Surface properties of fluorinated hybrid coatings

A commercial perfluoropolyether containing alkoxysilane functionalities was employed to prepare organic–inorganic hybrid coatings by using the sol‐gel process in the presence of tetraethoxysilane. Contact angle analysis revealed a strong hydrophobic and oleophobic character of the coatings almost independently from the molecular weight of the starting fluorinated oligomer. Surface tension values were in the range of 14–16 mN/m, suggesting a preferential segregation of fluorinated segments onto the surface of the coating. Atomic force microscopy showed the presence very smooth surfaces permitting to neglect the contribution of the surface roughness to wettability. Friction coefficient values were markedly lower with respect to the value of uncoated glass substrate. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1483–1488, 2006     

MATTER: A tool for generating end-to-end IoT test scripts

Software Quality Journal - In the last few years, Internet of Things (IoT) systems have drastically increased their relevance in many fundamental sectors. For this reason, assuring their quality is...     

Sofosbuvir Selects for Drug-Resistant Amino Acid Variants in the Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase Complex In Vitro

The nucleotide analog sofosbuvir, licensed for the treatment of hepatitis C, recently revealed activity against the Zika virus (ZIKV) in vitro and in animal models. However, the ZIKV genetic barrier to sofosbuvir has not yet been characterized. In this study, in vitro selection experiments were performed in infected human hepatoma cell lines. Increasing drug pressure significantly delayed viral breakthrough (p = 0.029). A double mutant in the NS5 gene (V360L/V607I) emerged in 3 independent experiments at 40–80 µM sofosbuvir resulting in a 3.9 ± 0.9-fold half- maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) shift with respect to the wild type (WT) virus. A triple mutant (C269Y/V360L/V607I), detected in one experiment at 80 µM, conferred a 6.8-fold IC₅₀ shift with respect to the WT. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that the double mutant V360L/V607I impacts the binding mode of sofosbuvir, supporting its role in sofosbuvir resistance. Due to the distance from the catalytic site and to the lack of reliable structural data, the contribution of C269Y was not investigated in silico. By a combination of sequence analysis, phenotypic susceptibility testing, and molecular modeling, we characterized a double ZIKV NS5 mutant with decreased sofosbuvir susceptibility. These data add important information to the profile of sofosbuvir as a possible lead for anti-ZIKV drug development.     

Endothelial Glycocalyx as a Regulator of Fibrotic Processes

The endothelial glycocalyx, the gel layer covering the endothelium, is composed of glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and adsorbed plasma proteins. This structure modulates vessels’ mechanotransduction, vascular permeability, and leukocyte adhesion. Thus, it regulates several physiological and pathological events. In the present review, we described the mechanisms that disturb glycocalyx stability such as reactive oxygen species, matrix metalloproteinases, and heparanase. We then focused our attention on the role of glycocalyx degradation in the induction of profibrotic events and on the possible pharmacological strategies to preserve this delicate structure.     

A framework for formal analysis and simulative evaluation of security attacks in wireless sensor networks

Journal of Computer Virology and Hacking Techniques - When designing Wireless Sensor Networks it is important to analyze their security risks and provide adequate solutions for protecting them from...     

A Janus Molecule for Screen-Printable Conductive Carbon Ink for Composites with Superior Stretchability

Inspired by decades of research in the compatibilization of fillers into elastomeric composites for high-performance materials, a novel polyurethane-based stretchable carbon ink is created by taking advantage of a Janus molecule, 2-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)propane-1,3-diol (serinol pyrrole, SP). SP is used to functionalize the carbon and comonomer in the polymer phase. The use of SPs in both the organic and inorganic phases results in an improved interaction between the two phases. When printed, the functionalized material has a factor 1.5 lower resistance-strain dependence when compared to its unfunctionalized analogue. This behavior is superior to commercially available carbon inks. To demonstrate the suitability of ink in an industrial application, an all-printed, elastomer-based force sensor is fabricated. This “pyrrole methodology” is scalable and broadly applicable, laying the foundation for the realization of printed functionalities with improved electromechanical performance.     

Influence of irrigation with lagooned urban wastewater on chemical and microbiological soil parameters in a citrus orchard under Mediterranean condition

The reduced availability of water resources in semi-arid Mediterranean regions requires an efficient use of supply sources. Urban wastewater, after treatment to minimise health hazards, may constitute an important resource for irrigation in areas characterised by intensive agriculture. These considerations have motivated an investigation (during the irrigation season 1996) of the dynamics of microbial biomass in the soil of a citrus orchard in eastern Sicily, which has been irrigated for 15 years with lagooned urban wastewater, to evaluate the effects of this practice on soil fertility. The analyses of parameters regarding soil microbial biomass (microbial carbon and microbial nitrogen, soluble carbon and nitrogen, cumulative respiration, respiratory quotient and enzymatic activity in the soil) have confirmed that the evolution of soil microflora is directly conditioned by the type of water used for irrigation and climatic conditions. Just before the beginning of the irrigation season (May), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soluble C, cumulative respiration and enzymatic activity were significantly higher in the soil irrigated with wastewater with respect to the same soil irrigated with 'clear' water; the qCO2 was significantly lower. In June, after 1 month of irrigation, both soils showed an increase of all microbial parameters except for enzymatic activity and qCO2 which showed a significant reduction. In September, at the end of the irrigation period, there was a decrease of almost all investigated parameters in both plots, which was more evident in the soil irrigated with 'clear' water. The microbial biomass of the soil irrigated with wastewater, during the irrigation period, did not undergo any negative effects, having an evolution analogous to the plot irrigated with 'clear' water. The use of lagooned wastewater after three lustrums has shown, particularly in the dry season, an increase in quantity of easily available nutrients, with an improvement of the metabolic efficiency of soil microflora coupled with a more marked activity of total hydrolase and phosphatases. The variations of the parameters related to the soil microflora were strongly influenced by the seasonal climatic trend.     

Using roadmaps to classify regions of space for autonomous robot navigation

The roadmap approach to robot path planning is one of the earliest methods. Since then, many different algorithms for building roadmaps have been proposed and widely implemented in mobile robots but their use has always been limited to planning in static, totally known environments. In this paper we combine the use of dynamic analogical representations of the environment with an efficient roadmap extraction method, to guide the robot navigation and to classify the different regions of space in which the robot moves. The paper presents the general reference architecture for the robotic system and then focuses on the algorithms for the construction of the roadmap, the classification of the regions of space and their use in robot navigation. Experimental results indicate the applicability and robustness of this approach in real situations.     

Redox proteomics identification of 4‐hydroxynonenal‐modified brain proteins in Alzheimer's disease: Role of lipid peroxidation in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis

Numerous studies have shown that neuronal lipids are highly susceptible to oxidative stress including in those brain areas directly involved in the neurodegenerative process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Lipid peroxidation directly damages membranes and also generates a number of secondary biologically active products (toxic aldehydes)that are capable of easily attacking lipids, proteins, and DNA. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated regionally increased brain lipid peroxidation in patients with AD; however, extensive studies on specific targets of lipid peroxidation‐induced damage are still missing. The present study represents a further step in understanding the relationship between oxidative modification of protein and neuronal death associated with AD. We used a proteomics approach to determine specific targets of lipid peroxidation in AD brain, both in hippocampus and inferior parietal lobule, by coupling immunochemical detection of 4‐hydroxynonenal‐bound proteins with 2‐D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and MS analysis. We identified 4‐hydroxynonenal‐bound proteins in the hippocampus and inferior parietal lobule brain regions of subjects with AD. The identified proteins play different biological functions including energy metabolism, antioxidant system, and structural proteins, thus impairing multiple molecular pathways. Our results provide further evidence for the role of lipid peroxidation in the pathogenesis of AD.