A Trudinger–Moser inequality in a weighted Sobolev space and applications

We establish a Trudinger–Moser type inequality in a weighted Sobolev space. The inequality is applied in the study of the elliptic equation where , f has exponential critical growth and h belongs to the dual of an appropriate function space. We prove that the problem has at least two weak solutions provided is small.     

Piecewise Linear Time Series Estimation with GRASP

This paper describes a heuristic to build piecewise linear statistical models with multivariate thresholds, based on a Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure (GRASP). GRASP is an iterative randomized sampling technique that has been shown to quickly produce good quality solutions for a wide variety of optimization problems. In this paper we describe a GRASP to sequentially split an n-dimensional space in order to build a piecewise linear time series model.     

Study on the Influence of Waves on Coastal Diffusion Using Image Analysis

A series of novel image analysis techniques have been used to study surf-zone hydrodynamics taking advantage of recent advances in digital processing of images taken from video recordings of the sea surface near the coast. The use of image analysis allows the estimation of both spatial and temporal characteristics of wave fields, surface circulation and mixing in the surf zone. The dispersion of blobs of dye released at different distances from the coastline under very different sea conditions is used to measure surface eddy diffusivities. A preliminary set of field measurements were done in the Ebro Delta where the methodology was tested. Further experiments have been performed at Vilanova, Spain and Recife, Brazil.There is an increase of diffusivity with wave height but only if the wave Reynolds number, Rw, is greater than 10³. No such trend is observed for Rw greater than 10⁶. The other important factors are wind speed and tidal and longshore currents.     

Statistical design analysis of isophorone electrocatalytic hydrogenation: the use of cyclodextrins as inverse phase transfer catalysts

Fundamentals and applications of a 2³ factorial design were performed for assessing the influence of the cyclodextrin (CyD) type, concentration and encapsulation time on the electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) of isophorone. Electrolysis were carried out using nickel as electrocatalyst and sacrificial anode. A discussion of model validation is presented. The analysis of the results showed that the most significant factors to the conversion rate were the CyD type and concentration, with 3 mmol dm^?3 of βCyD giving the best results. The isophorone C=C hydrogenation yield, in the presence of βCyD, was 28 % higher than in its absence, and it is comparable to those obtained by other well-established ECH procedures in terms of hydrogenation yield, selectivity and current efficiency.     

Improvement of bioactive metabolite production in microbial cultures—A systems approach by OSMAC and deconvolution-based 1HNMR quantification

Traditionally, the screening of metabolites in microbial matrices is performed by monocultures. Nonetheless, the absence of biotic and abiotic interactions generally observed in nature still limit the chemical diversity and leads to “poorer” chemical profiles. Nowadays, several methods have been developed to determine the conditions under which cryptic genes are activated, in an attempt to induce these silenced biosynthetic pathways. Among those, the one strain, many compounds (OSMAC) strategy has been applied to enhance metabolic production by a systematic variation of growth parameters. The complexity of the chemical profiles from OSMAC experiments has required increasingly robust and accurate techniques. In this sense, deconvolution-based ¹HNMR quantification have emerged as a promising methodology to decrease complexity and provide a comprehensive perspective for metabolomics studies. Our present work shows an integrated strategy for the increased production and rapid quantification of compounds from microbial sources. Specifically, an OSMAC design of experiments (DoE) was used to optimize the microbial production of bioactive fusaric acid, cytochalasin D and 3-nitropropionic acid, and Global Spectral Deconvolution (GSD)-based ¹HNMR quantification was carried out for their measurement. The results showed that OSMAC increased the production of the metabolites by up to 33% and that GSD was able to extract accurate NMR integrals even in heavily coalescence spectral regions. Moreover, GSD-¹HNMR quantification was reproducible for all species and exhibited validated results that were more selective and accurate than comparative methods. Overall, this strategy up-regulated important metabolites using a reduced number of experiments and provided fast analyte monitor directly in raw extracts.     

Comparison of Different Reweighting Approaches for the Calculation of Conformational Variability of Macromolecules from Molecular Simulations

Conformational variability and heterogeneity are crucial determinants of the function of biological macromolecules. The possibility of accessing this information experimentally suffers from severe under-determination of the problem, since there are a few experimental observables to be accounted for by a (potentially) infinite number of available conformational states. Several computational methods have been proposed over the years in order to circumvent this theoretically insurmountable obstacle. A large share of these strategies is based on reweighting an initial conformational ensemble which arises from, for example, molecular simulations of different qualities and levels of theory. In this work, we compare the outcome of three reweighting approaches based on radically different views of the conformational heterogeneity problem, namely Maximum Entropy, Maximum Parsimony and Maximum Occurrence, and we do so using the same experimental data. In this comparison we find both expected as well as unexpected similarities.     

Performance of collagen-based matrices from Nile tilapia skin: A pilot proteomic study in a murine model of wound healing

Full-thickness cutaneous trauma, due to the lack of dermis, leads to difficulty in epithelialization by keratinocytes, developing a fibrotic scar, with less elasticity than the original skin, which may have disorders in predisposed individuals, resulting in hypertrophic scar and keloids. Biomedical materials have excellent characteristics, such as good biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, which can temporarily replace traditional materials used as primary dressings. In this work, we developed two dermal matrices based on Nile tilapia collagen, with (M_GAG) and without (M) glycosaminoglycans, using a sugarcane polymer membrane as a matrix support. To assess the molecular mechanisms driving wound healing, we performed qualitative proteomic analysis on the wound bed in an in vivo study involving immunocompetent murine models at 14 and 21 days post-full-thickness skin injury. Gene Ontology and Pathway analysis revealed that both skins were markedly represented by modulation of the immune system, emphasizing controlling the acute inflammation response at 14 and 21 days post-injury. Furthermore, both groups showed significant enrichment of pathways related to RNA and protein metabolism, suggesting an increase in protein synthesis required for tissue repair and proper wound closure. Other pathways, such as keratinization and vitamin D3 metabolism, were also enriched in the groups treated with M matrix. Finally, both matrices improved wound healing in a full post-thick skin lesion. However, our preliminary molecular data reveals that the collagen-mediated healing matrix lacking glycosaminoglycan (M) exhibited a phenotype more favorable to tissue repair, making it more suitable for use before skin grafts.     

Biocidal Activity of a Nanoemulsion Containing Essential Oil from Protium heptaphyllum Resin against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

This work aimed to prepare a nanoemulsion containing the essential oil of the Protium heptaphyllum resin and evaluate its biocidal activities against the different stages of development of the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Ovicide, pupicide, adulticide and repellency assays were performed. The main constituents were p-cymene (27.70%) and α-pinene (22.31%). The developed nanoemulsion showed kinetic stability and monomodal distribution at a hydrophilic–lipophilic balance of 14 with a droplet size of 115.56 ± 1.68 nn and a zeta potential of −29.63 ± 3.46 mV. The nanoemulsion showed insecticidal action with LC₅₀ 0.404 µg·mL⁻¹ for the ovicidal effect. In the pupicidal test, at the concentration of 160 µg·mL⁻¹, 100% mortality was reached after 24 h. For adulticidal activity, a diagnostic concentration of 200 µg·mL⁻¹ (120 min) was determined. In the repellency test, a concentration of 200 µg·mL⁻¹ during the 180 min of the test showed a protection index of 77.67%. In conclusion, the nanobiotechnological product derived from the essential oil of P. heptaphyllum resin can be considered as a promising colloid that can be used to control infectious disease vectors through a wide range of possible modes of applications, probably as this bioactive delivery system may allow the optimal effect of the P. heptaphyllum terpenes in aqueous media and may also induce satisfactory delivery to air interfaces.     

Pharmaceutical compatibility of dexamethasone with excipients commonly used in solid oral dosage forms

Dexamethasone is a glucocorticoid drug used for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, some cancers, and several other pathologies. It is widely marketed worldwide especially under solid dosage forms. This study aimed to assess its compatibility with solid pharmaceutical excipients. Compatibility study was conducted through the preparation of binary mixtures (1:1, w/w) of dexamethasone with 12 selected excipients. Binary mixtures were analyzed by thermoanalytical techniques (thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. TG curves pointed only slight anticipations of dexamethasone decomposition. DTA curves showed interactions signs with microcrystalline cellulose 101 and 102, magnesium stearate, mannitol, and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Drug infrared absorption profile was not affected by the mixture with most excipients. X-ray diffractograms of all binary mixtures did not exhibit signs of interactions with changes of dexamethasone crystalline state. These results pointed that the interactions found by DTA technique were probably heat-induced. Therefore, the above-mentioned excipients should be carefully used in solid dosage forms with heat-based manufacturing processes.