88 research outputs found
Joint Power Control and Structural Health Monitoring in Industry 4.0 Scenarios using Eclipse Arrowhead and Web of Things
The integration of legacy IoT ecosystems in Industry 4.0 scenarios requires human effort to adapt single devices. This process would highly benefit from features like device lookup, loose coupling and late binding. In this paper, we tackle the issue of integrating legacy monitoring systems and actuation systems in an industrial scenario, by looking into the Web of Things (WoT) as a communication standard and the Eclipse Arrowhead Framework (AHF) as a service orchestrator. More specifically, we propose a general architectural approach to enable closed-loop automation between the above mentioned legacy systems by leveraging the adaptation of the WoT to the AHF. Then, we develop a rule-based engine that enables the control of the actuation based on sensor values. Finally, we present a proof-of-concept use case where we integrate a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) scenario with a power control actuation subsystem using the developed component
Therapeutic sequences in patients with grade 1−2 neuroendocrine tumors (NET): an observational multicenter study from the ELIOS group
Purpose: Many different treatments are suggested by guidelines to treat grade 1−2 (G1−G2) neuroendocrine tumors (NET). However, a precise therapeutic algorithm has not yet been established. This study aims at identifying and comparing the main therapeutic sequences in G1−G2 NET. Methods: A retrospective observational Italian multicenter study was designed to collect data on therapeutic sequences in NET. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was compared between therapeutic sequences, as well as the number and grade of side effects and the rate of dose reduction/treatment discontinuation. Results: Among 1182 patients with neuroendocrine neoplasia included in the ELIOS database, 131 G1–G2 gastroenteropancreatic, lung and unknown primary NET, unresectable or persistent/relapsing after surgery, treated with ≥2 systemic treatments, were included. Four main therapeutic sequences were identified in 99 patients: (A) somatostatin analogs (SSA) standard dose to SSA high dose (n = 36), (B) SSA to everolimus (n = 31), (C) SSA to chemotherapy (n = 17), (D) SSA to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) (n = 15). Median PFS of the second-line treatment was not reached in sequence A, 33 months in sequence B, 20 months in sequence C, 30 months in sequence D (p = 0.16). Both total number and severity of side effects were significantly higher in sequences B and C than A and D (p = 0.04), as well as the rate of dose reduction/discontinuation (p = 0.03). Conclusions: SSA followed by SSA high dose, everolimus, chemotherapy or PRRT represent the main therapeutic sequences in G1−G2 NET. Median PFS was not significantly different between sequences. However, the sequences with SSA high dose or PRRT seem to be better tolerated than sequences with everolimus or chemotherapy
Spread COVID-19 during Godzilla African dust in June 2020 on the Colombian Caribbean region
Recent studies show that aerosols are highly linked to the spread of the COVID−19 pandemic. Furthermore, during this pandemic, the largest Saharan dust intrusion event has reached the Caribbean region in the last 20 years, called “Godzilla” African Dust or GAD. This study aims to analyze the correlation between the spread of COVID−19 and the GAD event in the main cities of the Colombian Caribbean region. The results showed a positive correlation between the spread of COVID−19 and the GAD event in most cities. Our findings could serve as input for the development of a strategy in the prevention of COVID−19 and other similar viral diseases during the Saharan dust intrusion events that reach the Caribbean region each year from Africa. Our results may help design strategies to prevent future outbreaks of COVID-19 and reduce the risk of future pandemics of similar viral diseases. Especially during the Saharan dust intrusion events that reach the Caribbean region each year.Fil: Bolaño Ortiz, Tomás R.. Universidad Católica de Maule; ChileFil: Constante Ballestas, Jelaine I.. Universidad del Magdalena; ColombiaFil: Puliafito, Salvador Enrique. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Vélez Pereira, Andrés Mauricio. Universidad de Tarapacá; ChileFil: Tovar Bernal, Fredy A.. Universidad del Magdalena; ColombiaFil: Camargo Caicedo, Yiniva. Universidad del Magdalena; Colombi
Collective and single cell behavior in epithelial contact inhibition
Control of cell proliferation is a fundamental aspect of tissue physiology
central to morphogenesis, wound healing and cancer. Although many of the
molecular genetic factors are now known, the system level regulation of growth
is still poorly understood. A simple form of inhibition of cell proliferation
is encountered in vitro in normally differentiating epithelial cell cultures
and is known as "contact inhibition". The study presented here provides a
quantitative characterization of contact inhibition dynamics on tissue-wide and
single cell levels. Using long-term tracking of cultured MDCK cells we
demonstrate that inhibition of cell division in a confluent monolayer follows
inhibition of cell motility and sets in when mechanical constraint on local
expansion causes divisions to reduce cell area. We quantify cell motility and
cell cycle statistics in the low density confluent regime and their change
across the transition to epithelial morphology which occurs with increasing
cell density. We then study the dynamics of cell area distribution arising
through reductive division, determine the average mitotic rate as a function of
cell size and demonstrate that complete arrest of mitosis occurs when cell area
falls below a critical value. We also present a simple computational model of
growth mechanics which captures all aspects of the observed behavior. Our
measurements and analysis show that contact inhibition is a consequence of
mechanical interaction and constraint rather than interfacial contact alone,
and define quantitative phenotypes that can guide future studies of molecular
mechanisms underlying contact inhibition
Mechanical Stress Inference for Two Dimensional Cell Arrays
Many morphogenetic processes involve mechanical rearrangement of epithelial
tissues that is driven by precisely regulated cytoskeletal forces and cell
adhesion. The mechanical state of the cell and intercellular adhesion are not
only the targets of regulation, but are themselves likely signals that
coordinate developmental process. Yet, because it is difficult to directly
measure mechanical stress {\it in vivo} on sub-cellular scale, little is
understood about the role of mechanics of development. Here we present an
alternative approach which takes advantage of the recent progress in live
imaging of morphogenetic processes and uses computational analysis of high
resolution images of epithelial tissues to infer relative magnitude of forces
acting within and between cells. We model intracellular stress in terms of bulk
pressure and interfacial tension, allowing these parameters to vary from cell
to cell and from interface to interface. Assuming that epithelial cell layers
are close to mechanical equilibrium, we use the observed geometry of the two
dimensional cell array to infer interfacial tensions and intracellular
pressures. Here we present the mathematical formulation of the proposed
Mechanical Inverse method and apply it to the analysis of epithelial cell
layers observed at the onset of ventral furrow formation in the {\it
Drosophila} embryo and in the process of hair-cell determination in the avian
cochlea. The analysis reveals mechanical anisotropy in the former process and
mechanical heterogeneity, correlated with cell differentiation, in the latter
process. The method opens a way for quantitative and detailed experimental
tests of models of cell and tissue mechanics
Colloquium: Mechanical formalisms for tissue dynamics
The understanding of morphogenesis in living organisms has been renewed by
tremendous progressin experimental techniques that provide access to
cell-scale, quantitative information both on theshapes of cells within tissues
and on the genes being expressed. This information suggests that
ourunderstanding of the respective contributions of gene expression and
mechanics, and of their crucialentanglement, will soon leap forward.
Biomechanics increasingly benefits from models, which assistthe design and
interpretation of experiments, point out the main ingredients and assumptions,
andultimately lead to predictions. The newly accessible local information thus
calls for a reflectionon how to select suitable classes of mechanical models.
We review both mechanical ingredientssuggested by the current knowledge of
tissue behaviour, and modelling methods that can helpgenerate a rheological
diagram or a constitutive equation. We distinguish cell scale ("intra-cell")and
tissue scale ("inter-cell") contributions. We recall the mathematical framework
developpedfor continuum materials and explain how to transform a constitutive
equation into a set of partialdifferential equations amenable to numerical
resolution. We show that when plastic behaviour isrelevant, the dissipation
function formalism appears appropriate to generate constitutive equations;its
variational nature facilitates numerical implementation, and we discuss
adaptations needed in thecase of large deformations. The present article
gathers theoretical methods that can readily enhancethe significance of the
data to be extracted from recent or future high throughput
biomechanicalexperiments.Comment: 33 pages, 20 figures. This version (26 Sept. 2015) contains a few
corrections to the published version, all in Appendix D.2 devoted to large
deformation
Colorectal cancer residual disease at maximal response to EGFR blockade displays a druggable Paneth cell–like phenotype
Blockade of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) causes tumor regression in some patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, residual disease reservoirs typically remain even after maximal response to therapy, leading to relapse. Using patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), we observed that mCRC cells surviving EGFR inhibition exhibited gene expression patterns similar to those of a quiescent subpopulation of normal intestinal secretory precursors with Paneth cell characteristics. Compared with untreated tumors, these pseudodifferentiated tumor remnants had reduced expression of genes encoding EGFR-activating ligands, enhanced activity of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and HER3, and persistent signaling along the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Clinically, properties of residual disease cells from the PDX models were detected in lingering tumors of responsive patients and in tumors of individuals who had experienced early recurrence. Mechanistically, residual tumor reprogramming after EGFR neutralization was mediated by inactivation of Yes-associated protein (YAP), a master regulator of intestinal epithelium recovery from injury. In preclinical trials, Pan-HER antibodies minimized residual disease, blunted PI3K signaling, and induced long-term tumor control after treatment discontinuation. We found that tolerance to EGFR inhibition is characterized by inactivation of an intrinsic lineage program that drives both regenerative signaling during intestinal repair and EGFR-dependent tumorigenesis. Thus, our results shed light on CRC lineage plasticity as an adaptive escape mechanism from EGFR-targeted therapy and suggest opportunities to preemptively target residual disease
Cloud computing and RESERVOIR project
The support for complex services delivery is becoming a key point in current internet technology. Current trends in internet applications are characterized by on demand delivery of ever growing amounts of content. The future
internet of services will have to deliver content intensive applications to users with quality of service and security guarantees. This paper describes the RESERVOIR project and the challenge of a reliable and effective delivery of services as utilities in a commercial scenario. It starts by analyzing the needs of a future infrastructure provider and introducing the key concept of a service oriented architecture that combines virtualisation-aware grid with grid-aware virtualisation, while being driven by business service management. This article will then focus on the benefits and the innovations derived from the RESERVOIR approach. Eventually, a high level view of RESERVOIR general architecture is illustrated
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