Kinetics of murine decidual dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells (APC) capable of induction of primary immune responses as well as immunologic tolerance. Myeloid and lymphoid subsets of murine DCs are able to shift cytokine responses of T cells toward Th2 and Th1 profiles respectively. Thus, DCs would be suitable candidates to mediate the balance of maternal immune responses to conception. We analyzed pregnancy-related variations in uterus and splenic DCs in a murine model. C57BL/6-mated Balb/c female mice with vaginal plugs were scarified at early, middle, and late pregnancy. Frozen sections of uterus and spleen at each stage of pregnancy were immunostained with CD11c- and MHC-II-specific antibodies. Two-color immunohistochemistry was also carried out using anti-CD11c and one of the antibodies against CD11b, CD8alpha, CD86, and DEC-205. Using morphometric analysis, the average density of DCs and relative percentage of myeloid (CD11c+, CD11b+) and lymphoid DCs (CD11c+, CD8a+) were determined at each stage. Our results showed that DCs are present throughout the pregnancy in decidua. The average density of decidual DCs at early pregnancy was significantly higher relative to middle and late gestation or to those of endometrial DCs of non-pregnant mice. Interestingly, the average density of decidual and splenic DCs, followed the same variations at different stages of pregnancy. The relative percentage of decidual lymphoid DCs (LDC) was significantly higher at mid-gestation when compared with other stages of pregnancy or non-pregnant mice. Inversely, the frequency of myeloid DCs (MDC) and the MDC/LDC ratio were statistically lower at the middle stage of pregnancy. A majority of decidual DCs expressed MHC-II and CD86. At early pregnancy, DCs were more concentrated subadjacent to the luminal epithelial layers, whereas at mid-or late gestation, DCs were randomly distributed in the stroma and around the epithelium. Mid-pregnancy period was a critical point with regard to splenic DCs kinetics, as both the average density of DCs and the frequency of MDCs decreased significantly when compared with early or late pregnancy, although the relative percentage of splenic LDCs did not change. Our data suggest that the balance of MDC and LDC is finely tuned throughout pregnancy, pointing an eminent immunoregulatory role of DCs in the maintenance of pregnancy.     

Transient Analysis on Forced Convection Phenomena in a Fluid Valve Using Nanofluid

A transient numerical study is conducted to investigate the transport mechanism of forced convection in a fluid valve filled with water-CuO nanofluid. The flow enters from one inlet at the left with uniform temperature and velocity T _i and U _i , respectively, but can leave the valve through two outlets at the right. The upper and lower boundaries of the valve are heated with constant temperature T _h , while the remaining walls are perfectly insulated. The numerical approach is based on the finite element technique with Galerkin's weighted residual simulation. Solutions are obtained for fixed Prandtl number (Pr = 1.47), Reynolds number (Re = 100), and solid volume fraction (φ = 5%). The streamlines, isotherm plots, flow rate and the local Nusselt number (Nu _local ) at both heated phases, the average Nusselt number (Nu) for base fluid, and nanofluid with the variation of nondimensional time (τ) are presented and discussed. It is found that the rate of heat transfer in the fluid valve reduces for longer time periods.     

Open Fields: The New Rural Design Revolution

Alastair Parvin , an architectural and strategic designer at 00:/, calls for a focus on ‘the opposite side of the urbanisation story: the impact that urbanisation has on rural areas’. He advocates a rural design revolution that re-engages with farming and the countryside as a site of intense production, rather than as a preserve for nostalgia and leisure activities.     

Numerical Investigation of the Behavior of MERO Joint System Under Combined Loading Regarding Helical Threads of Elements

International Journal of Steel Structures - A comprehensive finite element (FE) model of bolt-ball joint, as called MERO joint, is presented in this paper for a double layer grid structure. In...     

Different effects of process conditions on PA6/nanoclay composites at nanoclay contents above and below percolation threshold: Rheological,thermo‐dynamical,and thermal properties

The effects of several factors (i.e., nanoclay content (NC), melt temperature, screw speed, and feeding rate), on morphology, rheology, thermodynamics, and thermal stability of PA6/NC samples produced in a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder were studied. We discuss how changes in the level of these factors can vary diffusion or imposed shear, how these variations in diffusion and/or shear can affect NC dispersion, and how the changes in the state of NC dispersion can influence several properties of the samples. Samples with low NC content, below percolation threshold, showed exfoliated/intercalated structure with negligible sensitivity to changes in the level of the factors; whereas, samples with high NC content, above percolation threshold, showed intercalated with sporadic flocculated structures and noticeable sensitivity to the changes in the level of the factors. Moreover, NC dispersion was found to be mostly diffusion‐controlled: changes that resulted in higher diffusion or residence time (i.e., high melt temperature or low screw speed) also eventuated in better NC dispersion. What is more, percolation threshold was seen to move to lower NC contents as diffusion rate was increased. Moreover, as NC content increased, opposite thermal stability behaviors were observed at above and below the percolation threshold. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 22:259–266, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Spinal needle navigation by tracked ultrasound snapshots

Purpose: Ultrasound (US) guidance in facet joint injections has been reported previously as an alternative to imaging modalities with ionizing radiation. However, this technique has not been adopted in the clinical routine, due to difficulties in the visualization of the target joint in US and simultaneous manipulation of the needle. Methods: We propose a technique to increase targeting accuracy and efficiency in facet joint injections. This is achieved by electromagnetically tracking the positions of the US transducer and the needle, and recording tracked US snapshots (TUSS). The needle is navigated using the acquired US snapshots. Results: In cadaveric lamb model, the success rate of facet joint injections by five orthopedic surgery residents significantly increased from 44.4% with freehand US guidance to 93.3% with TUSS guidance. Needle insertion time significantly decreased from 47.9 ± 34.2?s to 36.1 ± 28.7?s (mean ± SD). In a synthetic human spine model, a success rate of 96.7% was achieved with TUSS. The targeting accuracy of the presented system in a gel phantom was 1.03 ± 0.48?mm (mean ± SD). Conclusion: Needle guidance with TUSS improves the success rate and time efficiency in spinal facet joint injections. This technique readily translates also to other spinal needle placement applications.     

Forensic Investigation Through Data Remnants on Hadoop Big Data Storage System

Forensic examiners are in an uninterrupted battle with criminals in the use of Big Data technology. The underlying storage system is the main scene to trace the criminal activities. Big Data Storage System is identified as an emerging challenge to digital forensics. Thus, it requires the development of a sound methodology to investigate Big Data Storage System. Since the use of Hadoop as Big Data Storage System continues to grow rapidly, investigation process model for forensic analysis on Hadoop Storage and attached client devices is compulsory. Moreover, forensic analysis on Hadoop Big Data Storage System may take additional time without knowing where the data remnants can reside. In this paper, a new forensic investigation process model for Hadoop Big Data Storage System is proposed and discovered data remnants are presented. By conducting forensic research on Hadoop Big Data Storage System, the resulting data remnants assist the forensics examiners and practitioners for generating the evidences.     

CFRP Rehabilitation of Concrete Frame Joints with Inadequate Shear and Anchorage Details

The research presented in this study involves full-scale experimental evaluation of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) rehabilitation for existing beam-column joints designed for gravity load with common pre-1970s deficient reinforcement details when subjected to cyclic loading. Numerous studies have demonstrated effectiveness of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials for retrofitting the deteriorating RC structures. Although these materials are widely used in bridges, their applications in buildings have been somewhat limited. In particular, the experimental investigations on external FRP retrofit of deficient beam-column joints have not thoroughly been investigated and they are mainly on scaled-down specimens. The failure of these subassemblies, which possess lack of shear reinforcement within the joint core and shortly embedded positive beam reinforcement, would possibly result in catastrophic collapse of reinforced concrete frame structure during an earthquake event. Recognizing the urgent need to upgrade these structural subassemblies, the current investigation uses CFRP retrofit techniques to enhance the performance of such deficient joints. Experimental variables studied entail the developed CFRP retrofit configurations, and magnitude of the applied column axial load. Comparative analysis of the lateral loads versus drift hysteresis loops, stiffness degradation, and total dissipated energy curves of three as-built and three corresponding CFRP-retrofitted RC joints revealed that significant improvement in the shear capacity of the upgraded joints occurred. More importantly, the slippage of short embedded beam positive reinforcement into the joint was substantially controlled due to the developed CFRP retrofit. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of CFRP retrofit configurations in enhancing the structural performance of actual size connections.     

Preparation of aminated-polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membranes for the adsorption of metal ions: comparison with microfibers

Polyacrylonitrile nanofibers (PAN-nFs) were produced using the electrospinning method. Subsequently, the electrospun fibers were modified by diethylenetriamine to produce aminated polyacrylonitrile (APAN) nanofibers. Finally, the adsorbability of copper ions on the surface of the nanofibers was examined in an aqueous solution. Attenuated total internal reflection (ATIR) analysis confirmed the surface amination of the produced PAN-nFs. The grafting yield was calculated by the gravimetric method. The optimum condition was determined to yield the maximum grafting of amine groups to PAN with no losses in sample flexibility. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to measure the copper ion concentration in the solution. Results indicate that the adsorption process in nanofibers is three times faster in comparison with microfibers. Moreover, the pH effect was studied based on the adsorption behavior of copper ions on the APAN nanofibers. In addition, thermodynamic parameters were calculated, revealing that the process was endothermic and demonstrating that randomness increased at the solid-solution interface during the process. The obtained enthalpy value indicates that the chelation of copper ions among the aminated polyacrylonitrile can be regarded as a chemical adsorption process. The adsorption data fit well with the Langmuir isotherm. The saturation adsorption capacity obtained from the Langmuir model for Cu(II) ions was 116.522 mg/g which is five times more than the reported value for APAN microfibers [S. Deng, R. Bai, J.P. Chen, Aminated polyacrylonitrile fibers for lead and copper removal, Langmuir,19 (2003)5058-5064]. Analysis using atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the surface roughness increased upon adsorption of the metal ion. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination demonstrated that there were no cracks or sign of degradation on the surface after amination.