IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AND GRAFT-REJECTING ANTIBODIES IN HETEROLOGOUS ANTI-LYMPHOCYTIC SERUM

Skin allografts survived longer on ALS-treated, complement-deficient (C5 negative) recipients than on ALS-treated, complement-competent (C5 positive) recipients. Administration of C5-positive serum to C5-negative, ALS-treated recipients resulted in reduced graft survival. A percentage of grafts from ALS-treated, C5-positive donors was rejected when transferred to untreated syngeneic recipients; this was not observed when C5-negative, syngeneic animals served as ALS-treated donors and untreated recipients. It was concluded that ALS has graft-rejecting properties which are promoted by late acting complement components. Unlike ALS-mediated graft rejection, ALS-mediated immunosuppression appeared to be independent of the late acting complement components. The effect of ALS on the humoral response to sheep erythrocytes was examined in complement-deficient and complement-competent mice. Immune-suppression was determined by ALS treatment of C5-competent and C5-deficient mice and also by transfer of in vitro ALS-treated spleen cells from C5-negative and C5-positive donors to cyclophosphamide-treated recipients. The ability of ALS to depress the humoral response to sheep cells and to decrease immunological competence of spleen cells was the same in the presence as in the absence of C5

Performance of a deep learning algorithm for the evaluation of CAD-RADS classification with CCTA

Background and aims: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing its role in diagnosis of patients with suspicious coronary artery disease. The aim of this manuscript is to develop a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in the correct Coronary Artery Disease Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) category. Methods: Two hundred eighty eight patients who underwent clinically indicated CCTA were included in this single-center retrospective study. The CCTAs were stratified by CAD-RADS scores by expert readers and considered as reference standard. A deep CNN was designed and tested on the CCTA dataset and compared to on-site reading. The deep CNN analyzed the diagnostic accuracy of the following three Models based on CAD-RADS classification: Model A (CAD-RADS 0 vs CAD-RADS 1–2 vs CAD-RADS 3,4,5), Model 1 (CAD-RADS 0 vs CAD-RADS>0), Model 2 (CAD-RADS 0–2 vs CAD-RADS 3–5). Time of analysis for both physicians and CNN were recorded. Results: Model A showed a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and accuracy of 47%, 74%, 77%, 46% and 60%, respectively. Model 1 showed a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and accuracy of 66%, 91%, 92%, 63%, 86%, respectively. Conversely, Model 2 demonstrated the following sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and accuracy: 82%, 58%, 74%, 69%, 71%, respectively. Time of analysis was significantly lower using CNN as compared to on-site reading (530.5 ± 179.1 vs 104.3 ± 1.4 sec, p=0.01) Conclusions: Deep CNN yielded accurate automated classification of patients with CAD-RADS

Intensive care in patients with lung cancer : a multinational study

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Annals of Oncology following peer review. The version of record M. Soares, et al, 'Intensive care in patients with lung cancer: a multinational study', Annals of Oncology, Vol. 25 (9): 1829-1835, September 2014, is available online at https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdu234.BACKGROUND: Detailed information about lung cancer patients requiring admission to intensive care units (ICUs) is mostly restricted to single-center studies. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of lung cancer patients admitted to ICUs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective multicenter study in 449 patients with lung cancer (small cell, n = 55; non-small cell, n = 394) admitted to 22 ICUs in six countries in Europe and South America during 2011. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards frailty models were built to identify characteristics associated with 30-day and 6-month mortality. RESULTS: Most of the patients (71%) had newly diagnosed cancer. Cancer-related complications occurred in 56% of patients; the most common was tumoral airway involvement (26%). Ventilatory support was required in 53% of patients. Overall hospital, 30-day, and 6-month mortality rates were 39%, 41%, and 55%, respectively. After adjustment for type of admission and early treatment-limitation decisions, determinants of mortality were organ dysfunction severity, poor performance status (PS), recurrent/progressive cancer, and cancer-related complications. Mortality rates were far lower in the patient subset with nonrecurrent/progressive cancer and a good PS, even those with sepsis, multiple organ dysfunctions, and need for ventilatory support. Mortality was also lower in high-volume centers. Poor PS predicted failure to receive the initially planned cancer treatment after hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: ICU admission was associated with meaningful survival in lung cancer patients with good PS and non-recurrent/progressive disease. Conversely, mortality rates were very high in patients not fit for anticancer treatment and poor PS. In this subgroup, palliative care may be the best option.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Tradition, modernity and gender in the Arab home: a study from Tripoli (Libya)

This socio-spatial study explores the meaning of home in an Arab context in terms of the response of residents to three case study sites that reflect different eras of development and involve different house types- traditional courtyard houses in the Medina and two collective housing estates. Based upon the triadic distinctions of Lefèbvre, a mixed methodology is applied to these case study sites, with relevant information coming from interviews and focus groups with architects and residents, a satisfaction survey and a space syntax analysis. Unlike many previous studies, the interviews and focus groups document the experience and views of female residents. The results highlight the continuing impact of religion and culture on the meaning of the home. The Arab-Libyan home constitutes a family and a feminine ideal, based on gender segregation and female privacy. The traditional courtyard house offers a suitable house type, but not the only possible type that meets the practices and preferences of Arab Libyan families

Micromechanical Properties of Injection-Molded Starch–Wood Particle Composites

The micromechanical properties of injection molded starch–wood particle composites were investigated as a function of particle content and humidity conditions. The composite materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The microhardness of the composites was shown to increase notably with the concentration of the wood particles. In addition,creep behavior under the indenter and temperature dependence were evaluated in terms of the independent contribution of the starch matrix and the wood microparticles to the hardness value. The influence of drying time on the density and weight uptake of the injection-molded composites was highlighted. The results revealed the role of the mechanism of water evaporation, showing that the dependence of water uptake and temperature was greater for the starch–wood composites than for the pure starch sample. Experiments performed during the drying process at 70°C indicated that the wood in the starch composites did not prevent water loss from the samples.Peer reviewe

Coronary volume to left ventricular mass ratio in patients with diabetes mellitus

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and may provoke structural and functional changes in coronary vasculature. The coronary volume to left ventricular mass (V/M) ratio is a new anatomical parameter capable of revealing a potential physiological imbalance between coronary vasculature and myocardial mass. The aim of this study was to examine the V/M derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with diabetes.MethodsPatients with clinically suspected CAD enrolled in the ADVANCE (Assessing Diagnostic Value of Non-invasive FFRCT in Coronary Care) registry and known diabetic status were included. Coronary artery volume and left ventricular myocardial mass were analyzed from CCTA and the V/M ratio was calculated and compared between patients with and without diabetes.ResultsOf the 3053 patients (age 66 ​± ​10 years; 66% male) with known diabetic status, diabetes was present in 21.9%. Coronary volume was lower in patients with diabetes compared to those without diabetes (2850 ​± ​940 ​mm3 vs. 3040 ​± ​970 ​mm3, p ​ConclusionThe V/M ratio was significantly lower in patients with diabetes compared to non-diabetics, even after correcting for obstructive coronary stenosis. The clinical value of the reduced V/M ratio in diabetic patients needs further investigation.</p

An experimental and analytical investigation of reinforced concrete beam-column joints strengthened with a range of CFRP schemes applied only to the beam

This paper investigates the experimental and analytical behaviour of beam-column joints that are subjected to a combination of torque, flexural and direct shear forces, where different Carbon Fibre Polymer (CFRP) strengthening wraps have been applied only to the beam. These wrapping schemes have previously been determined by the research community as an effective method of enhancing the torsional capacities of simply supported reinforced concrete beams. In this investigation, four 3/4-scale exterior beam-column joints were subjected to combined monotonic loading; three different beam wrapping schemes were employed to strengthen the beam region of the joint. The paper suggests a series of rational formulae, based on the space truss mechanism, which can be used to evaluate the joint shear demand of the beams wrapped in these various ways. Further, an iterative model, based on the average stress-strain method, has been introduced to predict joint strength. The proposed analytical approaches show good agreement with the experimental results. The experimental outcomes along with the adopted analytical methods reflect the consistent influence of the wrapping ratio, the interaction between the combined forces, the concrete strut capacity and the fibre orientation on the joint forces, the failure mode and the distortion levels. A large rise in the strut force resulting from shear stresses generated from this combination of forces is demonstrated and leads to a sudden-brittle failure. Likewise, increases in the beams’ main steel rebar strains are identified at the column face, again influenced by the load interactions and the wrapping systems used