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Zimbabue vivió meses agitados entre fines del 2017 y todo lo que va del presente año. La máxima figura del país, Robert Mugabe, creyó que podía eternizarse en el poder. Sin embargo, en noviembre las fuerzas militares del país -ex aliados del Presidente- decidieron no dejar el futuro librado al azar y provocaron la dimisión forzada de Mugabe. Luego de casi cuatro décadas, Zimbabue ve una nueva cara a cargo de la presidencia, la de Emmerson Mnangagwa –alias El Cocodrilo-, que se viste de conciliador y atrapa a la sociedad con un discurso esperanzador que le da prioridad a la resolución de los gravísimos problemas económicos y al respeto de la vapuleada democracia. Pero Mnangagwa es un representante más de la vieja guardia independentista. Trata de desmarcarse del ex presidente, pero lo acompañó en su gestión desde 1980. De hecho, fue su cercana y buena relación con la cúpula militar y la élite política lo que lo llevaron a ser elegido como presidente interino. ¿Su pasado lo condena? Puede que la voluntad de un verdadero cambio lo acompañe, pero si no cuenta con el visto bueno del establishment político y militar difícilmente lo logre. El próximo 30 de julio se llevarán a cabo las primeras elecciones sin Mugabe como candidato, y en ellas se disputarán la presidencia Emmerson Mnangagwa por el partido Unión Africana Nacional de Zimbabue-Frente Patriótico (ZANU-PF), y Nelson Chamisa del opositor Movimiento por un Cambio Democrático (MDC). En todo caso, si El Cocodrilo gana estas elecciones, solo habrá un cambio de caras, pero el ZANU-PF se mantendrá en el poder sin alternancias desde 1980., Departamento de África, Instituto de Relaciones Internacionales

Dendritic cells (DCs) are key in connecting innate and adaptive immunity. Their potential in inducing specific immune responses has made them interesting targets for immunotherapeutic approaches. Our research group was the first to exploit the naturally occurring myeloid DCs (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) in therapeutic vaccination trials against melanoma. To develop primary DC subsets as an optimal vaccine, the identification of a clinically applicable adjuvant activating both subsets is required. Although the expression of pathogen recognition receptors differs distinctly between the DC subsets, both pDCs and mDCs can respond to single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) via Toll-like receptors 7 and 8, respectively. Since ssRNA is easily degraded by RNases, we stabilized anionic RNA by complexing it with the positively charged protein protamine. This leads to the formation of protamine–RNA complexes with varying features depending on ionic content. We subsequently investigated the immunostimulatory effect of complexes that formed various salt concentrations on purified DC subsets. Both mDCs and pDCs upregulated maturation markers and produced pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent way to the protamine–RNA complexes. This was dependent on endosomal acidification and correlated partly with the uptake of protamine–RNA complexes. Furthermore, both DC subsets induced T cell proliferation and IFN gamma secretion in a beneficial ratio to IL-10. These results indicate that protamine–RNA complexes can be used to stimulate human mDC and pDC ex vivo for use in immunotherapeutic settings. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00262-015-1746-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This blog post by Daniella Lowenberg was cross-posted from the Make Data Count blog. The Make Data Count (MDC) project is moving ahead with full force and the team wanted to take a moment to update the research stakeholder community on our project...

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has made a 2-year, $747K award to the California Digital Library, DataCite and DataONE to support collection of usage and citation metrics for data objects. Building on pilot work, this award will result in the launch...

Contains fulltext : 174543.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Because of the potent graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect, allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT) can be a curative therapy for hematological malignancies. However, relapse remains the most frequent cause of treatment failure, illustrating the necessity for development of adjuvant post-transplant therapies to boost GVT immunity. Dendritic cell (DC) vaccination is a promising strategy in this respect, in particular, where distinct biologic functions of naturally occurring DC subsets, i.e. myeloid DCs (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), are harnessed. However, it is challenging to obtain high enough numbers of primary DC subsets from blood for immunotherapy due to their low frequencies. Therefore, we present here an ex vivo GMP-compliant cell culture protocol for generating different DC subsets from CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) of alloSCT donor origin. High numbers of BDCA1+ mDCs and pDCs could be generated, sufficient for multiple vaccination cycles. These HSPC-derived DC subsets were highly potent in inducing antitumor immune responses in vitro. Notably, HSPC-derived BDCA1+ mDCs were superior in eliciting T cell responses. They efficiently primed naive T cells and robustly expanded patient-derived minor histocompatibility antigen (MiHA)-specific T cells. Though the HSPC-pDCs also efficiently induced T cell responses, they exhibited superior capacity in activating NK cells. pDC-primed NK cells highly upregulated TRAIL and possessed strong cytolytic capacity against tumor cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that HSPC-derived DC vaccines, comprising both mDCs and pDCs, may possess superior potential to boost antitumor immunity post alloSCT, due to their exceptional T cell and NK cell stimulatory capacity.

Routinely collected health data, obtained for administrative and clinical purposes without specific a priori research goals, are increasingly used for research. The rapid evolution and availability of these data have revealed issues not addressed by existing reporting guidelines, such as Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). The REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely collected health Data (RECORD) statement was created to fill these gaps. RECORD was created as an extension to the STROBE statement to address reporting items specific to observational studies using routinely collected health data. RECORD consists of a checklist of 13 items related to the title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion section of articles, and other information required for inclusion in such research reports. This document contains the checklist as well as explanatory and elaboration information to enhance the use of the checklist. Examples of good reporting for each RECORD checklist item are also included. This document, as well as the accompanying website and message board (http://www.record-statement.org), will improve the implementation and understanding of RECORD. By implementing RECORD, authors, journals editors, and peer reviewers can enhance transparency of research reporting.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of aging, and underlies the development of many diseases. Cells maintain mitochondrial homeostasis through a number of pathways that remodel the mitochondrial proteome or alter mitochondrial content during times of stress or metabolic adaptation. Here, using yeast as a model system, we identify a new mitochondrial degradation system that remodels the mitochondrial proteome of aged cells. Unlike many common mitochondrial degradation pathways, this system selectively removes a subset of membrane proteins from the mitochondrial inner and outer membranes, while leaving the remainder of the organelle intact. Selective removal of preexisting proteins is achieved by sorting into a mitochondrial-derived compartment, or MDC, followed by release through mitochondrial fission and elimination by autophagy. Formation of MDCs requires the import receptors Tom70/71, and failure to form these structures exacerbates preexisting mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that the MDC pathway provides protection to mitochondria in times of stress. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13943.001, eLife digest Our cells contain compartments called mitochondria, which provide energy and serve as a home for many metabolic pathways that are critical for life. Changes in mitochondrial activity can contribute to aging and to the development of several age-associated diseases. However, our cells contain systems that detect changes in the performance of mitochondria and can act to re-establish a healthy state. These systems respond to stress or changes in metabolism by degrading particular proteins in the mitochondria. This enables damaged or unwanted proteins to be replaced with new proteins, but it is not clear how these mitochondrial defense systems work to keep mitochondria healthy as an organism ages. Budding yeast is a good model in which to study the aging process because the performance of this yeast’s mitochondria change in a characteristic way as the yeast ages. Previous studies have shown that these changes are caused by alterations in another cell structure called the lysosome, which can store nutrients and is where many proteins are degraded. Here, Hughes et al. used yeast cells to investigate how mitochondrial defense systems operate during aging. The experiments reveal an entirely new mitochondrial protein degradation system that helps to keep the mitochondria healthy as the yeast cells age. This process is rapidly triggered by changes in lysosome activity and results in certain proteins in each mitochondrion being sorted into a small compartment made from a part of the mitochondrion. This compartment is released from the mitochondrion and then travels to the lysosome where the proteins are destroyed. Inhibiting the formation of these compartments results in mitochondria being more sensitive to cellular stress. The next steps following on from this work are to find out exactly what role this mitochondrial defense pathway plays in cells and why it targets only a small set of all the proteins found in mitochondria. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13943.002

Partners in Zimbabwe's Global Political Agreement (GPA), a legal instrument regarding the formation of a government of national unity (GNU) between Zimbabwe's political contestants, MDC-T, ZANU (PF), and MDC-M, after the internationally condemned June 27, 2008 presidential run-off elections between the MDC-T and ZANU (PF) presidential candidates, have openly disagreed on their perception of the targeted sanctions that were imposed on some members, institutions, and business organizations owned by or associated with the pre-GNU government by the USA and EU in 2001 and 2002, respectively, as a direct response to the incumbent government's alleged slide into, among other things, authoritarian rule, lawlessness, misgovernance, and violations of human and people's rights. ZANU (PF) has always blamed MDC for calling on Western governments and the USA to impose sanctions on the pre-GNU government to weaken it and effect regime change. This paper seeks to examine the seemingly paradoxical sanctions discourse within Zimbabwe's political establishment where targeted sanctions are seen both as an impediment not only to economic growth but also to political stability and, at the same time, as a convenient tool to garner political mileage by both ZANU (PF) and MDC formations.

Chronic alcohol use alters adaptive immunity and cytokine activity influencing immunological and hormone responses, inflammation, and wound healing. Brain cytokine disturbances may impact neurological function, mood, cognition and traits related to alcoholism including impulsiveness. We examined the relationship between plasma cytokine levels and self-rated psychiatric symptoms in 40 adult males (mean age 51 ± 6 years; range 33–58 years) with current alcohol dependence and 30 control males (mean age 48 ± 6 years; range 40–58 years) with no history of alcoholism using multiplex sandwich immunoassays with the Luminex magnetic-bead based platform. Log-transformed cytokine levels were analyzed for their relationship with the Symptom Checklist-90R (SCL-90R), Barratt Impulsivity Scales (BIS) and Alcoholism Severity Scale (ASS). Inflammatory cytokines (interferon γ-induced protein-10 (IP-10); monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1); regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES)) were significantly elevated in alcoholism compared to controls while bone marrow-derived hematopoietic cytokines and chemokines (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF); soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L); growth-related oncogene (GRO)) were significantly reduced. GRO and RANTES levels were positively correlated with BIS scales; and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) levels were positively correlated with SCL-90R scale scores (p < 0.05). Elevated inflammatory mediators in alcoholism may influence brain function leading to increased impulsiveness and/or phobia. The novel association between RANTES and GRO and impulsivity phenotype in alcoholism should be further investigated in alcoholism and psychiatric conditions with core impulsivity and anxiety phenotypes lending support for therapeutic intervention.

Background Dendritic cells (DC) determine initiation, type and location of immune responses and, in adults, show decreased Toll-like receptors and some increased cytokine levels on ageing. Few studies in children have characterised DC or explored DC-related mechanisms producing age-related immune changes. Results The pDC marker BDCA2 (but not CD123) was absent in pre-pubertal children and numbers of pDC decreased with age. Blood and colonic DC were more mature and activated in adults. Decrease in pDC numbers correlated with reduced GM-CSF levels with aging, but increasing IL-4 and IL-8 levels correlated with a more activated DC profile in blood. CXCL16 levels decreased with age. Methods Blood and colonic DC phenotypes were determined in healthy adults and children by flow cytometry and correlated with aging. Blood DC were divided into plasmacytoid (pDC) and myeloid (mDC) while only mDC were identified in colon. Serum cytokine levels were determined by multiplex cytokine assays and correlated with DC properties. Conclusions In children, lack of BDCA2, a receptor mediating antigen capture and inhibiting interferon induction, may be immunologically beneficial during immune development. Conversely, reduced pDC numbers, probably secondary to decreasing GM-CSF and increasing cytokine-induced maturation of DC are likely to determine deteriorating immunity with ageing.

Nano-interfacial dielectric polarization phenomena were discussed from the viewpoint of electronics, paying attention to the alignment of dipoles and dipolar energy. Firstly, we summarized dielectric polarization phenomena of monolayer comprised of polar molecules, and showed that monolayer is quite different from bulk materials, and the unique dielectric properties of monolayers can be discussed in terms of orientational order parameters. Maxwell-displacement-current (MDC) measurement coupled with optical second harmonic generation (SHG) measurement is shown as an effective way for detecting unique dielectric polarization phenomena of surface monolayers. Then, the importance of dielectric energy is discussed from the viewpoint of monolayer pattern formation and pointed out that the control of dipolar energy can be new pattern formation technology.

Prostaglandin D_2 (PGD_2), a mast cell-derived lipid mediator is detected in lage amounts in airways of asthmatics, but its role of largely unkown. To clarify the role of PGD_2 in Th2-type airway inflammation which characterizes asthma, we studied the effects of aerosolized PGD_2 on the inflammatory response to a low-dose antien challenge in airways of mice. Mice sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) were challenged with a conventional-dose (1%) or a low dose (0.1%) aerosolized OVA. Mice received low - dose OVA challenge were pretreated with aerosolized PGD_2 (10^M) (PGD_2 plus low-dose OVA mice) or saline (low-dose OVA alone mice) 24 hrs before the OVA challenge. Some mice were pretreated with PGD_2 but challenged with saline (PGD_2 alone mice). Airway inflammation was evaluated by the numbers of eosinophils, lymphocytes and macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The degree of airway inflammation in the PGD_2 alone mice and the low-dose OVA alone mice were only marginal. However, the PGD_2 plus low-dose OVA mice displayed a similar degree of airway inflammation with mice received conventional-dose OVA challenge. Levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 were significantly increased in the PGD_2 plus low-dose OVA mice than the low-dose OVA alone mice. PGD_2 (10^-10^ M) did not affect the Th2-type cytokine production by OVA specific T cells in response to OVA stimulation in vitro. Immunohistochemical analysis of lung tissue revealed that airway epithelium of the PGD_2 plus low-dose OVA alone mice were strongly stained with monoclonal antibody against macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), a Th2 cell-specific chemokine. These results suggest that PGD_2 augments Th2 cell -type airway inflammation via epithelial experssion of MDC.

We report here that human B cells produce thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) and macrophage derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22) if stimulated with anti-CD40 and IL-4. The production was determined by both protein and mRNA level using specific ELISA and semi-quantitative RT-PCR methods. Since the ligand of the TARC and MDC is CCR4, which is specifically expressed on Th2 type T cells, the production of these CC chemokines is likely to play important roles in the T cell and B cell interaction. Consistent with this, ovalbumin (OVA) specific IgE levels, which reflect the T-B cell interaction, are significantly correlated with the amounts of TARC and MDC in sera. Furthermore, we found that TARC and MDC levels are significantly increased in the sera obtained from patients with atopic dermatitis, and that the amounts are correlated with the severity of atopic dermatitis. Since CD40 ligand and IL-4 are produced by activated T helper cells, these results indicate that TARC and MDC produced by B cells play important roles in the production of antigen specific IgE by the T-B cell interaction and in the pathogenesis of allergic disease.

The lack of a rapid and quantitative autophagy assay has substantially hindered the development and implementation of autophagy-targeting therapies for a variety of human diseases. To address this critical issue, we developed a novel autophagy assay using the newly developed Cyto-ID fluorescence dye. We first verified that the Cyto-ID dye specifically labels autophagic compartments with minimal staining of lysosomes and endosomes. We then developed a new Cyto-ID fluorescence spectrophotometric assay that makes it possible to estimate autophagy flux based on measurements of the Cyto-ID-stained autophagic compartments. By comparing to traditional autophagy approaches, we found that this assay yielded a more sensitive, yet less variable, quantification of the stained autophagic compartments and the estimate of autophagy flux. Furthermore, we tested the potential application of this autophagy assay in high throughput research by integrating it into an RNA interference (RNAi) screen and a small molecule screen. The RNAi screen revealed WNK2 and MAP3K6 as autophagy-modulating genes, both of which inhibited the MTOR pathway. Similarly, the small molecule screen identified sanguinarine and actinomycin D as potent autophagy inducers in leukemic cells. Moreover, we successfully detected autophagy responses to kinase inhibitors and chloroquine in normal or leukemic mice using this assay. Collectively, this new Cyto-ID fluorescence spectrophotometric assay provides a rapid, reliable quantification of autophagic compartments and estimation of autophagy flux with potential applications in developing autophagy-related therapies and as a test to monitor autophagy responses in patients being treated with autophagy-modulating drugs. Published version

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is characterized by a minority of neoplastic cells, the so-called Reed-Sternberg (RS) cells and a vast majority of reactive cells. RS cells produce chemokines that can attract subsets of peripheral blood cells into HL tissues. To gain insight in the chemokines involved in HL, 16 chemokines were selected based on their ability to recruit different subsets of cells. Five HL, 5 non-HL-derived cell lines, 22 HL, 5 non-HL and 3 control tissues were analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Products for 13 of these 16 chemokines were detected in I or more of the cell lines tested. No or only very faint signals were obtained in HL for CXCL12, CCL7 and CCL8, but CXCL10, CCL5, CCL13, CCL17 and CCL22 were highly or differentially expressed in HL cell lines and tissues. Immunohistochemistry was performed with antibodies reactive with the latter 5 chemokines on paraffin sections of 21 cases of HL. CCL17 and CCL22 had the highest signals in RS cells at gene expression and at protein levels. CCL17 was specific for the classic HL subtypes, whereas CCL22 also had low signals in NLP samples, as well as in some non-HL. CXCL10 was expressed in a large proportion of HL cases with a predominant expression in EBV-positive cases. The results indicate that RS cells produce a complex pattern of chemokines that are involved in the recruitment of reactive cells and contribute to the paradox of an extensive but ineffective host immune response. (C) 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A review of the mechanical properties and failure initiation and propagation in carbon/epoxy composites is presented. The results of the study of the macromechanical static characteristics, non-linear elastic behavior flexural modulus and shear properties of unidirectional composites (UDC), as well as, of tensile, compression and flexural moduli, strength analysis edge and hybrid effects in multidirectional composites (MDC) were discussed A discussion of the non-linear elastic behavior of carbon/epoxy UDC, the flexural moduli of both UDC and MDC, strength analysis and edge effects of laminates is emphasized.

Background & objectives: Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor is a form of thnon steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and is commonly used in autoimmune and rheumatic diseases to control inflammation and alleviate pain. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production and an imbalance of T helper 1 (Th1)/Th2 contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune and also anti-tumour activity. Dipyrone is a NSAID used to treat pain worldwide. The celecoxib analogue, 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib (DMC), lacks COX-2 inhibitory activity but exhibits anti-tumour properties. However, the effects and the mechanisms of dipyrone and 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib on tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and Th1- and Th2-related chemokines in monocytes remain poorly defined. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of dipyrone and 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib on the expression of Th1 (IP-10) and Th2 (I-309 and MDC) and TNF-α in human monocytes and the associated intracellular mechanism. Methods: THP-1 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were pre-treated with dipyrone (10 -9 - 10 -4 M) and 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib (10 -9 - 10 -5 M) 2 h before lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Cell supernatant was collected 24 h after LPS stimulation. TNF-α, I-309, MDC and IP-10 concentrations of cell supernatants were determined using ELISA. Intracellular signaling was evaluated by w0 estern blot. Results: Dipyrone and 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib downregulated LPS-induced Th2-related chemokine I-309 and macrophage derived chemokine (MDC) production. Only high dose of 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib (10 -5 M), but not dipyrone downregulated LPS-induced IP-10. Only very high dose of 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib had effect on LPS-induced TNF-α expression in PBMCs. Dipyrone and 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib suppressed LPS-induced p65 and JNK MAPK (C-Jun N-terminal kinase mitogen activated protein kinase). expression. Interpretation & conclusions: Dipyrone and 2,5-dimethylcelecoxib downregulated LPS-induced Th2-related chemokine I-309 and MDC in THP-1 cells. The suppressive effect on Th2-related chemokine I-309 and MDC may involve the downregulation of LPS-induced JNK and p65 expression.

Submitted by Emanuel Varela Cardoso (emanuel.varela@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-11-09T17:51:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ALECIO SOARES SILVA – DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGMat) 2014.pdf: 873139 bytes, checksum: 9a35db2563d66eb36f4dabfe6e5cd45e (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-09T17:51:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ALECIO SOARES SILVA – DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGMat) 2014.pdf: 873139 bytes, checksum: 9a35db2563d66eb36f4dabfe6e5cd45e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-08 Capes Neste trabalho consideramos o uso de algoritmo de Euclides com o intuito de aplicá-lo de uma forma interdisciplinar. Para atingir este objetivo construimos o conjunto dos números naturais, com base nos quatro axiomas de Peano e o conjunto dos inteiros por uma relação de equivalência específica. Além disto, fizemos um estudo de algumas propriedades aritméticas dos números inteiros, bem como do magnífico algoritmo de Euclides. Em seguida utilizamos este algoritmo como uma ferramenta para calcular o maximo divisor comum (MDC) de números inteiros e a partir do MDC estudamos a resolução de equações lineares diofantinas, as quais foram empregadas para fazer o balanceamento de Reações Quimicas. In this work we consider the use of the Euclid’s algorithm in order to apply it in an interdisciplinary way. To achieve this we constructed the set of the natural numbers based on the four Peano axioms and the set of integers by a specific equivalence relation. Moreover, we have studied some arithmetic properties of integers, as well as the magnificent Euclidean algorithm. We then use this algorithm as a tool to calculate the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) of integers and from this study the resolution of Diophantine linear equations, which were employed to do the balance of Chemical Reactions.

V magistrskem delu so predstavljene in opisane sodobne metode optične razpoznave znakov v slikah naravnih scen. Izbrane so bile metode, ki dosegajo visoko točnost in so robustne na osvetlitev ter ostale geometrijske spremembe. Naše delo temelji na implementaciji treh različnih metod za pridobivanje značilk. Osnovna metoda HOG, na kateri temeljita tudi ostali dve metodi je ena izmed bolj popularnih metod pridobivanja značilk. Metoda HOG je bila primarno uporabljena pri detekciji ljudi, vendar je pri razpoznavi znakov v slikah naravnih scen modificirana, za doseganje boljših rezultatov. Na metodi HOG bazira metoda PHOG, ki pretvori osnovni HOG v piramidalni sistem, ter obenem vključuje bilinearno interpolacijo. Zaradi piramidne strukture PHOG-a, je ta metoda počasnejša od metode HOG, vendar bolj natančna, saj je tudi vektor značilk večji. Tretja metoda, ki smo jo implementirali je metoda Co-HOG, ki od metode HOG podeduje vse dobre lastnosti, kot je invariantnost na različno svetlost in lokalne geometrijske spremembe. Co-HOG se razlikuje po tem, da značilke vsebujejo tudi prostorska razmerja med slikovnimi elementi, s čimer se znak bolj natančno opiše in razpozna, med drugim je tudi hitrejša metoda pridobivanja značilk. Zaradi različnih naravnih faktorjev v znakih naravnih scen je razpoznava znakov s tradicionalnimi sistemi optične razpoznave znakov nenatančna, saj ti predpostavljajo, da se znaki ne razlikujejo v pisavi in barvi, ter na monotono ozadje znaka. Pri pridobivanju robustnih značilk znakov naravnih scen se uporablja metode, ki so invariantne na velikost znaka, šum ozadja, tip pisave ter na vizualne efekte, ki pritegnejo pozornost, kot je npr. prelivanje barv v posameznem znaku. Zgoraj opisane metode ne potrebujejo klasičnega predprocesiranja in binarizacije slike znaka, kot to počnejo tradicionalni sistemi, saj te zajemajo značilke z metodami, ki opišejo videz objekta in obliko z intenziteto gradientov ter smermi robov. Metode pridobivanja značilk so bile evalvirane na različnih podatkovnih bazah, kot so ICDAR, Chars74K, CVL OCR DB. Generirali smo tudi sintetično podatkovno bazo, ki imitira znake v naravnih scenah, tako da vključuje množico različnih pisav ter šumov v slikah. Sintetična podatkovna baza znakov je bila generirana z namenom povečanja učne množice, ter izboljšanja rezultata klasifikacijske točnosti. This masters thesis presents and describes modern methods of optical character recognition in natural scenes. Methods with high classification results and are robust to illumination and geometric transformations were selected for the thesis. Our work is based on the implementation of three different methods for obtaining features. The basic HOG method, which also underlies the other two methods is one of the most popular feature extraction methods in object detection and character recognition. HOG method was primarily used in connection with human detection, but was adapted for character recognition also. PHOG method, which is based on HOG, converts the basic HOG algorithm into a pyramid scheme and also includes bilinear interpolation. Due to the pyramid structure of PHOG, the method is slower than the HOG algorithm, but more precise, since the feature vectors are larger. The third feature extraction method, which we have implemented is Co-HOG algorithm, which inherits all the good qualities of HOG method, such as invariance to illumination and geometric changes. Co-HOG is differs from HOG and PHOG, by its feature representation, where it also captures the spatial relationship of neighbouring pixels in order to describe the character more accurately. Among other things Coo-HOG is also a computationally faster than HOG and PHOG. Due to various factors in natural scene text images, the traditional character recognition systems produces inaccurate results, because it assumes that the characters do not differ in fonts and colors and presumes a monotonous background of images, whereas in obtaining features from natural scene images, the algorithms should be robust and invariant to character sizes, background noise, different fonts, local illumination changes and visual effects that draw attention, such as color blending. The above described methods do not require preprocessing and segmentation as traditional systems do, since the extract features with methods that describe the appearance of the object and the shape with gradient intensity and edge directions. Feature extraction methods were evaluated on a variety of databases such as ICDAR, Chars74K, CVL OCR DB. We have also generated a synthetic database of character images, that simulates characters in natural scenes, by including large variety of different fonts and noises in images. Synthetic image database was generated with the aim of increasing the training set and the improvement of classification accuracy.

Surgery and Science, Gradu-ate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582We have previously identified 67 exons on a yeast artificial chromosome contig spanning 1.5 Mbaround the multidrug resistance 1 gene region of human chromosome 7q21.1. In this study,we identified three novel cytoplasmic variants (MDC2-γ, MDC2-δ, and MDC2-e) of the humanmetalloprotease-like disintegrin-like cysteine-rich protein 2 (MDC2) among these exons by screeninga human brain cDNA library and also by using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.Genomic sequence analysis strongly supported the idea that the variations in the cytoplasmicdomain were generated by alternative splicing. The expression of MDC2 variant forms in humanbrain tissue and gliomas was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction andRNase protection assay. MDC2-e was expressed only in the cortical and hippocampal regions inhuman brain, but not in gliomas. In contrast, MDC2-γ was a major form expressed in humangliomas. Specific expression of these cytoplasmic variants of MDC2 in human brain and its malig-nancies is discussed.Key words: MDC — ADAM — Alternative splicing — MDR region

The sperm surface protein fertilin functions in sperm-egg interaction. On guinea pig and bovine sperm, fertilin is a heterodimer of alpha and beta subunits. Both subunits are initially synthesized as precursors and then proteolytically processed by removing N-terminal domains. Since the mouse is currently the main mammalian species in which fertilization is studied, in the present report, we analyzed the structure, processing, and expression of fertilin in mouse. We found that the processing of mouse fertilin beta occurs during epididymal maturation and involves changes in the cytoplasmic tail domain as well as the N-terminal domains. Although we (R. Yuan et al., 1997, J. Cell Biol. 137, 105-112) and others (M. S. Chen et al., 1999, J. Cell Biol. 144, 549-561) have previously reported that mature fertilin beta is 55-57 kDa, here we show that 55 kDa is an unrelated protein in the sperm extract which cross-reacts with an antibody that recognizes precursor, but not mature, fertilin beta. Comparison of Western blots of wild-type and fertilin beta knockout sperm revealed that authentic, mature fertilin beta is 45 kDa. We also obtained direct evidence that mouse fertilin alpha and beta exist as a heterodimer. In addition, we found that in mice lacking the fertilin beta subunit, fertilin alpha is absent from mature sperm. A widely proposed model for sperm-egg fusion suggests that fertilin alpha is the sperm component that promotes membrane fusion by undergoing a conformational change that exposes a virus-like, hydrophobic fusion peptide. Because sperm lacking fertilin alpha and fertilin beta can fuse with eggs at 50% the wild-type rate, this model is called into question. The results suggest instead that other gamete surface molecules act to promote membrane fusion and that fertilin's role in gamete fusion is in sperm-egg plasma membrane adhesion.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, pruritic, inflammatory dermatosis that affects up to 25% of children and2% to 3% of adults. This guideline addresses important clinical questions that arise in the managementand care of AD, providing updated and expanded recommendations based on the available evidence. In this first of 4 sections, methods for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease, outcomes measures for assessment, and common clinical associations that affect patients with AD are discussed.Known risk factors for the development of disease are also reviewed.

A comparative study is done on the Mini Drift Chamber (MDC) and the Scintillating Electromagnetic Calorimeter (SEC), two main components of the WASA detector. The purpose of the study is to determine the most effective way to calculate the mass of the η−meson by determining the invariant mass of the final products in the η → e+e− decay. When calculating the invariant mass of the lepton pair the distribution from the MDC had a standard deviation of σMDC = (4.212 ± 0.080) · 10−2 GeV/c2 and from the SEC σSEC = (3.563±0.011)·10−2 GeV/c2. To get a precise measurement, events with a lepton scattering at a polar angle below 30◦ have to be rejected, and to achieve highest precision, it is favorable to use the SEC for momenta above 0.28 GeV/c and the MDC below, respectively. In this study, a combined method is developed which results in an invariant mass resolution of σMix = (3.341±0.012)·10−2 GeV/c2. Thus, the combined method gives a small improvement compared to using the SEC alone, but a considerable improvement compared to using only the MDC.

Results, conclusions of research, and autors contribution to the understanding of mechanical and failure behaviour of carbon/epoxy composites have been reviewed. Results of the study of macromechanical static characteristics, nonlinear elastic behaviour, flexural modulus and shear properties of unidirectional composites as well as of tensile, compression and flexural moduli, strength analysis, edge and hybrid effects of multidirectional composites have been discussed. Autors statements concerning nonlinear elastic behaviour of UDC, flexural modulus of both UD and MDC, strength analysis and edge effects in laminate are emphesized. Advanced Materials for High Technology Applications, 1st Yugoslavian Advanced Materials Conference - Advanced Materials 95 on Challenges of Tomorrow, Sep 18-22, 1995, Herceg Novi, Yugoslavia

A series of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized based on known CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) antagonists. The activities of all the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated using a chemotaxis inhibition assay. Compound 6b was proven to be a potent CCR4 antagonist that can block cell chemotaxis induced by macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC), and CKLF1, the natural ligands of CCR4. In addition, compound 6b is more effective than budesonide in the murine rhinitis model. The intravenous injection LD50 of compound 6b is 175 mg/kg and the oral LD50 is greater than 2,000 mg/kg.