15 research outputs found
Recent advances on information transmission and storage assisted by noise
The interplay between nonlinear dynamic systems and noise has proved to be of
great relevance in several application areas. In this presentation, we focus on
the areas of information transmission and storage. We review some recent
results on information transmission through nonlinear channels assisted by
noise. We also present recent proposals of memory devices in which noise plays
an essential role. Finally, we discuss new results on the influence of noise in
memristors.Comment: To be published in "Theory and Applications of Nonlinear Dynamics:
Model and Design of Complex Systems", Proceedings of ICAND 2012 (Springer,
2014
Applications of yeast flocculation in biotechnological processes
A review on the main aspects associated with yeast flocculation and its application
in biotechnological processes is presented. This subject is addressed following three
main aspects – the basics of yeast flocculation, the development of “new” flocculating yeast
strains and bioreactor development. In what concerns the basics of yeast flocculation, the
state of the art on the most relevant aspects of mechanism, physiology and genetics of yeast
flocculation is reported. The construction of flocculating yeast strains includes not only the
recombinant constitutive flocculent brewer’s yeast, but also recombinant flocculent yeast
for lactose metabolisation and ethanol production. Furthermore, recent work on the
heterologous β-galactosidase production using a recombinant flocculent Saccharomyces
cerevisiae is considered. As bioreactors using flocculating yeast cells have particular properties,
mainly associated with a high solid phase hold-up, a section dedicated to its operation is
presented. Aspects such as bioreactor productivity and culture stability as well as bioreactor
hydrodynamics and mass transfer properties of flocculating cell cultures are considered.
Finally, the paper concludes describing some of the applications of high cell density
flocculation bioreactors and discussing potential new uses of these systems.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) – PRAXIS XXI - BD11306/97
Effects of Electrical and Structural Remodeling on Atrial Fibrillation Maintenance: A Simulation Study
Atrial fibrillation, a common cardiac arrhythmia, often progresses unfavourably: in patients with long-term atrial fibrillation, fibrillatory episodes are typically of increased duration and frequency of occurrence relative to healthy controls. This is due to electrical, structural, and contractile remodeling processes. We investigated mechanisms of how electrical and structural remodeling contribute to perpetuation of simulated atrial fibrillation, using a mathematical model of the human atrial action potential incorporated into an anatomically realistic three-dimensional structural model of the human atria. Electrical and structural remodeling both shortened the atrial wavelength - electrical remodeling primarily through a decrease in action potential duration, while structural remodeling primarily slowed conduction. The decrease in wavelength correlates with an increase in the average duration of atrial fibrillation/flutter episodes. The dependence of reentry duration on wavelength was the same for electrical vs. structural remodeling. However, the dynamics during atrial reentry varied between electrical, structural, and combined electrical and structural remodeling in several ways, including: (i) with structural remodeling there were more occurrences of fragmented wavefronts and hence more filaments than during electrical remodeling; (ii) dominant waves anchored around different anatomical obstacles in electrical vs. structural remodeling; (iii) dominant waves were often not anchored in combined electrical and structural remodeling. We conclude that, in simulated atrial fibrillation, the wavelength dependence of reentry duration is similar for electrical and structural remodeling, despite major differences in overall dynamics, including maximal number of filaments, wave fragmentation, restitution properties, and whether dominant waves are anchored to anatomical obstacles or spiralling freely
Delay-induced cluster patterns in coupled Cayley tree networks
We study effects of delay in diffusively coupled logistic maps on the Cayley
tree networks. We find that smaller coupling values exhibits sensitiveness for
value of delay, and leads to different cluster patterns of self-organized and
driven types. Whereas larger coupling strengths are very robust against change
in delay values, and leads to stable driven clusters comprising only nodes from
last generation of the Calaye tree. Furthermore, introduction of delay exhibits
suppression as well as enhancement of synchronization depending upon coupling
strength values, hence demonstrating richness of the model. To the end we
relate the results with social conflicts and cooperation observed in families.Comment: EPJ-ST (In press