407 research outputs found
Differential lectin binding patterns in the oviductal ampulla of the horse during oestrus
We investigated the oligosaccharide sequence of glycoconjugates,
mainly sialoglycoconjugates, in the horse oviductal
ampulla during oestrus by means of lectin and pre-lectin
methods such as the KOH-neuraminidase procedure to
remove sialic acid residues and incubation with N-glycosidase
F to cleave N-linked glycans. Ciliated cells displayed N-linked
oligosaccharides throughout the cytoplasm. The cilia
glycocalyx expressed both N- and O-linked (mucin-type)
oligosaccharides, both showing a high variety of terminal
sequences. In the most non-ciliated cells, the whole cytoplasm
contained N-linked oligosaccharides with terminal
αGal as well as mucin-type glycans with terminal Forssman
pentasaccharides. In a few scattered non-ciliated cells, the
whole cytoplasm displayed sialylated N-linked oligosaccharides
with terminal Neu5Ac-GalNAc and O-linked glycans terminating
with neutral and/or αGalNAc, Neu5Acα2,6Gal/
GalNAc, Neu5AcGalβ1,3GalNAc. Supra-nuclear granules,
probably Golgi zones, of non-ciliated cells showed mainly O-linked
glycans rich in sialic acid residues. The luminal surface
of non-ciliated cells showed N-linked oligosaccharides,
containing terminal/internal αMan/αGlc, βGlcNAc and terminal
αGal, as well as mucin-type oligosaccharides terminating
with a large variety of either neutral saccharides or
sialylated sequences. Apical protrusions containing O-linked
oligosaccharides with terminal Forssman pentasaccharide,
Neu5Ac-Galβ1,4GlcNAc, Neu5Ac-GalNAc were seen in nonciliated
cells scattered along the epithelium. These findings
show the presence of sialoglycoconjugates in the oviductal
ampulla epithelium of the mare and the existence of different
lectin binding profiles between ciliated and non-ciliated
(secretory) cells, as well as the presence of non-ciliated cell
sub-types which might determine functional differences
along the ampullary epithelium of mare oviduct
Sarande: water, forma terrae and forma urbis
Ponència presentada a: Session 9: Diseño e Historia (modernidad y tradición) / Design and History (modernity and tradition
Sarande: water, forma terrae and forma urbis
Ponència presentada a: Session 9: Diseño e Historia (modernidad y tradición) / Design and History (modernity and tradition
How the andrological sector suffered from the dramatic Covid 19 outbreak in Italy: supportive initiatives of the Italian Association of Andrology (SIA)
The possible strategies for the remodulation of the andrological activity were discussed and shared within a team of national experts belonging to the Italian Society of Andrology (SIA). Initiatives for andrologists. With the various provisions of the Prime Minister that have followed all the national and local scientific meetings were canceled. In order to compensate for this abrupt lack of opportunities for scientific meetings, a cycle of live reports was activated on YOUTUBE by recognized experts, to cover many different andrological topics. The YOUTUBE channel was chosen as it can be easily followed by each member without having to download any streaming program, with the possibility to consult the contents without any time limitation. Initiatives for patients In this new context, non-urgent outpatient activities (such as Andrology) have been suspended throughout the national territory
An abstract argumentation approach for the prediction of analysts’ recommendations following earnings conference calls
Financial analysts constitute an important element of financial decision-making in stock exchanges throughout the world. By leveraging on argumentative reasoning, we develop a method to predict financial analysts' recommendations in earnings conference calls (ECCs), an important type of financial communication. We elaborate an analysis to select those reliable arguments in the Questions Answers (QA) part of ECCs that analysts evaluate to estimate their recommendation. The observation date of stock recommendation update may variate during the next quarter: it can be either the day after the ECC or it can take weeks. Our objective is to anticipate analysts' recommendations by predicting their judgment with the help of abstract argumentation. In this paper, we devise our approach to the analysis of ECCs, by designing a general processing framework which combines natural language processing along with abstract argumentation evaluation techniques to produce a final scoring function, representing the analysts' prediction about the company's trend. Then, we evaluate the performance of our approach by specifying a strategy to predict analysts recommendations starting from the evaluation of the argumentation graph properly instantiated from an ECC transcript. We also provide the experimental setting in which we perform the predictions of recommendations as a machine learning classification task. The method is shown to outperform approaches based only on sentiment analysis
The integration of 3D modeling and simulation to determine the energy potential of low-temperature geothermal systems in the Pisa (Italy) sedimentary plain
Shallow, low-temperature geothermal resources can significantly reduce the environmental impact of heating and cooling. Based on a replicable standard workflow for three-dimensional (3D) geothermal modeling, an approach to the assessment of geothermal energy potential is proposed and applied to the young sedimentary basin of Pisa (north Tuscany, Italy), starting from the development of a geothermal geodatabase, with collated geological, stratigraphic, hydrogeological, geophysical and thermal data. The contents of the spatial database are integrated and processed using software for geological and geothermal modeling. The models are calibrated using borehole data. Model outputs are visualized as three-dimensional reconstructions of the subsoil units, their volumes and depths, the hydrogeological framework, and the distribution of subsoil temperatures and geothermal properties. The resulting deep knowledge of subsoil geology would facilitate the deployment of geothermal heat pump technology, site selection for well doublets (for open-loop systems), or vertical heat exchangers (for closed-loop systems). The reconstructed geological-hydrogeological models and the geothermal numerical simulations performed help to define the limits of sustainable utilization of an area's geothermal potential
Human-Centered Design of a Collaborative Robotic System for the Shoe-Polishing Process
Demand for automated processes in the manufacturing industry is now shifting toward flexible, human-centered systems that combine productivity and high product quality, thus combining the advantages of automated and robotic systems with the high-value-added skills of operators and craftsmen. This trend is even more crucial for small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the “Made in Italy” fashion industry. The paper presents the study, simulation, and preliminary testing of a collaborative robotic system for shoe polishing that can reduce manual labor by limiting it to the finishing stage of the process, where the aesthetic result is fully achieved, with a benefit also in terms of ergonomics for the operator. The influence of process parameters and design solutions are discussed by presenting preliminary test results and providing hints for future developments
A masonry catalogue for the Groningen region
Human induced seismicity has become an uprising problem in the Groningen region of The Netherlands, in which the vast majority of buildings are non-seismically engineered unreinforced masonry houses. In order to accurately assess the seismic vulnerability of these buildings, a characterization of the constitutive masonry is required. In 2015, as a part of a larger project, a campaign on the material characterization of existing buildings was performed, including laboratory and in-situ testing of the masonry walls. The campaign constitutes the germ for the creation of a regional material properties database. 16 buildings were tested in total, comprising residential structures and schools, dating from the early ‘20s to 2005. The constitutive walls included both clay and calcium silicate brick masonry of various qualities and conditions. The in-situ testing included non-destructive tests such as rebound hammer and sonic tests, and semidestructive test, i.e. flat jack and shove test. Samples were carefully taken to the laboratory, where the destructive campaign took place, including compressive, flexural, shear and bond wrench tests. Despite of the limited number of sampled buildings, the campaign provided a better insight of the researched material. The available data suggests that the use of sub-typologies (e.g. depending of the masonry quality or condition) could reduce the dispersion on the results. A first attempt of correlation between in-situ and laboratory tests is proposed, which could benefit from further calibration. In this paper, the material characterization campaign is described, and the main outcomes are discussed
Rotavirus Vaccine Schedules and Vaccine Response Among Infants in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review
Rotavirus vaccine schedules may impact vaccine response among children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Our objective was to review the literature evaluating the effects of monovalent (RV1) or pentavalent rotavirus vaccines schedules on vaccine response
Double Trouble Percutaneous Disobstruction of 2 Pulmonary Veins Following Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation
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