Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of oral cyclophosphamide and prednisolone therapy on the endothelial functions and clinical findings in patients with early diffuse systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE The endothelial damage of microvascular structures in systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) is associated with increased levels of endothelial adhesion molecules and endothelium-associated cytokines, including E-selectin and thrombomodulin. Although there is still no ideal specific pharmacologic therapy for SSc, cyclophosphamide has resulted in clinical improvement in patients with SSc-related active alveolitis. This study was designed to assess the expression of E-selectin and thrombomodulin in patients with early diffuse SSc, and to investigate the effects of oral cyclophosphamide combined with prednisolone therapy on the levels of these endothelium-associated cytokines and on the patients' clinical outcomes. METHODS Thirteen patients with early diffuse SSc were treated with oral cyclophosphamide (2-2.5 mg/kg/day) and methylprednisolone (30 mg/every other day) for 1 year. The outcomes were determined as clinical (skin score) and laboratory parameters (including the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, complete blood cell count, levels of C-reactive protein, antinuclear antibody, anti-double-stranded DNA, rate of creatinine clearance, and findings on pulmonary function tests, esophageal manometry, and echocardiography). The concentrations of E-selectin and thrombomodulin were measured in the pretreatment and posttreatment serum samples from the SSc patients and from 12 healthy adults as controls. RESULTS In the patients with early diffuse SSc, pretreatment and posttreatment mean levels of E-selectin were 51 ng/ml (range 34.2-135.5) and 33.4 ng/ml (range 23-62.5), respectively (P = 0.01), and those of thrombomodulin were 82 ng/ml (range 35.8-120.5) and 74.6 ng/ml (range 23.3-91.3), respectively (P = 0.016). Clinical and laboratory parameters (the skin score and measures of pulmonary function [forced vital capacity and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide]) were also improved (P < 0.05 for each) at the end of the followup period. CONCLUSION Combination therapy with cylophosphamide plus prednisolone is effective in the treatment of early diffuse SSc. Circulating levels of E-selectin and thrombomodulin not only demonstrate the extent of endothelial injury and/or activation, but also could be a useful marker to monitor the disease activity in SSc.
Expert advice.

The Computational Crystallography Newsletter (CCN) is a regularly distributed electronically via email and the PHENIX website, www.phenix-­‐online.org/newsletter. Feature articles, meeting announcements and reports, information on research or other items of interest to computational crystallographers or crystallographic software users can be submitted to the editor at any time for consideration. Submission of text by email or word-­‐processing files using the CCN templates is requested. The CCN is not a formal publication and the authors retain full copyright on their contributions. The articles reproduced here may be freely downloaded for personal use, but to reference, copy or quote from it, such permission must be sought directly from the authors and agreed with them personally. 1
Routine cervical dilatation during elective caesarean section. Should we continue?

Abstract The caesarean section rate is on the increase globally, with its attendant complications. One of the measures adopted by obstetricians to decrease complications, such as endometritis and blood loss is intraoperative cervical dilatation during elective caesarean section. A multicentre double blind randomised controlled trial was carried out in Enugu, Nigeria, to ascertain the usefulness of this practice. A total of 208 pregnant women were randomised: 104 had intraoperative cervical dilatation and the other 104 did not have their cervices dilated. All the patients had similar preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care and were followed up to 6 weeks postpartum. There was no significant difference between the two groups. In conclusion, the study shows no benefit in routine intraoperative cervical dilation. Practitioners must make sure that neither the placenta nor fetal membrane is overlying the internal os before they close the uterine wound.
Cats protecting birds: modelling the mesopredator release effect

1. Introduced predators account for a large part of the extinction of endemic insular species, which constitutes a major component of the loss of biodiversity among vertebrates. Eradication of alien predators from these ecosystems is often considered the best solution. 2. In some ecosystems, however, it can generate a greater threat for endemic prey through what is called the ‘mesopredator release’. This process predicts that, once superpredators are suppressed, a burst of mesopredators may follow which leads their shared prey to extinction. 3. This process is studied through a mathematical model describing a three species system (prey–mesopredator–superpredator). Analysis of the model, with and without control of meso- and superpredators, shows that this process does indeed exist and can drive shared prey to rapid extinction. 4. This work emphasizes that, although counter-intuitive, eradication of introduced superpredators, such as feral domestic cats, is not always the best solution to protect endemic prey when introduced mesopredators, such as rats, are also present.
A discrete stochastic process for coverage analysis of autonomous UAV networks

Networked unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have found an increasing number of applications in recent years. In this work, we provide an analytical method to evaluate the sensor coverage performance of a UAV network, where the individual UAVs can work independently or cooperatively to achieve a common goal. More specifically, we propose a stochastic model in terms of a Markov chain including approximations for its parameters. Studying several scenarios using the Markov chain as well as simulations, we investigate the impact of network size and area size on the achieved coverage. While the Markovbased analysis is an approximation, the results are still in good agreement with the simulations.
Qué estudios universitarios de ciencia y tecnología prefieren las mujeres

Se han utilizado datos de las Pruebas de Acceso a la Universidad realizadas entre 2010 y 2012 en la Universidad de Valencia para analizar el numero de mujeres que cursan las diferentes modalidades de Bachillerato, asi como las que acceden a titulaciones universitarias ofrecidas por esta universidad de las diferentes areas del conocimiento tras cursar la modalidad de Bachillerato de “Ciencias y Tecnologia”, y en particular el numero de mujeres en cada una de las titulaciones de “Ciencias”, “Ingenierias” y “Ciencias de la Salud”. Un 10. 2% del alumnado que cursa la modalidad de Bachillerato de “Ciencias y Tecnologia” son mujeres que abandonan estas disciplinas para cursar titulaciones de “Ciencias Sociales y Juridicas” y “Artes y Humanidades”. La mayoria de las mujeres que eligen titulaciones de Ciencias y Tecnologia prefieren las de “Ciencias de la Salud”, siendo una minoria las que eligen titulaciones de “Ingenierias”.
The influence of customers' quality perception of commercial vehicles on their maintenance behavior

The relationship was examined between commercial vehicle customers' quality perception of their vehicle brands and their subsequent maintenance of the vehicles. In an increasingly competitive commercial vehicle market, it is important to know what influences the customer decisions that drive revenue - specifically, the customer's maintenance choices. Qualitative (interview) data was obtained on the maintenance approach of fleet managers and the perceived industry norms and perspectives of industry experts, together with quantitative (survey) data on the quality perceptions and maintenance behavior of fleet and maintenance managers. This information was drawn from the case of a large South African subsidiary of a leading multinational commercial vehicle manufacturer. Associations were found between quality perception and maintenance behavior, especially with regard to the constructs of product quality and warranty support quality. The results on the constructs of service support and parts support quality led to them begin interpreted as hygiene factors, i.e. essential to secure the initial product sale. Practical use of the findings may be made by manufacturers to evaluate and tailor their after-sales support offering. The findings also reaffirm the importance to a commercial vehicle manufacturer of its brand's quality reputation.
Intensité et pénibilités du travail à l’hôpital. Quelles évolutions entre 1998 et 2013 ?

Cet article s’interesse a l’evolution des conditions de travail a l’hopital au cours des quinze dernieres annees. Cette question est importante dans le contexte des reformes menees au sein du secteur depuis le debut des annees 1990, qui y ont provoque de profondes reorganisations. Dans un premier temps, nous faisons le point sur l’etat des connaissances concernant les conditions de travail a l’hopital. Nous etudions ensuite, a partir des trois dernieres editions de l’enquete Conditions de travail, l’evolution entre 1998 et 2013 des contraintes de rythme et de diverses formes de penibilites du travail a l’hopital, comparativement a d’autres secteurs d’activite. Enfin, nous analysons, toutes choses egales par ailleurs, les specificites actuelles du secteur en matiere d’exposition aux contraintes de rythme, aux horaires decales, aux penibilites physiques et a un environnement de travail degrade. Nous observons, sur la periode 1998-2013, une nette augmentation des contraintes de rythme s’exercant sur les personnels hospitaliers. Celle-ci s’accompagne d’une legere diminution des penibilites physiques. Mais l’hopital demeure particulierement contraint du point de vue des conditions de travail.
Construction and maintenance of the optimal photosynthetic systems of the leaf, herbaceous plant and tree: an eco-developmental treatise.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The paper by Monsi and Saeki in 1953 (Japanese Journal of Botany 14: 22-52) was pioneering not only in mathematical modelling of canopy photosynthesis but also in eco-developmental studies of seasonal changes in leaf canopies. SCOPE Construction and maintenance mechanisms of efficient photosynthetic systems at three different scaling levels--single leaves, herbaceous plants and trees--are reviewed mainly based on the nitrogen optimization theory. First, the nitrogen optimization theory with respect to the canopy and the single leaf is briefly introduced. Secondly, significance of leaf thickness in CO2 diffusion in the leaf and in leaf photosynthesis is discussed. Thirdly, mechanisms of adjustment of photosynthetic properties of the leaf within the herbaceous plant individual throughout its life are discussed. In particular, roles of sugar sensing, redox control and of cytokinin are highlighted. Finally, the development of a tree is considered. CONCLUSIONS Various mechanisms contribute to construction and maintenance of efficient photosynthetic systems. Molecular backgrounds of these ecologically important mechanisms should be clarified. The construction mechanisms of the tree cannot be explained solely by the nitrogen optimization theory. It is proposed that the pipe model theory in its differential form could be a potential tool in future studies in this research area.
Enhancing vaccine design strategies: applications for protein science, proteomics and adjuvants

Vaccines have saved millions of lives. Currently, and for infectious diseases in humans at least, sanitation and vaccination remain the most efficient and the most cost- effective prophylactic treatment available. Vaccination has led to the global eradiation of smallpox, the virtual eradication of polio and a reduction of over 95% in the incidence of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella. [1] Indeed, successful vaccine strategies have circumvented mortality caused by infectious diseases in developed countries and have thus increased our lifespan. [1] Today’s society in developed countries has a life expectancy of more than 80 years, and there is a higher proportion of elderly to young people. However, there remains a continued need for the development of new vaccines to offer protection for infections where we currently have no effective vaccine (infections such as malaria or human immunodeficiency virus) and have recurrent diseases (such as tuberculosis, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and B), plus newly emergent diseases, such as West Nile fever or Ebola. Vaccination is also increasingly recognised as an important strategy for food security, by providing protection to livestock against existing and emerging pathogens.
Relative contributions of passive equilibrium and active transport to the distribution of chloride in mammalian cortical neurons.

1. Active and passive factors affecting the chloride gradient of cortical neurons were assessed using intracellular recordings from neurons in slices of cingulate cortex maintained in vitro. The chloride equilibrium potential (ECl-) was estimated indirectly from the reversal potentials of responses to perisomatic gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) application and the Cl(-)-dependent inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP). Under control conditions the mean resting potential (Vm; -69.7 mV) was not significantly different than the mean IPSP reversal potential (EIPSP; -70.1 mV). 2. Increasing the external potassium concentration ([K+]o) from 1 to 10 mM shifted the mean EIPSP from -80.4 to -61.8 mV. The mean EIPSP was approximately equal to the mean Vm at all [K+]oS. The conditions of Donnan equilibrium are not met in [K+]o less than 10 mM. 3. Polarization of Vm up to 20 mV away from EIPSP for 4 min with maintained current injection had no significant effect on EIPSP. 4. The GABA reversal potential was maintained 37-52 mV less negative than Vm after equilibration in saline in which the external chloride concentration had been reduced from 133 to 5 mM by substitution with isethionate. Vm and input resistance were not significantly different from control values in cells recorded under these conditions. 5. We conclude that Cl- is not passively distributed in cortical neurons, perhaps due to a low resting Cl- permeability. 6. Impalement with electrodes containing 2 M KCl resulted in a rapid 10 mV depolarizing shift in EIPSP that then remained relatively constant. Intracellular iontophoresis of Cl- resulted in a further depolarizing shift of EIPSP of 5-10 mV that returned to control in less than 1 min. The time course of recovery of IPSP amplitude could be fit with a single exponential having a mean time constant of 6.9 +/- 1.5 s and was independent of the amount of Cl- injected or stimulation frequency. 7. Reductions in temperature from 37 to 32 degrees C significantly increased the mean time constant of IPSP recovery from Cl- injection to 11.1 +/- 3.3 s, corresponding to Q10 = 2.6. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Combined effects of obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on dyspnea and exercise tolerance.

RATIONALE Severity of lung hyperinflation is known to influence the extent of dyspnea and exercise intolerance among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with similar degrees of airway obstruction. Lung volume components are consistently affected by body mass index (BMI) in health and in disease. OBJECTIVES To explore the complex interactions between obesity, lung hyperinflation, dyspnea, and exercise performance in COPD. METHODS We compared dyspnea intensity ratings and ventilatory responses (breathing pattern, operating lung volumes, and gas exchange) during symptom-limited incremental cycle exercise in well-characterized groups of 18 obese (mean BMI +/- SD, 35 +/- 4 kg/m(2)) and 18 normal-weight (mean BMI +/- SD, 22 +/- 2 kg/m(2)) patients with moderate to severe COPD. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Groups were well matched for FEV(1) (mean 49% predicted) and diffusing capacity (means >70% predicted), but resting lung hyperinflation (end-expiratory lung volume [EELV]) was significantly reduced in association with increasing BMI (P < 0.005). In the obese patients, peak symptom-limited oxygen uptake was increased (P < 0.01) and dyspnea ratings at a standardized ventilation were decreased (P < 0.01) compared with normal-weight patients. Ratings of dyspnea intensity at a standardized ventilation during exercise correlated well with the concurrent dynamic EELV/total lung capacity (TLC) ratio (r = 0.68; P < 0.00001) and with the resting EELV/TLC (r = 0.67; P < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS The combined mechanical effects of obesity and COPD reduced operating lung volumes at rest and throughout exercise with favorable influences on dyspnea perception and peak oxygen uptake during cycle ergometry.
Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide Coatings on High Aspect Ratio Micro-Pillar Arrays for 3D Thin Film Lithium Ion Batteries

In this work, we present the electrochemical deposition of manganese dioxide (MnO2) thin films on carbon-coated TiN/Si micro-pillars. The carbon buffer layer, grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), is used as a protective coating for the underlying TiN current collector from oxidation, during the film deposition, while improving the electrical conductivity of the stack. A conformal electrolytic MnO2 (EMD) coating is successfully achieved on high aspect ratio C/TiN/Si pillar arrays by tailoring the deposition process. Lithiation/Delithiation cycling tests have been performed. Reversible insertion and extraction of Li+ through EMD structure are observed. The fabricated stack is thus considered as a good candidate not only for 3D micorbatteries but also for other energy storage applications.
Dual Probe with Fluorescent and Magnetic Properties for Imaging Solid Tumor Xenografts

A dual probe with fluorescent and magnetic reporter groups was constructed by linkage of the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent transferrin conjugate (TfNIR) on the surface of contrast agent-encapsulated cationic liposome (Lip-CA). This probe was used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and optical imaging of MDA-MB-231-luc breast cancer cells grown as a monolayer in vitro and as solid tumor xenografts in nude mice. Confocal microscopy, optical imaging, and MRI showed a dramatic increase of in vitro cellular uptake of the fluorescent and magnetic reporter groups from the probe compared with the uptake of contrast agent or Lip-CA alone. Pretreatment with transferrin (Tf) blocked uptake of the probe reporters, indicating the importance and specificity of the Tf moiety for targeting. Intravenous administration of the dual probe to nude mice significantly enhanced the tumor contrast in MRI, and preferential accumulation of the fluorescent signal was clearly seen in NIR-based optical images. More interestingly, the contrast enhancement in MRI showed a heterogeneous pattern within tumors, which reflected the tumor's morphologic heterogeneity. These results indicate that the newly developed dual probe enhances the tumor image contrast and is superior to contrast agent alone for identifying the tumor pathologic features on the basis of MRI but also is suitable for NIR-based optical imaging.
Nonlinear MHD simulations of QH-mode plasmas in DIII-D

The quiescent H-mode (QH-mode) regime originally developed at the DIII-D tokamak [1] provides high confinement without transient energy fluxes to plasma facing components associated with edge localized modes (ELMs). This operational regime has been extended to conditions suitable for ITER operation such as low torque input [2] and high normalized density operation [3]. In the QH-mode, the edge harmonic oscillation (EHO) is found to provide a continuous edge particle transport which replaces the periodic expulsion of particles and energy by ELMs. The EHO is thought to be a saturated kink-peeling mode driven unstable by current and rotation, which maintains the edge pressure gradient near but below the ELM instability boundary [4]. Understanding the nonlinear MHD physics mechanisms that lead to the growth of the kink-peeling mode and its saturation including the role of plasma rotation in these processes is essential to project QH-mode as an alternative ELM-free regime for ITER high Q operation. With this objective, a quantitative comparison of the results by nonlinear MHD modelling of QH-mode plasmas with experimental measurements in DIII-D has been carried out and the first results will be presented in this paper. These simulations of QH-mode plasmas have been carried out with the JOREK code [5] both for ideal wall and resistive wall boundary conditions for low to medium n (up to n=10) modes. In these simulations it is found that low n kink-peeling modes are unstable and grow to a saturated level consistent with the physics picture put forward in [4] (see Figure 1). In the paper the role of plasma toroidal and poloidal rotation as well as the effect of the vacuum vessel wall on the destabilization and saturation of edge modes will be evaluated for experimental QH-mode conditions in DIII-D. The results obtained with JOREK will be compared to expectations from linear ideal MHD analysis of the pedestal plasma in these DIII-D QH-mode discharges with the MISHKA code. This work was supported in part by the US Department of Energy under DE-FC02-04ER54698 and DE-AC03-09CH11466.
Ziram activates mitogen-activated protein kinases and decreases cytolytic protein levels in human natural killer cells

Human natural killer (NK) cells are central in immune defense with their ability to lyse tumor cells and virally infected cells. Tumor formation and viral infection may increase if NK cytotoxic function is disrupted. Ziram (zinc dithiocarbamate) is used as an accelerating agent in the production of latex and to protect various fruits and vegetables from fungal infection. Previously, we have shown that exposure to ziram inhibits NK lytic function. Butyltin environmental contaminants, which also inhibit NK lytic function, cause rapid activations of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and decreases in expression of the cytolytic proteins granzyme B and perforin (after 24 h) in exposed NK cells. MAPKs are important regulators of the lytic response of NK cells, and spurious activation of these enzymes by contaminants would leave the NK cells unable to respond to appropriate targets. This study examined the effects of ziram exposures on MAPKs (p44/42, p38, and c-jun-N-terminal kinase) and on levels of cytolytic proteins. Ten-minute to 6-h exposures of NK cells to ziram caused activation of MAPKs, p44/42, and p38. Exposure to ziram for 24 h caused a decrease in granzyme B and perforin levels. MAPK inhibitors were able to prevent these ziram-induced decreases in granzyme B and perforin. These results suggest that ziram-induced MAPK activation is at least in part responsible for decreased cytolytic function in ziram-exposed NK cells. Furthermore, the results indicate that these changes are in common with other environmental contaminants that have been shown to decrease NK lytic function.
Organisational logic in the new age of business: the case example of knowledge management at Valtech

Valtech is a Paris-based consulting firm established in 1993 and devoted to e-business technologies. The company was initially structured as a distributor of new information technologies to the French and European market which secondarily provided training in the use of its products. Valtech now positions itself as a pure knowledge-transfer firm which instructs clients in the strategic use and development of cutting-edge electronic technologies. Valtech organised itself according to KM principles in 1993, but only became aware of KM as a formal organising framework in 1998. While the adoption of KM is often "pushed" onto companies by the academic or consulting communities, Valtech pulled itself toward KM organising logics by the New Age of business it defined for itself. The following introduces Valtech and traces its development over nine years.