Effects and mechanisms of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharides on the activation of dendritic cells derived from mice immunized with FMD vaccine

Background Our previous study has showed that Portulaca oleracea L. (POL-P), as an immunoenhancer, could increase the IgG and isotypes antibody titers in mice immunized with foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccines. However, the structural features and the mechanism of action are still unclear. Enhancing antigen presentation is one of the main ways that immunoenhancer boost immune response. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen presenting cell (APC), which stimulate the initial T cells directly and initiate the specific immune responses. In addition to extracellular factors and intracellular genetic factors, epigenetics plays a major role in the regulation of DCs. In this study, we obtained POL-P, and structural features and monosaccharide composition were analyzed. We evaluated the effect of POL-P on functional maturation of DCs derived from mice immunized with foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccine and explored the related mechanism responsible for immunoenhancer. The levels of protein and gene related to IL-12p35 and IL-12p40 were determined by western blot and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. The expressions of TLR2, TLR4 receptors and the downstream molecules of MyD88 and NF-κB were examined using immunohistochemistry. Results The average molecular weight (Mw) of the POL-P was 4×104 Da. The monosaccharide composition of the POL-P was mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose and arabinose with a relative mass of 1.2%, 13.2%, 33.5%, 1.2%, 3.3%, 32.2% and 15.4%, respectively. We concluded that co-administration of POL-P with the FMD vaccine could significantly promote DCs maturation of phenotype and the immune function. In addition, the acetylation level of histone H3 of IL-12 was closely connected with the immune activity of DCs. Moreover, POL-P induced immune response was related to up-regulating protein expression of TLR2, TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in DCs. Conclusions Our evidence suggested that POL-P could be a potential immunostimulant in the regulation of DCs maturation for FMD vaccine.

Physical and Mechanical Properties Evolution of Coal Subjected to Salty Solution and a Damage Constitutive Model under Uniaxial Compression

Many underground reservoirs for storing water have been constructed in China’s western coal mines to protect water resources. Coal pillars which work as dams are subjected to a long-term soaking environment of concentrated salty water. Deterioration of the coal dam under the attack of the salty solution poses challenges for the long-term stability and serviceability of underground reservoirs. The evolution of the physical and mechanical properties of coal subjected to salty solutions are investigated in this paper. Coal from a western China mine is made to standard cylinder samples. The salty solution is prepared according to chemical tests of water in the mine. The coal samples soaked in the salty solution for different periods are tested by scanning electron microscope, nuclear magnetic resonance, and ultrasonic detector techniques. Further, uniaxial compression tests are carried out on the coal specimens. The evolutions of porosity, mass, microstructures of coal, solution pH values, and stress–strain curves are obtained for different soaking times. Moreover, a damage constitutive model for the coal samples is developed by introducing a chemical-stress coupling damage variable. The result shows that the corrosion effect of salty solution on coal samples becomes stronger with increasing immersion time. The degree of deterioration of the longitudinal wave velocity (vp) is positively correlated with the immersion time. With the increase in soaking times, the porosity of coal gradually increases. The relative mass firstly displays an increasing trend and then decreases with time. The peak strength and elastic modulus of coal decreases exponentially with soaking times. The developed damage constitutive model can well describe the stress–strain behavior of coal subjected to salty solution under the uniaxial compression.

Effect of structure and phase content on wear resistance of the economical alloyed metastable and secondary hardening steels of Cr-Mn-Ti system

Despite a large number of studies in the field of assessing the causes of the formation of hot and cold cracks during surfacing of wear-resistant alloys, today the issues of working out the use of economically alloyed wear-resistant materials and the technique of their surfacing remain relevant. Goal: The purpose of this work is to study the effect of the structure and phase composition on the wear resistance of economically alloyed metastable and secondary hardening steels of the Cr-Mn-Ti system, as well as with additional alloying with Mo, B, V. Mechanized surfacing was carried out with flux cored wires AN-22 and AN-20 with the supply of a de-energized additive to the head of the weld pool, which reduces the content of sulfur and phosphorus, the specific consumption of electricity and increases the assimilation of alloying elements and the relative mass of the flux. Cladding by manual arc welding was carried out with coated electrodes with the addition of a depleted CaF2-coated flux-cored wire filler. When surfacing with a de-energized additive, the ratio of the filler to the main electrode, the relative mass was determined by β = m1 / m2 (m1, m2 are the mass of the filler and the electrode rod, respectively). Submerged arc surfacing was carried out in the following modes: IN = 300 ... 350 A, UD = 26 ... 30 V, q = 6 ... 10 kJ / cm, with manual surfacing - IN = 180 ... 220 A, UD = 25 ... Results: The studies carried out confirm the possibility of the formation of a “white band” both in alloys with a high concentration of austenitizing elements (Mn, C, Ni) and when alloying carbide-forming elements with a relatively low affinity for carbon (V, Mo). The indicators of resistance to cracking (КС, j-integral, δС), and, consequently, resistance to wear of secondary hardening steels are higher than those of metastable and tool steels.

Mechanical Power Correlates With Lung Inflammation Assessed by Positron-Emission Tomography in Experimental Acute Lung Injury in Pigs

Background: Mechanical ventilation (MV) may initiate or worsen lung injury, so-called ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI). Although different mechanisms of VILI have been identified, research mainly focused on single ventilator parameters. The mechanical power (MP) summarizes the potentially damaging effects of different parameters in one single variable and has been shown to be associated with lung damage. However, to date, the association of MP with pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation, as assessed by positron-emission tomography (PET), has not been prospectively investigated in a model of clinically relevant ventilation settings yet. We hypothesized that the degree of neutrophilic inflammation correlates with MP.Methods: Eight female juvenile pigs were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. Lung injury was induced by repetitive lung lavages followed by initial PET and computed tomography (CT) scans. Animals were then ventilated according to the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) network recommendations, using the lowest combinations of positive end-expiratory pressure and inspiratory oxygen fraction that allowed adequate oxygenation. Ventilator settings were checked and adjusted hourly. Physiological measurements were conducted every 6 h. Lung imaging was repeated 24 h after first PET/CT before animals were killed. Pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation was assessed by normalized uptake rate of 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (KiS), and its difference between the two PET/CT was calculated (ΔKiS). Lung aeration was assessed by lung CT scan. MP was calculated from the recorded pressure–volume curve. Statistics included the Wilcoxon tests and non-parametric Spearman correlation.Results: Normalized 18F-FDG uptake rate increased significantly from first to second PET/CT (p = 0.012). ΔKiS significantly correlated with median MP (ρ = 0.738, p = 0.037) and its elastic and resistive components, but neither with median peak, plateau, end-expiratory, driving, and transpulmonary driving pressures, nor respiratory rate (RR), elastance, or resistance. Lung mass and volume significantly decreased, whereas relative mass of hyper-aerated lung compartment increased after 24 h (p = 0.012, p = 0.036, and p = 0.025, respectively). Resistance and PaCO2 were significantly higher (p = 0.012 and p = 0.017, respectively), whereas RR, end-expiratory pressure, and MP were lower at 18 h compared to start of intervention.Conclusions: In this model of experimental acute lung injury in pigs, pulmonary neutrophilic inflammation evaluated by PET/CT increased after 24 h of MV, and correlated with MP.

Experimental Study on Proportioning Optimized Ultra-Fine Aggregate Cementing Materials with Full Gold Tailings Using Response Surface Method

In order to prepare the ultra-fine full gold tailing aggregate cementing materials, the gold tailing powders were mixed with cement under different proportions. Then the effect of sand quantity, water quantity and dosage of water-reducing agent on the compressive strength of the full tailing aggregate cementing materials was studied using response surface method in Design-Expert software. Based on the regression analysis of test results, a visual model was provided. The research results show that when the relative mass dosage of cement is 1, the amount of sand is greater than 1.1, the amount of water is greater than 0.24, and the amount of water reducing agent is 0.01. The 7d compressive strength of tailings concrete shows a significant negative linear correlation with the amount of sand and water. That implays the concrete strength decreases with the increase of the amount of sand and water. When the relative mass of cement is 1, the maximum 7d strength of concrete appears at the relative mass of sand 1.0, the amount of water is 0.22, and the amount of water reducer is 0.01. The maximum 7d compressive strength is about 75.43MPa.

Application of Elastic Fastenings of Equipment to Increase Vibration Frequency of the Wagon Body

Improving dynamic performance is a priority when designing new rolling stock. The frequency of natural bending vibrations of the body is one of the most important standardised indicators, a preliminary assessment of which allows obtaining optimal body designs.The objective of the work is to assess the prospects for the use of elastic fastenings of equipment to increase the natural vibration frequency of wagon bodies of suburban electric trains. Calculations were based on the finite element method and block Lanczos method. It is shown that it is advisable to use the rigid area tool and linearly elastic finite elements to calculate the frequencies in the simulation. The main ranges of fastening stiffness are highlighted, where the effect of using elastic supports is different. It is proposed to determine the stiffness of fastenings according to a given vibration frequency of the equipment. When the equipment is rigidly attached, the relative mass of the equipment does not affect the body bending vibration frequency. With elastic fastening, a greater effect can be achieved with a larger relative weight of the equipment. The effect of using resilient mounts increases with heavier equipment located closer to the centre of the body.It is shown that the effect of shear admittance of fastenings on the body vibration frequency is within 1 % and may not be considered in the simulation. In the considered example of a wagon body of a suburban electric train, the use of elastic supports allows an increase in the frequency of oscillations of the body by 3–10 %.

Debris Emergence Elevations and Glacier Change

Debris-covered glaciers represent potentially significant stores of freshwater in river basins throughout High Mountain Asia (HMA). Direct glacier mass balance measurements are extremely difficult to maintain on debris-covered glaciers, and optical remote sensing techniques to evaluate annual equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) do not work in regions with summer-accumulation type glaciers. Surface elevation and glacier velocity change have been calculated previously for debris-covered glaciers across the region, but the response of debris cover itself to climate change remains an open question. In this research we propose a new metric, i.e. the debris emergence elevation (ZDE), which can be calculated from a combination of optical and thermal imagery and digital elevation data. We quantify ZDE for 975 debris-covered glaciers in HMA over three compositing periods (1985–1999, 2000–2010, and 2013–2017) and compare ZDE against median glacier elevations, modelled ELAs, and observed rates of both mass change and glacier velocity change. Calculated values of ZDE for individual glaciers are broadly similar to both median glacier elevations and modelled ELAs, but slightly lower than both. Across the HMA region, the average value of ZDE increased by 70 +/− 126 m over the study period, or 2.7 +/− 4.1 m/yr. Increases in ZDE correspond with negative mass balance rates and decreases in glacier velocity, while glaciers and regions that show mass gains and increases in glacier velocity experienced decreases in ZDE. Regional patterns of ZDE, glacier mass balance, and glacier velocities are strongly correlated, which indicates continued overall increases in ZDEE and expansion of debris-covered areas as glaciers continue to lose mass. Our results suggest that ZDE is a useful metric to examine regional debris-covered glacier changes over decadal time scales, and could potentially be used to reconstruct relative mass and ELA changes on debris-covered glaciers using historical imagery or reconstructed debris cover extents.

REACTIONS OF KIDNEYS OF SILVER BREAM (BLICCA BJOERKNA) FROM VOLGA DELTA TO HABITAT

The article focuses on the intensive anthropogenic impact on the aquatic ecosystems, which makes it necessary to monitor the populations of different fish species. The method of mor-phophysiological indicators was used to study the kidneys of silver bream in different water bodies of the Volga Delta. The morphometric characteristics of the kidneys of silver bream are presented. It is shown that the reactions of organs and body systems are caused by the environmental impact on the living organisms, which results, in particular, in the pathological changes in the fish body. Reactions in the body of fish are the result of a combined effect of environmental factors and natural physiological processes related to feeding, migrations, generative cycles, etc. The detected changes in the organ structure make it possible to assess the impact of the environment on fish. The seasonal and sexual variability of the indices of the mesonephros of silver bream from the Volga Delta is shown. Analysis of the kidneys of fish from two water bodies showed the variability of kidney mass due to the anthropogenic load on the water body, in particular, an increase in the kidney index in silver bream Blicca bjoerkna was registered in the ecosystem with an increased toxic load. It has been stated that the increase in the relative mass of mesonephros was caused by the changes in the organ. Changes were detected both in the intratubular tissue, and in the convoluted tubules and renal capsules. The study helped to find the differences in the relative weight and structure of the kidneys of silver bream, which lives in the water bodies with different anthropogenic load. A real increase of the kidney index was found in fish from the water body with a higher level of anthropogenic impact.

Experimental Investigation on the Cleaning Effect and Influence Rule of Hydrogen Peroxide–Acetic Acid on Lead–Bismuth Eutectic Alloy

During the refueling process of lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE)–cooled fast reactors, lead–bismuth alloy can easily adhere to the surface of the fuel rod clads when spent fuel assemblies are unloaded from the reactor core. For some designs, the lead–bismuth alloy attached on the spent fuel rods will be cleaned via physical or/and chemical methods prior to their transportation, storage, and reprocessing. In this article, the cleaning effect of a washing lotion composed of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) aqueous solution and concentrated acetic acid (CH3COOH) as the main components on LBE was experimentally investigated. By adjusting the composition ratio of the washing lotion and the reaction temperature, the law of their influence on the cleaning effect of LBE was determined. The optimal washing lotion composed of 30 Vol% hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution as oxidant, 40 Vol% concentrated acetic acid as acid, and 30 Vol% ultrapure water as the solvent was proposed based on experimental investigations. The optimal working temperature range was also obtained. The reaction intermediate product was characterized with the XRD analysis in order to understand the reaction mechanism. The composition of the released gas (even in a slight amount) was also analyzed with gas chromatography. The hydrogen concentration in the released gas was found to be lower than the detection limit of gas chromatography (10 ppm). Since the explosion limits of hydrogen at atmospheric pressure are between 3.95 and 75.73 Vol%, the risk of possible hydrogen explosion is concluded to be extremely low. Therefore, no special treatment of the released gas is required even in a large-scale industrial platform. Furthermore, corrosion effect of the washing lotion on austenitic stainless steel components was tested as well and found to be negligibly small. The relative mass loss of the thin-walled stainless steel samples immersed in the washing lotion was found to be less than 0.5% after an experimental duration of 144 h, which facilitates sufficient cleaning time in future industrial applications.

Durability And Life Prediction of Fly Ash Geopolymer Concrete In Corrosion Environments Caused By Dry And Wet Circulation

The use of tailings, waste rock, fly ash and slag to prepare geopolymer concrete can effectively solve the problems of land resources occupied by tailings and waste rock, low utilization rate and environmental pollution. Using a dry-wet circulation method, fly ash for a different corrosion solution to geopolymer concrete (referred to as TWGPC) was analysed. Through an appearance change, the corrosion resistance coefficient of the compressive strength, relative dynamic elastic modulus, tensile splitting strength, relative mass and durability were investigated, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the microstructure, The life of TWGPC was predicted based on the GM(1,1) prediction model of grey system theory. The test results show that with an increase in the number of dry-wet cycles, the surface of the specimen crystallizes, cracks, spalls and exhibits other phenomena. The compressive strength corrosion coefficient, relative dynamic elastic modulus, crack tensile strength and relative mass show a trend of increasing first and then decreasing, finally reaching the peak value after 40 cycles. The erosion products generated by the early reaction fill the slurry aggregate pores and improve the strength of TWGPC. In a later stage, a large number of erosion products absorb water and expand, the internal pores of TWGPC are connected, leading to a decrease in strength. Cl- inhibits the corrosion of SO42- in concrete and improves the durability of concrete.