A Growth Model for Multicellular Tumor Spheroids

Most organisms grow according to simple laws, which in principle can be derived from energy conservation and scaling arguments, critically dependent on the relation between the metabolic rate B of energy flow and the organism mass m. Although this relation is generally recognized to be of the form B(m) = mp, the specific value of the exponent p is the object of an ongoing debate, with many mechanisms being postulated to support different predictions. We propose that multicellular tumor spheroids provide an ideal experimental model system for testing these allometric growth theories, especially under controlled conditions of malnourishment and applied mechanical stress

A study of neurological diseases in farmed deer in Switzerland, with emphasis on chronic wasting disease

A study of neurological diseases in farmed deer, with emphasis on chronic wasting disease, was conducted during 2years in Switzerland. Deer breeders were asked to submit the heads of all deer at least 2years of age, found dead or slaughtered, for examination. A complete histological examination of the brain and immunohistochemical detection of the prion protein on selected regions of the brain and lymphoid tissues were performed on 120 apparently healthy and 40 diseased animals. In a number of cases, a full necropsy was performed. Significant inflammatory and/or degenerative changes were seen in 25% of the brains. No evidence for a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy was establishe

Planning and operation of two small SDH plants as test site: Comparison between flat plate and vacuum collectors

A small solar district heating plant has been built to provide heat to an existing district heating system supplied by natural gas CHP units. This test site, located at 1,600 m a.s.l., allows comparing the performances of evacuated solar collectors (ETC) with flat plate double glazed ones (FPC) in a mountain environment. The preliminary results of the first months of operation show a better performance of ETC than FPC. The daily heat production shows a good correlation with available radiation, with the FPC having a slightly larger variability. Moreover, while ETC system efficiency is comparable with the theoretic curve, the FPC system efficiency show lower values. The monitoring of the SDH is still ongoing, and some control logics of the system are being performed in order to optimize the heat production from FPC. The specific electricity consumption for pumping is in the range 5 – 20 kWhel/MWhth, in accordance with usual literature values. The specific pumping consumption decreases with increasing daily heat production, and no significant difference arises from the trends of the two systems

La trashumancia en los valles calingastinos. San Juan. Argentina.

La trashumancia de arrieros y crianceros chilenos hacia los Altos Valles Andinos de departamento de Calingasta, se trata de una práctica ancestral, cuya génesis se remonta al siglo XVI, por su antigüedad, vínculos de integración y el accionar paradiplomático entre gobiernos locales, han permitido que la actividad sea sostenida a lo largo de los años. En estos extensos valles, ubicados entre los 2400 y 3700 msnm, abarcando superficies superiores a 600.000 ha son los campos de pastoreo durante la época estival del ganado chileno, actividad conocida como “veranadas”. Las cabeceras del principal río de la provincia se encuentra en estos valles y la fisonomía del ambiente está caracterizada por importantes vegas (humedales) y extensas estepas de adesmiales y pajonales. Estos humedales, con más de 10.000 ha de superficie, son “ecosistemas” de gran importancia en los procesos hidrológicos y ecológicos que albergan gran diversidad de especies y son los lugares elegidos para el pastoreo. El uso pastoril inmoderado durante décadas, los efectos producidos por el cambio climático, las sequias meteorológicas y la antropización, han generado modificaciones en fisonomía del paisaje, la diversidad y productividad florística, observándose un aumento en la proporción de suelo desnudo y fragmentación, reducción y cambios en los humedales. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron, determinar la productividad del pastizal natural, básicamente de las especies forrajeras en los humedales y observaciones directas de impactos antropogénicos. Los resultados permitieron sugerir con periodicidad anual, pautas de manejos sustentables a la autoridad de aplicación. A pesar de la importancia y extensión de estos valles calingastinos, no existe demasiada bibliografía y trabajos de investigación que permitan proyectar estrategias de sustentabilidad, como conclusión del trabajo, se presentan algunas sugerencias para contribuir a la conservación del ambiente.EEA San JuanFil: Degiorgis, Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Juan; Argentina

How a Technology Identity Can Enhance the Diffusion of Good Design Practices in Product Sound Design

People are plugged into an intangible sound universe. But only a tiny part of the sounds we are exposed to have been purposefully designed. Recently, designers are bashfully approaching these intangible products’ quality. Product Sound Design represents, in fact, a promising research field still scarcely explored. The design community is answering this concern through new design methods. An Italian university developed a patented method-and-tool, conceived to collect, analyze, and recreate various sounds to develop a new generation of products with designed mechanical (and, eventually, digital) sounds. Spreading this innovation within the design community is fundamental to stimulate future more focused and aware practices. As well as all new technologies, the new patent didn’t have its own identity from the beginning. Extensive work conducted with the scientific approach has therefore been undertaken to redesign its identity to make its disruptiveness intelligible and understandable

Data Analysis of the Energy Performance of Large Scale Solar Collectors for District Heating

District Heating systems are an interesting opportunity for the increase of renewable energy share in the heating and cooling sector. The possibility of a centralized heat production allows the integration of multiple sources, including RES such as biomass, heat pumps and solar energy. This paper provides an operation analysis of the energy performance of large scale solar collectors supplying heat to DH systems in Denmark. Thanks to the availability of hourly data it has been possible to track the evolution of the collectors’ performance throughout the year, and compare it with the available radiation. The results show the good reliability of such systems, which are generally able to convert 40% to 60% of the available radiation, with annual production yields higher than 400 kWh/m2/y. The conversion efficiency shows some seasonal variations, being the winter months the less favorable, probably because of a lower direct radiation. The DH systems considered in the study show a similar performance but with some differences: other parameters such as slope, azimuth and operating temperatures could be the causes of these variations

Is the development of infectious keratoconjunctivitis in Alpine ibex and Alpine chamois influenced by topographic features?

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) caused by Mycoplasma conjunctivae is a widespread ocular affection of free-ranging Caprinae in the Alpine arc. Along with host and pathogen characteristics, it has been hypothesized that environmental factors such as UV light are involved in the onset and course of the disease. This study aimed at evaluating the role of topographic features as predisposing or aggravating factors for IKC in Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) and Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex). Geospatial analysis was performed to assess the effect of aspect (northness) and elevation on the severity of the disease as well as on the mycoplasmal load in the eyes of affected animals, using data from 723 ibex and chamois (583 healthy animals, 105 IKC-affected animals, and 35 asymptomatic carriers of M. conjunctivae), all sampled in the Swiss Alps between 2008 and 2010. An influence of northness was not found, except that ibex with moderate and severe signs of IKC seem to prefer more north-oriented slopes than individuals without corneal lesions, possibly hinting at a sunlight sensitivity consequent to the disease. In contrast, results suggest that elevation influences the disease course in both ibex and chamois, which could be due to altitude-associated environmental conditions such as UV radiation, cold, and dryness. The results of this study support the hypothesis that environmental factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of IK

Radiographic pelvimetry in free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx carpathicus) from Switzerland

The observation of pelvic anomalies in two Eurasian lynx (subspecies Lynx lynx carpathicus) from a population reintroduced to Switzerland raised the question of the frequency of such anomalies, but no anatomical reference values were available for comparison. This study aimed at providing baseline data on the pelvic morphology of Carpathian lynx from Switzerland, and at detecting potential pelvic anomalies. Measurements of 10 pelvic parameters were performed on the radiographs of 56 lynx taken from 1997–2015. Two ratios (vertical diameter/acetabula; sagittal diameter/transversal diameter) and two areas (pelvic outlet and inlet) were calculated to describe pelvic shape. The results showed that the Eurasian lynx has a mesatipellic pelvis, with a pelvic length corresponding to approximatively 20% of the body length. We found growth-related pelvis size diferences among age classes and evidence of sexual dimorphism in adults: two parameters refecting pelvic width were larger in females, likely to meet the physiological requirements of parturition. By contrast, pelvis length, conjugata vera, diagonal conjugata, sagittal diameter, and tendentially also vertical diameter, were larger in males, in agreement with their larger body size. Outliers were found in fve individuals but apparently without clinical signifcance. Extreme values were likely due to inter-individual diferences and the limited sample size rather than to possible congenital or developmental pathological morphology of the pelvic cavity. We present baseline data of the pelvic morphology, including growth and sexual dimorphism, which may be useful for health monitoring and for determination of age and sex in skeletal remains of Carpathian lynx

Operational performance of an Air Handling Unit: insights from a data analysis

Space heating and cooling is one of the most relevant causes of energy consumption in both residential and tertiary sector buildings. In particular, service buildings and offices are mostly served by all-air HVAC systems in which control logics are fundamental to guarantee reliability and performance. Building automation systems are therefore becoming more and more relevant as a support tool for reducing the energy consumption in these contexts. For this reason, the detailed analysis of operational data from real units can help in understanding the main variables that affect the performance and functioning of all-air systems. This paper presents some results from operation data analysis of an Air Handling Unit (AHU) serving a large university classroom. The main drivers of the energy consumption are highlighted, and the classroom occupancy is found to have a significant importance in the energy balance of the system. The availability of historical operation data allows performing a comparison between the actual operation of the AHU and the expected performance from nominal parameters. An example of fault detection is proposed, considering the operation analysis of the heat recovery unit over different years