Search results for "Defence"
showing 10 items of 472 documents
Hybrid Passive Control Strategies for Reducing the Displacements at the Base of Seismic Isolated Structures
2019
In this paper, the use of hybrid passive control strategies to mitigate the seismic response of a base-isolated structure is examined. The control performance of three different types of devices used for reducing base displacements of isolated buildings is investigated. Specifically, the Tuned Mass Damper (TMD), the New Tuned Mass Damper (New TMD) and the Tuned Liquid Column Damper (TLCD), each one associated to a Base Isolated structure (BI), have been considered. The seismic induced vibration control of base-isolated structures equipped with the TMD, New TMD or the TLCD is examined and compared with that of the base-isolated system without devices, using real recorded seismic signals as e…
Hedging foreign exchange rate risk: Multi-currency diversification
2016
Abstract This article proposes a multi-currency cross-hedging strategy that minimizes the exchange risk. The use of derivatives in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is not common but, despite its complexity, can be interesting for those with international activities. In particular, the reduction in the exchange risk borne through the use of natural multi-currency cross-hedging is measured, considering Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) and Value-at-Risk (VaR) for measuring market risk instead of the variance. CVaR is minimized using linear programmes, while a multiobjective genetic algorithm is designed for minimizing VaR, considering two scenarios for each currency. The results obtai…
Redox Systems, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidant Defences in Health and Disease
2021
Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) play a key role in the regulation of cell survival. While adequate levels of RONS are essential to sustain cell proliferation and survival, disruption of the endocellular redox state induces cell dysfunction and death. Indeed, under physiological conditions, a balance between the generation and elimination of RONS ensures the proper function of redox-sensitive signalling proteins. Conversely, alterations to the redox homeostasis may disrupt the function of key transcription factors, signaltransduction pathways and cell-death regulators. Along these lines, understanding the mechanisms underlying cellular redox homeostasis may help to develop nutrac…
Social information use by predators : expanding the information ecology of prey defences
2022
Social information use is well documented across the animal kingdom, but how it influences ecological and evolutionary processes is only just beginning to be investigated. Here we evaluate how social transmission may influence species interactions and potentially change or create novel selection pressures by focusing on predator-prey interactions, one of the best studied examples of species coevolution. There is extensive research into how prey can use social information to avoid predators, but little synthesis of how social transmission among predators can influence the outcome of different stages of predation. Here we review evidence that predators use social information during 1) encount…
Host defence mechanisms against bacterial aggression in periodontal disease : basic mechanisms
2009
Periodontal diseases are complex bacteria-induced infections characterised by an inflammatory host response to plaque microbiota and their by-products. Most of these microorganisms have virulence factors capable of causing massive tissue destruction both directly, through tissue invasion and the production of harmful substances, or indirectly, by activation of host defense mechanisms, creating an inflammatory infiltrate of potent catabolic activity that can interfere with normal host defense mechanisms. In response to the aggression, host defense mechanisms activate innate and adaptive immune responses. Our aim is to offer a general overview of the main mechanisms involved in the host respo…
The effects of populism as a social identity frame on persuasion and mobilization: evidence from a 15-country experiment
2020
This article investigates the impact of populist messages on issue agreement and readiness for action in 15 countries (N = 7,286). Specifically, populist communicators rely on persuasive strategies by which social group cues become more salient and affect people's judgment of and political engagement with political issues. This strategy is called ‘populist identity framing’ because the ordinary people as the in‐group is portrayed as being threatened by various out‐groups. By blaming political elites for societal or economic problems harming ordinary people, populist communicators engage in anti‐elitist identity framing. Another strategy is to blame immigrants for social problems – that is, …
Nonlinear rocking of rigid blocks on flexible foundation: Analysis and experiments
2017
Abstract Primarily, two models are commonly used to describe rocking of rigid bodies; the Housner model, and the Winkler foundation model. The first deals with the motion of a rigid block rocking about its base corners on a rigid foundation. The second deals with the motion of a rigid block rocking and bouncing on a flexible foundation of distributed linear springs and dashpots (Winkler foundation). These models are two-dimensional and can capture some of the features of the physics of the problem. Clearly, there are additional aspects of the problem which may be captured by an enhanced nonlinear model for the base-foundation interaction. In this regard, what it is adopted in this paper is …
Analysis of the Molecular Dialogue Between Gray Mold (Botrytis cinerea) and Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) Reveals a Clear Shift in Defense Mechanisms Du…
2015
Mature grapevine berries at the harvesting stage (MB) are very susceptible to the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea, while veraison berries (VB) are not. We conducted simultaneous microscopic and transcriptomic analyses of the pathogen and the host to investigate the infection process developed by B. cinerea on MB versus VB, and the plant defense mechanisms deployed to stop the fungus spreading. On the pathogen side, our genome-wide transcriptomic data revealed that B. cinerea genes upregulated during infection of MB are enriched in functional categories related to necrotrophy, such as degradation of the plant cell wall, proteolysis, membrane transport, reactive oxygen species (ROS) genera…
Available Defences in Provisional measures: Between the Enforcement Directive and National law
2015
AbstractThe EU Enforcement Directive provides a set of provisional measures to be applied upon request from a right-holder of a particular object of intellectual property. Simultaneously, the EU Enforcement Directive envisages a set of defences for an alleged infringer (defendant) in order to safeguard the balance of the parties. This article discusses available defences for an alleged infringer in the provisional measures as provided by the EU Member States when the norms of the EU Enforcement Directive are transposed. Specifically, the present article not only focuses on the threshold of evidence to be presented by a plaintiff for the application of provisional measures, but also in regar…
Experimental inhibition of nitric oxide increases Plasmodium relictum (lineage SGS1) parasitaemia.
2012
7 pages; International audience; Malaria is a widespread vector-borne disease infecting a wide range of terrestrial vertebrates including reptiles, birds and mammals. In addition to being one of the most deadly infectious diseases for humans, malaria is a threat to wildlife. The host immune system represents the main defence against malaria parasites. Identifying the immune effectors involved in malaria resistance has therefore become a major focus of research. However, this has mostly involved humans and animal models (rodents) and how the immune system regulates malaria progression in non-model organisms has been largely ignored. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of…