Innate immunity in the deep sea hydrothermal vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus

The interaction between microorganisms and host defense mechanisms is a decisive factor for the survival of marine bivalves. They rely on cell-mediated and humoral reactions to overcome the pathogens that naturally occur in the marine environment. In order to understand host defense reactions in animals inhabiting extreme environments we investigated some of the components from the immune system of the deep sea hydrothermal vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus. Cellular constituents in the hemolymph and extrapallial fluid were examined and led to the identification of three types of hemocytes revealing the granulocytes as the most abundant type of cell. To further characterize hemocyte types, the presence of cell surface carbohydrate epitopes was demonstrated with fluorescent WGA lectin, which was mostly ascribed to the granulocytes. Cellular reactions were then investigated by means of phagocytosis and by the activation of putative MAPKs using the microbial compounds zymosan, glucan, peptidoglycan and lipopolysaccharide. Two bacterial agents, Bacillus subtilis and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, were also used to stimulate hemocytes. The results showed that granulocytes were the main phagocytic cells in both hemolymph and extrapallial fluid of B. azoricus. Western blotting analyses using commercially available antibodies against ERK, p38 and JNK, suggested that these putative kinases are involved in signal transduction pathways during experimental stimulation of B. azoricus hemocytes. The fluorescent Ca²⁺ indicator Fura-2 AM was also insightful in demonstrating hemocyte stimulation in the presence of laminarin or live V. parahaemolyticus. Finally, the expression of the antibacterial gene mytilin was analyzed in gill tissues by means of RT-PCR and whole-mount in situ hybridization. Mytilin transcripts were localized in hemocytes underlying gill epithelium. Moreover, mytilin was induced by exposure of live animals to V. parahaemolyticus. These findings support the premise of a conserved innate immune system in B. azoricus. Such system is comparable to other Bivalves and involves the participation of cellular and humoral components. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Possible potentiation of toxins from Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, and Porphyromonas gingivalis by cotinine

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a recognized risk factor for the initiation and progression of periodontitis. However, the mechanism by which smoking induces its negative effects on the periodontium is not clear. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that synergy may occur between cotinine and bacterial products isolated from 3 putative periodontopathogens.

METHODS: A chick embryo toxin assay was used to investigate bacterial toxins (cell-free extracellular toxins and cell-free cell lysates) from 5 species with and without cotinine. A total of 9 putative periodontopathogens (3 species) and 2 non-oral controls (2 species) were studied. The periodontal species were: Prevotella intermedia (n = 4), Prevotella nigrescens (n = 4), and Porphyromonas gingivalis (n = 1). The control species tested were: Staphylococcus aureus (n = 1) and Escherichia coli (n = 1).

RESULTS: The toxicity kill was significantly greater than expected by simple addition alone (P <0.05, Fisher's exact test) between cotinine (800 ng/ml) and 1) the cell-free extracellular toxins of P. nigrescens MH1 and 2) the cell-free cell lysates of P. intermedia MH2. Synergy occurred with cotinine plus the cell-free extracellular toxins in all but 3 periodontal isolates, and the cell-free cell lysates in all but 2 periodontal isolates. Cotinine significantly (P <0.05, Fisher's exact test) enhanced the effects of cell-free extracellular toxins and cell lysates from one control species (E. coli), but not the other (S. aureus).

CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that synergy in an in vitro assay can occur between cotinine and toxins from putative periodontopathogens. This may be one important mechanism by which smoking increases the severity of periodontitis.

Nuclear cataract shows significant familial aggregation in an older population after adjustment for possible shared environmental factors.

PURPOSE: To quantify the association between siblings in age-related nuclear cataract, after adjusting for known environmental and personal risk factors. METHODS: All participants (probands) in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) project and their locally resident siblings underwent digital slit lamp photography and were administered a questionnaire to assess risk factors for cataract including: age, gender, lifetime sun exposure, smoking and diabetes history, and use of alcohol and medications such as estrogens and steroids. In addition, blood pressure, body mass index, and serum antioxidants were measured in all participants. Lens photographs were graded by trained observers masked to the subjects' identity, using the Wilmer Cataract Grading System. The odds ratio for siblings for affectedness with nuclear cataract and the sibling correlation of nuclear cataract grade, after adjusting for covariates, were estimated with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Among 307 probands (mean age, 77.6 +/- 4.5 years) and 434 full siblings (mean age, 72.4 +/- 7.4 years), the average sibship size was 2.7 per family. After adjustment for covariates, the probability of development of nuclear cataract was significantly increased (odds ratio [OR] = 2.07, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-3.30) among individuals with a sibling with nuclear cataract (nuclear grade > or = 3.0). The final fitted model indicated a magnitude of heritability for nuclear cataract of 35.6% (95% CI: 21.0%-50.3%) after adjustment for the covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Findings in this study are consistent with a genetic effect for age-related nuclear cataract, a common and clinically significant form of lens opacity.

Cortical, but not posterior subcapsular, cataract shows significant familial aggregation in an older population after adjustment for possible shared environmental factors.

PURPOSE:

To quantify the risk for age-related cortical cataract and posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) associated with having an affected sibling after adjusting for known environmental and personal risk factors.

DESIGN:

Sibling cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS:

Participants in the ongoing Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) study (n = 321; mean age, 78.1+/-4.2 years) and their locally resident siblings (n = 453; mean age, 72.6+/-7.4 years) were recruited at the time of Rounds 3 and 4 of the SEE study. INTERVENTION/TESTING METHODS: Retroillumination photographs of the lens were graded for the presence of cortical cataract and PSC with the Wilmer grading system. The residual correlation between siblings' cataract grades was estimated after adjustment for a number of factors (age; gender; race; lifetime exposure to ultraviolet-B light; cigarette, alcohol, estrogen, and steroid use; serum antioxidants; history of diabetes; blood pressure; and body mass index) suspected to be associated with the presence of cataract.

RESULTS:

The average sibship size was 2.7 per family. Multivariate analysis revealed the magnitude of heritability (h(2)) for cortical cataract to be 24% (95% CI, 6%-42%), whereas that for PSC was not statistically significant (h(2) 4%; 95% CI, 0%-11%) after adjustment for the covariates. The model revealed that increasing age, female gender, a history of diabetes, and black race increased the odds of cortical cataract, whereas higher levels of provitamin A were protective. A history of diabetes and steroid use increased the odds for PSC.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study is consistent with a significant genetic effect for age-related cortical cataract but not PSC.

Ferroelectric : CNTs structures fabrication for advanced functional nano devices

This work is about the combination of functional ferroelectric oxides with Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes for microelectronic applications, as for example potential 3 Dimensional (3D) Non Volatile Ferroelectric Random Access Memories (NVFeRAM). Miniaturized electronics are ubiquitous now. The drive to downsize electronics has been spurred by needs of more performance into smaller packages at lower costs. But the trend of electronics miniaturization challenges board assembly materials, processes, and reliability. Semiconductor device and integrated circuit technology, coupled with its associated electronic packaging, forms the backbone of high-performance miniaturized electronic systems. However, as size decreases and functionalization increases in the modern electronics further size reduction is getting difficult; below a size limit the signal reliability and device performance deteriorate. Hence miniaturization of siliconbased electronics has limitations. On this background the Road Map for Semiconductor Industry (ITRS) suggests since 2011 alternative technologies, designated as More than Moore; being one of them based on carbon (carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene) [1]. CNTs with their unique performance and three dimensionality at the nano-scale have been regarded as promising elements for miniaturized electronics [2]. CNTs are tubular in geometry and possess a unique set of properties, including ballistic electron transportation and a huge current caring capacity, which make them of great interest for future microelectronics [2]. Indeed CNTs might have a key role in the miniaturization of Non Volatile Ferroelectric Random Access Memories (NVFeRAM). Moving from a traditional two dimensional (2D) design (as is the case of thin films) to a 3D structure (based on a tridimensional arrangement of unidimensional structures) will result in the high reliability and sensing of the signals due to the large contribution from the bottom electrode. One way to achieve this 3D design is by using CNTs. Ferroelectrics (FE) are spontaneously polarized and can have high dielectric constants and interesting pyroelectric, piezoelectric, and electrooptic properties, being a key application of FE electronic memories. However, combining CNTs with FE functional oxides is challenging. It starts with materials compatibility, since crystallization temperature of FE and oxidation temperature of CNTs may overlap. In this case low temperature processing of FE is fundamental. Within this context in this work a systematic study on the fabrication of CNTs - FE structures using low cost low temperature methods was carried out. The FE under study are comprised of lead zirconate titanate (Pb1-xZrxTiO3, PZT), barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) and bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3, BFO). The various aspects related to the fabrication, such as effect on thermal stability of MWCNTs, FE phase formation in presence of MWCNTs and interfaces between the CNTs/FE are addressed in this work. The ferroelectric response locally measured by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) clearly evidenced that even at low processing temperatures FE on CNTs retain its ferroelectric nature. The work started by verifying the thermal decomposition behavior under different conditions of the multiwall CNTs (MWCNTs) used in this work. It was verified that purified MWCNTs are stable up to 420 ºC in air, as no weight loss occurs under non isothermal conditions, but morphology changes were observed for isothermal conditions at 400 ºC by Raman spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In oxygen-rich atmosphere MWCNTs started to oxidized at 200 ºC. However in argon-rich one and under a high heating rate MWCNTs remain stable up to 1300 ºC with a minimum sublimation. The activation energy for the decomposition of MWCNTs in air was calculated to lie between 80 and 108 kJ/mol. These results are relevant for the fabrication of MWCNTs – FE structures. Indeed we demonstrate that PZT can be deposited by sol gel at low temperatures on MWCNTs. And particularly interesting we prove that MWCNTs decrease the temperature and time for formation of PZT by ~100 ºC commensurate with a decrease in activation energy from 68±15 kJ/mol to 27±2 kJ/mol. As a consequence, monophasic PZT was obtained at 575 ºC for MWCNTs - PZT whereas for pure PZT traces of pyrochlore were still present at 650 ºC, where PZT phase formed due to homogeneous nucleation. The piezoelectric nature of MWCNTs - PZT synthesised at 500 ºC for 1 h was proved by PFM. In the continuation of this work we developed a low cost methodology of coating MWCNTs using a hybrid sol-gel / hydrothermal method. In this case the FE used as a proof of concept was BT. BT is a well-known lead free perovskite used in many microelectronic applications. However, synthesis by solid state reaction is typically performed around 1100 to 1300 ºC what jeopardizes the combination with MWCNTs. We also illustrate the ineffectiveness of conventional hydrothermal synthesis in this process due the formation of carbonates, namely BaCO3. The grown MWCNTs - BT structures are ferroelectric and exhibit an electromechanical response (15 pm/V). These results have broad implications since this strategy can also be extended to other compounds of materials with high crystallization temperatures. In addition the coverage of MWCNTs with FE can be optimized, in this case with non covalent functionalization of the tubes, namely with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). MWCNTs were used as templates to grow, in this case single phase multiferroic BFO nanorods. This work shows that the use of nitric solvent results in severe damages of the MWCNTs layers that results in the early oxidation of the tubes during the annealing treatment. It was also observed that the use of nitric solvent results in the partial filling of MWCNTs with BFO due to the low surface tension (<119 mN/m) of the nitric solution. The opening of the caps and filling of the tubes occurs simultaneously during the refluxing step. Furthermore we verified that MWCNTs have a critical role in the fabrication of monophasic BFO; i.e. the oxidation of CNTs during the annealing process causes an oxygen deficient atmosphere that restrains the formation of Bi2O3 and monophasic BFO can be obtained. The morphology of the obtained BFO nano structures indicates that MWCNTs act as template to grow 1D structure of BFO. Magnetic measurements on these BFO nanostructures revealed a week ferromagnetic hysteresis loop with a coercive field of 956 Oe at 5 K. We also exploited the possible use of vertically-aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (VA-MWCNTs) as bottom electrodes for microelectronics, for example for memory applications. As a proof of concept BiFeO3 (BFO) films were in-situ deposited on the surface of VA-MWCNTs by RF (Radio Frequency) magnetron sputtering. For in situ deposition temperature of 400 ºC and deposition time up to 2 h, BFO films cover the VA-MWCNTs and no damage occurs either in the film or MWCNTs. In spite of the macroscopic lossy polarization behaviour, the ferroelectric nature, domain structure and switching of these conformal BFO films was verified by PFM. A week ferromagnetic ordering loop was proved for BFO films on VA-MWCNTs having a coercive field of 700 Oe. Our systematic work is a significant step forward in the development of 3D memory cells; it clearly demonstrates that CNTs can be combined with FE oxides and can be used, for example, as the next 3D generation of FERAMs, not excluding however other different applications in microelectronics.

Polymorphisms at the five exons of gowth hormone gene in the Algarvia Goat. Possible association with milk traits

The present preliminary study attempts to establish associations between milk production traits and genetic polymorphisms at the GH gene in the Algarvia goat. The DNA of 108 goats of the indigenous Portuguese Algarvia breed was evaluated.

Methylamine as true template and TEAOH as purifying agent: unexpected roles of current organic additives in the hydrothermal synthesis of microporous aluminophosphates

Methylamine (MA), TEA+ and water were shown to play a concerted role during the synthesis of two new aluminophosphates IST-1 and IST-2. Both structures start to nucleate after the dramatic change of the gel composition due to preliminary interactions between TEA+ cations.

Assemblage structure and secondary production of mesozooplankton in shallow water volcanic CO2 vents of the Azores

Dissertação de mestrado, Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2015

Assessing the atmospheric oscillations effects on the biology of the bullet tuna (Auxis rochei) and its possible linkage with global warming

Dissertação de mestrado, Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve; Instituto Español de Oceanografia; 2015

Genesis of the brecciated rocks from mid atlantic ridge hydrothermal systems : Lucky Strike (37º50’N) and Menez Gwen (37º50’N)

Tese de doutoramento, Geologia (Metalogenia), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2014

The Occurrence of Ambrosia Pollen in Rzeszów, Kraków and Poznań, Poland: Investigation of Trends and Possible Transport of Ambrosia Pollen from Ukraine

Previous studies have shown that ragweed pollen arrives in Poland from sources in the south, in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria. It is likely that ragweed pollen also arrives from sources in the southeast (e.g. Ukraine). This hypothesis is investigated using 13-years of pollen data and back-trajectory analysis. Ambrosia pollen data were collected at three sites in Poland, Rzeszów, Kraków and Poznań. The amount of ragweed pollen recorded at Rzeszów was significantly higher than in Poznań and Kraków. This can be related to either a higher abundance of local populations of Ambrosia in south-east Poland or the nearness of Rzeszów to foreign sources of ragweed pollen. The combined results of pollen measurements and air mass trajectory calculations identified plumes of Ambrosia pollen that were recorded at Rzeszów, Kraków and Poznań on the 4th and 5th September 1999 and the 3rd September 2002. These plumes arrived at the pollen-monitoring sites from an easterly direction indicating sources of Ambrosia pollen in eastern Poland or Ukraine. This identifies Ukraine as a possible new source of ragweed pollen for Poland and therefore an important source area of Ambrosia pollen on the European Continent.

Constructing Cultural Policies in Romania. A possible model for communicating the national value system

The premise of this paper is that a model for communicating the national value system must start from a strategy aimed at the identification, the cultivation and communication of values that give consistency to the value system. The analysis concentrates on the elements of such strategies and on the implications of applying a value communication program on the identity architecture of the community. The paper will also discuss the role of the national value system in the context of the emerging global culture, where the individual has the power to create his/her own hybrid cultural model.

Smart environment technology as a possible enabler of smart cities

This paper discusses the technology of smart floors as a enabler of smart cities. The discussion will be based on technology that is embedded into the environment that enable location, navigation but also wireless power transmission for powering up elements siting on it, typically mobile devices. One of those examples is the smart floor, this implementation follows two paths, one where the floor is passive, and normally passive RFID's are embedded into the floor, they are used to provide intelligence into the surrounding space, this is normally complemented with a battery powered mobile unit that scans the floor for the sensors and communicates the information to a database which locates the mobile device in the environment. The other path for the smart city enabler is where the floor is active and delivers energy for the objects standing on top of it. In this paper these two approaches will be presented, by discussing the technology behind it. © 2014 IEEE.

Efficiency Comparison of DFT/IDFT Algorithms by Evaluating Diverse Hardware : Implementations,Parallelization Prospectsand Possible Improvements

In this paper we investigate various algorithms for performing Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT)/Inverse Fast Fourier Transformation (IFFT), and proper techniquesfor maximizing the FFT/IFFT execution speed, such as pipelining or parallel processing, and use of memory structures with pre-computed values (look up tables -LUT) or other dedicated hardware components (usually multipliers). Furthermore, we discuss the optimal hardware architectures that best apply to various FFT/IFFT algorithms, along with their abilities to exploit parallel processing with minimal data dependences of the FFT/IFFT calculations. An interesting approach that is also considered in this paper is the application of the integrated processing-in-memory Intelligent RAM (IRAM) chip to high speed FFT/IFFT computing. The results of the assessment study emphasize that the execution speed of the FFT/IFFT algorithms is tightly connected to the capabilities of the FFT/IFFT hardware to support the provided parallelism of the given algorithm. Therefore, we suggest that the basic Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT)/Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) can also provide high performances, by utilizing a specialized FFT/IFFT hardware architecture that can exploit the provided parallelism of the DFT/IDF operations. The proposed improvements include simplified multiplications over symbols given in polar coordinate system, using sinе and cosine look up tables,and an approach for performing parallel addition of N input symbols.