Altering Host Resistance to Infections through Microbial Transplantation

Host resistance to bacterial infections is thought to be dictated by host genetic factors. Infections by the natural murine enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium (used as a model of human enteropathogenic and enterohaemorrhagic E. coli infections) vary between mice strains, from mild self-resolving colonization in NIH Swiss mice to lethality in C3H/HeJ mice. However, no clear genetic component had been shown to be responsible for the differences observed with C. rodentium infections. Because the intestinal microbiota is important in regulating resistance to infection, and microbial composition is dependent on host genotype, it was tested whether variations in microbial composition between mouse strains contributed to differences in “host” susceptibility by transferring the microbiota of resistant mice to lethally susceptible mice prior to infection. Successful transfer of the microbiota from resistant to susceptible mice resulted in delayed pathogen colonization and mortality. Delayed mortality was associated with increased IL-22 mediated innate defense including antimicrobial peptides Reg3γ and Reg3β, and immunono-neutralization of IL-22 abrogated the beneficial effect of microbiota transfer. Conversely, depletion of the native microbiota in resistant mice by antibiotics and transfer of the susceptible mouse microbiota resulted in reduced innate defenses and greater pathology upon infection. This work demonstrates the importance of the microbiota and how it regulates mucosal immunity, providing an important factor in susceptibility to enteric infection. Transfer of resistance through microbial transplantation (bacteriotherapy) provides additional mechanisms to alter “host” resistance, and a novel means to alter enteric infection and to study host-pathogen interactions

Mikrostruktura odlewanych wysokochromowych żeliw białych zawierających molibden i ich właściwości erozyjno-korozyjne w wodnej zawiesinie kwasu siarkowego

Microstructure and erosion-corrosion behaviour of as-cast high chromium white irons containing molybdenum in aqueous sulfuric-acid slurry was studied. The experimental irons contained 28 wt.%Cr with a Cr:C ratio of about 10 and up to 10 wt.%Mo. The irons with up to 6 wt.%Mo are hypoeutectic, whereas the iron with 10 wt.%Mo becomes eutectic/peritectic. Mo addition promotes formation of M23C6 and M6C, instead of typical M7C3. Erosion-corrosion testing was performed in aqueous sulfuric-acid slurry containing alumina particles. The hypoeutectic Fe-28Cr-2.7C-1Mo with mainly M7C3 and the eutectic/peritectic Fe-28Cr-2.6C-10Mo showed reduced wear rates of about 30% and 7% of that of the reference iron without Mo addition, respectively. The reduction of the carbide-matrix hardness difference, the increase of corrosion resistance of the matrices, and the increase of macro-hardness are determining factors for the improvement of erosion-corrosion resistance of the irons.W pracy badano mikrostrukturę odlewanych wysokochromowych żeliw białych zawierających molibden oraz ich właściwości erozyjno-korozyjne w wodnej zawiesinie kwasu siarkowego. Badane żeliwa zawierały 28% wag. chromu przy stosunku Cr:C około 10 oraz do 10% wag. molibdenu. żeliwa zawierające do 6% wag. Mo są podeutektykami, natomiast żeliwa o zawartości 10% wag. Mo – eutektykami/perytektykami. Dodatek molibdenu sprzyja powstawaniu faz M23C6 i M6C, w miejsce typowego M7C3. Właściwości erozyjno-korozyjne badano w wodnej zawiesinie kwasu siarkowego zawierającej cząstki tlenku glinu. Szybkość zużycia podeutektycznego żeliwa Fe-28Cr-2,7C-1Mo, zawierającego głównie M7C3, oraz eutektyczny/perytektyczny Fe-28Cr-2,6C-10Mo była niższa odpowiednio o ok. 30% i 7% w odniesieniu do żeliwa bez dodatku Mo. Jako czynniki determinujące zwiększenie odporności na erozję i korozję należy wymienić: zmniejszenie różnicy twardości pomiędzy węglikiem a matrycą, wzrost odporności na korozję matrycy oraz wzrost makrotwardości

Tribology, mechanical properties and coloration of a mica glass-ceramic

The research employed pigments, Fe2O3 and CeO2, into the glass frit for adjustable mechanical properties and coloration. Disc samples were prepared to determine microstructures and mechanical properties in terms of tribology and nano-indentation hardness as well as biaxial flexural strength. The glass system presented the crystalline phases, by XRD, of phlogopite Ca-mica, fluorapatite, stishovite, anorthite and strontium apatite. Furthermore, SEM micrographs revealed rod-like microstructures and parent glass phase in all specimens 1) GC, 2) GC + 1wt% CeO2, 3) GC + 0.1wt% Fe2O3 and 4) GC + 1wt% CeO2 + 0.1wt% Fe2O3. For the tribology test, specimens were tested by a pin-on-disc tribometer with 10 N load and 1,000 wear cycles. The obtained values of wear rate and friction coefficient of GCF were better than those of others. The nanoindentation hardness results showed that GC exhibited 3.2 GPa which lower than those of GCC, GCF and GCCF, respectively. The addition of pigments affected reddish yellow color. After crystallization, the contrast ratio is around 0.72 for GC and decreases to 58-75% for the mica glass-ceramics that contain the pigments. The values of biaxial flexural strength of all were acceptable (≥100 MPa) according to ISO 6872:2015