Gold and silver nanoparticle-based colorimetric sensors: New trends and applications

Gold and Silver nanoparticles (AuNPs and AgNPs) are perfect platforms for developing sensing colorimetric devices thanks to their high surface to volume ratio and distinctive optical properties, particularly sensitive to changes in the surrounding environment. These characteristics ensure high sensitivity in colorimetric devices. Au and Ag nanoparticles can be capped with suitable molecules that can act as specific analyte receptors, so highly selective sensors can be obtained. This review aims to highlight the principal strategies developed during the last decade concerning the preparation of Au and Ag nanoparticle-based colorimetric sensors, with particular attention to environmental and health monitoring applications

Avaliação longitudinal do efeito do tempo de prática de Pilates solo na cinemática respiratória.

O método Pilates solo tornou-se popular entre o público saudável como uma opção de atividade física por oferecer aulas em grupo e pelo seu baixo custo em relação ao método Pilates com aparelhos. Considerando que todos os exercícios utilizados no método Pilates solo envolvem o controle da respiração é plausível esperar que sua prática possa trazer alterações benéficas à mecânica respiratória. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo analisar os efeitos do tempo de prática do Pilates solo na cinemática respiratória. Para isso, foi realizada a análise cinemática tridimensional dos movimentos respiratórios de mulheres saudáveis distribuídas em grupo Pilates (n= 10) e Controle (n=07) durante as manobras respiratórias em volume corrente e capacidade vital. A partir das coordenadas 3D de marcadores posicionados sobre o tórax e o abdome foi calculada a mobilidade do tórax superior, tórax inferior e abdome, assim como a contribuição dos compartimentos para a mobilidade total e a coordenação entre eles durante a avaliação inicial (momento zero) e após 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses de treinamento de Pilates solo. A expansibilidade e a contribuição dos compartimentos foram avaliadas pela amplitude da curva de volume em função do tempo e a coordenação pelo ângulo de fase. A expansibilidade total do tronco e do abdome em volume corrente aumentou no grupo Pilates após três meses de treinamento, mas o abdome reduziu a expansibilidade após nove meses. Após doze meses de treinamento com Pilates solo, a expansibilidade total do tronco e do tórax inferior aumentou em manobra respiratória da capacidade vital. O grupo controle aumentou a expansibilidade do tórax inferior após doze meses tanto em volume corrente quanto em capacidade vital. A contribuição do tórax inferior do grupo Pilates aumentou em ambas as manobras respiratórias após nove e doze meses. O grupo controle também aumentou a contribuição do tórax inferior tanto em volume corrente quanto em capacidade vital após nove e doze meses, mas a contribuição do compartimento abdome reduziu após três e doze meses. A coordenação entre os compartimentos (tórax superior vs. tórax inferior) foi menor no grupo Pilates em relação ao grupo controle durante a manobra de volume corrente no período inicial e após seis meses. Esses resultados sugerem uma maior ação do músculo diafragma em ambos os grupos. Porém, a prática de Pilates solo impactou aumento da expansibilidade total do tronco nas manobras respiratórias, o que não foi observado no grupo controle. De maneira geral, doze meses de Pilates solo aumenta a mobilidade toracoabominal de mulheres saudáveis

Current trends in polymer based sensors

This review illustrates various types of polymer and nanocomposite polymeric based sensors used in a wide variety of devices. Moreover, it provides an overview of the trends and challenges in sensor research. As fundamental components of new devices, polymers play an important role in sensing applications. Indeed, polymers offer many advantages for sensor technologies: their manufacturing methods are pretty simple, they are relatively low-cost materials, and they can be functionalized and placed on different substrates. Polymers can participate in sensing mechanisms or act as supports for the sensing units. Another good quality of polymer-based materials is that their chemical structure can be modified to enhance their reactivity, biocompatibility, resistance to degradation, and flexibility

Antibiotic resistance patterns of faecal indicator organisms and occurrence of Salmonella spp. in wild boar (Sus scrofa scrofa) in Italy.

In order to monitor antibiotic resistance in faecal indicator organisms and evaluate the occurrence of Salmonella spp., faeces from 110 wild boars (Sus scrota scrota), killed during a demographic control program in two different regional parks in Bologna province, were collected from September 2002 to June 2003. A single isolate of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from each sample was tested for antibiotic susceptibility using the agar diffusion method recommended by CLSI (formerly, NCCLS). A total of 110 E. coli, 48 E. faecium and 5 E. faecalis strains were isolated and submitted to antibiotic susceptibility tests. Antibiotic resistance patterns were similar in wild boar populations from both parks. Multiple antibiotic-resistance to ciprofloxacin, rifampin and erythromycin was found with h1gh frequency in Enterococcus spp strains. E. coli isolates showed a low antibiotic resistance level. Two Salmonella arizonae and one Salmonella spp. strains, isolated from wild boars of one park, didn\u27t show any resistance concerning the antibiotics tested

Surveillance for European bat lyssavirus in Swiss bats

Most countries in Western Europe are currently free of rabies in terrestrial mammals. Nevertheless, rabies remains a residual risk to public health due to the natural circulation of bat-specific viruses, such as European bat lyssaviruses (EBLVs). European bat lyssavirus types 1 and 2 (EBLV-1 and EBLV-2) are widely distributed throughout Europe, but little is known of their true prevalence and epidemiology. We report that only three out of 837 brains taken from bats submitted to the Swiss Rabies Centre between 1976 and 2009 were found by immunofluorescence (FAT) to be positive for EBLVs. All three positive cases were in Myotis daubentoni, from 1992, 1993 and 2002. In addition to this passive surveillance, we undertook a targeted survey in 2009, aimed at detecting lyssaviruses in live bats in Switzerland. A total of 237 bats of the species M. daubentoni, Myotis myotis, Eptesicus serotinus and Nyctalus noctula were captured at different sites in western Switzerland. Oropharyngeal swabs and blood from each individual were analysed by RT-PCR and rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT), respectively. RNA corresponding to EBLV-2 was detected from oropharyngeal swabs of a single M. daubentoni bat, but no infectious virus was found. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed that the corresponding sequence was closely related to the other EBLV-2 sequences identified in previous rabies isolates from Swiss bats (particularly to that found at Geneva in 2002). Three M. daubentoni bats were found to be seropositive by RFFIT. In conclusion, even though the prevalence is low in Switzerland, continuous management and surveillance are required to assess the potential risk to public healt

Processos termoquímicos.

Desafios como mudanças climáticas e expectativa de depleção de reservas fósseis têm compelido a humanidade a repensar seu modo de produzir e consumir. Para tal, urge que se amplie a possibilidade de utilização de recursos renováveis, tais como a biomassa florestal. Dentre as principais rotas de conversão disponíveis, a termoquímica tem sido a mais amplamente empregada. Ela compreende basicamente os processos de combustão direta, pirólise lenta, pirólise rápida e gaseificação. De forma geral, o termo ?pirólise? compreende a decomposição térmica de material carbonoso em condição de ausência ou baixa concentração de oxigênio.bitstream/item/185607/1/2017-PatriciaS-Opinioes-Processos.pd

Enzymatic hydrolysis of raw and pre-treated Eucalyptus.

Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass (LCB), such as agricultural and forest residues, is known as the second generation (2G) ethanol. Carbohydrate fractions in LCB (cellulose and hemicellulose) are not readily available for microbial fermentation and they need to be released by additional pre-treatment and hydrolysis operations. This process is intrinsically more difficult and costly. In this study the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of the species Eucalyptus urophylla and the hybrid E. urophylla x E. grandis, submitted or not to alkaline pre-treatment with green liquor, has been evaluated. The hydrolysis was carried out with a enzymatic cocktail containing aggressive cellulases, high level of ?-glucosidases and hemicellulase at 6% (g enzyme/g solid), pH 5.0, 50 g.L-1 solids for 72 h, 45 °C and 250 rpm. The pre-treatment promoted disruption of the cellular structure of the samples, allowing easier accessibility for the enzymes and demonstrating higher effectiveness of enzymatic hydrolysis. The maximum efficiency of hydrolysis (81.3%) was observed for pretreated E. urophylla.SOLABIAA

Engineering Design and Prototype Fabrication of HOM Couplers for HL-LHC Crab Cavities

The High-Luminosity upgrade for the LHC relies on a set of RF Crab Cavities for reaching its goals. Two parallel concepts, the Double Quarter Wave (DQW) and the RF Dipole (RFD), are going through a comprehensive design process along with preparation of fabrication in view of extensive tests with beam in SPS. High Order Modes (HOM) couplers are critical in providing damping in RF cavities for operation in accelerators. HOM prototyping and fabrication have recently started at CERN. In this paper, an overview of the final shape is provided along with an insight in the mechanical and thermal analyses performed to validate the design of these critical components. Emphasis is also given to test campaigns, material selection, prototyping and initial fabrication that are aimed at fulfilling the highly demanding tolerances of the couplers

Safety, tolerability and efficacy of intradermal rabies immunization with DebioJect™.

In a single-center study, 66 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 50years were randomized to be immunized against rabies with three different injection routes: intradermal with DebioJect™ (IDJ), standard intradermal with classical needle (IDS), also called Mantoux method, and intramuscular with classical needle (IM). "Vaccin rabique Pasteur®" and saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) were administered at D0, D7 and D28. Antigen doses for both intradermal routes were 1/5 of the dose for IM. Tolerability, safety and induced immunogenicity of IDJ were compared to IDS and IM routes. Pain was evaluated at needle insertion and at product injection for all vaccination visits. Solicited Adverse Event (SolAE) and local reactogenicity symptoms including pain, redness and pruritus were recorded daily following each vaccination visit. Adverse events (AE) were recorded over the whole duration of the study. Humoral immune response was measured by assessing the rabies virus neutralizing antibody (VNA) titers using Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test (RFFIT). Results demonstrated that the DebioJect™ is a safe, reliable and efficient device. Significant decreases of pain at needle insertion and at vaccine injection were reported with IDJ compared to IDS and IM. All local reactogenicity symptoms (pain, redness and pruritus) after injection with either vaccine or saline solution, were similar for IDJ and IDS, except that IDJ injection induced more redness 30min after saline solution. No systemic SolAE was deemed related to DebioJect™ and classical needles. No AE was deemed related to DebioJect™. No Serious Adverse Event (SAE) was reported during the study. At the end of the study all participants were considered immunized against rabies and no significant difference in humoral response was observed between the 3 studied routes