The RTSORAC Real-Time Object-Oriented Database Model and Prototype

This paper presents a model and prototype implementation of a real-time object-oriented database system. In addition to traditional database system requirements, a real-time database must support data temporal consistency requirements and timeconstrained transactions. The RTSORAC database model supports these requirements by specifying objects that contain: attributes with value, time and imprecision fields; constraints on each of those fields; and semantically defined compatibility of object methods. It also specifies first-class relationships that can express inter-object constraints, and specifies time-constrained transactions with varying tolerances for data consistency. The implementation of the RTSORAC model in the Open Object-Oriented Database System is described

Protective effect of HLA-DQB1 alleles against alloimmunization in patients with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Alloimmunization or the development of alloantibodies to Red Blood Cell (RBC) antigens is considered one of the major complications after RBC transfusions in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and can lead to both acute and delayed hemolytic reactions. It has been suggested that polymorphisms in HLA genes, may play a role in alloimmunization. We conducted a retrospective study analyzing the influence of HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 genetic diversity on RBC-alloimmunization. STUDY DESIGN: Two-hundred four multi-transfused SCD patients with and without RBC-alloimmunization were typed at low/medium resolution by PCR-SSO, using IMGT-HLA Database. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 allele frequencies were analyzed using logistic regression models, and global p-value was calculated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: While only trends towards associations between HLA-DR diversity and alloimmunization were observed, analysis of HLA-DQ showed that HLA-DQ2 (p=0.02), -DQ3 (p=0.02) and -DQ5 (p=0.01) alleles were significantly higher in non-alloimmunized patients, likely behaving as protective alleles. In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis showed both HLA-DQ2/6 (p=0.01) and HLA-DQ5/5 (p=0.03) combinations constitute additional predictor of protective status. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that particular HLA-DQ alleles influence the clinical course of RBC transfusion in patients with SCD, which could pave the way towards predictive strategies

Interleukin-12-secreting fibroblasts are more efficient than free recombinant interleukin-12 in inducing the persistent resistance to Mycobacterium avium complex infection

To determine whether the paracrine secretion of interleukin-12 (IL-12) can efficiently stimulate the resistance to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection, 3T3 fibroblasts were stably transfected to secrete IL-12 (480 U/106 cells/48 hr) and their effect on MAC infection was investigated in genetically susceptible BALB/c mice, compared with that of free recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12). Injection with IL-12-secreting fibroblasts (3T3-IL-12) during intranasal infection with MAC resulted in a significant decrease in the bacterial load of the lung during the entire 10-week observation period, while rIL-12 reduced the bacterial load initially, at 2 weeks, but not by 10 weeks postinfection. Lung CD4+ T cells in mice injected with the 3T3-IL-12 cells showed a persistent T helper type 1 (Th1) response throughout the 10-week period. Furthermore, immunization with the 3T3-IL-12 cells induced and maintained significantly higher levels of cytotoxic activity and nitric oxide production by lung cells than did rIL-12 immunization. This work suggests that IL-12-secreting fibroblasts may serve as a vehicle for paracrine secretion of IL-12 for immunotherapy of MAC infection

PaCTS 1.0: a crowdsourced reporting standard for paleoclimate data

The progress of science is tied to the standardization of measurements, instruments, and data. This is especially true in the Big Data age, where analyzing large data volumes critically hinges on the data being standardized. Accordingly, the lack of community‐sanctioned data standards in paleoclimatology has largely precluded the benefits of Big Data advances in the field. Building upon recent efforts to standardize the format and terminology of paleoclimate data, this article describes the Paleoclimate Community reporTing Standard (PaCTS), a crowdsourced reporting standard for such data. PaCTS captures which information should be included when reporting paleoclimate data, with the goal of maximizing the reuse value of paleoclimate data sets, particularly for synthesis work and comparison to climate model simulations. Initiated by the LinkedEarth project, the process to elicit a reporting standard involved an international workshop in 2016, various forms of digital community engagement over the next few years, and grassroots working groups. Participants in this process identified important properties across paleoclimate archives, in addition to the reporting of uncertainties and chronologies; they also identified archive‐specific properties and distinguished reporting standards for new versus legacy data sets. This work shows that at least 135 respondents overwhelmingly support a drastic increase in the amount of metadata accompanying paleoclimate data sets. Since such goals are at odds with present practices, we discuss a transparent path toward implementing or revising these recommendations in the near future, using both bottom‐up and top‐down approaches

Cluster in nuclei: Experimental perspectives

This lecture notes treat some experimental aspects of nuclear cluster states studies, ranging from traditional techniques to some of the most recent developments and emerging methods. Experimental investigations, in the field of nuclear clusters are discussed in terms of detection techniques and associated electronics. Recent developments in accelerator technology and targetry are also presented in the scope of new opportunities in cluster studies. The nature of cluster states makes exclusive measurements crucial. It requires the simultaneous detection of nucleons, light, intermediate-mass and heavy fragments, and possibly -rays together with timing information. Precise measurements of angular correlations and energy distributions between emitted particles are needed for kinematic reconstruction in order to achieve a detailed study of the decay modes and the underlying dynamics. Within this scope, highly segmented and high-efficiency detection systems are depicted. Developments in digital signal processing have made possible major advances in experimental nuclear physics. The combination of large numbers of channels with fast data acquisition systems is one of the key aspects of this modern technology. Nuclear reactions play a key role in the study of the structure of nuclear clusters. Therefore, aspects of acceleration, including high-intensity, low-energy stable and radioactive beams are presented. Targetry has received a renewed interest with the advent of active targets (ACTAR). The combination of radioactive beams and active targets for the study of nuclear clustering is certainly opening new horizons in this field of physics. A number of current experimental setups and computer codes are cited to illustrate some of the techniques described but this list is by no means exhaustive. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg