AES for multiscale localization modeling in granular media

This work presents a multiscale strong discontinuity approach to tackle key challenges in modeling localization behavior in granular media: accommodation of discontinuities in the kinematic fields, and direct linkage to the underlying grain-scale information. Assumed enhanced strain (AES) concepts are borrowed to enhance elements for post-localization analysis, but are reformulated within a recently-proposed hierarchical multiscale computational framework. Unlike classical AES methods, where material properties are usually constants or assumed to evolve with some arbitrary phenomenological laws, this framework provides a bridge to extract evolutions of key material parameters, such as friction and dilatancy, based on grain scale computational or experimental data. More importantly, the phenomenological softening modulus typically used in AES methods is no longer required. Numerical examples of plane strain compression tests are presented to illustrate the applicability of this method and to analyze its numerical performance.     

Physical and mechanical characterization of phyllites and metagreywackes in central Portugal

This work defines the physical and mechanical characteristics of phyllites and metagreywackes belonging to a schist–greywacke complex in central Portugal. The index properties, point load strength, uniaxial compressive strength, slake durability and Schmidt rebound hardness were determined. In general, the metagreywackes gave a higher strength than phyllites with the same weathering degree. Possible correlations and estimation models were established and compared with the equations obtained by different researchers.     

The Impact of Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Surfactants in the Microstructure and Rheological Behaviour of Emulsions Made With Melted Fat From Cupuassu (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Theobroma grandiflorum</Emphasis>)

Cupuassu fat is a good candidate for partial substitution of cocoa butter in many products, including emulsions. However, for such use it is necessary to know the characteristics of the products prepared with cupuassu fat. Therefore, the main goal of this work is to characterize emulsions prepared with cupuassu fat using the surfactants Tween^® 60, Tween^® 80 and Tween^® 85 as emulsifiers. The emulsions were prepared at 43 °C with addition of 0.5 or 1.5 % (w/v) of surfactant and compared with an emulsion without surfactant. All emulsions were analysed by conductivity, stability, pH, optical microscopy, rheology and oxidative stability. It was verified that the emulsions prepared with Tween^® 60 and Tween^® 80 have higher stability, smaller droplet size and higher apparent viscosity. Also, these properties are positively influenced by the concentration of the surfactant. On the other hand, emulsions prepared with Tween 85 or without surfactant reached unsatisfactory results. The rheological behaviour of the emulsions was adequately described by both Herschel-Bulkley and Mizhari-Berki models revealing pseudoplastic character. These emulsions also present strong gel behaviour, with storage modulus higher than loss modulus. In conclusion, cupuassu fat can be used as oil phase for emulsions products and this characterization helps to understand their behaviour in order to increase their use in food industry.     

Roles of α-Synuclein and Disease-Associated Factors in Drosophila Models of Parkinson’s Disease

α-Synuclein (αSyn) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease. The accumulation of αSyn is a pathological hallmark of PD, and mutations in the SNCA gene encoding αSyn cause familial forms of PD. Moreover, the ectopic expression of αSyn has been demonstrated to mimic several key aspects of PD in experimental model systems. Among the various model systems, Drosophila melanogaster has several advantages for modeling human neurodegenerative diseases. Drosophila has a well-defined nervous system, and numerous tools have been established for its genetic analyses. The rapid generation cycle and short lifespan of Drosophila renders them suitable for high-throughput analyses. PD model flies expressing αSyn have contributed to our understanding of the roles of various disease-associated factors, including genetic and nongenetic factors, in the pathogenesis of PD. In this review, we summarize the molecular pathomechanisms revealed to date using αSyn-expressing Drosophila models of PD, and discuss the possibilities of using these models to demonstrate the biological significance of disease-associated factors.     

Effect of brine thawing/salting on endogenous enzyme activity and sensory quality of Iberian dry-cured ham

Simultaneous brine thawing/salting process was applied as an alternative to traditional pile salting process using 51 frozen Iberian hams. The effect of this type of salting process on endogenous enzyme activity and sensory quality of Iberian dry-cured hams was analysed. The frozen hams were simultaneously thawed and salted with saturated brine, with and without vacuum pulses, and were compared to hams thawed under refrigeration and traditionally salted. The peptidase and lipase activities were measured at the end of salting and post-salting stages. The activity of cathepsin B+L was reduced in the two brine salted batches while few differences among batches were observed for the other peptidases. Several lipase activities were significantly reduced in the two brine salted batches. The brine thawed processing affected the free fatty acid content at the different stages although the differences were more appreciated at the beginning of the process and no differences were observed at the end. The long ripening time makes these differences negligible and the consumer did not appreciate any differences between the sensory quality of Iberian brine/thawed hams and traditional Iberian thawed pile salted hams.     

Preparation and properties of stereoregular poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) polymers and hydrogels

Linear poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) has been synthesized in highly syndiotactic and highly isotactic configurations. The high syndiotactic PHEMA prepared by u.v. photolysis at ?40° C was found by ¹³C n.m.r. to have a tactic triad content of 84% syndio, 16% hetero and 0% iso. High isotactic PHEMA was prepared by anionic polymerization of benzoxyethyl methacrylate in toluene followed by selective hydrolysis of the benzoate ester, and was observed by ¹³C n.m.r. to have a 5% syndio, 15% hetero and 80% isotactic triad content. A linear PHEMA polymer formed by radical polymerization at 60°C in ethanol solvent was found to have a tactic triad content of 58% syndio, 42% hetero and 0% iso. These polymers have been crosslinked with hexamethylene diisocyanate and their water swelling properties determined as functions of temperature and crosslinker concentration. Isotactic PHEMA exhibited greater aqueous swelling below 30° C than the syndiotactic PHEMA samples. The stereochemistry of the polymer chain is shown to be a factor in determining the swelling behaviour of hydrophilic methacrylate gels.     

Physiology and Pathophysiology of Heparan Sulfate in Animal Models: Its Biosynthesis and Degradation

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a type of glycosaminoglycan that plays a key role in a variety of biological functions in neurology, skeletal development, immunology, and tumor metastasis. Biosynthesis of HS is initiated by a link of xylose to Ser residue of HS proteoglycans, followed by the formation of a linker tetrasaccharide. Then, an extension reaction of HS disaccharide occurs through polymerization of many repetitive units consisting of iduronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine. Subsequently, several modification reactions take place to complete the maturation of HS. The sulfation positions of N-, 2-O-, 6-O-, and 3-O- are all mediated by specific enzymes that may have multiple isozymes. C5-epimerization is facilitated by the epimerase enzyme that converts glucuronic acid to iduronic acid. Once these enzymatic reactions have been completed, the desulfation reaction further modifies HS. Apart from HS biosynthesis, the degradation of HS is largely mediated by the lysosome, an intracellular organelle with acidic pH. Mucopolysaccharidosis is a genetic disorder characterized by an accumulation of glycosaminoglycans in the body associated with neuronal, skeletal, and visceral disorders. Genetically modified animal models have significantly contributed to the understanding of the in vivo role of these enzymes. Their role and potential link to diseases are also discussed.     

The Expression of Active CD11b Monocytes in Blood and Disease Progression in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Monocytes expressing the inflammation suppressing active CD11b, a beta2 integrin, may regulate neuroinflammation and modify clinical outcomes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this single site, retrospective study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 38 individuals living with ALS and 20 non-neurological controls (NNC) were investigated using flow cytometry to study active CD11b integrin classical (CM), intermediate (IM) and non-classical (NCM) monocytes during ALS progression. Seventeen ALS participants were sampled at the baseline (V1) and at two additional time points (V2 and V3) for longitudinal analysis. Active CD11b+ CM frequencies increased steeply between the baseline and V3 (ANOVA repeated measurement, p < 0.001), and the V2/V1 ratio negatively correlated with the disease progression rate, similar to higher frequencies of active CD11b+ NCM at the baseline (R = −0.6567; p = 0.0031 and R = 0.3862; p = 0.0168, respectively). CD11b NCM, clinical covariates and neurofilament light-chain plasma concentration at the baseline predicted shorter survival in a multivariable and univariate analysis (CD11b NCM—HR: 1.05, CI: 1.01–1.11, p = 0.013. Log rank: above median: 43 months and below median: 21.22 months; p = 0.0022). Blood samples with the highest frequencies of active CD11b+ IM and NCM contained the lowest concentrations of soluble CD11b. Our preliminary data suggest that the levels of active CD11b+ monocytes and NCM in the blood predict different clinical outcomes in ALS.     

Rejoinder to “Multiple versions of the h-index: cautionary use for formal academic purposes”

Scientometrics - In a Letter to the Editor, the authors of this paper show, to highlight the practical risks of using the h-index, how academics’ data and bibliometric information can be...     

The Google Scholar h-index: useful but burdensome metric

Scientometrics - A recent paper in Scientometrics highlighted how the h-index of an academic can be represented differently by different platforms, for example by Web of Science, Scopus, Google...