Nocturnal release of leukocyte-derived microparticles in males with obstructive sleep apnoea

Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed to contribute to the increased cardiovascular morbidity in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), including autonomic dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction 1. Microparticles (MPs) are small membrane vesicles that are shed from circulating cells or from the components of the vessel wall in response to activation and apoptosis. There is growing evidence in support of a potential role of MPs in the field of cardiovascular diseases. Increased levels of MPs derived from various cell types are found in patients at risk of cardiovascular diseases 2. By modulating inflammation, coagulation, vasomotor reactivity and angiogenesis, MPs might directly contribute to cardiovascular diseases 2. Recent case–control studies suggest a potential involvement of MPs in OSA-associated cardiovascular morbidity 3–6. An increase in morning levels of MPs derived from activated leukocytes has been demonstrated in otherwise healthy male OSA patients with marked nocturnal desaturations 5. In vitro, nitric oxide (NO) production by endothelial cells incubated with MPs from OSA patients correlates negatively with circulating levels of activated leukocyte-derived MPs 5. Ex vivo, mice previously injected with MPs from OSA patients display endothelial dysfunction, reduced endothelial NO release and increased adhesion molecule expression 5

The cohomological crepant resolution conjecture for ℙ(1,3,4,4)

We prove the cohomological crepant resolution conjecture of Ruan for the weighted projective space ℙ(1,3,4,4). To compute the quantum corrected cohomology ring, we combine the results of Coates–Corti–Iritani–Tseng on ℙ(1,1,1,3) and our previous results

Molecular dynamics simulation and crystal field calculations of the Eu2O3-PbO-SiO2 glassy system submitted to long annealing time

The Eu2O3-PbO-SiO2 glassy system submitted to a long annealing time (100 ps) has been obtained by molecular dynamics calculations. The average of 87/86 sites of the Eu3 + ion with six/seven nearest neighbours are used to discuss the number of lines and the local symmetry of the luminescent site through the crystal field parameters, using the simple overlap model in the frame of the method of equivalent nearest neighbours. The magnitude of the [View the MathML source] Bq2(q = 0, 1, 2) and the non-negligible [View the MathML source] B44 and [View the MathML source] B46( [View the MathML source] B34, [View the MathML source] B36 and [View the MathML source] B66) lead to the indication of distorted C4h and C3i site symmetries of the six and seven nearest neighbours, respectively. We have then compared very satisfactorily our 7F1 sublevels calculations with those observed in the emission spectra of an Eu-borate glass annealed for 30 min and 17 h. This comparison is justified because the emission behaviour of europium ions in different glassy systems are honestly very similar. Further, the decrease observed in the 5D0→7F2/5D0→7F1 transition intensity ratio is a clear indication that the Eu3 + ion are nucleating a crystalline phase. Such satisfactory comparisons indicate that we have obtained a transparent glass-ceramics

Frustration-induced one-dimensionality in the isosceles triangular antiferromagnetic lattice of δ-(EDT-TTF-CONMe2)2AsF6

The 1/4-filled organic compound, δ-(EDT-TTF-CONMe2)2AsF6 is a frustrated two-dimensional triangular magnetic system as shown by high-frequency (111.2 and 222.4 GHz) electron spin resonance (ESR) and structural data in the literature. The material gradually orders antiferromagnetically below 40 K, but some magnetically disordered domains persist down to 4 K. We propose that in defect free regions frustration prevents true magnetic order down to at least 4 K in spite of the large first- and second-neighbor exchange interactions along chains and between chains, respectively. The antiferromagnetic (AFM) order gradually developing below 40 K nucleates around structural defects that locally cancel frustration. Two antiferromagnetic resonance modes mapped in the principal planes at 4 K are assigned to the very weakly interacting one-dimensional molecular chains in antiferromagnetic regions

Exploring the sources of innovation: the case of Hackathon

This paper advances the exploration of the sources of innovation through the characteristics of the objects produced. To achieve a greater openness to the un- known of innovation processes, we choose not to examine final products. While, as put by von Hippel, final products embed in their functions a value (of use or of exchange), they hide the non-deterministic nature of the process, implying that the goal was known from the beginning. Instead, we will examine poten- tial products, that means projects that have not yet concluded to the market, neither have they been used. Investigating the contributions at a Hackathon hosted by Google, we induce three categories of innovative attitude: collective intimacy, entrepreneurial thinking and technological avant-garde