Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Codification of 316LN in RCC-MR Code: Experience and Prospective Projects

The 316L with controlled nitrogen austenitic stainless steel is widely used in nuclear construction. The main components of Superphenix (SPX) as the main vessel, internals, intermediate heat exchangers and piping loops operating at high temperature, have been made using this grade. The RCC-MR code has gathered the feedback from the SPX construction. Later the results of European Fast Reactor R&D Programs have been integrated also in the code. Creep strain laws, cyclic and fatigue curves, and fatigue-creep interaction diagram are available in the RCC-MR database, but also it can be found specific filler metal for welding, and dedicated Reference Procurement Specifications. Today, this material, referred to as “316L with controlled nitrogen”, tabulated in RCC-MR is still relevant for current reactor projects. The Indian Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) uses this austenitic stainless steel and ITER has selected this alloy for the Vacuum Vessel, with a few additional requirements to comply with its own technical constraints — 316L(N) ITER Grade —. In France, the Sodium Fast Reactor Project (SFR) keeps using the 316L with controlled nitrogen for its major components in sodium with a new challenge regarding the extension of design life to 60 years and confirming its ability to be manufactured using new technologies (large forgings, automatic welding[[ellipsis]]). In this way, studies are carried out either to validate the current rules or to propose new ones. In particular, the validation of the negligible irradiation curve and the determination of a suitable thermal ageing coefficient, are under consideration, for base metal and for weldments too. Future edition of RCC-MR will include the conclusion of these works. The objective of this paper is to recall the main current data available for 316L with controlled nitrogen and to discuss the approach adopted to take into account for this grade the extension of design life.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Defining and identifying crop landraces

Awareness of the need for biodiversity conservation is now universally accepted, but most often recent conservation activities have focused on wild species. Crop species and the diversity between and within them has significant socioeconomic as well as heritage value. The bulk of genetic diversity in domesticated species is located in traditional varieties maintained by traditional farming systems. These traditional varieties, commonly referred to as landraces, are severely threatened by genetic extinction primarily due to their replacement by modern genetically uniform varieties. The conservation of landrace diversity has been hindered in part by the lack of an accepted definition to define the entity universally recognized as landraces. Without a definition it would be impossible to prepare an inventory and without an inventory changes in landrace constituency could not be recognized over time. Therefore, based on a literature review, workshop discussion and interviews with key informants, common characteristics of landraces were identified, such as: historical origin, high genetic diversity, local genetic adaptation, recognizable identity, lack of formal genetic improvement, and whether associated with traditional farming systems. However, although these characteristics are commonly present they are not always all present for any individual landrace; several crop-specific exceptions were noted relating to crop propagation method (sexual or asexual), breeding system (self-fertilized or cross-fertilized species), length of formal crop improvement, seed management (selection or random propagation) and use. This paper discusses the characteristics that generally constitute a landrace, reviews the exceptions to these characteristics and provides a working definition of a landrace. The working definition proposed is as follows: ‘a landrace is a dynamic population(s) of a cultivated plant that has historical origin, distinct identity and lacks formal crop improvement, as well as often being genetically diverse, locally adapted and associated with traditional farming systems’.
Solar neutrinos, helioseismology and the solar internal dynamics

Neutrinos are fundamental particles ubiquitous in the Universe and whose properties remain elusive despite more than 50 years of intense research activity. This review illustrates the importance of solar neutrinos in astrophysics, nuclear physics and particle physics. After a description of the historical context, we remind the reader of the noticeable properties of these particles and of the stakes of the solar neutrino puzzle. The standard solar model triggered persistent efforts in fundamental physics to predict the solar neutrino fluxes, and its constantly evolving predictions have been regularly compared with the detected neutrino signals. Anticipating that this standard model could not reproduce the internal solar dynamics, a seismic solar model was developed which enriched theoretical neutrino flux predictions with in situ observation of acoustic and gravity waves propagating in the Sun. This seismic model contributed to the stabilization of the neutrino flux predictions. This review recalls the main historical steps, from the pioneering Homestake mine experiment and the GALLEX-SAGE experiments capturing the first proton–proton neutrinos. It emphasizes the importance of the SuperKamiokande and SNO detectors. Both experiments demonstrated that the solar-emitted electron neutrinos are partially transformed into other neutrino flavors before reaching the Earth. This sustained experimental effort opens the door to neutrino astronomy, with long-base lines and underground detectors. The success of BOREXINO in detecting the 7Be neutrino signal alone instills confidence in physicists' ability to detect each neutrino source separately. It justifies the building of a new generation of detectors to measure the entire solar neutrino spectrum in greater detail, as well as supernova neutrinos. A coherent picture has emerged from neutrino physics and helioseismology. Today, new paradigms take shape in these two fields: neutrinos are massive particles, but their masses are still unknown, and the research on the solar interior focuses on the dynamical aspects and on the signature of dark matter. The magnetic moment of the neutrino begins to be an actor in stellar evolution. The third part of the review is dedicated to this prospect. The understanding of the crucial role of both rotation and magnetism in solar physics benefits from SoHO, SDO and PICARD space observations, and from a new prototype, GOLF-NG. The magnetohydrodynamical view of the solar interior is a new way of understanding the impact of the Sun on the Earth's environment and climate. For now, the particle and stellar challenges seem decoupled, but this is only a superficial appearance. The development of asteroseismology—with the COROT and KEPLER spacecraft—and of neutrino physics will both contribute to improvements in our understanding of, for instance, supernova explosions. This shows the far-reaching impact of neutrino and stellar astronomy.
Advances in interleukin 2 receptor targeted treatment

T cell activation and cellular immune responses are modulated by interleukin 2 (IL2) through binding to its corresponding cell surface receptor. Three forms of the receptor are recognised based on IL2 binding affinity. The high affinity receptor is a heterotrimer composed of α, β, and γc-polypeptide chains. The 55 kDa α-chain also known as the Tac (T cell activation) antigen or CD-25 is a unique subunit of the high affinity IL2 receptor (IL2Rα). Resting T cells express few IL2Rα, however, when activated, the expression of ILR2α rapidly increases. The IL2Rα is shed from the cell surface and is measurable in the serum as a 45 kDa soluble form (s-Tac or s-IL2Rα). Serum concentrations of s-Tac can be used as a surrogate marker for T cell activation and IL2Rα expression. IL2Rα is over expressed by T cells in a number of autoimmune diseases, allograft rejection and a variety of lymphoid neoplasms. IL2 induced proliferation of T cells can be inhibited by the murine monoclonal antibody (anti-Tac) directed against the α-chain of the IL2R. Through molecular engineering, murine anti-Tac has been humanised reducing its immunogenicity without changing its specificity. Humanised anti-Tac (HAT) has been shown to reduce the incidence of renal and cardiac allograft rejection as well as decrease the severity of graft versus host disease in patients undergoing HLA matched allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. IL2Rα targeted treatment with radioimmunoconjugates of anti-Tac and immunotoxins has shown promise in the treatment of CD25 expressing lymphomas.
Sildenafil citrate does not affect cardiac contractility in human or dog heart

SUMMARY Objective: This study evaluated whether sildenafil citrate, an oral treatment for erectile dysfunction and a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) with modest vasodilating properties, affects cardiac contractility in vitro. Research design and methods: Slices of freshly obtained human (n = 2) or dog (n = 3) atrial appendage were suspended in organ baths containing Krebs—Ringer bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.4, 37°C) bubbled continuously with 95% O2 and 5% CO2, and isometric tension was recorded using a Gould physiograph. Contractions were elicited by 1-Hz electric pacing. After 15min of equilibration, 1\M sildenafil was added to the bath, followed 15min later (human and dog) by 5|iM epinephrine, an inotropic agent, and 10min later (dog) by 88|iM 3-isobutyl-1 -methylxanthine (IBMX), a nonselective PDE inhibitor. In a separate experiment, cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels and PDE, protein kinase G, and protein kinase A activities were determined. Results: Addition of 1 |iM sildenafil to isolated dog or human atrial tissue had no significant effect on force of cardiac contraction, whereas epinephrine produced a robust increase in contractile force in the same muscle strip. The addition of IBMX produced a marked stimulation of contractile force in dog atrial tissue. Very low amounts of PDE5 were found in extracts of human heart, consistent with its known primary location in the smooth muscle of systemic vasculature. Conclusions: Sildenafil is unlikely to directly produce inotropic effects on cardiac muscle in patients being treated for erectile dysfunction.
Generation of cells for cell-replacement therapy: Specification of neural precursors in vivo and in neural stem cell cultures

Cell replacement therapy of neurodegenerative disorders aims to substitute the degenerating cells with new functional neurons. Clinical trails with patients suffering from Parkinson’s or Huntington’s disease have generated proof-of-principle results that neural precursors taken from the developing human brain can survive upon grafting to the diseased brain and provide long-lasting symptomatic relief. However, further development of this type of therapy critically depends on the generation of an unlimited and standardized source of neural precursors that after transplantation differentiate into the proper neuronal subtypes. This requires knowledge on the molecular mechanisms responsible for the specification of neurons during development, and how cells with the potential for regional specific neuronal differentiation can be expanded in culture. The work of this thesis has focused on the role of the proneural gene Neurogenin2 in specification of the midbrain dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons, the cell population that degenerate in Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, we have studied to what extent neural stem cells isolated from the developing brain and expanded under growth-factor stimulation in culture maintain their regional specification. We show that Neurogenin2 is required in vivo for proper development of the mesDA neuron system, more specifically for the immature mesDA neuron precursors to adopt a neuronal fate. Furthermore, we successfully applied a new culture system for expansion of neural stem cells, the neural stem cell (NS cell) cultures, to neural precursors from different regions of the developing brain. We showed that even after extensive expansion cells in the NS cell cultures retain their capacity to form neurons. Furthermore, the expanded cells harbor regional differences in their growth properties and to some extend in their gene expression profile. This show that the NS cell culture is an attractive alternative to the traditionally and more commonly used neurosphere culture system for expansion of fetal neural stem cells. Unfortunately, our investigations also showed that neither in the neurosphere nor in the NS cell culture system cells with the characteristic of mesDA neuron precursors are expandable. These results are valuable for further progression in neural stem cell research and particular for improvement of the existing protocols for generating mesDA neurons from expanded neural stem cells. (Less)
Determinants of out-of-hours service users' potentially inappropriate referral or non-referral to an emergency department: a retrospective cohort study in a local health authority, Veneto Region, Italy

Background A growing presence of inappropriate patients has been recognised as one of the main factors influencing emergency department (ED) overcrowding, which is a very widespread problem all over the world. On the other hand, out-of-hours (OOH) physicians must avoid delaying the diagnostic and therapeutic course of patients with urgent medical conditions. The aim of this study was to analyse the appropriateness of patient management by OOH services, in terms of their potentially inappropriate referral or non-referral of non-emergency cases to the ED. Methods This was an observational retrospective cohort study based on data collected in 2011 by the local health authority No. 4 in the Veneto Region (Italy). After distinguishing between patients contacting the OOH service who were or were not referred to the ED, and checking for patients actually presenting to the ED within 24 hours thereafter, these patients’ medical management was judged as potentially appropriate or inappropriate. Results The analysis considered 22 662 OOH service contacts recorded in 2011. The cases of potentially inappropriate non-referral to the ED were 392 (1.7% of all contacts), as opposed to 1207 potentially inappropriate referrals (5.3% of all contacts). Age, nationality, type of disease and type of intervention by the OOH service were the main variables associated with the appropriateness of patient management. Conclusions These findings may be useful for pinpointing the factors associated with a potentially inappropriate patient management by OOH services and thus contribute to improving the deployment of healthcare and the quality of care delivered by OOH services.
Reforming Higher Education

Preface. Part 1. Themes, Methods and Theories. 1. Our Main Themes and Methods. 2. Our Project and Theoretical Position. Part 2. Changing Nature of Higher Education: Main Policy Movements. 3. The Reform Movement: Contexts and Massification. 4. The Reform Movement: Objectives and Policies. 5. The Ending of the Binary System. 6. The Changing State Apparatus. 7. The Impact of Policy Changes on Institutional Government. Part 3. Theoretical Perspectives, the Exercise of Influence and the Role of the State. 8. The Exercise of Influence. 9. Reflections and Some Emerging Conclusions. Glossary. Bibliography. Subject Index. Author Index.
Effect of electrode geometry on performance of an EHD thin-film evaporator

This paper presents details of an optimization process of electrode geometry for an electrohydrodynamically (EHD) driven thin-film evaporator. The operation principle of the device is based on the action of the EHD force on the molecules of a dielectric liquid in a highly convergent electric field. The force starts at the end of a pair of electrodes, where the electric field changes from zero far from the electrodes to a finite value in between the electrodes. This force drives the liquid up into the spacing between the electrodes. The electrodes in this study were deposited thinly on a SiO/sub 2//Si wafer, so the liquid could be held within micrometers of thickness over the surface. Since the performance of the device in removing heat from the surface is a function of its pumping head and consequently its electrode geometry, the performances of different electrodes were evaluated by testing twelve sets of electrode pairs with different geometries. Then the optimum electrode design was incorporated into the design of a large size (32/spl times/32 mm/sup 2/) EHD thin-film evaporator. The device was fabricated, and its pumping and heat transfer performances were tested. A pumping head equal to the full height of the electrodes and a heat transfer coefficient of 1.9 W/cm/sup 2/. /spl deg/C was achieved using HFE-7100 liquid.
Selective degeneration of a physiological subtype of spinal motor neuron in mice with SOD1-linked ALS

Significance We describe a method that allows, for the first time to our knowledge, the preparation of viable acute spinal cord slices from adult mice, enabling patch-clamp recording from fluorescent motor neurons. From electrophysiological parameters, four subtypes of motor neurons were identified. Two fast firing subtypes innervated fast twitch muscle, whereas the two slow firing subtypes innervated slow twitch muscle. In superoxide dismutase 1-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice, the same four firing types were observed before the onset of symptoms, but the fastest firing type was lost after symptoms developed. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; Lou Gehrig’s disease) affects motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord. Understanding the pathophysiology of this condition seems crucial for therapeutic design, yet few electrophysiological studies in actively degenerating animal models have been reported. Here, we report a novel preparation of acute slices from adult mouse spinal cord, allowing visualized whole cell patch-clamp recordings of fluorescent lumbar MN cell bodies from ChAT-eGFP or superoxide dismutase 1-yellow fluorescent protein (SOD1YFP) transgenic animals up to 6 mo of age. We examined 11 intrinsic electrophysiologic properties of adult ChAT-eGFP mouse MNs and classified them into four subtypes based on these parameters. The subtypes could be principally correlated with instantaneous (initial) and steady-state firing rates. We used retrograde tracing using fluorescent dye injected into fast or slow twitch lower extremity muscle with slice recordings from the fluorescent-labeled lumbar MN cell bodies to establish that fast and slow firing MNs are connected with fast and slow twitch muscle, respectively. In a G85R SOD1YFP transgenic mouse model of ALS, which becomes paralyzed by 5–6 mo, where MN cell bodies are fluorescent, enabling the same type of recording from spinal cord tissue slices, we observed that all four MN subtypes were present at 2 mo of age. At 4 mo, by which time substantial neuronal SOD1YFP aggregation and cell loss has occurred and symptoms have developed, one of the fast firing subtypes that innvervates fast twitch muscle was lost. These results begin to describe an order of the pathophysiologic events in ALS.
Rethinking the Hispanic paradox: death rates and life expectancy for US non-Hispanic White and Hispanic populations.

OBJECTIVES We examined the "Hispanic paradox," whereby persons of Hispanic origin seemed to experience lower mortality than the non-Hispanic White population. This paradox coincided with a change from the classification of deaths and population by Spanish surname to the use of Hispanic-origin questions in the census and vital statistics. METHODS To estimate US Hispanic and non-Hispanic White mortality, we applied a familiar relation between death rates for population subgroups to Hispanic and non-Hispanic White population death rates. We calculated age-specific death rates for the Hispanic population and the non-Hispanic White population and computed life tables for each. Result. For Texas between 1980 (surname) and 1990 (origin), the change in Hispanic deaths in persons aged 65 years or older was only half as great as the change in population size, implying a relative omission of 15% to 20% of deaths. By a different approach, the life tables for the US Hispanic and non-Hispanic White populations pointed to a similar omission. CONCLUSIONS There is no "Hispanic paradox. " The Hispanic paradox described in past research derives from inconsistencies in counts of Hispanic-origin deaths and populations.
Phylogenetic relationships of activated sludge isolates of ammonia oxidizers with different sensitivities to ammonium sulfate.

Chemolithotrophic ammonia oxidizers are responsible for oxidizing ammonia to nitrite in the global nitrogen cycle, as well as for the nitrogen removal processes of wastewater treatment systems. Despite their importance, the population ecology of ammonia oxidizers in wastewater has been poorly understood because of serious difficulties in isolating and cultivating these organisms. The classification of ammonia oxidizers has been primarily based on cell morphology, the ultrastructure of cytomembranes and a few physiological characteristics which can routinely be examined (Watson et al., 1989). However, these phenotypic characteristics do not provide sufficient information for differentiating the organisms, and it has been shown that genotypic analyses are required for their classification (Dodson et al., 1983; Koops and Harms, 1985; Watson and Mandel, 1971; Woese et al., 1984, 1985). Since 165 rDNA base sequences provide abundant information from a very small quantity of biomass, this method has been thought to most appropriate for determining phylogenetic relationships among ammonia-oxidizing bacteria which have been notorious for their extremely poor growth yield. In batch culturing, some strains may not reach 10' cells/ml after full growth. The comparison of 165 rDNA sequences has permitted qualitative determination of phylogenetic relationships among cultured ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (Head et al., 1993; Pommerening-Roser et al., 1996; Teske et al., 1994; Utaker et al., 1995). These studies indicated that most known chemolithotrophic ammonia oxidizers possess high similarities among 165 rDNA sequences in the beta-subdivision of Proteobacteria (Woese et al., 1984) except for two strains of Nit rosococcus oceanus, which are in the gamma-subdivision (Woese et al., 1985). The beta-subdivision ammonia oxidizers appear to comprise at least two major clades, represented by the genera Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira (Head et al., 1993; Teske et al., 1994). Subgroupings within these clades have been suggested on the basis of probe sequences (Wagner et al., 1995) and the phylogenetic analysis of partial 165 rDNA sequences (Stephen et al., 1996). Pommerening-Roser et al. recently described six lineages in the genus Nitrosomonas based on 165 rRNA sequence and DNADNA hybridization analyses, and showed that the existence of lineages of the species in the genus Nitrosomonas was consistent with ecophysiological distinctions among the species (Pommerening-Roser et al., 1996). Further delineation of the phylogenetic relationships among beta-subdivision ammonia oxidizers will continue for additional isolates obtained from diverse environments (deBoer and Laanbroek, 1989; Hayatsu and Kosuge, 1993; Jones et al., 1988; Koops et al., 1991; Stehr et al., 1995; Suwa et al., 1994; Utaker et al., 1995). This study was conducted to examine differences in 165 rDNA sequences from (NH4)2504-sensitive and -insensitive strains which were isolated previously