Label-free enrichment of adrenal cortical progenitor cells using inertial microfluidics.

Passive and label-free isolation of viable target cells based on intrinsic biophysical cellular properties would allow for cost savings in applications where molecular biomarkers are known as well as potentially enable the separation of cells with little-to-no known molecular biomarkers. We have demonstrated the purification of adrenal cortical progenitor cells from digestions of murine adrenal glands utilizing hydrodynamic inertial lift forces that single cells and multicellular clusters differentially experience as they flow through a microchannel. Fluorescence staining, along with gene expression measurements, confirmed that populations of cells collected in different outlets were distinct from one another. Furthermore, primary murine cells processed through the device remained highly viable and could be cultured for 10 days in vitro. The proposed target cell isolation technique can provide a practical means to collect significant quantities of viable intact cells required to translate stem cell biology to regenerative medicine in a simple label-free manner

AGN-Induced Cavities in NGC 1399 and NGC 4649

We present an analysis of archival Chandra and VLA observations of the E0 galaxy NGC 1399 and the E2 galaxy NGC 4649 in which we investigate cavities in the surrounding X-ray emitting medium caused by the central AGN. We calculate the jet power required for the AGN to evacuate these cavities and find values of ~8x10^{41} erg/s and ~14x10^{41} erg/s for the lobes of NGC 1399 and ~7x10^{41} erg/s and ~6x10^{41} erg/s for those of NGC 4649. We also calculate the k/f values for each cavity, where k is the ratio of the total particle energy to that of electrons radiating in the range of 10 MHz to 10 GHz, and f is the volume filling factor of the plasma in the cavity. We find that the values of k/f for the lobes of NGC 1399 are ~93 and ~190, and those of the lobes of NGC 4649 are ~15000 and ~12000. We conclude that the assumed spectrum describes the electron distribution in the lobes of NGC 1399 reasonably well, and that there are few entrained particles. For NGC 4649, either there are many entrained particles or the model spectrum does not accurately describe the population of electrons.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

BAL phosphorus abundance and evidence for immense ionic column densities in quasar outflows: VLT X-Shooter observations of quasar SDSS J1512+1119

We present spectroscopic analysis of the broad absorption line outflow in quasar SDSS J1512+1119. In particular, we focus our attention on a kinematic component in which we identify PV and SIV/SIV* absorption troughs. The shape of the unblended phosphorus doublet troughs and the three SIV/SIV* troughs allow us to obtain reliable column density measurements for these two ions. Photoionization modelling using these column densities and those of HeI* constrain the abundance of phosphorus to the range of 0.5-4 times the solar value. The total column density, ionization parameter and metalicity inferred from the PV and SIV column densities leads to large optical depth values for the common transition observed in BAL outflows. We show that the true CIV optical depth, is about 1000 times greater in the core of the absorption profile than the value deduced from its apparent optical depth.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ on August 26, 2012; 33 pages, 8 figure

A Top-Down Approach Based on the Circularity Potential to Increase the Use of Reclaimed Asphalt

Resource depletion and climate change, amongst others, are increasingly worrying environmental challenges for which the road engineering sector is a major contributor. Globally, viable solutions that comply with the principles of circular economy (CE) are being investigated that can replace conventional asphalt mixtures in a post-fossil fuel society. The use of reclaimed asphalt (RA) is a widely used and well-established method to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of asphalt mixtures while increasing their circularity. However, RA's market supply and demand have not yet been systematically analyzed and established. Moreover, the actual circularity potential and the opportunity of re-circulating RA in a closed-loop model have not yet been methodically defined. To address this, a three-layered framework to quantify and assess the circularity potential (Ω) of RA has been developed. To give stakeholders and legislative bodies a simple method to assess the opportunities available to them to become “more circular”, a novel equation has been formulated. This takes the form of a three-level indicator that considers: technical aspects, the effect of the RA market, and the legislative restrictions. A case study in Germany was structured and undertaken to develop and verify the proposed approach. The results indicate that the available RA is insufficient to cover the needs of asphalt mixture production; even though RA production is significantly lower than the actual need of asphalt mixtures, it is not utilized in its entirety. An impactful step forward is the alteration of the regulations to support the higher utilization of RA in asphalt mixtures, and subsequently, the increased circular opportunity and potential of RA. Thus, Circularity potential (Ω) is a composite indicator that can support stakeholders, designers, and asset managers during the process of decision-making, to follow more circular operational, design, and asphalt pavement management patterns

Understanding the current state of practice in the construction and demolition waste sector through the lenses of circular economy: The Italian recycled materials market for the road construction sector

Construction and demolition waste (CeDw) is mainly produced during the construction, demolition, or renovation activities of civil engineering structures and it accounts for a remarkable amount of the total C&Dw generated, as it is estimated to be around 30%. This proportion differs between countries belonging to different types of economies and tends to be greater in countries with developing economies reaching 74% of total annual production. There is a plethora of applications that C&Dw can be used for under a circular economic model and in this research a focus is being given in the exploitation of C&Dw within the pavement engineering sector, and more specifically, in the utilization of said waste in road earthworks. Circular Economy can act as a steppingstone towards the uptake of C&Dw recycling and exploitation. To understand the state of practice that exists, a market and an implementation analysis have been conducted in Italy. The current applications of C&Dw recycling into road projects were analyzed along with the existing regulations, and local producers. The results projected the various challenges faced by the involved stakeholders, along with the barriers that hinder the wide recycling of C&Dw in road engineering projects. Finally, the proposed national action plans are analyzed and the future potential exploitation of C&Dw is put into context. The future of the specific research is going to involve a full scale, on-site implementation of C&Dw in a defined road segment

ISIM - INFRASTRUCTURES & STRUCTURES INFORMATION MODELING: A NEW CONCEPT OF BIM FOR INFRASTRUCTURES

The application of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in infrastructure and structural projects, known as Integrated Structural and Infrastructure Modeling (ISIM), has gained attention in recent years due to its potential to revolutionize the construction industry. By providing a digital representation of the built environment, BIM allows for improved collaboration and communication between project stakeholders, leading to enhanced project outcomes. The ISIM approach is centered on the creation of a digital twin, a three-dimensional model of the infrastructure or structure, which serves as a virtual replica of the physical asset. This digital twin provides a platform for analysis, decision-making, and management throughout the project lifecycle, from design and construction to operation and maintenance. One of the key benefits of the ISIM approach is the ability to optimize the construction process, reducing costs, and improving efficiency. The digital twin allows for the identification of potential issues in the design phase, enabling them to be addressed before construction begins. The model can also be used to simulate different scenarios, providing insights into the most effective construction methods, sequencing, and scheduling. Additionally, the use of ISIM can facilitate collaboration and communication among project stakeholders, including architects, engineers, contractors, and owners. The digital twin provides a shared platform for all stakeholders to access and contribute to, allowing for real-time feedback and decision-making. This increased collaboration can lead to reduced errors, improved quality, and enhanced project outcomes. In this paper the authors propose the example of the Meier bridge in Alessandria starting from the 2D drawings to create the 3D model and link it to the external context using Autodesk Infraworks software. A virtual reality implementation has been considered as useful tool to improve the maintenance management

Pulsed quantum optomechanics

Studying mechanical resonators via radiation pressure offers a rich avenue for the exploration of quantum mechanical behavior in a macroscopic regime. However, quantum state preparation and especially quantum state reconstruction of mechanical oscillators remains a significant challenge. Here we propose a scheme to realize quantum state tomography, squeezing and state purification of a mechanical resonator using short optical pulses. The scheme presented allows observation of mechanical quantum features despite preparation from a thermal state and is shown to be experimentally feasible using optical microcavities. Our framework thus provides a promising means to explore the quantum nature of massive mechanical oscillators and can be applied to other systems such as trapped ions.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

The radio properties of a complete, X-ray selected sample of nearby, massive elliptical galaxies

We investigate the radio properties of a complete sample of nearby, massive, X-ray bright elliptical and S0 galaxies. Our sample contains 18 galaxies with ROSAT All-Sky Survey X-ray fluxes Fx_(0.1-2.4 keV) > 3 x 10^(-12) erg/s/cm^2, within a distance of 100 Mpc. For these galaxies, we have complete (18/18) VLA radio and Chandra X-ray coverage. Nuclear radio emission is detected from 17/18 of the galaxies. Ten of the galaxies exhibit extended radio emission; of these ten, all but one also exhibit clear evidence of interaction of the radio source with the surrounding, X-ray emitting gas. Among the seven galaxies with unresolved radio sources, one has clear, and one has small, cavity-like features in the Chandra X-ray images; a third has a disturbed X-ray morphology. Using a radio luminosity limit equivalent to L_(1.4 Ghz) > 10^(23) W/Hz to calculate the radio-loud fraction, we find that this misses the majority of the radio detected galaxies in the sample. We determine integrated radio-to-X-ray flux ratios for the galaxies, GRx, which are shown to span a large range (factor of 100). We calculate the mass-weighted cooling times within 1 kpc, and find hints for an anticorrelation with the radio luminosity. We also calculate limits on k/f, where k is the ratio of the total particle energy to that of relativistic electrons radiating in the range 10 MHz-10 GHz and f is the volume filling factor of the plasma in the cavity. The k/f distribution is also broad, reflecting previous results for larger galaxy clusters. Lowering the X-ray flux limit, at the expense of less complete VLA and Chandra coverage, increases the size of our sample to 42 galaxies. Nuclear radio activity is detected in at least 34/42 of this extended sample.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 19 pages, 11 Figures and 7 Table

Incorporating Personalization Features in a Hospital-Stay Summary Generation System

Most of the currently available health resources contain vast amount of information that are created by keeping the “general” population in mind, which in reality, might not be useful for anyone. One approach to providing comprehensible health information to patients is to generate summaries that are personalized to each individual. This paper details the design of a personalized hospital-stay summary generation system that tailors its content to the patient’s understanding of medical terminologies and their level of engagement in improving their own health. Our summaries were found to cover around 80% of the health concepts that were considered as important by a doctor or a nurse. An online survey conducted on 150 participants verified that our algorithm’s interpretation of the personalization parameters is representative of that of a larger population