IL-33 Enhances IFNγ and TNFα Production by Human MAIT Cells: A New Pro-Th1 Effect of IL-33

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells represent a distinct T cell population restricted by the MHC-class-I-related molecule, MR1, which recognizes microbial-derived vitamin B2 (riboflavin) metabolites. Their abundance in humans, together with their ability to promptly produce distinct cytokines including interferon γ (IFNγ) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), are consistent with regulatory functions in innate as well as adaptive immunity. Here, we tested whether the alarmin interleukin 33 (IL-33), which is secreted following inflammation or cell damage, could activate human MAIT cells. We found that MAIT cells stimulated with IL-33 produced high levels of IFNγ, TNFα and Granzyme B (GrzB). The action of IL-33 required IL-12 but was independent of T cell receptor (TCR) cross-linking. MAIT cells expressed the IL-33 receptor ST2 (suppression of tumorigenicity 2) and upregulated Tbet (T-box expressed in T cells) in response to IL-12 or IL-33. Electronically sorted MAIT cells also upregulated the expression of CCL3 (Chemokine C-C motif ligand 3), CD40L (CD40 Ligand), CSF-1 (Colony Stimulating Factor 1), LTA (Lymphotoxin-alpha) and IL-2RA (IL-2 receptor alpha chain) mRNAs in response to IL-33 plus IL-12. In conclusion, IL-33 combined with IL-12 can directly target MAIT cells to induce their activation and cytokine production. This novel mechanism of IL-33 activation provides insight into the mode of action by which human MAIT cells can promote inflammatory responses in a TCR-independent manner.     

Ceria and zirconia modified natural clay based nickel catalysts for dry reforming of methane

Ce and Zr promoted Fe/Cu-modified natural clay based catalysts were prepared and tested in dry reforming of methane (DRM) at temperatures from 600 to 800 °C. The physicochemical properties of these catalysts were analyzed by means of N₂ adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD). H₂-temperature programmed reduction (H₂-TPR) and CO₂-temperature programmed desorption (TPD). Ce and Zr promotion resulted in a considerable increase of the catalytic activity. This increase can be mainly ascribed to an improved reducibility of Ni species, together with slightly higher Ni⁰ crystal size, that, on the other hand, also catalyze undesired parallel reactions resulting in carbon formation, such as direct methane decomposition. Both Ce and Zr presence also promoted the presence of weak and medium strength basic sites, which are thought to favor CO₂ adsorption and desorption on the catalyst surface, leading to enhanced catalytic activity.     

Ambiguity attacks on SVD audio watermarking approach using chaotic encrypted images

In this paper, we study the robustness of the proposed watermarking algorithm by Al-Nuaimy et al. (Digit Signal Process 21(6):764–779 2011) for audio signals which is based on singular value decomposition (SVD). It has been concluded that it is fundamentally flawed in its design, in that it falls to two ambiguity attacks where the extracted watermark is not the embedded one but determined by the reference watermark. In the first attack, when a watermarked audio signal is rewatermarked by an attacker’s watermark, this one can be easily extracted to claim ownership of the original audio signal. In the second attack, during the extracting process when an attacker uses the singular vectors of his watermark, he can extract the attacker’s watermark. Therefore, he can claim ownership of the watermarked audio signal. The experimental results prove that the proposed attacks create a false positive detection in watermark extraction. Therefore, Al-Nuaimy et al. algorithm cannot be used for security systems, data hiding and copyright protection.

     

MODE I AND MIXED-MODE STABLE CRACK EXTENSIONS THROUGH STIFFENED THREE-POINT BEND SPECIMENS

Abstract Both experimental and theoretical results on stable crack extensions are presented for symmetrically stiffened and unstiffened three point bend specimens subjected to mode I or mixed mode loading systems. Results concerning load-displacement variation, growth of plastic zones, instantaneous crack edge profiles, tunnelling, etc., are presented. There is good agreement between the experimental and theoretical results. The whole of stable crack growth can be characterized by the crack opening angle criterion. The stiffening helps to increase substantially both the initiation load and the maximum fracture load.     

Lack of association between renin-angiotensin system, gene polymorphisms, and wall thickness of the radial and carotid arteries

To investigate the relationship between polymorphisms of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) genes and structural phenotypes of arteries, we studied a cohort of 340 subjects (aged 49+/-12 years) without evidence of cardiovascular disease and who had never been treated previously with any cardiovascular treatments. Structural phenotypes (wall thickness and internal diameter) were evaluated for the common carotid and the radial arteries using high-resolution echo-tracking devices (NIUS-02 and Wall Track System). The influence of ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) and AT1R A/C1166 polymorphism genotypes on structural parameters was tested by ANOVA and logistic regression analysis. For the radial artery, mean wall thickness among subjects according to the ACE I/D or AT1R A/C1166 genotypes was not different. This lack of association persisted in a logistic regression analysis or when the comparison was restricted to a subgroup of subjects potentially at high genetic risk (DD and CC or AC) compared with subjects at low genetic risk (AA and II or ID). Also, no association was observed between the carotid artery intima-media thickness and the 2 polymorphisms. In conclusion, the ACE I/D and the AT1R A/C1166 gene polymorphisms are not markers of vascular hypertrophy in subjects with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. These results suggest that these gene polymorphisms have an undetectable role in the geometry of the radial and carotid arteries compared with usual determinants such as blood pressure and age.     

Balancing of an inverted pendulum with a SCARA robot

The balancing act of an inverted pendulum with a robotic manipulator is a classical benchmark for testing modern control strategies in conjunction with fast sensor-guided movements. From the control design perspective, it presents a challenging and difficult problem, as the system is open-loop instable and includes nonlinear effects in the actuators, such as friction, backlash, and elasticity. In addition, the necessity of a sensor system that can measure the inclination angles of the pendulum contributes to the complexity of the balancing problem. The pendulum is projected onto the xz and yz planes of the inertial coordinate system. These projections are treated independently from each other and are controlled individually by a state-space controller in the x and y axes, respectively. The nonlinearities of the robot are compensated by using inverse dynamics and inverse kinematics. A specially developed sensor system allows the contactless measurement of the inclination angles of the pendulum. This system consists of a small magnet, placed at the bottom of the pendulum, and Hall-effect sensors placed inside the end effector     

Some notes on fusion of uncertain information

This article attempts to analyze the combination of uncertain pieces of information, particularly, given several pieces of information, each of which is assigned a certainty factor. The problem then is whether it is possible to find the certainty factor associated with the combination result. This problem, even if it has been widely commented on in probability literature from various viewpoints, sounds less analyzed in the framework of possibility or evidence theories. This study investigates various proposals for quantifying certainty qualification and then constructs the certainty assigned for the combination result of initial inputs. First, we shall consider some basic combination modes and then attempt to generalize the result for more general combination modes. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Query Processing and Optimization on the Web

The advent of the Internet and the Web and their subsequent ubiquity have brought forth opportunities to connect information sources across all types of boundaries (local, regional, organizational, etc.). Examples of such information sources include databases, XML documents, and other unstructured sources. Uniformly querying those information sources has been extensively investigated. A major challenge relates to query optimization. Indeed, querying multiple information sources scattered on the Web raises several barriers for achieving efficiency. This is due to the characteristics of Web information sources that include volatility, heterogeneity, and autonomy. Those characteristics impede a straightforward application of classical query optimization techniques. They add new dimensions to the optimization problem such as the choice of objective function, selection of relevant information sources, limited query capabilities, and unpredictable events. In this paper, we survey the current research on fundamental problems to efficiently process queries over Web data integration systems. We also outline a classification for optimization techniques and a framework for evaluating them.