86 research outputs found
Experimental assessment of head losses through elliptical and sharp-edged orifices
Due to the European electricity market liberalization and the appearance of other renewable electricity producers, an increase of installed peak power capacity is relevant to provide larger amount of electricity in a shorter turbine duration. When the discharge increase is not too large, it is frequently efficient to place an orifice at the entrance of the existing surge tank. Actually, the surge tank modifications have to be designed case-by-case. The introduction of head losses helps to manage maximum and minimum water level following the management of downstream discharge control and transient events. It allows to keep the same safety level. The placed orifice should commonly produce asymmetric losses. It is important to note that target head losses are evaluated with a unidimensional numerical model which performs transient simulation for relevant flow directions in the whole water way system and hydropower plant. A previous study performed by the authors focused on the effects of sharp-edged orifice parameters. This research carries out the analysis of corresponding elliptical orifices to tested sharp-edged orifices. The goal is to evaluate the head loss modification in both directions due to the shape change
Genome-wide whole blood transcriptome profiling in a large European cohort of systemic sclerosis patients
Objectives The analysis of annotated transcripts
from genome-wide
expression studies may help to
understand the pathogenesis of complex diseases, such
as systemic sclerosis (SSc). We performed a whole blood
(WB) transcriptome analysis on RNA collected in the
context of the European PRECISESADS project, aiming
at characterising the pathways that differentiate SSc
from controls and that are reproducible in geographically
diverse populations.
Methods Samples from 162 patients and 252 controls
were collected in RNA stabilisers. Cases and controls
were divided into a discovery (n=79+163; Southern
Europe) and validation cohort (n=83+89; Central-Western
Europe). RNA sequencing was performed by
an Illumina assay. Functional annotations of Reactome
pathways were performed with the Functional Analysis
of Individual Microarray Expression (FAIME) algorithm.
In parallel, immunophenotyping of 28 circulating cell
populations was performed. We tested the presence
of differentially expressed genes/pathways and the
correlation between absolute cell counts and RNA
transcripts/FAIME scores in regression models. Results
significant in both populations were considered as
replicated.
Results Overall, 15 224 genes and 1277 functional
pathways were available; of these, 99 and 225 were
significant in both sets. Among replicated pathways,
we found a deregulation in type-I
interferon, Toll-like
receptor cascade, tumour suppressor p53 protein
function, platelet degranulation and activation. RNA
transcripts or FAIME scores were jointly correlated with
cell subtypes with strong geographical differences;
neutrophils were the major determinant of gene
expression in SSc-WB
samples.
Conclusions We discovered a set of differentially
expressed genes/pathways validated in two independent
sets of patients with SSc, highlighting a number of
deregulated processes that have relevance for the
pathogenesis of autoimmunity and SSc.EU/EFPIA/Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking PRECISESADS
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Social Media, Gender and the Mediatisation of War: Exploring the German Armed Forces’ Visual Representation of the Afghanistan Operation on Facebook
Studies on the mediatisation of war point to attempts of governments to regulate the visual perspective of their involvements in armed conflict – the most notable example being the practice of ‘embedded reporting’ in Iraq and Afghanistan. This paper focuses on a different strategy of visual meaning-making, namely, the publication of images on social media by armed forces themselves. Specifically, we argue that the mediatisation of war literature could profit from an increased engagement with feminist research, both within Critical Security/Critical Military Studies and within Science and Technology Studies that highlight the close connection between masculinity, technology and control. The article examines the German military mission in Afghanistan as represented on the German armed forces’ official Facebook page. Germany constitutes an interesting, and largely neglected, case for the growing literature on the mediatisation of war: its strong antimilitarist political culture makes the representation of war particularly delicate. The paper examines specific representational patterns of Germany’s involvement in Afghanistan and discusses the implications which arise from what is placed inside the frame of visibility and what remains out of its view
Assessing the population equivalent and performance of wastewater treatment through the ratios of pharmaceuticals and personal care products present in a river basin: Application to the River Thames basin, UK
Molecular Characterization of Monocyte Subsets Reveals Specific and Distinctive Molecular Signatures Associated With Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Objectives: This study, developed within the Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Undertaking project PRECISESADS framework, aimed at functionally characterize the monocyte subsets in RA patients, and analyze their involvement in the increased CV risk associated with RA.Methods: The frequencies of monocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of 140 RA patients and 145 healthy donors (HDs) included in the PRECISESADS study were determined by flow cytometry. A second cohort of 50 RA patients and 30 HDs was included, of which CD14+ and CD16+ monocyte subpopulations were isolated using immuno-magnetic selection. Their transcriptomic profiles (mRNA and microRNA), proinflammatory patterns and activated pathways were evaluated and related to clinical features and CV risk. Mechanistic in vitro analyses were further performed.Results: CD14++CD16+ intermediate monocytes were extended in both cohorts of RA patients. Their increased frequency was associated with the positivity for autoantibodies, disease duration, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and the presence of atheroma plaques, as well as with the CV risk score. CD14+ and CD16+ monocyte subsets showed distinctive and specific mRNA and microRNA profiles, along with specific intracellular signaling activation, indicating different functionalities. Moreover, that specific molecular profiles were interrelated and associated to atherosclerosis development and increased CV risk in RA patients. In vitro, RA serum promoted differentiation of CD14+CD16− to CD14++CD16+ monocytes. Co-culture with RA-isolated monocyte subsets induced differential activation of endothelial cells.Conclusions: Our overall data suggest that the generation of inflammatory monocytes is associated to the autoimmune/inflammatory response that mediates RA. These monocyte subsets, -which display specific and distinctive molecular signatures- might promote endothelial dysfunction and in turn, the progression of atherosclerosis through a finely regulated process driving CVD development in RA
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