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JAKOB+MACFARLANE ARCHITECTS雅各布+麦克法兰建筑事务所雅各布+麦克法兰建筑事务所(Jakob+MacFarlane Architects)是一家总部设在法国巴黎的跨文化跨学科的建筑设计公司,始创于1992年。其作品同时在概念革新与创作手段两个层面上展开了对数码技术的探索,运用新型材料以求创造出反应更为灵活、     

Effects of immunopharmacological compounds in the Lyme arthritis model using normal and SCID mice

The murine Lyme borreliosis causes a special type of arthritis whose development appears to be controlled by a functioning immune system. Immunocompetent C3H and severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (strain SH-2-82) to induce experimental Lyme disease. Expression of clinical symptoms was mild to very moderate in the C3H but more rapidly developing and severe in the SCID mouse. Various pharmacological compounds, such as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs, monoclonal antibodies and other miscellaneous agents, were investigated for profiling their effects in this model in both mouse strains. Several disease parameters were assessed, in particular paw swelling. The use of these various compounds provided further evidence that experimental borreliosis in mice represents a special type of arthritis which has no autoimmune basis and which requires productive infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. In addition, when comparing these results with those obtained in other mainly immune driven arthritis models commonly used in inflammation research, it is concluded that this arthritis model is not suitable for the therapeutic assessment of antiinflammatory agents.     

Altered modulation of the in vitro antibody synthesis by placental factors from the CBA/J x DBA/2 abortion-prone mating combination

BACKGROUND: We determined the accuracy of intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) in distinguishing between bile duct cancer and benign bile duct disease. METHODS: Patients (n=42) who required bile duct biopsy using percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) to evaluate bile duct strictures or filling defects were studied. A thin-caliber ultrasonic probe (2.0 mm diameter and 20 MHz frequency) was inserted into the bile duct, and its images were prospectively reviewed before PTCS. RESULTS: Disruption of the bile duct wall structure, seen on IDUS, was associated with malignancy in 25 of 26 patients. When IDUS demonstrated a lesion with normal bile duct structure, six of nine patients were found to have no malignancy. IDUS demonstrated no intraductal lesion in seven patients, and bile duct biopsy also did not indicate cancer in any of these patients. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of IDUS for diagnosing bile duct cancer were 76%, 89%, and 50%, respectively. When used in tandem with IDUS, the sensitivity of bile cytology (64%) and PTCS (93%) improved to 96% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of IDUS for diagnosing bile duct cancer was less than that of PTCS (95%). However, the sensitivity for bile cytology, or bile duct biopsy improved when performed in combination with IDUS.     

Phase II trial of oxaliplatin as first-line chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer patients. Digestive Group of French Federation of Cancer Centers

PURPOSE: To evaluate the objective tumor response rate and safety profile of oxaliplatin when administered to patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 39 patients were entered onto this phase II trial. One patient was excluded for having had a second cancer, so the study was based on 38 patients. Patients were treated with oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 as a 2-hour infusion on day 1, every 21 days. Patients were assessed for response every three courses. All clinical and radiologic data were reviewed by an external panel of experts, with their assessment being considered definitive. RESULTS: Nine partial responses (PRs) were observed (response rate, 24.3%; 95% confidence interval, 11.8% to 41.2%). The median duration of response was 216+ days. Fifteen patients (40.5%) had stable disease and 13 (35.2%) had progressive disease. The median progression-free survival time for all patients was 126+ days (range, 21 to 447+). The main toxicity was peripheral sensory neuropathy. Grade 3 neurotoxicity (National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria [NCI-CTC]) was reported in 13%. Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicities were mild. The incidence of grade 3 neutropenia was 5.2%, while that of grade 3 or 4 thrombopenia was 7.9%. Vomiting (grade 3 or 4) occurred in 7.9% of patients and grade 3 diarrhea in 2.6%. CONCLUSION: This phase II study provides clear evidence of the safety and efficacy of oxaliplatin monotherapy at this dose and schedule in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal carcinoma.     

Room-temperature CW laser operation at ~1.55 μm (eye-safe range)of Yb:Er and Yb:Er:Ce:Ca2Al2SiO7crystals

Room-temperature CW laser operation at 1.55 μm of Yb:Er:Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ (CAS) single crystal pumped at 940 nm and 975 nm has been achieved for the first time. Introduction of a third doping ion, Ce³⁺, decreases the Er ³⁺⁴I_11/2 excited-state lifetime and improves the laser properties. For Yb:Er:Ce:CAS single crystal, a maximum of 20 mW output power is produced for 285 mW absorbed power. With this material, a low threshold of 20 mW and a relatively high slope efficiency of ~5.5% are obtained. Preliminary results indicate possible improvement in the near future. Experimental threshold values and laser properties of CAS crystals with various compositions are in good agreement with calculations, performed using the rate-equations modeling. Comparison with a Yb:Er:phosphate glass laser is also presented     

Reducing Wear in a coal slurry fired large-bore diesel engine by material modelling

In the combustion of coal slurry as fuel in large-bore diesel engines, a relatively large amount of abrasive ash occurs (iron oxides and quartz). The object of this work was to make the running surfaces of such engines – especially the piston rings and cylinder liner – so resistant to wear that service life similar to that using ash-free fuels is obtained. Based on result of operational wear stressing tests wear damage was identified as mainly abrasive. A novel materials solutions is to crush the ash particles to a subcritical size when they enter the lubrication gap. For this, all running surfaces involved must be provided with the same surface: a hard, tough matrix and about 30–70% hard phase with grain sizes of 30–200 m?m and minimum hardness around 2000 HV highly resistant to abrasion. The layer built up with powder and bonded metallurgically consists of a matrix containing chromium and molybdenum, with austenitic/martensitic structure formation, in which titanium, vanadium and/or tungsten coarse carbides are embedded. Initial abrasion tests carried out on selected samples confirm the validity of our wear hypothesis and our material model.