123,986 research outputs found
Performance evaluation of the current Wavelet Video Coding Reference Software
No full textThe 2D+t+2D architecture is based upon STool interband prediction scheme: see [1] N. Adami, M. Brescianini, R. Leonardi and A. Signoroni, "SVC CE1: STool - a native spatially scalable approach to SVC", ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11, M11368, 70th MPEG Meeting, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Oct. 2004; [2] N. Adami, M. Brescianini, M. Dalai, R. Leonardi and A. Signoroni, “A fully scalable video coder with inter-scale wavelet prediction and morphological coding”, in Proc. of VCIP 2005, SPIE vol. 5960 (nr.58), Beijing, China, July 2005; [3] N. Adami, M. Brescianini, R. Leonardi and A. Signoroni, "New prediction schemes for scalable wavelet video coding", ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11, M12642, 74th MPEG Meeting, Nice, France, Oct. 2005
Os significados e representações atribuídos aos cursos d'agua da bacia do Rio Criciúma (SC) desde 1880 até 2009 e suas influências na configuração da paisagem
No full textTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia, Florianópolis, 2010O trabalho tem por objetivo compreender como foram construídos os significados atribuídos aos cursos d'água nas diferentes fases do processo de ocupação das terras da bacia do rio Criciúma (SC), desde o processo de colonização em 1880 até os dias atuais. O significado dos objetos norteia a relação dos indivíduos entre si e com seu meio. No caso estudado, a relação de diferentes grupos sociais que ocuparam a bacia do rio Criciúma ao longo do tempo depende do significado atribuído a este recurso, o que reflete nas formas de apropriação dos rios. O significado é uma construção mental acerca de um objeto e essa construção depende de valores, percepções, experiências e são abstratos. Quando há tentativa de comunicá-lo, perde-se alguma parte do seu conteúdo. A sua expressão dá-se por meio de diferentes linguagens, que na realidade representam este significado. As formas de apropriação do rio são também representações de significados atribuídos pelos grupos sociais apropriadores a este elemento da paisagem. A partir dos conceitos e abordagens da Geografia Cultural, faz-se um estudo das representações, incluindo as formas de apropriação, em diferentes contextos sócio-econômicos culturais pelas quais passou o processo de ocupação humana da bacia. Para compreender os significados e suas representações foram pesquisadas diferentes linguagens a partir de entrevistas, pesquisas bibliográficas, fotografias, mapas, leis e normas municipais. Três períodos históricos foram identificados durante o processo de ocupação da bacia, com distintas formas de apropriação dos cursos d'água. O primeiro período vai da colonização até 1930, quando as atividades econômicas predominantes eram a agricultura, o comércio e as pequenas manufaturas. Nessa época, o rio era um elemento referencial para as pessoas, pois se constituía no eixo norteador do processo de colonização e do traçado urbano, gerador de força motriz para os engenhos e atafonas e para abastecimento de água potável. No segundo período, de 1930 até 1950, a principal atividade econômica era a exploração de carvão, que utilizava o rio para a lavagem ou beneficiamento do desse mineral, drenagem das áreas ácidas, com consequente contaminação, assoreamento por deposição de material fino do carvão e desvios dos cursos d'água. Associada à mineração, houve a vinda de um contingente populacional acentuado para o município, e essas pessoas não tinham o rio Criciúma e seus afluentes como uma referência dos seus espaços vividos. Por isso, não havia problema em contaminá-lo com esgotos domésticos, mesmo aqueles que não estavam contaminados com carvão. O rio Criciúma passa a ter um significado negativo de sujo e mau cheiroso, por causa da apropriação para o despejo de efluentes do carvão, esgotos domésticos e resíduos sólidos. O terceiro período ocorre a partir de 1950, a bacia começa a ser intensamente urbanizada e, no final dos anos de 1960, inicia o processo de verticalização no alto e médio vale do rio Criciúma. Muitos trechos do rio e seus afluentes foram canalizados com contenção de margem e fundo e alguns até recobertos para a apropriação do espaço dos seus leitos e para resolver os problemas do cheiro exalado e das inundações. Partes dos rios desapareceram da paisagem da bacia por causa das canalizações e recobrimentos e passaram a não ter significado, pois não existem aos olhos de muitos moradores. Contudo, nos momentos de precipitações elevadas, o rio volta a se mostrar em forma de inundações, gerando na população uma sensação de medo. Nesses períodos o rio Criciúma e seus afluentes têm um significado para população, mas este significado esta ligado a sentimentos ruins. Conclui-se que, em cada período identificado, o rio Criciúma como elemento da paisagem recebeu distintos significados, traduzidos pelas representações, os quais são materializados por diferentes formas de apropriação
Proprietà meccaniche di leghe senza piombo per giunti BGA mediante misure di indentazione
No full textLeghe senza piombo da brasatura -nella forma di giunti per componenti BGA (Ball Grid Array)- sono state sottoposte a indentazione strumentata per la misura delle proprietà di durezza e modulo elastico e per la valutazione della sensibilità alla velocità di deformazione, secondo una procedura indicata in letteratura, qui opportunamente vagliata e applicata. I materiali considerati sono leghe della famiglia SAC Stagno Argento Rame, con diverso tenore di alliganti, una lega simile addizionata di un quarto elemento, Sb, e lo stagno puro. Durezza e modulo elastico da misurazioni a carico massimo di 50 mN sono coerenti con i dati reperibili in letteratura, anche da analoghe misure, e, nel caso della durezza, ben correlate con le caratteristiche morfologiche. Il modulo di indentazione varia da 24 MPa (lega SAC 105) a 45 MPa (Sn puro, campione massivo). Questo è il parametro più sensibile alle modalità di misura; è anche il parametro più sensibile alle dimensioni e alla porosità dei giunti. Le durezze mostrano una variabilità più ridotta e oscillano tra 10 (Sn) e 22 HV (SAC 305). Quest’ultima è la lega più ricca in alliganti e con un eutettico a struttura fine e regolare. I valori di sensibilità alla velocità di deformazione determinati per le diverse leghe variano nell’intervallo 0,10−0,18 e sono in accordo con dati pubblicati, laddove è stato possibile reperirne. Sn puro e SAC 105 presentano i valori più elevati, cioè una spiccata sensibilità alla velocità con cui vengono deformate. Le leghe SAC 305, Castin e SAC N201 hanno mostrato i valori più bassi.
Si è accertata con questo lavoro la possibilità di valutare il comportamento meccanico di leghe di brasatura nella forma di giunti di componenti BGA mediante indentazione; si sono ottenuti dati sperimentali per tipologie di leghe ancora poco caratterizzate; si è confermata infine la possibilità di valutare mediante indentazione strumentata la sensibilità alla velocità di deformazione di materiali a bassa temperatura omologa quali Sn e sue leghe
Adverse effects of bisphosphonates. A comparative review
No full textThe bisphosphonates comprise a new class of drugs, and are increasingly being used to treat bone diseases characterised by increased osteoclastic bone resorption. These compounds are generally well tolerated, but toxicity may vary considerably from one compound to another. Dosages of etidronic acid above 800 mg/day impair the normal skeletaltes induce clinical or histological signs of impaired mineralisation. The skeletal half-life of bisphosphonates is of the order of several years, but this appears to be of little clinical consequence since the pharmacological effect is of relatively short duration. The mechanical properties of the skeleton of animals treated over long periods with high doses of various bisphosphonates have been shown to be perfectly preserved. However, in growing individuals, excess inhibition of bone remodelling might induce osteopetrotic-like alterations. When high doses of amino-bisphosphonates are given to patients who have never received bisphosphonate therapy, the patients may experience fevers up to 39 degrees C for 1 to 3 days, associated with transient haematological changes resembling a typical acute-phase response. Rapid intravenous injection of bisphosphonates at doses greater than 200 to 300 mg may cause severe renal failure; this can be prevented by slowing the rate of infusion (< 200 mg/h). Administration of high doses of bisphosphonates to patients with high bone turnover may induce a rapid and transient drop in serum calcium which is seldom symptomatic. The gastrointestinal absorption of bisphosphonates is low, and they must be taken without food. Oral amino derivatives may induce dose-related serious gastrointestinal lesions, with the sporadic appearance of erosive oesophagitis. Amino-bisphosphonate administration has been also associated with the sporadic occurrence of uveitis, scleritis and phlebitis and, in single cases, with irritative reactions at the skin, peritoneum and pericardium
Severely atrophic muscle fibers with nuclear clumps survive many years in permanently denervated human muscle.
No full textThe Open Pathology Journal 2009; 3: 106-110. Severely atrophic muscle fibers with nuclear clumps survive many years in permanently denervated human muscle
Helmut Kern, MD,1 Ugo Carraro, MD,2 Donatella Biral, DBiol,3 Nicoletta Adami, DBiol,2 and Sandra Zampieri, DBiol, PhD4
1 Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrostimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Department of Physical Medicine, Wilhelminenspital. A-1171 Vienna, Austria.
2 Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, c/o Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, I-35121 Padova, Italy.
3 C.N.R. Institute of Neuroscience c/o Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, I-35121 Padova, Italy.
4 Division of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Italy
Abstract
After complete lumbar-ischiatic spinal cord injury (SCI) the lower motor neuron (LMN) denervated human muscle fibers lose completely the myofibrillar apparatus and the coil distribution of myonuclei that are relocated in groups (nuclear clumps) in the center of these “severely atrophic” muscle fibers. In our cohort of patients, the “severely atrophic” myofibers are frequent in muscle biopsies harvested three to six years after SCI. Up to two years of LMN denervation the muscle fibers with nuclear clumps are 2±5 % (mean ±SD) of the total muscle fibers. The percentage increases to 27±9 % between three and six years of denervation (p< 0.001), and then abruptly decrease from the 6th year of LMN denervation onward, when fibrosis takes over to neurogenic muscle atrophy. Immunohistochemical analyses show that nuclear grouping occurs in both fast and slow muscle fibers. These results show that human muscle fibers survive permanent denervation much longer than generally accepted
Biochar: an environmentally sustainable approach for removing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) from contaminated water
No full textNowadays, to mitigate the negative effects caused by pollution, particular attention is being paid to the eco-sustainability of human and industrial
activities and the development of alternatives to the use of charcoal as a source of energy production. Biochar fits perfectly into these objectives,
being used as a soil amendment or as an adsorbent of organic and inorganic environmental contaminants [1,2]. Moreover, it is obtained through a
sustainable process, which yields biofuels, synthetic gases, and clean energy as by-products.
An important source of contamination in the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region is the Raibl dismissed mining district, located in Cave del Predil (UD), which was active for the extraction of galena (PbS) and sphalerite (ZnS) until 1991. A large amount of mineralised waste-rocks and tailings from the flotation plant operating at the Raibl mining district were disposed from 1976 to 1991 in tailings impoundments set up on the western bank of the Rio del Lago stream. Leaching processes involving tailings and the subsequent release and dispersion of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), especially Thallium (Tl), are promoted during periods of intense rainfall and high flow river conditions [3]. The main aim of this study was to experimentally determine the ability of biochar to adsorb PTEs (such as Pb, Tl and Zn) from contaminated water. The biochar used in this study is obtained from the processing of vineyard pruning waste, produced by slow pyrolysis, and characterised by a high degree of carbonisation, aromaticity, hydrophobicity, and porosity.
Several adsorption tests were performed with two types of biochar, fine-grained and heterogeneous coarse-grained, in different solvents (MilliQ water and fluvial water from the Tagliamento River). A quantity of 200 mg of biochar was exposed to 20 mL of solutions with concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 mg/L of the three elements individually. The tests were also repeated with solutions containing the three elements in a mixture to assess if competition occurred between them in absorption. Using ICP-AES, the residual metals in solution were quantified, and then the adsorbed metals were calculated, expressed both as a percentage in solution and per gram of biochar used. The tests showed that fine biochar has a higher adsorption capacity than coarse biochar due to its greater homogeneity, and that the maximum amount adsorbed by this type of biochar was approximately 2000 μg/g of metal. Furthermore, neither pH nor the presence of cations in fluvial waters (Na, Ca, Mg and K) affect adsorption. By comparing the results of the single-element and multi-element tests, it was concluded that the three metals compete in adsorption, with a recurring order of affinity Pb2+ > Tl+ > Zn2+ most likely due to the formation of a double layer on the surface of the biochar in contact with the solution, in agreement with Stern’s theory.
References:
[1] M. Ahmad, A. U. Rajapaksha, J. E. Lim, M. Zhang, N. Bolan, D. Mohan, M. Vithanage, S. S. Lee, Y. S. Ok, Chemosphere 2014, 99, 19 – 33.
[2] W. Xiang, X. Zhang, J. Chen, W. Zou, F. He, X. Hu, D. C. W. Tsang, Y. S. Ok, B. Gao, Chemosphere 2020, 252, 126539.
[3] N. Barago, E. Pavoni, F. Floreani, M. Crosera, G. Adami, D. Lenaz, S. Covelli, Journal of Geochemical Exploration2023, 245, 107129
Paraprososthenia adami Brandt 1970
No full textadami, Paraprososthenia Brandt, 1970 Paraprososthenia adami Brandt, 1970: 189–190 (pl. 13, fig. 7 + text fig. 7). Gastropoda, Pomatiopsidae Probable paratype: MZSP 95923. Locality: Cambodia, Mekong River at Sambor (type locality), N of Kratie, 6 Apr. 1969. Preservation: Dry. Remarks: Former Jens Hemmen Collection. Measurements and data on the specimen’s label correspond to the 70-specimen paratype lot originally catalogued as SMRL 16302.Published as part of Cavallari, Daniel C., Dornellas, Ana Paula S. & Simone, Luiz Ricardo L., 2016, Second annotated list of type specimens of molluscs deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, pp. 1-59 in European Journal of Taxonomy 213 on page 3, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2016.213, http://zenodo.org/record/384012
Atrophy-resistant fibers in permanent peripheral denervation of human skeletal muscle
No full textNeurol Res. 2008 Mar;30(2):137-44.
Atrophy-resistant fibers in permanent peripheral denervation of human skeletal muscle.
Biral D, Kern H, Adami N, Boncompagni S, Protasi F, Carraro U.
Source
Italian C.N.R. Institute of Neuroscience, and Laboratory of Translational Myology, Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, c/o Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, I-35121 Padova, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Human muscle fibers usually undergo severe atrophy/degeneration as a result of long-term peripheral denervation. However, some biopsies from paraplegic patients suffering complete conus cauda syndrome display the presence of a small percentage of muscle fibers with a very large diameter (big fibers). The objective of the present study is to determine if these big fibers are the result of residual innervation/reinnervation, or if instead they are fibers resistant to atrophy.
METHODS:
Human muscle biopsies were harvested from the vastus lateralis of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients affected by complete lower motor neuron lesion (LML). The specimens were either processed for light microscopy or embedded for electron microscopy (EM).
RESULTS:
Our results indicate that the big fibers are neither the results of residual innervation or sparse reinnervation. In spite of the fact that the extrasynaptic NCAM immunostaining disappear a few months after SCI, the big fibers are characterized by positive molecular markers of denervation, that is, the differential labeling of their dystrophin molecule by anti-C and anti-N terminals antibodies. Furthermore, the EM analysis shows that these cells present the peculiar ultrastructural disarrangements of the contractile apparatus and of the internal membrane systems characteristic of 'peripheral denervation'. No fibers presenting large areas of cross-striation were found. The EM analysis provides the final evidence that these big fibers are muscle fibers which are indeed denervated, very different from normal and/or disused (e.g. upper motor neuron lesion) muscle fibers.
DISCUSSION:
Although these large muscle fibers are surprisingly more frequent in human muscle biopsies after 3 years from SCI than earlier, it remains to be determined whether their presence in some biopsies but not in others is caused by sampling, or is related to other factors such as to subjects' background genetics, or the extent of passive stretching induced by different rehabilitation strategies.
PMID:
18397604
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE
Plasmodium chabaudi adami: vaccine antigens and antigenic variation
No full textDeposited with permission of the author © 2003 Dr. Eva BucsuThere is an abundance of information available on the molecular mechanisms of antigenic variation in Plasmodium falciparum. The variant antigen PfEMP1, which mediates antigenic variation as well as cytoadherence and rosetting, has been extensively characterised. Genes coding for the antigen belong to the gene family var, and several var genes have been cloned and characterised. The rodent malaria parasite P. chabaudi is a widely studied in vivo model for P. falciparum. The P. c. chabaudi AS parasite strain has been shown to exhibit antigenic variation and the variant antigen has been detected by surface fluorescence. As with P. falciparum, there is a link between antigenic variation and cytoadherence, however genes coding for the variant antigen in P. chabaudi have not been cloned to date. Therefore, potentially useful in vivo experiments on antigenic variation are restricted. In this thesis it is shown for the first time that the P. c. adami DS parasite strain also exhibits antigenic variation.
Chapter 3 describes efforts to locate genes coding for variant antigens in P. c. adami DS. The main strategy involved a genome survey, by sequencing and analysing randomly selected clones from a P. c. adami DS genomic library. DNA sequences were compared to Plasmodium spp. sequence databases to look for similarity to var genes or other genes encoding variant antigens. Of the 297 clones analysed none had significant sequence similarity to genes coding for variant antigens. However, in a small proportion of sequences some similarity to var genes was noted. Several genes of potential interest were identified, most importantly the gene coding for the vaccine candidate rhoptry associated protein 1 (RAP1), which was subsequently cloned and characterised. Further attempts to locate var gene homologues in P. c. adami involved amplification of P. c. adami genomic DNA using degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to conserved regions of var genes. This strategy proved to be unsuccessful, most likely due to lack of sequence similarity between P. falciparum and P. c. adami genes. In several vaccination studies with the apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) of P. c. adami DS, mice were significantly protected against homologous parasite challenge. However, some mice developed late, low-level breakthrough parasitaemias. In Chapter 4, the characterisation of two such breakthrough parasitaemias is described. The ama1 genes of the breakthrough parasites were found to be identical to the ama1 gene of the parental parasites. Similarly, no alteration in AMA1 expression was observed. However, the breakthrough parasites were found to be more resistant than the parental parasites to the effects of passive immunisation with rabbit antisera to AMA1, RAP1 and possibly also MSP119. P. chabaudi infections in mice have been previously shown to consist of a primary parasitaemia followed by a short period of subpatency, and a recrudescent parasitaemia. In surface immunofluorescence studi
Chapter 4 describes similar surface immunofluorescence assays carried out with P. c. adami infected erythrocytes, and quantitation of fluorescence by flow cytometry. As with P. c. chabaudi, the recrudescent parasites were found to be antigenically distinct from the primary parasitaemia, indicating that antigenic variation had taken place. Because breakthrough parasites from the AMA1 vaccination trial were similar to recrudescences in peak and duration, we hypothesised that breakthrough parasitaemias, like recrudescent parasitaemias, occur as a result of antigenic variation. In Chapter 4 it was shown by surface immunofluorescence and flow cytometry using hyperimmune sera raised against different parasite populations, that breakthrough parasites express antigens on the surface of late trophozoite- and schizont infected erythrocytes that differ from those expressed by the parental and recrudescent parasites. These results support the hypothesis that switching of the variant antigen on the infected erythrocyte surface enables parasites to evade protective antibody responses directed against merozoite antigens.
Chapter 5 describes the cloning and characterisation of P. c. adami RAP1 which was identified in the process of the genomic survey described in Chapter 3, as well as P. berghei RAP1. Both rodent parasite orthologues of RAP1 were found to have 30% sequence similarity to P. falciparum RAP1, and 6 of 8 cysteines were conserved in the rodent parasite orthologues. However the three polypeptides vary significantly in size. P. c. adami RAP1 and P. berghei RAP1 consist of 691 aa and 604 aa respectively, whereas P. falciparum RAP1 consists of 783 aa residues. These size differences reflect very different N-terminal sequences prior to the first cysteine, whereas the cysteine-rich C-terminal regions are more conserved. Both P. falciparum RAP1 and P. c. adami RAP1 contain N-terminal repeats, however they bear no sequence similarity to each other. P. berghei RAP1 lacks N-terminal sequence repeats that are characteristic of P. falciparum and P. c. adami RAP1. The large cysteine-rich C-terminal region P. c. adami RAP1 (PcRAP1 C3) was expressed in E. coli as a hexa-his fusion protein. Rabbit antiserum to recombinant PcRAP1 C3 was used to characterise the expression and sub-cellular localisation of the RAP1 antigen. P. c. adami RAP1 was found to have a Mr of approximately 80,000 and was shown by immunofluorescence to localise to the merozoite rhoptries. Passive immunisation of mice with rabbit anti-RAP1 serum was shown to protect against fulminant parasitaemia and mortality. In a mouse vaccination trial using the recombinant PcRAP1 C3 polypeptide partial protection was conferred against homologous parasite challenge
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