pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Polydatin, a natural precursor of resveratrol, induces β-Defensin production and reduces inflammatory response.

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a proinflammatory cytokine produced, although not exclusively, by T helper 17 recently identified as a distinct T helper lineage mediating tissue inflammation. IL-17 is known to be involved in a number of chronic disorders although the mechanisms regulating its production in inflammatory disease are still unclear. The beneficial properties of the polyphenolic compound resveratrol including its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor effects, its role in the aging process and in the prevention of heart and neurodegenerative diseases are well-known. In addition, derivatives of resveratrol, including glucosylated molecules as polydatin have been linked to similar beneficial effects. We have investigated the effects of resveratrol and polydatin on the in vitro production of IL-17 in a model of inflammation in vitro. The results obtained by activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, stimulated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies and treated with these polyphenolic compounds at different concentrations show that both decrease IL-17 production in a concentration-dependent manner. This study confirms the anti-inflammatory activity of resveratrol and its derivatives and suggests a potential clinical relevance in the therapy of inflammatory diseases
Metal influence on metallothionein synthesis in the hydrothermal vent mussel Bathymodiolus thermophilus

International audienceThe present study reports on the metallothionein expression in the hydrothermal vent mussel Bathymodiolus thermophilus. Metallothioneins (MT) are proteins involved in intracellular metal regulation and conserved throughout the animal kingdom. The hydrothermal vent environment presents peculiarities (high levels of sulfides and metals, low pH, anoxia) that may have driven associated species to develop original evolutionary ways to face these extreme living conditions. Mussels were exposed to different metal solutions at the atmospheric pressure. The MT mRNA levels and MT contents were measured in gills and mantles of each exposed mussel. The intracellular metal distribution was estimated in fractions obtained after the centrifugation of tissue homogenates. A few of the tested metals (Ag, Cu, Cd, Hg and Zn) were able to significantly induce MT mRNA levels. Silver was the only one that produced a significant increase of the MT protein level in both mantle and gills. The gills always presented higher MT protein levels than the mantle did, while their MT mRNA levels were similar. Our data show that MT mRNA and MT protein levels do not follow a clear relationship in the gills and mantle of B. thermophilus and we assume that a post-transcriptional control occurs in these mussels
Sol-gel synthesis of magnetic TiO2 microspheres and characterization of their in vitro heating ability for hyperthermia treatment of cancer

Common cancer treatments are invasive and lack specificity, leading to unwanted side effects. Because hyperthermia can kill cancer cells and damage proteins and structures within cells, it has been considered a novel, minimally invasive cancer treatment. However, many hyperthermia treatments cannot heat deep-seated tumors effectively and locally. Heat-generating magnetic microspheres can help address this challenge. However, current research has not produced microspheres that can be sufficiently heated. We prepared magnetic titania (TiO2) microspheres by introducing magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) into the sol–gel process during water-in-oil emulsion for in situ hyperthermia treatment of cancers. Two types of MNPs were used in this study: One type was synthesized by a chemical coprecipitation method, and the other type was commercially available MNPs. The obtained microspheres contained up to 46.7 wt% MNPs, and their saturation magnetization and coercive force were 34.2 emu/g and 103 Oe, respectively. The particles’ in vitro heating efficiency in an agar phantom was measured in an alternating magnetic field of 300 Oe and 100 kHz. The temperature increase in the agar phantom within 300 s was 4.5 °C for microspheres with MNPs that were synthesized by chemical coprecipitation and 53 °C for microspheres with commercially available MNPs. The excellent heating efficiency of the microspheres may be attributed to the hysteresis losses of the magnetic particles. These microspheres are believed to be promising thermoseeds for hyperthermic treatment of cancer
Refactoring software development process terminology through the use of ontology

In work that is ongoing, the authors are examining the extent of software development process terminology drift. Initial findings suggest there is a degree of term confusion, with the mapping of concepts to terms lacking precision in some instances. Ontologies are concerned with identifying the concepts of relevance to a field of endeavour and mapping those concepts to terms such that term confusion is reduced. In this paper, we discuss how ontologies are developed. We also identify various sources of software process terminology. Our work to date indicates that the systematic development of a software development process ontology would be of benefit to the entire software development community. The development of such an ontology would in effect represent a systematic refactoring of the terminology and concepts produced over four decades of software process innovation
‘. . . But I Still Can’t Get Rid of a Sense of Artificiality’: The Reichenbach-Einstein Debate on the Geometrization of the Electromagnetic Field

This paper analyzes correspondence between Reichenbach and Einstein from the spring of 1926, concerning what it means to ‘geometrize’ a physical field. The content of a typewritten note that Reichenbach sent to Einstein on that occasion is reconstructed, showing that it was an early version of §49 of the untranslated Appendix to his Philosophie der Raum-Zeit-Lehre, on which Reichenbach was working at the time. This paper claims that the toy-geometrization of the electromagnetic field that Reichenbach presented in his note should not be regarded as merely a virtuoso mathematical exercise, but as an additional argument supporting the core philosophical message of his 1928 monograph. This paper concludes by suggesting that Reichenbach’s infamous ‘relativization of geometry’ was only a stepping stone on the way to his main concern—the question of the ‘geometrization of gravitation
Towards a philosophy of academic publishing

This article is concerned with developing a philosophical approach to a number of significant changes to academic publishing, and specifically the global journal knowledge system wrought by a range of new digital technologies that herald the third age of the journal as an electronic, interactive and mixed-media form of scientific communication. The paper emerges from an Editors' Collective, a small New Zealand-based organisation comprised of editors and reviewers of academic journals mostly in the fields of education and philosophy. The paper is the result of a collective writing process
Comparison of Frequency, Risk Factors, and Time Course of Postoperative Delirium in Octogenarians After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement

Postoperative delirium (PD) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains to be explored. We sought to (1) determine the incidence of PD in octogenarians who underwent TAVI or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), (2) identify its risk factors, and (3) describe possible differences in the onset and course of PD between treatment groups. A prospective cohort study of consecutive patients aged ≥80 years with severe aortic stenosis who underwent elective TAVI or SAVR (N = 143) was conducted. The incidence of PD was assessed for 5 days using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Risk factors for PD were studied with logistic regression. Patients treated with TAVI were older (p ≤0.001), had lower cognitive scores (p = 0.007), and more co-morbidities (p = 0.003). Despite this, significantly fewer (p = 0.013) patients treated with TAVI (44%) experienced PD compared to patients treated with SAVR (66%). Undergoing SAVR (p = 0.02) and having lower cognitive function (p = 0.03) emerged as risk factors for PD, whereas gender, activities of daily living, frailty, atrial fibrillation, and postoperative use of opioids and anxiolytics did not. Patients treated with TAVI and without PD during the first 2 postoperative days were unlikely to experience PD on subsequent days. The onset of PD after SAVR could occur at any time during the postoperative evaluation. In conclusion, SAVR in octogenarian patients with aortic stenosis might be considered as a predisposing factor for PD. Our data also suggest that the onset of PD was more unpredictable after SAVR
Development of Edgeless n-on-p Planar Pixel Sensors for future ATLAS Upgrades

The development of n-on-p "edgeless" planar pixel sensors being fabricated at FBK (Trento, Italy), aimed at the upgrade of the ATLAS Inner Detector for the High Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), is reported. A characterizing feature of the devices is the reduced dead area at the edge, achieved by adopting the "active edge" technology, based on a deep etched trench, suitably doped to make an ohmic contact to the substrate. The project is presented, along with the active edge process, the sensor design for this first n-on-p production and a selection of simulation results, including the expected charge collection efficiency after radiation fluence of $1 \times 10^{15} {\rm n_{eq}}/{\rm cm}^2$ comparable to those expected at HL-LHC (about ten years of running, with an integrated luminosity of 3000 fb$^{-1}$) for the outer pixel layers. We show that, after irradiation, more than 50% of the signal should be collected in the edge region; this confirms the validity of the active edge approach
Outcome of the first electron microscopy validation task force meeting

This Meeting Review describes the proceedings and conclusions from the inaugural meeting of the Electron Microscopy Validation Task Force organized by the Unified Data Resource for 3DEM (http://www.emdatabank.org) and held at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ on September 28 and 29, 2010. At the workshop, a group of scientists involved in collecting electron microscopy data, using the data to determine three-dimensional electron microscopy (3DEM) density maps, and building molecular models into the maps explored how to assess maps, models, and other data that are deposited into the Electron Microscopy Data Bank and Protein Data Bank public data archives. The specific recommendations resulting from the workshop aim to increase the impact of 3DEM in biology and medicine
MIRACLE at GeoCLEF Query Parsing 2007: Extraction and Classification of Geographical Information

This paper describes the participation of MIRACLE research consortium at the Query Parsing task of GeoCLEF 2007. Our system is composed of three main modules. The first one is the Named Geo-entity Identifier, whose objective is to perform the geo-entity identification and tagging, i.e., to extract the “where” component of the geographical query, if there is any. Then, the Query Analyzer parses this tagged query to identify the “what” and “geo-relation” components by means of a rule-based grammar. Finally, a two-level multiclassifier first decides whether the query is indeed a geographical query and, should it be positive, then determines the query type according to the type of information that the user is supposed to be looking for: map, yellow page or information
Seagrass beds and intertidal invertebrates: an experimental test of the role of habitat structure

Abstract  The majority of field experiments have been carried out on relatively small spatial and short temporal scales, but some of the most interesting ecological processes operate at much larger scales. However, large-scale experiments appropriate to the landscape, often have to be carried out with minimal plot replication and hence reduced statistical power. Here, we report the results of such a large scale, un-replicated field experiment on the Mondego estuary, Portugal, which nevertheless provides compelling evidence of the importance of habitat structure for invertebrate community composition and dynamics. In this estuary, seagrass beds have suffered a dramatic decline over the last 20 years, associated with changes in invertebrate assemblages. In addition, the most abundant species in the system, Hydrobia ulvae, displays distinctly different population structures in those sites. The aim of the field experiment was to test the hypothesis that these differences are related to enhanced survival of snails due to protection from avian or fish predators so that they can grow to larger body sizes in the more complex habitat provided by seagrass. We tested this hypothesis through a large-scale experiment using artificial seagrass beds over a 12-month period. Adult snail densities were higher in the artificial bed plots compared to controls. However, these differences emerged only slowly, related to snail growth rate. This suggests that protection from epibenthic predators can have a significant effect on population structure and hence biomass and productivity of key species in this system. However, the invertebrate assemblage in artificial seagrass plots and the natural seagrass bed, remained statistically separate by the end of the experiment.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0375-
Frequency-dependent bifurcation point between field-cooled and zero-field-cooled dielectric constant of LiTaO3 nanoparticles embedded in amorphous SiO2

Splitting between the field-cooled dielectric constant and the zero-field-cooled dielectric constant was observed for a diluted system of LiTaO3 nanoparticles (diameter 30 Å) embedded in amorphous SiO2. At the applied field frequency of 100 kHz, the real part of the field-cooled dielectric constant diverged from that of the zero-field-cooled one at 380 °C. The bifurcation point of the history-dependent dielectric constant rose from 310 to 540 °C upon increasing the field frequency from 10 to 1000 kHz. Bulk LiTaO3 powders showed no splitting in the history-dependent dielectric constant and the maximum at 645 °C in the real part of the dielectric constant, despite the variation of frequency. Both the splitting of the history-dependent dielectric constant and the frequency dependence of the bifurcation point suggest that the LiTaO3 nanoparticles with a single-domain structure were in the superparaelectric state as a consequence of insignificant cooperative interactions among the nanoparticles in the diluted system. The energy barrier of 0.9  eV separating two (+p and –p) polarization states corroborated the potential of the LiTaO3 nanoparticle for ultrahigh-density recording media applications
Assessing the value of an agile coach in agile method adoption

This paper explores the value of Agile Coaching for companies adopting agile methods.in order to assist those who are adopting agile methods to decide on using or not using an Agile Coach by examining the value they can bring to companies adopting agile methods. In our research we surveyed three distinct groups: companies that used an Agile Coach for agile adoption, companies that adopted agile on their own and Agile Coaches themselves without the help of an Agile Coach. The data collected indicates that Agile Coaches can bring numerous benefits to companies, which in fact exceed the financial costs of using an Agile Coach. Therefore we suggest that there is financial value in using an Agile Coach for agile adoption, which is represented by faster return on investment (ROI) on the change
Early stage adoption of ISO/IEC 29110 software project management practices: a case study

The ISO/IEC 29110 standard has at its core a Management and Engineering Guide [1] which are targeted at very small entities (enterprises, organizations, departments or projects) having up to 25 people [2], to assist them unlock the potential benefits of using standards which are specifically designed to address their needs. This paper discusses the role and structure of Project Management in the ISO/IEC 29110 standard and the design and development of project management support documentation. In particular this paper describes a case study of an early adopter of ISO/IEC 29110 project management practices and their experiences with implementing these in an industrial context
Realism and objectivism in quantum mechanics

The present study attempts to provide a consistent and coherent account of what the world could be like, given the conceptual framework and results of contemporary quantum theory. It is suggested that standard quantum mechanics can, and indeed should, be understood as a realist theory within its domain of application. It is pointed out, however, that a viable realist interpretation of quantum theory requires the abandonment or radical revision of the classical conception of physical reality and its traditional philosophical presuppositions. It is argued, in this direction, that the conceptualization of the nature of reality, as arising out of our most basic physical theory, calls for a kind of contextual realism. Within the domain of quantum mechanics, knowledge of ‘reality in itself’, ‘the real such as it truly is’ independent of the way it is contextualized, is impossible in principle. In this connection, the meaning of objectivity in quantum mechanics is analyzed, whilst the important question concerning the nature of quantum objects is explored
Overcoming barriers to the implementation of alternative fuels for road transport in Europe.

The success of implementing alternative fuels for road transport depends on their cost, performance and reliability. This paper focuses on the use of natural gas and LPG, hydrogen and biofuels in Europe. A brief presentation is given of their technical development status, their market potential, and barriers to their implementation in various market segments. Some market barriers are common to many new technologies, and can be overcome through adequate policy measures at European level. Generally, a combination of policies is required, and a number of supporting measures increase their effectiveness. The following policies affecting energy use in transport are discussed: market incentives, policies targeting technology and vehicle efficiency, and overall system improvement
Damage identification of a reinforced concrete frame by finite element model updating using damage parameterization

This paper develops a sensitivity-based updating method to identify the damage in a tested reinforced concrete (RC) frame modeled with a two-dimensional planar finite element (FE) by minimizing the discrepancies of modal frequencies and mode shapes. In order to reduce the number of unknown variables, a bidimensional damage (element) function is proposed, resulting in a considerable improvement of the optimization performance. For damage identification, a reference FE model of the undamaged frame divided into a few damage functions is firstly obtained and then a rough identification is carried out to detect possible damage locations, which are subsequently refined with new damage functions to accurately identify the damage. From a design point of view, it would be useful to evaluate, in a simplified way, the remaining bending stiffness of cracked beam sections or segments. Hence, an RC damage model based on a static mechanism is proposed to estimate the remnant stiffness of a cracked RC beam segment. The damage model is based on the assumption that the damage effect spreads over a region and the stiffness in the segment changes linearly. Furthermore, the stiffness reduction evaluated using this damage model is compared with the FE updating result. It is shown that the proposed bidimensional damage function is useful in producing a well-conditioned optimization problem and the aforementioned damage model can be used for an approximate stiffness estimation of a cracked beam segment
Three endo-β-mannanase genes expressed in the micropylar endosperm and in the radicle influence germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds

Mannans are hemicellulosic polysaccharides in the plant primary cell wall (CW). Mature seeds, specially their endosperm cells, have CWs rich in mannan-based polymers that confer a strong mechanical resistance for the radicle protrusion upon germination. The rupture of the seed coat and endosperm are two sequential events during the germination of Arabidopsis thaliana. Endo-β-mannanases (MAN; EC. 3.2.1.78) are hydrolytic enzymes that catalyze cleavage of β1 → 4 bonds in the mannan-polymer. In the genome of Arabidopsis, the endo-β-mannanase (MAN) family is represented by eight members. The expression of these eight MAN genes has been systematically explored in different organs of this plant and only four of them (AtMAN7, AtMAN6, AtMAN2 and AtMAN5) are expressed in the germinating seeds. Moreover, in situ hybridization analysis shows that their transcript accumulation is restricted to the micropylar endosperm and to the radicle and this expression disappears soon after radicle emergence. T-DNA insertion mutants in these genes (K.O. MAN7, K.O. MAN6, K.O. MAN5), except that corresponding to AtMAN2 (K.O. MAN2), germinate later than the wild type (Wt). K.O. MAN6 is the most affected in the germination time course with a t 50 almost double than that of the Wt. These data suggest that AtMAN7, AtMAN5 and specially AtMAN6 are important for the germination of A. thaliana seeds by facilitating the hydrolysis of the mannan-rich endosperm cell walls
Reporting experiments to satisfy professionals information needs

Although the aim of empirical software engineering is to provide evidence for selecting the appropriate technology, it appears that there is a lack of recognition of this work in industry. Results from empirical research only rarely seem to find their way to company decision makers. If information relevant for software managers is provided in reports on experiments, such reports can be considered as a source of information for them when they are faced with making decisions about the selection of software engineering technologies. To bridge this communication gap between researchers and professionals, we propose characterizing the information needs of software managers in order to show empirical software engineering researchers which information is relevant for decision-making and thus enable them to make this information available. We empirically investigated decision makers? information needs to identify which information they need to judge the appropriateness and impact of a software technology. We empirically developed a model that characterizes these needs. To ensure that researchers provide relevant information when reporting results from experiments, we extended existing reporting guidelines accordingly.We performed an experiment to evaluate our model with regard to its effectiveness. Software managers who read an experiment report according to the proposed model judged the technology?s appropriateness significantly better than those reading a report about the same experiment that did not explicitly address their information needs. Our research shows that information regarding a technology, the context in which it is supposed to work, and most importantly, the impact of this technology on development costs and schedule as well as on product quality is crucial for decision makers