Local Fluidization of Concentrated Emulsion in Microfluidic Channels Textured at the Droplet Scale

The rheology of soft-flowing systems, such as concentrated emulsions, foams, gels, slurries, colloidal glasses and related complex fluids, has a larger and larger impact in modern science and engineering. Much of the fascination of these systems stems from the fact that they do not fall within any of three basic states of matter, gas-liquid-solid, but live rather on a moving border between them. To understand the flow mechanism, it is necessary to have a look at the micro-scale dynamics of its constituents (i.e, droplets for emulsions, bubbles for foams, blobs for gels, etc.). In fact, in these fluids, the flow occurs via successive elastic deformations and plastic rearrangements, which create fragile regions enhancing the “fluidization” of the material. Despite the fluidization of Soft Glassy Materials (SGMs) is strongly affected by the surface roughness, the role played by the density, the orientation and the periodicity of rough elements has not been quantitatively addressed so far. In fact, predict and control the flow of SGMs is particularly important for an ample variety of technological applications from food to pharmaceutical industries. In this work, we study the flow of concentrated emulsions in microfluidic channels, one wall of which is patterned with micron-size grooves with different patterns. Using equally spaced grooves, we find a scaling law describing the roughness-induced fluidization as a function of the density of the grooves, thus fluidization can be predicted and quantitatively regulated. Furthermore, we quantitatively report the existence of two physically different scenarios. When the gap is large, compared to the droplets in the emulsion, the droplets hit the solid obstacles and easily escape scrambling with their neighbors. Conversely, as the gap spacing is reduced, droplets get trapped inside, creating a “soft roughness” layer, i.e., a complementary series of deformable posts. Introducing an asymmetrical micro-roughness (herringbone pattern), the flow presents, in turn an asymmetric behavior. The emulsion flows faster in the same direction of the herringbone groove respect when it flows in the opposite direction. Our experimental observations are suitably complemented and confirmed by lattice Boltzmann simulations. These numerical simulations are key to highlight the change in the spatial distribution of the plastic rearrangements caused by surface roughness and to elucidate the micro-mechanics of the roughness induced fluidization

Dataset for "Involving male partners in maternity care in Burkina Faso: a randomized controlled trial"

Dataset and supplementary material collected as part of a public health intervention study. The study sought to determine whether an intervention to involve male partners in maternity care of pregnant women influenced care-seeking, healthy breastfeeding and contraceptive practices after childbirth. The dataset includes baseline socio-demographic data on study participants, information about treatment arm assignment and adherence to the intervention, and health and behaviour outcomes in the postpartum period. It brings together data from four collection points: [1] the baseline interview, [2] the 3-month postpartum follow-up interview, [3] the 8-month postpartum follow-up interview, and [4] process data on attendance at the three intervention sessions. Also included are the informed consent form, the information sheet, and the three questionnaires for the baseline interview, 3-month and 8-month postpartum follow-up interviews

Concept selection and interactive design of an orthodontic functional appliance

Demand for innovation represents a driver not only in the industrial field but also in niche markets such as orthodontics. Among different type of orthodontic devices, functional appliances are used for the correction of class II skeletal malocclusion, mostly in young patients. In a previous study based on a systematic design approach, several concepts were generated for this device. This work shortly introduces the concept selection and the interactive design process of the device. The concept consisting of two-side guiding surfaces, obtained by TRIZ inventive principles, has been selected by the decision matrix. This concept consists in guiding the jaw movements without any connections between the parts of the device. Operating on patient morphometrics parameters, the proposed approach allows to establish a virtual interaction during the design of the device by facilitating the collaboration between orthodontist, dental technician, designer and the software, through a dedicated user interface. Dedicated algorithms were also developed to simulate the occlusion correction and the mandible path, and to support the geometric modelling in a virtual environment. As a result, the proposed approach allows manufacturing patient-customized devices using a digital interactive workflow in an innovative way

Investigating the effect of relationship satisfaction on postpartum women's health-related quality of life in Burkina Faso: a cross-sectional analysis

INTRODUCTION: The period following childbirth poses physiological, physical, social and psychological challenges to women that may affect their quality of life. Few studies in Africa have explored women's health-related quality of life (HrQoL) and its determinants in postpartum populations, including the quality of women's relationships with their male partners. We investigated whether relationship satisfaction was associated with better HrQoL among postpartum women in Burkina Faso, 8 months after childbirth. METHODS: We analysed data from 547 women from the control arm of a randomised controlled trial in Burkina Faso. The study outcome was a woman's HrQoL, assessed using the cross-culturally validated WHOQOL-BREF tool, with response categories adapted for Burkina Faso. The exposure was relationship satisfaction measured using questions adapted from the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and Marital Assessment Test tools. We calculated the median HrQOL scores for the study sample, overall and for each domain of HrQOL (physical, psychological, social and environmental). The association between relationship satisfaction and HrQoL was examined using multiple linear regression models with robust SEs. RESULTS: Postpartum women had high median HrQoL scores in the physical (88.1), psychological (93.1), social (86.1) and environmental (74.0) domains and overall HrQoL (84.0). We found that higher relationship satisfaction is associated with increased HrQoL. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that for each point increase in relationship satisfaction score, the increase in HrQoL was 0.39 (p<0.001) for the overall HrQoL; 0.32 (p=0.013) for the physical domain; 0.25 (p=0.037) for the psychological domain; 0.46 (p<0.001) for the social domain and 0.49 (p<0.001) for the environmental domain. CONCLUSION: Higher relationship satisfaction is associated with higher HrQoL scores. Policies should aim to support women to cope with the challenges of childbirth and childcare in the postpartum period to improve postpartum women's HrQoL

Transcriptional addiction in cancer cells is mediated by YAP/TAZ through BRD4

Cancer cells rely on dysregulated gene expression. This establishes specific transcriptional addictions that may be therapeutically exploited. Yet, the mechanisms that are ultimately responsible for these addictions are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the transcriptional dependencies of transformed cells to the transcription factors YAP and TAZ. YAP/TAZ physically engage the general coactivator bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), dictating the genome-wide association of BRD4 to chromatin. YAP/TAZ flag a large set of enhancers with super-enhancer-like functional properties. YAP/TAZ-bound enhancers mediate the recruitment of BRD4 and RNA polymerase II at YAP/TAZ-regulated promoters, boosting the expression of a host of growth-regulating genes. Treatment with small-molecule inhibitors of BRD4 blunts YAP/TAZ pro-tumorigenic activity in several cell or tissue contexts, causes the regression of pre-established, YAP/TAZ-addicted neoplastic lesions and reverts drug resistance. This work sheds light on essential mediators, mechanisms and genome-wide regulatory elements that are responsible for transcriptional addiction in cancer and lays the groundwork for a rational use of BET inhibitors according to YAP/TAZ biology