Physicochemical and histopathological parameters of broilers with dorsal cranial myopathy

Pavanello Ana Clara Longhi,Mendonça Fernanda Jéssica,Oliveira Thalita Evani Silva,Torezan Guilherme Baú,Di Santis Giovana Wingeter,Soares Adriana Lourenço 아세아·태평양축산학회 2023 Animal Bioscience Vol.36 No.6

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of dorsal cranial myopathy (DCM) on chicken meat quality. Methods: Sixty-six Ross 308 AP broilers, 47 days old, of both sexes, weighing about 3.51 kg, were slaughtered according to standard industrial practices, and evaluated for meat color, pH, chemical composition, collagen content, fatty acid profile, and histopathological parameters. Comparisons between normal and DCM-affected meat were performed using Student's t-test at the 5% significance level. Results: Histological analysis of muscle tissues affected by DCM showed myofiber degeneration, proliferation of inflammatory cells, fibroplasia, and necrosis with fibrosis. DCM samples had lower protein content and higher moisture, ash, insoluble collagen, total collagen, and pH. DCM-affected meat was redder and more yellowish. There were no differences in lipid or soluble collagen contents between groups. DCM-affected meat had higher percentages of arachidonic acid (C20:4n−6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n−3). Conclusion: This study revealed that DCM-affected meat exhibits considerable changes in quality parameters.

Valorization of bottom ash with geopolymer synthesis: Optimization of pastes and mortar

Froener, Muriel S.,Longhi, Marlon A.,de Souza, Fabiana,Rodriguez, Erich D.,Kirchheim, Ana Paula Techno-Press 2022 Advances in concrete construction Vol.14 No.1

Due to the physical-chemical characteristics of some bottom ash (BA), there are technical, economic and environmental limitations to find a destination that will add value to it. In Brazil, this residue is eventually used for filling coal extraction pits or remains in sedimentation ponds, creating a susceptible panorama to environmental issues. The geopolymers binders are one of the alternatives to the proper use high amounts of these materials. In this work, geopolymeric binder pastes were produced with BA mixed to activators with different alkali contents (expressed as %Na₂O), as well as the incorporation of soluble silicates (Ms content). The production of binary geopolymeric pastes based on the use of two industrial wastes: fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and aluminum anodizing sludge (AAS), was also assessed. The content in mass of BA/FCC and BA/AAS ranged from 100/0, 90/10; 80/20 and 70/30. Systems with soluble silicates as activator in a molar ratio SiO₂/Na₂O of 1.0 (Ms = 1.0) and Na₂O content of 15%, showed the best results of mechanical strength (42 MPa at day 28^th). The improvement is up to 5X when compared to NaOH based systems. For systems with partial replacement of BA of 10% of AAS and 20% of FCC (80/20), the presence of soluble silicates was also effective to increase compressive strength.

Optimal Fault Tolerant Error Governor for PID Controllers

Luca Cavanini,Francesco Ferracuti,Sauro Longhi,Andrea Monteriù 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2022 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.20 No.6

The Error Governor (EG) paradigm considers the issue of dynamically changing the error which drives a feedback controller featured by bounded control action magnitude to prevent the actuators’ saturation and to avoid the slow wind-up effects due to integrator or slow dynamics. Fault Tolerant (FT) policies are control methods permitting to mitigate the effect of faults occurring on driven actuators by modifying the structure of the controller which provides the reference signal for such actuators. In this paper, a FT policy based on an optimal EG approach is proposed. The policy, termed Fault-Tolerant Error Governor (FT-EG), permits to introduce a FT action in a closedloop system driven by PID controllers neglecting changes in the controller structure and, further, the wind-up issue given by nominal actuator saturation. The FT-EG is based on the solution of a constrained optimization problem and a computationally efficient version of the algorithm is presented. An analysis of control performance and the computational burden is provided, comparing in simulation studies the optimal FT-EG scheme performance with respect to control results provided by the baseline EG policy and saturated PID controller in the fault-free and the faulty scenario.

Anti-inflammatory activity of betalain-rich dye of Beta vulgaris: effect on edema, leukocyte recruitment, superoxide anion and cytokine production

Renata M. Martinez,Daniela T. Longhi-Balbinot,Ana C. Zarpelon,Larissa Staurengo-Ferrari,Marcela M. Baracat,Sandra R. Georgetti,Roge´rio C. Sassonia,Waldiceu A. Verri Jr.,Rubia Casagrande 대한약학회 2015 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.38 No.4

We have recently developed betalain-richbeetroot (Beta vulgaris) dye (betalain) to be used in foodproducts. Betalain (30–300 mg/kg) intraperitoneal (i.p.)treatment diminished carrageenan (100 lg/paw)-inducedpaw edema and neutrophil migration to the paw skin tissue. Betalain (100 mg/kg) treatment by subcutaneous or peroral routes also inhibited the carrageenan-induced pawedema. Importantly, the post-treatment with betalain(100 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly inhibited carrageenan- andcomplete Freund’s adjuvant (10 ll/paw)-induced pawedema. Betalain (100 mg/kg) also reduced carrageenan(500 lg/cavity)-induced recruitment of total leukocytes,including mononuclear cells and neutrophils, as well asincreasing vascular permeability in the peritoneal cavity. Furthermore, betalain significantly reduced carrageenaninducedsuperoxide anion, tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-a) and interleukin (IL)-1b levels in the peritonealfluid, as well as augmenting IL-10 levels. Therefore, thiscompound presents prominent anti-inflammatory effect oncarrageenan-induced paw edema and peritonitis by reducingthe production of superoxide anion and the cytokinesTNF-a and IL-1b, in addition to increasing IL-10 levels. These results suggest that betalain shows therapeuticpotential that could be utilized in the treatment of inflammation-associated diseases.

Redundancy Resolution Scheme for Manipulators Subject to Inequality Constraints

Daniele Proietti Pagnotta,Andrea Monteriù,Alessandro Freddi,Sauro Longhi,Anthony Maciejewski 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2023 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.21 No.2

The aim of this paper is the development of a redundancy resolution scheme for manipulators able to cope with kinematic constraints. In detail, the structure of the controller is of weighted least norm (WLN) type. The constraints are modeled as unilateral inequalities and can be general scalar functions (linear or nonlinear) of both the joint position and the joint velocity variables. In this work, a general procedure is proposed in order to include constraints of different types, namely functions of joint position or velocity only, functions of both joint position and velocity with a time dependent or time independent threshold. Simulations are performed in Matlab-Simulink environment and two tests are performed: the first employs a single 7-DOF arm, while in the second a dual-arm system composed of two 7-DOF manipulators is used. Results show that the proposed redundancy resolution scheme is capable of satisfying complex inequality constraints where other known methods fail.

Classical Flt3L-dependent dendritic cells control immunity to protein vaccine

Anandasabapathy, Niroshana,Feder, Rachel,Mollah, Shamim,Tse, Sze-Wah,Longhi, Maria Paula,Mehandru, Saurabh,Matos, Ines,Cheong, Cheolho,Ruane, Darren,Brane, Lucas,Teixeira, Angela,Dobrin, Joseph,Mizeni The Rockefeller University Press 2014 The Journal of experimental medicine Vol.211 No.9

<P>DCs are critical for initiating immunity. The current paradigm in vaccine biology is that DCs migrating from peripheral tissue and classical lymphoid-resident DCs (cDCs) cooperate in the draining LNs to initiate priming and proliferation of T cells. Here, we observe subcutaneous immunity is Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) dependent. Flt3L is rapidly secreted after immunization; Flt3 deletion reduces T cell responses by 50%. Flt3L enhances global T cell and humoral immunity as well as both the numbers and antigen capture capacity of migratory DCs (migDCs) and LN-resident cDCs. Surprisingly, however, we find immunity is controlled by cDCs and actively tempered in vivo by migDCs. Deletion of Langerin<SUP>+</SUP> DC or blockade of DC migration improves immunity. Consistent with an immune-regulatory role, transcriptomic analyses reveals different skin migDC subsets in both mouse and human cluster together, and share immune-suppressing gene expression and regulatory pathways. These data reveal that protective immunity to protein vaccines is controlled by Flt3L-dependent, LN-resident cDCs.</P>

Chondroblastoma’s Lung Metastases Treated with Denosumab in Pediatric Patient

Marco Focaccia,Marco Gambarotti,Rossella Hakim,Anna Paioli,Marilena Cesari,Benedetta Spazzoli,Paolo Spinnato,Davide Donati,Michele Rocca,Alessandra Longhi 대한암학회 2021 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.53 No.1

Chondroblastoma is a rare benign chondrogenic tumor that occurs in skeletally immature patients between ages 10 and 20 years old. In literature are reported few cases of lung metastases, mainly occurred after surgery or local recurrences. There is no evidence on the pathogenesis of lung metastasis, as well as pulmonary disease course. Few treatments for metastases with aggressive behavior were based on chemotherapy regimen employed in other sarcoma with no results or not satisfying ones. Denosumab is approved for treatment of giant cell tumors and it is under investigation for other giant cell-rich bone tumors. Here, we report a case of a 16-year-old male chondroblastoma of the left humerus with bilateral lung metastases at presentation and progressing during follow-up, treated with denosumab for almost 2 years. We confirm that denosumab treatment can be effective in controlling chondroblastoma metastasis and it has been a safe procedure in an adolescent patient.