Electro-tactile device for material texture simulation

This paper deals with the simulation of material texture by means of electro-tactile stimuli, which directly derive from real material properties. The research presents a novel tactile display by its hardware and software system architecture and the elaboration procedure to generate the stimulating signals, and validates the adopted simulation strategy by experimental testing. The tactile system elaborates data from scans of real material samples and generates electrical stimuli to reproduce roughness and texture coarseness sensations. It also adds a coherent sound feedback to improve the realism of the simulation. The research defines also an experimental protocol based on the theory of Psychophysics to carry out system calibration and tests with users. The scope is to validate the proposed tactile system as a new tool for material simulation, which can be adopted for material virtual prototyping in several fields (product design, textile and clothing, gaming and entertainment, virtual museum, rehabilitation, etc.). Experimentations have been carried out to measure the users’ response to our different material classes (wood, paper, rubber and textile fabric). Experimental results concern how good the adopted simulation approach is and the analysis of the human tactile perception simulated by the system. Main findings relate to the system performance and the users’ response in terms of signal recognition and material class discrimination.     

An Investigation of Group Leaders' Intentions.

Stimulated recall methods were used to assist 34 group leaders in recalling their intentions (i.e., purposes, plans, goals) in relation to interventions they made in a group session. A total of 835 intentions were reported by the leaders and were categorized into 6 separate intention categories by trained judges. The categories included directing the group, gathering information and assessing members, challenging members, attending to and validating members' experiences, directing self, and promoting connections and interactions among group members. Multidimensional scaling procedures revealed 4 intention clusters: Promoting Insight/Change, Planning and Guiding, Attending, and Assessing Growth. Limitations of the study are addressed, along with implications for future research and group leader training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of Eltrombopag on In Vitro Macrophage Polarization in Pediatric Immune Thrombocytopenia

Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibodies-mediated platelet destruction, a prevalence of M1 pro-inflammatory macrophage phenotype and an elevated T helper 1 and T helper 2 lymphocytes (Th1/Th2) ratio, resulting in impairment of inflammatory profile and immune response. Macrophages are immune cells, present as pro-inflammatory classically activated macrophages (M1) or as anti-inflammatory alternatively activated macrophages (M2). They have a key role in ITP, acting both as effector cells, phagocytizing platelets, and, as antigen presenting cells, stimulating auto-antibodies against platelets production. Eltrombopag (ELT) is a thrombopoietin receptor agonist licensed for chronic ITP to stimulate platelet production. Moreover, it improves T and B regulatory cells functions, suppresses T-cells activity, and inhibits monocytes activation. We analyzed the effect of ELT on macrophage phenotype polarization, proposing a new possible mechanism of action. We suggest it as a mediator of macrophage phenotype switch from the M1 pro-inflammatory type to the M2 anti-inflammatory one in paediatric patients with ITP, in order to reduce inflammatory state and restore the immune system function. Our results provide new insights into the therapy and the management of ITP, suggesting ELT also as immune-modulating drug.     

Notch Signaling Regulation in Autoinflammatory Diseases

Notch pathway is a highly conserved intracellular signaling route that modulates a vast variety of cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, migration, cell fate and death. Recently, the presence of a strict crosstalk between Notch signaling and inflammation has been described, although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying this interplay have not yet been fully unravelled. Disruptions in Notch cascade, due both to direct mutations and/or to an altered regulation in the core components of Notch signaling, might lead to hypo- or hyperactivation of Notch target genes and signaling molecules, ultimately contributing to the onset of autoinflammatory diseases. To date, alterations in Notch signaling have been reported as associated with three autoinflammatory disorders, therefore, suggesting a possible role of Notch in the pathogenesis of the following diseases: hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), Behçet disease (BD), and giant cell arteritis (GCA). In this review, we aim at better characterizing the interplay between Notch and autoinflammatory diseases, trying to identify the role of this signaling route in the context of these disorders.     

The resilience of regional African HIV/AIDS research networks to the withdrawal of international authors in the subfield of public administration and governance: lessons for funders and collaborators

This paper compares the position and performance of Africans in international research networks, comparing a well-funded and internationally driven research network against a network developing organically with less funding and oversight. Specifically, we map the co-authorship networks related to African governance and public policy (1) in general and (2) related to HIV/AIDS. In both research networks Africans are well positioned globally, but African authors have lower connectivity and status in the HIV/AIDS network than the general network. Links between authors in different African countries are often bridged by non-Africans. This makes the African research networks vulnerable to shifting funding priorities; and international dropout would fragment the HIV/AIDS network more than the general network. We conclude that funders and researchers should prioritize direct inter-country African collaborations to improve the resilience of African research networks.     

Differentiation of Aeromonas isolated from drinking water distribution systems using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry

The genus Aeromonas is one of several medically significant genera that have gained prominence due to their evolving taxonomy and controversial role in human diseases. In this study, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) was used to analyze the whole cells of both reference strains and unknown Aeromonas isolates obtained from water distribution systems. A library of over 45 unique m/z signatures was created from 40 strains that are representative of the 17 recognized species of Aeromonas, as well as 3 reference strains from genus Vibrio and 2 reference strains from Plesiomonas shigelloides. The library was used to help speciate 52 isolates of Aeromonas. The environmental isolates were broken up into 2 blind studies. Group 1 contained isolates that had a recognizable phenotypic profile and group 2 contained isolates that had an atypical phenotypic profile. MALDI-MS analysis of the water isolates in group 1 matched the phenotypic identification in all cases. In group 2, the MALDI-MS-based determination confirmed the identity of 18 of the 27 isolates. These results demonstrate that MALDI-MS analysis can rapidly and accurately classify species of the genus Aeromonas, making it a powerful tool especially suited for environmental monitoring and detection of microbial hazards in drinking water.     

High-performance liquid chromatography evaluation of phenols in olive fruit, virgin olive oil, vegetation waters, and pomace and 1D- and 2D-nuclear magnetic resonance characterization

Phenolic compounds are the most important antioxidants of virgin olive oil. This paper reports on the application of solid phase extraction (SPE) in the separation of phenolic compounds from olive fruit, olive oil, and by-products of the mechanical extraction of the oil and the complete spectroscopic characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance of demethyloleuropein and verbascoside extracted from olive fruit. SPE led to a higher recovery of phenolic compounds from olives than did liquid/liquid extraction. SPE also was used to separate phenolic compounds from pomaces and vegetation waters. Phenylacid and phenyl-alcohol concentrations in extracts obtained from SPE and liquid/liquid extraction were not significantly different (P<0.05). The recovery of the dialdehydic form of elenolic acid linked to 3,4-(dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol and an isomer of oleuropein aglycon, however, was low.     

电位滴定分析ASP驱采出液中表面活性剂浓度

以十二烷基磺酸钠为例,考察了利用电位滴定方法分析ASP三元复合驱采出液中表面活性剂浓度时,pH值、盐度、聚合物含量、石油酸皂浓度等因素对分析结果的影响,研究出因石油酸皂和聚合物的存在导致结果偏高的消除方法,并对方法的检出限进行研究。该方法为ASP三元驱中十二烷基磺酸钠类阴离子表面活性剂浓度的分析提供了参考。