Rheology of active emulsions with negative effective viscosity

We numerically study by lattice Boltzmann simulations the rheological properties of an active emulsion made of a suspension of an active polar gel embedded in an isotropic passive background. We find that the hexatic equilibrium configuration of polar droplets is highly sensitive to both active injection and external forcing and may either lead to asymmetric unidirectional states which break top-bottom symmetry or symmetric ones. In this latter case, for large enough activity, the system develops a shear thickening regime at low shear rates.

TLS and GB-RAR Measurements of Vibration Frequencies and Oscillation Amplitudes of Tall Structures: An Application to Wind Towers

This article presents a methodology for the monitoring of tall structures based on the joint use of a terrestrial laser scanner (TLS), configured in line scanner mode, and a ground-based real aperture radar (GB-RAR) interferometer. The methodology provides both natural frequencies and oscillation amplitudes of tall structures. Acquisitions of the surface of the tall structure are performed by the TLS with a high sampling rate: each line scan provides an instantaneous longitudinal section.

Modulation of Seismic Attenuation at Parkfield, Before and After the 2004 M6 Earthquake

The crack density within a fault's damage zone is thought to vary as seismic rupture is approached, as well as in the postseismic period. Moreover, external stress loads, seasonal or tidal, may also change the crack density in rocks, and all such processes can leave detectable signatures on seismic attenuation. Here we show that attenuation time histories from the San Andreas Fault at Parkfield are affected by seasonal loading cycles, as well as by 1.5-3-year periodic variations of creep rates, consistent with Turner et al.

The epigenetics of inflammaging: The contribution of age-related heterochromatin loss and locus-specific remodelling and the modulation by environmental stimuli

A growing amount of evidences indicates that inflammaging - the chronic, low grade inflammation state characteristic of the elderly - is the result of genetic as well as environmental or stochastic factors. Some of these, such as the accumulation of senescent cells that are persistent during aging or accompany its progression, seem to be sufficient to initiate the aging process and to fuel it. Others, like exposure to environmental compounds or infections, are temporary and resolve within a (relatively) short time.

Limits of fractional Orlicz-Sobolev spaces

Extended versions of the Bourgain-Brezis-Mironescu theorems on the limit as s->1^- of the Gagliardo-Slobodeckij fractional seminorm are established in the Orlicz space setting. The results hold for fractional Orlicz-Sobolev spaces built upon general Young functions, as well. The case of Young functions with an asymptotic linear growth is also considered in connection with the space of functions of bounded variation. An extended version of the Maz'ya-Shaposhnikova theorem on the limit as s->0^+ of the Gagliardo-Slobodeckij fractional seminorm is established in the Orlicz space setting.

Semiflexible polymers under large amplitude oscillatory shear flow

The non-equilibrium structural and dynamical properties of semiflexible polymers confined to two dimensions under oscillatory shear flow are investigated by Brownian multi-particle collision dynamics. Two different scenarios will be considered: Filaments with both fixed ends [1] and wall-anchored chains [2].The results of the numerical studies will be presented and discussed. 1] A. Lamura, R. G. Winkler, 'Tethered semiflexible polymer under large amplitude oscillatory shear', Polymers 11, 737 (2019) [2] A. Lamura, R. G. Winkler, G.

Joining European Scientific Forces to Face Pandemics

Despite the international guidelines on the containment of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the European scientific community was not sufficiently prepared to coordinate scientific efforts. To improve preparedness for future pandemics, we have initiated a network of nine European-funded Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Actions that can help facilitate inter-, multi-, and trans-disciplinary communication and collaboration.

SLAP: Secure Lightweight Authentication Protocol for Resource-constrained Devices.

Motivated by the upcoming Internet of Things, designing light-weight authentication protocols for resource constrained devices is among the main research directions of the last decade. Current solutions in the literature attempt either to improve the computational efficiency of cryptographic authentication schemes, or to build a provably-secure scheme relying on the hardness of a specific mathematical problem.

Modeling drug delivery from multiple emulsions

We present a mechanistic model of drug release from a multiple emulsion into an external surrounding fluid. We consider a single multilayer droplet where the drug kinetics are described by a pure diffusive process through different liquid shells. The multilayer problem is described by a system of diffusion equations coupled via interlayer conditions imposing continuity of drug concentration and flux. Mass resistance is imposed at the outer boundary through the application of a surfactant at the external surface of the droplet.