Effects of base fabric parameters on the electro-mechanical behavior of piezoresistive knitted sensors

Strain sensors embedded into fabric structure are one of the most interesting research areas for health and engineering monitoring. In this paper, a textile-based strain sensor has been developed using an intrinsically conductive stainless steel-polyester plain knitted fabric. The influence of fabric structural parameters, such as loop length on electromechanical properties of sensors was studied under a tensile fatigue set. Knitted fabric structure deformation during tensile fatigue was monitored and image processed. Peak fitting of electric resistant waveforms (ERWs) and tensile fatigue versus time were performed to analyze the ERWs behavior in detail wherein the entire elongation of knit strain sensor partitioned into two distinct phases, such as loop head and loop leg sections. The results evidenced a discrepancy between loop head and loop leg elongation rate at the stretching onset and end of relaxing phase. The ERW with the higher resolution was obtained using the longest loop length along with the higher extension.This work was supported in part by FEDER through the COMPETE Program and in part by national funds through Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER- 007136 and Project UID/CTM/00264. The work of S. D. Tohidi was supported by the FCT under Grant SFRH/BD/94759/2013. The work of A. Zille was supported by FCT under Contract IF/00071/2015. The associate editor coordinating the review of this paper and approving it for publication was Prof. Tarikul Islam.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

a study of measures to slow down infection rate

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In-silico identification of phenotype-biased functional modules

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Phenotypes exhibited by microorganisms can be useful for several purposes, e.g., ethanol as an alternate fuel. Sometimes, the target phenotype maybe required in combination with other phenotypes, in order to be useful, for e.g., an industrial process may require that the organism survive in an anaerobic, alcohol rich environment and be able to feed on both hexose and pentose sugars to produce ethanol. This combination of traits may not be available in any existing organism or if they do exist, the mechanisms involved in the phenotype-expression may not be efficient enough to be useful. Thus, it may be required to genetically modify microorganisms. However, before any genetic modification can take place, it is important to identify the underlying cellular subsystems responsible for the expression of the target phenotype.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper, we develop a method to identify statistically significant and phenotypically-biased functional modules. The method can compare the organismal network information from hundreds of phenotype expressing and phenotype non-expressing organisms to identify cellular subsystems that are more prone to occur in phenotype-expressing organisms than in phenotype non-expressing organisms. We have provided literature evidence that the phenotype-biased modules identified for phenotypes such as hydrogen production (dark and light fermentation), respiration, gram-positive, gram-negative and motility, are indeed phenotype-related.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thus we have proposed a methodology to identify phenotype-biased cellular subsystems. We have shown the effectiveness of our methodology by applying it to several target phenotypes. The code and all supplemental files can be downloaded from (<url>http://freescience.org/cs/phenotype-biased-biclusters/</url>).</p

DENSE: efficient and prior knowledge-driven discovery of phenotype-associated protein functional modules

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Identifying cellular subsystems that are involved in the expression of a target phenotype has been a very active research area for the past several years. In this paper, <it>cellular subsystem </it>refers to a group of genes (or proteins) that interact and carry out a common function in the cell. Most studies identify genes associated with a phenotype on the basis of some statistical bias, others have extended these statistical methods to analyze functional modules and biological pathways for phenotype-relatedness. However, a biologist might often have a specific question in mind while performing such analysis and most of the resulting subsystems obtained by the existing methods might be largely irrelevant to the question in hand. Arguably, it would be valuable to incorporate biologist's knowledge about the phenotype into the algorithm. This way, it is anticipated that the resulting subsytems would not only be related to the target phenotype but also contain information that the biologist is likely to be interested in.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this paper we introduce a fast and theoretically guranteed method called <it>DENSE </it>(Dense and ENriched Subgraph Enumeration) that can take in as input a biologist's <it>prior </it>knowledge as a set of query proteins and identify all the dense functional modules in a biological network that contain some part of the query vertices. The density (in terms of the number of network egdes) and the enrichment (the number of query proteins in the resulting functional module) can be manipulated via two parameters γ and <it>μ</it>, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This algorithm has been applied to the protein functional association network of <it>Clostridium acetobutylicum </it>ATCC 824, a hydrogen producing, acid-tolerant organism. The algorithm was able to verify relationships known to exist in literature and also some previously unknown relationships including those with regulatory and signaling functions. Additionally, we were also able to hypothesize that some uncharacterized proteins are likely associated with the target phenotype. The DENSE code can be downloaded from <url>http://www.freescience.org/cs/DENSE/</url></p

A novel MHC-II targeted BVDV subunit vaccine induces a neutralizing immunological response in guinea pigs and cattle

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is a major cause of economic loss in the cattle industry, worldwide. Infection results in reduced productive performance, growth retardation, reduced milk production and increased susceptibility to other diseases leading to early culling of animals. There are two primary methods used to control the spread of BVDV: the elimination of persistently infected (PI) animals and vaccination. Currently, modified live or inactivated vaccines are used in BVDV vaccination programmes, but there are safety risks or insufficient protection, respectively, with these vaccines. Here, we report the development and efficacy of the first targeted subunit vaccine against BVDV. The core of the vaccine is the fusion of the BVDV structural protein, E2, to a single-chain antibody, APCH, together termed, APCH-E2. The APCH antibody targets the E2 antigen to the major histocompatibility type II molecule (MHC-II) present on antigen-presenting cells. Industrial production of the vaccine is carried out using the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) using single-use manufacturing technologies. This new subunit vaccine induces strong BVDV-specific neutralizing antibodies in guinea pigs and cattle. Importantly, in cattle with low levels of natural BVDV-specific neutralizing antibodies, the vaccine induced strong neutralizing antibody levels to above the protective threshold, as determined by a competition ELISA. The APCH-E2 vaccine induced a rapid and sustained neutralizing antibody response compared with a conventional vaccine in cattle.Fil: Bellido, Demian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Baztarrica, Josefina. No especifíca;Fil: Rocha, Lucía. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Pecora, Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología E Innovaciones Tecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virología E Innovaciones Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Mario. No especifíca;Fil: Escribano, José M.. No especifíca;Fil: Parreño, Gladys Viviana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología E Innovaciones Tecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virología E Innovaciones Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Wigdorovitz, Andrés. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación En Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Virología E Innovaciones Tecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Pque. Centenario. Instituto de Virología E Innovaciones Tecnológicas; Argentin

A novel MHC-II targeted BVDV subunit vaccine induces a neutralizing immunological response in guinea pigs and cattle

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is a major cause of economic loss in the cattle industry, worldwide. Infection results in reduced productive performance, growth retardation, reduced milk production and increased susceptibility to other diseases leading to early culling of animals. There are two primary methods used to control the spread of BVDV: the elimination of persistently infected (PI) animals and vaccination. Currently, modified live or inactivated vaccines are used in BVDV vaccination programmes, but there are safety risks or insufficient protection, respectively, with these vaccines. Here, we report the development and efficacy of the first targeted subunit vaccine against BVDV. The core of the vaccine is the fusion of the BVDV structural protein, E2, to a single-chain antibody, APCH, together termed, APCH-E2. The APCH antibody targets the E2 antigen to the major histocompatibility type II molecule (MHC-II) present on antigen-presenting cells. Industrial production of the vaccine is carried out using the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) using single-use manufacturing technologies. This new subunit vaccine induces strong BVDV-specific neutralizing antibodies in guinea pigs and cattle. Importantly, in cattle with low levels of natural BVDV-specific neutralizing antibodies, the vaccine induced strong neutralizing antibody levels to above the protective threshold, as determined by a competition ELISA. The APCH-E2 vaccine induced a rapid and sustained neutralizing antibody response compared with a conventional vaccine in cattle.Instituto de VirologiaFil: Bellido, Demian. Vetanco SA; ArgentinaFil: Bellido, Demian. Bioinnovo SA; ArgentinaFil: Baztarrica, Josefina. Vetanco SA; ArgentinaFil: Baztarrica, Josefina. Bioinnovo SA; ArgentinaFil: Rocha, Lucía Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Incuinta e Instituto de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Rocha, Lucía Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pecora, Andrea. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Incuinta e Instituto de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Pecora, Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, Mario. Vetanco SA; ArgentinaFil: Escribano, José M. Algenex; EspañaFil: Parreño, Viviana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Incuinta e Instituto de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Parreño, Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Parreño, Viviana. Bioinnovo S.A.; ArgentinaFil: Wigdorovitz, Andres. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Incuinta e Instituto de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Wigdorovitz, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Wigdorovitz, Andres. Bioinnovo S.A.; Argentin

Are the impacts of carbon nanotubes enhanced in Mytilus galloprovincialis submitted to air exposure?

Intertidal species are frequently exposed to environmental changes associated with multiple stressors, which they must either avoid or tolerate by developing physiological and biochemical strategies. Some of the natural environmental changes are related with the tidal cycle which forces organisms to tolerate the differences between an aquatic and an aerial environment. Furthermore, in these environments, organisms are also subjected to pollutants from anthropogenic sources. The present study evaluated the impacts in Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (0.01mg/L MWCNTs) when continuously submersed or exposed to tides (5h of low tide, 7h of high tide) for 14 days. Our results demonstrated that mussels were physiologically and biochemically affected by MWCNTs, especially when exposed to tides. In fact, when only exposed to the carbon nanoparticles oronly exposed to tides,the stress induced was notenough to activate mussels’ antioxidant defenses which resulted in oxidative damage. However, when mussels were exposed to the combination of tides and MWCNTs increased metabolism was observed, associated with a possible higher production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to a significant increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD and glutathione peroxide, GPx) and oxidized glutathione content (GSSG), preventing the occurrence of cellular damage, expressed as no lipid peroxidation (LPO) or protein carbonylation (PC). Therefore, organisms seemed to be able to tolerate MWCNTs and air exposure during tidal regime; however, the combination of both stressors induced higher oxidative stress. These findings indicate that the increasing presence of carbon nanoparticles in marine ecosystems can induce higher toxic impacts in intertidal organisms compared to organisms continuously submerged. Also, our results may indicate that air exposure can act as a cofounding factor on the assessment of different stressors in organisms living in coastal systems.publishe

Potential and limitations of the Kahoot! platform in technical and vocational education: an experience report

O presente estudo tem como objetivo apresentar as potencialidades e as limitações no uso da plataforma Kahoot!, como recurso educacional, no processo de ensino-aprendizagem de estudantes do ensino técnico e profissionalizante, na cidade de Santa Maria - RS. Para isso, será apresentado um estudo de caso, baseado, principalmente, em relatos de experiência docente. Como resultados dessa pesquisa, apesar de serem evidentes algumas limitações da plataforma, observou-se que sua contribuição é importante no sentido de motivar os estudantes, tornando-os mais atentos e interessados nas aulas. Além disso, a utilização da ferramenta durante as atividades em sala de aula, revelou uma interação com alunos participativos, concentrados e engajados, constituindo uma aproximação entre professor e aluno. A partir disso, destacamos a relevância do aplicativo Kahoot! no contexto em tela, especialmente, como forma de rever conteúdos trabalhados em sala de aula.This study aims to present the potential and limitations in the use of the Kahoot! platform, as an educational resource, in the teaching-learning process of students in technical and vocational education, in the city of Santa Maria - RS. For this, a case study will be presented, based mainly on reports of teaching experience. As a result of this research, although some limitations of the platform are evident, we observed that its contribution is important in the sense of motivating students, making them more attentive and interested in classes. In addition, the use of the tool during classroom activities revealed an interaction with participatory, focused and engaged students, constituting an approximation between teacher and student. From this, we highlight the relevance of the Kahoot! app in the context on screen, especially as a way of reviewing content worked in the classroom.Facultad de Informátic

GEMS: The Size Evolution of Disk Galaxies

We combine HST imaging from the GEMS survey with photometric redshifts from COMBO-17 to explore the evolution of disk-dominated galaxies since z<1.1. The sample is comprised of all GEMS galaxies with Sersic indices n<2.5, derived from fits to the galaxy images. We account fully for selection effects through careful analysis of image simulations; we are limited by the depth of the redshift and HST data to the study of galaxies with absolute magnitudes M(V)10. We find strong evolution in the magnitude-size scaling relation for galaxies with M(V)<-20, corresponding to a brightening of 1 mag per sqarcsec in rest-frame V-band by z=1. Yet, disks at a given absolute magnitude are bluer and have lower stellar mass-to-light ratios at z=1 than at the present day. As a result, our findings indicate weak or no evolution in the relation between stellar mass and effective disk size for galaxies with log(M)>10 over the same time interval. This is strongly inconsistent with the most naive theoretical expectation, in which disk size scales in proportion to the halo virial radius, which would predict that disks are a factor of two denser at fixed mass at z=1. The lack of evolution in the stellar mass-size relation is consistent with an ``inside-out'' growth of galaxy disks on average (galaxies increasing in size as they grow more massive), although we cannot rule out more complex evolutionary scenarios.Comment: 22 pages, 16 figures, submitted to Ap