Emergent Properties of Tumor Microenvironment in a Real-life Model of Multicell Tumor Spheroids

Multicellular tumor spheroids are an important {\it in vitro} model of the pre-vascular phase of solid tumors, for sizes well below the diagnostic limit: therefore a biophysical model of spheroids has the ability to shed light on the internal workings and organization of tumors at a critical phase of their development. To this end, we have developed a computer program that integrates the behavior of individual cells and their interactions with other cells and the surrounding environment. It is based on a quantitative description of metabolism, growth, proliferation and death of single tumor cells, and on equations that model biochemical and mechanical cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. The program reproduces existing experimental data on spheroids, and yields unique views of their microenvironment. Simulations show complex internal flows and motions of nutrients, metabolites and cells, that are otherwise unobservable with current experimental techniques, and give novel clues on tumor development and strong hints for future therapies.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in PLOS One. The published version contains links to a supplementary text and three video file

Global civil society : the rise of a new global actor?

O objectivo deste artigo é fornecer algumas perspectivas reflexivas sobre as origens políticas do processo epistemológico, conduzindo à noção ontológica de Sociedade Civil Global (SCG). Partindo desta perspectiva, a SCG é descrita como uma construção social inerente à dinâmica da globalização. Transformou-se numa referência social derivada das percepções cognitivas adquiridas e baseadas, na recolha de informação dos Media e de outras fontes de dados. Enquanto conceito teórico, a SCG adaptou-se estrategicamente ao objectivo político de controlo da crescente diversificação de expressões, do conhecimento acerca de um ambiente social transnacional. O papel de comunidades epistemológicas e de outras comunidades de inovação tais como os “think tanks” e “coligações” de discurso, é analisado e avaliado. De uma perspectiva da teoria das relações internacionais, são fornecidos argumentos porque é que a SCG não pode ser considerada como um actor global, e também, como e porque é que a SCG tende a ser equacionada política e socialmente com os movimentos de resistência e/ou de anti-globalização, sublinhando alguns dos efeitos multidimensionais que originam estas ligações conceptuais e o seu nexo causal. A definição vaga e fraca de SCG, e os contornos sociais da noção em constante desenvolvimento, conduzem ao caos do seu significado conceptual, operacional e analítico, assim como a uma diversidade de lealdades múltiplas, flexíveis, simultaneamente transitórias e diversificadas, incluindo tacticamente o tempo e o espaço, fornecendo assim uma função estratégica instrumental atribuída a este conceito orientado para a resolução de problemas

The 3rd International Conference on the Challenges, Opportunities, Innovations and Applications in Electronic Textiles

This reprint is a collection of papers from the E-Textiles 2021 Conference and represents the state-of-the-art from both academia and industry in the development of smart fabrics that incorporate electronic and sensing functionality. The reprint presents a wide range of applications of the technology including wearable textile devices for healthcare applications such as respiratory monitoring and functional electrical stimulation. Manufacturing approaches include printed smart materials, knitted e-textiles and flexible electronic circuit assembly within fabrics and garments. E-textile sustainability, a key future requirement for the technology, is also considered. Supplying power is a constant challenge for all wireless wearable technologies and the collection includes papers on triboelectric energy harvesting and textile-based water-activated batteries. Finally, the application of textiles antennas in both sensing and 5G wireless communications is demonstrated, where different antenna designs and their response to stimuli are presented

Healthcare in the Smart Home: A Study of Past, Present and Future

Open Access journalUbiquitous or Pervasive Computing is an increasingly used term throughout the technology industry and is beginning to enter the consumer electronics space in its most recent form under the umbrella term: “Internet of Things”. One area of focus is in augmenting the home with intelligent, networked sensors and computers to create a Smart Home which opens a host of possibilities for the role of tomorrow’s dwelling. As the world’s population continues to live longer and consequently experience more medical-related ailments, at the same time institutional healthcare is struggling to cope, the role of the Smart Home becomes paramount to monitoring a dweller’s health and providing any necessary intervention. This study looks at the history of Smart Home Healthcare, current research areas, and potential areas of future investigation. Unique categorisations are presented in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Personal Sensors, and a thorough look at the application of Smart Home Healthcare is presented. Technology can augment traditional methods of healthcare delivery and in some cases completely replace it. Costs can be reduced and medical adherence can be increased, all of which contribute to a more sustainable and effective model of care

End-user quality characteristics and preferences for cassava, yam and banana products in rural and urban areas - a review

Open Access JournalThe review attempted to evaluate the quality attributes and the preferred selected roots, tubers, and bananas (RTB) items (gari/eba, lafun, yam flour, pounded yam, boiled yam, and plantain flour) among the end-users in Nigeria’s rural, peri-urban, and urban segments. The results showed that depending on location, consumers’ preferred quality attributes of gari in the rural area are dry, bright/shiny, white, sweet, dense, fine, cooked aroma and sour/sweet gari. Cooked yam attributes include white or cream colour, soft, sticky to the touch, non-fibrous texture, easy chewing, crumbly/friable texture, sweet taste, and pleasant odor. Stretchy, moldable, non-sticky, smooth, moderately soft/hard, and pleasant aroma is a high-quality pounded yam. Plantains fingers of medium to large size, light yellow pulp, no black marks on the peel, firm texture, a medium intensity aroma and flavor, medium sweet fruits, and a shelf-life of 7–9 days under room temperature were preferred by consumers. Consumers also prefer plantain amala which is mouldable, smooth, and stretchable. This review provides preliminary details on consumer desired attributes of the selected RTB products in rural and urban areas with a shortage of data on the peri-urban consumer preference. Thus, detailed information on peri-urban consumer preferences should be studied further and correlated with the rural-urban consumer preferences for RTB products

End-of-life implications of electronic textiles - Assessment of a converging technology

Contemporary innovation in the converging technology sectors of electronics and textile aims at augmenting functionality of textiles, making them “smart”. That is, integrating electronic functions such as sensing, data processing, and networking into wearable products. Embedding electronic devices into textiles results in a novel category of products: electronic textiles (e-textiles). Whereas researchers and innovators are pushing forward technological development little attention has been paid to the end-of-life implications of such future products. E-textiles may not only entail promising business opportunities but also adverse environmental impacts. This study examines potential end-of-life implications, which could emerge once future e-textiles are disposed of. Using the methodological framework of technology assessment an overview of current innovation processes for e-textiles is established and an outlook on future applications areas is provided. Further, information on technologies and materials composition of e-textiles is mapped as a basis for assessing the prospective implications at the end of their useful life. The findings suggest that widespread application of e-textiles could result in the emergence of a new waste stream. There are various parallels to electronic waste, which causes profound environmental problems nowadays. Risks include potential release of toxic substances during the disposal phase. And, loss of scarce materials is to be expected if no recycling takes place. This would accelerate the depletion of resources. Recycling of textile integrated electronic devices will be difficult. From the analysis it can be deduced that today’s schemes for takeback, recycling and disposal would not be sufficient to cope with waste e-textiles in an environmentally benign manner. Instead, discarded e-textiles would find their way into solid waste and increase the existing environmental problems of waste disposal. The study concludes with recommendations for policy makers and technology developers on how a waste preventative technology design could be achieved

Weak signals in Science and Technologies 2019: Analysis and recommendations: Technologies at a very early stage of development that could impact the future

JRC has developed a quantitative methodology to detect very early signs of emerging technologies, so called "weak signals of technology development". Using text mining and scientometric indicators, 256 of these weak signals have been identified on the basis of scientific literature and have been reported earlier this year in a JRC technical report. The purpose of this follow-up report is to provide a European perspective and to provide recommendations for policy makers. Europe shows vulnerabilities in 179 of these weak signals, further analysed in the present report.JRC.I.3-Text and Data Minin