 132. The method consists of selecting as planetary candidates only those objects with primary densities between 0.7 and 2.3 solar densities (F, G, and K stars) and secondaries with radius less than 1.5 Jupiter radius. The method is not able to distinguish between a planet and a dwarf star with mass less than 0.1 $M_\odot$, such as OGLE-TR-122. We propose a selection of 28 planetary candidates (OGLE-TR-49, 51, 55, 63, 71, 76, 90, 97, 100, 109, 114, 127, 130, 131, 134, 138, 140, 146, 151, 155, 159, 164, 165, 169, 170, 171, 172, and 174) for high resolution spectroscopy follow up.Comment: 4 figures, 2 table

More epigenetic hits than meets the eye: microRNAs and genes associated with the tumorigenesis of retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma (RB), a childhood neoplasia of the retinoblasts, can occur unilaterally or bilaterally, with one or multiple foci per eye. RB is associated with somatic loss of function of both alleles of the tumor suppressor gene RB1. Hereditary forms emerge due to germline loss of function mutations in RB1 alleles. RB has long been the prototypic “model” cancer ever since Knudson's “two-hit” hypothesis. However, a simple two-hit model for RB is challenged by an increasing number of studies documenting additional hits that contribute to RB development. Here we review the genetics and epigenetics of RB with a focus on the role of small non-coding RNAs (microRNAs) and on novel findings indicating the relevance of DNA methylation in the development and prognosis of this neoplasia. Studies point to an elaborated landscape of genetic and epigenetic complexity, in which a number of events and pahtways play crucial roles in the origin and prognosis of RB. These include roles for microRNAs, inprinted loci, and parent-of-origin contributions to RB1 regulation and RB progression. This complexity is also manifested in the structure of the RB1 locus itself: it includes numerous repetitive DNA segments and retrotransposon insertion elements, some of which are actively transcribed from the RB1 locus. Altogether, we conclude that RB1 loss of function represents the tip of an iceberg of events that determine RB development, progression, severity, and disease risk. Comprehensive assessment of personalized RB risk will require genetic and epigenetic evaluations beyond RB1 protein coding sequences

The impact of free trade agreements on Middle East and North Africa exports of intermediate and final goods

This paper is the first to analyse the impact of free trade agreements (FTAs) and the harmonisation of rules of origin (RoO) on Middle East and North African (MENA) countries’ exports differentiating between final and in-termediate goods for a global sample of trade partners. Data on exports from four MENA countries (Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) to 61 destinations over the period 1995– 2016 are used to estimate a structural gravity model applying a Poisson Pseudo Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimator. Moreover, the paper esti-mates the effect of the progressive adoption of the Pan- European- Mediterranean RoO. Results show that FTAs have been overall successful in increasing MENA ex-ports. This is particularly true for FTAs that eliminate protection on agricultural products. In contrast to the ex-isting literature, we find that the agreements concluded with European countries raise MENA exports, whereas no significant impact is found for the application of the Pan- European RoO

Association of radio polar cap brightening with bright patches and coronal holes

Radio-bright regions near the solar poles are frequently observed in Nobeyama Radioheliograph (NoRH) maps at 17 GHz, and often in association with coronal holes. However, the origin of these polar brightening has not been established yet. We propose that small magnetic loops are the source of these bright patches, and present modeling results that reproduce the main observational characteristics of the polar brightening within coronal holes at 17 GHz. The simulations were carried out by calculating the radio emission of the small loops, with several temperature and density profiles, within a 2D coronal hole atmospheric model. If located at high latitudes, the size of the simulated bright patches are much smaller than the beam size and they present the instrument beam size when observed. The larger bright patches can be generated by a great number of small magnetic loops unresolved by the NoRH beam. Loop models that reproduce bright patches contain denser and hotter plasma near the upper chromosphere and lower corona. On the other hand, loops with increased plasma density and temperature only in the corona do not contribute to the emission at 17 GHz. This could explain the absence of a one-to-one association between the 17 GHz bright patches and those observed in extreme ultraviolet. Moreover, the emission arising from small magnetic loops located close to the limb may merge with the usual limb brightening profile, increasing its brightness temperature and width.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Uso de antidepressivos nas regiões do Porto, Braga e Bragança

A depressão é uma das formas de perturbação mental mais frequente com uma prevalência na população geral de aproximadamente 10%. No que diz respeito ao tratamento desta patologia, a terapia a ser utilizada deve abranger a psicoterapia, mudanças no estilo de vida e a terapia farmacológica. Objetivo: Caraterizar o uso de antidepressivos nas regiões do Porto, Braga e Bragança. Metodologia: Este estudo é de caráter transversal, descritivo-correlacional, sustentado por um questionário distribuído por uma amostra de 385 indivíduos nas diferentes regiões. Para a edição e tratamento de dados foi utilizado o programa SPSS, versão 22. Resultados: Neste estudo participaram 385 indivíduos dos quais 38,96% pertencem ao sexo masculino e 61,04% ao sexo feminino. Relativamente ao uso de antidepressivos, 74,29% dos indivíduos afirmam que nunca tomaram antidepressivos. O Porto é a região que apresenta uma maior utilização de antidepressivos e a região de Bragança é a que apresenta um menor uso destes medicamentos. Discussão e Conclusão: Com a análise dos resultados foi possível concluir que os distritos do litoral, são aqueles onde há maior utilização de antidepressivos. Além disso, foi verificado que a utilização destes medicamentos está associada com a idade, o género e o estado civil. Constatou-se também que os antidepressivos mais utilizados foram a sertralina, o escitalopram e a fluoxetina. Apesar de bons resultados, o número de reações de adversas é alarmante, afetando mais de metade da população consumidora.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chitosan/virgin coconut oil-based emulsions doped with photosensitive curcumin loaded capsules: a functional carrier to topical treatment

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing smart drug delivery systems based on natural resources combined with stimulus-sensitive elements. This trend aims to formulate innovative and sustainable delivery platforms tailored for topical applications. This work proposed the use of layer-by-layer (LbL) methodology to fabricate biocompatible photo-responsive multilayer systems. These systems are composed of a polyoxometalate inorganic salt (POM) ([NaP5W30O110]14â) and a natural origin polymer, chitosan (CHT). Curcumin (CUR), a natural bioactive compound, was incorporated to enhance the functionality of these systems during the formation of hollow capsules. The capsules produced, with sizes between 2â 5μm (SEM), were further dispersed into CHT/VCO (virgin coconut oil) emulsion solutions that were casted into molds and dried at 37 â ¦C for 48 h.The system presented a higher water uptake in PBS than in acidic conditions, still significantly lower than that earlier reported to other CHT/VCO-based systems. The drug release profile is not significantly influenced by the medium pH reaching a maximum of 37% ± 1% after 48 h. The antioxidant performance of the designed structures was further studied, suggesting a synergistic beneficial effect resulting from CUR, POM, and VCO individual bioactivities. The increased amount of those excipients released to the media over time promoted an increase in the antioxidant activity of the system, reaching a maximum of 38.1% ± 0.1% after 48 h. This work represents a promising step towards developing advanced, sustainable drug delivery systems for topical applications.The authors would like to thank the contributions to this research from the project “TERM RES Hub–Scientific Infrastructure for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine”, reference PINFRA/22190/2016 (Norte-01-0145-FEDER-022190), funded by the Portuguese National Science Foundation (FCT) in cooperation with the Northern Portugal Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR-N), for providing relevant lab facilities, state-of-the art equipment and highly qualified human resources

Genomic analysis of four strains of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis bv. Equi isolated from horses showing distinct signs of infection.

The genomes of four strains (MB11, MB14, MB30, and MB66) of the species Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi were sequenced on the Ion Torrent PGM platform, completely assembled, and their gene content and structure were analyzed. The strains were isolated from horses with distinct signs of infection, including ulcerative lymphangitis, external abscesses on the chest, or internal abscesses on the liver, kidneys, and lungs. The average size of the genomes was 2.3 Mbp, with 2169 (Strain MB11) to 2235 (Strain MB14) predicted coding sequences (CDSs). An optical map of the MB11 strain generated using the KpnI restriction enzyme showed that the approach used to assemble the genome was satisfactory, producing good alignment between the sequence observed in vitro and that obtained in silico. In the resulting Neighbor-Joining dendrogram, the C. pseudotuberculosis strains sequenced in this study were clustered into a single clade supported by a high bootstrap value. The structural analysis showed that the genomes of the MB11 and MB14 strains were very similar, while the MB30 and MB66 strains had several inverted regions. The observed genomic characteristics were similar to those described for other strains of the same species, despite the number of inversions found. These genomes will serve as a basis for determining the relationship between the genotype of the pathogen and the type of infection that it causes

Compuestos fenólicos bioactivos y ácidos orgánicos en la decocción de frutos y hojas de Schinus areira L.

Se investigaron decocciones de hojas y frutos de Schinus areira L. del noroeste de Argentina. Compuestos fenólicos y ácidos orgánicos se analizaron mediante HPLC. Capacidad antioxidante e inhibición de α-glucosidasa se determinaron in vitro. Se evaluó toxicidad general con Artemia salina. Los principales compuestos fenólicos fueron hiperósido y ácido 3 O-cafeoilquínico en hojas y ácido gálico y catequina en frutos. Los principales ácidos orgánicos cuantificados fueron málico en hojas y cítrico en frutos. Ácido shikímico, precursor del Tamiflu está presente en decocción de frutos con un contenido relativamente importante. La de hojas presenta una mayor riqueza en compuestos bioactivos con actividad antirradicalaria frente a DPPH●, O2●- y ●NO. Las hojas y frutos de S. areira tenían una actividad inhibidora de la α-glucosidasa comparable a la de hiperósido y acarbosa. La decocción de frutas no fue eco-tóxica, pero sí la de hojas que podría ser fuente de compuestos bioactivos con actividad farmacológica.Leaf and fruit decoctions of Schinus areira L. from northwest Argentina were investigated here. Phenolic compounds and organic acids were analyzed by HPLC. Antioxidant capacity and αglucosidase inhibition were determined by using in vitro tests. The general toxicity was assessed against Artemia salina nauplii. Hyperoside and 3 O-caffeoylquinic acid in leaf decoctions; gallic acid and catechin in fruit decoction were the major phenolic compounds. Malic and citric acids were the main organic acid quantified in the leaf and fruit decoctions, respectively. Fruit decoction had a relatively important content of shikimic acid, precursor of Tamiflu. Leaf decoction presents a greater richness in bioactive compounds with antiradical activity against DPPH●, O2●- and ●NO radicals. S. areira leaves and fruits had α-glucosidase inhibitory activity comparable to hyperoside and acarbose. Fruit decoction was not eco-toxic; leaf decoction showed significant eco-toxic activity and could be chosen for the search of other bioactive compounds with pharmacological activity.Fil: Celaya, Liliana Soledad. Universidad Nacional de Misiones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Molina, Ana C.. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, Adriana M.. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Villa, Walter Cosme. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Silva, Luis R.. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Viturro, Carmen Ines. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Facultad de Ingeniería; Argentin

Natural organic matter fractionation along the treatment of water for human consumption

The main objective of this study was to characterize the organic matter present in raw water and along the treatment process, as well as its seasonal variation. A natural organic matter fractionation approach has been applied to Lever water treatment plant located in Douro River, in Oporto (Portugal). The process used was based on the sorption of dissolved organic matter in different types of ion exchange resins, DAX-8, DAX-4 and IRA-958, allowing its separation into four fractions: very hydrophobic acids (VHA), slightly hydrophobic acids (SHA), charged hydrophilic (CHA) and hydrophilic neutral (NEU). The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) determination was used to quantify dissolved organic matter. Samples were collected monthly, during approximately one year, from raw water captured at the surface and under the bed of the river, and after each step of the treatment: pre-filtration in sand/anthracite filters, ozonation, coagulation/flocculation, counter current dissolved air flotation and filtration (CoCoDAFF) and chlorination. The NEU fraction showed a seasonal variation, with maximum values in autumn for the sampling points corresponding to raw water captured at the surface and under the bed of the river. It was usually the predominating fraction and did not show a significant decrease throughout the treatment. Nevertheless their low concentration, the same occurred for the CHA and VHA fractions. There was an overall decrease in the SHA fraction throughout the water treatment (especially after CoCoDAFF and ozonation) as well as in the DOC. The TSUVA254 values obtained for raw water generally varied between 2.0 and 4.0 L mgC-1 m-1 and between 0.75 and 1.78 L mgC-1 m-1 for treated water. It was observed a decrease of TSUVA values along the treatment, especially after ozonation. These results may contribute to a further optimization in the process of treating water for human consumption