2,422 research outputs found
Cytokine release from alveolar macrophages exposed to ambient particulate matter: Heterogeneity in relation to size, city and season
BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated an association between exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Inflammation seems to play an important role in the observed health effects. However, the predominant particle component(s) that drives the inflammation is still not fully clarified. In this study representative coarse (2.5â10 ÎŒm) and fine (0.1â2.5 ÎŒm) particulate samples from a western, an eastern, a northern and a southern European city (Amsterdam, Lodz, Oslo and Rome) were collected during three seasons (spring, summer and winter). All fractions were investigated with respect to cytokine-inducing potential in primary macrophages isolated from rat lung. The results were related to the physical and chemical parameters of the samples in order to disclose possible connections between inflammatory potential and specific characteristics of the particles. RESULTS: Compared on a gram-by gram basis, both site-specific and seasonal variations in the PM-induced cytokine responses were demonstrated. The samples collected in the eastern (Lodz) and southern (Rome) cities appeared to be the most potent. Seasonal variation was most obvious with the samples from Lodz, with the highest responses induced by the spring and summer samples. The site-specific or seasonal variation in cytokine release could not be attributed to variations in any of the chemical parameters. Coarse fractions from all cities were more potent to induce the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α than the corresponding fine fractions. Higher levels of specific elements such as iron and copper, some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and endotoxin/lipopolysaccaride seemed to be prevalent in the coarse fractions. However, variations in the content of these components did not reflect the variation in cytokine release induced by the different coarse fractions. Addition of polymyxin B did not affect the particle-induced cytokine release, indicating that the variations in potency among the coarse fractions are not explained by endootoxin. CONCLUSION: The inflammatory potential of ambient PM demonstrated heterogeneity in relation to city and season. The coarse particle fractions were consistently more potent than the respective fine fractions. Though a higher level of some elements, PAH and endotoxin was found in the coarse fractions, the presence of specific components was not sufficient to explain all variations in PM-induced cytokine release
New Radar Interferometric Time Series Analysis Toolbox Released
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has become an important geodetic
tool for measuring deformation of Earthâs surface due to various geophysical phenomena,
including slip on earthquake faults, subsurface migration of magma, slowâmoving
landslides, movement of shallow crustal fluids (e.g., water and oil), and glacier flow.
Airborne and spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments transmit microwaves
toward Earthâs surface and detect the returning reflected waves. The phase of the
returned wave depends on the distance between the satellite and the surface, but it is
also altered by atmospheric and other effects. InSAR provides measurements of surface
deformation by combining amplitude and phase information from two SAR images of
the same location taken at different times to create an interferogram. Several existing
openâsource analysis tools [Rosen et al., 2004; Rosen et al., 2011; Kampes et al., 2003 ;
Sandwell et al., 2011] enable scientists to exploit observations from radar satellites
acquired at two different epochs to produce a surface displacement map
Emergence and rapid global dissemination of CTX-M-15-associated Klebsiella pneumoniae strain ST307
Abstract Recent reports indicate the emergence of a new carbapenemase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clone, ST307. Here we show that ST307 emerged in the mid-1990s (nearly 20 years prior to its first report), is already globally distributed and is intimately associated with a conserved plasmid harbouring the bla CTX-M-15 extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) gene plus other antimicrobial resistance determinants. Our findings support the need for enhanced surveillance of this widespread ESBL clone in which carbapenem resistance is now emerging
Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis:protocol for the randomised, single-blinded, parallel-group Sleep-RA trial
Pain and pain mechanisms in patients with inflammatory arthritis:A Danish nationwide cross-sectional DANBIO registry survey
Association between baseline vitamin D metabolite levels and long-term cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from the CIMESTRA trial:protocol for a cohort study with patient-record evaluated outcomes
Central peak position in magnetization loops of high- superconductors
Exact analytical results are obtained for the magnetization of a
superconducting thin strip with a general behavior J_c(B) of the critical
current density. We show that within the critical-state model the magnetization
as function of applied field, B_a, has an extremum located exactly at B_a=0.
This result is in excellent agreement with presented experimental data for a
YBCO thin film. After introducing granularity by patterning the film, the
central peak becomes shifted to positive fields on the descending field branch
of the loop. Our results show that a positive peak position is a definite
signature of granularity in superconductors.Comment: $ pages, 6 figure
Expansion dynamics of Pb-Pb collisions at 40 A GeV/c viewed by negatively charged hadrons
In this paper we present results on transverse mass spectra and Hanbury-Brown
and Twiss correlation functions of negatively charged hadrons, which are
expected to be mostly negative pions, measured in Pb-Pb collisions at 40 A
GeV/c beam momentum. Based on these data, the collision dynamics and the
space-time extent of the system at the thermal freeze-out are studied over a
centrality range corresponding to the most central 53% of the Pb--Pb inelastic
cross section. Comparisons with freeze-out conditions of strange particles and
HBT results from other experiments are discussed.Comment: 29 pages, 18 figure
New results from the NA57 experiment
We report results from the experiment NA57 at CERN SPS on hyperon production
at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 GeV/ and 40 GeV/.
, and yields are compared with those from the STAR
experiment at the higher energy of the BNL RHIC. , , \
and preliminary transverse mass spectra are presented and interpreted
within the framework of a hydro-dynamical blast wave model.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, contribution to the proceedings of The XXXVIIIth
Rencontres de Moriond "QCD and High Energy Hadronic Interactions
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