Numerical Model for the Determination of Erythrocyte Mechanical Properties and Wall Shear Stress in vivo From Intravital Microscopy.

The mechanical properties and deformability of Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are important determinants of blood rheology and microvascular hemodynamics. The objective of this study is to quantify the mechanical properties and wall shear stress experienced by the RBC membrane during capillary plug flow in vivo utilizing high speed video recording from intravital microscopy, biomechanical modeling, and computational methods. Capillaries were imaged in the rat cremaster muscle pre- and post-RBC transfusion of stored RBCs for 2-weeks. RBC membrane contours were extracted utilizing image processing and parametrized. RBC parameterizations were used to determine updated deformation gradient and Lagrangian Green strain tensors for each point along the parametrization and for each frame during plug flow. The updated Lagrangian Green strain and Displacement Gradient tensors were numerically fit to the Navier-Lame equations along the parameterized boundary to determined Lame's constants. Mechanical properties and wall shear stress were determined before and transfusion, were grouped in three populations of erythrocytes: native cells (NC) or circulating cells before transfusion, and two distinct population of cells after transfusion with stored cells (SC1 and SC2). The distinction, between the heterogeneous populations of cells present after the transfusion, SC1 and SC2, was obtained through principle component analysis (PCA) of the mechanical properties along the membrane. Cells with the first two principle components within 3 standard deviations of the mean, were labeled as SC1, and those with the first two principle components greater than 3 standard deviations from the mean were labeled as SC2. The calculated shear modulus average was 1.1±0.2, 0.90±0.15, and 12 ± 8 MPa for NC, SC1, and SC2, respectively. The calculated young's modulus average was 3.3±0.6, 2.6±0.4, and 32±20 MPa for NC, SC1, and SC2, respectively. o our knowledge, the methods presented here are the first estimation of the erythrocyte mechanical properties and shear stress in vivo during capillary plug flow. In summary, the methods introduced in this study may provide a new avenue of investigation of erythrocyte mechanics in the context of hematologic conditions that adversely affect erythrocyte mechanical properties

Diseño de un aula virtual como herramienta en el proceso de aprendizaje del concepto de función en estudiantes de grado noveno del Colegio Restrepo Millán jornada tarde IED

La propuesta de trabajo que a continuación se desarrolla es una estrategia para vincular los elementos que caracterizan a las Nuevas Tecnologías (comunicación, interacción y rapidez en la transmisión de la información) en el ámbito escolar y particularmente en el aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Su contexto principal, el Colegio Restrepo Millán en la jornada Tarde, y como beneficiarios de los resultados de dicha propuesta, los estudiantes de Grado Noveno. Esta propuesta, enmarcada en la Especialización en Diseño de Ambientes de Aprendizaje de la Corporación Minuto de Dios, Uniminuto, está encaminada a incluir el uso de las Nuevas Tecnologías, y en especial aquellos elementos virtuales, que bien puede ser parte de los procesos inherentes a la clase de matemáticas. El interés de la propuesta se centrará en establecer la viabilidad de utilizar, un Aula Virtual de matemáticas, como una herramienta que permita mejorar el proceso de aprendizaje del concepto matemático de Función. Esta propuesta pretende entonces, brindar a los estudiantes de Grado Noveno del colegio Restrepo Millán Jornada Tarde, un ambiente diferente donde desarrollar los procesos de pensamiento, habilidades, destrezas y competencias propias de las matemáticas

Diseño de un aula virtual como herramienta en el proceso de aprendizaje del concepto de función en estudiantes de grado noveno del Colegio Restrepo Millán jornada tarde IED

La propuesta de trabajo que a continuación se desarrolla es una estrategia para vincular los elementos que caracterizan a las Nuevas Tecnologías (comunicación, interacción y rapidez en la transmisión de la información) en el ámbito escolar y particularmente en el aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Su contexto principal, el Colegio Restrepo Millán en la jornada Tarde, y como beneficiarios de los resultados de dicha propuesta, los estudiantes de Grado Noveno. Esta propuesta, enmarcada en la Especialización en Diseño de Ambientes de Aprendizaje de la Corporación Minuto de Dios, Uniminuto, está encaminada a incluir el uso de las Nuevas Tecnologías, y en especial aquellos elementos virtuales, que bien puede ser parte de los procesos inherentes a la clase de matemáticas. El interés de la propuesta se centrará en establecer la viabilidad de utilizar, un Aula Virtual de matemáticas, como una herramienta que permita mejorar el proceso de aprendizaje del concepto matemático de Función. Esta propuesta pretende entonces, brindar a los estudiantes de Grado Noveno del colegio Restrepo Millán Jornada Tarde, un ambiente diferente donde desarrollar los procesos de pensamiento, habilidades, destrezas y competencias propias de las matemáticas

Getting Chemical and Biochemical Engineers Excited about Additive Manufacturing

A new course was designed to attract chemical and bioengineers to additive manufacturing and to provide them with an effective approach to this new field. The goal is a wider use of the advantages of additive manufacturing for complex multifunctional components in chemical process engineering. We describe the structure of the course and the experiences from the first two years. Students show great interest and are able to develop their own functional components with assistance. Yet many have deficits in the use of CAD software, which will be remedied in the future through a specific lecture

Continuous improvement integrating technological tools to assertively accelerate decision-making of logistics. Case implemented in a construction materials supplier company

Considering that many of the logistics infrastructure designs around the world are often sup-ported by studies with various computational tools, but most of these solutions are using in isolation and little understandably. Therefore, it is proposed, to develop this research based on a Logistics Reference Model, which will allow, visualize, manage and analyze the different processes and logistical scenarios of the system, with in aim to execute the best cost-benefit strategy in a company dedicated to the distribution of construction materials. By implementing this methodology, the management of the company studied was able to make the best decision for the structuring of its processes in the area of picking and dispatch. The results showed a 50% re-duction in inventory review time, equal an increase in reliability 7% that leaves the company in around location close to 85.68%; a decrease in cycle time in each order between 20% and 40% which positively impacted the customer service level. In addition, a decrease in lead times for the receipt of materials to suppliers was achieved between 15% and 30%, and a decrease in the number of warehouses, went having from 5 independent to maintain one single distribution center

Environmental description

Environmental description is the description of general, physical, personal and social space and action, where visual, auditory and other sensory information is shared with the receiver in spoken, written or sign language, either vocally, i.e. producing sounds or in another form (pointing, touching, drawing). It can be divided into the expression of basic characteristics, basic description, precise and extended description, and it can be carried out physically on the spot (close description) or far away from the target (distant description). Description can be carried out spontaneously in real time, in joint action systematically i.e. pre-prepared description or it can be recorded beforehand as a text format, or as consecutive i.e. a postponed description after the event. The target group may be one person or a group. In addition to verbal description, environmental description can be produced with various sounds, such as vocalization without words or other sources of sounds e.g. musical instruments. Interaction in a situation between the describer and the receiver may be a one-way description or a dialogue. It can further be divided into functional dialogue, reciprocal description supporting sensory perceptions, telling and pointing in front of the target, reciprocal description by drawing or through movements and the exploration of objects. In detailed descriptions the main subjects are followed by details. Description can be classified according to the size of the space that is extensive, large, in a room or nearby

Long period fibre gratings photoinscribed in a microstructured polymer optical fibre by UV radiation

Long period gratings were written step-by-step in microstructured poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibre using a continuous wave HeCd laser at 325nm irradiating the fibre with a power of 1mW. The grating had a length of 2 cm and a period of 1mm. A series of cladding mode coupling resonances were observed throughout the spectral region studied of 600 to 1100nm. The resonance wavelengths were shown to be sensitive to both surrounding refractive index and the water content of the polymer fibre