Numerical Approach of the Littoral Instability of Chalk Cliffs: Case of Grandes Dalles (The Large Flagstones)

The various situations representing coastal cliffs of Haute Normandy are tested on numerical models. The parameters taken into account are: the lithology of chalks and the presence or absence of fractures. It is a question of specifying the mechanical characteristics of chalk and the inside of the fractures. The chalk cliff of 80m height, with a vertical cliff face, is modeled in distinct elements in UDEC code. We consider initially the cliff with two layers, in dry and then in saturated state. Then, the cliff is taken with two layers; the chalk of Seaford constitutes the upper layer and the chalk of Lewes constitutes the lower layer, by introducing a fracture with a strong slope passing in the foot of the cliff and another time a fracture parallel with the cliff face

Plethysmography system to monitor the jugular venous pulse: A feasibility study

Cerebral venous outflow is investigated in the diagnosis of heart failure through the monitoring of jugular venous pulse, an indicator to assess cardiovascular diseases. The jugular venous pulse is a weak signal stemming from the lying internal jugular vein and often invasive methodolo-gies requiring surgery are mandatory to detect it. Jugular venous pulse can also be extrapolated via the ultrasound technique, but it requires a qualified healthcare operator to perform the exami-nation. In this work, a wireless, user-friendly, wearable device for plethysmography is developed to investigate the possibility of monitoring the jugular venous pulse non-invasively. The proposed device can monitor the jugular venous pulse and the electrocardiogram synchronously. To study the feasibility of using the proposed device to detect physiological variables, several measurements were carried out on healthy subjects by considering three different postures: supine, sitting, and upright. Data acquired in the experiment were properly filtered to highlight the cardiac oscillation and remove the breathing contribution, which causes a considerable shift in the amplitude of signals. To evaluate the proper functioning of the wearable device for plethysmography, a comparison with the ultrasound technique was carried out. As a satisfactory result, the acquired signals resemble the typical jugular venous pulse waveforms found in literature

Magnetic properties of LaFe1-xCrxO3 and Fe2-2xCr2xO3 mixed oxides

Mixed oxides with formula LaFe1-xCrxO3 and Fe2-2xCr2xO3, where 0≤x≤1, are studied. The samples have been prepared using solid state reaction technique in air. The X-ray diffraction spectra indicated that the samples crystallize in a corundum phase with space group ( R3c ) for Fe2-2xCr2xO3 and in the perovskite structure for LaFe1-xCrxO3. Many techniques have been used to explore the magnetic properties of the systems. High field, ZFC and FC magnetization vs. temperature, d.c. susceptibility and Mössbauer spectroscopy were carried out. High temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements and high field magnetic magnetization (H ≤ 20 T) show that the behavior of the susceptibility and the magnetization are complex. Mössbauer spectra of the solid solutions have been measured at 4.2 K and in the temperature range 77 K to 300 K. The shapes of spectra are unusual, showing strong relaxation phenomena in a wide temperature range as recently observed for many frustrated systems. The results are discussed by establishing the existence of various magnetic structures, inducing intermediate magnetic phases between the antiferromagnetic and the paramagnetic states. Preliminary magnetic phase diagrams of the systems have been established.Mixed oxides with formula LaFe1-xCrxO3 and Fe2-2xCr2xO3, where 0≤x≤1, are studied. The samples have been prepared using solid state reaction technique in air. The X-ray diffraction spectra indicated that the samples crystallize in a corundum phase with space group ( R3c ) for Fe2-2xCr2xO3 and in the perovskite structure for LaFe1-xCrxO3. Many techniques have been used to explore the magnetic properties of the systems. High field, ZFC and FC magnetization vs. temperature, d.c. susceptibility and Mössbauer spectroscopy were carried out. High temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements and high field magnetic magnetization (H ≤ 20 T) show that the behavior of the susceptibility and the magnetization are complex. Mössbauer spectra of the solid solutions have been measured at 4.2 K and in the temperature range 77 K to 300 K. The shapes of spectra are unusual, showing strong relaxation phenomena in a wide temperature range as recently observed for many frustrated systems. The results are discussed by establishing the existence of various magnetic structures, inducing intermediate magnetic phases between the antiferromagnetic and the paramagnetic states. Preliminary magnetic phase diagrams of the systems have been established

Additional new records of Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder 1845 along the West Algerian Coasts

122-129Since considered as invasive species, Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder 1845 has been the subject of numerous prospecting works aiming its localisation and identification along the western Mediterranean Coasts. In this study, we provide new occurrence of the introduced seaweed Caulerpa cylindracea in the West Algerian coasts. C. cylindracea has been reported for the first time in Canastel and Zimba (West Algerian coasts) at different density distribution levels. The colonisation level was estimated to Level (I) for Zimba, Canastel and Marsat El Hadjaj sites, which indicated a beginning of spreading. By contrast, in Cap Carbon a Level (II) was recorded suggesting an advanced colonisation of the invasive taxon. Macroalgae and seagrass assemblage characterisation showed low cover for all species in the invasion zone. Accordingly, Caulerpa cylindracea is more present in Cap Carbon than in Zimba, Canastel and Marsat El Hadjaj. Considering the observed abundance of macroalgae and seagrasses, Caulerpa prolifera seemed to resist the invasion of C. cylindracea in Marsat El Hadjaj

Size Matters: Microservices Research and Applications

In this chapter we offer an overview of microservices providing the introductory information that a reader should know before continuing reading this book. We introduce the idea of microservices and we discuss some of the current research challenges and real-life software applications where the microservice paradigm play a key role. We have identified a set of areas where both researcher and developer can propose new ideas and technical solutions.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1706.0735

Technical evaluation of the mEducator 3.0 linked data-based environment for sharing medical educational resources

mEducator 3.0 is a content sharing approach for medical education, based on Linked Data principles. Through standardization, it enables sharing and discovery of medical information. Overall the mEducator project seeks to address the following two different approaches, mEducator 2.0, based on web 2.0 and ad-hoc Application Programmers Interfaces (APIs), and mEducator 3.0, which builds upon a collection of Semantic Web Services that federate existing sources of medical and Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) data. The semantic mEducator 3.0 approach It has a number of different instantiations, allowing flexibility and choice. At present these comprise of a standalone social web-based instantiation (MetaMorphosis+) and instantiations integrated with Drupal, Moodle and OpenLabyrinth systems. This paper presents the evaluation results of the mEducator 3.0 Linked Data based environment for sharing medical educational resources and focuses on metadata enrichment, conformance to the requirements and technical performance (of the MetaMorphosis+ and Drupal instantiations)

Reactive Flash Sintering

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Exploring the Pharmacological Potential of the Chemically Characterized Essential Oil from Clinopodium nepeta subsp. ascendens: A Combined In Vitro and In Silico Analysis

This thorough examination explores the various biological characteristics present in the essential oil derived from Clinopodium nepeta subsp. ascendens (CNEO), a subspecies previously unrecognized and indigenous to the eastern part of Morocco. This subspecies is distinguished from C. nepeta by the distinctive feature of having purple or pale pinkish-white flowers. The study initiates with a thorough scrutiny of the phytochemical composition of CNEO via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), revealing a nuanced spectrum of 24 terpene compounds. Among these, noteworthy constituents such as linalyl acetate (23.28%), Trifluoroacetyl-α-terpineol (13.66%), camphor (13.28%), and menthol (9.22%) are identified. These compounds, acknowledged for their notable biological and pharmacological attributes, serve as focal points for subsequent analyses. Beyond compositional elucidation, the study systematically investigates the diverse biological activities of CNEO. The essential oil exhibits substantial antioxidant potential, as substantiated by robust total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of 315.07 μg AA/mg and effective inhibition of DPPH free radicals (IC50 = 112.97 ± 2.67 µg/ml). Demonstrating promising antibacterial efficacy against various strains, occasionally surpassing gentamicin, positions CNEO as a potential antibacterial agent. Equally notable antifungal efficacy, surpassing that of cycloheximide, with low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) is obtained, underscoring its potent antifungal properties. The antidiabetic potential of CNEO manifests through significant inhibition of xanthine oxidase (IC50 = 30.82 ± 0.78 µg/ml), α-amylase (IC50 = 40.13 ± 1.60 µg/ml), and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 45.30 ± 0.69 µg/ml) activities, suggesting therapeutic prospects in glycemic regulation. Furthermore, the essential oil showcases compelling anti-tyrosinase activity (IC50 = 29.78 ± 1.01 µg/ml), indicating potential dermatoprotective applications in melanin regulation. The implications of these findings provide a robust foundation for future investigations, unraveling the full therapeutic potential of CNEO within medical, cosmetic, and industrial contexts