Synthesis of biochemical applications on digital microfluidic biochips with operation variability

Abstract—Microfluidic-based biochips are replacing the con-ventional biochemical analyzers, and are able to integrate on-chip all the necessary functions for biochemical analysis using microfluidics. The digital microfluidic biochips are based on the manipulation of liquids not as a continuous flow, but as discrete droplets. Researchers have presented approaches for the synthesis of digital microfluidic biochips, which, starting from a biochemical application and a given biochip architecture, determine the allocation, resource binding, scheduling and place-ment of the operations in the application. Existing approaches consider that on-chip operations, such as splitting a droplet of liquid, are perfect. However, these operations have variability margins, which can impact the correctness of the biochemical application. We consider that a split operation, which goes beyond specified variability bounds, is faulty. The fault is detected using on-chip volume sensors. We have proposed an abstract model for a biochemical application, consisting of a sequencing graph, which can capture all the fault scenarios in the application. Starting from this model, we have proposed a synthesis approach that, for a given chip area and number of sensors, can derive a fault-tolerant implementation. Two fault-tolerant scheduling techniques have been proposed and compared. We show that, by taking into account fault-occurrence information, we can derive better quality implementations, which leads to shorter application completion times, even in the case of faults. The proposed synthesis approach under operation variability has been evaluated using several benchmarks. I

Micro-Raman—a tool for the heavy mineral analysis of gold placer-type deposits (Pianu Valley, Romania)

In the current study, different heavy minerals typical of gold placer deposits were identified by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy, and their chemical composition analyzed and discussed (garnet, kyanite, staurolite, zircon, allanite, monazite, xenotime, rutile, anatase, cassiterite, titanite, barite). Even complex solid solution series, such as those of garnets, can be deciphered with the aid of systematic trends observed in Raman line frequencies. The vi mode in garnets will shift from high to low frequencies as a function of the ionic radius of the X2+ cation, from Mg2+, to Fe2+ and Mn2+, while the presence of Ca2+ will make the band to be shifted strongly to even lower wavenumbers. This approach has successfully been taken to differentiate between polymorph triplets such as kyanite-sillimanite-andalusite and rutile-anatase-brookite. Minerals under consideration with high contents of REE, U and Th are affected by intensive metamictization, particularly zircon and titanite. Raman peak features, such as shape, symmetry and intensity, respond to this radiation damage of the lattice and enable fine-tuning of these heavy minerals, such as in the case of fluorite (fetid fluorite). © 2020, MDPI AG. All rights reserved

The Complex Relationship of Periodontal Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis

The relationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases is an important part of clinical periodontal research, which has been growing steadily. Even though the etiologies of periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) differ, these pathologies have many common features, both being multifactorial diseases characterized by localized chronic inflammatory reactions, which are fuelled by an analogous set of cytokines (among many, the most prominent being Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF), Interleukin (IL) 6 and 17), leading to high systemic circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP). It was not until the discovery of peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) mediated citrullination of proteins by Porphyromonas gingivalis that the link between the two diseases was purely speculative. This citrullination initiates a series of events which culminate in the production of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and, finally, in the clinical manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. Another common denominator is the bone destruction caused by proinflammatory cytokines secreted by T 17 helper cells (TH17) which is the pathological hallmark of both diseases. Other notable common areas are shared risk factors such as environmental and genetic risk factors. Regarding treatment, neither pathologies have a definitive cure, however, several strategies are employed, some of which are common, such as diet and lifestyle changes, and immunomodulating medication applied locally or systemically

Beyond averages - Fairness in an economy that works for people

Growing disparities on multiple socio-economic dimensions have contributed to a sense of unfairness and discontent in Europe. Fairness is a subjective phenomenon, but the far-reaching consequences of perceptions of unfairness warrant a closer look at its drivers and underlying dynamics. The report, written before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, analyses some of the most pertinent dimensions of fairness in relation to the agenda for a fair, inclusive and social European Union. Income inequality, educational inequality and the challenges facing existing welfare state arrangements are discussed from a pre-crisis perspective. Thus, the report gives a snapshot of the state of fairness in Europe before the COVID-19 outbreak and provides a benchmark against which some of the consequences of the current situation can be evaluated.JRC.I.1-Monitoring, Indicators & Impact Evaluatio

PRELIMINARY DATA OF THE IN VITRO CULTURE RESPONSE OF ROSA CANINA L. SPECIES

The in vitro cultures of Rosa canina L. were initiated starting from shoot tips harvested during various periods of the vegetative season. The first observations ascertained that the offshoots cut off at the beginning of July offred a best in vitro response, and the MS medium supplemented with BAP (1.0 mg/l) and IBA (0.5 mg/l) induced both the multiple shooting and the formation of callus surrounding the shoots’ base. Some of the shoots provided roots on this medium formula (sporadically). The hormone-free MS medium stimulated the rooting of the shoots, and scarcely the production of callus at the stem base. The future tests aim to fiind out the best medium variants to enhance the direct caulogenesis, the rooting of the in vitro shoots, and the survival of the regenerants during the ex vitro environment