Project Elements: A computational entity-component-system in a scene-graph pythonic framework, for a neural, geometric computer graphics curriculum

We present the Elements project, a computational science and computer graphics (CG) framework, that offers for the first time the advantages of an Entity-Component-System (ECS) along with the rapid prototyping convenience of a Scenegraph-based pythonic framework. This novelty allows advances in the teaching of CG: from heterogeneous directed acyclic graphs and depth-first traversals, to animation, skinning, geometric algebra and shader-based components rendered via unique systems all the way to their representation as graph neural networks for 3D scientific visualization. Taking advantage of the unique ECS in a a Scenegraph underlying system, this project aims to bridge CG curricula and modern game engines, that are based on the same approach but often present these notions in a black-box approach. It is designed to actively utilize software design patterns, under an extensible open-source approach. Although Elements provides a modern, simple to program pythonic approach with Jupyter notebooks and unit-tests, its CG pipeline is not black-box, exposing for teaching for the first time unique challenging scientific, visual and neural computing concepts.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, 2 listings, submitted to EuroGraphics 2023 education trac

A ground-based experimental test program to duplicate and study the spacecraft glow phenomenon

The use of a plasma device, the Advanced Concepts Torus-I, for producing atoms and molecules to study spacecraft glow mechanisms is discussed. A biased metal plate, located in the plasma edge, is used to accelerate and neutralize plasma ions, thus generating a neutral beam with a flux approx. 5 x 10 to the 14th power/sq cm/sec at the end of a drift tube. Our initial experiments are to produce a 10 eV molecular and atomic nitrogen beam directed onto material targets. Photon emission in the spectral range 2000 to 9000 A from excited species formed on the target surface will be investigated

Cerebellar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: The Role of Coil Type from Distinct Manufacturers

Background Stimulating the cerebellum with transcranial magnetic stimulation is often perceived as uncomfortable. No study has systematically tested which coil design can effectively trigger a cerebellar response with the least discomfort. Objective To determine the relationship between perceived discomfort and effectiveness of cerebellar stimulation using different coils: MagStim (70 mm, 110 mm-coated, 110-uncoated), MagVenture and Deymed. Methods Using the cerebellar-brain inhibition (CBI) protocol, we conducted a CBI recruitment curve with respect to each participant’s maximum tolerated-stimulus intensity (MTI) to assess how effective each coil was at activating the cerebellum. Results Only the Deymed double-cone coil elicited CBI at low intensities (−20% MTI). At the MTI, the MagStim (110 mm coated/uncoated) and Deymed coils produced reliable CBI, whereas no CBI was found with the MagVenture coil. Conclusions: The Deymed double-cone coil was most effective at cerebellar stimulation at tolerable intensities. These results can guide coil selection and stimulation parameters when designing cerebellar TMS studies

Regulation of osteoblast development by Bcl-2-associated athanogene-1 (BAG-1)

BCL-2-associated athanogene-1 (BAG-1) is expressed by osteoblast-lineage cells; early embryonic lethality in Bag-1 null mice, however, has limited the investigation of BAG-1 function in osteoblast development. In the present study, bone morphogenetic protein-2/BMP-2-directed osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) of Bag-1+/- (heterozygous) female mice was decreased significantly. Genes crucial for osteogenic differentiation, bone matrix formation and mineralisation were expressed at significantly lower levels in cultures of Bag-1+/- BMSCs supplemented with BMP-2, while genes with roles in inhibition of BMP-2-directed osteoblastogenesis were significantly upregulated. 17-beta-estradiol (E2) enhanced responsiveness of BMSCs of wild-type and Bag-1+/- mice to BMP-2, and promoted robust BMP-2-stimulated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. BAG-1 can modulate cellular responses to E2 by regulating the establishment of functional estrogen receptors (ERs), crucially, via its interaction with heat shock proteins (HSC70/HSP70). Inhibition of BAG-1 binding to HSC70 by the small-molecule chemical inhibitor, Thioflavin-S, and a short peptide derived from the C-terminal BAG domain, which mediates binding with the ATPase domain of HSC70, resulted in significant downregulation of E2/ER-facilitated BMP-2-directed osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. These studies demonstrate for the first time the significance of BAG-1-mediated protein-protein interactions, specifically, BAG-1-regulated activation of ER by HSC70, in modulation of E2-facilitated BMP-2-directed osteoblast development

Motor versus body awareness: Voxel-based lesion analysis in anosognosia for hemiplegia and somatoparaphrenia following right hemisphere stroke

This is the accepted manuscript version of the following article: Valentina Moro, Simone Pernigo, Manos Tsakiris, Renato Avesani, Nicola M. J. Edelstyn, Paul M. Jenkinson, and Aikaterini Fotopoulou, ‘Motor versus body awareness: Voxel-based lesion analysis in anosognosia for hemiplegia and somatoparaphrenia following right hemisphere stroke’, Cortex, Vol 83, pp. 62-77, first published online 15 Jul 2016. The version of record is available online at doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2016.07.001 Published by Elsevier. © Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Anosognosia for hemiplegia (AHP) is informative about the neurocognitive basis of motor awareness. However, it is frequently associated with concomitant symptoms, such as hemispatial neglect and disturbances in the sense of body ownership (DSO). Although double dissociations between these symptoms have been reported, there is ongoing debate about whether they are manifestations of independent abnormalities, or a single neuro- cognitive deficit. We aimed to investigate the specificity of lesions associated with AHP by surpassing four, existing methodological limitations: (a) recruit a relatively large sample of patients (total N 1⁄4 70) in a multi-centre study; (b) identify lesions associated with AHP in grey and white matter using voxel-based methods; (c) take into account the duration of AHP and concomitant neglect symptoms; and (d) compare lesions against a control hemiplegic group, patients suffering from AHP and DSO, and a few, rare patients with selective DSO. Results indicated that acute AHP is associated with a wide network, mainly including: (1) the Rolandic operculum, (2) the insula and (3) the superior temporal gyri. Subcortically, damage mainly involved the basal ganglia and white matter, mostly the superior corona radiate, arcuate fasciculus and the part of the ventral, superior longitu- dinal fasciculus. Persistent symptoms were linked with wider damage involving fronto- temporal cortex and long white matter tracts. A shift in the latero-medial direction (mainly involving the basal ganglia and surrounding white matter) emerged when DSO was taken accounted for. These results suggest that while bodily awareness is processed by areas widely distributed across the brain, intact subcortical structures and white matter tracts may be necessary to support basic feelings of owning and controlling contralateral body parts. An accurate and ‘up-to-date’ awareness of our motor abilities, however, may rely also on intact processing in cortical areas which presumably allow higher-order in- ferences about the current state of the body.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Groundbased studies of spacecraft glow and erosion caused by impact of oxygen and nitrogen beams

To simulate surface reactions in the space environment a ground-based facility was developed that produces a very high flux 10(14) to 10(16)/sq cm/s of low energy (2 to 20 eV) neutral atoms and molecules. The neutral beams are created using a method involving neutralization and reflection of ions from a biased limiter, where the ions are extracted from a toroidal plasma source. The spectra of emission due to beam-solid interactions on targets of Chemglaze Z-306 optical paint and Kapton are presented. Erosion yields for carbon and Kapton targets with low energy (approx. 10 eV) nitrogen and oxygen beams were measured. The reaction rates and surface morphology for the erosion of Kapton are similar to those measured in experiments on STS-5

Analisis Kesediaan Membayar Wtp (Willingness To Pay) dalam Upaya Pengelolaan Obyek Wisata Taman Alun Kapuas Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat

Berbagai fungsi yang terkait dengan sumber daya alam (fungsi ekologis, sosial, ekonomi, dan arsitektural) dannilai estetika yang dimilikinya (obyek dan lingkungan) dapat meningkatkan kualitas lingkungan dan untukkelangsungan kehidupan perkotaan juga dapat menjadi nilai kebanggaan dan identitas kota. Sebagai obyekwisata alam, Taman Alunalun Kapuas belum tertata dengan baik, pelaksanaan upaya pengelolaan objek wisataTaman Alun Kapuas membutuhkan biaya yang tidak sedikit. Untuk itu diharapkan bagi pengunjung untukmembayar dalam pengelolaan Taman Alun Kapuas. Penelitian ini menggunakan analisis regresi logistik dalammenganalisis faktor-faktor kesediaan pengunjung untuk membayar. Sedangkan metode CVM (ContingenValuation Method) digunakan untuk mengestimasi biaya yang akan dikeluarkan oleh pengunjung, dan metoderegresi berganda digunakan untuk menganalisis faktor-faktor apa yang mempengaruhi besar kesediaanmembayar pengunjung. Program yang dapat membantu dalam penelitian ini yaitu Microsoft Excel 2007 danMinitab For Windows Realise 16. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sebanyak 84% responden bersediamembayar dalam upaya pengelolaan lingkungan obyek wisata Taman Alun Kapuas. Faktor-faktor yangmempengaruhi kesediaan membayar responden pengunjung dalam upaya pengelolaan lingkungan obyekwisata Taman Alun Kapuas antara lain pendapatan (PNDPTN3) dan pengetahuan (PNGTHUAN). Nilai rata-rataWTP responden pengunjung adalah sebesar Rp 3360,00/orang. Faktor yang mempengaruhi nilai WTPresponden yaitu usia (U)

Starting a conversation about estimands with public partners involved in clinical trials: a co-developed tool

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials aim to draw conclusions about the effects of treatments, but a trial can address many different potential questions. For example, does the treatment work well for patients who take it as prescribed? Or does it work regardless of whether patients take it exactly as prescribed? Since different questions can lead to different conclusions on treatment benefit, it is important to clearly understand what treatment effect a trial aims to investigate-this is called the 'estimand'. Using estimands helps to ensure trials are designed and analysed to answer the questions of interest to different stakeholders, including patients and public. However, there is uncertainty about whether patients and public would like to be involved in defining estimands and how to do so. Public partners are patients and/or members of the public who are part of, or advise, the research team. We aimed to (i) co-develop a tool with public partners that helps explain what an estimand is and (ii) explore public partner's perspectives on the importance of discussing estimands during trial design. METHODS: An online consultation meeting was held with 5 public partners of mixed age, gender and ethnicities, from various regions of the UK. Public partner opinions were collected and a practical tool describing estimands, drafted before the meeting by the research team, was developed. Afterwards, the tool was refined, and additional feedback sought via email. RESULTS: Public partners want to be involved in estimand discussions. They found an introductory tool, to be presented and described to them by a researcher, helpful for starting a discussion about estimands in a trial design context. They recommended storytelling, analogies and visual aids within the tool. Four topics related to public partners' involvement in defining estimands were identified: (i) the importance of addressing questions that are relevant to patients and public in trials, (ii) involving public partners early on, (iii) a need for education and communication for all stakeholders and (iv) public partners and researchers working together. CONCLUSIONS: We co-developed a tool for researchers and public partners to use to facilitate the involvement of public partners in estimand discussions

Pembentukan 8-OHdG Dari Zat Toksik Pemicu Radikal Bebas

This study was conducted to observethe profile of DNA Adduct (8-OHdG) formation as DNA damage indicators, by using calf thymus DNA incubated with toxic and carcinogenic compounds. The compounds which could trigger free radicals in this research were PAH(Benzo[a]Pyrene), TiO2, and CuCl2. Calf thymus DNA was incubated with Benzo[a]Pyrene and CuCl2 compounds under pH and temperature variations. The incubation of calf thymus DNA with TiO2-UV radiation (254 nm) wasused to induce the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the process of oxidative DNA damage. From this research, all of compounds have potency to trigger the formation of DNA Adduct (8-OHdG). The ratio of absorbance to assess the purity of DNA at 260 nm and 280 nm (λ260/ λ280 ) was measured at ~1.9. The shifted peaks at λmax were indicating changes on structures of DNA as a result of calf thymus DNA incubation with B[a]P and CuCl2. The highest level of 8-OHdG results in calf thymus DNA incubation with B[a]P and CuCl2 under pH 8.5 and incubation temperature at 60°C, was about 120.856 μg/L. Calf thymus DNA incubation with TiO2-UV radiation (254 nm) under pH 8.5 resulting 8-OHdG level at 57.025 μg/L

Study of H2S Removal Capability from Simulated Biogas by Using Waste-Derived Adsorbent Materials

Funding: This work was part of the research activities carried out in the framework of the “European Biofuels Research Infrastructure for Sharing Knowledge 2 (BRISK2)” project under grant agreement 731101 (https://brisk2.eu/) and the European Commission is acknowledged for co-funding the work.Peer reviewedPublisher PD