The role of the coherence in the cross-correlation analysis of diffraction patterns from two-dimensional dense mono-disperse systems

The investigation of the static and dynamic structural properties of colloidal systems relies on techniques capable of atomic resolution in real space and femtosecond resolution in time. Recently, the cross-correlation function (CCF) analysis of both X-rays and electron diffraction patterns from dilute and dense aggregates has demonstrated the ability to retrieve information on the sample's local order and symmetry. Open questions remain regarding the role of the beam coherence in the formation of the diffraction pattern and the properties of the CCF, especially in dense systems. Here, we simulate the diffraction patterns of dense two-dimensional monodisperse systems of different symmetries, varying the transverse coherence of the probing wave, and analyze their CCF. We study samples with different symmetries at different size scale, as for example, pentamers arranged into a four-fold lattice where each pentamer is surrounded by triangular lattices, both ordered and disordered. In such systems, different symmetry modulations are arising in the CCF at specific scattering vectors. We demonstrate that the amplitude of the CCF is a fingerprint of the degree of the ordering in the sample and that at partial transverse coherence, the CCF of a dense sample corresponds to that of an individual scattering object.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure

Treatment of Cushing disease: overview and recent findings

Endogenous Cushing syndrome is an endocrine disease caused by excessive secretion of adrenocorticotropin hormone in approximately 80% of cases, usually by a pituitary corticotroph adenoma (Cushing disease [CD]). It is a heterogeneous disorder requiring a multidisciplinary and individualized approach to patient management. The goals of treatment of CD include the reversal of clinical features, the normalization of biochemical changes with minimal morbidity, and long-term control without recurrence. Generally, the treatment of choice is the surgical removal of the pituitary tumor by transsphenoidal approach, performed by an experienced surgeon. Considering the high recurrence rate, other treatments should be considered. Second-line treatments include more radical surgery, radiation therapy, medical therapy, and bilateral adrenalectomy. Drug treatment has been targeted at the hypothalamic or pituitary level, at the adrenal gland, and also at the glucocorticoid receptor level. Frequently, medical therapy is performed before surgery to reduce the complications of the procedure, reducing the effects of severe hypercortisolism. Commonly, in patients in whom surgery has failed, medical management is often essential to reduce or normalize the hypercortisolemia, and should be attempted before bilateral adrenalectomy is considered. Medical therapy can be also useful in patients with CD while waiting for pituitary radiotherapy to take effect, which can take up to 10 years or more. So far, results of medical treatment of CD have not been particularly relevant; however, newer tools promise to change this scenario. The aim of this review is to analyze the results and experiences with old and new medical treatments of CD and to reevaluate medical therapies for complications of CD and hypopituitarism in patients with cured CD

O contributo da área da educação artística para o desenvolvimento de competências transversais no jardim de infância e no 1º ciclo do ensino básico

Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e em Ensino do 1ºCiclo do Ensino BásicoO presente relatório final descreve o desenvolvimento do meu percurso profissional e investigativo, no âmbito do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, na Escola Superior de Educação de Santarém e encontra se dividido em duas partes principais. Na primeira parte, é retratada, de forma reflexiva, as vivências, experiências, aprendizagens e os desafios/dificuldades que me surgiram durante os quatro estágios realizados, no âmbito das Práticas de Ensino Supervisionadas, nos diferentes contextos, nomeadamente, no contexto de Pré-Escolar (Creche e Jardim-de-Infância) e no contexto do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. A segunda parte é referente à componente investigativa que procura dar resposta à questão de pesquisa que surgiu dessas mesmas práticas pedagógicas, procurando dar a conhecer de que forma os/as educadores/as e os/as professores/as podem assegurar o desenvolvimento de competências transversais, utilizando como maior ferramenta a área da Educação Artística e com base num processo reflexivo sobre o trabalho desenvolvido nos diferentes contextos de estágio, que passou por diferentes abordagens e estratégias, como a aprendizagem cooperativa, a integração de diferentes Áreas de Conteúdo/Curriculares e a metodologia de trabalho de projeto. Esta componente investigativa segue uma metodologia de natureza qualificativa, na modalidade de investigação-ação e envolve 41 participantes, incluindo eu própria, como estagiária em formação inicial, 20 crianças do JI e 20 crianças do 3º ano do 1º CEB. Os dados apresentados e analisados, através da observação participante, da análise documental, dos registos escritos sobre as atividades e os registos fotográficos e de áudio, permitiram verificar que, no processo ensino-aprendizagem, o educador/professor tem um papel fundamental na promoção de aprendizagens integradas e significativas, em que as crianças possuem um papel ativo na construção de conhecimentos novos, através dos seus conhecimentos prévios, e tendo em conta as suas vivências, interesses e necessidades reais, com vista ao desenvolvimento de competências cognitivas, metacognitivas, psicológicas, motoras e sócio afetivas.The present final report describes the development of my professional and investigative course, within the scope of the master’s degree in Pre-Scholar and 1st Cycle of Basic Education, on Superior Educational School from Santarém. It is divided in two main parts. In the first part, it is portrayed, in a reflective way, the experiences, learnings and challenges/difficulties that appeared during my four internships, within the scope of the Supervised Teaching Practices, on different contexts, namely, in the context of Pre School (Nursery and Kindergarten) and in the context of the 1st Cycle of Basic Education. The second part refers to the investigative component that tries to find ways to answer the question of the research that came from the same pedagogical practices, seeking to make known how educators and teachers can ensure the development of transversal competences using as main tool the Artistic Education Area and based on a reflexive process, a posteriori, about the developed work on the different internships context, that went through different approaches and strategies, such as cooperative learning, the integration of different Content/Curriculum Areas and the project work methodology. This investigative component follows a methodology of a qualifying nature, in the form of action research and involves 41 participants, including myself, as an intern in initial training, 20 children’s from kindergarten and 20 children’s from the 3º year from the 1º CEB. The data presented and analysed, through participant observation, document analysis, the written records about the activities and the photographic and audio records, made it possible to verify that, in the teaching-learning process, the educator/teacher has a fundamental role in promoting integrated and meaningful learning, in which children play an active role in the construction of new knowledge, through their previous knowledge, and taking into account their real experiences, interests and needs, with a view to the development of cognitive, metacognitive, psychological, motor and socio-affective skills.N/

Local photo-mechanical stiffness revealed in gold nanoparticles supracrystals by ultrafast small-angle electron diffraction

We demonstrate that highly-ordered two-dimensional crystals of ligand-capped gold nanoparticles display a local photo-mechanical stiffness as high as that of solids such as graphite. In out-of equilibrium electron diffraction experiments, a strong temperature jump is induced in a thin film with a femtosecond laser pulse. The initial electronic excitation transfers energy to the underlying structural degrees of freedom, with a rate generally proportional to the stiffness of the material. With femtosecond small-angle electron diffraction, we observe the temporal evolution of the diffraction feature associated to the nearest-neighbor nanoparticle distance. The Debye-Waller decay for the octanethiol-capped nanoparticles supracrystal, in particular, is found to be unexpectedly fast, almost as fast as the stiffest solid known and observed by the same technique, i.e. graphite. Our observations unravel that local stiffness in a dense supramolecular assembly can be created by Van der Waals interactions up to a level comparable to crystalline systems characterized by covalent bonding

Comparative analysis of gait and speech in Parkinson's disease: hypokinetic or dysrhythmic disorders?

International audienceGait and speech are automatic motor activities which are frequently impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD). Obvious clinical similarities exist between these disorders but were never investigated. We propose to determine whether there exist any common features in PD between spatiotemporal gait disorders and temporal speech disorders. Gait and speech were analyzed on eleven PP undergoing deep-brain-stimulation of the sub-thalamic-nucleus (STN-DBS) and eleven control subjects (CS) under 3 conditions of velocity (natural, slow and speed). The patients were tested with and without L-Dopa and stimulator ON or OFF. Locomotor parameters were recorded using an optoelectronic system. Speech parameters were recorded with a headphone while subjects were reading a short paragraph. The results confirmed that PP walk and read more slowly than controls. Patient's difficulties in modulating walking and speech velocities seem to be due mainly to an inability to internally control the step length and the interpause-speech duration ISD. STN-DBS and levodopa increased patients' walking velocity by increasing the step length. STN-DBS and levodopa had no effect on speech velocity but restored the patients' ability to modulate the ISD. The walking cadence and speech index of rythmicity (SPIR) tended to be lower in patients and were not significantly improved by STN-DBS or levodopa. Speech and walking velocity as well as ISD and step length were correlated in both groups. Negative correlations between SPIR and walking cadence were observed in both groups Similar fundamental hypokinetic impairment and probably a similar rhythmic factor affected similarly the patients' speech and gait. These results suggest a similar physiopathological process in both walking and speaking dysfunction

Children with phenylketonuria: basic audiological evaluation and suppression of otoacoustic emissions

PURPOSE: To evaluate the auditory pathways of children with early-treated phenylketonuria through audiometry, immitance tests, and suppression of transient otoacoustic emissions. METHODS: Prospective cross-sectional study with sample composed by 28 children: 12 with phenylketonuria and 16 without the disease. Participants underwent auditory evaluations composed of air- and bone-conduction pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, immittance tests and suppression of transient otoacoustic emissions. RESULTS: All participants presented normal results in pure-tone and speech audiometry; however, speech discrimination scores were lower on the phenylketonuria group. Immitance tests revealed normal tympanograms for all children, but stapedial reflex thresholds demonstrated higher thresholds in 2 and 4 kHz for children with phenylketonuria. The suppresion of transient otoacoustic emissions did not show difference in the comparison between groups. CONCLUSION: The basic audiologic assessment do not identify hearing disorders in children with phenylketonuria; however, speech discrimination scores were lower and stapedial reflexes were higher in these children, which may indicate auditory processing disorders. The study of the suppression of transient otoacoustic emissions demonstrated integrity of the olivocochlear efferent system in children with phenylketonuria.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a via auditiva de crianças com fenilcetonúria tratadas precocemente, por meio de audiometria, imitanciometria e supressão das emissões otoacústicas transientes. MÉTODOS:Estudo prospectivo transversal comparativo com amostra composta por 28 crianças, sendo 12 com fenilcetonúria e 16 sem a doença. Foi realizada a pesquisa dos limiares de audibilidade por via aérea e óssea, logoaudiometria, imitanciometria e supressão das emissões otoacústicas transientes. RESULTADOS: A audiometria e a logoaudiometria estiveram normais em todos os participantes. Foram encontrados piores resultados para o índice de reconhecimento de fala (IRF) no grupo com fenilcetonúria. A imitanciometria revelou curva normal para todas as crianças, mas a pesquisa dos reflexos estapedianos demonstrou que as crianças do grupo com fenilcetonúria apresentaram aumento nos seus limiares nas frequências de 2 e 4 kHz. A supressão das emissões otoacústicas transientes não revelou diferença na comparação entre os grupos. CONCLUSÃO: A avaliação audiológica básica não identifica alterações na audição das crianças com fenilcetonúria, mas há pior discriminação ao IRF e aumento nos limiares de reflexos estapedianos nessas crianças, podendo indicar distúrbios do processamento auditivo. O estudo da supressão das otoemissões demonstra integridade do sistema eferente olivococlear medial nas crianças com fenilcetonúria.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de FonoaudiologiaUNIFESP, Depto. de FonoaudiologiaSciEL

Order/Disorder Dynamics in a Dodecanethiol-Capped Gold Nanoparticles Supracrystal by Small-Angle Ultrafast Electron Diffraction

The design and the characterization of functionalized gold nanoparticles supracrystals require atomically resolved information on both the metallic core and the external organic ligand shell. At present, there is no known approach to characterize simultaneously the static local order of the ligands and of the nanoparticles, nor their dynamical evolution. In this work, we apply femtosecond small-angle electron diffraction combined with angular cross-correlation analysis, to retrieve the local arrangement from nanometer to interatomic scales in glassy aggregates. With this technique we study a two-dimensional distribution of functionalized gold nanoparticles deposited on amorphous carbon. We show that the dodecanethiol ligand chains, coating the gold cores, order in a preferential orientation on the nanoparticle surface and throughout the supracrystal. Furthermore, we retrieve the dynamics of the supracrystal upon excitation with light and show that the positional disorder is induced by light pulses, while its overall homogeneity is surprisingly found to transiently increase. This new technique will enable the systematic investigation of the static and dynamical structural properties of nanoassembled materials containing light elements, relevant for several applications including signal processing and biology

Terapia de movimento induzido pela restrição na hemiplegia: um estudo de caso único

Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) consists of restraining movement of the non-affected arm while providing intensive training of the affected upper extremity. Positive results have been reported after CIMT in individuals with hemiparesis due to stroke. This study is a longitudinal, ABA-design documentation of the effects of CIMT on upper extremity function of an individual with chronic left hemiparesis. Baseline phases (A) lasted two weeks and intervention (B) involved restrain of the non-affected arm with a splint and five three-hour weekly sessions of training of the affected arm, for two weeks. During the six study weeks upper extremity function was assessed by means of the Action Research Arm (ARA) and movement quality and dexterity were assessed with the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), five times a week. Quality and frequency of use of the upper extremity were assessed by the Motor Activity Log (MAL) once a week. Collected data were statistically analysed. Results showed significant gains in quality of movement (WMFT) during intervention (p;0.05). As to dexterity (WMFT) and functioning (ARA), significant gain trends were detected during the first four weeks, performance having stabilised thereafter (p>;0.05). MAL analysis did not detect any clinically relevant change. This study thus documented motor performance gains after CIMT in a patient with chronic hemiparesis.A terapia de movimento induzido por restrição (TMIR) tem mostrado resultados positivos em indivíduos hemiparéticos após acidente vascular cerebral; consiste na contenção do membro superior não-afetado e treinamento intensivo do membro afetado. Este estudo visou documentar longitudinalmente os efeitos da TMIR na funcionalidade do membro superior de um indivíduo com hemiparesia esquerda crônica. Neste estudo de caso único tipo ABA, as fases linha de base (A) duraram duas semanas e a intervenção (B) compreendeu a contenção do membro sadio com um splint e cinco sessões semanais de 3 horas de treino do membro superior afetado, durante duas semanas. As medidas de funcionalidade Action Research Arm (ARA) e de qualidade de movimento e destreza Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) foram coletadas cinco vezes por semana, e a medida de qualidade e freqüência de uso do membro superior, Motor Activity Log (MAL), uma vez por semana por seis semanas. Os dados coletados foram tratados estatisticamente. Os resultados mostram ganhos significativos na qualidade de movimento (WMFT) durante a intervenção (p;0,05). Quanto à destreza (WMFT) e funcionalidade (ARA), foram detectadas tendências significativas de ganho durante as quatro primeiras semanas; após a intervenção, houve estabilização do desempenho (