1,250 research outputs found
KadiStudio Use-Case Workflow: Automation of Data Processing for in Situ Micropillar Compression Tests
Scientific processes produce huge amounts of data that are usually acquired, transformed and analyzed on a regular basis. Translating these processes into automatable and reproducible workflows is considered to be an efficient way to support scientists in performing repeated processes that would otherwise be time-consuming and error-prone tasks. Consequently, the quality of scientific research can be accelerated and enhanced. In this article, we present for the first time a use-case of KadiStudio as a tool to automate analysis procedures of scientific data that are repeatedly acquired from in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) micromechanical testing. KadiStudio provides a desktop-based workflow editor as part of the ecosystem of Kadi4Mat: Karlsruhe Data Infrastructure for material Science. The presented workflow includes nodes for processing and analysis of different types of data, namely mechanical response in text format and a series of SEM images in video file format acquired during in situ SEM deformation tests. In addition, the raw and analyzed data are automatically uploaded to the KadiWeb repository via nodes based on the kadi-apy library
Elastic properties of graphyne-based nanotubes
Graphyne nanotubes (GNTs) are nanostructures obtained from rolled up graphyne
sheets, in the same way carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are obtained from graphene
ones. Graphynes are 2D carbon-allotropes composed of atoms in sp and sp2
hybridized states. Similarly to conventional CNTs, GNTs can present different
chiralities and electronic properties. Because of the acetylenic groups (triple
bonds), GNTs exhibit large sidewall pores that influence their mechanical
properties. In this work, we studied the mechanical response of GNTs under
tensile stress using fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and density
functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results show that GNTs mechanical
failure (fracture) occurs at larger strain values in comparison to
corresponding CNTs, but paradoxically with smaller ultimate strength and
Young's modulus values. This is a consequence of the combined effects of the
existence of triple bonds and increased porosity/flexibility due to the
presence of acetylenic groups
Host Plant Record for the Fruit Flies, Anastrepha fumipennis and A. nascimentoi (Diptera, Tephritidae)
The first host plant record for Anastrepha fumipennis Lima (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Geissospermum laeve (Vell.) Baill (Apocynaceae) and for A. nascimentoi Zucchi found in Cathedra bahiensis Sleumer (Olacaceae) was determined in a host plant survey of fruit flies undertaken at the âReserva Natural da Companhia Vale do Rio Doceâ. This reserve is located in an Atlantic Rain Forest remnant area, in Linhares county, state of EspĂrito Santo, Brazil. The phylogenetic relationships of Anastrepha species and their hosts are discussed. The occurrence of these fruit fly species in relation to the distribution range of their host plants is also discussed
Second-Order Eikonal Corrections for A(e,e'p)
The first-order eikonal approximation is frequently adopted in interpreting
the results of measurements. Glauber calculations, for example,
typically adopt the first-order eikonal approximation. We present an extension
of the relativistic eikonal approach to which accounts for
second-order eikonal corrections. The numerical calculations are performed
within the relativistic optical model eikonal approximation. The nuclear
transparency results indicate that the effect of the second-order eikonal
corrections is rather modest, even at (GeV/c). The same
applies to polarization observables, left-right asymmetries, and differential
cross sections at low missing momenta. At high missing momenta, however, the
second-order eikonal corrections are significant and bring the calculations in
closer agreement with the data and/or the exact results from models adopting
partial-wave expansions.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, submitted to Phys. Lett.
Children's voices in Early Childhood Education and Care
Listening to and considering childrenâs voices shows respectful regard for childrenâs needs, interests and experiences, and helps discern what is meaningful for them in a particular subject or situation. Creating opportunities for the expression of childrenâs voices implies child-centred practice: recognising children as active agents, with evolving competences and capacity to understand, think and choose with some degree of autonomy, thus being able to influence decision-making. Therefore, the commitment to listen to childrenâs voices represents a fundamental step towards empowering children and supporting their participation rights. Importantly, children have the
right to be heard and to have their voices considered from the earliest ages, in
their significant relational contexts, such as early childhood education and
care (ECEC). Listening to and valuing childrenâs multiple voices in ECEC
can be done in many ways, ensuring the context, childrenâs background,
characteristics and preferences are respected. In this chapter, we address the
specificities of listening to childrenâs voices and taking them into account in
ECEC. We discuss common challenges that may prevent the full expression
and consideration of childrenâs voices, and ways to overcome them, to ensure
childrenâs meaningful participation in what matters to them and support
them in becoming active citizens in society.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The Influence of Thermal Comfort on the Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents
Thermal comfort (TC) parameters were measured in 130 rooms from nursing homes (NH), following ISO 7730:2005 in order to evaluate the influence of winter season TC indices on quality of life (QoL) in older individuals. Mean radiant temperature (mrT), predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percent of dissatisfied people (PPD) indices, and the respective measurement uncertainties were calculated using Monte Carlo Method. The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was conducted from September 2012 to April 2013, during the winter season TC sampling campaign. Winter PMV and PPD indices showed significant differences between seasons in median values for comfort. There were also significant differences between seasons for air temperature, air velocity, mrT, and relative humidity. The winter PMV index displayed a âslightly coolâ [â€â1] to âcoolâ [â€â2] in thermal sensation scale [â3 to 3]. PPD index reflected this discomfort as evidenced by a high rate of predicted dissatisfied occupants (64%). The influence of winter season TC on older individual QoL results demonstrated that values of PMV above â0.7 had higher mean score of QoL (coefficient estimate: 11.13 units) compared with values of PMV below â0.7. These ïŹndings are of relevance to public health and may be useful for understanding NH indoor environment variables thus implementing preventive policies in terms of standards and guidelines for these susceptible populations.This work was supported by GERIA Project (www.geria.webnode.com): PTDC/SAU-SAP/116563/2010 and a PhD Grant (SFRH/BD/72399/2010) from Foundation for Science and Technology (Fundação para a CiĂȘncia e Tecnologia - FCT) through Operational Competitiveness Programme (COMPETE) as part of the National Strategic Reference Framework. SB work was supported by a grant funded by AIRC (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro)
Colonisation resistance in the sand fly gut:Leishmania protects Lutzomyia longipalpis from bacterial infection
BACKGROUND: Phlebotomine sand flies transmit the haemoflagellate Leishmania, the causative agent of human leishmaniasis. The Leishmania promastigotes are confined to the gut lumen and are exposed to the gut microbiota within female sand flies. Here we study the colonisation resistance of yeast and bacteria in preventing the establishment of a Leishmania population in sand flies and the ability of Leishmania to provide colonisation resistance towards the insect bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens that is also pathogenic towards Leishmania. METHODS: We isolated microorganisms from wild-caught and laboratory-reared female Lutzomyia longipalpis, identified as Pseudozyma sp. Asaia sp. and Ochrobactrum intermedium. We fed the females with a sugar meal containing the microorganisms and then subsequently fed them with a bloodmeal containing Leishmania mexicana and recorded the development of the Leishmania population. Further experiments examined the effect of first colonising the sand fly gut with L. mexicana followed by feeding with, Serratia marcescens, an insect bacterial pathogen. The mortality of the flies due to S. marcescens was recorded in the presence and absence of Leishmania. RESULTS: There was a reduction in the number of flies harbouring a Leishmania population that had been pre-fed with Pseudozyma sp. and Asaia sp. or O. intermedium. Experiments in which L. mexicana colonised the sand fly gut prior to being fed an insect bacterial pathogen, Serratia marcescens, showed that the survival of flies with a Leishmania infection was significantly higher compared to flies without Leishmania infection. CONCLUSIONS: The yeast and bacterial colonisation experiments show that the presence of sand fly gut microorganisms reduce the potential for Leishmania to establish within the sand fly vector. Sand flies infected with Leishmania were able to survive an attack by the bacterial pathogen that would have killed the insect and we concluded that Leishmania may benefit its insect host whilst increasing the potential to establish itself in the sand fly vector. We suggest that the increased ability of the sand fly to withstand a bacterial entomopathogen, due to the presence of the Leishmania, may provide an evolutionary pressure for the maintenance of the Leishmania-vector association
Cerebellar mass as a primary presentation of papillary thyroid carcinoma: case report and literature review
Highly specific blood-brain barrier transmigrating single-domain antibodies selected by an In Vivo phage display screening
Research Areas: Pharmacology & PharmacyA major bottleneck in the successful development of central nervous system (CNS) drugs
is the discovery and design of molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Nano-delivery
strategies are a promising approach that take advantage of natural portals of entry into the brain
such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting endogenous BBB receptors. However, the main
selected mAbs rely on targeting broadly expressed receptors, such as the transferrin and insulin
receptors, and in selection processes that do not fully mimic the native receptor conformation, leading
to mistargeting and a low fraction of the administered dose effectively reaching the brain. Thus, there
is an urgent need to identify new BBB receptors and explore novel antibody selection approaches that
can allow a more selective delivery into the brain. Considering that in vitro models fail to completely
mimic brain structure complexity, we explored an in vivo cell immunization approach to construct a
rabbit derived single-domain antibody (sdAb) library towards BBB endothelial cell receptors. The
sdAb antibody library was used in an in vivo phage display screening as a functional selection of
novel BBB targeting antibodies. Following three rounds of selections, next generation sequencing
analysis, in vitro brain endothelial barrier (BEB) model screenings and in vivo biodistribution studies,
five potential sdAbs were identified, three of which reaching >0.6% ID/g in the brain. To validate the
brain drug delivery proof-of-concept, the most promising sdAb, namely RG3, was conjugated at the
surface of liposomes encapsulated with a model drug, the pan-histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat (PAN). The translocation efficiency and activity of the conjugate liposome was determined in
a dual functional in vitro BEB-glioblastoma model. The RG3 conjugated PAN liposomes enabled an
efficient BEB translocation and presented a potent antitumoral activity against LN229 glioblastoma cells without influencing BEB integrity. In conclusion, our in vivo screening approach allowed the selection of highly specific nano-antibody scaffolds with promising properties for brain targeting and drug delivery.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
- âŠ