The Classification of Weld Seam Defects for Quantitative Analysis by means of Ultrasonic Testing

The paper describes effective quality assessment of spent nuclear fuel storage cask. The ultrasonic testing method is considered. The classification of possible defects with corresponding dimensions limits is proposed. The database of defects of the spent nuclear fuel storage cask was created in compliance with the nuclear energy industry regulatory documents

Explaining and Evaluating Deep Tissue Classification by Visualizing Activations of Most Relevant Intermediate Layers

Deep Learning-based tissue classification may support pathologists in analyzing digitized whole slide images. However, in such critical tasks, only approaches that can be validated by medical experts in advance to deployment, are suitable. We present an approach that contributes to making automated tissue classification more transparent. We step beyond broadly used visualizations for last layers of a convolutional neural network by identifying most relevant intermediate layers applying Grad-CAM. A visual evaluation by a pathologist shows that these layers assign relevance, where important morphological structures are present in case of correct class decisions. We introduce a tool that can be easily used by medical experts for such validation purposes for any convolutional neural network and any layer. Visual explanations for intermediate layers provide insights into a neural network’s decision for histopathological tissue classification. In future research also the context of the input data must be considered

Further Evidence of Neuroprotective Effects of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin and Growth Hormone in Hypoxic Brain Injury in Neonatal Mice

Experimental in vivo data have recently shown complementary neuroprotective actions of rhEPO and growth hormone (rhGH) in a neonatal murine model of hypoxic brain injury. Here, we hypothesized that rhGH and rhEPO mediate stabilization of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and regenerative vascular effects in hypoxic injury to the developing brain. Using an established model of neonatal hypoxia, neonatal mice (P7) were treated i.p. with rhGH (4000 µg/kg) or rhEPO (5000 IU/kg) 0/12/24 h after hypoxic exposure. After a regeneration period of 48 h or 7 d, cerebral mRNA expression of Vegf-A, its receptors and co-receptors, and selected tight junction proteins were determined using qRT-PCR and ELISA. Vessel structures were assessed by Pecam-1 and occludin (Ocln) IHC. While Vegf-A expression increased significantly with rhGH treatment (p < 0.01), expression of the Vegfr and TEK receptor tyrosine kinase (Tie-2) system remained unchanged. RhEPO increased Vegf-A (p < 0.05) and Angpt-2 (p < 0.05) expression. While hypoxia reduced the mean vessel area in the parietal cortex compared to controls (p < 0.05), rhGH and rhEPO prevented this reduction after 48 h of regeneration. Hypoxia significantly reduced the Ocln+ fraction of cortical vascular endothelial cells. Ocln signal intensity increased in the cortex in response to rhGH (p < 0.05) and in the cortex and hippocampus in response to rhEPO (p < 0.05). Our data indicate that rhGH and rhEPO have protective effects on hypoxia-induced BBB disruption and regenerative vascular effects during the post-hypoxic period in the developing brain

Antibodies against citrullinated proteins of IgA isotype are associated with progression to rheumatoid arthritis in individuals at-risk

ObjectiveEvents triggering disease outbreak in individuals at-risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA at-risk) remain unclear, and the role of the various anticitrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) isotypes in this process is still to be established. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of IgA ACPA in RA at-risk individuals, their role in the transition from the RA at-risk status to RA and their dynamics during this transition.MethodsCross-sectional measurement of serum IgA1 and IgA2 ACPA levels was conducted in healthy controls, RA at-risk individuals and patients with RA and compared with the frequency of RA development in at risk individuals during a follow-up of 14 months. In addition, longitudinal measurements of serum IgA1 and IgA2 ACPA levels prior to, at and after the onset of RA were performed.ResultsApproximately two-thirds of RA at-risk individuals were positive for serum IgA1 and IgA2 ACPA in levels comparable to IgG ACPA positive patients with RA. IgA1, but not IgA2 ACPA positivity was associated with the transition from the RA at-risk state to RA within the following 14 months. Interestingly, during this transition process, IgA1 ACPA levels declined at RA onset and also thereafter during the early phase of RA. This decline was confirmed in a second, independent cohort.ConclusionBoth IgA1 and IgA2 ACPA are present in RA at-risk individuals, but only IgA1 ACPA are associated with the progression to RA. The observed decline in serum IgA1 ACPA levels before the onset of RA might indicate starting barrier leakiness prior to disease outbreak

A Helminth-Derived Chitinase Structurally Similar to Mammalian Chitinase Displays Immunomodulatory Properties in Inflammatory Lung Disease

From Hindawi via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: publication-year 2021, received 2021-09-02, accepted 2021-10-25, pub-print 2021-11-25, archival-date 2021-11-25Publication status: PublishedFunder: Coronado BiosciencesFunder: FAZIT Stiftung; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003099Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659; Grant(s): GRK 1673Immunomodulation of airway hyperreactivity by excretory-secretory (ES) products of the first larval stage (L1) of the gastrointestinal nematode Trichuris suis is reported by us and others. Here, we aimed to identify the proteins accounting for the modulatory effects of the T. suis L1 ES proteins and studied six selected T. suis L1 proteins for their immunomodulatory efficacy in a murine OVA-induced allergic airway disease model. In particular, an enzymatically active T. suis chitinase mediated amelioration of clinical signs of airway hyperreactivity, primarily associated with suppression of eosinophil recruitment into the lung, the associated chemokines, and increased numbers of RELMα+ interstitial lung macrophages. While there is no indication of T. suis chitinase directly interfering with dendritic cell activation or antigen presentation to CD4 T cells, treatment of allergic mice with the worm chitinase influenced the hosts’ own chitinase activity in the inflamed lung. The three-dimensional structure of the T. suis chitinase as determined by high-resolution X-ray crystallography revealed high similarities to mouse acidic mammalian chitinase (AMCase) but a unique ability of T. suis chitinase to form dimers. Our data indicate that the structural similarities between the parasite and host chitinase contribute to the disease-ameliorating effect of the helminth-derived chitinase on allergic lung inflammation

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Measurement of the prompt J/psi and psi(2S) polarizations in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The polarizations of prompt J/psi and psi(2S) mesons are measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using a dimuon data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 inverse femtobarns. The prompt J/psi and psi(2S) polarization parameters lambda[theta], lambda[phi], and lambda[theta, phi], as well as the frame-invariant quantity lambda(tilde), are measured from the dimuon decay angular distributions in three different polarization frames. The J/psi results are obtained in the transverse momentum range 14 &lt; pt &lt; 70 GeV, in the rapidity intervals abs(y) &lt; 0.6 and 0.6 &lt; abs(y) &lt; 1.2. The corresponding psi(2S) results cover 14 &lt; pt &lt; 50 GeV and include a third rapidity bin, 1.2 &lt; abs(y) &lt; 1.5. No evidence of large transverse or longitudinal polarizations is seen in these kinematic regions, which extend much beyond those previously explored

Optimasi Portofolio Resiko Menggunakan Model Markowitz MVO Dikaitkan dengan Keterbatasan Manusia dalam Memprediksi Masa Depan dalam Perspektif Al-Qur`an

Risk portfolio on modern finance has become increasingly technical, requiring the use of sophisticated mathematical tools in both research and practice. Since companies cannot insure themselves completely against risk, as human incompetence in predicting the future precisely that written in Al-Quran surah Luqman verse 34, they have to manage it to yield an optimal portfolio. The objective here is to minimize the variance among all portfolios, or alternatively, to maximize expected return among all portfolios that has at least a certain expected return. Furthermore, this study focuses on optimizing risk portfolio so called Markowitz MVO (Mean-Variance Optimization). Some theoretical frameworks for analysis are arithmetic mean, geometric mean, variance, covariance, linear programming, and quadratic programming. Moreover, finding a minimum variance portfolio produces a convex quadratic programming, that is minimizing the objective function ðð¥with constraintsð ð 𥠥 ðandð´ð¥ = ð. The outcome of this research is the solution of optimal risk portofolio in some investments that could be finished smoothly using MATLAB R2007b software together with its graphic analysis