Anti-TNF-alpha therapy induces a distinct regulatory T cell population in patients with rheumatoid arthritis via TGF-beta

The induction of regulatory T (T reg) cells holds considerable potential as a treatment for autoimmune diseases. We have previously shown that CD4(+)CD25(hi) T reg cells isolated from patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a defect in their ability to suppress proinflammatory cytokine production by CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells. This defect, however, was overcome after anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha antibody (infliximab) therapy. Here, we demonstrate that infliximab therapy gives rise to a CD4(+)CD25(hi)FoxP3(+) T reg cell population, which mediates suppression via transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and interleukin 10, and lacks CD62L expression, thereby distinguishing this T reg cell subset from natural T reg cells present in healthy individuals and patients with active RA. In vitro, infliximab induced the differentiation of CD62L(-) T reg cells from CD4(+)CD25(-) T cells isolated from active RA patients, a process dependent on TGF-alpha. In spite of the potent suppressor capacity displayed by this CD62L(-) T reg cell population, the natural CD62L(+) T reg cells remained defective in infliximab-treated patients. These results suggest that anti-TNF-alpha therapy in RA patients generates a newly differentiated population of T reg cells, which compensates for the defective natural T reg cells. Therefore, manipulation of a proinflammatory environment could represent a therapeutic strategy for the induction of T reg cells and the restoration of tolerance

Designing polymers for nuclear track detection

This article describes our attempts since 1996 to systematically design andsynthesize monomers and corresponding polymers for nuclear track detection. So far more than 15 homopolymers.copolymers have been prepared and tested by us for this purpose. Some of these polymers show better track detection characteristics vis-á-vis commercially available poly allyl diglycol carbonate (PADC) track detectors.Author Affiliation: V S Nadkarni 1.Department of Chemistry, Goa University, Goa-403 206, India E-mail : [email protected] of Chemistry, Goa University, Goa-403 206, Indi

Geometry of good sets in n-fold Cartesian product

We propose here a multidimensional generalisation of the notion of link introduced in our previous papers and we discuss some consequences for simplicial measures and sums of function algebras.Comment: 17 pages, no figures, no table

It's about time! CEO temporal dispositions, CEO temporal leadership and corporate entrepreneurship

How CEOs think and feel about time may have a big influence on their firms’ strategies. We examine how two distinct CEO temporal dispositions—time urgency (the feeling of being chronically hurried) and pacing style (one’s pattern of effort over time in working toward deadlines)—each influence corporate entrepreneurship, a key strategic behavior. We propose that CEOs’ temporal leadership—how they manage the temporal aspects of top management teams’ activities—mediates the relationships between their temporal dispositions and corporate entrepreneurship—firms’ innovation, corporate venturing, and strategic renewal activities. Using a sample of 129 small and medium-sized Chinese firms, we find that CEOs’ time urgency is positively related to their temporal leadership, which in turn is positively related to corporate entrepreneurship. We also examine the effects of three distinct pacing styles: early-action, meaning the CEO exerts the most effort early in the task process and relaxes as the deadline nears; steady-action, meaning the CEO spreads out effort evenly across the time allotted; and deadline-action, meaning the CEO is most active as the deadline nears. We find that the deadline-action style inhibits CEOs’ temporal leadership, but the steady-action and early-action styles have similar effects on their temporal leadership. This study explicates the dispositional basis of executives’ subjective views of time, demonstrating how CEOs’ temporal dispositions shape firms’ behavior

The perinatal and maternal outcome in pregnancy with advanced maternal age 35 years and >35 years

Background: Purpose of this study is to evaluate maternal and perinatal outcome in advanced maternal age women. As numbers of pregnancies in advanced maternal age continue to grow, obstetric care provider would benefit from up to date outcome data to enhance their preconceptional and antenatal counseling.Methods: It is observational prospective analytic study, conducted in Nowrosjee Wadia maternity hospital, Parel, Mumbai. Total 100 patients were included in study, fulfilling inclusion criteria over period of 1 year.Results: In 100 patients, most common cause of delay conception is infertility (27%). 24% of patients conceived after treatment. out of 100 patients 23% of patients had pre-existing medical and surgical disorders, 50% developed complications in pregnancy. Out of 100 patient 58 patients undergone through biochemical study, 3 patients had high risk for chromosomal disorders. The rate of caeasarean section in our study is 68%. Perinatal mortality and morbidity is high in our study, rate of preterm delivery is 23.7%. Out of 105 babies (including multiple gestation), 42.8% babies are low birth weight out of which 9.5% babies are very low birth weight. Rate of NICU admission is 33%, perinatal mortality rate, neonatal mortality rate and still birth rate is 19.4 per 1000 births. Advanced maternal age is related to high maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality rate.Conclusions: Pregnancies in women of advanced maternal age are considered high risk for Perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. A proper preconception consultation and intensive antenatal care assessment can individualize and potentially reduce the risks for women with advanced maternal age

Modification of crystallinity and structure in powder processing of polytetra fluoroethylene

The modification of structure, crystallinity and orientation have been studied in powder processed polytetrafluoroethylene by various techniques. It was found that crystallinity (as determined from regression curve analysis) in unsintered samples decreased with increase of compaction pressure while in sintered specimen it increased with increase of pressure. The crystallinity was also found to vary inversely with logarithm of cooling rate. Microfocus X-ray diffraction revealed the orientation of c-axis lying preferentially in the plane perpendicular to applied pressure. There was slight variation in the lattice dimension especially the c-axis in completely sintered specimen. The infrared studies showed the presence of some of the bands depended upon the molding/sintering conditions. These various findings have been explained on the basis of compaction and recrystallization behaviour under constrained conditions

Effective Field Theory Approach to High-Temperature Thermodynamics

An effective field theory approach is developed for calculating the thermodynamic properties of a field theory at high temperature $T$ and weak coupling $g$. The effective theory is the 3-dimensional field theory obtained by dimensional reduction to the bosonic zero-frequency modes. The parameters of the effective theory can be calculated as perturbation series in the running coupling constant $g^2(T)$. The free energy is separated into the contributions from the momentum scales $T$ and $gT$, respectively. The first term can be written as a perturbation series in $g^2(T)$. If all forces are screened at the scale $gT$, the second term can be calculated as a perturbation series in $g(T)$ beginning at order $g^3$. The parameters of the effective theory satisfy renormalization group equations that can be used to sum up leading logarithms of $T/(gT)$. We apply this method to a massless scalar field with a $\Phi^4$ interaction, calculating the free energy to order $g^6 \log g$ and the screening mass to order $g^5 \log g$.Comment: 40 pages, LaTeX, 5 uuecoded figure

Serum estradiol concentrations as a predictor of successful outcome in artificial frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles

Background: The role of late follicular serum estradiol monitoring in artificial FET cycles remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between serum estradiol levels on the day of starting progesterone supplementation with clinical pregnancy rates in FET cycle.Methods: This was a non-interventional observational cohort study of patients undergoing ICSI followed by FET at Nadkarni hospital and test tube baby center, Killa-Pardi, Gujarat during the period of January 2021 to May 2021. Total 64 cycles were studied and serum estradiol levels were analyzed on the day of starting progesterone supplementation. They were divided into 3 groups based on serum E2 levels (0-25th centile, 25th-75th centile and >75th centile). Chi square/Fisher exact test were used to compare the clinical pregnancy and implantation rates between these groups.Results: Clinical pregnancy and implantation rates in group A, B and C were 68.8%, 78.1%, 75% and 36.98±9.06, 32.03±4.48 and 29.69±5.69 respectively.Conclusions: Serum estradiol levels before progesterone supplementation in FET cycles do not predict the outcome of FET cycle therefore making routine monitoring of serum estradiol in FET cycle of questionable value

The clock is ticking! Executive temporal depth, industry velocity, and competitive aggressiveness

We examine how the interplay between executive temporal depth (time horizons that executives consider when contemplating past and future events) and industry velocity (the rate at which new opportunities emerge and disappear in an industry) shapes competitive aggressiveness (a firm's propensity to challenge rivals directly and intensely in order to maintain or improve its market position) and firm performance. Based on panel data (from 1995 to 2000) from 258 firms in 23 industries, we found that executive temporal depth exhibited different patterns of relationships with competitive aggressiveness in low- and high-velocity industries. Moreover, competitive aggressiveness had a positive main effect on firm performance, but this effect was stronger in high-velocity industries than in low-velocity industries