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Activated carbons containing iron compounds dispersed in their structure have shown great potential for use in advanced oxidation processes, expressively when aiming at the degradation of organic contaminants in water. In this work, we investigated the chemical and structural transformations of nanocomposites constituted by nanostructured Fe/P-containing phases dispersed in an activated carbon (obtained from the chemical activation of a lignocellulosic precursor) and the applications of the produced nanocomposites in dye degradation processes via Fenton-type reactions. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy experiments combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry showed that the material synthesized at room temperature contains Fe and P compounds in different stoichiometric proportions; heat treatment at 1000 °C led to the formation of FeP (major component) and Fe2P crystalline phases, with average crystallite sizes estimated at 92 and 44 nm, respectively. Adsorption and Fenton-type degradation experiments were performed with aqueous solutions of the industrial dyes methylene blue, Eriochrome Black T, and Ponceau S. A high degree of removal (ranging from 95 to 99%) was observed for all dyes when the Fe/P-containing nanocomposites were used as adsorbents/catalysts. The occurrence of the iron phosphides was found to be especially significant in the case of the Ponceau S dye. These results illustrate the degradation efficiency of dyes and other organic compounds through the use of advanced oxidative processes via the Fenton reaction using activated carbons containing nanostructured iron phosphides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of freestanding paper of graphene oxide (GO) and GO reduced by heat treatment at 180 °C (rGO) are tuned by addition of carbon nanotubes (CNT). The electrical conductivity of rGO with 50% of CNT is raised to ∼2940 S/m from ∼613 S/m for pure rGO or ∼34 S/m for GO with 50% of CNT without reduction. Moreover, Seebeck coefficient of rGO increases with addition of CNT from −7.04 μV/K for pure rGO to −20.82 μV/K for rGO with 50% of CNT, presenting n -type conductivity. As result, calculated power factor PF is enhanced with increasing CNT concentration and the highest PF ∼1.28 μW/(K2m) is obtained for rGO with 50% of CNT. Highlights • Big size freestanding rGO with CNT papers were easy obtained by vacuum filtration. • Conductivity and Seebeck coefficient can be changed/controlled by addition of CNT. • rGO+CNT shown a high enough power factor for the flexible thermoelectrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we study the calculation of probabilities performed by prospective primary school teachers, as well as the format of the information that they use in determining these probabilities. Fifty students, prospective primary school teachers, who were attending the second year of the Basic Education Degree course at a university in the north of Portugal participated in the study. Students were assigned several tasks of Probability and Statistics in a formal evaluation context. Only one of these tasks was studied, which involves several types of probability (simple, joint and conditioned probability) and two information formats (absolute frequencies and relative frequencies). In terms of the main obtained results, it is pointed out that the future teachers revealed a limited knowledge of probabilities and a clear preference for the use of the absolute frequencies in the calculation of these probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a chitosan/cellulose nanofibril (CNF) nanocomposite and evaluate its effect on strawberry’s postharvest quality after coating. From the results of color, thickness, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and permeability to water vapor analyses, the best film formulation for coating strawberries was determined. Three coating formulations were prepared: 1% chitosan, 1% chitosan + 3% CNF, and 1% chitosan + 5% CNF. The strawberries were immersed in the filmogenic solutions and kept under cold storage (1 ± 1°C). The color of the film was not affected by increased concentration of cellulose nanofibrils; however, the thickness and water vapor permeability were affected by the CNF addition. The coating with the highest CNF concentration performed better in reducing fruit mass and firmness loss. The color was positively influenced by the addition of the coating, regardless of formulation, as well as soluble solid content, PG enzymatic activity, and the fruit appearance. The pH and titratable acidity showed no significant difference among treatments. It was observed that the vitamin C, phenolic compounds, and anthocyanin content, as well as the PAL activity and the antioxidant activity (except for % protection), were affected by chitosan coating, however not by the addition of CNFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new statistical model to predict the frequency dependence of the conductivity of conjugated polymer-semiconductor nanoparticle composites. The model considers AC conduction in an inhomogeneous medium represented by a two-dimensional model of resistor network. The conductivity between two neighboring sites in the polymer matrix and the semiconductor particles is assumed to obey the random free energy barrier model and the Drude model, respectively. The real and imaginary parts of the AC conductivity were determined using the transfer-matrix technique, and the statistical model was applied to experimental data of thin films composed of polyaniline (PANI) and indium-tin-oxide (ITO) nanoparticles. The conductivity critical exponent ( s) obtained in two dimensions for PANI/ITO films below the percolation threshold was found to be 2.7, which is greater than the universal value of s described by the classical percolation theory ( s = 1.3). This non-universality is explained by the existence of a local electric field distribution in the bulk of the nanocomposite. Finally, these results are discussed in terms of the distribution of potential barriers that vary according to the concentration of ITO amount in the composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Worldwide, very few studies have been published on the prevalence of acne among university students. Objective The main objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of acne among Portuguese medical students. We also assessed associated factors and opinions. Methods Participants were recruited among 145 fifth year medical students. They were asked to complete a questionnaire, and were observed to grade their acne. Acne grading was done using Pillsbury criteria. Results Ninety-eight students were assessed and returned the self-completed questionnaire, 67 (68%) were female students and 31 (32%) male students. The observed prevalence of acne was 61 students (62.2%); 42 (69%) and 18 (30%) had acne grades I and II, respectively; only one was classified as grade III. The prevalence of acne was not significantly associated with gender ( P = 0.72), family history of acne ( P = 0.65), greasy hair ( P = 0.18), smoking habits ( P = 0.25) or self-perceived presence of acne ( P = 0.48). Regularity of menstrual cycles was not associated ( P = 0.73) with the presence of acne among the 67 women. The majority thought that acne strongly affects self-image and, to a much lesser extent, personal relationships, academic performance or recruitment to a job. Conclusion The prevalence of acne in this study was higher than that observed in previous studies among medical students and other non-university young adults. Opinions about the causes of acne (with hormones in top of the list) were similar to previous studies. Our study sample perceived more serious consequences for self-image than university students elsewhere and younger Portuguese school children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innate immune system plays an important role as a first response to tissue injury. This first response is carried out via germline-encoded receptors. They can recognize exogenous Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns and endogenous Dangers-Associated Molecular Patterns. The Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) family is well-studied, but more recently another family in the cytoplasmic compartment, called nod-like receptor (NLR), was discovered. In addition to being present in inflammatory cells, these receptors are widely distributed in various cell types, including renal tissue, where these receptors have an important role in triggering the inflammatory response during renal diseases. This review summarizes the present data regarding the role of TLRs and NLRs in the course and development of various kidney pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyzed whether transplantation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) expressing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mitigates cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. First, we observed that the transgene expression lasts longer (45 vs 7 days) when fibroblasts are used as vectors compared with myoblasts. In a preventive protocol, induction of cardiac neovascularization accompanied by reduction in myocardial scar area was observed when cell transplantation was performed 1 week before ischemia/reperfusion and the animals analyzed 3 weeks later. Finally, the therapeutic efficacy of this approach was tested injecting cells in a fibrin biopolymer, to increase cardiac retention, 24 h post-MI. After 4 weeks, an increase in neovascularization and a decrease in myocardial collagen were observed only in rats that received cells expressing VEGF. Basal indirect or direct hemodynamic measurements showed no differences among the groups whereas under pharmacological stress, only the group that received cells expressing VEGF showed a significant reduction in end-diastolic pressure and improvement in stroke volume and cardiac work. These results indicate that transplantation of CFs expressing VEGF using fibrin biopolymer induces neovascularization and attenuates left ventricle fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction in ischemic heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain is a set of painful manifestations that may cause limitations to several aspects of an individual's life. The model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) proposed by the World Health Organization provides a structure for understanding the functioning and disability associated with health conditions, thus enabling significant descriptions of an individual's health. The ICF uses the terms "capacity" and "performance" to refer to different aspects of function and to differentiate between patients' functional status. In clinical practice, it is necessary to determine whether there is any association between these different aspects. Objectives: To analyze the correlation between the Roland Morris functional performance questionnaire and physical capacity tests (sit-to-stand and 50-foot walk) among patients with low back pain. Methods: Thirty patients of mean age 43.16 years, with a diagnosis of low back pain, were assessed using the Roland Morris questionnaire and the capacity tests. Results: Analysis using Pearson's correlation showed a signifi cant but weak correlation between the Roland Morris score and the sit-to-stand test (r=0.38; p=0.0388). No signifi cant correlation was observed between the questionnaire score and the 50-foot walk test (r=0.24; p=0.1862). Conclusion: The results indicate the need to use instruments that evaluate both aspects of function (capacity and performance) among patients with low back pain, so that a more complete functional profi le of such individuals can be defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Indium molybdenum oxide (IMO) thin films were deposited by RF magnetron sputtering on glass substrates at room temperature. The deposition and argon partial pressures were maintained at 6.0×10−1 Pa and 3.0×10−1 Pa, respectively. The oxygen partial pressure (OPP) was varied in the range 1.0–6.0×10−3 Pa. The films were sputtered at 40W for 30min using the target consisted In2O3 (98wt%): Mo (2wt%). The films are polycrystalline with a slight preferential orientation along (222) plane. The crystallinity is increased with the increasing OPP. The negative sign of Hall coefficient confirmed the n-type conductivity. A maximum mobility ∼19cm2 V−1 s−1 is obtained for the films deposited with OPP of 3.6×10−3 Pa. The average visible transmittance calculated in the wavelength ranging 500–800nm is ranging between 2% and 77%. The optical band gap calculated from the absorption data is varied between 3.69 and 3.91eV. A striking feature is that the work function of the films is wide ranging 4.61–4.93eV. A possibility of using the produced IMO films as transparent conducting oxide in photovoltaic applications such as organic solar cells is discussed in this article. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of potentially zoonotic intestinal protozoan infections in exotic and wildlife Brazilian birds. Fecal samples from 207 birds of 45 species were examined. Infections by Balantidium sp., Entamoeba sp., and Blastocystis sp. were observed in 17 individuals (8.2%) of Gnorimopsar chopi, Oryzoborus angolensis, Sporophila caerulescens, Ramphastos toco, Aratinga leucophtalmus, and Pavo cristatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work we present a study on the effect of annealing temperatures on the structural, morphological, electrical and optical characteristics of gallium doped zinc oxide (GZO), indium zinc oxide (IZO) and indium-tin-oxide (ITO) films. GZO and IZO films were deposited at room temperature by r.f. magnetron sputtering, whereas the ITO films were commercial ones purchased from Balzers. All films were annealed at temperatures of 250 and 500 °C in open air for 1 h. The GZO and ITO films were polycrystalline. The amorphous structure of as-deposited IZO films becomes crystalline on high temperature annealing (500 °C). The sheet resistivity increased with increase in annealing temperature. GZO films showed an increase of 6 orders of magnitude. The optical transmittance and band gap of as-deposited films varied with annealing. The highest transmittance (over 95 %) and maximum band gap (3.93 eV) have been obtained for ITO films. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work shows the effect of the annealing temperature and atmosphere on the properties of r.f. magnetron sputtered indium–zinc oxide (IZO) thin-films of two types: one a conductive film (as-deposited, room temperature) that exhibits a resistivity of 3.5×10−4 Ω cm; the other, a semiconductor film with a resistivity ∼102 Ω cm. The annealing temperatures were changed between 125 and 500 °C. Crystallization of the more conductive films was already noticeable at temperatures around 400 °C. Three different annealing atmospheres were used — vacuum, air and oxygen. For the conductive films, only the oxygen atmosphere was critical, leading to an increase of the electrical resistivity of more than one order of magnitude, for temperatures of 250 °C and above. Concerning the semiconductor films, both temperature and atmosphere had a strong effect on the film''s properties, and the resistivity of the annealed films was always considerably smaller than the as-deposited films. Finally, some results of the application of these films to transparent TFTs are shown. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) is the main etiology of acute renal failure in native and transplanted kidneys. In the transplantation field, immunosuppressive drugs may play an additional role in acute graft dysfunction. Rapamycin may impair renal regeneration post IRI. Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is a protective gene with anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic actions. We investigated whether HO-1 played a role in rapamycin-induced renal dysfunction in an established model of IRI. Rapamycin (3 mg/kg) was administered to mice before being subjected to 45 min of ischemia. Animals subjected to IRI presented with impaired renal function that peaked at 24 h (2.05±0.23 mg/dl), decreasing thereafter. Treatment with rapamycin caused even more renal dysfunctions (2.30±0.33 mg/dl), sustained up to 120 h after reperfusion (1.54±0.4 mg/dl), when compared to the control (0.63±0.09 mg/dl, P<0.05). Rapamycin delayed tubular regeneration that was normally higher in the control group at day 5 (68.53±2.30 vs 43.63±3.11%, P<0.05). HO-1 was markedly upregulated after IRI and its expression was even enhanced by rapamycin (1.32-fold). However, prior induction of HO-1 by cobalt protoporphyrin improved the renal dysfunction imposed by rapamycin, mostly at later time points. These results demonstrated that rapamycin used in ischemic-injured organs could also negatively affect post-transplantation recovery. Modulation of HO-1 expression may represent a feasible approach to limit rapamycin acute toxicity.Kidney International (2006) 70, 1742–1749. doi:10.1038/sj.ki.5001893; published online 27 September 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work reports the investigation of the characteristics of catalysts produced by the sol gel process. Our analysis focuses on the properties related to heterogeneous catalysis, such as methane steam reforming, dry reforming, hydrogenation of organic compositions. Alumina, silica and titania based materials doped with Ni were synthesized. The characterization techniques used were: temperature programmed reduction, thermogravimetric analysis, specific surface area and X-ray powder diffraction. The specific surface area values obey the following sequence: Ni–SiO2 >Ni–Al2O3 >Ni–TiO2. The temperature programmed reduction indicated that in the Ni–SiO2 sample, the nickel oxide is present in two different forms on the surface; the Ni–Al2O3 material presented one peak at high temperature, suggesting the presence of a nickel aluminate form. However, Ni–TiO2 did not present reduction peaks. The thermogravimetric analysis, which was performed under inert atmosphere, showed the decomposition of the organic residues adsorbed on surface. The X-ray powder diffraction patterns of calcined materials showed two crystalline forms for TiO2 in Ni–TiO2 rutile and anatase. In Ni–Al2O3, crystalline areas composed of α-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3 and NiO were observed and finally for Ni–SiO2, amorphous areas and NiO were found. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Complex impedance measurements were used to analyze the influence of ultraviolet and ozone gas on the electronic behaviour of ZnO films grown by rf magnetron sputtering. The data show that UV exposure strongly increases the ac conductivity of the film at very low frequencies, and that after ozone exposure it recovers the original value. At high frequencies, however, UV-light exposure it does not change the conductivity but the ozone acts in the sense to decrease it. Two distinct mechanisms, related to two relaxation time distributions are clearly observed: they are superimposed in the virgin sample, but they split forming two semicircles in the z″(f)− z′(f) diagrams when the samples are treated with UV and/or ozone gas. A combination of the bruggeman effective medium approximation (BEMA) with the random free energy barrier model is used to fit the data and to explain the ac conductivity variation phenomena observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this experiment, intake of DK265 3-way corn hybrid by dairy cattle was compared specifically with intake 1) of its bm3 isogenic form, 2) of its 2 related singleway hybrids, and 3) of 2 controls that were registered hybrids of similar earliness. Both dry matter (DM) and lignin contents were similar in all hybrids except for the bm3 hybrid, which was less lignified. There was a tendency for lower starch content and, correlatively, higher neutral detergent fiber content in DK265 and in the 2 related single-way hybrids. Significant intake differences were observed between hybrids; the highest intake was recorded for the bm3 hybrid. Among normal hybrids, DK265 and one of its related single-way hybrids registered significantly higher intakes than other hybrids. Among normal hybrids, cell wall digestibility and/or lignin content did not explain all of the variations observed for intake, whereas the higher intake of DK265 bm3 could be related to its lower lignin content as compared with isogenic DK265. It was hypothesized that the higher intake observed for the DK265 hybrid was probably related to specific friability traits that are not relevantly measured through the usual tests used in corn breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fitting an elastic grid to contour lines (CLs) produces a surface with tighter intermediate contours than the initial ones. This leads to intermediate contours that do not match the initial ones. In this paper, we propose a method for correcting this defect, by fitting the elastic grid to supplementary constraint lines that correspond approximately to the terrain morphologic lines (ridges and drainages). We extract these lines from a Delaunay triangulation consistent with the contour lines. We propose a coherent weighting system for the constraints imposed on the elastic grid. Finally, we show that a digital terrain model (DTM) artefact of the type mentioned above can be detected by a simple criterion such as the contour length. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using ND5 sequences from mtDNA and 10 nuclear markers, we investigated the genetic differentiation of two South American Creole sheep phenotypes that historically have been bred in different biomes in southern Brazil. In total, 18 unique mtDNA haplotypes were detected, none of which was shared between the two phenotypes. Bayesian analysis also indicated two different groups ( k = 2). Thus, these varieties are supported as being genotypically distinct. This situation could have resulted either from geographical isolation, associated with differences in the cultural habits of sheep farmers and in the way that flocks were managed, or more likely, from the introduction of different stocks four centuries ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work we studied indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The films were annealed at high temperature (1100 K) in vacuum, and the oxygen exodiffusion was monitored in-situ. The results showed three main peaks, one at approximately 600 K, other at approximately 850 K and the last one at 940 K, which are probably from oxygen bonded in the film surface and in the bulk, respectively. The initial amorphous structure becomes microcrystalline, according to the X-ray diffraction. The electrical conductivity of the films decreases (about 3 orders of magnitude), after the annealing treatment. This behavior could be explained by the crystallization of the structure, which affects the transport mechanism. Apart from the changes in the material structure, a small variation was observed on the absorption coefficient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Healthcare professionals' high risk of infection and burnout in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic probably hindered their much-needed preparedness to respond. We aimed to inform how individual and institutional factors contributed for the preparedness to respond during the first months of a public health emergency. Cross-sectional study. We surveyed healthcare workers from a Local Health Unit in Portugal, which comprises primary health care centers and hospital services, including public health units and intensive care units, in the second and third months of the COVID-19 epidemic in Portugal. The 460 answers, completed by 252 participants (about 10% of the healthcare workers), were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regressions. We estimated adjusted odds ratios for the readiness and willingness to respond. Readiness to respond was associated with the perception of adequate infrastructures (aOR = 4.04, P < 0.005), lack of access to personal protective equipment (aOR = 0.26, P < 0.05) and organization (aOR = 0.31, P < 0.05). The willingness to act was associated with the perception of not being able to make a difference (aOR = 0.05, P < 0.005), risk of work-related burnout (aOR = 21.21, P < 0.01) and experiencing colleagues or patients' deaths due to COVID-19 (aOR = 0.24, P < 0.05). Adequate organization, infrastructures, and access to personal protective equipment may be crucial for workers' preparedness in a new public health emergency, as well workers' understanding of their roles and expected impact. These factors, together with the risk of work-related burnout, shall be taken into account in the planning of the response of healthcare institutions in future public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advances have been impacting health care worldwide. Our study aimed to research the literature systematically to determine the impact of technological treatments versus conventional treatments on the quality of life of climacteric women. The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021241638). We searched seven databases, including PRISMA, using mesh terms. After screening for eligibility, we selected five clinical trials, and applying the snowball technique we were able to include four more articles, totaling nine articles that used technology-based interventions (virtual reality games) during the climacteric. The total study population consisted of 298 climacteric women. Two studies evaluated a technology-based treatment for pelvic floor, one for urinary incontinence symptoms, three for postural balance, one for cardiorespiratory capacity, one for osteoporosis and one study for lower back pain. The studies showed that the technological treatments improved pelvic floor strength, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness and bone mineral density when compared to conventional treatments. Improvement was linked to adherence to training and a high level of satisfaction during the training sessions. Technology-based treatments appear to be a viable alternative to conventional treatments in improving the quality of health, with benefits for the cardiovascular, genitourinary and skeletal systems, and ultimately for the overall quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, the temperature dependence of the refractive index and electric impedance of vegetable oil grape seeds extracted from Vitis vinifera (v. Cabernet) and Vitis labrusca (v. Bordo) are investigated by means of experimental techniques. The seeds were collected from wineries located in two cities in the south of Brazil. In both extraction methods, the seeds were dried at 40.0 °C and at 80.0 °C, respectively, before the oil extraction. From optical microscopy and refractometry results, one can see that the grape seed oil extracted by mechanical pressing shows a linear dependence between the refractive index and temperature and has no birefringent residues. From the fitting of the EIS (Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy) data, an equivalent electric circuit composed of a parallel RC in series with a resistor is proposed. The circuit model is in good agreement with the experimental data and provides the electrical permittivity of the vegetable oils investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are commonly regarded as environmentally aggressive and hazardous to human health. Among the different metals, lead plays an important economic role due to its large use in the automotive industry, being an essential component of batteries. Different approaches have been reported in the literature aimed at lead removal, and among them a very successful one considers the use of water hyacinths for sorption-based operation. The modeling of the metal sorption kinetics is a fundamental step towards in-depth studies and proper separation equipment design and optimization. Fractional calculus represents a novel approach and a growing research field for process modeling, which is based on the successful use of derivatives of arbitrary order. This paper reports the modeling of the kinetics of lead sorption by water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) using a fractional calculus. A general procedure on error analysis is also employed to prove the actual fractional nature of the proposed model by the use of parametric variance analysis, which was carried out using two different approaches (with the complete Hessian matrix and with a simplified Hessian matrix). The joint parameter confidence regions were generated, allowing to successfully show the fractional nature of the model and the sorption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) has been proposed as an hyperthermia agent for anticancer therapies due to its near-infrared (NIR) optical absorption ability which, with its small two-dimensional size, could have a unique performance when compared to that of any other nanoparticle. Nevertheless, attention should be given to the hyperthermia route and the kind of GO–cell interactions induced in the process. The hyperthermia laser irradiation parameters, such as exposure time and laser power, were investigated to control the temperature rise and consequent damage in the GOs containing cell culture medium. The type of cell damage produced was evaluated as a function of these parameters. The results showed that cell culture temperature (after irradiating cells with internalized GO) increases preferentially with laser power rather than with exposure time. Moreover, when laser power is increased, necrosis is the preferential cell death leading to an increase of cytokine release to the medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • From the multispectral bands, the NIR spectrum alone is generally sufficient to obtain satisfactory performance on most datasets. • High-resolution RGB images have equivalent or higher performance than multispectral images. • DL segmentation networks outperform classical methods in vine plant segmentation. • SegNet, U-Net and ModSegNet have equivalent overall performance. Digital agriculture has evolved significantly over the last few years due to the technological developments in automation and computational intelligence applied to the agricultural sector, including vineyards which are a relevant crop in the Mediterranean region. In this work, a study is presented of semantic segmentation for vine detection in real-world vineyards by exploring state-of-the-art deep segmentation networks and conventional unsupervised methods. Camera data have been collected on vineyards using an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) equipped with a dual imaging sensor payload, namely a high-definition RGB camera and a five-band multispectral and thermal camera. Extensive experiments using deep-segmentation networks and unsupervised methods have been performed on multimodal datasets representing four distinct vineyards located in the central region of Portugal. The reported results indicate that SegNet, U-Net, and ModSegNet have equivalent overall performance in vine segmentation. The results also show that multimodality slightly improves the performance of vine segmentation, but the NIR spectrum alone generally is sufficient on most of the datasets. Furthermore, results suggest that high-definition RGB images produce equivalent or higher performance than any lower resolution multispectral band combination. Lastly, Deep Learning (DL) networks have higher overall performance than classical methods. The code and dataset are publicly available on https://github.com/Cybonic/DL_vineyard_segmentation_study.git. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reports the most recent development results of a simulation tool for assessment of radiation dose exposition by nuclear plant’s personnel, using artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies. The main purpose of this tool is to support training of nuclear plants’ personnel, to optimize working tasks for minimisation of received dose. A finer grid of measurement points was considered within the nuclear plant’s room, for different power operating conditions. Further, an intelligent system was developed, based on neural networks, to interpolate dose rate values among measured points. The intelligent dose prediction system is thus able to improve the simulation of dose received by personnel. This work describes the improvements implemented in this simulation tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ischemia and reperfusion injury (IRI) are mainly caused by leukocyte activation, endothelial dysfunction and production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, IRI can lead to a systemic response affecting distant organs, such as the lungs. Aim: The objective was to study the pulmonary inflammatory systemic response after renal IRI. Methods: Male C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to 45 min of bilateral renal ischemia, followed by 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h of reperfusion. Blood was collected to measure serum creatinine and cytokine concentrations. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected to determine the number of cells and PGE concentration. Expressions of iNOS and COX-2 in lung were determined by Western blot. Gene analyses were quantified by real time PCR. Results: Serum creatinine increased in the IRI group compared to sham mainly at 24 h after IRI (2.57 ± 0.16 vs. 0.43 ± 0.07, p < 0.01). The total number of cells in BAL fluid was higher in the IRI group in comparison with sham, 12 h (100 × 10 ± 15.63 vs. 18.1×10 ± 10.5, p < 0.05) 24 h (124 × 10 ± 8.94 vs. 23.2×10 ± 3.5, p < 0.05) and 48 h (79 × 10 ± 15.72 vs. 22.2 × 10 ± 4.2, p < 0.05), mainly by mononuclear cells and neutrophils. Pulmonary COX-2 and iNOS were up-regulated in the IRI group. TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1, KC and IL-6 mRNA expression were up-regulated in kidney and lungs 24 h after renal IRI. ICAM-1 mRNA was up-regulated in lungs 24 h after renal IRI. Serum TNF-α, IL-1β and MCP-1 and BALF PGE concentrations were increased 24 h after renal IRI. Conclusion: Renal IRI induces an increase of cellular infiltration, up-regulation of COX-2, iNOS and ICAM-1, enhanced chemokine expression and a Th1 cytokine profile in lung demonstrating that the inflammatory response is indeed systemic, possibly leading to an amplification of renal injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Thin films of copper oxide were obtained through thermal oxidation (100–450°C) of evaporated metallic copper (Cu) films on glass substrates. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the cubic Cu phase of the as-deposited films. The films annealed at 100°C showed mixed Cu–Cu2O phase, whereas those annealed between 200 and 300°C showed a single cubic Cu2O phase. A single monoclinic CuO phase was obtained from the films annealed between 350 and 450°C. The positive sign of the Hall coefficient confirmed the p-type conductivity in the films with Cu2O phase. However, a relatively poor crystallinity of these films limited the p-type characteristics. The films with Cu and CuO phases show n-type conductivity. The surface of the as-deposited is smooth (RMS roughness of 1.47nm) and comprised of uniformly distributed grains (AFM and SEM analysis). The post-annealing is found to be effective on the distribution of grains and their sizes. The poor transmittance of the as-deposited films (<1%) is increased to a maximum of ∼80% (800nm) on annealing at 200°C. The direct allowed band gap is varied between 2.03 and 3.02eV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Staggered bottom gate transparent thin film transistors (TTFTs) have been produced by rf magnetron sputtering at room temperature, using amorphous indium zinc oxide (IZO) semiconductor, for the channel as well as for the drain and source regions. The obtained TTFTs operate in the enhancement mode with threshold voltages of 2.4V, saturation mobility of 22.7cm2/Vs, gate voltage swing of 0.44V/dec and an ON/OFF current ratio of 7×107. The high performances presented by these TTFTs produced at room temperature, make these TFTs a promising candidate for flexible, wearable, disposable portable electronics as well as battery-powered applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigate the solutions of a fractional diffusion equation with radial symmetry by using the Green function approach and by taking the -dimensional case into account. In our analysis, a spatial time-dependent diffusion coefficient is considered, i.e., . The presence of external forces with and is also taken into account. In particular, we discuss the results obtained by employing boundary conditions defined on a finite interval, and afterwards the analysis is extended to a semi-infinite interval. Finally, we also discuss a rich class of diffusive processes that can be obtained from the results presented in this work. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The role of order and disorder on the electronic performances of n-type ionic oxides such as zinc oxide, gallium zinc oxide, and indium zinc oxide used as active (channel) or passive (drain/source) layers in thin film transistors (TFTs) processed at room temperature are discussed, taking as reference the known behavior observed in conventional covalent semiconductors such as silicon. The work performed shows that while in the oxide semiconductors the Fermi level can be pinned up within the conduction band, independent of the state of order, the same does not happen with silicon. Besides, in the oxide semiconductors the carrier mobility is not bandtail limited and so disorder does not affect so strongly the mobility as it happens in covalent semiconductors. The electrical properties of the oxide films (resistivity, carrier concentration, and mobility) are highly dependent on the oxygen vacancies (source of free carriers), which can be controlled by changing the oxygen partial pressure during the deposition process and/or by adding other metal ions to the matrix. In this case, we make the oxide matrix less sensitive to the presence of oxygen, widening the range of oxygen partial pressures that can be used and thus improving the process control of the film resistivity. The results obtained in fully transparent TFT using polycrystalline ZnO or amorphous indium zinc oxide (IZO) as channel layers and highly conductive poly/nanocrystalline ZGO films or amorphous IZO as drain/source layers show that both devices work in the enhancement mode, but the TFT with the highest electronic saturation mobility and on/off ratio 49.9 cm2/V s and 4.3×108, respectively, are the ones in which the active and passive layers are amorphous. The ZnO TFT whose channel is based on polycrystalline ZnO, the mobility and on/off ratio are, respectively, 26 cm2/V s and 3×106. This behavior is attributed to the fact that the electronic transport is governed by the s-like metal cation conduction bands, not significantly affected by any type of angular disorder promoted by the 2p O states related to the valence band, or small amounts of incorporated metal impurities that lead to a better control of vacancies and of the TFT off current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of zoonotic hepatitis E in industrialized countries has emerged with the discovery of swine strains of hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotype 3, closely related to human HEV. Different routes of zoonotic HEV transmission have been recognized, including contact with infected pigs. Workers occupationally exposed to swine (WOES) have been considered a risk group for HEV infection, but contradictory results have been reported. In the present study, we searched for anti-HEV IgG in WOES (butchers, slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians and pig farmers; n = 114) and in the general population ( n = 804) in order to investigate the potential occupational risk of zoonotic HEV infection in this work group. A significantly higher ( p = 0.008) anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence was found in WOES (30.7 %) when compared with the general population (19.9 %). Multivariate analysis showed that having professions with exposure to pigs for more than 16.5 years was a risk factor for being positive for anti-HEV IgG (aOR of 5.4, 95 % CI 1.9-15.6, p = 0.002). To our knowledge, this is the first study on the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG in WOES in Portugal, also showing increased probability for infection in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beef production chain has evolved in the last few years towards the differentiation of the quality of its products. Production systems started to generate differentiated products, forcing the packing plants to pay premiums for quality. However, the quality of the finished products may be impaired by logistic and management issues. The main quality problem causing losses in the packing plant is carcass bruising, as such carcasses need to be removed from the processing line, resulting in carcass yield and quality losses. Bruising is caused when the animal is still alive by poor pre-slaughter management, poor facility design, and by individual animal characteristics. However, such lesions are identified only after the hide is removed, and it is difficult to determine when they were caused. In this study, a literature review was carried out to identify the main causes of carcass bruising in beef cattle during the pre-slaughter period focusing on critical points related to farm management, transportation, lairage, pre-slaughter fasting, and animal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical response of an electrolytic cell containing more than one group of ions is investigated under the fractional approach where integro – differential boundary conditions and fractional time derivative of distributed order are considered. The model derived here, which accounts for anomalous diffusion of charges in a dielectric media, is compared with experimental data for mixtures of two salts with same valence and water and a good agreement was found. We show that in the low frequency limit, the electrical response is essentially governed by the boundary conditions and suppress the formation of a second plateau predicted when surface effects are neglected, being therefore linked to an anomalous diffusive process which, in the usual circuit description, may be connected to constant phase elements. Our model may be important for the interpretation of ionic density measurements in liquid crystals and other electrolytic cells in a more realistic fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothesis Graphene oxide (GO) has attracted the scientific community attention due to its novel properties and wide range of potential applications including hyperthermia cancer therapy. However, little is known about the GO effects on the immune function which involves both innate and adaptive defence mechanisms through the activation of different cell populations and secretion of several cytokines. The effect of different GO nanosheets designed for hyperthermia cancer therapy on macrophage and lymphocyte function should be determined before using GO for this application. Experiments The effects of GO nanosheets with 1 (1-GOs) and 6 arms (6-GOs) of polyethylene glycol on RAW-264.7 macrophages and primary splenocytes (as approximation to the in vivo situation) were evaluated through the proinflammatory cytokine secretion and the modulation of cell proliferation in the presence of specific stimuli for either T-lymphocytes (concanavalin A, anti-CD3 antibody) or B-lymphocytes/macrophages (lipopolysaccharide). Findings 6-GOs significantly increased the secretion of TNF-α by RAW-264.7 macrophages without alteration of IL-6 and IL-1β levels. The treatment of primary splenocytes with 1-GOs and 6-GOs in the presence of concanavalin A, anti-CD3 antibody and lipopolysaccharide, produced significant dose-dependent decreases of cell proliferation and IL-6 levels, revealing weak inflammatory properties of GOs which are favourable for hyperthermia cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction process occurring on a solid surface where active sites are present is investigated. The phenomenon is described by a linear kinetic equation capable of accounting for memory effects in the adsorption-desorption and a first order reaction process. In order to broaden the formulation of the problem, the surface is in contact with a system defined in a half space where the dynamics is governed by a fractional diffusion equation, meaning, in principle, that the approach can be applied to complex systems such as biological fluids. Our results prove that the anomalous behavior has great importance on the reaction and, consequently, on the densities rates of particles at the surface and on the distribution of particles in the bulk. The results are particularly relevant for heterogeneous catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A framework is proposed to analyze electrical impedance response data. [•] Fractional diffusion equations are exactly solved together with Poisson’s equation. [•] Anomalous diffusion behavior is accounted for by analytical calculations. [•] Surface behavior is shown to govern low frequency behavior of experimental data. [•] General boundary conditions embodying surface effects experimentally determined are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the immune response of broiler chickens with oral treatment of a Lactobacillus spp. pool (PL) associated with microencapsulated recombinant proteins flagellin (FliC) and the subunit B of cholera toxin (CTB). Immune responses were evaluated by measuring IgA from intestinal fluid, serum IgY, and immunostaining of CD8+ T lymphocytes present in the cecum. The evaluations were performed on d 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 posttreatment. A significant increase (P < 0.05) was observed in IgA levels in all immunized groups, especially 3 wk after immunization. Treatments 2 (recombinant CTB) and 3 (recombinant FliC+CTB) showed the highest concentrations. Similarly, serum concentrations IgY (μg/mL) increased along the experiment, and the means for treatments 2 and 3 showed significant differences (P < 0.05) compared with controls, reaching concentrations of 533 and 540 μg/mL, respectively. The number of CD8+ T lymphocytes in all treatments greatly differed (P < 0.05) compared with the negative control at 21 d posttreatment. However, only treatment 2 (recombinant CTB), 4 (PL), and 5 (recombinant FliC+ recombinant CTB + PL) remained significantly (P < 0.05) different from the control at 28 d posttreatment. Thus, it is concluded that the microencapsulated recombinant proteins administered orally to broiler chickens are capable of stimulating humoral and cellular immune response, and the combinations of these antigens with Lactobacillus spp. can influence the population of CD8+ T cells residing in the cecum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper deals with high transparent and high conductive oxides based on polycrystalline titanium (Ti) doped (0.5–3at.%) indium oxide (IO) thin films produced on glass substrates at 400°C by spray pyrolysis technique. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the cubic bixbyite structure of indium oxide. A high mobility of ~97cm2 V−1 s−1, a carrier concentration of ~1.55×1020 cm−3 and a resistivity of ~4.11×10−4 Ω-cm with ~83% of transmittance in the wavelength ranging between 400 and 2500nm were obtained for 2at.% Ti doping films, rivalling so to the best known transparent conducting oxide based on indium tin oxide. Moreover, the transmittance in the broad wavelength ranging between 400 and 2500nm is over 83%, leading so to an increasing carrier generation towards the near infrared region of the spectrum, as required for applications such as solar cells. We also notice that increasing the doping concentration widened the optical band gap and caused a small Burstein–Moss shift, due to mobility decrease, as expected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports recent results achieved in a research and development (R&D) with non-conventional interfaces for human-system interaction in nuclear plants'' virtual simulations. This R&D aims at developing applications based on virtual reality technology for simulations toward training, ergonomics evaluation, safety and security purposes in the nuclear engineering field. Two main applications are under development, one comprising a virtual control desk (VCD) for users'' interaction with a computer-based nuclear power plant (NPP) simulator, and the other comprising multi-user navigation in virtual environments which in turn correspond to nuclear plants and other sites. Non-conventional interfaces mean more friendly and natural human-system interfaces, compared to computer keyboard and mouse, as speech-based command recognition and face tracking. Besides the benefits of using one or other of these non-conventional interfaces, a combination of them could further improve human-system interaction, through exploring each approach''s advantages for specific corresponding tasks. A solution adopted for implementation with the navigation in the virtual environments'' application is explained. Results are discussed and perspectives are given for future developments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have studied the low-temperature processing of ZnO by chemical solution deposition. A transparent, stable precursor solution prepared from zinc acetate dihydrate dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol was spin-coated on SiO x /Si, soda-lime glass and polymer substrates and heated at 150°C. Selected thin films deposited on SiO x /Si were additionally heated at 450°C. Microstructural and chemical analyses showed that the thin films heated at 150°C in air were amorphous, contained no organic residues and had a root mean square roughness of 0.7nm. The films deposited on SiO x /Si and heated at 450°C were crystallised and consisted of randomly oriented grains with a diameter of about 20nm. All thin films were transparent, exhibiting a transmission of over 80% in the visible range. The resistivity of the 120-nm thick ZnO films processed at 150°C was 57MΩcm and upon heating at 450°C it decreased to 1.9kΩcm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we report on some of the recent advances in transparent thin film oxide semiconductors, specifically zinc oxide produced by radio frequency magnetron sputtering at room temperature, with multifunctional properties. By controlling the deposition parameters it is possible to produce undoped material with electronic semiconductor properties, or by doping it to get either n-type or p-type semiconductor behavior. In this work we refer to our experience in producing n-type doped zinc oxide as transparent electrode to be used in optoelectronic applications such as solar cells and position sensitive detectors, while the undoped zinc oxide can be used as active layer of fully transparent thin film transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Transparent and highly conducting gallium zinc oxide (GZO) films were successfully deposited by RF sputtering at room temperature. A lowest resistivity of ∼2.8×10−4 Ωcm was achieved for a film thickness of 1100nm (sheet resistance ∼2.5Ω/□), with a Hall mobility of 18cm2/Vs and a carrier concentration of 1.3×1021 cm−3. The films are polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure having a strong crystallographic c-axis orientation. A linear dependence between the mobility and the crystallite size was obtained. The films are highly transparent (between 80% and 90% including the glass substrate) in the visible spectra with a refractive index of about 2, very similar to the value reported for the bulk material. These films were applied to single glass/TCO/pin hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells as front layer contact, leading to solar cells with efficiencies of about 9.52%. With the optimized deposition conditions, GZO films were also deposited on polymer (PEN) substrates and the obtained results are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The electrosynthesis of polypyrrole (PPy) has been achieved on aluminium in aqueous medium of malic acid by means of cyclic voltammetry, potentiostatic and galvanostatic techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microanalysis by dispersion energy spectroscopy (EDS) applying on surfaces show that the PPy coating is developed from the metal surface through the cracks of the initial Al2O3 layer. Moreover, the results reveal that the homogeneity of the film achieved increases with the time of electropolymerization. A mechanism involving the participation of the supporting electrolyte and the pyrrole (Py) in distinct active sites was proposed based on the linear sweep voltammetry. It is observed for all the applied electrochemical techniques that the pyrrole concentration has to be higher than 0.1M to allow the polypyrrole electrodeposition in acid medium. Scanning electron microscopy, secondary electrons (SE) and backscattering electrons (BE), shows that the PPy coating obtained in galvanostatic and potentiostatic modes starts with small islands at weak applied potentials or current densities. The corrosion results in 3% NaCl medium show that the PPy coating decreases the corrosion behaviour of the aluminium. The bilayer Al2O3/PPy shows a capacitor with future applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]