128 research outputs found
Isolation of new genes involved in temperature synchronization of the circadian clock of Drosophila melanogaster
No full textPhDCircadian clocks regulate behaviour and physiology of many organisms and keep
them in synchrony with the environment. Drosophila's circadian clock is mainly
synchronized by natural light-dark cycles and temperature
fluctuations, both at
molecular and behavioural levels. The mechanisms underlying temperature entrainment
are poorly understood, but previous studies have shown that this process
can be genetically dissected.
In this work, I isolated several mutants which interfere with the temperature
synchronization of Drosophila's circadian clock. Three variants were isolated
in a chemical EMS-mutagenesis screen monitoring putative second- and thirdchromosomal
mutations. The mutants behave normal in light-dark cycles suggesting
that they specifically interfere with temperature entrainment. In a different,
RNAi-based screen, a Forkhead-domain transcription factor encoding gene was
isolated, which shows defective circadian activity of per expression and PER accumulation
in temperature-entrainment condition, when down-regulated. Finally,
a candidate approach led me to identify three genes encoding proteins belonging
to the TRP family of ion channels. Mutations in the pyrexia, trpM and trpA1
genes show abnormal temperature synchronization of locomotor behaviour, similar
to our EMS-candidates.
The isolation and analysis of those mutations are described, as well as a behavioural
analysis of the already-known "temperature-mutant" nocte. In particular,
I discuss the involvement of chordotonal organs as structures required for
temperature entrainment of the clock and the role of nocte for signalling the temperature
information from the periphery to the brain.
The rest-activity pattern is a well-studied circadian output behaviour; the pupal
emergence, named eclosion, is another behaviour strictly regulated by the circadian clock. Here we show that genes important for entrainment of adult locomotor
behaviour to temperature do not play the same role in regulating the synchronization
of eclosion. To gain insight into the synchronization mechanisms of eclosion,
I studied how different entrainment conditions affect the phase and free-running
period of eclosion
Psammoecus simoni Grouvelle 1892
No full textPsammoecus simoni Grouvelle, 1892 (Fig. 11) Psammoecus simonis Grouvelle, 1892: 287. Psammoecus simoni – Grouvelle 1908c: 476.— Pal 1985. Material examined Lectotype ♂, by present designation: ‘ Antipolo | E. Simon’, ‘TYPE’ [red label], ‘MUSEUM PARIS | 1917 | Coll. GROUVELLE’ [yellow label], ‘ Psammoecus | Simoni | ty. A. Grouv’ [Grouvelle’s hand] (MNHN). Paralectotype 1 spm with identical data as lectotype (MNHN). Other material 5 spms ‘COLL: MUS. CONGO | Madagascar: Maroansetra | (à la lumière) II/ IV-1950 | J. Vadon’ (MRAC). 1spm ‘COLL. MUS. TERVUREN | N.E. Madagascar: | Ambodivoangy 1959 | J. Vadon’ (MRAC). Differential diagnosis Ps. simoni differs by its short oval habitus and the short, stout parameres that are fused with the basal piece from all other African Psammoecus. The wide-based pronotal teeth resemble Ps. luchti sp. nov., it differs by the elytral striae being considerably wider than interstices, elytra being shorter, darkened basis of elytra, parameres short, stout and fused with basal piece. Redescription BODY. Oval, total length 2.13-3.00 mm (Fig. 11A). Surface yellowish-brown, sometimes reddish-brown, elytra with brown or blackish-brown maculae: humeral swelling, a transverse band in the middle of the elytra, the elytral suture along the posterior two thirds and the elytral apex are dark. Base of antennae yellowish or reddish brown, 6 th to 10 th antennomere darkened, 11 th antennomere yellowish-white, some specimens with light apex of 10 th antennomere. HEAD. Broad, temples narrowed immediately behind eyes; width 0.64-0.71 mm, length 0.33-0.44 mm, 1.67-1.73 times as wide as long. Eyes protuberant, rounded, 0.17-0.20 mm long, distance of inner margins 0.38-0.45 mm. Puncturation on vertex coarse, density of punctures variable, pubescence composed of long, semierect setae, directed anteriorly; microsculpture absent. Longitudinal impressions on vertex very shallow, attaining the middle of the eyes, sometimes shorter. Antennae as in Fig. 11B, 1.17-1.40 mm long, stout, antennomere proportions of lectotype as follows: 2.9: 1.3: 1.8: 1.5: 1.8: 1.6: 1.4: 1.0:1.2: 1.4: 2.8. PRONOTUM. Broad; width 0.62-0.74 mm, length 0.48-0.56 mm, 1.22-1.35 times as wide as long. Surface smooth, without impressions. Anterior angles with distinct groups of small teeth; lateral margins with four distinct teeth; tooth I very small, tooth II a little larger, teeth III and IV largest. Posterior group of teeth consisting of a larger anterior tooth and a very small, almost obtuse posterior tooth. Puncturation coarser than on vertex, punctures sometimes adjoining. Pubescence as on vertex; microsculpture absent. ELYTRA. Oval, short, length 1.35-1.70 mm, combined width 1.00- 1.23 mm, 1.27-1.43 times as long as their combined width. Rows of punctures on disc wider than interstices. Pubescence consists of long, semierect setae. Microsculpture absent. PARAMERES. Short, stout, fused with basal piece; with distinct pattern of three large setae (Fig. 11 C). Remarks In his original description, Grouvelle (1892) spells the name ‘simonis’. However, on the labels that Grouvelle added to the syntypes as well as in a later paper (Grouvelle, 1908c), he spells the name ‘simoni’. Pal (1985) also uses the latter spelling. Hence the present author considers ‘simonis’ to be a misprint and proposes to spell the name in accordance with Grouvelle (1908c) and Pal (1985).Published as part of Karner, Michael, 2012, A revision of African Psammoecus (Coleoptera, Silvanidae) and descriptions of two new species from the collection of the Musée royal de l'Afrique centrale, pp. 1-31 in European Journal of Taxonomy 17 on pages 24-26, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2012.17, http://zenodo.org/record/385784
Construyendo la ópera nacional: A Marília de Itamaracá de L. V. De-Simoni
No full textLuiz Vicente De Simoni (1782-1881) was an Italian physician who went to Rio de Janeiro in 1817, and was constantly involved in the musical and theatrical scene of the city. He is the author of Marília de Itamaracá (1854, music by Adolpho Maersch), considered by some authors as the first “Brazilian” opera. The subject is historical and narrates some episodes of the 17th century war against the Dutch. One of his main concerns was the use of Brazilian and Portuguese themes in operas, in order to invent something “national”. As part of a broader movement, the idea was to explore Brazilian people, landscape and traditions as the main subject for operas that should be sung in Portuguese. The movement was related to a broader political project sponsored by the government and the Emperor, aimed at the revision of Brazilian history and the construction of a new cultural identity for the country. The purpose of this paper is to examine some aspects of the libretto of Marília de Itamaracá and the ideas discussed in its preface, showing the contradictions and tensions involved in the creation of a “national” identity through operas
Advances in Modeling of Noisy Quantum Computers: Spin Qubits in Semiconductor Quantum Dots
No full textThe new quantum era is expected to have an unprecedented social impact, enabling the research of tomorrow in several pivotal fields. These perspectives require a physical system able to encode, process and store for a sufficiently long amount of time the quantum information. However, the optimal engineering of currently available quantum computers, which are small and flawed by several non-ideal phenomena, requires an efficacious methodology for exploring the design space. Hence, there is an unmet need for the development of reliable hardware-aware simulation infrastructures able to efficiently emulate the behaviour of quantum hardware that commits to looking for innovative systematic ways, with a bottom-up approach starting from the physical level, moving to the device level and up to the system level. This article discusses the development of a classical simulation infrastructure for semiconductor quantum-dot quantum computation based on compact models, where each device is described in terms of the main physical parameters affecting its performance in a sufficiently easy way from a computational point of view for providing accurate results without involving sophisticated physical simulators, thus reducing the requirements on CPU and memory. The effectiveness of the involved approximations is tested on a benchmark of quantum circuits - in the expected operating ranges of quantum hardware - by comparing the corresponding outcomes with those obtained via numeric integration of the Schrödinger equation. The achieved results give evidence that this work is a step forward towards the definition of a classical simulator of quantum computers.QCD/Scappucci La
Coupling versus uncoupling in soil consolidation
No full textCoupling and uncoupling between the equilibrium and mass balance equations in soil consolidation problems is investigated in detail. A procedure for judging the strength of coupling is indicated. In the applications, particular emphasis is given to subsidence problems where the coupled nature of the problem is still sometimes questioned. It is shown that even in the case of a single pumped aquifer most situations are coupled. -Author
On Safety Assessment and Base Isolation of Heavy Non-structural Monolithic Objects
No full textAbstractUnder seismic actions heavy non-structural objects, which are usually placed at the top of existing constructions, may constitute a danger to human lives and a considerable loss for world heritage. In this contribution, safety assessment of non-structural monolithic objects is discussed through the illustration of a case study, which concerns seismic protection of eleven ancient marble decorative pinnacles placed at the top of a three-arched masonry city gate in Ferrara (ITALY). A method for assessing the safety of the underlying masonry structure under the action of seismic excitations is outlined and the amplification of the ground motions due to the presence of such structure is evaluated
Cuando el Campo Refleja la Sociedad: una reseña de El fútbol brasileño – institución cero: de Simoni Lahud Guedes
No full textO livro O futebol brasileiro: instituição zero, de Simoni Lahud Guedes, resgatado após o incêndio do Museu Nacional, é uma obra pioneira na Antropologia do Esporte. Com base em sua dissertação de mestrado de 1977, Guedes analisa o futebol como fenômeno social, indo além do lazer, e o compreende como representação simbólica da identidade brasileira. Dividida em quatro capítulos, a obra percorre temas como o lazer, a dinâmica do jogo, a atuação da imprensa nas Copas e a relação do futebol com operários urbanos de Bangu. A autora oferece uma etnografia sensível do campo de jogo, destacando a imprensa como produtora de discursos que ora unem, ora racializam a derrota. Ao final, defende o futebol como instituição multifacetada e campo fértil para estudos sociais. A reedição da obra é tanto um tributo à autora quanto uma contribuição atemporal aos estudos do futebol no Brasil.The book The Brazilian Football: Zero Institution, by Simoni Lahud Guedes, rescued after the fire at the National Museum, is a pioneering work in the Anthropology of Sport. Based on her 1977 master\u27s thesis, Guedes analyzes football as a social phenomenon that goes beyond leisure, interpreting it as a symbolic representation of Brazilian identity. Divided into four chapters, the work explores themes such as leisure, the dynamics of the game, the role of the media during World Cups, and the relationship between football and urban workers in Bangu. The author offers a sensitive ethnography of the game field and highlights how the press produces discourses that either unify or racialize defeat. In the conclusion, football is portrayed as a multifaceted institution and a fertile ground for social studies. The reissue is both a tribute to the author and a timeless contribution to football studies in BrazilEl libro El fútbol brasileño: institución cero, de Simoni Lahud Guedes, rescatado tras el incendio del Museo Nacional, es una obra pionera en la Antropología del Deporte. Basada en su tesis de maestría de 1977, Guedes analiza el fútbol como fenómeno social que va más allá del ocio, interpretándolo como una representación simbólica de la identidad brasileña. Dividido en cuatro capítulos, el libro aborda temas como el ocio, la dinámica del juego, el papel de la prensa en los mundiales y la relación entre el fútbol y los trabajadores urbanos de Bangu. La autora ofrece una etnografía sensible del campo de juego y destaca cómo la prensa produce discursos que, a veces, unifican y, otras veces, racializan la derrota. En la conclusión, el fútbol aparece como una institución multifacética y un campo fértil para los estudios sociales. La reedición es tanto un homenaje a la autora como una contribución atemporal a los estudios sobre el fútbol en Brasil
Genetic control strategies for population suppression in the Anopheles gambiae complex: a review of current technologies
No full textMalaria continues to pose a critical public health threat, with mosquitoes from the Anopheles gambiae complex acting as the main vectors of the disease in sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 95% of malaria-related deaths occur. Despite significant advancements in vector control, such as insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying, the effectiveness of these interventions is increasingly compromised by various challenges, including rising levels of insecticide and pathogen resistance, mosquito behavioural adaptations, and persistent funding gaps. In this context, genetic vector control strategies have shown considerable promise, primarily based on findings from controlled laboratory studies. This review explores the development of these genetic approaches within the Anopheles gambiae complex and outlines future directions for their advancement and potential integration into malaria control efforts
Economic Feasibility Study of a Small-scale Biogas Plant Using a Two-stage Process and a Fixed Bio-film Reactor for a Cost-efficient Production
No full textAbstractEuropean and Italian incentive schemes promote small-scale biogas plant distribution using different types of biological and agricultural wastes as feedstock. A feed in tariff system is used in most of the European Union countries, and the incentive is paid on top of the market price capped at a maximum amount sold.The proposed study explores the feasibility of two-stage biogas plants for small-scale CHP, based on a two-phase bio-film process partially tested during the Biowalk4Biofuels (B4B) FP7 project implementing an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) based on a rotating biological contactor thus able to combine significant yields and reduced volume. The project developed a small pre-industrial biogas plant implementing a recovered 45 kWel CHP unit with 95 kWth thermal power. In the two-stage process, a high-temperature hydrolysis phase was followed by a continuously stirred methanogenesis bioreactor equipped with a rotating biological contactor. Main process performances were related to Organic Load Rate (OLR) up to 15kg VS/m3; the overall reactor volume was 70 m3 for expected biogas production of 25 Nm3/h.Specifically, the aim of the present article is to address the use of the results and outcomes from some laboratory tests verified by the B4B system to model an overall feasibility evaluation. This allows to explore theoretical and economic feasibility of two ideal plants characterized by a 50 and 150 Nm3/h biogas production based on the overall system performances implementing a fixed biofilm for enhancing methanogenesis process. The feasibility study for the 50 Nm3/h biogas plants (equivalent to 100 kWel) shows profitable results, as well as evaluation of the 150 Nm3/h plants (300 kWe), that represent the biggest size for Italian incentives aimed at “small size” biogas plants
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