Image Normalization of Wiener-Hopf operators and boundary-transmission value problems for a junction of two half-planes

The present paper deals with an application of the image normalization technique for certain classes of Wiener-Hopf operators (WHOs) associated to ill-posed boundary-transmission value problems. We briefly describe the method of normalization and then apply it to boundary-transmission value problems issued from diffraction problems for a junction of two half-planes, which are relevant in mathematical physics applications. We consider different boundary-transmission conditions on the junction of the two semi-infinite half-planes and analyze the not normally solvability of the corresponding operators.Comment: 15 page

Music-Based Procedural Content Generation for Games

A geração procedimental é algo ainda recente no mundo académico, que se entende como a criação de conteúdos automaticamente via algoritmos. Há várias razões para o desenvolvimento desta técnica, mas a principal é a redução da memória consumida, pois os algoritmos de geração procedimentais são capazes de gerar conteúdo em massa, ocupando ordens de magnitude menores em disco. Este procedimento é, normalmente, utilizado em jogos para gerar níveis, mapas, vegetação, missões, sendo menos comum para gerar ou alterar o motor de jogo ou o comportamento de NPCs (Non-Player Character). Apesar de a maioria dos jogos possuírem música, é frequente este elemento apenas servir como suporte ao jogo e ajudar a criar o ambiente necessário. Os jogos que utilizam a música como fonte de informação para criar conteúdo jogável ainda são raros e mesmo nestes o conteúdo gerado é, muitas vezes, gerado previamente e estático. Nesse sentido, novos jogos têm vindo a diferenciar-se neste processo, nos quais a música escolhida irá gerar conteúdos automaticamente e de forma diversa. O objetivo desta dissertação é desenvolver um jogo, de forma completamente procedimental a partir de segmentos de música, com o intuito de ser possível diferenciar de forma significativa os diferentes níveis criados e ser capaz de tirar conclusões referentes à utilização de música como gerador procedimental de conteúdos. Jogo este que será composto por missões de stealth onde é necessário ao jogador atravessar todo o nível com os recursos que encontrar e sem ser visto/apanhado pelos inimigos. O jogo consistirá, então, em receber uma música ou segmento de música como input e através de uma análise individual poder recolher algumas características importantes que o irão distinguir de outros. Após este processo, cada nível será criado consoante estes, permitindo diversidade em cada missão, principalmente de forma a condicionar o modo como esta será jogada.The generation of content procedurally is still something that is emerging in the academic studies, and it is understood as the creation of content automatically, through algorithmic means. There are many reasons to develop this technic, but, mainly, it is used to decrease the memory used for this matter, as this algorithms can continuosly create great amount of content, using lesser space in disk. This procedure is already used in games to create different levels, maps, missions or, less common, to change the game engine or the NPCs (Non-Player Character) behaviour.Even though most games already use music, it is mostly used as a way of supporting the game and create all the needed environment to enhance the user experience. Games that use music as an input source to create playable content are still rare and, commonly, they have their content generated before and in a static way. Naturally, new games are becoming popular in this process by using the chosen songs to generate different content automatically.The goal of this disseration is to develop a game, in a complete procedural way, through music segments, so it would be possible to distinguish significantly different levels, as well as being able to create an opinion about the usage of music as a procedural content generation. This game will be consisted in different stealth missions where the player has to cross the entire level using the available resources in order to not being seen/caught by the enemies. So, the game will receive a music or a segment of it as an input and through a unique analysys it will collect some important features that will allow each segment to be different. After this process, each level will be generated following these features, allowing it to create diversity in each mission, mainly to change the way the game is meant to be played

Wetting of cholesteric liquid crystals

We investigate theoretically the wetting properties of cholesteric liquid crystals at a planar substrate. If the properties of substrate and of the interface are such that the cholesteric layers are not distorted the wetting properties are similar to those of a nematic liquid crystal. If, on the other hand, the anchoring conditions force the distortion of the liquid crystal layers the wetting properties are altered, the free cholesteric-isotropic interface is non-planar and there is a layer of topological defects close to the substrate. These deformations can either promote or hinder the wetting of the substrate by a cholesteric, depending on the properties of the cholesteric liquid crystal

Nationwide study of drug resistance mutations in HIV-1 infected individuals under antiretroviral therapy in Brazil

The success of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is threatened by the emergence of drug resistance mutations (DRM). Since Brazil presents the largest number of people living with HIV (PLWH) in South America we aimed at understanding the dynamics of DRM in this country. We analyzed a total of 20,226 HIV-1 sequences collected from PLWH undergoing ART between 2008–2017. Results show a mild decline of DRM over the years but an increase of the K65R reverse transcriptase mutation from 2.23% to 12.11%. This increase gradually occurred following alterations in the ART regimens replacing zidovudine (AZT) with tenofovir (TDF). PLWH harboring the K65R had significantly higher viral loads than those without this mutation (p p < 0.001) association of K65R with subtype C (11.26%) when compared with subtype B (9.27%). Nonetheless, evidence for K65R transmission in Brazil was found both for C and B subtypes. Additionally, artificial neural network-based immunoinformatic predictions suggest that K65R could enhance viral recognition by HLA-B27 that has relatively low prevalence in the Brazilian population. Overall, the results suggest that tenofovir-based regimens need to be carefully monitored particularly in settings with subtype C and specific HLA profiles.This work has been funded by Portuguese National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) (project UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020; by the projects NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000023, supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by Gilead Génese PGG/009/2017. ASP and PMMA were funded by FCT PhD scholarships PD/BD/127827/2016, and PDE/BDE/113599/2015, respectively

COVID-19 salivary protein profile: unravelling molecular aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection

COVID-19 is the most impacting global pandemic of all time, with over 600 million infected and 6.5 million deaths worldwide, in addition to an unprecedented economic impact. Despite the many advances in scientific knowledge about the disease, much remains to be clarified about the molecular alterations induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this work, we present a hybrid proteomics and in silico interactomics strategy to establish a COVID-19 salivary protein profile. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD036571. The differential proteome was narrowed down by the Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis and enrichment analysis was performed with FunRich. In parallel, OralInt was used to determine interspecies Protein-Protein Interactions between humans and SARS-CoV-2. Five dysregulated biological processes were identified in the COVID-19 proteome profile: Apoptosis, Energy Pathways, Immune Response, Protein Metabolism and Transport. We identified 10 proteins (KLK 11, IMPA2, ANXA7, PLP2, IGLV2-11, IGHV3-43D, IGKV2-24, TMEM165, VSIG10 and PHB2) that had never been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, representing new evidence of the impact of COVID-19. Interactomics analysis showed viral influence on the host immune response, mainly through interaction with the degranulation of neutrophils. The virus alters the host’s energy metabolism and interferes with apoptosis mechanisms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aortitis Secondary to Cogan’s Syndrome: A Rare Cause of Fever of Unknown Origin

Fever of unknown origin remains a diagnostic challenge. Aortitis, defined as inflammation of the aorta, has multiple infectious and non-infectious causes. We report the case of an elderly woman with vertigo and bilateral hearing loss, presenting with fever of unknown origin. Blood tests were remarkable for leucocytosis with neutrophilia, elevation of C-reactive protein and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and positive antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor, and an unremarkable search for multiple infectious causes of fever. During admission the patient developed a bilateral red eye. Abdominal and chest computed tomography was performed and demonstrated signs of aortitis. Due to the coexistence of aortitis, ocular inflammation, vertigo and bilateral hearing loss in a patient with persistent fever and elevation of inflammatory parameters, a presumptive diagnosis of Cogan’s syndrome was made, with improvement after initiation of steroid therapy

Steel-copper functionally graded material produced by twin-wire and arc additive manufacturing (T-WAAM)

SFRH/BD/144202/2019 UID/00667/2020In this work, a functionally graded material (FGM) part was fabricated by depositing a Cu-based alloy on top of a high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel by twin-wire and arc additive manufacturing (T-WAAM). Copper and steel parts are of interest in many industries since they can combine high thermal/electrical conductivity, wear resistance with excellent mechanical properties. However, mixing copper with steel is difficult due to mismatches in the coefficient of thermal expansion, in the melting temperature, and crystal structure. Moreover, the existence of a miscibility gap during solidification, when the melt is undercooled, causes serious phase separation and segregation during solidification which greatly affects the mechanical properties. Copper and steel control samples and the functionally graded material specimen were fabricated and investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Retained δ-ferrite was found in a Cu matrix at the interface region due to regions with mixed composition. A smooth gradient of hardness and electric conductivity along the FGM sample height was obtained. An ultimate tensile strength of 690 MPa and an elongation at fracture of 16.6% were measured in the FGM part.publishersversionpublishe