Graph analysis of cell clusters forming vascular networks

This manuscript describes the experimental observation of vasculogenesis in chick embryos by means of network analysis. The formation of the vascular network was observed in the area opaca of embryos from 40 to 55 h of development. In the area opaca endothelial cell clusters self-organize as a primitive and approximately regular network of capillaries. The process was observed by bright-field microscopy in control embryos and in embryos treated with Bevacizumab (Avastin®), an antibody that inhibits the signalling of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The sequence of images of the vascular growth were thresholded, and used to quantify the forming network in control and Avastin-treated embryos. This characterization is made by measuring vessels density, number of cell clusters and the largest cluster density. From the original images, the topology of the vascular network was extracted and characterized by means of the usual network metrics such as: the degree distribution, average clustering coefficient, average short path length and assortativity, among others. This analysis allows to monitor how the largest connected cluster of the vascular network evolves in time and provides with quantitative evidence of the disruptive effects that Avastin has on the tree structure of vascular networks

Index

Proceedings index of the Fourth International Congress of CiiEM: Health, Well-Being and Ageing in the 21st Century, held in the Egas Moniz University Campus at Monte de Caparica, Portugal, from 3–5 June 2019.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A systematic literature review on the semi-automatic configuration of extended product lines

Product line engineering has become essential in mass customisation given its ability to reduce production costs and time to market, and to improve product quality and customer satisfaction. In product line literature, mass customisation is known as product configuration. Currently, there are multiple heterogeneous contributions in the product line configuration domain. However, a secondary study that shows an overview of the progress, trends, and gaps faced by researchers in this domain is still missing. In this context, we provide a comprehensive systematic literature review to discover which approaches exist to support the configuration process of extended product lines and how these approaches perform in practice. Extend product lines consider non-functional properties in the product line modelling. We compare and classify a total of 66 primary studies from 2000 to 2016. Mainly, we give an in-depth view of techniques used by each work, how these techniques are evaluated and their main shortcomings. As main results, our review identified (i) the need to improve the quality of the evaluation of existing approaches, (ii) a lack of hybrid solutions to support multiple configuration constraints, and (iii) a need to improve scalability and performance conditions

Developing a subpopulation-based model for the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae): conceptual model out-line

Bactrocera oleae Rossi (olive fruit fly) is a dipteran of the family Tephritidae, considered the key pest of olives in Mediterranean countries, where it causes losses of great economic impact. Nat ural pest control is an important alternative or complement to the use of plant protection products against B. oleae. This is an ecosystem service that can be enhanced if we are able to predict its behav ior, which can be done through computer models simulating interactions between animals, agricul tural management and climate. In this paper we present the conceptual model of a spatially explicit subpopulation-based model being developed for B. oleae in olive groves. In this modelling tech nique, the simulated dynamic landscape is segmented into non-overlapping cells, where the sub populations of B. oleae are represented as separate but interacting entities. Our model is based on the Animal Landscape Man Simulation System (ALMaSS), which comprises a highly detailed and realistic landscape representation, incorporating data on different aspects of farm management, crop development, and climate, and where simulated entities operate. We present the general out line of B. oleae’s life cycle, as well as succinct information on how these organisms interact with their environment. This is a step for the development of the final model and its implementation in AL MaSS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Solvent and temperature effects on the solubility of syringic, vanillic or veratric acids: Experimental, modeling and solid phase studies

The solubility of syringic acid, vanillic acid and veratric acid was measured in pure water and eleven organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol and 1,3-butanediol), at 298.2 K and 313.2 K. Besides the solubility data, the melting temperatures and enthalpies of the solutes were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, while powder and single X-ray diffractionwere used to resolve the solute solid structure, before and after the solubility studies. Formodeling purposes, theNRTL-SACmodel, also combinedwith the Reference Solvent Approach (RSA), and the Abraham solvation model were applied to describe the solid-liquid equilibria of the binary systems. A set of solvents was used to estimate the model parameters and afterwards, solubility predictions were carried out for binary systems not included in the correlation step. Better results were obtained using the Abraham solvation model with average relative deviations (ARD) of 15% for the correlation set and 26% for the predictions, which are more satisfactory than the results found with the NRTL-SAC model (33% for the correlation and 59% for the predictions) or the NRTL-SAC model combined with RSA (30% for the correlation and 59% for the predictions).We acknowledge the support of the project “AIProcMat@N2020 - Advanced Industrial Processes and Materials for a Sustainable Northern Region of Portugal 2020”, with the reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER- 000006, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); Associate Laboratory LSRE-LCM - UID/EQU/50020/2019 - funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC); UID/CTM/50011/2019 (CICECO), financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES; and project AllNat - POCI-01- 0145-FEDER-030463 (PTDC/EQU-EPQ/30463/2017), financed by FEDER funds through COMPETE and Portugal2020 and national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. The authors also thank FCT for financial support to S. M. Vilas-Boas grant (SFRH/BD/138149/2018) and V. Vieira grant (SFRH/BD/108487/ 2015).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evaluation of Proanthocyanidin-based dentifrices on dentin-wear after erosion and dental abrasion - In situ study

Proanthocyanidin has been considered as a preventive agent against erosion because of its properties, which involves remineralization, reduction of demineralization and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) inhibition. Thus, the aim of this in situ study was

Solid-liquid phase equilibrium of trans-cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid in water and organic solvents: Experimental and modelling studies

The solubility of the trans isomers of cinnamic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid was measured in water and seven organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate and acetonitrile), at 298.2 K and 313.2 K, using the analytical shake-flask technique. The melting temperatures and enthalpies of the solutes were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, while solute solid structures were identified by powder and single X-ray diffraction. The NRTL-SAC model was applied to calculate the solubility of trans-cinnamic acid and trans-ferulic acid in pure solvents. For trans-p-coumaric acid, the NRTL-SAC was combined with the Reference Solvent Approach, as the solute melting properties could not be determined. The global average relative deviations (ARD) were 32% and 41%, in the correlation and prediction stages, respectively. The Abraham solvation model was also applied. The global ARD were 20% for correlation and 29% for predictions, which can be considered very satisfactory results for these semi-predictive models.This work was developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020 & UIDP/ 50011/2020, and CIMO-Mountain Research Center, UIDB/00690/ 2020, both financed by national funds through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology/MCTES. We also acknowledge the support of the projects “AIProcMat@N2020 - Advanced Industrial Processes and Materials for a Sustainable Northern Region of Portugal 2020”, with the reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER- 000006, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); and project AllNat - POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030463, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (COMPETE2020-POCI) and national funding from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal). S. M. Vilas-Boas thanks the financial support provided by FCT PhD grant (SFRH/BD/138149/ 2018).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Damage threshold of CuCrFeTiV high entropy alloys for nuclear fusion reactors

A CuCrFeTiV high entropy alloy was prepared and irradiated with swift heavy ions in order to check its adequacy for use as a thermal barrier in future nuclear fusion reactors. The alloy was prepared from the elemental powders by ball milling, followed by consolidation by spark plasma sintering at 1178 K and 65 MPa. The samples were then irradiated at room temperature with 300 keV Ar+ ions with fluences in the 3 × 1015 to 3 × 1018 Ar+/cm2 range to mimic neutron-induced damage accumulation during a duty cycle of a fusion reactor. Structural changes were investigated by X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy, both coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. Surface irradiation damage was detected for high fluences (3 × 1018 Ar+/cm2) with formation of blisters of up to 1 μm in diameter. Cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of intergranular cavities only in the sample irradiated with 3 × 1018 Ar+/cm2, while all irradiation experiments produced intragranular nanometric-sized bubbles with increased density for higher Ar+ fluence. The Williamson-Hall method revealed a decrease in the average crystallite size and an increase in residual strain with increasing fluence, consistent with the formation of Ar+ bubbles at the irradiated surface.publishedVersio