Tempcore Process Simulator to Analyze Microstructural Evolution of Quenched and Tempered Rebar

Featured Application Proposed process simulator can be widely applied to parameter design of industrial Tempcore process with reduced cost and time. Abstract Tempcore process simulator (TPS) has been developed in this study to analyze the microstructural evolution of quenched and tempered rebar. There has been an increasing need to relate the complex microstructures to the resulting properties of quenched and tempered rebar. However, information on such relationships typically requires precise thermal histories imposed on the workpiece. Therefore, TPS, capable of simulating the Tempcore process, has been developed to produce high-fidelity data. TPS mainly consists of a vacuum induction furnace, pilot rolling mill, box furnace, and cooling unit to simulate shop floor operations. A series of experimental tests were successfully carried out with various parameters, such as reheating temperature, water flow, water pressure, and cooling time. The effects of chemical compositions and cooling time on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of quenched and tempered rebar have been analyzed to validate the performance of TPS. The results show that TPS can simulate the Tempcore process with a high degree of fidelity and reliability.11Ysciescopu

Absence of detectable HIV-1 viremia after treatment cessation in an infant

An infant born to a woman with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection began receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) 30 hours after birth owing to high-risk exposure. ART was continued when detection of HIV-1 DNA and RNA on repeat testing met the standard diagnostic criteria for infection. After therapy was discontinued (when the child was 18 months of age), levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA, proviral DNA in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells, and HIV-1 antibodies, as assessed by means of clinical assays, remained undetectable in the child through 30 months of age. This case suggests that very early ART in infants may alter the establishment and long-term persistence of HIV-1 infection

Outer membrane protein a of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium activates dendritic cells and enhances Th1 polarization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Typhoid, which is caused by <it>Salmonella enterica </it>serovar Typhimurium, remains a major health concern worldwide. Multidrug-resistant strains of <it>Salmonella </it>have emerged which exhibit increased survivability and virulence, thus leading to increased morbidity. However, little is known about the protective immune response against this microorganism. The outer membrane protein (Omp)A of bacteria plays an important role in pathogenesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We purified OmpA from <it>S. enterica </it>serovar Typhimurium (OmpA-sal) and characterized the role of OmpA-sal in promoting adaptive and innate immune responses. OmpA-sal functionally activated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells by augmenting expression of CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex classes I and II. Interestingly, OmpA-sal induced production of interferon-γ from T cells in mixed lymphocyte reactions, thus indicating Th1-polarizing capacity. The expression of surface markers and cytokine production in dendritic cells was mediated by the TLR4 signaling pathway in a TLR4 Knock-out system.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that OmpA-sal modulates the adaptive immune responses to <it>S. enterica </it>serovar Typhimurium by activating dendritic cells and driving Th1 polarization, which are important properties to consider in the development of effective <it>S. enterica </it>serovar Typhimurium vaccines and immunotherapy adjuvant.</p

Genomic characterization of Nocardia seriolae strains isolated from diseased fish

Members of the genus Nocardia are widespread in diverse environments; a wide range of Nocardia species are known to cause nocardiosis in several animals, including cat, dog, fish, and humans. Of the pathogenic Nocardia species, N. seriolae is known to cause disease in cultured fish, resulting in major economic loss. We isolated two N. seriolae strains, CK‐14008 and EM15050, from diseased fish and sequenced their genomes using the PacBio sequencing platform. To identify their genomic features, we compared their genomes with those of other Nocardia species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that N. seriolae shares a common ancestor with a putative human pathogenic Nocardia species. Moreover, N. seriolae strains were phylogenetically divided into four clusters according to host fish families. Through genome comparison, we observed that the putative pathogenic Nocardia strains had additional genes for iron acquisition. Dozens of antibiotic resistance genes were detected in the genomes of N. seriolae strains; most of the antibiotics were involved in the inhibition of the biosynthesis of proteins or cell walls. Our results demonstrated the virulence features and antibiotic resistance of fish pathogenic N. seriolae strains at the genomic level. These results may be useful to develop strategies for the prevention of fish nocardiosis.

Maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells by a novel β-glucan purified from Paenibacillus polymyxa JB115

We investigated the immunostimulatory effects of a novel β-glucan purified from Paenibacillus (P.) polymyxa JB115 on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs), a type of potent antigen-presenting cells. β-glucan isolated from P. polymyxa JB115 enhanced the viability and induced the maturation of DCs. β-glucan markedly increased the cytokine production of DCs and surface expression of DC markers. In addition, DCs treated with β-glucan showed a higher capacity to stimulate allogeneic spleen cell proliferation compared to those treated with medium alone. These results demonstrate the effect of β-glucan on DC maturation and may increase the use of β-glucan