Symmetry groupoids and admissible vector fields for coupled cell networks

The space of admissible vector fields, consistent with the structure of a network of coupled dynamical systems, can be specified in terms of the network's symmetry groupoid. The symmetry groupoid also determines the robust patterns of synchrony in the network – those that arise because of the network topology. In particular, synchronous cells can be identified in a canonical manner to yield a quotient network. Admissible vector fields on the original network induce admissible vector fields on the quotient, and any dynamical state of such an induced vector field can be lifted to the original network, yielding an analogous state in which certain sets of cells are synchronized. In the paper, necessary and sufficient conditions are specified for all admissible vector fields on the quotient to lift in this manner. These conditions are combinatorial in nature, and the proof uses invariant theory for the symmetric group. Also the symmetry groupoid of a quotient is related to that of the original network, and it is shown that there is a close analogy with the usual normalizer symmetry that arises in group-equivariant dynamics

APPLICATION OF BIOMECHANICAL CONCEPTS IN PROFESSIONAL LIFE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

The aim of this study was to determine which biomechanical concepts the physical education teachers apply in their professional life and whether there are differences between those who work in training field or at school. For this purpose a questionnaire was answered by 32 teachers. It was found that in the two areas more than half of the subjects said that apply the concepts, respectively 81% and 69%. The used concepts in training was levers (n=9) and motion analysis (n=8) and at school analysis of movement (n=8). The Physical Education professionals do not recognize the substance content of biomechanics, because movement analysis is an elementary part of biomechanics qualitatively and quantitatively. We conclude that Biomechanics’ teachers in the University should readjust the content of the discipline to fit the needs of the professional

Composição química de composto orgânico preparado com esterco de eqüino e leucena. (Leucaena lleucocephalla Lam de Wit).

A compostagem é um dos meios mais eficientes para a transformação dos resíduos vegetais e animais em produtos orgânicos utilizáveis na agricultura, constituindo alternativa para obtenção de insumos, reduzindo a utilização de fertilizantes químicos. Este trabalho foi conduzido na Fazenda Escola da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão – UEMA, com o objetivo de avaliar a composição química do composto de esterco eqüino e leucena, em diferentes proporções. Os tratamentos foram as diferentes pilhas: T1, Testemunha (100kg de esterco de eqüino), T2, 75kg de esterco de eqüino + 25kg de leucena; T3, 50kg de esterco de eqüino +50kg de leucena; T4, 25kg de esterco de eqüino + 75kg de leucena. Aos 67 dias após a montagem das pilhas de compostagem foram coletadas amostras dos compostos resultantes de cada tratamento, para análise da composição química; teores de Matéria Orgânica (M.O), pH, Fósforo (P), Potássio (K), Cálcio (Ca), Magnésio (Mg), Hidrogênio e Alumínio (H+Al), Carbono e Nitrogênio. De acordo com resultados obtidos, os tratamentos diferiram estatisticamente entre si, em relação as características avaliadas. Os resultados das análises demonstraram que o T4 (75kg de esterco de eqüino + 25kg de leucena) apresentou valores elevados em relação à testemunha, T1 nos teores de M.O (14,9%); P (857mg/dm3); e Mg (77,5mmol/dm3), associado a um pH de acidez baixa (6,5), resultando um composto de excelente qualidade. Todos os tratamentos apresentaram características químicas em níveis satisfatórios, em relação à fertilidade do solo, exigidos pela maioria das espécies cultivadas no Brasil

Hybrid magnetic nanoparticles for wet peroxide oxidation of paracetamol

A performance de nanopartículas de ferrite de cobalto, ferrite de cobalto recoberta por carbono preparada por uma metodologia tradicional e ferrite de cobalto preparada por metodologia verde foi avaliada na remoção de paracetamol (PCM), escolhido como poluente modelo, por um processo de oxidação húmida com peróxido de hidrogénio (CWPO). O núcelo magnético foi sintetizado por sol-gel, e na metodologia tradicional de recobrimento de carbono foi considerado resorcinol/formaldeído como precursores de carbono, enquanto que na metodologia verde foi considerado phloroglucinol/ácido glioxílico. Todas as nanopartículas magnéticas (NPMs) apresentaram atividade na remoção de PCM por CWPO. Ambas as NPMs recobertas com carbono apresentaram resultados melhores que o núcleo não recoberto, devido à presença da camada de carbono à volta do núcleo, que também tem atividade pelas propriedades eletrónicas do recobrimento de carbono. O catalisador recoberto pela metodologia verde possui uma decomposição de peróxido de hidrogénio mais controlada. O teste de reutilização do catalisador mostrou a estabilidade do material, com perfis de concentração similares e uma remoção de PCM mais rápida que na primeira utilizaçãoThe performance of non-coated magnetic nanoparticle (MNPs) based on cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), and of carbon-coated cobalt ferrite prepared by a traditional method (CoFe2O4@C1), and by a greener method (CoFe2O4@C2) was assessed in the removal of paracetamol (PCM), used as model pharmaceutical pollutant, by catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO). The magnetic core was synthesized by sol-gel methodology, and the traditional method for carbon coating considered resorcinol and formaldehyde as carbon precursors. In contrast, the greener method was performed considering phloroglucinol and glyoxylic acid as carbon precursors. All MNPs presented activity on the removal of PCM by CWPO. Both carbon-coated MNPs overcome the results obtained with the bare core, due to the carbon layer covering the core, which can also have catalytic activity. The catalyst coated by the greener method (CoFe2O4@C2) shows a more controlled decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. A reutilization test performed to evaluate the stability of this catalyst showed complete removal of PCM faster than in the first usage, with a similar concentration trend profile in both repetitions.Adriano S. Silva thanks his doctoral Grant with reference SFRH/BD/151346/2021 financed by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), with funds from NORTE2020, under MIT Portugal Program. Fernanda F. Roman acknowledges the national funding by FCT through the individual research grant SFRH/BD/143224/2019. This work was financially supported by UIDB/00690/2020 (CIMO), LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDB/50020/2020 (LSRE-LCM), and the project RTChip4Theranostics, with the reference NORTE- 01-0145-FEDER-029394. Jose L. Diaz De Tuesta acknowledges the financial support through the program of “Atracción al Talento” of “Comunidad de Madrid” (Spain) for the individual research grant 2020-T2/AMB-19836.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Simultaneous removal of o-and p-nitrophenol from contaminated water by wet peroxide oxidation using carbon-coated magnetic ferrite as catalyst

Groundwater is the most common source of drinking water worldwide and is currently facing contamination problems with the discharge of pollutants into aquatic systems through different means, namely through municipal, industrial and agricultural activities. Contaminants, such as herbicides, pharmaceuticals, phenolic compounds and personal care products are not removed by conventional treatments from wastewater treatment plants, leading to their accumulation in the environment. In this regard, o-nitrophenol (o-NP) and p-nitrophenol (p-NP), commonly used as raw materials in chemical and pharmaceutical engineering, represent a severe risk to humans and aquatic life, leading to the necessity to properly treat wastewaters containing these contaminants before discharge into the aquatic environment. Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) showed promising results for removing nitrophenols from wastewater in previous works. In this technology, H2O2 is used as an oxidant, and its interaction with a suitable catalyst leads to the formation of hydroxyl radicals under determined conditions already established in literature (pH and temperature have a strong influence) [1]. Typical catalysts employed have a transition metal in its structure. Carbon-based catalysts also have activity in this technology, mostly ascribed to the electronic properties of the carbonaceous surface. Furthermore, carbon-coated metal oxide materials (hybrid) have also demonstrated potential applications in CWPO. Those structures combine carbon and metal activities with the advantage of protecting the metal core from leaching, increasing the efficiency and stability of the catalysts.Adriano S. Silva thanks his doctoral Grant with reference SFRH/BD/151346/2021 financed by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), with funds from NORTE2020, under MIT Portugal Program. This work was financially supported by UIDB/00690/2020 (CIMO), LA/P/0045/2020 (ALiCE), UIDB/50020/2020, UI-DP/50020/2020 (LSRE-LCM) and the project RTChip4Theranostics, with the reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-029394. Fernanda F. Roman acknowledges the national funding by FCT through the individual research grant SFRH/BD/143224/2019info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hybrid multi-core shell magnetic nanoparticles for wet peroxide oxidation of paracetamol: application in synthetic and real matrices

Clean water availability is becoming a matter of global concern in the last decades. The responsible entities for wastewater treatment do not have the proper facilities to deal with a wide range of pollutants. Special attention should be given to emerging contaminants, whose presence in water bodies may cause adverse effects on the aquatic ecosystem and human health. Most studies in the literature do not consider the development of their solution in real matrices, which can hinder the applicability of the explored alternative in the real scenario. Therefore, in this work, we demonstrate the applicability of hybrid magnetic nanoparticles for removing paracetamol (PCM) from simulated and real matrices by catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO). To achieve carbon coating, the nanoparticles were prepared via the traditional route (resorcinol/formaldehyde, CoFe@CRF). A new methodology was also considered for synthesizing thin-layered carbon-coated magnetic nanoparticles (phloroglucinol/ glyoxalic acid, CoFe@CPG). TEM images revealed a multi-core shell structure formation, with an average carbon layer size of 7.8 ± 0.5 and 3.2 ± 0.3 nm for resorcinol/formaldehyde and phloroglucinol/ glyoxalic acid methodology, respectively. Screening the materials’ activity for PCM oxidation by CWPO revealed that the nanoparticle prepared by phloroglucinol/glyoxalic acid methodology has higher performance for the degradation of PCM, achieving 63.5% mineralization after 24 h of reaction, with similar results for more complex matrices. Iron leaching measured at the end of all reactions has proven that the carbon layer protects the core against leaching.This work was financially supported by project RTChip4Theranostics (NORTE-01–0145-FEDER-029394), by CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) through FEDER under Program PT2020. Fernanda F. Roman acknowledges the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Social Fund (FSE) for the individual research grant with reference SFRH/BD/143224/2019. Adriano Silva and Ana Paula F. da Silva were supported by the doctoral Grant SFRH/BD/151346/2021 and PRT/BD/ 153090/2021 financed by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) with funds from NORTE2020, under MIT Portugal Program. Jose L. Diaz De Tuesta acknowledges the financial support through the program of Atracción al Talento of Comunidad de Madrid (Spain) for the individual research grant 2022-T1/AMB-23946.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Trimetilaminúria (Síndroma de odor a peixe) uma doença subestimada: espectro mutacional da população portuguesa

Pretende-se com este trabalho divulgar a capacidade instalada de estudo desta doença, esclarecer a etiologia de casos investigados e tentar correlacionar o genótipo/fenótipo da doença, minimizando os impactos psicossociais que esta patologia acarreta. Por outro lado, pretende-se também alertar para a necessidade do estudo desta patologia de uma forma integrada com a farmacogenética, uma vez que certos genótipos poderão condicionar a atuação de um determinado fármaco

Accuracy of the new rapid test for monitoring adalimumab levels

The loss of response to adalimumab (ADL) has been related to low serum concentrations at trough. Currently, most methods commercially available for the quantification of ADL are enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based, with a turnaround time of approximately 8 h, delaying the target dosage adjustment to the subsequent infusion. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the performance of the newly available rapid-test ADL quantification assay by comparing it with three established ELISA methods, using spiked samples and a set of clinical samples.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A multivalent chimeric vaccine composed of Schistosoma mansoni SmTSP-2 and Sm29 was able to induce protection against infection in mice

Schistosoma mansoni is a blood fluke parasite responsible for schistosomiasis. The best long-term strategy to control schistosomiasis is through immunization combined with drug treatment. In this study, we cloned, expressed and purified SmTSP-2 fused to the N- and C-terminal halves of Sm29 and tested these chimeras as vaccine candidates using an adjuvant approved to be used in humans. The results demonstrated that vaccination with SmTSP-2 fused to N- or C-terminus of Sm29-induced reduction in worm burden and liver pathology when compared to control animals. Additionally, we detected high levels of mouse-specific IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a against both chimeras and significant amounts of IFN-γ and TNF-α and no IL-4. Finally, studies with sera from patients resistant to infection and living in schistosomiasis endemic areas revealed high levels of specific IgG to both chimeras when compared to healthy individuals. In conclusion, SmTSP-2/Sm29 chimeras tested here induced partial protection against infection and might be a potential vaccine candidate