3,911 research outputs found
Glucocorticoid treatment in patients with newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia switches CD14(++)CD16(+) intermediate monocytes from a pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory phenotype
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is thought to result from an aberrant
adaptive autoimmune response, involving autoantibodies, B and T lymphocytes, directed at platelets and megakaryocytes. Previous reports have
demonstrated skewed CD4+ T-helper subset distribution and enhanced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 17A and interferon gamma. The role of monocytes (MCs) in ITP is less widely described,
but innate immune cells have a role in shaping CD4+ T-cell phenotypes.
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used for first-line ITP treatment and
modulate a broad range of immune cells including T cells and MCs. Using
multiparameter flow cytometry analysis, we demonstrate the expansion of
intermediate MCs (CD14++CD16+
) in untreated patients with newly diagnosed ITP, with these cells displaying a pro-inflammatory phenotype, characterised by enhanced expression of CD64 and CD80. After 2 weeks of
prednisolone treatment (1 mg/kg daily), the proportion of intermediate
MCs reduced, with enhanced expression of the anti-inflammatory markers
CD206 and CD163. Healthy control MCs were distinctly different than
MCs from patients with ITP before and after GC treatment. Furthermore,
the GC-induced phenotype was not observed in patients with chronic ITP
receiving thrombopoietin receptor agonists. These data suggest a role of
MCs in ITP pathogenesis and clinical response to GC therapy
Happiness Scale Interval Study. Methodological Considerations
The Happiness Scale Interval Study deals with survey questions on happiness, using verbal response options, such as ‘very happy’ and ‘pretty happy’. The aim is to estimate what degrees of happiness are denoted by such terms in different questions and languages. These degrees are expressed in numerical values on a continuous [0,10] scale, which are then used to compute ‘transformed’ means and standard deviations. Transforming scores on different questions to the same scale allows to broadening the World Database of Happiness considerably. The central purpose of the Happiness Scale Interval Study is to identify the happiness values at which respondents change their judgment from e.g. ‘very happy’ to ‘pretty happy’ or the reverse. This paper deals with the methodological/statistical aspects of this approach. The central question is always how to convert the frequencies at which the different possible responses to the same question given by a sample into information on the happiness distribution in the relevant population. The primary (cl)aim of this approach is to achieve this in a (more) valid way. To this end, a model is introduced that allows for dealing with happiness as a latent continuous random variable, in spite of the fact that it is measured as a discrete one. The [0,10] scale is partitioned in as many contiguous parts as the number of possible ratings in the primary scale sums up to. Any subject with a (self-perceived) happiness in the same subinterval is assumed to select the same response. For the probability density function of this happiness random variable, two options are discussed. The first one postulates a uniform distribution within each of the different subintervals of the [0,10] scale. On the basis of these results, the mean value and variance of the complete distribution can be estimated. The method is described, including the precision of the estimates obtained in this way. The second option assumes the happiness distribution to be described as a beta distribution on the interval [0,10] with two shape parameters (α and β). From their estimates on the basis of the primary information, the mean value and the variance of the happiness distribution in the population can be estimated. An illustration is given in which the method is applied to existing measurement results of 20 surveys in The Netherlands in the period 1990–2008. The results clarify our recommendation to apply the model with a uniform distribution within each of the category intervals, in spite of a better validity of the alternative on the basis of a beta distribution. The reason is that the recommended model allows to construct a confidence interval for the true but unknown population happiness distribution. The paper ends with a listing of actual and potential merits of this approach, which has been described here for verbal happiness questions, but which is also applicable to phenomena which are measured along similar lines
Trichlorido(N,N′-di-tert-butylbenzamidinato-κ2 N,N′)silicon
In the title molecule, C15H23Cl3N2Si, the Si atom is pentacoordinated by two N atoms [Si—N = 1.780 (3) and 1.931 (3) Å] from the benzamidinate ligand and three chloride anions [Si—Cl = 2.0711 (14)–2.1449 (14) Å] in a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry
The Full Two-Loop R-parity Violating Renormalization Group Equations for All Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model Couplings
We present the full two-loop -functions for the minimal supersymmetric
standard model couplings, extended to include R-parity violating couplings
through explicit R-parity violation
Echinoderms have bilateral tendencies
Echinoderms take many forms of symmetry. Pentameral symmetry is the major
form and the other forms are derived from it. However, the ancestors of
echinoderms, which originated from Cambrian period, were believed to be
bilaterians. Echinoderm larvae are bilateral during their early development.
During embryonic development of starfish and sea urchins, the position and the
developmental sequence of each arm are fixed, implying an auxological
anterior/posterior axis. Starfish also possess the Hox gene cluster, which
controls symmetrical development. Overall, echinoderms are thought to have a
bilateral developmental mechanism and process. In this article, we focused on
adult starfish behaviors to corroborate its bilateral tendency. We weighed
their central disk and each arm to measure the position of the center of
gravity. We then studied their turning-over behavior, crawling behavior and
fleeing behavior statistically to obtain the center of frequency of each
behavior. By joining the center of gravity and each center of frequency, we
obtained three behavioral symmetric planes. These behavioral bilateral
tendencies might be related to the A/P axis during the embryonic development of
the starfish. It is very likely that the adult starfish is, to some extent,
bilaterian because it displays some bilateral propensity and has a definite
behavioral symmetric plane. The remainder of bilateral symmetry may have
benefited echinoderms during their evolution from the Cambrian period to the
present
LEGACY MIND AND CASE RESOLVING CAPACITY: OLD AND NEW POSSIBILITIES OF ROMAN LAW
Rastuća europskokontinentalna državna obitelj ima s rimskim pravom i njegovim vrelima dragocjenu zajedničku osnovu "pravničku kulturu koja je znatno utjecala na europske pravne sustave današnjice". Ta bi osnova mogla biti od velike koristi u mnogim područjima, posebice u nastojanjima oko pravničkog ujednačavanja u Europi. Svakako je od koristi iskoristiti "de lege ferendd" postojeća moguća rješenja tipičnih problema i pravnih instituta, mijenjanih i usavršavanih kroz povijest. Autor u radu zorno pokazuje na koji način rješenja rimskog prava mogu utjecati na daljnji europski pravni razvitak i rješenja suvremenih pravnih problema, naglašavajući iznimnu važnost izučavanja rimskog prava i sa aspekta ostvarenja ciljeva pravničkog obrazovanja.European legal family and roman law and its sources are closely interconnected in "legal culture which influenced enormously on legal systems today". Its common ground could be of importance in various fields especially in process of construction of new common law of europe. In paper author describes some roman law ways and methods of importance for new european legal development
Are your covariates under control? How normalization can re-introduce covariate effects
Many statistical tests rely on the assumption that the residuals of a model are normally distributed. Rank-based inverse normal transformation (INT) of the dependent variable is one of the most popular approaches to satisfy the normality assumption. Studies regularly adjust for covariates and then normalize the residuals. This study investigated the effect of regressing covariates against the dependent variable and then applying rank-based INT to the residuals. The correlation between the dependent variable and covariates at each stage of processing was assessed. An alternative approach was tested of applying rank-based INT to the dependent variable before regressing covariates was tested. Analyses based on both simulated and real data examples demonstrated that applying rank-based INT to the dependent variable residuals after regressing out covariates re-introduces a linear correlation between the dependent variable and covariates in almost all situations. This will increase type-1 errors and reduce power. Our proposed alternative approach, where rank-based INT was applied prior to controlling for covariate effects, gave residuals that were normally distributed and linearly uncorrelated with covariates. This approach is therefore recommended
Neurobehavioral consequences of chronic intrauterine opioid exposure in infants and preschool children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
<b>Background</b><p></p>
It is assumed within the accumulated literature that children born of pregnant opioid dependent mothers have impaired neurobehavioral function as a consequence of chronic intrauterine opioid use.<p></p>
<b>Methods</b><p></p>
Quantitative and systematic review of the literature on the consequences of chronic maternal opioid use during pregnancy on neurobehavioral function of children was conducted using the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched Cinahl, EMBASE, PsychINFO and MEDLINE between the periods of January 1995 to January 2012.<p></p>
<b>Results</b><p></p>
There were only 5 studies out of the 200 identified that quantitatively reported on neurobehavioral function of children after maternal opioid use during pregnancy. All 5 were case control studies with the number of exposed subjects within the studies ranging from 33–143 and 45–85 for the controls. This meta-analysis showed no significant impairments, at a non-conservative significance level of p < 0.05, for cognitive, psychomotor or observed behavioural outcomes for chronic intra-uterine exposed infants and pre-school children compared to non-exposed infants and children. However, all domains suggested a trend to poor outcomes in infants/children of opioid using mothers. The magnitude of all possible effects was small according to Cohen’s benchmark criteria.<p></p>
<b>Conclusions</b><p></p>
Chronic intra-uterine opioid exposed infants and pre-school children experienced no significant impairment in neurobehavioral outcomes when compared to non-exposed peers, although in all domains there was a trend to poorer outcomes. The findings of this review are limited by the small number of studies analysed, the heterogenous populations and small numbers within the individual studies. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine if any neuropsychological impairments appear after the age of 5 years and to help investigate further the role of environmental risk factors on the effect of ‘core’ phenotypes
Atomic excitation during recollision-free ultrafast multi-electron tunnel ionization
Modern intense ultrafast pulsed lasers generate an electric field of
sufficient strength to permit tunnel ionization of the valence electrons in
atoms. This process is usually treated as a rapid succession of isolated
events, in which the states of the remaining electrons are neglected. Such
electronic interactions are predicted to be weak, the exception being
recollision excitation and ionization caused by linearly-polarized radiation.
In contrast, it has recently been suggested that intense field ionization may
be accompanied by a two-stage `shake-up' reaction. Here we report a unique
combination of experimental techniques that enables us to accurately measure
the tunnel ionization probability for argon exposed to 50 femtosecond laser
pulses. Most significantly for the current study, this measurement is
independent of the optical focal geometry, equivalent to a homogenous electric
field. Furthermore, circularly-polarized radiation negates recollision. The
present measurements indicate that tunnel ionization results in simultaneous
excitation of one or more remaining electrons through shake-up. From an atomic
physics standpoint, it may be possible to induce ionization from specific
states, and will influence the development of coherent attosecond XUV radiation
sources. Such pulses have vital scientific and economic potential in areas such
as high-resolution imaging of in-vivo cells and nanoscale XUV lithography.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, original format as accepted by Nature Physic
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