Assessment of tissue fibrosis in skin biopsies from patients with systemic sclerosis employing confocal laser scanning microscopy: an objective outcome measure for clinical trials?

OBJECTIVES: To obtain an objective, unbiased assessment of skin fibrosis in patients with SSc for use in clinical trials of SSc disease-modifying therapeutics. METHODS: Skin biopsies from the dorsal forearm of six patients with diffuse SSc and six healthy controls, and skin biopsies from the forearm of one patient with diffuse SSc before and following 1 year treatment with mycophenolate mofetil were analysed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with specific antibodies against collagen types I and III or fibronectin. The integrated density of fluorescence (IDF) was calculated employing National Institutes of Health-ImageJ software in at least four different fields per biopsy spanning the full dermal thickness. RESULTS: The intensities of collagen types I and III and fibronectin IDF were 174, 147 and 139% higher in SSc skin than in normal skin, respectively. All differences were statistically significant. The sum of the IDF values obtained for the three proteins yielded a comprehensive fibrosis score. The average fibrosis score for the six SSc samples was 28.3 x 10(6) compared with 18.6 x 10(6) for the six normal skin samples (P \u3c 0.0001). Comparison of skin biopsies obtained from the same SSc patient before treatment and after 12 months of treatment with mycophenolate mofetil showed a reduction of 39% in total fibrosis score after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: CLSM followed by quantitative image analysis provides an objective and unbiased assessment of skin fibrosis in SSc and could be a useful end-point for clinical trials with disease-modifying agents to monitor the response or progression of the disease

Electronic control/display interface technology

An effort to produce a representative workstation for the Space Station Data Management Test Bed that provides man/machine interface design options for consolidating, automating, and integrating the space station work station, and hardware/software technology demonstrations of space station applications is discussed. The workstation will emphasize the technologies of advanced graphics engines, advanced display/control medias, image management techniques, multifunction controls, and video disk utilizations

Influence of synthesis conditions on properties of green-reduced graphene oxide

[EN] Green reduction of graphene oxide (GO) was performed using ascorbic acid (AA) in the presence of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), which resulted in reduced graphene oxide (PSS-rGO) with excellent solubility and stability in water. Large rGO sheets of 4 mu m(2) area and 1.1-nm thickness were obtained. The measurements showed that noncovalent functionalization with PSS molecules prevented rGO from aggregation. The parameters of graphite oxidation process and AA: GO w/w ratio were evaluated, and the obtained results showed that the properties of the reduced material (PSS-rGO) can be tailored by proper selection and adjustment of these parameters.The authors thank the European Commission for their financial support through the project no. NMP3-SL-2010-246073.Pruna, A.; Pullini, D.; Busquets, D. (2013). Influence of synthesis conditions on properties of green-reduced graphene oxide. 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Application of Data Mining to forecast Air Traffic: A 3-Stage Model using Discrete Choice Modeling

The main goal of this study centers on developing an aggregate air itinerary share model estimated at the city-pair level within the US air transportation system. This route demand assignment model is part of a new modeling approach that has as its ultimate output the prediction of detailed traffic information for the US air transportation system. In this approach, city-pair demand generation, route demand assignment and air traffic levels estimations are completed in 3 different stages within a single framework. Aiming to fully develop the overall model, in this paper we focus on estimating the 2nd stage, the air itinerary choice model. In order to achieve this, the first approach taken applies a multinomial logit model and uses a combination of stated preferences (SP) and revealed preferences (RP) data to estimate the model. By using a mixed dataset, we attempt to improve the RP model results, which often perform poorly due to high demand inelasticity. Preliminary results show the potential of this approach, although further analysis is required to understand the results obtained. For the final paper, different approaches and further interactions among the model attributes will be applied to improve the model’s performance

Air itinerary shares estimation using multinomial logit models

The main goal of this study is the development of an aggregate air itinerary market share model. In order to achieve this, multinomial logit models are applied to distribute the city-pair passenger demand across the available itineraries. The models are developed at an aggregate level using open-source booking data for a large group of city-pairs within the US air transport system. Although there is a growing trend in the use of discrete choice models in the aviation industry, existing air itinerary share models are mostly focused on supporting carrier decision-making. Consequently, those studies define itineraries at a more disaggregate level using variables describing airlines and time preferences. In this study, we define itineraries at a more aggregate level, i.e. as a combination of flight segments between an origin and destination, without further insight into service preferences. Although results show some potential for this approach, there are challenges associated with prediction performance and computational intensity

WITHIN SUBJECT VARIABILITY ANALYSIS REVEALS A TRANSITION POINT FOR THE LONGSWING ACROSS AGE GROUPS

This research aimed to observe changes in the within subject variability of the longswing performance and coordination across age groups in gymnasts divided by their competition level, from younger (group 1) to experts (group 5). Data were collected by two video cameras. Performance and coordinative within subject variability were calculated by the standard deviation (inter-trial variability) and the deviation phase (intra-trial variability). Results only showed significant group differences for within subject variability (inter- and intra-trial) in the SD P3H-P3S. In addition, group 4 (14.78±0.57 yrs) showed both large inter-trial variability in the upswing shoulder flexion (P3) and large intra-trial variability during hip and shoulder extension (P2) and P3. Such large variability in group 4 suggests a transition point towards the experts´ performance and coordination (19.96±3.37 yrs)

PRACTICE AND TALENT EFFECTS IN SWING HIGH BAR INTER-JOINT COORDINATION OF NOVICE ADULTS

This research describes changes in movement coordination after a two-month practice period of the swing on high bar in a novice cohort, which was divided by a-priory talent level into two groups: spontaneous-talented, ST, and non-spontaneous-talented, NST. Their performance was also compared with experienced gymnasts. Data were collected during pre- and post-practice sessions by two video cameras. Coordination between hip and shoulder joints was assessed. Results showed a similar practice effect in the swing enlargements in both novice groups. Interestingly, the ST group’s inter-joint coordination variables on the downswing improved more than those of the NST group due to practice. Therefore, the two novice groups improved performance, but they showed diferent local coordination. Initial talent helped to improve both performance and coordination in the down-swing