Memory: tangible decay & growth

What if the objects we had as children grew up with us and showed the decay, alterations, and new growth that occurred to us? Natural sciences focus, in part, on the endless cycle of growth and decay. Through researching this topic, the question of current versus past arose to question how the mind evolves with age. As a ceramic artist, clay offers a memory through touch by taking the shape and form the creator wills it to have while still able to have movement and force of its own through the molecular makeup and processes it goes through in firings. Just like the many factors that create a ceramic piece, people form memories that revolve around sensory activity, the situations they face, and the impact of emotion occurring at that moment. I use clay to understand a tangible way to represent the human memory of objects, stories, and personal history. The art presented in this thesis aims for memories to take up physical space through ceramic sculptures, shifting and altering the way we think about our past. The ceramic pieces incorporate hand-built fungi and draped forms to evoke this sense of decay and growth. Fungi often need an external host to survive on, and when paired with the notion of draping, a way to cover and preserve objects, my pieces become ghostly ceramic shells of objects being altered in an endless cycle. Through this symbolism, I am able to show that while some situations decay from memories, they become hosts for new ideas. In the pages that follow, you will find an in depth discussion of how I use clay to represent memory, decay, and growth. This will occur through three chapters where I talk through my process (encoding), the artist, influences, and theories behind my work (storing), and finally the success, limitations, use, and learning outcomes I achieved (retrieving). To conclude you will find a summary and the next step in my career (altering)

The Hilbert transform: introduction and applications

The Hilbert transform is introduced from the mathematical point of view with the purpose in mind to use its properties in signal analysis applications. An important relation with the Fourier transform will be introducted and this will be the key for the implementation in digital analysis. Three applications of the Hilbert transforms will be given, including C++ code for the respective implementations and some data analysis simulations. Results will be commented

Effect of amino acid supplementation on skeletal muscle during acute immobilization in hospitalized elderly subjects: possible impact on mitochondria

Objective: Older patients are frequently subjected to prolonged hospitalization and extended bed rest, with a negative effect on physical activity and caloric intake. This results in a consistent loss of muscle mass and function, which is associated with functional decline and high mortality. Furthermore, acute muscle disuse can precipitate sarcopenia, defined as the age-dependent loss of muscle mass and function. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of oral amino acid (AA) supplementation in acute immobilization. We also aimed to characterize the effect and mechanism of the AA mixture in a rodent model of skeletal muscle atrophy, focusing on mitochondrial function. Methods: In the human study, hospitalized older patients (69-87) were included in the control group (n = 50) or were administered 25 g of AA mixture (n = 44) twice daily throughout 7 d of low mobility. We collected data related to length of stay as primary outcome measure. In-hospital mortality, 90-d post-discharge mortality, 90-d post-discharge rehospitalization, and falls also were considered. Moreover, variations of anthropometric measures, body composition and muscle architecture/strength, circulating interleukins, and oxidative stress markers between the beginning and the end of the supplementation period were analyzed as secondary outcomes. In the animal study, C57/Bl6 mice underwent immobilization of one hindlimb by stapling the foot exploiting normal dorsotibial flexion. Age-matched mice that never had their hindlimbs immobilized were used as controls. Sub-groups of mice subjected to the immobilization procedure were administered the AA mixture in drinking water (I+A) and were compared to a placebo group (I+P). After 10 days, muscle function was studied by both endurance running and grip strength tests. Tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were excised and used for mitochondrial isolation. 2 Results: Similar values were reported between the two groups regarding age, body weight, and body mass index. Although no difference in terms of in-hospital, 90-d post-discharge, or overall mortality rate was observed between the two groups, a reduction in length of stay, 90-d post-discharge hospitalization, and falls was observed in the AA supplementation group rather than in controls. Furthermore, the AA mixture limited muscle architecture/strength impairment and circulating oxidative stress, which occurred during hospitalization-related bed rest. The latter data was associated with increased circulating levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-4 and -10. In animals, hindlimb immobilization reduced maximal running times and distances, along with limb grip strength; however, the extent of reduction was lower in I+A than I+P mice. Immobilization resulted in TA atrophy, characterized by a reduction in both wet weight and TA/body weight ratio. Interestingly, these alterations were slightly observed in mice treated with the AA mixture. The mitochondrial yield from TA of I+P mice was lower than controls; of note, the mitochondrial yield from TA of I+A animals was similar to controls. AA mixture administration also preserved mitochondrial bioenergetics and oxidative damage in TA muscle, which was disrupted in I+P mice with respect to controls. Conclusions: These results suggest that the AA mixture limits several alterations associated with low mobility in older hospitalized patients, such as length of stay, 90-d post-discharge hospitalization, and falls, preventing the loss of muscle function, as well as the increase of circulating interleukins and oxidative stress markers. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the AA mixture prevents loss of muscle mass and function in skeletal muscle atrophy by protecting mitochondria. Other than providing a further link between mitochondria and proteostatic maintenance to muscle atrophy, these results encourage further research aimed at targeting mitochondria to treat sarcopenia

Non-Contact Torque Transfer Using Ferrofluid

Gearing systems are a mechanical based systems that allow an input shaft torque to increase or decrease when it is transferred as an output shaft. Although the gearing system is an old creation that holds little mysteries in the current day, the complexities used to adapt it to new applications continues to grow. The invention discussed and researched in this paper goes in depth on how the gearing system was redesigned to accommodate new uses along with making the system more efficient. A gearing system uses a solid surface to surface contact to transfer the torque from input to output. Overtime, the solid contact surface deteriorate due to friction and inefficiencies causing the destruction of the system in order to produce longer lasting gearing system that require less maintenance and reduce the wear within the system, a more efficient and durable process must be implemented. This paper discusses the redesign of the common gearing system referred to as the non-contact torque transfer using ferrofluid. The ferrofluid gearing system was created within the bounds specified by the sponsor, Dr. Nassersharif. It has been designed to outlast other gearing systems, making it appeal to the customer demand through implementing magnets and ferrofluid. Through calculations and physical observations, the ferrofluid gearing system proved to work and the design concept is able to be patented

The mediterranean diet slows down the progression of aging and helps to prevent the onset of frailty: A narrative review

The aging population is rapidly increasing all over the world. This results in significant implications for the planning and provision of health and social care. Aging is physiologically characterized by a decrease in lean mass, bone mineral density and, to a lesser extent, fat mass. The onset of sarcopenia leads to weakness and a further decrease in physical activity. An insufficient protein intake, which we often observe in patients of advanced age, certainly accelerates the progression of sarcopenia. In addition, many other factors (e.g., insulin resistance, impaired protein digestion and absorption of amino acids) reduce the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in the elderly, even if the protein intake is adequate. Inadequate intake of foods can also cause micronutrient deficiencies that contribute to the development of frailty. We know that a healthy eating style in middle age predisposes to so-called “healthy and successful” aging, which is the condition of the absence of serious chronic diseases or of an important decline in cognitive or physical functions, or mental health. The Mediterranean diet is recognized to be a “healthy food” dietary pattern; high adherence to this dietary pattern is associated with a lower incidence of chronic diseases and lower physical impairment in old age. The aim of our review was to analyze observational studies (cohort and case–control studies) that investigated the effects of following a healthy diet, and especially the effect of adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MD), on the progression of aging and on onset of frailty

Relecture de vocabulaires d’architecture : apport de la complexité des représentations numériques dans la caractérisation de formes architecturales

En articulant terminologie, logique fonctionnelle et logique géométrique, la sémantique d’un élément peut être considérée comme un concept d’architecture à part entière. Non seulement essentielle à la compréhension de l’évolution stylistique dans le temps et dans l’espace, la sémantique architecturale constitue à bien des égards l’un des fondements des théories d’architecture. En se situant à la croisée de la théorie d’architecture, de l’histoire de l’art, voire des pratiques du relevé, les vocabulaires d’architecture offrent des tentatives de normalisation sémantique qui pourraient être rediscutées à la lumière des avancées scientifiques récentes dans le domaine de l’étude du bâti. Cet article vise donc à concilier les enjeux cognitifs propres à l’étude sémantique d’éléments architecturaux et l’exploitation de la donnée massive issue des représentations numériques. Il s’agit donc de croiser la caractérisation géométrique d’un corpus de formes (résultant de l’examen des similarités géométriques partagées par ce corpus) avec la description donnée par quatre vocabulaires d’architecture. L’enjeu est d’observer les points de rencontre mais aussi de tension entre une sémantique proposée par l’histoire de l’art et une sémantique issue d’une observation géométrique fine. En mettant en exergue les contradictions entre les vocabulaires eux-mêmes et le modèle géométrique obtenu, cet article discute l’apport des méthodes d’analyse provenant de l’informatique graphique dans le développement de connaissances architecturales.By articulating terminology, functional logics and geometrical logics, the semantics of an element can be considered as an architectural concept. In many ways, architectural semantics is one of the foundations of architectural theory, essential for understanding stylistic evolutions in time and space. At the crossroads of architectural theory, art history and even survey practices, architectural vocabularies offer efforts to provide semantic standardisation that might be revisited today, in the light of recent scientific advances in the field of the built heritage. This article aims to reconcile the cognitive issues specific to the semantic study of architectural elements and the exploitation of big data resulting from building digitisations. It is necessary to compare the geometrical characterisation of a corpus of elements (resulting from the examination of the geometrical similarities shared by this corpus) with the description given by four architectural vocabularies. The challenge is to observe the encounters, but also the points of tension between a semantics proposed by the history of art and a semantics resulting from fine geometrical observations. By highlighting the contradictions between the vocabularies themselves and the geometric model, this article discusses the contribution of methods of analysis coming from computer graphics for the development of architectural knowledge

Histone deacetylase inhibitors in Hodgkin lymphoma

Although Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is considered one of the most curable human cancers, the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory disease, especially those who relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation, remains challenging. Furthermore, because of the young age of these patients, the impact of early mortality on the number of years lost from productive life is remarkable. Patients with relapsed HL post stem cell transplantation currently have no curative therapy, and are in need for new drugs and novel treatment strategies. While no new drugs have been approved for the treatment of patients with HL in more than three decades, several new agents are demonstrating promising results in early clinical trials. This review will focus on the emerging role of histone deacetylase inhibitors in patients with relapsed HL

60 Years of Glacier Elevation and Mass Changes in the Maipo River Basin, Central Andes of Chile

Glaciers in the central Andes of Chile are fundamental freshwater sources for ecosystems and communities. Overall, glaciers in this region have shown continuous recession and down-wasting, but long-term glacier mass balance studies providing precise estimates of these changes are scarce. Here, we present the first long-term (1955–2013/2015), region-specific glacier elevation and mass change estimates for the Maipo River Basin, from which the densely populated metropolitan region of Chile obtains most of its freshwater supply. We calculated glacier elevation and mass changes using historical topographic maps, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements (TanDEM-X), and airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) digital elevation models. The results indicated a mean regional glacier mass balance of −0.12 ± 0.06 m w.e.a−1, with a total mass loss of 2.43 ± 0.26 Gt for the Maipo River Basin between 1955–2013. The most negative glacier mass balance was the Olivares sub-basin, with a mean value of −0.29 ± 0.07 m w.e.a−1. We observed spatially heterogeneous glacier elevation and mass changes between 1955 and 2000, and more negative values between 2000 and 2013, with an acceleration in ice thinning rates starting in 2010, which coincides with the severe drought. Our results provide key information to improve glaciological and hydrological projections in a region where water resources are under pressure

The JAK inhibitor AZD1480 regulates proliferation and immunity in Hodgkin lymphoma

Aberrant activation of the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway has been reported to promote proliferation and survival of Hodgkin and Reed–Sternberg cells of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). We investigated the activity of the JAK inhibitor AZD1480 in HL-derived cell lines and determined its mechanisms of action. AZD1480 at low doses (0.1–1 μ) potently inhibited STATs phosphorylation, but did not predictably result in antiproliferative effects, as it activated a negative-feedback loop causing phosphorylation of JAK2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), and increased IP-10, RANTES and interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in the supernatants. Inhibition of the ERK activity by mitogen-activated extracellular signal regulated kinase (MEK) inhibitors (UO126 and PD98059) enhanced the cytotoxic activity of AZD1480. Interestingly, submicromolar concentrations of AZD1480 demonstrated significant immunoregulatory effects by downregulating T-helper 2 cytokines and chemokines, including IL-13 and thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine, and the surface expression of the immunosuppressive programmed death ligands 1 and 2. Higher concentrations of AZD1480 (5 μ) induced G2/M arrest and cell death by inhibiting Aurora kinases. Our study demonstrates that AZD1480 regulates proliferation and immunity in HL cell lines and provides mechanistic rationale for evaluating AZD1480 alone or in combination with MEK inhibitors in HL