Hesperidin inhibits development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice by suppressing Th17 activity

Hesperidin (previously called vitamin P) is a predominant flavanone present in citrus fruits, and is presumed to have a role in their beneficial effect for human health because it possesses various physiological activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects of hesperidin and α-glucopyranosyl (αG)-hesperidin, its derivative with enhanced water-solubility, in NC/Nga mice, a human-like mouse model of atopic dermatitis. NC/Nga mice were fed a 0.1% αG-hesperidin or hesperidin diet for 8 weeks. αG-hesperidin and hesperidin feeding effectively inhibited skin lesions and immunoglobulin E (IgE) elevation. At the end of the 8-week-experimental period, the production of inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-17 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) from splenocytes was lower in the αG-hesperidin/hesperidin-fed group than in the control group. Changes in mRNA expression in splenocytes are also examined using DNA microarray and real-time RT-PCR. It was revealed that cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4), a regulatory T-cell (Treg) marker, was markedly upregulated in splenocytes, particularly by αG-hesperidin feeding. These results suggest that αG-hesperidin attenuated exacerbation of AD-like symptoms, decreased systemic immune hyper-responsiveness in part through the reduction of IgE, IL-17 and IFN-γ, and also modulated Th17/Treg balance in NC/Nga mice. Therefore, αG-hesperidin may be useful in the management of Th17-mediated allergic disorders.     

Enhancement in Performance of the Tubular Thermoelectric Generator (TTEG)

For use in a tubular thermoelectric generator (TTEG), we fabricated tubular Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃/Ni composite using a melt-spinning technique combined with the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. With this method, powder sintering, joining of two different materials, and tubular shaping can be achieved simultaneously. The tilted laminate structure which is crucial for the transverse thermoelectric effect was successfully achieved in the sample after SPS densification. The sintered samples showed better mechanical stability and thermoelectric properties compared with the previously studied melt-cast sample. We confirmed larger open-circuit voltage of 240 mV and generating power of 2.5 W with a 100-mm-long TTEG under the small temperature difference of 83 K, and the corresponding power density for a unit heat transfer surface area was approximately 800 W m^?2.     

Method to estimate long‐term change of heat and electric power daily load curves in Japan

The rapid spread of CHP systems will put pressure on the regional power system to require an examination of the power and heat output of CHP systems. When considering the countrywide potential of the CHP system, one should examine such a system in coordination with the grid power system. It is essential to calculate the heat and power demand at end‐use level. In this paper, annual heat and power demands of end‐use sectors are forecast to the year 2025 based on 20‐year data. Regression analysis is used. Estimated annual demands are divided into the seasonal hourly demands considering demand characteristics. Daily load curves of heat and power demands are determined for the Japanese end‐use sectors, and the annual changes of such demands are shown by duration curves of heat‐to‐power ratios. Moreover, the grid power daily load curves are computed numerically from the estimated heat and power demands for the manufacturing, residential, and commercial sectors. Such load curves also consider self‐generated power for the manufacturing industry and self‐consumption of the grid power. Estimating heat and power demands allows for a joint analysis between the power system and the future phasing in of CHP systems. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 153(3): 18–30, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20162     

Establishing Specificity in Psychotherapy: A Meta-Analysis of Structural Equivalence of Placebo Controls.

Placebo treatments in psychotherapy cannot adequately control for all common factors, which thereby attenuates their effects vis-à-vis active treatments. In this study, the authors used meta-analytic procedures to test one possible factor contributing to the attenuation of effects: structural inequalities between placebo and active treatments. Structural aspects of the placebo included number and duration of sessions, training of therapist, format of therapy, and restriction of topics. Results indicate that comparisons between active treatments and structurally inequivalent placebos produced larger effects than comparisons between active treatments and structurally equivalent placebos: moreover, the latter comparison produced negligible effects, indicating that active treatments were not demonstrably superior to well-designed placebos. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Strengths of C/C composites under tensile, shear, and compressive loading: Role of interfacial shear strength

Various strengths of carbon–carbon composites (C/Cs) are comprehensively reviewed. The topics reviewed include tensile, shear, compressive, and fatigue strength as well as fiber/matrix interfacial strength of C/Cs. When data are available, high temperature properties, including creep behavior, are presented. Since C/Cs have extremely low fiber/matrix interfacial strength τ_d, the interfacial fracture plays important roles in all of the fracture processes dealt in this review. The low τ_d was found to divide tensile fracture units into small bundles, to seriously degrade both shear and compressive strength, and to improve fatigue performance. In spite of the importance of the interfacial strength of C/Cs, techniques for its evaluation and analysis are still in a primitive stage.     

Physicochemical properties of ZrF4-BaF2-LnF3 glasses (Ln=Y or rare-earth elements)

The influence of lanthanoid fluorides on physicochemical properties of fluorozirconate glasses has been examined on 60ZrF₄ · 30BaF₂ · 10LnF₃ glasses (Ln=Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Tm, Yb or Lu). Physicochemical properties such as ion packing, hardness, molecular refraction, thermal stability and fluoride-ion conduction have been evaluated on the glasses by the density, refractive index, differential thermal analysis, thermomechanical analysis, Vickers hardness and electrical conductivity measurements. The variation of these properties with lanthanoid species and the relationships between them have been discussed to characterize lanthanoid fluoride-containing fluorozirconate glasses.     

Assessment of the expression of p53, MIB-1 (Ki-67 antigen), and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct

Group B streptococci (GBS) are an important cause of neonatal sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. In the early phase of infection, macrophages and polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) are the first immune cells that interact with GBS. In this in vitro study, to gain insight into GBS-macrophage interaction in the absence of type-specific antibodies, we examined the features of GBS survival in thioglycollate-elicited murine peritoneal macrophages and the effect of GBS on the protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent transduction pathway. Our results demonstrate that type Ia GBS, strain 090 (GBS-Ia) and type III GBS strain COH 31r/s (GBS-III), after in vitro phagocytosis survive and persist intracellularly in macrophages for up to 24 and 48 hr, respectively. However, macrophage activation by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli (LPS) caused a significant reduction in the time of intracellular persistence. Macrophage activation by IFN-gamma and LPS seems to be a multifactorial event involving multiple intracellular signal pathways also including PKC. Since PKC is one of the components in the signal network leading to macrophage activation and an important target for several intracellular micro-organisms, we wondered whether PKC could have a role in intracellular GBS survival. Both PKC depletion by treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 18 hr and PKC inhibition by Calphostin C rendered macrophages more permissive for the intracellular GBS survival. Furthermore, GBS-infected macrophages were unable to respond to PMA and LPS, activators of PKC, by inducing antimicrobial activity. The ability of GBS to impair PKC-dependent cell signalling was also demonstrated by the reduced c-fos gene expression in GBS-infected macrophages with respect to control macrophages, after LPS stimulation. In conclusion, our results indicate that GBS survive in macrophages and impairment of PKC signal transduction contributes to their intracellular survival.     

Self-diffusion of cadmium in cadmium telluride annealed in tellurium-saturated atmosphere

Diffusion behavior of Cd in volume and along dislocations in high-purity CdTe annealed in Te-saturated atmosphere has been studied by the radioactive tracer method with a serial ion-beam sputter-microsectioning technique. The temperature dependence of volume diffusion coefficients shows a bend around 773 K, whereas that of the self-diffusion along dislocations shows a straight line. This suggests that the defect induced by impurities enhances the volume diffusion but does not affect the diffusion along dislocations.     

Experimental study on convergence of droplet streams under microgravity

Experiments on the convergence of two droplet streams have been carried out under microgravity in order to develop a technique for converging droplet streams under microgravity and to examine the behavior of droplets in a vacuum and under microgravity after the binary droplets collide with each other. The working fluid is silicone oil with a low vapor pressure. In this study, a method of orienting the droplet generators toward a convergence point has been tested. In all of the 68 experiments conducted under microgravity, it is confirmed that droplet streams are converged. It has been concluded that the method of orienting multiple droplet generators to a convergeing point is effective for converging droplet streams under microgravity. The behaviors of the colliding droplets under microgravity and in a vacuum have been classified into five types. The five types of behavior are mapped on a We (Weber number) — B (impact parameter) diagram. The range of Weber numbers in the experiments is from 200 to more than 3000.