Production and purification of fumonisins from a highly toxigenic Fusarium verticilloides strain

Fumonisins are the major mycotoxins produced by Fusarium verticilloides and F. proliferatum fungi which are widely found as contaminants in corn and corn screenings. These molecules are hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic for several species and carcinogenic in rodents. Moreover their consumption was linked to high prevalence of human oesophageal cancer in certain geographic areas. The aim of this work was to improve FB1 production and purification procedures in laboratory conditions in order to produce large quantities of semi-purified toxin that may be used in experimental intoxications of farm animals. We used a highly toxigenic strain of Fusarium verticilloides (NRRL-3428) isolated from feeds. Influence of substrate, temperature, water content, culture recipient size and screen analysis of the substrate on fumonisin production was tested. Optimal production was obtained when strain was grown on coarsely cracked corn with 50% water content at 21°C during 5 weeks. This allowed the production of 3 to 4 g of fumonisin B1 per kg of culture material. The composition of the extracts was found to be as follow : 54% FB1, 8% FB2, 9% FB3 and 29% of pigments coming from corn. The ratio observed between FB1 and FB2 is comparable to the one reported in naturally contaminated corn. Further purification of these extracts on SAX columns led to the removal of pigments and to obtain of fumonisins extracts pure enough to be used for intra-venous or intra-peritoneal injection

A sequential element rejection and admission (SERA) topology optimization code written in Matlab

This paper presents the Matlab implementation of the Sequential Element Rejection and Admission (SERA) method for topology optimization of structures and compliant mechanisms. The lines comprising this code include definition of design domain, finite element analysis, sensitivity analysis, mesh-independency filter, optimization algorithm and display of results. Extensions and changes in the algorithm are also included in order to solve multiple load cases, active and passive elements and compliant mechanisms design. The code is intended for educational purposes and introduces an alternative approach to traditional structural topology optimization algorithms. The complete code is provided in the Appendix

liteITD a MATLAB Graphical User Interface (GUI) program for topology design of continuum structures

Over the past few decades, topology optimization has emerged as a powerful and useful tool for the design of structures, also exploiting the ever growing computational speed and power. The design process has also been affected by computers which changed the concept of form into the concept of formation and the emergence of digital design. Topology optimization can modify existing designs, incorporate explicit features into a design and generate completely new designs. This paper will show how topology optimization can be used as a digital tool. The liteITD (lite version of Isolines Topology Design) software package will be described with the purpose of providing a tool for topology design. The liteITD program solves the topology optimization of two-dimensional continuum structures using von Mises stress isolines under single or multiple loading conditions, with different material properties in tension and compression, and multiple materials. The liteITD program is fully implemented in the MATrix LABoratory (MATLAB) software environment of MathWorks under Windows operating system. GUIDE (Graphical User Interface Development Environment) was used to create a friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI). The usage of this application is directed to students mainly (educational purposes), although also to designers and engineers with experience. The liteITD program can be downloaded and used for free from the website: http://www.upct.es/goe/software/liteITD.php

Layout optimization of multi-material continuum structures with the isolines topology design method

A heterogeneous or multi-material object is one made from different materials which are distributed continuously or discontinuously. Its properties can be adjusted by controlling the material composition, microstructure and geometry of the object. The development of manufacturing technologies such as rapid prototyping can eliminate the high cost of tooling and offers the possibility to make multi-material structures. However, designing such technologies is not a trivial task and requires the development or modifications of optimization algorithms to take into consideration the different aspects of these problems. This article presents an enhancement to the isolines topology design (ITD) algorithm that allows it to produce multi-material designs. Four examples of the topology design of two-dimensional continuum structures are presented to demonstrate that the ITD algorithm is an efficient and reliable method to achieve the layout optimization of multi-material continuum structures

Estimation of Actuation System Parameters for Prosthetic Ankle

The loss in mobility following amputation results in a degradation of the quality of life of the amputees as it affects many aspects of their personal and professional lives. Lower limb prostheses are used to replace the lost limbs and assist amputees in restoring their missing mobility functions. Despite the current technological advances in prosthetics, amputees still suffer from gait asymmetry and high metabolic energy costs. The gait asymmetry pattern and high metabolic energy costs occur due to: the inability to deliver the required level of assistance/power at the right time and the inertia and mass distribution asymmetry between the intact and the prosthetic leg

Unimpaired Neuropsychological Performance and Enhanced Memory Recall in Patients with Sbma: A Large Sample Comparative Study.

Peculiar cognitive profile of patients with SBMA has been described by fragmented literature. Our retrospective study reports the neuropsychological evaluations of a large cohort of patients in order to contribute towards the understanding of this field. We consider 64 neuropsychological evaluations assessing mnesic, linguistic and executive functions collected from 2013 to 2015 in patients attending at Motor Neuron Disease Centre of University of Padova. The battery consisted in: Digit Span forwards and backwards, Prose Memory test, Phonemic Verbal fluency and Trail making tests. ANCOVA statistics were employed to compare tests scores results with those obtained from a sample of healthy control subjects. Multiple linear regressions were used to study the effect on cognitive performance of CAG-repeat expansion, the degree of androgen insensitivity and their interaction to cognitive performance. Statistical analyses did not reveal altered scores in any neuropsychological tests among those adopted. Interestingly, patients performed significantly better in the Prose Memory test's score. No relevant associations were found with genetic, hormonal or clinical patients' profile. Results inconsistent with previous studies have been interpreted according to the phenomenon of somatic mosaicism. We suggest a testosterone-related and the mood state-dependant perspectives as two possible interpretations of the enhanced performances in the Prose Memory test. Further studies employing more datailed tests batteries are encouraged

Calcareous Bio-Concretions in the Northern Adriatic Sea: Habitat Types, Environmental Factors that Influence Habitat Distributions, and Predictive Modeling

Habitat classifications provide guidelines for mapping and comparing marine resources across geographic regions. Calcareous bio-concretions and their associated biota have not been exhaustively categorized. Furthermore, for management and conservation purposes, species and habitat mapping is critical. Recently, several developments have occurred in the field of predictive habitat modeling, and multiple methods are available. In this study, we defined the habitats constituting northern Adriatic biogenic reefs and created a predictive habitat distribution model. We used an updated dataset of the epibenthic assemblages to define the habitats, which we verified using the fuzzy k-means (FKM) clustering method. Redundancy analysis was employed to model the relationships between the environmental descriptors and the FKM membership grades. Predictive modelling was carried out to map habitats across the basin. Habitat A (opportunistic macroalgae, encrusting Porifera, bioeroders) characterizes reefs closest to the coastline, which are affected by coastal currents and river inputs. Habitat B is distinguished by massive Porifera, erect Tunicata, and noncalcareous encrusting algae (Peyssonnelia spp.). Habitat C (non-articulated coralline, Polycitor adriaticus) is predicted in deeper areas. The onshore-offshore gradient explains the variability of the assemblages because of the influence of coastal freshwater, which is the main driver of nutrient dynamics. This model supports the interpretation of Habitat A and C as the extremes of a gradient that characterizes the epibenthic assemblages, while Habitat B demonstrates intermediate characteristics. Areas of transition are a natural feature of the marine environment and may include a mixture of habitats and species. The habitats proposed are easy to identify in the field, are related to different environmental features, and may be suitable for application in studies focused on other geographic areas. The habitat model outputs provide insight into the environmental drivers that control the distribution of the habitat and can be used to guide future research efforts and cost-effective management and conservation plans

Effect of Different Prosthetic Knees/feet on the Roll-Over Shape

Roll-over shape (ROS) of knee-ankle-foot (KAF) is a scientific method which has been used to compare performance and design of the different prosthetic foot. In the current study, however, we aimed to understand the influence of the prosthetic components (i.e. knee and foot) on the knee-ankle-foot roll-over shape in a unilateral transfemoral amputee. We performed a case study based on series of experiments with repeated measures on single amputee wearing two different commercially available microprocessor prosthetic knees, during two weeks adaptation period to understand the influence of the prosthetic knee/foot using KAF ROS as an objective measure during level ground walking. The kinematics of the center of pressure (COP), lateral knee and ankle markers were collected and processed to obtain ROS and the results were used to fit a circular shape arc to obtain radius of curvature (ROC). The results indicated that the prosthetic knees have influenced ROC outcomes. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc test of the normalized radius of curvature showed the mean of ROC were significantly different between Rheo3 knee, Orion2 and Orion2 with Echelon foot. The amputee reflected his comfort with Rheo3 plus College park foot and Orion with Echelon foot. A conclusion is drawn that multiple comfort zones may exists based on amputee’s ROS metrics. This finding suggests that the design of prosthetic knee should not be considered as a single component but rather as part of a whole system with different comfort zones

Estimation of Actuation System Parameters for Lower Limb Prostheses

This paper provides guidelines to estimate the kinematics, energy and torque requirements for lower limb prosthetic actuation systems during daily living activities. These parameters are estimated based on human biomechanical data from different sources to consider the variability due to the assumptions and errors in the analysis and data collection. The results showed that the powered actuation source is important at the ankle joint in the stance phase during level ground walking while it is more important at knee joint during stair ascending. These estimated parameters can be used as guidelines to design and select proper actuation systems

We write samba on the wild asphalt: Malandragem as practice of resistance in the work of Heitor dos Prazeres and Hélio Oiticica

The importance of Hélio Oiticica’s ascension to the Morro of Mangueira to his career has been extensively studied and mythicized, and the indebtedness of his work to Afro-Brazilian culture has recently started receiving attention. Nevertheless, his oeuvre has not been explored with sufficient attention through the lens of malandragem, the use of tricks to outwit people in positions of power and restore a temporary sense of justice. I interpret malandragem as a legacy of the resistance enacted by enslaved Africans and their descendants against colonialism, slavery, and oppression. In this paper I analyze the work of an Afro-Brazilian artist from a previous generation, Heitor dos Prazeres, whose work was labeled “naïf” and “primitive” and, thus, ostracized from the history of modern art. Although it might seem unusual to pair the work of a figurative painter like dos Prazeres with that of Oiticica, an artist who not only never produced representational art, but even declared the death of traditional painting and dedicated his career to transposing the medium into space and time, in fact the culture of malandragem brings the two oeuvres together. Painter and samba composer, dos Prazeres was profoundly consequential in establishing the foundations of the cultural environment that Oiticica would draw from in the 1960s, where samba is just one aspect. Heitor dos Prazeres used malandragem to bend social barriers and infiltrate a hostile cultural world during the Estado Novo (1937-1945) and the following decades. His tactics should be considered precursors to the strategies that artists working under the military dictatorship (1964-1985) would enact to express dissent, as in the case of Hélio Oiticica.La importancia de la ascensión de Hélio Oiticica al Morro de Mangueira para su carrera ha sido ampliamente estudiada y mitificada, y recientemente ha comenzado a recibir atención la deuda de su trabajo con la cultura afrobrasileña. Sin embargo, su obra no ha sido explorada con suficiente atención a través de la lente del malandragem, el uso de trucos para burlar a las personas en posiciones de poder y restaurar un sentido temporal de la justicia. Interpreto el malandragem como un legado de la resistencia promulgada por los africanos esclavizados y sus descendientes contra el colonialismo, la esclavitud y la opresión. En este artículo analizo la obra de un artista afrobrasileño de una generación anterior, Heitor dos Prazeres, cuya obra fue etiquetada como “ingenua” y “primitiva” y, por lo tanto, excluida de la historia del arte moderno. Aunque parezca inusual emparejar el trabajo de un pintor figurativo como dos Prazeres con el de Oiticica, un artista que no solo nunca produjo arte representacional, sino que incluso declaró la muerte de la pintura tradicional y dedicó su carrera a trasponer el medio al espacio y al tiempo. , de hecho, la cultura del malandragem une las dos oeuvres. Pintor y compositor de samba, dos Prazeres fue profundamente importante en el establecimiento de las bases del entorno cultural del que se basaría Oiticica en la década de 1960, donde la samba es solo un aspecto. Heitor dos Prazeres utilizó el malandragem para doblar las barreras sociales e infiltrarse en un mundo cultural hostil durante el Estado Novo (1937-1945) y las décadas siguientes. Sus tácticas deben ser consideradas precursoras de las estrategias que los artistas que trabajaron bajo la dictadura militar (1964-1985) adoptarían para expresar el disenso, como en el caso de Hélio Oiticica.A importância da subida ao Morro da Mangueira na carreira de Hélio Oiticica foi consideravelmente estudada e transformada em mito enquanto a dívida de seu trabalho em relação à cultura Afro-Brasileira começou recentemente a receber atenção. No entanto, o conjunto da sua obra não foi minuciosamente examinado através da lente da malandragem, do uso de truques para enganar pessoas em posições de poder e restaurar uma noção temporária de justiça. Interpreto a malandragem como um legado da resistência dos escravizados africanos e seus descendentes contra o colonialismo, a escravidão, e a opressão. Neste artigo, analiso a obra de Heitor dos Prazeres, um artista Afro-Brasileiro da geração anterior, cujo trabalho foi rotulado de “naïf” e “primitivo” e, portanto, apagado da história da arte moderna. Apesar de que pareça inusitado comparar a obra de um pintor figurativo como dos Prazeres com a de Oiticica, um artista que nunca produziu arte representativa, e até mesmo declarou a morte da pintura e dedicou a sua carreira à transposição da pintura no espaço e no tempo, na verdade a cultura da malandragem aproxima as suas obras. Pintor e compositor de sambas, dos Prazeres foi fundamental para estabelecer as referências do ambiente cultural em que Oiticica se inspiraria na década de 1960, no qual o samba é apenas um elemento. Heitor dos Prazeres usou a malandragem para curvar as barreiras sociais e se infiltrar em um mundo cultural hostil durante o Estado Novo (1937-1945) e nas décadas sucessivas. Suas táticas deveriam ser consideradas precursoras das estratégias utilizadas por artistas para expressar dissidência durante a ditadura militar (1964-1985), como no caso de Hélio Oiticica