scholarly journals Cells exploit a phase transition to mechanically remodel the fibrous extracellular matrix

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (175) ◽  
pp. 20200823
Author(s):  
Georgios Grekas ◽  
Maria Proestaki ◽  
Phoebus Rosakis ◽  
Jacob Notbohm ◽  
Charalambos Makridakis ◽  
...  

Through mechanical forces, biological cells remodel the surrounding collagen network, generating striking deformation patterns. Tethers—tracts of high densification and fibre alignment—form between cells, thinner bands emanate from cell clusters. While tethers facilitate cell migration and communication, how they form is unclear. Combining modelling, simulation and experiment, we show that tether formation is a densification phase transition of the extracellular matrix, caused by buckling instability of network fibres under cell-induced compression, featuring unexpected similarities with martensitic microstructures. Multiscale averaging yields a two-phase, bistable continuum energy landscape for fibrous collagen, with a densified/aligned second phase. Simulations predict strain discontinuities between the undensified and densified phase, which localizes within tethers as experimentally observed. In our experiments, active particles induce similar localized patterns as cells. This shows how cells exploit an instability to mechanically remodel the extracellular matrix simply by contracting, thereby facilitating mechanosensing, invasion and metastasis.

Author(s):  
M.G. Burke ◽  
M.K. Miller

Interpretation of fine-scale microstructures containing high volume fractions of second phase is complex. In particular, microstructures developed through decomposition within low temperature miscibility gaps may be extremely fine. This paper compares the morphological interpretations of such complex microstructures by the high-resolution techniques of TEM and atom probe field-ion microscopy (APFIM).The Fe-25 at% Be alloy selected for this study was aged within the low temperature miscibility gap to form a <100> aligned two-phase microstructure. This triaxially modulated microstructure is composed of an Fe-rich ferrite phase and a B2-ordered Be-enriched phase. The microstructural characterization through conventional bright-field TEM is inadequate because of the many contributions to image contrast. The ordering reaction which accompanies spinodal decomposition in this alloy permits simplification of the image by the use of the centered dark field technique to image just one phase. A CDF image formed with a B2 superlattice reflection is shown in fig. 1. In this CDF micrograph, the the B2-ordered Be-enriched phase appears as bright regions in the darkly-imaging ferrite. By examining the specimen in a [001] orientation, the <100> nature of the modulations is evident.


1985 ◽  
Vol 46 (C5) ◽  
pp. C5-251-C5-255
Author(s):  
S. Pytel ◽  
L. Wojnar

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 25-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Rykaart ◽  
J. Haarhoff

A simple two-phase conceptual model is postulated to explain the initial growth of microbubbles after pressure release in dissolved air flotation. During the first phase bubbles merely expand from existing nucleation centres as air precipitates from solution, without bubble coalescence. This phase ends when all excess air is transferred to the gas phase. During the second phase, the total air volume remains the same, but bubbles continue to grow due to bubble coalescence. This model is used to explain the results from experiments where three different nozzle variations were tested, namely a nozzle with an impinging surface immediately outside the nozzle orifice, a nozzle with a bend in the nozzle channel, and a nozzle with a tapering outlet immediately outside the nozzle orifice. From these experiments, it is inferred that the first phase of bubble growth is completed at approximately 1.7 ms after the start of pressure release.


Author(s):  
Yiguang Gong ◽  
Yunping Liu ◽  
Chuanyang Yin

AbstractEdge computing extends traditional cloud services to the edge of the network, closer to users, and is suitable for network services with low latency requirements. With the rise of edge computing, its security issues have also received increasing attention. In this paper, a novel two-phase cycle algorithm is proposed for effective cyber intrusion detection in edge computing based on a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) and modified back-propagation neural network (MBPNN), namely TPC-MOGA-MBPNN. In the first phase, the MOGA is employed to build a multi-objective optimization model that tries to find the Pareto optimal parameter set for MBPNN. The Pareto optimal parameter set is applied for simultaneous minimization of the average false positive rate (Avg FPR), mean squared error (MSE) and negative average true positive rate (Avg TPR) in the dataset. In the second phase, some MBPNNs are created based on the parameter set obtained by MOGA and are trained to search for a more optimal parameter set locally. The parameter set obtained in the second phase is used as the input of the first phase, and the training process is repeated until the termination criteria are reached. A benchmark dataset, KDD cup 1999, is used to demonstrate and validate the performance of the proposed approach for intrusion detection. The proposed approach can discover a pool of MBPNN-based solutions. Combining these MBPNN solutions can significantly improve detection performance, and a GA is used to find the optimal MBPNN combination. The results show that the proposed approach achieves an accuracy of 98.81% and a detection rate of 98.23% and outperform most systems of previous works found in the literature. In addition, the proposed approach is a generalized classification approach that is applicable to the problem of any field having multiple conflicting objectives.


Author(s):  
Tamas Szili-Torok ◽  
Jens Rump ◽  
Torsten Luther ◽  
Sing-Chien Yap

Abstract Better understanding of the lead curvature, movement and their spatial distribution may be beneficial in developing lead testing methods, guiding implantations and improving life expectancy of implanted leads. Objective The aim of this two-phase study was to develop and test a novel biplane cine-fluoroscopy-based method to evaluate input parameters for bending stress in leads based on their in vivo 3D motion using precisely determined spatial distributions of lead curvatures. Potential tensile, compressive or torque forces were not subjects of this study. Methods A method to measure lead curvature and curvature evolution was initially tested in a phantom study. In the second phase using this model 51 patients with implanted ICD leads were included. A biplane cine-fluoroscopy recording of the intracardiac region of the lead was performed. The lead centerline and its motion were reconstructed in 3D and used to define lead curvature and curvature changes. The maximum absolute curvature Cmax during a cardiac cycle, the maximum curvature amplitude Camp and the maximum curvature Cmax@amp at the location of Camp were calculated. These parameters can be used to characterize fatigue stress in a lead under cyclical bending. Results The medians of Camp and Cmax@amp were 0.18 cm−1 and 0.42 cm−1, respectively. The median location of Cmax was in the atrium whereas the median location of Camp occurred close to where the transit through the tricuspid valve can be assumed. Increased curvatures were found for higher slack grades. Conclusion Our results suggest that reconstruction of 3D ICD lead motion is feasible using biplane cine-fluoroscopy. Lead curvatures can be computed with high accuracy and the results can be implemented to improve lead design and testing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s93-s94
Author(s):  
Linda Huddleston ◽  
Sheila Bennett ◽  
Christopher Hermann

Background: Over the past 10 years, a rural health system has tried 10 different interventions to reduce hospital-associated infections (HAIs), and only 1 intervention has led to a reduction in HAIs. Reducing HAIs is a goal of nearly all hospitals, and improper hand hygiene is widely accepted as the main cause of HAIs. Even so, improving hand hygiene compliance is a challenge. Methods: Our facility implemented a two-phase longitudinal study to utilize an electronic hand hygiene reminder system to reduce HAIs. In the first phase, we implemented an intervention in 2 high-risk clinical units. The second phase of the study consisted of expanding the system to 3 additional clinical areas that had a lower incidence of HAIs. The hand hygiene baseline was established at 45% for these units prior to the voice reminder being turned on. Results: The system gathered baseline data prior to being turned on, and our average hand hygiene compliance rate was 49%. Once the voice reminder was turned on, hand hygiene improved nearly 35% within 6 months. During the first phase, there was a statistically significant 62% reduction in the average number of HAIs (catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), central-line–acquired bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), and Clostridiodes difficile experienced in the preliminary units, comparing 12 months prior to 12 months after turning on the voice reminder. In the second phase, hand hygiene compliance increased to >65% in the following 6 months. During the second phase, all HAIs fell by a statistically significant 60%. This was determined by comparing the HAI rates 6 months prior to the voice reminder being turned on to 6 months after the voice reminder was turned on. Conclusions: The HAI data from both phases were aggregated, and there was a statistically significant reduction in MDROs by 90%, CAUTIs by 60%, and C. difficile by 64%. This resulted in annual savings >$1 million in direct costs of nonreimbursed HAIs.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None


2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882110324
Author(s):  
Xabier San Isidro

Despite the numerous attempts to characterize Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), the specialized literature has shown a dearth of cross-contextual studies on how stakeholders conceptualize classroom practice. This article presents the results of a two-phase comparative quantitative study on teachers’ views on CLIL design, implementation and results in two different contexts, Scotland ( n = 127) and Spain ( n = 186). The first phase focused on the creation, pilot-testing and validation of the research tool. The second phase consisted in administering the final questionnaire and analysing the results. The primary goals were (1) to ascertain whether practitioners’ perceptions on CLIL effects and classroom practices match the topics addressed by research; and (2) to analyse and compare teachers’ views in the two contexts. The study offers interesting insights into the main challenges in integrating language and content. Besides providing a conceptual framework for identifiable classroom practice, findings revealed that both cohorts shared broadly similar perceptions, although the Spanish respondents showed more positive views and significantly higher support for this approach.


Author(s):  
Vishu Madaan ◽  
Aditya Roy ◽  
Charu Gupta ◽  
Prateek Agrawal ◽  
Anand Sharma ◽  
...  

AbstractCOVID-19 (also known as SARS-COV-2) pandemic has spread in the entire world. It is a contagious disease that easily spreads from one person in direct contact to another, classified by experts in five categories: asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical. Already more than 66 million people got infected worldwide with more than 22 million active patients as of 5 December 2020 and the rate is accelerating. More than 1.5 million patients (approximately 2.5% of total reported cases) across the world lost their life. In many places, the COVID-19 detection takes place through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests which may take longer than 48 h. This is one major reason of its severity and rapid spread. We propose in this paper a two-phase X-ray image classification called XCOVNet for early COVID-19 detection using convolutional neural Networks model. XCOVNet detects COVID-19 infections in chest X-ray patient images in two phases. The first phase pre-processes a dataset of 392 chest X-ray images of which half are COVID-19 positive and half are negative. The second phase trains and tunes the neural network model to achieve a 98.44% accuracy in patient classification.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle N. Poole ◽  
Nathaniel A. Raymond ◽  
Jos Berens ◽  
Mark Latonero ◽  
Julie Ricard ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Understanding the burden of common mental health disorders, such as depressive disorder, is the first step in strengthening prevention and treatment in humanitarian emergencies. However, simple random sampling methods may lead to a high risk of coercion in settings characterized by a lack of distinction between researchers and aid organizations, mistrust, privacy concerns, and the overarching power differential between researchers and populations affected by crises. This case analysis describes a sampling approach developed for a survey study of depressive disorder in a Syrian refugee camp in Greece (n = 135). Discussion Syrian refugees face an extraordinarily high burden of depressive disorder during the asylum process (43%), necessitating population screening, prevention, and treatment. In order to preserve the informed consent process in this refugee camp setting, the research team developed a two-phase sampling strategy using a map depicting the geographical layout of the housing units within the camp. In the first phase, camp management announced a research study was being undertaken and individuals were invited to volunteer to participate. The participants’ container (housing) numbers were recorded on the map, but were not linked to the survey data. Then, in the second phase, the camp map was used for complementary sampling to reach a sample sufficient for statistical analysis. As a result of the two phases of the sampling exercise, all eligible adults from half the containers in each block were recruited, producing a systematic, age- and sex-representative sample. Conclusions Combining sampling procedures in humanitarian emergencies can reduce the risk of coerced consent and bias by allowing participants to approach researchers in the first phase, with a second phase of sampling conducted to recruit a systematic sample. This case analysis illuminates the feasibility of a two-phase sampling approach for drawing a quasi-random, representative sample in a refugee camp setting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 235 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 213-223
Author(s):  
Hilke Petersen ◽  
Lars Robben ◽  
Thorsten M. Gesing

AbstractThe temperature-dependent structure-property relationships of the aluminosilicate perrhenate sodalite |Na8(ReO4)2|[AlSiO4]6 (ReO4-SOD) were analysed via powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Raman spectroscopy and heat capacity measurements. ReO4-SOD shows two phase transitions in the investigated temperature range (13 K < T < 1480 K). The first one at 218.6(1) K is correlated to the transition of dynamically ordered $P\overline{4}3n$ (> 218.6(1 K) to a statically disordered (<218.6(1) K) SOD template in $P\overline{4}3n$. The loss of the dynamics of the template anion during cooling causes an increase of disorder, indicated by an unusual intensity decrease of the 011-reflection and an increase of the Re-O2 bond length with decreasing temperature. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy shows a distortion of the ReO4 anion. Upon heating the thermal expansion of the sodalite cage originated in the tilt-mechanism causes the second phase transition at 442(1) K resulting in a symmetry-increase from $P\overline{4}3n$ to $Pm\overline{3}n$, the structure with the sodalites full framework expansion. Noteworthy is the high decomposition temperature of 1320(10) K.


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