Role of PTX3 and complement modulation in the tumor microenvironment

Pentraxin-3 (PTX3), the prototype of long pentraxins, seems to influence complement system (CS) modulation.PTX3 and CS sustain carcinogenesis, enriching tumor microenvironment (TME) with pro-inflammatory moleculespromoting angiogenesis in prostate cancer (PC) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Furthermore, cancer cellsoverexpress complement regulatory proteins, such as CD46, CD55 and CD59, which negatively affect complementpathways for support cancer cells survival. This viewpoint aims to elucidate the ambivalent role of PTX3 and the CSin the context of tumor microenvironment (TME).     

Cellular and subcellular coherent dynamics,biological functional properties,and system-environment interaction

In this view point paper, we briefly summarize some of the clinical, biochemical and biophysical results obtainedin our research on Relaxation Response. We also qualitatively describe the theoretical biophysical model that could linkthem. Our work points to a unified view of the human biological system activity, joining the dynamics ruling theinteractions and correlations of the microscopic components to the knowledge of their specific individual propertiesin the effort of going beyond a purely atomistic approach.     

NATURAL LANGUAGE GENERATION AND HYPERTEXT ACCESS

Abstract

An innovative framework is presented that responds to the needs of a user that may want to have punctual personalized information integrated with the possibility of accessing standard browsable information through the same generated text. An implemented system is illustrated for generating natural language texts immersed in a hypermedia network. The architecture of the system and the specific solution given to the various components and their integration are described: the strategic component and its relation to the knowledge representation and to the user model, the tactical component and its connection to the strategic one, and the hypertext manager that accomodates the new linked text. Throughout the article explicit reference is made to the implementation solutions adopted and to examples relative to the experimentation of the work as part of the ALFRESCO interactive system.     

Comparison of five three-parameter equations for the description of moisture sorption data of mustard seeds

Equilibrium moisture contents (EMC) of seeds of yellow, brown, and oriental mustards were determined at five different temperatures (2, 10, 25, 40, and 55°C) by equilibrating about 10-g samples at relative humidities in the range of 11–96%, obtained using saturated salt solutions. the EMCs of all three types of mustard decreased with an increase in temperature at constant relative humidity. At most temperatures and at the relative humidities tested, oriental mustard seeds had the lowest, yellow mustard the highest, and brown mustard intermediate EMC values. Differences in the moisture adsorption characteristics of the three mustards were attributed to differences in mucilaginous material, oil and protein contents of the seed. the modified GAB equation together with four other commonly used three-parameter equations (modified Henderson, Chung-Pfost, Halsey, and Oswin equations) were evaluated for their ability to fit the experimental data for the three types of mustard. the modified GAB equation gave the best fit to the experimental data and the modified Oswin equation was the second best model for describing the EMC data of mustard seeds. the predicted safe storage moisture contents of oriental, brown and yellow mustard seeds at 25°C were 10.0, 10.6 and 10.7% (db), respectively.     

A note on ‘A closed form solution for the G/M/r machine interference model’ by B. D. Bunday and E. Khorram

In this note, we characterize the scope of the product form solution that has been presented in the paper, ‘A closed form solution for the G/M/r machine interference model’ (International Journal of Production Research, 1988,26, 1811-1818). In this paper, the machine interference problem has been solved for JV heterogeneous machines that are ‘repaired’ by a set of r operatives, which repair the machines in a service-in-random-order fashion. The authors solve the model allowing for different, independent and identically distributed times between breakdowns for each machine and different negative-exponential repair times for each machine. In this short critique, we show that the solution presented by Bunday and Khorram does not solve the classical machine interference problem unless the hypothesis of heterogeneous machines is relaxed.     

Switched-Reluctance Motor Performance Analysis Based On An Improved Modeling Of Its Magnetic Characteristics

ABSTRACT

A novel piecewise linear model of the magnetic characteristics of a switched-reluctance motor is formulated and the procedure to evaluate the model parameters is illustrated. On the basis of the model, the torque-position and average torque equations of the motor are calculated and expressed in a normalized form. A significant figure related to the motor performance is then introduced and discussed. The merit of the model over the existing ones in providing accurate results without complicating the analysis is pointed out.     

FixtureNet: interactive computer-aided design via the World Wide Web

The Internet offers tremendous potential for rapid development of mechanical products to meet global competition. In the past several years, a variety of geometric algorithms have been developed to evaluate computer-aided design (CAD) models with respect to manufacturing properties such as feedability, fixturability, assemblability, etc. Unfortunately, most of these algorithms are tailored to a particular CAD system and format and so have not been widely tested by industry. The World Wide Web may offer a solution: its simple interface language offers ade factostandard for the exchange of geometric data with industry and research groups. In this paper, we describe a feasibility study for such an interactive system, which can be tested directly athttp://teamster.usc.edu/fixture/