| 1. |
- Ferrando, Carlos, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of oxygen on post-surgical infections during an individualised perioperative open-lung ventilatory strategy : a randomised controlled trial
- 2020
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Ingår i: British Journal of Anaesthesia. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 0007-0912 .- 1471-6771. ; 124:1, s. 110-120
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: We aimed to examine whether using a high fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) in the context of an individualised intra- and postoperative open-lung ventilation approach could decrease surgical site infection (SSI) in patients scheduled for abdominal surgery. Methods: We performed a multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial in a network of 21 university hospitals from June 6, 2017 to July 19, 2018. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive a high (0.80) or conventional (0.3) FIO2 during the intraoperative period and during the first 3 postoperative hours. All patients were mechanically ventilated with an open-lung strategy, which included recruitment manoeuvres and individualised positive end-expiratory pressure for the best respiratory-system compliance, and individualised continuous postoperative airway pressure for adequate peripheral oxyhaemoglobin saturation. The primary outcome was the prevalence of SSI within the first 7 postoperative days. The secondary outcomes were composites of systemic complications, length of intensive care and hospital stay, and 6-month mortality. Results: We enrolled 740 subjects: 371 in the high FIO2 group and 369 in the low FIO2 group. Data from 717 subjects were available for final analysis. The rate of SSI during the first postoperative week did not differ between high (8.9%) and low (9.4%) FIO2 groups (relative risk [RR]: 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-1.50; P=0.90]). Secondary outcomes, such as atelectasis (7.7% vs 9.8%; RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.48-1.25; P=0.38) and myocardial ischaemia (0.6% [n=2] vs 0% [n=0]; P=0.47) did not differ between groups. Conclusions: An oxygenation strategy using high FIO2 compared with conventional FIO2 did not reduce postoperative SSIs in abdominal surgery. No differences in secondary outcomes or adverse events were found.
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| 2. |
- Sumaila, U. Rashid, et al.
(författare)
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WTO must ban harmful fisheries subsidies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 374:6567, s. 544-544
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 3. |
- Arun, K. G., et al.
(författare)
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New horizons for fundamental physics with LISA
- 2022
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Ingår i: Living Reviews in Relativity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1433-8351 .- 2367-3613. ; 25:1
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) has the potential to reveal wonders about the fundamental theory of nature at play in the extreme gravity regime, where the gravitational interaction is both strong and dynamical. In this white paper, the Fundamental Physics Working Group of the LISA Consortium summarizes the current topics in fundamental physics where LISA observations of gravitational waves can be expected to provide key input. We provide the briefest of reviews to then delineate avenues for future research directions and to discuss connections between this working group, other working groups and the consortium work package teams. These connections must be developed for LISA to live up to its science potential in these areas.
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| 4. |
- Beal, Jacob, et al.
(författare)
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Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density
- 2020
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2399-3642. ; 3:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data.
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| 5. |
- Carvilhe, Claudio, et al.
(författare)
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Teaching Introductory Game Audio to Undergraduate Students Using a Novel Digital Game Template
- 2024
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU. - Setúbal : SciTePress. - 9789897586972 ; , s. 178-189
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper we describe the PUCPR SOUND GAME (PSG): a digital game template that was developed in order to provide support for the game audio introductory teaching to undergraduate students of Digital Games. To use the game, the student does not need to have prior knowledge of art, design or even digital game programming. It was developed to abstract them from these matters, allowing them to create, test, and refine sound effects and music by easily changing files in the game template folder. From the teacher’s point of view, the game speeds up the monitoring and feedback process since the productions are centralised in a single place. The evaluation process is facilitated: the teacher is responsible for running the game containing the complete sound package of each student, identifying whether or not it meets the established criteria. We also present a thorough evaluation of eight different offerings of the module, being 4 without using PSG and 4 using PSG. The 8 offerings had the same learning objectives and were taught by the same teacher. The analysis of the results shows that there was a significant improvement in student learning and a reduction in the number of failing students when using PSG. Copyright © 2024 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda.
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| 6. |
- Daca, Chanvo Salvador Lucas, 1976-
(författare)
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Making the connections : understanding inequalities in reproductive and child health in Mozambique
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: In Mozambique, despite significant socio-economic and health system challenges, there has been progress in reproductive and child health in recent years. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive studies that thoroughly unravel the socio-economic determinants of health and health inequalities in the country.The overall aim of this thesis was to understand the socio-economic and geographic inequalities in reproductive and child health with the intention of informing and optimizing the implementation of targeted health programmes in Mozambique.Methods: This thesis is based on three sub-studies that used data obtained from population-based health surveys. In sub-study I, prevalence ratios (PRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated by log binomial regression to assess the relationship of socio-economic, demographic, and geographic characteristics with three outcomes of interest: insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs), child immunization coverage and modern contraceptive use. Sub-study II used the concentration index (Cindex) and decomposition analysis to assess the socio-economic and regional contributions to the wealth inequality in health preventive care. Sub-study III estimated absolute risk differences and the slope index of inequality (SII) as the measures of association between the socio-economic variables and the outcomes (ITN use, fever treatment and Fansidar prophylaxis) for the 2015 and 2018 surveys, as well as for the differences between the two time points.Results: The proportion of mothers with at least one child aged under five years that did not use an ITN was 51.01%, while 46.25% of women had children aged one to four years who were not fully immunized and 74.28% of women did not use modern contraceptives. Non-educated mothers and residents of the southern region were more likely to report not using an ITN (PR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.17–1.59), while those in the lowest wealth quintile had a higher chance of having children who were not fully immunized (PR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.04–1.71). Similarly, non-educated mothers (PR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.10–1.25), non-working women (PR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04–1.16) and those in the poorest wealth quintile (PR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.04–1.24) were more likely to not use modern contraception (sub-study I). Sub-study II found a Cindex of -0.081 for non-ITN, -0.189 for a lack of vaccination coverage and -0.284 for non-contraceptive use, showing a worse health outcome among the poorest population. The study revealed that 88.41% of the wealth gap for ITNs was explained by socio-economic factors, with education and wealth playing the largest roles. With regard to the lack of full vaccination, socio-economic factors (47.74%), particularly the wealth quintile (35.79%), emerged as the predominant contributor to the inequality. Similarly, socio-economic factors (39.39%) were also the main explanatory factors for the lack of contraceptive use, but to a lesser degree than for the other two outcomes (sub-study II). Access to health preventive activities increased in all of the three studied outcomes between 2015 and 2018. Significant reductions in ITN inequality were observed for all socio-economic variables, but no decrease of inequalities in fever treatment and Fansidar prophylaxis was found over time (sub-study III).Conclusion: This thesis revealed that bed net use and immunization coverage among children, and modern contraceptive use among women, were notably low. There was inequality, concentrated among the poor, in reproductive and child preventive measures. The greater part of this inequality could be attributed to low wealth and education, as well as to residence in rural areas. Reductions in socio-economic inequalities between 2015 and 2018 were observed for ITN use but not for fever treatment or malaria prophylaxis. Based on these findings, achieving universal health coverage in Mozambique will require an equitable resource distribution among rural regions, increased community education on health preventative measures and health service expansion to socio-economically disadvantaged households.
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| 7. |
- de Mello, Lucas R., et al.
(författare)
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Amyloid-like Self-Assembly of a Hydrophobic Cell-Penetrating Peptide and Its Use as a Carrier for Nucleic Acids
- 2021
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Bio Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2576-6422. ; 4:8, s. 6404-6416
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a topical subject potentially exploitable for creating nanotherapeutics for the delivery of bioactive loads. These compounds are often classified into three major categories according to their physicochemical characteristics: cationic, amphiphilic, and hydrophobic. Among them, the group of hydrophobic CPPs has received increasing attention in recent years due to toxicity concerns posed by highly cationic CPPs. The hexapeptide PFVYLI (P, proline; F, phenylalanine; V, valine; Y, tyrosine; L, leucine; and I, isoleucine), a fragment derived from the C-terminal portion of alpha 1-antitrypsin, is a prototypal example of hydrophobic CPP. This sequence shows reduced cytotoxicity and a capacity of nuclear localization, and its small size readily hints at its suitability as a building block to construct nanostructured materials. In this study, we examine the self-assembling properties of PFVYLI and investigate its ability to form noncovalent complexes with nucleic acids. By using a combination of biophysical tools including synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy, we discovered that this CPP self-assembles into discrete nanofibrils with remarkable amyloidogenic features. Over the course of days, these fibrils coalesce into rodlike crystals that easily reach the micrometer range. Despite lacking cationic residues in the composition, PFVYLI forms noncovalent complexes with nucleic acids that retain beta-sheet pairing found in amyloid aggregates. In vitro vectorization experiments performed with doublestranded DNA fragments indicate that complexes promote the internalization of nucleic acids, revealing that tropism toward cell membranes is preserved upon complexation. On the other hand, transfection assays with splice-correction oligonucleotides (SCOs) for luciferase expression show limited bioactivity across a narrow concentration window, suggesting that the propensity to form amyloidogenic aggregates may trigger endosomal entrapment. We anticipate that the findings presented here open perspectives for using this archetypical hydrophobic CPP in the fabrication of nanostructured scaffolds, which potentially integrate properties of amyloids and translocation capabilities of CPPs.
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| 8. |
- de Oliveira, Fabio Carlos Lucas, et al.
(författare)
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Association between the level of partial foot amputation and gait: a scoping review with implications for the minimum impairment criteria for wheelchair tennis
- 2022
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Ingår i: British journal of sports medicine. - : BMJ. - 1473-0480 .- 0306-3674.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective This scoping review examines how different levels and types of partial foot amputation affect gait and explores how these findings may affect the minimal impairment criteria for wheelchair tennis.Methods Four databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus) were systematically searched in February 2021 for terms related to partial foot amputation and ambulation. The search was updated in February 2022. All study designs investigating gait-related outcomes in individuals with partial foot amputation were included and independently screened by two reviewers based on Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews.Results Twenty-nine publications with data from 252 participants with partial foot amputation in 25 studies were analysed. Toe amputations were associated with minor gait abnormalities, and great toe amputations caused loss of push-off in a forward and lateral direction. Metatarsophalangeal amputations were associated with loss of stability and decreased gait speed. Ray amputations were associated with decreased gait speed and reduced lower extremity range of motion. Transmetatarsal amputations and more proximal amputations were associated with abnormal gait, substantial loss of power generation across the ankle and impaired mobility.Conclusions Partial foot amputation was associated with various gait changes, depending on the type of amputation. Different levels and types of foot amputation are likely to affect tennis performance. We recommend including first ray, transmetatarsal, Chopart and Lisfranc amputations in the minimum impairment criteria, excluding toe amputations (digits two to five), and we are unsure whether to include or exclude great toe, ray (two to five) and metatarsophalangeal amputations.Trial registration The protocol of this scoping review was previously registered at the Open Science Framework Registry (https://osf.io/8gh9y) and published.
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| 9. |
- Falster, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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AusTraits, a curated plant trait database for the Australian flora
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scientific Data. - : Nature Portfolio. - 2052-4463. ; 8:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We introduce the AusTraits database - a compilation of values of plant traits for taxa in the Australian flora (hereafter AusTraits). AusTraits synthesises data on 448 traits across 28,640 taxa from field campaigns, published literature, taxonomic monographs, and individual taxon descriptions. Traits vary in scope from physiological measures of performance (e.g. photosynthetic gas exchange, water-use efficiency) to morphological attributes (e.g. leaf area, seed mass, plant height) which link to aspects of ecological variation. AusTraits contains curated and harmonised individual- and species-level measurements coupled to, where available, contextual information on site properties and experimental conditions. This article provides information on version 3.0.2 of AusTraits which contains data for 997,808 trait-by-taxon combinations. We envision AusTraits as an ongoing collaborative initiative for easily archiving and sharing trait data, which also provides a template for other national or regional initiatives globally to fill persistent gaps in trait knowledge.
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| 10. |
- Gyger, Samuel, et al.
(författare)
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On-chip integration of reconfigurable quantum photonics with superconducting photodetectors
- 2021
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Ingår i: 2021 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, CLEO 2021 - Proceedings. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc..
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Scaling up quantum optics experiments requires on-chip reconfigurable quantum photonics, but their integration with detectors is a challenge. We show microelectrome-chanical reconfiguration of photonic circuits with on-chip superconducting single-photon detectors and demonstrate key applications.
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| 11. |
- Gyger, Samuel, et al.
(författare)
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Reconfigurable photonics with on-chip single-photon detectors
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Integrated quantum photonics offers a promising path to scale up quantum optics experiments by miniaturizing and stabilizing complex laboratory setups. Central elements of quantum integrated photonics are quantum emitters, memories, detectors, and reconfigurable photonic circuits. In particular, integrated detectors not only offer optical readout but, when interfaced with reconfigurable circuits, allow feedback and adaptive control, crucial for deterministic quantum teleportation, training of neural networks, and stabilization of complex circuits. However, the heat generated by thermally reconfigurable photonics is incompatible with heat-sensitive superconducting single-photon detectors, and thus their on-chip co-integration remains elusive. Here we show low-power microelectromechanical reconfiguration of integrated photonic circuits interfaced with superconducting single-photon detectors on the same chip. We demonstrate three key functionalities for photonic quantum technologies: 28 dB high-extinction routing of classical and quantum light, 90 dB high-dynamic range single-photon detection, and stabilization of optical excitation over 12 dB power variation. Our platform enables heat-load free reconfigurable linear optics and adaptive control, critical for quantum state preparation and quantum logic in large-scale quantum photonics applications. Integrated photonics are promising to scale up quantum optics. Here the authors combine low-power microelectromechanical control and superconducting single-photon detectors on the same chip and demonstrate routing, high-dynamic-range detection, and power stabilization.
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| 12. |
- Leroux, Juliette, et al.
(författare)
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Mapping the electronic transitions of protonation sites in peptides using soft X-ray action spectroscopy
- 2023
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Ingår i: Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics - PCCP. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 1463-9076 .- 1463-9084. ; 25:37, s. 25603-25618
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Near-edge X-ray absorption mass spectrometry (NEXAMS) around the nitrogen and oxygen K-edges was employed on gas-phase peptides to probe the electronic transitions related to their protonation sites, namely at basic side chains, the N-terminus and the amide oxygen. The experimental results are supported by replica exchange molecular dynamics and density-functional theory and restricted open-shell configuration with single calculations to attribute the transitions responsible for the experimentally observed resonances. We studied five tailor-made glycine-based pentapeptides, where we identified the signature of the protonation site of N-terminal proline, histidine, lysine and arginine, at 406 eV, corresponding to N 1s & RARR; & sigma;*(NHx+) (x = 2 or 3) transitions, depending on the peptides. We compared the spectra of pentaglycine and triglycine to evaluate the sensitivity of NEXAMS to protomers. Separate resonances have been identified to distinguish two protomers in triglycine, the protonation site at the N-terminus at 406 eV and the protonation site at the amide oxygen characterized by a transition at 403.1 eV.
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| 13. |
- Rodrigues, Danielle Matias, et al.
(författare)
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A green approach to biomass residue valorization : bacterial nanocellulose production from agro-industrial waste
- 2024
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Ingår i: Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology. - : Elsevier. - 1878-8181. ; 56
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article aims to offer a detailed review of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), addressing its growing global relevance and exploring sustainable approaches through the use of agro-industrial residues as viable cultivation alternatives. BNC is a biopolymer produced by different microorganisms, with Komagateibacter xylinum being the most commonly used in this process. Its distinction in relation to vegetable cellulose lies mainly in its nanometric properties, such as water retention capacity, large surface area and structural resistance. The search for alternative sources has been explored for the large-scale production of biopolymers such as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and exopolysaccharides (EPS) from lignocellulosic biomass. The application of different residues from agroindustry, food and forestry as a source of carbon and nutrients in the biosynthesis of BNC has proven to be a promising strategy to make the production process economically viable. A significant advantage of the BNC biosynthesis process is the virtually natural purity of the cellulose produced, eliminating the need for expensive purification steps. There has been a significant increase in the number of patents related to the use of lignocellulosic biomass, filed by academic institutions and private companies in the last five years. In this context, this study condenses the fundamental principles of BNC, offers a trend analysis through bibliometric review and investigates the current panorama in BNC production, as well as its diverse applications in a wide range of sectors, such as medicine (medical devices, tissue engineering), packaging (biodegradable films, coatings), textiles (smart materials, functional fabrics), construction (sustainable materials), electronics (flexible electronic components) and other innovative areas that benefit from the unique properties of bacterial nanocellulose.
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| 14. |
- Rodrigues-Junior, Gilberto, et al.
(författare)
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Direct observation of large strain through van der Waals gaps on epitaxial B i2 T e3 /graphite : Pseudomorphic relaxation and the role of B i2 layers on the B ix T ey topological insulator series
- 2020
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Ingår i: Physical Review Materials. - 2475-9953. ; 4:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Layered materials can usually grow without strain on top of distinct substrates if the only interaction between them is due to van der Waals forces. In such a scenario it would be expected that the heterointerface made up of weak bounds would not affect the overlayed material significantly for several large lattice-mismatched systems. Here we have studied the first stages of the heteroepitaxial growth of layered bismuth telluride topological insulator on top of highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) by molecular beam epitaxy. Samples were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. AFM images show hexagonal/triangular flat islands with exposed HOPG areas for the low coverage regime, and the lattice parameter of these Bi2Te3 structures were measured by XRD. The existence of pseudomorphic strain at the initial Bi2Te3 layers was retrieved by both XRD and Raman spectroscopy. We have found evidence that Bi2Te3 layers near the interface are subject to an in-plane compressive strain, leading to a pseudomorphic out-of-plane lattice expansion. Furthermore, the presence of Bi2Te3 islands locally distorts the topmost layer of HOPG, resulting in tensile strain which was measured by Raman spectroscopy. The observed relaxation of 0.1-0.2% for each van der Waals gap is used to calculate elastic constants of Bi2 bilayers, which are crucial building blocks for the formation of other BixTey topological insulator compounds. Finally, the impact of such a strain in Bi2Te3 electronic structure was investigated by density functional theory calculations. The results show that the band structure of this strained material remains unchanged at the center of the Brillouin zone, confirming the robustness of surface states, but it is consistently affected at the M and K zone edges.
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| 15. |
- Sousa, Ronaldo, et al.
(författare)
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The role of anthropogenic habitats in freshwater mussel conservation
- 2021
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Ingår i: Global Change Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 27, s. 2298-2314
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Anthropogenic freshwater habitats may provide undervalued prospects for long-term conservation as part of species conservation planning. This fundamental, but overlooked, issue requires attention considering the pace that humans have been altering natural freshwater ecosystems and the accelerated levels of biodiversity decline in recent decades. We compiled 709 records of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia, Unionida) inhabiting a broad variety of anthropogenic habitat types (from small ponds to large reservoirs and canals) and reviewed their importance as refuges for this faunal group. Most records came from Europe and North America, with a clear dominance of canals and reservoirs. The dataset covered 228 species, including 34 threatened species on the IUCN Red List. We discuss the conservation importance and provide guidance on how these anthropogenic habitats could be managed to provide optimal conservation value to freshwater mussels. This review also shows that some of these habitats may function as ecological traps owing to conflicting management practices or because they act as a sink for some populations. Therefore, anthropogenic habitats should not be seen as a panacea to resolve conservation problems. More information is necessary to better understand the trade-offs between human use and the conservation of freshwater mussels (and other biota) within anthropogenic habitats, given the low number of quantitative studies and the strong biogeographic knowledge bias that persists.
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| 16. |
- Zeuner, Katharina, et al.
(författare)
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On-Demand Generation of Entangled Photon Pairs in the Telecom C-Band with InAs Quantum Dots
- 2021
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Ingår i: ACS Photonics. - : AMER CHEMICAL SOC. - 2330-4022. ; 8:8, s. 2337-2344
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Entangled photons are an integral part in quantum optics experiments and a key resource in quantum imaging, quantum communication, and photonic quantum information processing. Making this resource available on-demand has been an ongoing scientific challenge with enormous progress in recent years. Of particular interest is the potential to transmit quantum information over long distances, making photons the only reliable flying qubit. Entangled photons at the telecom C-band could be directly launched into single-mode optical fibers, enabling worldwide quantum communication via existing telecommunication infrastructure. However, the on-demand generation of entangled photons at this desired wavelength window has been elusive. Here, we show a photon pair generation efficiency of 69.9 +/- 3.6% in the telecom C-band by an InAs/GaAs semiconductor quantum dot on a metamorphic buffer layer. Using a robust phonon-assisted two-photon excitation scheme we measure a maximum concurrence of 91.4 +/- 3.8% and a peak fidelity to the Phi(+) state of 95.2 +/- 1.1%, verifying on-demand generation of strongly entangled photon pairs and marking an important milestone for interfacing quantum light sources with our classical fiber networks.
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