9,334 research outputs found

    Key technologies for safe and autonomous drones

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    Drones/UAVs are able to perform air operations that are very difficult to be performed by manned aircrafts. In addition, drones' usage brings significant economic savings and environmental benefits, while reducing risks to human life. In this paper, we present key technologies that enable development of drone systems. The technologies are identified based on the usages of drones (driven by COMP4DRONES project use cases). These technologies are grouped into four categories: U-space capabilities, system functions, payloads, and tools. Also, we present the contributions of the COMP4DRONES project to improve existing technologies. These contributions aim to ease drones’ customization, and enable their safe operation.This project has received funding from the ECSEL Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 826610. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and Spain, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands. The total project budget is 28,590,748.75 EUR (excluding ESIF partners), while the requested grant is 7,983,731.61 EUR to ECSEL JU, and 8,874,523.84 EUR of National and ESIF Funding. The project has been started on 1st October 2019

    The Metaverse: Survey, Trends, Novel Pipeline Ecosystem & Future Directions

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    The Metaverse offers a second world beyond reality, where boundaries are non-existent, and possibilities are endless through engagement and immersive experiences using the virtual reality (VR) technology. Many disciplines can benefit from the advancement of the Metaverse when accurately developed, including the fields of technology, gaming, education, art, and culture. Nevertheless, developing the Metaverse environment to its full potential is an ambiguous task that needs proper guidance and directions. Existing surveys on the Metaverse focus only on a specific aspect and discipline of the Metaverse and lack a holistic view of the entire process. To this end, a more holistic, multi-disciplinary, in-depth, and academic and industry-oriented review is required to provide a thorough study of the Metaverse development pipeline. To address these issues, we present in this survey a novel multi-layered pipeline ecosystem composed of (1) the Metaverse computing, networking, communications and hardware infrastructure, (2) environment digitization, and (3) user interactions. For every layer, we discuss the components that detail the steps of its development. Also, for each of these components, we examine the impact of a set of enabling technologies and empowering domains (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, Security & Privacy, Blockchain, Business, Ethics, and Social) on its advancement. In addition, we explain the importance of these technologies to support decentralization, interoperability, user experiences, interactions, and monetization. Our presented study highlights the existing challenges for each component, followed by research directions and potential solutions. To the best of our knowledge, this survey is the most comprehensive and allows users, scholars, and entrepreneurs to get an in-depth understanding of the Metaverse ecosystem to find their opportunities and potentials for contribution

    Anuário científico da Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa - 2021

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    É com grande prazer que apresentamos a mais recente edição (a 11.ª) do Anuário Científico da Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde de Lisboa. Como instituição de ensino superior, temos o compromisso de promover e incentivar a pesquisa científica em todas as áreas do conhecimento que contemplam a nossa missão. Esta publicação tem como objetivo divulgar toda a produção científica desenvolvida pelos Professores, Investigadores, Estudantes e Pessoal não Docente da ESTeSL durante 2021. Este Anuário é, assim, o reflexo do trabalho árduo e dedicado da nossa comunidade, que se empenhou na produção de conteúdo científico de elevada qualidade e partilhada com a Sociedade na forma de livros, capítulos de livros, artigos publicados em revistas nacionais e internacionais, resumos de comunicações orais e pósteres, bem como resultado dos trabalhos de 1º e 2º ciclo. Com isto, o conteúdo desta publicação abrange uma ampla variedade de tópicos, desde temas mais fundamentais até estudos de aplicação prática em contextos específicos de Saúde, refletindo desta forma a pluralidade e diversidade de áreas que definem, e tornam única, a ESTeSL. Acreditamos que a investigação e pesquisa científica é um eixo fundamental para o desenvolvimento da sociedade e é por isso que incentivamos os nossos estudantes a envolverem-se em atividades de pesquisa e prática baseada na evidência desde o início dos seus estudos na ESTeSL. Esta publicação é um exemplo do sucesso desses esforços, sendo a maior de sempre, o que faz com que estejamos muito orgulhosos em partilhar os resultados e descobertas dos nossos investigadores com a comunidade científica e o público em geral. Esperamos que este Anuário inspire e motive outros estudantes, profissionais de saúde, professores e outros colaboradores a continuarem a explorar novas ideias e contribuir para o avanço da ciência e da tecnologia no corpo de conhecimento próprio das áreas que compõe a ESTeSL. Agradecemos a todos os envolvidos na produção deste anuário e desejamos uma leitura inspiradora e agradável.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Strategies for Early Learners

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    Welcome to learning about how to effectively plan curriculum for young children. This textbook will address: • Developing curriculum through the planning cycle • Theories that inform what we know about how children learn and the best ways for teachers to support learning • The three components of developmentally appropriate practice • Importance and value of play and intentional teaching • Different models of curriculum • Process of lesson planning (documenting planned experiences for children) • Physical, temporal, and social environments that set the stage for children’s learning • Appropriate guidance techniques to support children’s behaviors as the self-regulation abilities mature. • Planning for preschool-aged children in specific domains including o Physical development o Language and literacy o Math o Science o Creative (the visual and performing arts) o Diversity (social science and history) o Health and safety • Making children’s learning visible through documentation and assessmenthttps://scholar.utc.edu/open-textbooks/1001/thumbnail.jp

    Estudo da remodelagem reversa miocárdica através da análise proteómica do miocárdio e do líquido pericárdico

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    Valve replacement remains as the standard therapeutic option for aortic stenosis patients, aiming at abolishing pressure overload and triggering myocardial reverse remodeling. However, despite the instant hemodynamic benefit, not all patients show complete regression of myocardial hypertrophy, being at higher risk for adverse outcomes, such as heart failure. The current comprehension of the biological mechanisms underlying an incomplete reverse remodeling is far from complete. Furthermore, definitive prognostic tools and ancillary therapies to improve the outcome of the patients undergoing valve replacement are missing. To help abridge these gaps, a combined myocardial (phospho)proteomics and pericardial fluid proteomics approach was followed, taking advantage of human biopsies and pericardial fluid collected during surgery and whose origin anticipated a wealth of molecular information contained therein. From over 1800 and 750 proteins identified, respectively, in the myocardium and in the pericardial fluid of aortic stenosis patients, a total of 90 dysregulated proteins were detected. Gene annotation and pathway enrichment analyses, together with discriminant analysis, are compatible with a scenario of increased pro-hypertrophic gene expression and protein synthesis, defective ubiquitinproteasome system activity, proclivity to cell death (potentially fed by complement activity and other extrinsic factors, such as death receptor activators), acute-phase response, immune system activation and fibrosis. Specific validation of some targets through immunoblot techniques and correlation with clinical data pointed to complement C3 β chain, Muscle Ring Finger protein 1 (MuRF1) and the dual-specificity Tyr-phosphorylation regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) as potential markers of an incomplete response. In addition, kinase prediction from phosphoproteome data suggests that the modulation of casein kinase 2, the family of IκB kinases, glycogen synthase kinase 3 and DYRK1A may help improve the outcome of patients undergoing valve replacement. Particularly, functional studies with DYRK1A+/- cardiomyocytes show that this kinase may be an important target to treat cardiac dysfunction, provided that mutant cells presented a different response to stretch and reduced ability to develop force (active tension). This study opens many avenues in post-aortic valve replacement reverse remodeling research. In the future, gain-of-function and/or loss-of-function studies with isolated cardiomyocytes or with animal models of aortic bandingdebanding will help disclose the efficacy of targeting the surrogate therapeutic targets. Besides, clinical studies in larger cohorts will bring definitive proof of complement C3, MuRF1 and DYRK1A prognostic value.A substituição da válvula aórtica continua a ser a opção terapêutica de referência para doentes com estenose aórtica e visa a eliminação da sobrecarga de pressão, desencadeando a remodelagem reversa miocárdica. Contudo, apesar do benefício hemodinâmico imediato, nem todos os pacientes apresentam regressão completa da hipertrofia do miocárdio, ficando com maior risco de eventos adversos, como a insuficiência cardíaca. Atualmente, os mecanismos biológicos subjacentes a uma remodelagem reversa incompleta ainda não são claros. Além disso, não dispomos de ferramentas de prognóstico definitivos nem de terapias auxiliares para melhorar a condição dos pacientes indicados para substituição da válvula. Para ajudar a resolver estas lacunas, uma abordagem combinada de (fosfo)proteómica e proteómica para a caracterização, respetivamente, do miocárdio e do líquido pericárdico foi seguida, tomando partido de biópsias e líquidos pericárdicos recolhidos em ambiente cirúrgico. Das mais de 1800 e 750 proteínas identificadas, respetivamente, no miocárdio e no líquido pericárdico dos pacientes com estenose aórtica, um total de 90 proteínas desreguladas foram detetadas. As análises de anotação de genes, de enriquecimento de vias celulares e discriminativa corroboram um cenário de aumento da expressão de genes pro-hipertróficos e de síntese proteica, um sistema ubiquitina-proteassoma ineficiente, uma tendência para morte celular (potencialmente acelerada pela atividade do complemento e por outros fatores extrínsecos que ativam death receptors), com ativação da resposta de fase aguda e do sistema imune, assim como da fibrose. A validação de alguns alvos específicos através de immunoblot e correlação com dados clínicos apontou para a cadeia β do complemento C3, a Muscle Ring Finger protein 1 (MuRF1) e a dual-specificity Tyr-phosphoylation regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) como potenciais marcadores de uma resposta incompleta. Por outro lado, a predição de cinases a partir do fosfoproteoma, sugere que a modulação da caseína cinase 2, a família de cinases do IκB, a glicogénio sintase cinase 3 e da DYRK1A pode ajudar a melhorar a condição dos pacientes indicados para intervenção. Em particular, a avaliação funcional de cardiomiócitos DYRK1A+/- mostraram que esta cinase pode ser um alvo importante para tratar a disfunção cardíaca, uma vez que os miócitos mutantes responderam de forma diferente ao estiramento e mostraram uma menor capacidade para desenvolver força (tensão ativa). Este estudo levanta várias hipóteses na investigação da remodelagem reversa. No futuro, estudos de ganho e/ou perda de função realizados em cardiomiócitos isolados ou em modelos animais de banding-debanding da aorta ajudarão a testar a eficácia de modular os potenciais alvos terapêuticos encontrados. Além disso, estudos clínicos em coortes de maior dimensão trarão conclusões definitivas quanto ao valor de prognóstico do complemento C3, MuRF1 e DYRK1A.Programa Doutoral em Biomedicin

    Epilepsy Mortality: Leading Causes of Death, Co-morbidities, Cardiovascular Risk and Prevention

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    a reuptake inhibitor selectively prevents seizure-induced sudden death in the DBA/1 mouse model of sudden unexpected ... Bilateral lesions of the fastigial nucleus prevent the recovery of blood pressure following hypotension induced by ..

    The Adirondack Chronology

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    The Adirondack Chronology is intended to be a useful resource for researchers and others interested in the Adirondacks and Adirondack history.https://digitalworks.union.edu/arlpublications/1000/thumbnail.jp

    Investigating the mechanism of human beta defensin-2-mediated protection of skin barrier in vitro

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    The human skin barrier is a biological imperative. Chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as Atopic Dermatitis (AD), are characterised by a reduction in skin barrier function and an increased number of secondary infections. Staphyloccocus aureus (S. aureus) has an increased presence on AD lesional skin and contributes significantly to AD pathology. It was previously demonstrated that the damage induced by a virulence factor of S. aureus, V8 protease, which causes further breakdown in skin barrier function, can be reduced by induction of human β- defensin (HBD)2 (by IL-1β) or exogenous HBD2 application. Induction of this defensin is impaired in AD skin. This thesis examines the mechanism of HBD2-mediated barrier protection in vitro; demonstrating that in this system, HBD2 was not providing protection through direct protease inhibition, nor was it altering keratinocyte proliferation or migration, or exhibiting specific localisation within the monolayer. Proteomics data demonstrated that HBD2 did not induce expression of known antiproteases but suggested that HBD2 stimulation may function by modulating expression of extracellular matrix proteins, specifically collagen- IVα2 and Laminin-β-1. Alternative pathways of protection initiated by IL-1β and TNFα stimulation were also investigated, as well as their influence over generalised wound healing. Finally, novel 3D human skin epidermal models were used to better recapitulate the structure of human epidermis and examine alterations to skin barrier function in a more physiological system. These data validate the barrier-protective properties of HBD2 and extended our knowledge of the consequences of exposure to this peptide in this context

    GENDERED EMBODIMENT, STABILITY AND CHANGE: WOMEN’S WEIGHTLIFTING AS A TOOL FOR RECOVERY FROM EATING DISORDERS

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    This thesis explores the everyday embodied experiences of women who use amateur weightlifting as a vehicle for recovery from eating disorders. Within online spaces and on social media, women frequently share their experiences of using weightlifting to overcome issues relating to disordered eating, body image, and mental health. In particular, women with a history of eating disorders credit weightlifting to be integral to their recovery journey. However, there is a dearth of research on women’s experiences with exercise during eating disorder recovery and no research that identifies weightlifting as beneficial to this process. To the contrary, discursive links are drawn between the practices of self-surveillance exercised by both eating disorder sufferers and weightlifters alike. In this regard, engagement with weightlifting during eating disorder recovery may signal the transferal of pathology from one set of behaviours to another. That is, from disordered eating to rigid and self-regulatory exercise routines. This thesis examines how women subjectively navigate and make sense of this pathologisation. The data for this research comes from longitudinal semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation with 19 women, living in the United Kingdom, who engaged in weightlifting during their eating disorder recovery. In addition, to build up a holistic picture and to explore how this phenomenon also ‘takes place’ online, I conducted a netnography of the overlapping subcultures of female weightlifting and eating disorder recovery on Instagram. Women’s standpoint theory and interpretative phenomenological analysis are combined to form the underpinning theoretical and analytical tools used to engage with these three rich data sets. Moreover, throughout I draw on an eclectic range of disciplinary perspectives, in order to bring together multiple fields of research and develop novel theoretical frameworks. In the findings, I argue that women’s experiences using weightlifting as a tool for recovery from eating disorders manifests in an embodied sense of multiplicity. In this sense, understandings of the body that are often viewed as ontologically distinct (muscularity/thinness/fatness) hang-together at once in the lived experience of a single individual. I argue that women, particularly those who have previously struggled with an eating disorder, are too readily positioned as vulnerable to media and representation. To theoretically combat these ideas regarding women’s assumed passivity, I develop the concept of ‘digital pruning’ to account for women’s agency in relation to new media. I contend that weightlifting offers women in recovery from eating disorders a new framework for approaching eating and exercise. Specifically, weightlifting’s norms and values legitimate occupying a larger body, which gives women in recovery permission to eat and gain-weight in a way that is both culturally sanctioned and health-promoting. Finally, I explore identity transformation as a specific tenet of recovery from eating disorders. I argue that, on social media, recovery identities are characterised by personal empowerment, resilience, and independence. While offline, quieter and less culturally glorified aspects of recovery (such as relationships of care) are central to women’s accounts of developing a new sense of self as they transition away from an eating disorder identity. In summary, this thesis is an examination of the ways in which women strategically navigate pathology in relation to their bodies, social media, food/exercise practices, and identity. I argue that women develop a set of ‘DIY’ recovery practices that allow them to consciously channel and draw on their negative experiences with eating disorders, to develop new ways of living that serve their overall wellbeing. Weightlifting is integral to this process, as it provides women transitioning out of this difficult phase in their lives with new ways of relating to their bodies and of being in the world. I situate this phenomenon within a neoliberal socio-political climate in which individuals are required to take personal responsibility for their mental health and wellbeing, despite living within conditions which are not conducive to recovery
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