Multiscale model for the effects of adaptive immunity suppression on the viral therapy of cancer

Oncolytic virotherapy - the use of viruses that specifically kill tumor cells - is an innovative and highly promising route for treating cancer. However, its therapeutic outcomes are mainly impaired by the host immune response to the viral infection. In the present work, we propose a multiscale mathematical model to study how the immune response interferes with the viral oncolytic activity. The model assumes that cytotoxic T cells can induce apoptosis in infected cancer cells and that free viruses can be inactivated by neutralizing antibodies or cleared at a constant rate by the innate immune response. Our simulations suggest that reprogramming the immune microenvironment in tumors could substantially enhance the oncolytic virotherapy in immune-competent hosts. Viable routes to such reprogramming are either in situ virus-mediated impairing of CD$8^+$ T cells motility or blockade of B and T lymphocytes recruitment. Our theoretical results can shed light on the design of viral vectors or new protocols with neat potential impacts on the clinical practice.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Análise do comportamento in vitro de explantes foliares de pequizeiro (Caryocar brasiliense camb.) através de RAPD.

xEdição de resumos do 7º Congresso Brasileiro de Fisiologia Vegetal, Brasília, 1999

Quantum tomography via equidistant states

We study the possibility of performing quantum state tomography via equidistant states. This class of states allows us to propose a non-symmetric informationally complete POVM based tomographic scheme. The scheme is defined for odd dimensions and involves an inversion which can be analytically carried out by Fourier transform

Dispersion and re-aggregation phenomena in carbon nanotube polymer composites

The preparation of polymer nanocomposites is usually carried out in twin-screw extruders or internal batch mixers. Previous studies have extensively shown that the resulting filler dispersion is strongly dependent on the characteristics of the melt mixing equipment. It is also known that the dispersion level of nanofillers strongly affects the final nanocomposite properties. The present work focuses on the study of the dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in polypropylene using a prototype mixer that develop high thermomechanical stress. The distribution and dispersion of the CNT was evaluated by optical and electron microscopy. The level of dispersion achieved was analysed, and the electrical resistivity of the composite, along the mixing cycles, was measured. The enhancement of the CNT dispersion along the mixing process correlated with a large decrease in electrical resistivity of the composite. A “percolation time”, defined as the time, or number of mixing cycles, required to achieve electrical conductivity, was measured, and correlated with mixing conditions. The composite formed was re-heated and reprocessed using the same mixing system. Re-agglomeration and loss of electrical conductivity was observed, and the final dispersion level varied with the mixing conditions imposed. Agglomerate size and electrical resistivity increased when reprocessing was performed at lower shear rate, as compared to the first processing cycle

Research in hospitality management and accounting: a research synthesis and analysis of current literature and future challenges

This study characterizes the results of social-scientific, behavioral science, and managerial/accounting research on current management and accounting matters in the hotel industry published in the most prestigious scientific hospitality journals and identifies avenues for future research. Based on an analysis of a set of 55 articles published in the journals that make up the SCImago Journal and Coutry Rank, published between 2005 and 2015, it is concluded that there is a lack of research in the financial accounting group; additional research is required for the small hotel category, and it is the important to use comparative studies that are better able to capture the characteristics of the hospitality industry. Additionally, most of the empirical studies analyzed come from European countries and statistical methods are extensively used in all topic areas. Finally, some gaps are identified in the literature and indicated future research priorities.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The demography of the lizard Tropidurus torquatus (Squamata, Tropiduridae) in a highly seasonal Neotropical savanna

The demography of a population of Tropidurus torquatus was studied from March 1996 until December 1998, in the Cerrado biome of the Central Brazil, using the method of capture and recapture. Population size, number of incoming individuals in the population, and age structure varied seasonally, reflecting the reproductive cycle of the species. The instantaneous rate of population increase did not differ from zero throughout the study. In general, the permanence rate of juveniles and adults were low, indicating a large turnover of individuals in the population, with a maximum life expectancy of three years. The sex-ratio among adults was biased toward females. Since no bias was observed among juveniles and there was no difference in adults permanence between sexes, we suggestet that the biased adult sex-ratio resulted from a lower permanence of males during a short ontogenetic period, when secondary sexual characteristics develop. When compared to T. itambere, the studied population of T. torquatus attained a higher density and a greater female bias in the sex-ratio. In general, the studied population presented characteristics that, according to life history theory, should be associated with early age at maturity and polyginy: short life expectancy, high population turnover, and female biased sex-ratios

Utilização de marcadores SSR como ferramenta auxiliar na análise de fatores associados a dureza do grão em milho.

xSuplemento. Edição dos resumos do 46º Congresso Nacional de Genética, Águas de Lindóia, SP, 2000

L0 and L1 Guidance and Path-Following Control for Airborne Wind Energy Systems

For an efficient and reliable operation of an Airborne Wind Energy System, it is widely accepted that the kite should follow a pre-defined optimized path. In this article, we address the problem of designing a trajectory controller so that such path is closely followed. The path-following controllers investigated are based on a well-known nonlinear guidance logic termed L1 and on a proposed modification of it, which we termed L0. We have developed and implemented both L0 and L1 controllers for an AWES. The two controllers have an easy implementation with an explicit expression for the control law based on the cross-track error, on the heading angle relative to the path, and on a single parameter L (L0 or L1, depending on each controller) that we are able to tune. The L0 controller has an even easier implementation since the explicit control law can be used without the need to switch controllers. Since the switching of controllers might jeopardize stability, the L0 controller has an important theoretical advantage in being able to guarantee stability on a larger domain of attraction.The simulation study shows that both nonlinear guidance logic controllers exhibit appropriate performance when the L parameter is adequately tuned, with the L0 controller showing a better performance when measured in terms of the average cross-track error. (c) 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Asymmetric band diagrams in photonic crystals with a spontaneous nonreciprocal response

We study the propagation of electromagnetic waves in layered photonic crystals formed by materials with a spontaneous nonreciprocal response, such as Tellegen (axion) media or topological insulators. Surprisingly, it is proven that stratified Tellegen photonic crystals that break simultaneously the space inversion and time-reversal symmetries have always symmetric dispersion diagrams. Interestingly, we show that by combining chiral and nonreciprocal materials the photonic band diagrams can exhibit a spectral asymmetry such that omega(k) not equal omega(-k). Furthermore, it is demonstrated that in some conditions two juxtaposed Tellegen medium layers have an electromagnetic response analogous to that of a biased ferrite slab.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio