3,376 research outputs found
Dynamical evolution of massive perturbers in realistic multicomponent galaxy models I: implementation and validation
No full textGalaxies are self-gravitating structures composed by several components encompassing spherical, axial, and triaxial symmetry. Although real systems feature heterogeneous components whose properties are intimately connected, semi-analytical approaches often exploit the linearity of the Poisson’s equation to represent the potential and mass distribution of a multicomponent galaxy as the sum of the individual components. In this work, we expand the semi-analytical framework developed in Bonetti et al. (2020) by including both a detailed implementation of the gravitational potential of exponential disc (modelled with a sech2 and an exponential vertical profile) and an accurate prescription for the dynamical friction experienced by massive perturbers (MP) in composite galaxy models featuring rotating disc structures. Such improvements allow us to evolve arbitrary orbits either within or outside the galactic disc plane. We validate the results obtained by our numerical model against public semi-analytical codes as well as full N-body simulations, finding that our model is in excellent agreement to the codes it is compared with. The ability to reproduce the relevant physical processes responsible for the evolution of MP orbits and its computational efficiency make our framework perfectly suited for large parameter-space exploration studies
Potential Neuroprotective Effect of Melatonin in the Hippocampus of Male BTBR Mice
No full textAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder identified by impairments in common social interactions and repetitive behaviors. In ASD patients, substantial morphological alterations have been observed in the hippocampus, which represents an important region for the development of social skills. Melatonin, commonly found in many foods and plants, is also produced by the pineal gland. This indolamine, known to regulate the circadian rhythm, shows antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We therefore hypothesized that melatonin may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the hippocampus of ASD patients. We explored our hypothesis using the BTBR mouse, a well-regarded murine transgenic model for ASD. Immediately after weaning, male BTBR and C57BL/6 mice underwent an 8-week treatment with melatonin or vehicle. Later, through immunohistochemistry and the immunoblotting analysis of the hippocampus, we evaluated the overall expression and cellular localization of Nrf2 and SOD1, two enzymes involved in the oxidative stress response. Similarly, we evaluated NLRP3 and NFkB, two mediators of inflammation, and GAD67, an enzyme responsible for the synthesis of GABA. Ultimately, we addressed melatonin's potential to regulate iron metabolism through a DAB-enhanced Perls reaction assay. Results showed melatonin's potential for modulating the analyzed markers in BTBR mice, suggesting a potential neuroprotective effect in ASD patients
BONETTI, Alinne e FLEISCHER, Soraya (orgs.). 2007. Entre saias justas e jogos de cintura. Florianópolis: Editora Mulheres. 372 pp.
No full textResenha da coletânea Entre saias justas e jogos de cintura, organizada por Alinne Bonetti e Soraya Fleischer, publicada em 2007
Direct replacement of antibodies with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanoparticles in ELISA - development of a novel assay for vancomycin
No full textA simple and straightforward technique for coating microplate wells with molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) to develop ELISA type assays is presented here for the first time. NanoMIPs were synthesized by a solid phase approach with immobilized vancomycin (template) and characterized using Biacore 3000, dynamic light scattering and electron microscopy. Immobilization, blocking and washing conditions were optimized in microplate format. The detection of vancomycin was achieved in competitive binding experiments with a HRP-vancomycin conjugate. The assay was capable of measuring vancomycin in buffer and in blood plasma within the range 0.001-70 nM with a detection limit of 0.0025 nM (2.5 pM). The sensitivity of the assay was three orders of magnitude better than a previously described ELISA based on antibodies. In these experiments nanoMIPs have shown high affinity and minimal interference from blood plasma components. Immobilized nanoMIPs were stored for 1 month at room temperature without any detrimental effects to their binding properties. The high affinity of nanoMIPs and the lack of a requirement for cold chain logistics make them an attractive alternative to traditional antibodies used in ELIS
A serum antimicrobial activity of cancer patients and interaction with different antibacterial drugs.
No full textAntimicrobial activity of cancers' serum patients
Recurrent episodes of anaphylaxis in a patient with haemophilia B: a case report
No full textDescription of 3 recurrent episodes of anaphylaxis in a patient with Hemophilia B inhibito
Work Hard, Play Hard: Collecting Acceptability Annotations through a 3D Game
No full textCorpus-based studies on acceptability judgements have always stimulated the interest of researchers, both in theoretical and computational fields. Some approaches focused on spontaneous judgements collected through different types of tasks, others on data annotated through crowd-sourcing platforms, still others relied on expert annotated data available from the literature. The release of CoLA corpus, a large-scale corpus of sentences extracted from linguistic handbooks as examples of acceptable/non acceptable phenomena in English, has revived interest in the reliability of judgements of linguistic experts vs. non-experts. Several issues are still open. In this work, we contribute to this debate by presenting a 3D video game that was used to collect acceptability judgments on Italian sentences. We analyse the resulting annotations in terms of agreement among players and by comparing them with experts{'} acceptability judgments. We also discuss different game settings to assess their impact on participants{'} motivation and engagement. The final dataset containing 1,062 sentences, which were selected based on majority voting, is released for future research and comparisons
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