Plus ça Change? Observing the Dynamics of Morocco's ‘Arab Spring’ in the High Atlas

This contribution focuses on the ‘Arab Spring’ in Morocco and on the interactions between the mainly urban-based activists that made up the 20 February Movement (F20M), and the population in rural areas. Based on six weeks of fieldwork between November 2013 and March 2014, mostly in the areas in and near Marrakech, we find that while the urban F20M events stimulated and inspired protests in rural areas, in practice there were only sporadic contacts based on the activists’ personal feelings of belonging rather than their organizational membership. This is mainly due to discursive disconnects between the centre and periphery. As for the outcomes, in particular the new constitution, many respondents believe that nothing has changed so far

Analysis of the Compliance Properties of an Industrial Robot with the Mozzi Axis Approach

In robotic processes, the compliance of the robot arm plays a very important role. In some conditions, for example, in robotic assembly, robot arm compliance can compensate for small position and orientation errors of the end-effector. In other processes, like machining, robot compliance may generate chatter vibrations with an impairment in the quality of the machined surface. In industrial robots, the compliance of the end-effector is chiefly due to joint compliances. In this paper, joint compliances of a serial six-joint industrial robot are identified with a novel modal method making use of specific modes of vibration dominated by the compliance of only one joint. Then, in order to represent the effect of the identified compliances on robot performance in an intuitive and geometric way, a novel kinematic method based on the concept of \u201cMozzi axis\u201d of the end-effector is presented and discusse

A guided search non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm for the multi-objective university course timetabling problem

Copyright @ Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.The university course timetabling problem is a typical combinatorial optimization problem. This paper tackles the multi-objective university course timetabling problem (MOUCTP) and proposes a guided search non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm to solve the MOUCTP. The proposed algorithm integrates a guided search technique, which uses a memory to store useful information extracted from previous good solutions to guide the generation of new solutions, and two local search schemes to enhance its performance for the MOUCTP. The experimental results based on a set of test problems show that the proposed algorithm is efficient for solving the MOUCTP

Determination of blood lactate training zone boundaries with rating of perceived exertion in runners

This study aimed to determine the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) values corresponding to the blood lactate concentration (BLC) training zone boundaries (2 and 4 mmol.L-1) in moderately trained runners using the Borg CR-10 scale. Moderately trained runners (n = 95) performed a submaximal incremental test on a treadmill, recording BLC and RPE at every stage. Simple linear regression analysis was used to determine the RPE values corresponding to the BLC training zone boundaries, which revealed that RPE was significantly and strongly correlated with BLC (r= 0.821; P< 0.001; R2= 0.675; adjusted R2= 0.674; standard error of estimate= 1.18). The prediction equation (RPE= 1.092 7 BLC + 2.143) was obtained and RPE values at the BLC training zone boundaries of 2 mmol.L-1 and 4 mmol.L-1 calculated as 4.3 (95% CI, 3.9- 4.7) and 6.5 (95% CI, 6.0-7.1), respectively. In conclusion, the RPE values at the BLC training zone boundaries of 2 mmol.L-1 (4.3) and 4 mmol.L-1 (6.5) were adequately predicted. RPE (4.3 and 6.5) can be used as an affordable tool for controlling intensity in order to maintain the athletes in prescribed zones during training sessions

Vector bundles on the projective line and finite domination of chain complexes

Finitely dominated chain complexes over a Laurent polynomial ring in one indeterminate are characterised by vanishing of their Novikov homology. We present an algebro-geometric approach to this result, based on extension of chain complexes to sheaves on the projective line. We also discuss the K-theoretical obstruction to extension.Comment: v1: 11 page

Lymphatic vessels in human adipose tissue

Despite being considered present in most vascularised tissues, lymphatic vessels have not been properly shown in human adipose tissue (AT). Our goal in this study is to investigate an unanswered question in AT biology, regarding lymphatic network presence in tissue parenchyma. Using human subcutaneous (S-) and visceral (V-) AT samples with whole mount staining for lymphatic specific markers and three-dimensional imaging, we showed lymphatic capillaries and larger lymphatic vessels in the human VAT. Conversely, in the human SAT, microcirculatory lymphatic vascular structures were rarely detected and no initial lymphatics were found

Functional evaluation of circulating hematopoietic progenitors in Noonan syndrome

Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by short stature, multiple dysmorphisms and congenital heart defects. A myeloproliferative disorder (NS/MPD), resembling juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), is occasionally diagnosed in infants with NS. In the present study, we performed a functional evaluation of the circulating hematopoietic progenitors in a series of NS, NS/MPD and JMML patients. The different functional patterns were compared with the aim to identify a possible NS subgroup worthy of stringent hematological follow-up for an increased risk of MPD development. We studied 27 NS and 5 JMML patients fulfilling EWOG-MDS criteria. The more frequent molecular defects observed in NS were mutations in the PTPN11 and SOS genes. The absolute count of monocytes, circulating CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitors, their apoptotic rate and the number of circulating CFU-GMs cultured in the presence of decreasing concentrations or in the absence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were evaluated. All JMML patients showed monocytosis >1,000/μl. Ten out of the 27 NS patients showed monocytosis >1,000/μl, which included the 3 NS/MPD patients. In JMML patients, circulating CD34(+) cells were significantly increased (median, 109.8/μl; range, 44–232) with a low rate of apoptosis (median, 2.1%; range, 0.4–12.1%), and circulating CFU-GMs were hyper-responsive to GM-CSF. NS/MPD patients showed the same flow cytometric pattern as the JMML patients (median, CD34(+) cells/μl, 205.7; range, 58–1374; median apoptotic rate, 1.4%; range, 0.2–2.4%) and their circulating CFU-GMs were hyper-responsive to GM-CSF. These functional alterations appeared 10 months before the typical clinical manifestations in 1 NS/MPD patient. In NS, the CD34(+) absolute cell count and circulating CFU-GMs showed a normal pattern (median CD34(+) cells/μl, 4.9; range, 1.3–17.5), whereas the CD34(+) cell apoptotic rate was significantly decreased in comparison with the controls (median, 8.6%; range, 0–27.7% vs. median, 17.6%; range, 2.8–49.6%), suggesting an increased CD34(+) cell survival. The functional evaluation of circulating hematopoietic progenitors showed specific patterns in NS and NS/MPD. These tests are a reliable integrative tool that, together with clinical data and other hematological parameters, could help detect NS patients with a high risk for a myeloproliferative evolution

Modelos tridimensionais de cultura de células: aproximando o in vitro do in vivo

Introduction: Biotechnological advances in association with the pressure to substitute animal experimentation impelled the development of in vitro models that are more physiological and predictive of in vivo response. Objective: To discuss advantages and limitations of threedimensional (3D) cell culture models. Method: Review of the scientific literature at PubMed using the keywords “3D culture”, spheroid, organoid, “organotypic culture”, “alternative model”, microfluidic, organ-on-a-chip and biotechnology, individually and in different combinations. The search period was from 1971 to 2017. Results: Traditional monolayer cell culture assays, although extensively used, do not reproduce the cell-cell and cellextracellular matrix interactions that create physical and chemical gradients and that control cell functions, such as survival, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and protein and gene expression. 3D cell culture models are able to mimic more physiological microenvironment. The number of manuscripts published in this period reflects the scientific interest in the field. Conclusions: Although 3D models have unequivocally contributed to the bioengineering, morphogenesis, oncology, and toxicology fields, many challenges remain. The high cost of some of these models, to reproduce the mechanical spatiotemporal features of the tissues, as wells as the lack of standard protocols should be taken into account. Here we discuss the advantages and limitations of some 3D cell culture models.Introdução: Os avanços biotecnológicos em associação com a pressão para substituir a experimentação animal impulsionam o desenvolvimento de modelos in vitro mais fisiológicos e preditivos da resposta in vivo. Objetivo: Discutir vantagens e limitações de modelos tridimensionais (3D) de cultura de células. Método: Revisão da literatura na base PubMed utilizando os termos “3D culture”, spheroid, organoid, “organotypic culture”, “alternative model”, microfluidic, organ-on-a-chip e biotechnology, individualmente e em diferentes combinações. A pesquisa abrangeu o período de 1971 a 2017. Resultados: Ensaios tradicionais de cultura em monocamada, embora sejam amplamente utilizados, não reproduzem as interações célula-célula e célula-matriz extracelular, que criam gradientes físicos e químicos e controlam funções celulares, como sobrevivência, proliferação, diferenciação, migração e expressão de genes e proteínas. Modelos 3D de cultura de células são capazes de mimetizar um microambiente mais fisiológico. O número de publicações no período estudado reflete o crescente interesse científico no tema. Conclusões: Embora os modelos 3D tenham inequivocamente contribuído para as áreas de bioengenharia, morfogênese, oncologia e toxicologia, muitos desafios permanecem. O custo elevado de alguns destes modelos, reproduzir as características mecânicas, espaciais e temporais dos tecidos, assim como a necessidade de desenvolver protocolos padronizados devem ser considerados