Design of Dissipative Braces for an Existing Strategic Building with a Pushover Based Procedure

The research presented in this paper deals with the seismic protection of existing frame structures by means of passive energy dissipation. An iterative displacement-based procedure, based on capacity spectrum, to design dissipative bracings for seismic retrofitting of the frame structures is described, and some applications are discussed. The procedure can be used with any typology of dissipative device and for different performance targets. In this work, the procedure has been applied, with both traditional pushover （load profile proportional to first mode） and multimodal pushover, to an existing RC （reinforced concrete） frame building. In the application, the buckling restrained braces have been used in order to prevent damages to both the structure and non structural elements. The use of multimodal pushover proves to be more effective than pushover based on single mode in case of medium rise RC frame building （higher than 30 m） but, once this building is retrofitted, and therefore regularized, with a bracing system, the difference between using monomodal or multimodal pushover becomes insignificant.     

Computing potentials on a periodic bidimensional grid

The aim of this paper is to give an explicit computation for the potential generated by a dipole on a 2-dimensional grid such that the conductances on the vertical and horizontal edges have period 2.     

High yield catalysts in olefin polymerization. General outlook on theoretical aspects and industrial uses

The new third generation Ziegler-Natta catalysts give extremely high yield and produce highly stereoregular polypropylene of controlled morphology and size. The role of Lewis bases and MgCl₂ is underlined and their mechanisms of action is discussed in the light of the most significant experimental data. Furthermore, technological and economical advantages are emphasized.     

Structure–activity relationships of resveratrol and derivatives in breast cancer cells

Resveratrol (RSV) is classified as a phytoestrogen due to its ability to interact with estrogen receptors (ERs). We assessed structure–activity relationships of RSV and the analogs 4,4′‐dihydroxystilbene (4,4′‐DHS), 3,5‐dihydroxystilbene (3,5‐DHS), 3,4′‐dihydroxystilbene (3,4′‐DHS), 4‐hydroxystilbene (4‐HS) using as model systems the ERα‐positive and negative MCF7 and SkBr3 breast cancer cells, respectively. In binding assays and transfection experiments RSV and the analogs showed the following order of agonism for ERα: 3,4′‐DHS > 4,4′‐DHS > 4‐HS > RSV, while 3,5‐DHS did not elicit any ligand properties. Computational docking analysis and real‐time PCR revealed for each analog a distinct ERα binding orientation and estrogen target gene expression profile. Interestingly, the aforementioned order of ligand activity was confirmed in proliferation assays which also showed the lack of growth stimulation by 3,5‐DHS. Our data suggest that subtle changes in the structure of the RSV derivatives examined may be responsible for the different ERα‐mediated biological responses observed in estrogen‐sensitive cancer cells.     

The role of teat skin contamination in the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infections

Knowledge of the epidemiological pattern and the potential sources of infections is important to control Staphylococcus aureus in dairy herds. This paper reports the results of a study applying both pulse field gel electrophoresis (PGFE) and the assessment of a selected number of virulence genes to investigate the role of teat skin on Staph. aureus transmission among cows and on the contamination of milk. Overall 61 isolates were considered, 23 from teat skin, 33 from milk samples and 5 from curd samples. Teat swabs were taken in five herds, but in only three of them could Staph. aureus be isolated. Curd was sampled in three herds, but Staph. aureus could be isolated in only two herds. The distribution of isolates among herds confirmed the presence of herd-specific Staph. aureus strain in most of the herds. The same pattern was observed in teat skin samples, in quarter milk samples, and in the curd samples. Our findings are consistent with other studies showing the role of teat skin as a potential reservoir. Moreover, Staph. aureus was isolated from teat skin of confirmed Staph. aureus-negative cows that were segregated from infected ones. Our findings also suggest that some strains have higher chances to survive on teat skin and therefore to increase the risk for contamination of milk and milk products due to the persistence of intramammary infections.     

Beneficial Effects of Tamarind Trypsin Inhibitor in Chitosan–Whey Protein Nanoparticles on Hepatic Injury Induced High Glycemic Index Diet: A Preclinical Study

Several studies have sought new therapies for obesity and liver diseases. This study investigated the effect of the trypsin inhibitor isolated from tamarind seeds (TTI), nanoencapsulated in chitosan and whey protein isolate (ECW), on the liver health status of the Wistar rats fed with a high glycemic index (HGLI) diet. The nanoformulations without TTI (CW) and ECW were obtained by nanoprecipitation technique, physically and chemically characterized, and then administered to the animals. The adult male Wistar rats (n = 20) were allocated to four groups: HGLI diet + water; standard diet + water; HGLI diet + ECW (12.5 mg/kg); and HGLI diet + CW (10.0 mg/kg), 1 mL per gagave, for ten days. They were evaluated using biochemical and hematological parameters, Fibrosis-4 Index for Liver Fibrosis (FIB-4), AST to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) scores, and liver morphology. Both nanoparticles presented spherical shape, smooth surface, and nanometric size [120.7 nm (ECW) and 136.4 nm (CW)]. In animals, ECW reduced (p < 0.05) blood glucose (17%), glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (39%), and alkaline phosphatase (24%). Besides, ECW reduced (p < 0.05) APRI and FIB-4 scores and presented a better aspect of hepatic morphology. ECW promoted benefits over a liver injury caused by the HGLI diet.     

Hyaluronidase Alters the Lipid Profile of Cumulus Cells as Detected by MALDI-TOF MS and Multivariate Analysis

This research aimed to study the changes in lipid composition in cumulus cells using hyaluronidase according to the intracytoplasmic sperm injection protocol commonly used in human reproduction clinics. The lipid extraction was performed by the Blight‐Dyer protocol and the lipid profiles were obtained by MALDI‐TOF MS in positive and negative modes. The mass spectra data were processed with MassLynx and the statistical analysis was performed using MetaboAnalyst 2.0. Fifteen ions were selected for each mode as potential markers for differences between the groups. These ions were identified in the human metabolome database as phosphatidylserine with and without treatment, phosphatidylethanolamine in the after treatment group and phosphatidylinositol in the before treatment group, which are lipids that may be involved in cell apoptosis and signaling. We concluded that MALDI‐TOF MS coupled with multivariate analysis can be utilized as a strategy to obtain and study the lipid profiles of cumulus cells and as a tool to study the metabolic state of cumulus cells.     

Contraction-Free Linear Depth Sequent Calculi for Intuitionistic Propositional Logic with the Subformula Property and Minimal Depth Counter-Models

In this paper we present LSJ, a contraction-free sequent calculus for Intuitionistic propositional logic whose proofs are linearly bounded in the length of the formula to be proved and satisfy the subformula property. We also introduce a sequent calculus RJ for intuitionistic unprovability with the same properties of LSJ. We show that from a refutation of RJ of a sequent σ we can extract a Kripke counter-model for σ. Finally, we provide a procedure that given a sequent σ returns either a proof of σ in LSJ or a refutation in RJ such that the extracted counter-model is of minimal depth.     

Fetal magnetocardiographic signals extracted by 'signal subspace' blind source separation

In this paper, we apply independent component analysis to fetal magnetocardiographic data. In particular, we propose an extension of the "cumulant-based iterative inversion" algorithm to include a two-step "signal subspace" subdivision, which allows the user to control the number of components to be estimated by analyzing the eigenvalues distribution in an interactive way. Our results show that this method is a powerful means not only for the extraction of the cardiac signals from the background noise but also for a sharp separation of the baby's heart from the mother's.     

New daylight fluorescent pigments

The synthesis and properties of a series of plastosoluble daylight fluorescent pigments based on benzanthrone, 1-azabenzanthrone, 14H-[2,1,9-mna]thioxanthene-14-one and its 5-aza analogue are reported.