Interleukin-1β Modulation of the Mechanobiology of Primary Human Pulmonary Fibroblasts: Potential Implications in Lung Repair

Pro-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-1β (IL-1β) are upregulated during early responses to tissue damage and are expected to transiently compromise the mechanical microenvironment. Fibroblasts are key regulators of tissue mechanics in the lungs and other organs. However, the effects of IL-1β on fibroblast mechanics and functions remain unclear. Here we treated human pulmonary fibroblasts from control donors with IL-1β and used Atomic Force Microscopy to unveil that IL-1β significantly reduces the stiffness of fibroblasts concomitantly with a downregulation of filamentous actin (F-actin) and alpha-smooth muscle (α-SMA). Likewise, COL1A1 mRNA was reduced, whereas that of collagenases MMP1 and MMP2 were upregulated, favoring a reduction of type-I collagen. These mechanobiology changes were functionally associated with reduced proliferation and enhanced migration upon IL-1β stimulation, which could facilitate lung repair by drawing fibroblasts to sites of tissue damage. Our observations reveal that IL-1β may reduce local tissue rigidity by acting both intracellularly and extracellularly through the downregulation of fibroblast contractility and type I collagen deposition, respectively. These IL-1β-dependent mechanical effects may enhance lung repair further by locally increasing pulmonary tissue compliance to preserve normal lung distension and function. Moreover, our results support that IL-1β provides innate anti-fibrotic protection that may be relevant during the early stages of lung repair.     

聚酯帘线的发展趋势

从聚酯的结构设计、帘线浸胶工艺和在轮胎中的应用3个方面阐述聚酯结构特点与产品性能的关系。聚酯帘线行业应该密切关注汽车行业的发展态势,把握市场先机,进一步发展壮大;在新能源汽车逆势增长的形势下,高性能聚酯帘线需求量较大,帘线企业应拓展高性能聚酯帘线在轮胎冠带层、带束层和胎体等部件中的应用,同时联合轮胎企业开发特种聚酯材料和混纺材料等新产品。     

Model repair — aligning process models to reality

Process mining techniques relate observed behavior (i.e., event logs) to modeled behavior (e.g., a BPMN model or a Petri net). Process models can be discovered from event logs and conformance checking techniques can be used to detect and diagnose differences between observed and modeled behavior. Existing process mining techniques can only uncover these differences, but the actual repair of the model is left to the user and is not supported. In this paper we investigate the problem of repairing a process model w.r.t. a log such that the resulting model can replay the log (i.e., conforms to it) and is as similar as possible to the original model. To solve the problem, we use an existing conformance checker that aligns the runs of the given process model to the traces in the log. Based on this information, we decompose the log into several sublogs of non-fitting subtraces. For each sublog, either a loop is discovered that can replay the sublog or a subprocess is derived that is then added to the original model at the appropriate location. The approach is implemented in the process mining toolkit ProM and has been validated on logs and models from several Dutch municipalities.     

Seawater-softening process through formation of calcite ooids

Conventional water-softening processes usually involve the exchange of Na⁺ ions for Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ using commercial or synthesized ion exchangers. The differences in chemical compositions of the ooids can be attributed to the formation in different environments. In this paper, ooid grains form inside assembled semi-pilot softening unit through a continuous chemical process involving reaction between bicarbonate ions and added lime using natural seawater. Our sample of Mediterranean seawater has low Mg²⁺/Ca²⁺ ratio (1.98%) within the range chemically favorable for precipitation of low-Mg calcite ooids. Precipitation of calcite occurs around pure quartz sand grains which act as nucleation points (the bed required for sand vessel is 1.65 l). The shape of the sand grains controls the overall external morphology of the resulting ooids; they vary in size from 0.5 to 3.0 mm and have a high degree of polish due to surface abrasion caused by continuous agitation inside the softening system. Calcite ooid grains (1.53 kg) formed within the seawater-softening unit every 18 days have many of the ooid features formed in marine environments. Ooids grow to a significant size, at a rate of about 0.17 mm of one layer thickness per day inside the softening unit. The average weight percent of calcite precipitate is 35.48% after 18 days, at 10 °C, 60 l/min and pH 9.0. The pellets comprise mainly CaCO₃ and SiO₂ and some metal ions which may substitute for calcium ions in calcite are present only in trace amounts of the total composition.     

浅谈氯碱氢的一种深度脱水工艺

概述了氢的主要工业生产方法和实际应用,详细介绍了氯碱氢三级脱水工艺过程,并运用在线分析手段,准确显示了干燥过程中的氯碱氢水分含量变化规律。     

Hydroxyapatite/tricalcium silicate composites cement derived from novel two-step sol-gel process with good biocompatibility and applications as bone cement and potential coating materials

Tricalcium silicate (C₃S) and hydroxyapatite (HAp) composites were fabricated through the sol-gel process. The aim of this research is to improve the biocompatibility of C₃S through HAp addition and study the potential of using this as coating materials. The composites (HAp/C₃S) were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, thermal gravity-differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction. The working and setting times of cement pastes were tested using Gillmore needle. Mechanical properties were examined by nanoindentation and material testing system. In vitro biocompatibility of the materials were studied by cell attachment and viability of L929 and MG-63 cells. HAp/C₃S as a coating material on gelatin film were measured with the surface roughness and imaged by scanning electron microscope. With the addition of HAp, no undesirable free CaO was detected with the synthesis by the sol-gel preparation. The pH values of HAp added groups were between 7.54 and 8.76, which were much lower than pure C₃S group (pH?=?11.75). For in vitro studies, the presence of HAp could effectively enhance the cell attachment and viability of both L929 and MG-63 cells grown in the extract or directly on the composites. However, the mechanical properties of the composites were impaired as compared to pure C₃S. Lastly, HAp/C₃S cement could be evenly coated on gelatin film. HAp is successfully demonstrated to improve C₃S biocompatibility with this new composites HAp/C₃S. C-75 (75% C₃S and 25% HAp), in particular, has good biocompatibility, relatively high compressive strength and can be uniformly coated onto gelatin film. Thus, C-75 is a promising material for further investigation as a coating on other biopolymers.     

Computational studies on the radiative and nonradiative processes of luminescent N-heteroleptic platinum(II) complexes

Three N-heteroleptic Pt(II) complexes, [Pt(C^C)(O^O)] [O^O = acetylacetonate, C^C = 1-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidene (1), C^C = 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylidene (2), C^C = 2-phenylpyrazine (3)] have been investigated with density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The radiative decay rate constants of complexes 1–3 have been discussed with the oscillator strength (f_n), the strength of spin–orbit coupling (SOC) interaction between the lowest energy triplet excited state (T₁) and singlet excited states (S_n), and the energy gaps between E(T₁) and E(S_n). To illustrate the nonradiative decay processes, the transition states between triplet metal-centered (³MC) and T₁ states have been optimized and were verified with the calculations of vibrational frequencies and intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC). In addition, the minimum energy crossing points (MECPs) between ³MC and ground states (S₀) were optimized. At last, the potential energy curves relevant to the nonradiative decay pathways are simulated. The results show that complex 3 has the biggest photoluminescence quantum yield because the complex 3 has the biggest radiative decay rate constant and the smallest nonradiative decay rate constant in complexes 1–3.     

Fabrication of tungsten oxide photoanode by doctor blade technique and investigation on its photocatalytic operation mechanism

WO₃ is a potential material candidate for construction of photoanode for solar driven water splitting. In this work, μm-thick porous WO₃ photoanode is prepared by depositing a stable ink made of WO₃ nanoparticles and Aristoflex velvet polymer in water using the doctor blade technique, followed by a sintering in air. The nature of WO₃ nanoparticles, its loading mass on F-doped tin oxide electrode as well as sintering temperature are examined in order to optimize the photocatalytic activity of the resultant WO₃ photoanode. The operation of WO₃ photoanode is investigated by varying the light illumination direction and light incident intensity as well as changing the nature of the electrolyte. Dissolved tungsten in electrolyte is quantified by ICP-MS providing insights into the influences of electrolyte nature and operating conditions to the corrosion of WO₃. It is proposed that the H₂O₂ and OH^. radical generated as by-products of the photo-driven water oxidation on the photoanode surface are harmful species that accelerate the dissolution of WO₃.