An ultraviolet selective photodetector based on a nanocrystalline TiO2 photoelectrochemical cell

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes a range of skin disorders as well as affecting vision and the immune system. It also inhibits development of plants and animals. UV radiation monitoring is used routinely in some locations in order to alert the population to harmful solar radiation levels. There is ongoing research to develop UV-selective-sensors [1–3]. A personal, inexpensive and simple UV-selective-sensor would be desirable to measure UV intensity exposure. A prototype of such a detector has been developed and evaluated in our laboratory. It comprises a sealed two-electrode photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) based on nanocrystalline TiO2. This abundant semiconducting oxide, which is innocuous and very sta-ble, is the subject of intense study at present due to its application in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) [4]. Since TiO2 has a wide band gap (EG = 3.0 eV for rutile and EG = 3.2 eV for anatase), it is inher-ently UV-selective, so that UV filters are not required. This further reduces the cost of the proposed photodetector in comparison with conventional silicon detectors. The PEC is a semiconductor–electrolyte device that generates a photovoltage when it is illuminated and a corresponding photocur-rent if the external circuit is closed. The device does not require external bias, and the short circuit current is generally a linear function of illumination intensity. This greatly simplifies the elec-trical circuit needed when using the PEC as a photodetector. DSSC technology, which is based on a PEC containing nanocrystalline TiO2 sensitized with a ruthenium dye, holds out the promise of solar cells that are significantly cheaper than traditional silicon solar cells. The UV-sensor proposed in this paper relies on the cre-ation of electron–hole pairs in the TiO2 by UV radiation, so that it would be even cheaper than a DSSC since no sensitizer dye is needed. Although TiO2 has been reported as a suitable material for UV sensing [3], to the best of our knowledge, the PEC configuration described in the present paper is a new approach. In the present study, a novel double-layer TiO2 structure has been investigated. Fabrication is based on a simple and inexpensive technique for nanostructured TiO2 deposition using microwave-activated chemical bath deposition (MW-CBD) that has been reported recently [5]. The highly transparent TiO2 (anatase) films obtained are densely packed, and they adhere very well to the transparent oxide (TCO) substrate [6]. These compact layers have been studied as contacting layers in double-layer TiO2 structures for DSSC since improvement of electron extraction at the TiO2–TCO interface is expected [7]. Here we compare devices incorporating a single mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 structure with devices based on a double structure in which a MW-CBD film is situated between the TCO and the mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 layer. Besides improving electron extraction, this film could also help to block recombination of electrons transferred to the TCO with oxidized species in the electrolyte, as has been reported in the case of DSSC for compact TiO2 films obtained by other deposition tech-niques [8,9]. The two types of UV-selective sensors were characterized in detail. The current voltage characteristics, spectral response, inten-sity dependence of short circuit current and response times were measured and analyzed in order to evaluate the potential of sealed mesoporous TiO2-based photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) as low cost personal UV-photodetectors.

The effect of hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contact lenses on the measurement of intraocular pressure with rebound tonometry

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of intraocular pressure(IOP) measurements using rebound tonometry over disposable hydrogel (etafilcon A) and silicone hydrogel (senofilcon A) contact lenses (CLs) of different powers. Methods: The experimental group comprised 36 subjects (19 male, 17 female). IOP measurements were undertaken on the subject’s right eyes in random order using a rebound tonometer (ICare). The CLs had powers of +2.00D, −2.00D and−6.00D. Six measurements were taken over each contact lens and also before and after the CLs had been worn. Results: A good correlation was found between IOP measurements with and without CLs (all r≥0.80; p < 0.05). Bland Altman plots did not show any significant trend in the difference in IOP readings with and without CLs as a function of IOP value. A two-way ANOVA revealed a significant effect of material and power (p < 0.01) but no interaction. All the comparisons between the measurements without CLs and with hydrogel CLs were significant (p < 0.01). The comparisons with silicone hydrogel CLs were not significant. Conclusions: Rebound tonometry can be reliably performed over silicone hydrogel CLs. With hydrogel CLs, the measurements were lower than those without CLs. However, despite the fact that these differences were statistically significant, their clinical significance was minimal.

The effects of truth in the hinterlands and abused [in Portugese] Os efeitos de verdade em os sertões e abusado

O presente livro propõe-se a refletir sobre a construção dos efeitos de verdade em dois modos de produção de ordem discursiva: Os sertões, romance de Euclides da Cunha, e Abusado: o dono do morro Dona Marta, romance-reportagem do jornalista Caco Barcellos. A autora apresenta a fragilidade do discurso jornalístico em legitimar-se como o discurso do verdadeiro, em dura oposição ao discurso da literatura, lugar da ficção, expressão dos sentimentos, imaginário, da não-verdade. [Portugese]

The contruction of the truth-effects : a case study of Os sertoes and Abusado

Descripción: [pt] A pesquisa se propõe a interpretar a construção dos efeitos de verdade em duas obras: Abusado: o dono do morro Dona Marta, de Caco Barcellos, e Os sertões, de Euclides da Cunha. Efeitos de verdade é uma expressão de Michel Foucault que diz respeito aos discursos não serem em si nem falsos nem verdadeiros. No caso de Os sertões, os efeitos de verdade surgem através das relações estratégicas e de poder entre a igreja católica, os senhores das terras, os políticos e um Brasil do litoral desconhecedor do Brasil dos sertões. Em Abusado, a gestação discursiva acontece pela produção da figura do delinqüente através das relações entre o sistema carcerário, o infrator e a sociedade.

A systematic review of patient-reported outcome instruments of dermatologic adverse events associated with targeted cancer therapies

Purpose Dermatologic adverse events (dAEs) in cancer treatment are frequent with the use of targeted therapies. These dAEs have been shown to have significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). While standardized assessment tools have been developed for physicians to assess severity of dAEs, there is a discord between objective and subjective measures. The identification of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments useful in the context of targeted cancer therapies is therefore important in both the clinical and research settings for the overall evaluation of dAEs and their impact on HRQoL. Methods A comprehensive, systematic literature search of published articles was conducted by two independent reviewers in order to identify PRO instruments previously utilized in patient populations with dAEs from targeted cancer therapies. The identified PRO instruments were studied to determine which HRQoL issues relevant to dAEs were addressed, as well as the process of development and validation of these instruments. Results Thirteen articles identifying six PRO instruments met the inclusion criteria. Four instruments were general dermatology (Skindex-16©, Skindex-29©, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and DIELH-24) and two were symptom-specific (functional assessment of cancer therapy-epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor-18 (FACT-EGFRI-18) and hand-foot syndrome-14 (HFS-14)). Conclusions While there are several PRO instruments that have been tested in the context of targeted cancer therapy, additional work is needed to develop new instruments and to further validate the instruments identified in this study in patients receiving targeted therapies.

The structural basis of DNA binding by the single-stranded DNA-binding protein from Sulfolobus solfataricus

Canonical single-stranded DNA-binding proteins (SSBs) from the oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide-binding (OB) domain family are present in all known organisms and are critical for DNA replication, recombination and repair. The SSB from the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeote Sulfolobus solfataricus (SsoSSB) has a ‘simple’ domain organization consisting of a single DNA-binding OB fold coupled to a flexible C-terminal tail, in contrast with other SSBs in this family that incorporate up to four OB domains. Despite the large differences in the domain organization within the SSB family, the structure of the OB domain is remarkably similar all cellular life forms. However, there are significant differences in the molecular mechanism of ssDNA binding. We have determined the structure of the SsoSSB OB domain bound to ssDNA by NMR spectroscopy. We reveal that ssDNA recognition is modulated by base-stacking of three key aromatic residues, in contrast with the OB domains of human RPA and the recently discovered human homologue of SsoSSB, hSSB1. We also demonstrate that SsoSSB binds ssDNA with a footprint of five bases and with a defined binding polarity. These data elucidate the structural basis of DNA binding and shed light on the molecular mechanism by which these ‘simple’ SSBs interact with ssDNA.

Enriching the annotation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv proteome using remote homology detection approaches: Insights into structure and function

The availability of the genome sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv has encouraged determination of large numbers of protein structures and detailed definition of the biological information encoded therein; yet, the functions of many proteins in M. tuberculosis remain unknown. The emergence of multidrug resistant strains makes it a priority to exploit recent advances in homology recognition and structure prediction to re-analyse its gene products. Here we report the structural and functional characterization of gene products encoded in the M. tuberculosis genome, with the help of sensitive profile-based remote homology search and fold recognition algorithms resulting in an enhanced annotation of the proteome where 95% of the M. tuberculosis proteins were identified wholly or partly with information on structure or function. New information includes association of 244 proteins with 205 domain families and a separate set of new association of folds to 64 proteins. Extending structural information across uncharacterized protein families represented in the M. tuberculosis proteome, by determining superfamily relationships between families of known and unknown structures, has contributed to an enhancement in the knowledge of structural content. In retrospect, such superfamily relationships have facilitated recognition of probable structure and/or function for several uncharacterized protein families, eventually aiding recognition of probable functions for homologous proteins corresponding to such families. Gene products unique to mycobacteria for which no functions could be identified are 183. Of these 18 were determined to be M. tuberculosis specific. Such pathogen-specific proteins are speculated to harbour virulence factors required for pathogenesis. A re-annotated proteome of M. tuberculosis, with greater completeness of annotated proteins and domain assigned regions, provides a valuable basis for experimental endeavours designed to obtain a better understanding of pathogenesis and to accelerate the process of drug target discovery. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SInCRe-structural interactome computational resource for Mycobacterium tuberculosis

We have developed an integrated database for Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv (Mtb) that collates information on protein sequences, domain assignments, functional annotation and 3D structural information along with protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions. SInCRe (Structural Interactome Computational Resource) is developed out of CamBan (Cambridge and Bangalore) collaboration. The motivation for development of this database is to provide an integrated platform to allow easily access and interpretation of data and results obtained by all the groups in CamBan in the field of Mtb informatics. In-house algorithms and databases developed independently by various academic groups in CamBan are used to generate Mtb-specific datasets and are integrated in this database to provide a structural dimension to studies on tuberculosis. The SInCRe database readily provides information on identification of functional domains, genome-scale modelling of structures of Mtb proteins and characterization of the small-molecule binding sites within Mtb. The resource also provides structure-based function annotation, information on small-molecule binders including FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved drugs, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and natural compounds that bind to pathogen proteins potentially and result in weakening or elimination of host-pathogen protein-protein interactions. Together they provide prerequisites for identification of off-target binding.

Determinación de la actividad radicular del Lima tahiti citrus aurantifolia (christm,) swing, mediante la variación de almacenamiento del agua del suelo, utilizando técnicas nucleares

Con el objetivo de determinar la actividad radicular y el patrón de distribución de las raíces activas del lima Tahití Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swing., mediante la variación de almacenamiento de agua del suelo utilizando técnicas nucleares, se condujo un experimento en la finca San Bernardo, municipio de Masatepe, Departamento de Masaya. Se escogieron plantas de la misma edad, pureza varietal, características vegetativas uniformes y se establecieron en cada unidad experimental 4 tratamientos (50, 100, 150,200 cm de distancia del tronco), por 2 repeticiones para un total de 16 observaciones y se cubrió con plástico de polietileno negro en un área de 19.63 m2 que corresponde a un circulo de radio igual a 250 cm del tronco a cada árbol. En la época seca se tomaron lecturas, y la información obtenida y analizada permite concluir que en árboles de limón Tahití de 6 años de edad, y en las condiciones edafoclimáticas y de manejo del cultivo en que se llevó el experimento, presenta su actividad radicular directamente proporcional a las distancias horizontales del tronco del árbol, mediante el consumo total de agua en el volumen de suelo (O - 90 cm de profundidad), y a la vez directamente proporcional cada 30 cm de profundidad para un perfil de suelo de (O - 90 cm de profundidad), lo que indica presencia de un sistema radicular extenso y profundo.

Efectos en rendimiento, proteína y calibre de la cebada cervecera a la fertilización nitrogenada y a la aplicación de fungicida en un ambiente de loma en la localidad de Chivilcoy, Provincia de Buenos Aires

Resumen: La fertilización nitrogenada y la utilización de fungicidas son herramientas que posee el productor de cebada (Hordeum vulgare) para aumentar el rendimiento y cumplir los requerimientos exigidos por malterías. Los objetivos de estudio consisten en: a) comparar la respuesta en rendimiento, proteína y calibre a dos aplicaciones de fungicida vs. una aplicación en hoja bandera; b) comparar la respuesta en rendimiento, proteína y calibre de la aplicación de nitrógeno (N) en macollaje y en Z 3.9 vs. la aplicación de N en macollaje solamente. Se utilizó la variedad de cebada cervecera C 61 en un DBCA, con 4 repeticiones y 5 tratamientos: testigo (1); urea en macollaje (2); urea en macollaje y N en Z 3.9 (3); urea en macollaje, N y fungicida en Z 3.9 (4); urea en macollaje, N en Z 3.9, fungicida en 3.1 y 3.9 (5). Respecto al rendimiento, el tratamiento 5 promedió 3470 kg ha-1 y superó significativamente a los tratamientos 1, 2 y 3 en 42%, mientras que el tratamiento 4 rindió 3312 kg ha-1, siendo superior en un 36% a estos tratamientos, y fue un 5% menor con respecto al 5. Evaluando el porcentaje proteico, el tratamiento 4 alcanzó el valor más alto con 12 puntos porcentuales de proteína en grano y fue 9% superior a los tratamientos 1 y 3, mientras que a los tratamientos 2 y 5 los superó significativamente por 13%. En la evaluación de granos retenidos en la zaranda de 2,5 mm, los tratamientos 4 y 5 promediaron 90%, superando significativamente al tratamiento 2 en 16%. Los tratamientos 1 y 3 promediaron 83% y fueron inferiores a los tratamientos 4 y 5 en 9%. La aplicación de fungicida produjo mayores rendimientos y calibres más altos, comparándolos con los tratamientos que sólo recibieron fertilización nitrogenada. La fertilización nitrogenada en macollaje aumentó el rendimiento, pero produjo menores porcentajes proteicos y calibres más bajos. La aplicación de fungicida y N en Z 3.9 produjo los mayores rendimientos y mejores parámetros de calidad exigidos por la industria

Revista de Psicología, 2006, Vol. 2 N°3 (número completo)

El Burnout (desgaste profesional), sentido existencial y posibilidades de prevención / Alfried Längle -- Impacto psicológico del divorcio sobre los niños / Jorge A. Serrano -- Los sesgos cognitivos en la toma de decisiones / Nuria Cortada de Kohan ; Guillermo Macbeth -- Notas para una reformulación de la epistemología junguiana. Primera Parte / Bernardo Nantes -- La racionalidad humana: Breve reseña sobre estado de la cuestión / Humberto Fernández -- Condicionantes sociales del malestar subjetivo en un entorno de crisis y desempleo masivo / Roxana M. R. Boso ; Agustín Salvia -- Estudio sobre la noción de “Autopsia Psicológica” desde el enfoque bibliométrico / María Elena Brenlla -- Recensiones bibliográficas

Letras, 1982-1983, nº 6-7 (número completo)

Contenido: Editorial – La personalidad del maestro Ángel J. Battistessa / Octavio N. Derisi – Soneto del cumpleaños, opus 80 / Ángel J. Battistesa – Plácemes, evocaciones y semblanzas – Una reelaboración estilística de Enrique Larreta / Arturo Berenguer Carisomo – Battistessa traductor de Dante / Eugenio Castelli – El problema de la lengua y otros aspectos americanistas en la obra de Andrés Bello / Graciela M. Pucciarelli de Colantonio – Góngora y la poesía pura / Celina Sabor de Cortazar – Maestros e ingratitudes / Elso Darío Di Bernardo – Cuatro clases de modificadores causales con “porque” / Ofelia Kovacci – Un Calisto o Romeo anónimo del siglo XVI / Rafael Lapesa – Lectura retórica de Facundo / Luisa López Grigera – Cautivos en la literatura argentina del siglo XX / Luis Martínez Cuitiño – Aproximaciones a Benito Lynch y su obra / María Luisa Montero – Nota a un cuento de Jorge Luis Borges / Eithel Orbit Negri – Ardientes hebras, do s’ilustra el oro / Germán Orduna – La escritura de Manuel Gálvez / Antonio Pagés Larraya – Ulises de Joyce: el laberinto y el secreto / Rosa E. M. D. Penna – La composición de las “figuras” en “El mundo por de dentro” / Melchora Romanos – Celos, aun del aire, matan (de Juan Hidalgo y Pedro Calderón de la Barca) en versión de nuestro tiempo / Beatriz Entenza de Solare – Doctrina metafísica tradicional del Romance de la Infantina Encantada / Aquilino Suárez Pallasá – La Sagrada Escritura en “Morada del cielo”, de Fray Luis de León / Teresa Herraiz de Tresca – Expresiones de agasajo y de recuerdo – Homenaje universitario y académico – En la perspectiva del tiempo

Letras, 2000-2001, nº 42-43 (número completo)

Contenido: Garcilaso de la Vega: 1501?-2001 -- El concepto de "transformación" y sus aplicaciones al análisis de la poesía de Garcilaso / Sofía M. Carrizo Rueda – Algunas observaciones, a principios de un nuevo milenio, en torno a las comedias de Calderón de la Barca / Lilia E. Ferrario de Orduna – Palomeque, don Quijote, Cervantes: tres lectores de Cirongilio de Tracia de Bernardo de Vargas / Javier Roberto González – Cervantes: riesgo del vivir, azar y Providencia. Una lectura en clave bíblica y patrística / Teresa Herráiz de Tresca –La justicia divina o el orlo Amoris en el Amadis de Gaula / Silivia C. Lastra Paz -- Catálogo descriptivo de libros de caballerías castellanos, XIV. Otro Palmerín de Olivia recuperado: Sevilla, Jácome Cromberger, 1547 (Con algunas reflexiones sobre el arte de editar textos impresos) / José Manuel Lucía Megías – La defensa de la poesía en el Perú colonial: El Discurso en Loor de la Poesía / Graciela Maturo – Sobre la evolución de -nn-, -nw- y -w- interiores intervocálicos en la onomástica geográfica del Amadís de Gaula / Aquilino Suárez Pallasá – Reforma y Contrarreforma en las artes plásticas / Carmen Balzer – Tomás Moro y el Humanismo cristiano / Inés de Cassagne – Algunos poetas latinos del Humanismo / Raúl Lavalle – Reseñas bibliográficas

Evaluación de dosis de fertilización nitrogenada y densidad de siembra sobre el rendimiento del cultivo de repollo (Brassica oleraceae, var capitata L.) híbrido Izalco

Se realizó un estudio en la Finca San Bernardo, Municipio de Nandasmo – Masaya en el período del 21 d e Agosto al 21 de Diciembre de 2004. S e probaron tres dosis de fertilización nitrogenada siendo estas 75 kg/ha, 150kg/ha, 225 kg/ha, un testigo de 0 nitrógeno y dos densidades de siembra con 28571 y 22222 plantas /ha. El experimento consistió en una bifact orial con diseño de bloques completos al azar, evaluando los siguientes parámetros: diámetro polar, diámetro ecuatorial, peso fresco, número de cabezas formadas, rendimiento, calidad y rentabilidad del repollo. Los datos obtenidos se sometieron al análisis de varianza y a la prueba de Tukey al 1% y a un análisis económico de presupuesto parcial. Se observó la tendencia de obtener mayor diámetro polar, diámetro ecuatorial, rendimiento, beneficio bruto y beneficio neto con dosis de 150 kilogramos de nitrógeno por hectárea y densidad de siembra de 28571 plantas por hectárea. De igual forma se obtuvo el mayor peso fresco con dosis de 150 kilogramos de nitrógeno por hectárea y densidad de siembra de 22222 plantas y el mayor n ú mero de cabezas formadas se obtuvo c on dosis de 225 kilogramos de nitrógeno y densidad de 28571 plantas. Los tratamientos sometidos al análisis de retorno marginal superaron la tasa mínima de retorno de 150%. La mayor tasa de retorno marginal se obtuvo con dosis de 75 kilogramos de nitrógeno y densidad de siembra con 22222 plantas.

Posición y dinamismo comercial del MERCOSUR : 1991-2012

Introducción: "La exploración de la posición y el dinamismo comercial de los países es interesante no sólo para fines estadísticos sino también para sustentar recomendaciones de política económica con algún grado de acierto. No por casualidad entonces, determinar quién vende a quien y cuánta vitalidad tienen estas ventas se ha transformado en una preocupación singular; más aún cuando los países están involucrados en procesos de integración económica, ya que permite apreciar el papel que ha jugado la misma y predecir cuál puede ser su futuro. Para lograr la exploración referida es usual la utilización de diferentes indicadores que facilitan el estudio tanto de la dinámica individual de los socios como la del proceso de integración. Adicionalmente, la evolución de estos indicadores constituye un verdadero resumen que refleja, con claridad y simpleza, las políticas comerciales seguida por los países, permitiendo inferir los patrones de comercio prospectivos..."