Requirements for allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity in T and B cell-deficient mice

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of asthma is believed to reflect antigen-induced airway inflammation leading to the recruitment of eosinophils and activation of mast cells through cell-associated IgE. Controversies persist however, regarding the relative importance of different pathogenic cells and effector molecules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A variety of gene-targeted mice were examined for the induction of cholinergic airway hyperresponsiveness (AH), allergic airway inflammation, mucus production, and serum IgE reactivity following intratracheal challenge with a potent allergen. AH was determined using whole-body plethysmography following acetylcholine challenge. Where possible, results were confirmed using neutralizing antibodies and cell-specific reconstitution of immune deficient mice. RESULTS: T and B cell-deficient, recombinase-activating-gene-deficient mice (RAG -/-) failed to develop significant allergic inflammation and AH following allergen challenge. Reconstitution of RAG -/- mice with CD4+ T cells alone was sufficient to restore allergen-induced AH, allergic inflammation, and goblet cell hyperplasia, but not IgE reactivity. Sensitized B cell-deficient mice also developed airway hyperreactivity and lung inflammation comparable to that of wild-type animals, confirming that antibodies were dispensable. Treatment with neutralizing anti-IL-4 antibody or sensitization of IL-4-deficient mice resulted in loss of airway hyperreactivity, whereas treatment with anti-IL-5 antibody or sensitization of IL-5-deficient mice had no effect. CONCLUSIONS: In mice, CD4+ T cells are alone sufficient to mediate many of the pathognomonic changes that occur in human asthma by a mechanism dependent upon IL-4, but independent of IL-5, IgE, or both. Clarification of the role played by CD4+ T cells is likely to stimulate important therapeutic advances in treatment of asthma.     

Amplifying active reflect-antenna using a microstrip-T coupled patch /sub e/sign and measurement

A compact design of an amplifying active reflect-antenna using a novel microstrip-T coupled-patch antenna is proposed. The dual-polarized ports of the microstrip-T coupled-patch antenna provide excellent RF isolation as well as dc isolation. The dc isolation helps in avoiding additional coupling capacitors in the RF path, thereby achieving reduced layout size and cross-polarization levels for the active reflect-antenna. The gain and monostatic radar cross section (RCS) measurement of the active reflect-antenna has been carried out using a time-domain technique based on a single dual-polarized antenna and vector network analyzer. The measured monostatic RCS and gains are then compared with the calculated ones using two different modeling approaches.     

Synthesis of NAD+ in erythrocytes incubated with nicotinic acid and the effect of di-(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP)

The Institute of Diagnostic Radiology at the Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf has recently defined and implemented more than thirty organizational changes as a result of a quality control project. The aim was to improve quality and efficiency of the Radiology service. The project was carried out in cooperation with an external consulting firm. To date the positive impact of this project on our work has been so profound that we would like to communicate some of the results in form of this report. During the first phase of the project quality circles were formed to define the various quality criteria and aims of a good service. Today these represent the core of a new quality policy for the Institute. In a second phase all members of staff cooperatively developed precise plans of action for implementation of the necessary changes. Main achievements are the reduction of organizational and communicational deficits obstructing the work process, enhancement of interaction between junior and senior medical staff, upgrading of the role and field of action of the radiography staff and last but not least improvements of cooperation between secretarial and medical staff.     

Micro-simulated moving bed (μSMB) systems: A numerical study

Continuous chromatographic separation processes like simulated moving bed (SMB) systems have been employed in petrochemicals, sugar, and more recently, in pharmaceutical industries by virtue of their superior separation efficiency. Miniaturization of chromatography-based analytical techniques (e.g., high performance liquid chromatography, micro-HPLC or μHPLC) has already been successfully demonstrated in the last few years owing to the rapid development in MEMS technology. With such a rapid progress in technology, it is definitely possible to realize the miniaturization of a powerful continuous chromatographic process such as SMB. Micro-SMB (μSMB) systems could not only inherit the merits of μHPLC, but also provide efficient separation of compounds such as isomers and enantiomers that are otherwise very difficult to isolate. In this paper, new simulations of the performance of a μSMB system for the separation of a mixture of phenol and o-cresol, using a robust numerical algorithm developed that mimics the dynamic operation of the μSMB system, are presented. A systematic parametric sensitivity analysis that addresses the effects of various process parameters on the performance of the μSMB system is also presented. High purities and yields of both phenol and o-cresol is achieved in the μSMB by judicious choice of process parameters.     

Prediction of Soil Composition from CPT Data Using General Regression Neural Network

Soil type is typically inferred from the information collected during a cone penetration test (CPT) using one of the many available soil classification methods. In this study, a general regression neural network (GRNN) was developed for predicting soil composition from CPT data. Measured values of cone resistance and sleeve friction obtained from CPT soundings, together with grain-size distribution results of soil samples retrieved from adjacent standard penetration test boreholes, were used to train and test the network. The trained GRNN model was tested by presenting it with new, previously unseen CPT data, and the model predictions were compared with the reference particle-size distribution and the results of two existing CPT soil classification methods. The profiles of soil composition estimated by the GRNN generally compare very well with the actual grain-size distribution profiles, and overall the neural network had an 86% success rate at classifying soils as coarse grained or fine grained.     

Touchy feely vectors: A compensatory design approach to support model-based reasoning in developing country classrooms

Educational technology designs in developing countries mostly focus on making knowledge resources widely available, through MOOCs, repositories and computer-based tutoring. The use of digital media for cognitive augmentation, particularly interactive designs that help learners understand modelling topics in STEM, is underexplored. We report a 3-year design study examining this potential in the Indian context, testing two iterations of an interactive system, Touchy-Feely Vectors (TFV). The design supports learning vectors, a modelling topic pre-university students struggle with. Virtual lesson-plans were co-designed with teachers to augment — but not replace — their existing practices, and to address classroom and resource constraints. Pre-post testing of TFV-1 (a computer-based prototype) showed that it helped students develop a more integrated vector concept, and improved their reasoning. Field-implementation of TFV-2 (a textbook-linked touch-screen based design) in 6-classrooms (3-Control, N=135; 3-Experimental, N=131) showed that it fostered cognitive engagement in average-students and geometry-algebra integration (model-based reasoning) in good-students. These results, along with a requirements analysis based on textbooks, indicate that the interaction possibilities supported by different representational media critically shape student reasoning. The study also illustrates a systematic approach to design and test digital media systems that support cognitive augmentation in developing countries.     

Studies on the adsorption kinetics and isotherms for the removal and recovery of Methyl Orange from wastewaters using waste materials

De-Oiled Soya a waste of Soya oil industries and Bottom Ash a waste of thermal power plants have been used as effective adsorbent for recovery and removal of hazardous dye Methyl Orange from wastewater. During the studies effects of amount of dye and adsorbents, pH, sieve sizes, column studies etc. have been carried out. Adsorption of the dye over both the adsorbents has been monitored through Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models and feasibility of the process is predicted in both the cases. Different thermodynamic parameters like Gibb's free energy, enthalpy and entropy of the undergoing process are also evaluated through these adsorption models. The kinetic studies confirm the first order process for the adsorption reaction and also play an important role in finding out half-life of the adsorption process and rate constants for both the adsorbents. It is also found that over the entire concentration range the adsorption on Bottom Ash takes place via particle diffusion process, while that of De-Oiled Soya undergoes via film diffusion process. In order to establish the practical utility of the developed process, attempts have been made for the bulk removal of the dye through column operations. For the two columns saturation factors are found as 98.61 and 99.8%, respectively, for Bottom Ash and De-Oiled Soya with adsorption capacity of each adsorbent as 3.618 and 16.664 mg/g, respectively. The dye recovery has been achieved by eluting dil. NaOH through the exhausted columns.     

Multifaceted Implantable Anticancer Device for Potential Postsurgical Breast Cancer Treatment: A Single Platform for Synergistic Inhibition of Local Regional Breast Cancer Recurrence,Surveillance, and Healthy Breast Reconstruction

An implantable anticancer device (IAD) amenable to eradicate local regional recurrence (LRR) of breast cancer as well as to enhance the breast reconstruction during/after therapy is proposed for the first time. The IAD is fabricated by incorporating the superparamagnetic graphene oxide doxorubicin nanocomposite of size ≈200 nm in a nanofiber matrix to enable the sustained and tumor specific anticancer drug release over 60 d in vitro with a minimum initial burst release and the repeated hyperthermic capability in an alternating magnetic field to ensure the synergistic inhibition of LRR. The IAD also enriches the reconstruction of poor breast cosmesis that resulted from the surgical treatment by supporting the lipofilling of the surgical residual cavity to induce the adipogenic process. Moreover, the noninvasive monitoring capability of IAD through magnetic resonance imaging augments to the effective patient care. Thus, this work reports a new and reliable concept by introducing the multifunctional IAD possessing enhanced specificity with a real‐time monitoring capability and long‐term anticancer efficacy as a potential platform for synergistic inhibition of LRR and a great promise for the in situ breast reconstruction ability for better breast cosmesis.