Brickwork under eccentric compression: Experimental results and macroscopic models

The compressive strength of masonry is a relevant mechanical parameter playing a central role in the assessment of masonry structures. In spite of a large number of experimental data and theoretical approaches, the failure of brickwork pillars and arches, its dependence on the properties of the constituents and on the loading conditions is not yet clear. In this paper, the compressive response of solid clay brick masonry is analyzed on the basis of a series of experimental tests performed on brickwork prisms made with different constituents, either old and new clay bricks arranged with cement and lime mortar, subjected to both concentric and eccentric loading with different load eccentricities. The tests have been displacement controlled in order to reproduce, in terms of both load–displacement and moment–curvature diagrams, the whole response curve, including the post-peak branch. According to the plane section hypothesis, one-dimensional constitutive models of brickwork, suitable for engineering application, are formulated to represent the non-linear behaviour of masonry. The comparison between theoretical predictions and experimental data, also derived from literature, represented in the axial force–bending moment failure domain, point at the adequacy of the models in estimating the load bearing capacity under eccentric loading, provided that the inelastic response is properly taken into account.     

Unsteady‐ and steady‐state gas permeation through active packaging walls

Steady‐ and unsteady‐state gas permeation rates through packaging walls containing active (scavenger) materials are determined as functions of the system's physical parameters and the scavenger load. With the simplifying assumptions of constant scavenger concentration and first‐order reaction kinetics, steady‐state analysis shows that there is a minimum quantity of scavenger that must be added to the packaging wall if any reduction of gas permeation is to be achieved. Unsteady‐state studies have established the dependence of the time needed to reach stationary behaviour on the system's physical parameters. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computation of the weight distribution of CRC codes

In this article, we illustrate an algorithm for the computation of the weight distribution of CRC codes. The recursive structure of CRC codes will give us an iterative way to compute the weight distribution of their dual codes starting from some “representative” words. Thanks to MacWilliams’ Theorem, the computation of the weight distribution of the dual codes can be easily brought back to that of CRC codes. The author was partially supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under Grant no. 113251.     

Prostate Cancer Radiogenomics—From Imaging to Molecular Characterization

Radiomics and genomics represent two of the most promising fields of cancer research, designed to improve the risk stratification and disease management of patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Radiomics involves a conversion of imaging derivate quantitative features using manual or automated algorithms, enhancing existing data through mathematical analysis. This could increase the clinical value in PCa management. To extract features from imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the empiric nature of the analysis using machine learning and artificial intelligence could help make the best clinical decisions. Genomics information can be explained or decoded by radiomics. The development of methodologies can create more-efficient predictive models and can better characterize the molecular features of PCa. Additionally, the identification of new imaging biomarkers can overcome the known heterogeneity of PCa, by non-invasive radiological assessment of the whole specific organ. In the future, the validation of recent findings, in large, randomized cohorts of PCa patients, can establish the role of radiogenomics. Briefly, we aimed to review the current literature of highly quantitative and qualitative results from well-designed studies for the diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up of prostate cancer, based on radiomics, genomics and radiogenomics research.     

Structure,Genetics and Function of an Exopolysaccharide Produced by a Bacterium Living within Fungal Hyphae

The rice seedling blight fungus Rhizopus microsporus has an unusual symbiosis with a bacterium, Burkholderia rhizoxinica, which lives within the fungal cytosol and produces a potent phytotoxin that causes severe losses in agriculture. To gain insight into symbiosis factors we investigated the endosymbiont's exopolysaccharide (EPS), a secreted matrix that plays pivotal roles in mediating cell–environment interactions. By a combination of homo‐ and heteronuclear 2D NMR experiments, we elucidated a previously unknown EPS structure: a repeating tetrasaccharide unit bearing a nonstoichiometric acetyl group on a mannose residue. We also analyzed the EPS biosynthesis gene cluster and generated a targeted mutant to compare the phenotypes. Scanning electron microscope images revealed a reduced ability of the mutant to form extracellular polymers around cell aggregates. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the symbiont's EPS genes are retained through evolutionary processes.     

Magnetic Assembly of Soft Robots with Hard Components

This paper describes the modular magnetic assembly of reconfigurable, pneumatically actuated robots composed of soft and hard components and materials. The soft components of these hybrid robots are actuators fabricated from silicone elastomers using soft lithography, and the hard components are acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) structures made using 3D printing. Neodymium–iron–boron (NdFeB) ring magnets are embedded in these components to make and maintain the connections between components. The reversibility of these magnetic connections allows the rapid reconfiguration of these robots using components made of different materials (soft and hard) that also have different sizes, structures, and functions; in addition, it accelerates the testing of new designs, the exploration of new capabilities, and the repair or replacement of damaged parts. This method of assembling soft actuators to build soft machines addresses some limitations associated with using soft lithography for the direct molding of complex 3D pneumatic networks. Combining the self‐aligning property of magnets with pneumatic control makes it possible for a teleoperator to modify the structures and capabilities of these robots readily in response to the requirements of different tasks.     

Specific aspartate residues in FET3 control high-affinity iron transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on a set of six aspartate residues of Fet3, the multicopper ferroxidase involved in high-affinity iron transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in order to comprehend the molecular determinants of the protein function. Asp312, Asp315, Asp319 and Asp320 were predicted by homology modelling to be located in a negatively charged surface-exposed loop of the protein. Other two aspartate residues (Asp278 and Asp279) are placed close to the type 1 copper- and iron-binding sites, possibly linking these sites to the negatively charged region. In vivo results showed that mutation of Asp319 and Asp320 to yield D319N and D320N derivatives strongly impairs the ability of the yeast to grow under iron-limiting conditions. In particular, substitution of Asp320 with asparagine essentially abolished the Fet3-dependent iron transport activity. All other mutants (D278Q, D279N, D312N and D315I) behaved essentially as the wild-type protein. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of the soluble forms of D319N and D320N showed significant changes of the copper sites' geometry in D319N but not in D320N. At variance with the membrane-bound forms, soluble D319N and D320N derivatives were highly susceptible to proteolytic degradation, suggesting that replacement of Asp319 or Asp320 locally modifies the structure of Fet3, making the protein sensitive to proteolysis when it is not protected by the membrane environment. In turn, this might be evidence of a shielding role of the permease Ftr1, which could interact with Fet3 at the level of the aspartate-rich negatively charged region.