Search results for " Modeling"
showing 10 items of 2411 documents
Modelagem da cinética de secagem de discos de maçã e abobrinha impregnadas a vácuo com antocianinas
2019
ABSTRACT: The aim of this research was to study the drying kinetics of apple and zucchini slices enriched with anthocyanins and to evaluate the influence of drying temperature on the anthocyanin content of apple and zucchini snacks. Apple (Granny Smith) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) slices were enriched with anthocyanins by vacuum impregnation with blueberry juice. Then, slices were dehydrated at 40, 50 and 60 ºC with 1.0 m/s air flow. Dehydrated samples were referred to as anthocyanin enriched snacks. Diffusion coefficient values improved by increasing the drying temperature, within the 2.81×10-10 to 5.78×10-10 m2/s range for apple slices and 2.02×10-10 to 3.99×10-10 m2/s for zucchini slic…
Polycerasoidol, a Natural Prenylated Benzopyran with a Dual PPARα/PPARγ Agonist Activity and Anti-inflammatory Effect
2019
Dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α/γ (PPARα/γ) agonists regulate both lipid and glucose homeostasis under different metabolic conditions and can exert anti-inflammatory activity. We investigated the potential dual PPARα/γ agonism of prenylated benzopyrans polycerasoidol (1) and polycerasoidin (2) and their derivatives for novel drug development. Nine semisynthetic derivatives were prepared from the natural polycerasoidol (1) and polycerasoidin (2), which were evaluated for PPARα, -γ, -δ and retinoid X receptor-α activity in transactivation assays. Polycerasoidol (1) exhibited potent dual PPARα/γ agonism and low cytotoxicity. Structure–activity relationship studies revealed th…
A Novel Series of Acylhydrazones as Potential Anti-Candida Agents: Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and In Silico Studies
2019
In the context of an increased incidence of invasive fungal diseases, there is an imperative need of new antifungal drugs with improved activity and safety profiles. A novel series of acylhydrazones bearing a 1,4-phenylene-bisthiazole scaffold was designed based on an analysis of structures known to possess anti-Candida activity obtained from a literature review. Nine final compounds were synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their inhibitory activity against various strains of Candida spp. The anti-Candida activity assay revealed that some of the new compounds are as active as fluconazole against most of the tested strains. A molecular docking study was conducted in order to evaluate the …
Comparison of hemodynamic and structural indices of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm as predicted by 2-way FSI, CFD rigid wall simulation and patie…
2018
Patient-specific computational modeling is increasingly being used to predict structural and hemodynamic parameters, especially when current clinical tools are not accessible. Indeed, pathophysiology of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) has been simulated to quantify the risk of complications by novel prognostic parameters and thus to improve the clinical decision-making process related to the intervention of ATAAs. In this study, the relevance of aneurysmal wall elasticity in determining parameters of clinical importance, such as the wall shear stress (WSS), is discussed together with the significance of applying realistic boundary conditions to consider the aortic stretch and twis…
In Silico Shear and Intramural Stresses are Linked to Aortic Valve Morphology in Dilated Ascending Aorta
2017
Objective/Background: The development of ascending aortic dilatation in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is highly variable, and this makes surgical decision strategies particularly challenging. The purpose of this study was to identify new predictors, other than the well established aortic size, that may help to stratify the risk of aortic dilatation in BAV patients.Methods: Using fluid-structure interaction analysis, both haemodynamic and structural parameters exerted on the ascending aortic wall of patients with either BAV ( n = 21) or tricuspid aortic valve (TAV; n = 13) with comparable age and aortic diameter (42.7 +/- 5.3 mm for BAV and 45.4 +/- 10.0 mm for TAV) were compared…
Statistical shape analysis of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm: Correlation between shape and biomechanical descriptors
2020
An ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm (ATAA) is a heterogeneous disease showing different patterns of aortic dilatation and valve morphologies, each with distinct clinical course. This study aimed to explore the aortic morphology and the associations between shape and function in a population of ATAA, while further assessing novel risk models of aortic surgery not based on aortic size. Shape variability of n = 106 patients with ATAA and different valve morphologies (i.e., bicuspid versus tricuspid aortic valve) was estimated by statistical shape analysis (SSA) to compute a mean aortic shape and its deformation. Once the computational atlas was built, principal component analysis (PCA) allow…
Effects of PCSK9 variants on common carotid artery intima media thickness and relation to ApoE alleles.
2009
BACKGROUND: PCSK9 plays a key role in plasma cholesterol metabolism by modulating the expression of LDL receptors. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In this study we investigated the effects of two common polymorphism of the PCSK9 gene (E670G and I474V) on the intima media thickness of the common carotid artery and the possible relation with polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E in 1541 middle aged subjects selected from the general population enrolled in the PLIC study and confirmed the major findings in a second free-living population enrolled in the Ventimiglia study. RESULTS: 670G carriers showed significantly increased plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and Apo levels B while no significant d…
Impulsive Tests on Historical Structures: The Dome of Teatro Massimo in Palermo
2016
Cultural heritage is the set of things, that having particular historical cultural and aesthetic are of public interest and constitute the wealth and civilization of a place and its people. Sharpen up methodologies aimed at safeguarding of monuments is crucial because the future may have in mind the historical past. Italy is a country that has invested heavily on its historical memory returned in large part by the historical building or the monuments. Furthermore, culture represents a fundamental indicator of the growth of the culture of a country. Consider a monitoring project of one of the most Impressive theater in the world, like “Teatro Massimo” in Palermo (Italy), means to add value t…
Influence of Teacher and Family Support on University Student Motivation and Engagement
2021
Although many studies endorse the notion that the way students perceive support influences their engagement, very few have explored the possible mediator role of intention to learn between these variables. The present work provides new evidence to the existing literature because it analyses the work of intention to learn (measured with expectancy–value beliefs and achievement goals) as a mediating motivational variable in the relation between university students’ external support (teacher and family) and their engagement. The Educational Situation Quality Model (MOCSE, its acronym in Spanish) has employed as a theoretical framework to perform this analysis. A sample of 267 Spanish universit…
BIM Modelling of Ancient Buildings
2018
In the last years, new procedures on design and management of constructions, based on 3D standardised models of building elements, have been proposed. It’s the case of Building Information Modelling (BIM) applications, that, differently from CAD ones, allow to work with libraries of 3D parametrical objects (smart objects) describing geometric, structural and material properties of building elements. This methodology is based on the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model, that represents a global standard for the building data exchange. Initially used for the design of new architectures, BIM methodology has been even more considered also for the management and the conservation of historical…