Rethinking the Building Envelope as an Intelligent Community Hub for Renewable Energy Sharing

The widespread use of electric vehicles is hampered by the lack of an adequate charging points network. Likewise, and depending on the use, there could be a lack of correspondence between energy use and production in buildings equipped with renewable energy production systems. For these reasons, a modular device, which could be fully integrated into the building envelope, has been developed. The aim of the project was both to regenerate the existing building envelope and to enhance the newest one, adding new functions. The main goal will be the support of the growth of an electric power-sharing attitude capable of promoting the widespread use of electric vehicles of electric vehicle (EV), supporting strategic actions to retrofit/convert a private building in shared spaces for EV mobility, ensuring enough coverage for charging devices and reducing costs for public administration

Efectos de la genisteína en los niveles del Ca2+ citosólico en células musculares de arteria umbilical humana

Isoflavones are a group of natural phytoestrogens including the compound genistein. Health beneficial effects have been attributed to the consumption of this compound, but the fact that it has estrogen-like activity has raised doubts regarding its potential risk in infants, newborns, or in the fetus and placenta during pregnancy. This work is aimed at studying genistein effects on Ca2+ handling by smooth muscle cells of the human umbilical artery (HUA). Using fluorometric techniques, we found that in these cells genistein reduces the intracellular Ca2+ peak produced by serotonin. The same result could be demonstrated in absence of extracellular Ca2+, suggesting that the isoflavone reduces Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Force measurement experiments strengthen these results, since genistein reduced the peak force attained by intact HUA rings stimulated by serotonin in a Ca2+-free solution. Moreover, genistein induced the relaxation of HUA rings precontracted either with serotonin or a depolarizing high-extracellular K+ solution, hinting at a reduction of extracellular Ca2+ entry to the cell. This was confirmed by whole-cell patch-clamp experiments where it was shown that the isoflavone inhibits ionic currents through voltage-operated Ca2+ channels. In summary, we show that genistein inhibits two mechanisms that could increase intracellular Ca2+ in human umbilical smooth muscle cells, behaving in this way as a potential vasorelaxing substance of fetal vessels. Taking into account that genistein is able to cross the placental barrier, these data show that isoflavones may have important implications in the regulation of feto-maternal blood flow in pregnant women who consume soy-derived products as part of their meals.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Exploring Interface Sign Ontologies for Web User Interface Design and Evaluation: A User Study

Part 2: Organizational Semiotics and ApplicationsInternational audienceThe aim of this paper is twofold: firstly, to find the set of ontologies (i.e., the set of concepts and skills) presupposed by users when interpreting the meaning of web interface signs (i.e., the smallest elements of web user interfaces), and secondly, to investigate users’ difficulties in interpreting the meanings of interface signs belonging to different kinds of ontologies. In order to achieve these aims an empirical user study was conducted with 26 test participants. The study data was gathered by semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Following an empirical research approach, descriptive statistics and qualitative data analysis were used to analyze the data. The study results provide a total of twelve ontologies and reveal the users’ difficulties in interpreting the meanings of interface signs belonging to different kinds of ontologies

Estudio de la marea en el borde de la barrera Larsen, Mar de Weddell noroccidental

El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de la marea en el borde de la barrera Larsen (latitud: 64° 54' 14" S, longitud: 60° 02' 36" W) en el mar de Weddell noroccidental, Antártida. Los niveles del mar se registraron con un sensor de presión y mediante nivelación geométrica (mira y nivel). El coeficiente de determinación de los niveles del mar obtenidos con ambas técnicas es de 0.96. Se presentan las constantes armónicas de las componentes de marea más energéticas. Se realiza un análisis comparativo entre las constantes calculadas y las que surgen de modelos mareológicos globales y se discute la propagación de la marea en el mar de Weddell noroccidental. Se tipificó el régimen de marea cuantitativamente mediante el coeficiente de Courtier resultando un régimen mixto preponderantemente semidiurno. Los niveles del mar registrados en esta zona de la Antártida son inéditos debido a que el sitio de mediciones fue inaccesible durante muchos años.The objective of this paper is the study of the tide at the Larsen iceshelf boundary (latitude: 64° 54' 14" S, longitude: 60° 02' 36" W), Northwestern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Sea levels were recorded using pressure sensor and geometric leveling (sight and level). The determination coefficient from sea level gathered with both methods is 0.96. Harmonic constants of the most energetic tidal constituents are presented. A comparative analysis between calculated harmonic constants and those obtained from tidal global models is made and tidal propagation in the Northwestern Weddell Sea is discussed. Tidal regimen is quantified by means of the Courtier coefficient and a preponderantly semidiurnal mixed tide is obtained. Sea levels gathered in this zone of the Antarctica are completely new because the place where the measurements were made was inaccessible for a large period of years.Asociación Argentina de Geofísicos y Geodesta

Estudio de la marea en el borde de la barrera Larsen, Mar de Weddell noroccidental

El objetivo de este trabajo es el estudio de la marea en el borde de la barrera Larsen (latitud: 64° 54' 14" S, longitud: 60° 02' 36" W) en el mar de Weddell noroccidental, Antártida. Los niveles del mar se registraron con un sensor de presión y mediante nivelación geométrica (mira y nivel). El coeficiente de determinación de los niveles del mar obtenidos con ambas técnicas es de 0.96. Se presentan las constantes armónicas de las componentes de marea más energéticas. Se realiza un análisis comparativo entre las constantes calculadas y las que surgen de modelos mareológicos globales y se discute la propagación de la marea en el mar de Weddell noroccidental. Se tipificó el régimen de marea cuantitativamente mediante el coeficiente de Courtier resultando un régimen mixto preponderantemente semidiurno. Los niveles del mar registrados en esta zona de la Antártida son inéditos debido a que el sitio de mediciones fue inaccesible durante muchos años.The objective of this paper is the study of the tide at the Larsen iceshelf boundary (latitude: 64° 54' 14" S, longitude: 60° 02' 36" W), Northwestern Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Sea levels were recorded using pressure sensor and geometric leveling (sight and level). The determination coefficient from sea level gathered with both methods is 0.96. Harmonic constants of the most energetic tidal constituents are presented. A comparative analysis between calculated harmonic constants and those obtained from tidal global models is made and tidal propagation in the Northwestern Weddell Sea is discussed. Tidal regimen is quantified by means of the Courtier coefficient and a preponderantly semidiurnal mixed tide is obtained. Sea levels gathered in this zone of the Antarctica are completely new because the place where the measurements were made was inaccessible for a large period of years.Asociación Argentina de Geofísicos y Geodesta

NS3 protease from flavivirus as a target for designing antiviral inhibitors against dengue virus

The development of novel therapeutic agents is essential for combating the increasing number of cases of dengue fever in endemic countries and among a large number of travelers from non-endemic countries. The dengue virus has three structural proteins and seven non-structural (NS) proteins. NS3 is a multifunctional protein with an N-terminal protease domain (NS3pro) that is responsible for proteolytic processing of the viral polyprotein, and a C-terminal region that contains an RNA triphosphatase, RNA helicase and RNA-stimulated NTPase domain that are essential for RNA replication. The serine protease domain of NS3 plays a central role in the replicative cycle of dengue virus. This review discusses the recent structural and biological studies on the NS2B-NS3 protease-helicase and considers the prospects for the development of small molecules as antiviral drugs to target this fascinating, multifunctional protein

Anticonvulsant effects of aerial parts of Passiflora incarnata extract in mice: involvement of benzodiazepine and opioid receptors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Passion flower (<it>Passiflora incarnata</it>) is used in traditional medicine of Europe and South America to treat anxiety, insomnia and seizure. Recently, it has shown antianxiety and sedative effects in human.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, anticonvulsant effects of hydro- alcoholic extract of Passiflora, Pasipay, were examined by using pentylentetrazole model (PTZ) on mice. Pasipay, diazepam, and normal saline were injected intraperitoneally at the doses 0.4–0.05 mg/kg, 0.5–1 mg/kg and 10 ml/kg respectively 30 minutes before PTZ (90 mg/kg, i.p). The time taken before the onset of clonic convulsions, the duration of colonic convulsions, and the percentage of seizure and mortality protection were recorded. For investigating the mechanism of Pasipay, flumazenil (2 mg/kg, i.p) and naloxone (5 mg/kg, i.p) were also injected 5 minutes before Pasipay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An ED₅₀value of Pasipay in the PTZ model was 0.23 mg/kg (%95 CL: 0.156, 0.342). Pasipay at the dose of 0.4 mg/kg prolonged the onset time of seizure and decreased the duration of seizures compared to saline group (p < 0.001). At the dose of 0.4 mg/kg, seizure and mortality protection percent were 100%. Flumazenil and naloxone could suppress anticonvulsant effects of Pasipay.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It seems that Pasipay could be useful for treatment absence seizure and these effects may be related to effect of it on GABAergic and opioid systems. More studies are needed in order to investigate its exact mechanism.</p

Olive oil's bitter principle reverses acquired autoresistance to trastuzumab (Herceptin™) in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells

[Background] A low incidence of breast cancer in the Mediterranean basin suggests that a high consumption of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) might confer this benefit. While the anti-HER2 oncogene effects of the main ω-9 fatty acid present in EVOO triacylglycerols (i.e., oleic acid) have been recently described, the anti-breast cancer activities of EVOO non-glyceridic constituents -which consist of at least 30 phenolic compounds-, remained to be evaluated. [Methods] Semi-preparative HPLC was used to isolate EVOO polyphenols (i.e., tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein). Both the anti-proliferative and the pro-apoptotic effects of EVOO phenolics were evaluated by using MTT-based quantification of metabolically viable cells and ELISA-based detection of histone-associated DNA fragments, respectively. The nature of the interaction between oleuropein aglycone and the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin™) was mathematically evaluated by the dose-oriented isobologram technique. HER2-specific ELISAs were employed to quantitatively assess both the basal cleavage of the HER2 extracellular domain (ECD) and the expression level of total HER2. The activation status of HER2 was evaluated by immunoblotting procedures using a monoclonal antibody specifically recognizing the tyrosine phosphorylated (Phosphor-Tyr1248) form of HER2. [Results] Among EVOO polyphenols tested, oleuropein aglycone was the most potent EVOO phenolic in decreasing breast cancer cell viability. HER2 gene-amplified SKBR3 cells were ~5-times more sensitive to oleuropein aglycone than HER2-negative MCF-7 cells. Retroviral infection of the HER2 oncogene in MCF-7 cells resulted in a "SKBR3-assimilated" phenotype of hypersensitivity to oleuropein aglycone. An up to 50-fold increase in the efficacy of trastuzumab occurred in the presence of oleuropein aglycone. A preclinical model of acquired autoresistance to trastuzumab (SKBR3/Tzb100 cells) completely recovered trastuzumab sensitivity (> 1,000-fold sensitization) when co-cultured in the presence of oleuropein aglycone. Indeed, the nature of the interaction between oleuropein aglycone and trastuzumab was found to be strongly synergistic in Tzb-resistant SKBR3/Tzb100 cells. Mechanistically, oleuropein aglycone treatment significantly reduced HER2 ECD cleavage and subsequent HER2 auto-phosphorylation, while it dramatically enhanced Tzb-induced down-regulation of HER2 expression. [Conclusion] Olive oil's bitter principle (i.e., oleuropein aglycone) is among the first examples of how selected nutrients from an EVOO-rich "Mediterranean diet" directly regulate HER2-driven breast cancer disease.JAM is the recipient of a Basic, Clinical and Translational Research Award (BCTR0600894) from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (Texas, USA). This work was also supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria -FIS-, Spain, Grants CP05-00090 and PI06-0778 to JAM, and Grant RD06-0020-0028 to JAM, RC and JB)