Ferroelectric phase transitions studies in 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8) O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 ceramics

The ferroelectric phase transitions in 0.5Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BCZT 50/50) ceramics,fabricatedbyasolidstatereaction,werestudiedbyusing X-Ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and measuring electric polarization, dielectric permittivity and pyroelectric current. Xraydiffraction(XRD)confirmsthecoexistenceoftetragonal(T) andrhombohedral(R)phasesatroomtemperature.Thetemperature dependence of the Raman modes frequency reveals the existenceoftwophasetransitionscorrespondingtotherhombohedral – tetragonal, and tetragonal - cubic close to 30 and 100 °C, respectively. The temperature dependence of electric polarization,pyroelectriccurrent,anddielectricpermittivityfurther supports theferroelectric (tetragonal) toparaelectric (cubic) phasetransition.Moreover,thedielectricpermittivityrevealsthe diffuseness of the phase transition and is attributed to the compositional fluctuations of different polar micro-regions.

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross-section in proton--proton collisions at s√=7 TeV using 4.5 fb−1 of data with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive jet cross-section is measured in proton--proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.5 fb−1 collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. Jets are identified using the anti-kt algorithm with radius parameter values of 0.4 and 0.6. The double-differential cross-sections are presented as a function of the jet transverse momentum and the jet rapidity, covering jet transverse momenta from 100 GeV to 2 TeV. Next-to-leading-order QCD calculations corrected for non-perturbative effects and electroweak effects, as well as Monte Carlo simulations with next-to-leading-order matrix elements interfaced to parton showering, are compared to the measured cross-sections. A quantitative comparison of the measured cross-sections to the QCD calculations using several sets of parton distribution functions is performed.

Antifungal action of three (Z)-5-amino-N'-aryl-1-methyl-1H-imidazole-4-carbohydrazonamides

[Excerpt] The incidence of fungal infections has greatly increased in patients under sustained immunosuppression with considerable risk associated. Difficulties regarding prompt diagnosis and the limited therapeutic options dictate high mortality rates. Available antifungals display substantial toxicity, a predictable consequence of the cellular structure of the organisms involved, reduced spectrum of activity, and drug interactions. Our group had previously identified three (Z)-5-amino-N'-aryl-1-methyl-1H-imidazole-4-carbohydrazonamides 1 [aryl= phenyl (1a), 4-fluorophenyl (1b), 3fluorophenyl (1c)] as potent antifungal agents.1 (...)

The synthesis of novel 5-aminoimidazoles derivatives with anticancer activity

[Excerpt] The imidazole nucleus is present in a significant number of biomolecules and the inclusion of this moiety in organic scaffolds is considered an important synthetic strategy in drug discovery.[1] 5-Aminoimidazoles are interesting building blocks in medicinal chemistry since they are key components in many bioactive molecules and their derivatives showed a wide pharmacological potential as anticancer drugs.[1] The hydrazones constitute an important class of biological active drug molecules due to their wide range of pharmacological properties that include antitumoral activities.[2] Amidrazone derivatives could be considered very promising in the perspective of new drug discovery, because they are very effective as building blocks to obtain various heterocycles.[2,3] The α-hydrazononitriles are a special case of compounds belonging to the family of hydrazones that is less common in the literature, but has a great interest due to their pharmacological applications.[4] (...)

Changes in peripheral refractive profile after orthokeratology for different degrees of myopia

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of orthokeratology for different degrees of myopia correction in the relative location of tangential (FT) and sagittal (FS) power errors across the central 70 of the visual field in the horizontal meridian. Methods: Thirty-four right eyes of 34 patients with a mean age of 25.2 ± 6.4 years were fitted with Paragon CRT (Mesa, AZ) rigid gas permeable contact lenses to treat myopia (2.15 ± 1.26D, range: 0.88 to 5.25D). Axial and peripheral refraction were measured along the central 70 of the horizontal visual field with the Grand Seiko WAM5500 open-field auto-refractor. Spherical equivalent (M), as well as tangential (FT) and sagittal power errors (FS) were obtained. Analysis was stratified in three groups according to baseline spherical equivalent: Group 1 [MBaseline = 0.88 to 1.50D; n = 11], Group 2 [MBaseline = 1.51 to 2.49D; n = 11], and Group 3 [MBaseline = 2.50 to 5.25D; n = 12]. Results: Spherical equivalent was significantly more myopic after treatment beyond the central 40 of the visual field (p50.001). FT became significantly more myopic for all groups in the nasal and temporal retina with 25 (p 0.017), 30 (p 0.007) and 35 (p 0.004) of eye rotation. Myopic change in FS was less consistent, achieving only statistical significance for all groups at 35 in the nasal and temporal retina (p 0.045). Conclusions: Orthokeratology changes significantly FT in the myopic direction beyond the central 40 of the visual field for all degrees of myopia. Changes induced by orthokeratology in relative peripheral M, FT and FS with 35 of eye rotation were significantly correlated with axial myopia at baseline. Keywords: Field

Monocarboxylate transport inhibition potentiates the cytotoxic effect of 5-fluorouracil in colorectal cancer cells

Cancer cells rely mostly on glycolysis to meet their energetic demands, producing large amounts of lactate that are extruded to the tumour microenvironment by monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs). The role of MCTs in the survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells is scarce and poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to better understand this issue and exploit these transporters as novel therapeutic targets alone or in combination with the CRC classical chemotherapeutic drug 5-Fluorouracil. For that purpose, we characterized the effects of MCT activity inhibition in normal and CRC derived cell lines and assessed the effect of MCT inhibition in combination with 5-FU. Here, we demonstrated that MCT inhibition using CHC (a-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid), DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid) and quercetin decreased cell viability, disrupted the glycolytic phenotype, inhibited proliferation and enhanced cell death in CRC cells. These results were confirmed by specific inhibition of MCT1/4 by RNA interference. Notably, we showed that 5-FU cytotoxicity was potentiated by lactate transport inhibition in CRC cells, either by activity inhibition or expression silencing. These findings provide novel evidence for the pivotal role of MCTs in CRC maintenance and survival, as well as for the use of these transporters as potential new therapeutic targets in combination with CRC conventional therapy.

Erratum to: Measurement of the inclusive jet cross-section in proton-proton collisions at s√=7 TeV using 4.5 fb−1 of data with the ATLAS detector

It was found that the non-perturbative corrections calculated using Pythia with the Perugia 2011 tune did not include the effect of the underlying event. The affected correction factors were recomputed using the Pythia 6.427 generator. These corrections are applied as baseline to the NLO pQCD calculations and thus the central values of the theoretical predictions have changed by a few percent with the new corrections. This has a minor impact on the agreement between the data and the theoretical predictions. Figures 2 and 6 to 13, and all the tables have been updated with the new values. A few sentences in the discussion in sections 5.2 and 9 were altered or removed.

Z boson production in p plus Pb collisions at root S-NN=5.02 TeV measured with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS Collaboration measures the inclusive production of Z bosons via their decays into electron and muon pairs in p+Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. The measurements are made using data corresponding to integrated luminosities of 29.4 and 28.1 nb−1 for Z→ee and Z→μμ, respectively. The results from the two channels are consistent and combined to obtain a cross section times the Z→ℓℓ branching ratio, integrated over the rapidity region ∣∣y∗Z|<3.5, of 139.8±4.8(statistical)±6.2(systematic)±3.8 (luminosity) nb. Differential cross sections are presented as functions of the Z boson rapidity and transverse momentum and compared with models based on parton distributions both with and without nuclear corrections. The centrality dependence of Z boson production in p+Pb collisions is measured and analyzed within the framework of a standard Glauber model and the model's extension for fluctuations of the underlying nucleon-nucleon scattering cross section.

Transtornos mentais comuns em médicos e seu cotidiano de trabalho

OBJETIVO: Comparar o cotidiano de trabalho e a prevalência dos transtornos mentais comuns (TMC) dos médicos que exerciam suas atividades profissionais no serviço de emergência com os da UTI e enfermarias de um hospital geral da rede estadual em Recife, em 2004. MÉTODOS:Estudo de prevalência tendo utilizado como instrumentos um questionário sobre o Cotidiano de Trabalho Médico e o Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20), para identificar os TMC. Foram descritas características demográficas, socioeconômicas e do cotidiano de trabalho dos médicos do hospital. Calculou-se a prevalência global dos TMC e por setor de trabalho. RESULTADOS: Comparando os médicos da emergência com os da UTI e enfermarias, aqueles tinham vínculo empregatício com o Estado (p < 0,0001), múltiplos empregos (p = 0,004), maior carga horária semanal de trabalho (> 71 horas) (p = 0,007), maior sensação de sobrecarga de trabalho (95,74%, p = 0,015) e recebiam no hospital até 5 salários mínimos (p < 0,0001). Embora a diferença não tenha sido estatisticamente significante, a prevalência de TMC foi maior nos médicos da emergência (32,00%), comparando-se aos da UTI (17,65%) e enfermarias (17,54%). CONCLUSÃO: Identificou-se a emergência como setor de maior prevalência de TMC e com médicos vivenciando piores condições de trabalho.

Escala de atitudes frente ao uso de drogas: evidências de validade fatorial e preditiva

OBJETIVO: O presente estudo teve como objetivo conhecer evidências de validade fatorial e preditiva de uma medida de atitudes ante o uso de drogas em geral (EAAUD). MÉTODO: Participaram voluntariamente 276 estudantes universitários de vários cursos, provenientes de uma universidade pública (94,2%) e outra particular (5,8%) da cidade de João Pessoa (PB). Estes tinham idade média de 21 anos (DP = 3,40; 93,5% eram de jovens de 17 a 25 anos), a maioria solteira (91%) e do sexo feminino (65,6%). Além de um conjunto de perguntas demográficas, os participantes preencheram a EAAUD. Esta compreende uma medida formada por quatro itens/adjetivos bipolares (positivo/negativo, gosto/desgosto, bom/ruim e desejável/indesejável) respondidos em escala do tipo diferencial semântico, de 9 pontos, variando de - 4 a + 4. RESULTADOS: De acordo com a análise de componentes principais, um único componente emergiu, com todos os itens apresentando saturação acima de |0,40|; este teve valor próprio de 3,17, explicando 79,3% da variância total. Sua consistência interna (alfa de Cronbach) foi de 0,91. Por meio de regressão logística, comprovou-se que as pontuações na EAAUD predisseram significativamente a condição de ser um usuário de drogas, B = 0,17, Wald (1) = 8,45, p = 0,004. CONCLUSÃO: Tais resultados indicam que esta medida reúne evidências de validade fatorial e preditiva, podendo ser empregada para conhecer o potencial envolvimento dos jovens com drogas. Não obstante, sugerem-se novas pesquisas com amostras maiores e mais diversificadas.

Fatores sociodemográficos e econômicos associados ao tabagismo na população idosa

Objetivos Identificar a condição tabágica dos idosos e verificar os fatores sociodemográficos e econômicos associados ao hábito de fumar nessa população. Métodos Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, transversal, observacional e analítico, com 980 idosos da zona urbana do município de Uberaba-MG. Utilizaram-se os instrumentos Miniexame do Estado Mental (MEEM) e Questionário Brasileiro de Avaliação Funcional e Multidimensional (BOMFAQ). Os idosos foram classificados como tabagistas, ex-tabagistas e não tabagistas de acordo com as Diretrizes para Cessação do Tabagismo. As análises procederam por meio do software SPSS-17. A condição tabágica dos idosos foi descrita por meio de frequências simples e absolutas. Aplicou-se o teste Cramer’s V (p ≤ 0,05) na análise bivariada e em seguida a Regressão Logística Multinomial Múltipla (p ≤ 0,05) ajustados para sexo e faixa etária de acordo com a classificação tabágica. Resultados Encontraram-se 122 (12,4%) idosos tabagistas, 320 (32,7%) ex-tabagistas e 538 (54,9%) não tabagistas. Os idosos tabagistas apresentaram-se com 3,57, 2,36 e 1,82 mais riscos de chances de ser do sexo masculino (p < 0,001), estar na faixa etária de 60 a 69 anos (p = 0,004) e não ter companheiro(a) (p = 0,008), respectivamente. Para os idosos ex-tabagistas, também foi encontrada maior chance de risco (5,34) para o sexo masculino (p < 0,001). Conclusão Os resultados evidenciam que o sexo, a faixa etária e a situação conjugal são fatores associados ao tabagismo na população idosa.

Lewis Score - Prognostic value in patients with isolated small bowel Crohn's disease

Background and aims: Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) allows mapping of small bowel inflammation in Crohn’s disease (CD). We aimed to assess the prognostic value of the severity of inflammatory lesions, quantified by the Lewis score (LS), in patients with isolated small bowel CD. Methods: A retrospective study was performed in which 53 patients with isolated small bowel CD were submitted to SBCE at the time of diagnosis. The Lewis score was calculated and patients had at least 12 months of follow-up after diagnosis. As adverse events we defined disease flare requiring systemic corticosteroid therapy, hospitalization and/or surgery during follow-up. We compared the incidence of adverse events in 2 patient subgroups, i.e. those with moderate or severe inflammatory activity (LS =790) and those with mild inflammatory activity (135 = LS < 790). Results: The LS was =790 in 22 patients (41.5%), while 58.5% presented with LS between 135 and 790. Patients with a higher LS were more frequently smokers (p = 0.01), males (p = 0017) and under immunosuppressive therapy (p = 0.004). In multivariate analysis, moderate to severe disease at SBCE was independently associated with corticosteroid therapy during follow-up, with a relative risk (RR) of 5 (p = 0.011; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5–17.8), and for hospitalization, with an RR of 13.7 (p = 0 .028; 95% CI 1.3–141.9). Conclusion: In patients with moderate to severe inflammatory activity there were higher prevalences of corticosteroid therapy demand and hospitalization during follow-up. Thus, stratifying the degree of small bowel inflammatory activity with SBCE and LS calculation at the time of diagnosis provided relevant prognostic value in patients with isolated small bowel CD.

Nickel(II) complexes of bidentate N-N′ ligands containing mixed pyrazole, pyrimidine and pyridine aromatic rings as catalysts for ethylene polymerisation

This work describes the synthesis and characterisation of Ni(II) complexes of the following neutral bidentate nitrogen ligands containing pyrazole (pz), pyrimidine (pm) and pyridine (py) aromatic rings: 2-pyrazol-1-yl-pyrimidine (pzpm), 2-(4-methyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-pyrimidine (4-Mepzpm), 2-(4-bromo-pyrazol-1-yl)-pyrimidine (4-Brpzpm), 2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-pyrimidine (pz*pm), 2-pyrazol-1-yl-pyridine (pzpy) and bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)phenylmethane (bpz*mph). The complexes [NiBr2(pzpm)] (1), [NiBr2(4-Mepzpm)] (2), [NiBr2(4-Brpzpm)] (3), [NiBr2(pz*pm)] (4), [NiBr2(pzpy)] (5) and [NiBr2(bpz*mph)] (6) were tested as catalysts for ethylene polymerisation, in the presence of the cocatalysts methylaluminoxane (MAO) or diethylaluminium chloride (AlEt2Cl), the catalyst systems 1-3/MAO showing moderate to high activities up to the temperature of 20 °C only in the presence of MAO, whereas 4-6/MAO revealed to be inactive. Other related Pd(II) complexes, already reported in previous works, such as [PdClMe(pzpm)], [PdClMe(pz*pm)], [PdClMe(pzpy)] and [PdClMe(bpz*mph)], also showed to be inactive in the polymerisation of ethylene, when activated by MAO or AlEt2Cl. Selected samples of polyethylene products were characterised by GPC/SEC, 1H and 13C NMR and DSC, showing to be low molecular weight polymers with Mn values ranging from ca. 550 to 1500 g mol−1 and unusually low dispersities of 1.2–1.7, with total branching degrees generally varying between 2 and 12%, melting temperatures from 40 to 120 °C and crystallinities from 40 to 70%.

Ação do mononitrato-5 de isossorbida sublingual durante cinecoronariografia. Comparação com o uso de nitroglicerina sublingual

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito sublingual do mononitrato-5 de isossorbida (MN5IS) e nitroglicerina (NTG) sobre o diâmetro luminal de artérias coronárias epicárdicas, pressão arterial média e efeitos colaterais. MÉTODOS: Cinqüenta pacientes foram submetidos a cateterismo cardíaco e cinecoronariografia, na condição inicial e 5min após administração sublingual de MN5IS grupo A (GA) ou NTG grupo B (GB). RESULTADOS: O diâmetro coronário de referência aumentou em ambos os grupos, sem significância estatística entre os mesmos. Nos GA e GB foram demonstrados uma diminuição (1,66mmHg) e um aumento (0,79mmHg) na pressão arterial média, respectivamente (p=0,123). Não foram observados efeitos colaterais com o uso destas drogas. CONCLUSÃO: MN5IS sublingual é uma alternativa à administração de NTG durante cinecoronariografia e representa uma alternativa terapêutica para o tratamento de doença cardíaca isquêmica.