Peripheral blood T Regulatory cell counts may not predict transplant rejection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent evidence shows that allograft survival rates show a positive correlation with the number of circulating T regulatory cells (Tregs). This study investigated both the number and the cytokine profiles exhibited by Foxp3⁺Tregs in blood, spleen and lymph nodes of Lewis rat recipients of BN rat cardiac allografts after a single-dose of Rapamycin (RAPA).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rats were divided into three groups: control group (containing healthy control and acute rejection group), and recipients treated with a single dose of RAPA on either Day 1 (1D group)or Day 3 (3D group) post-transplant. We analyzed the number of Foxp3+Tregs and the expression of Foxp3 and cytokines in the peripheral blood and the peripheral lymphoid tissues. No difference was found in the numbers of circulating Foxp3+ Tregs between these three groups. RAPA administration significantly increased Foxp3 expression in peripheral lymphoid tissues after a single dose of RAPA on Day 3 post-transplant. Foxp3+Tregs inhibited the activity of effector T cells (T_eff) via the secretion of TGF-β1.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The number of Tregs in the recipient's blood may not be a good predictor of transplant rejection. Foxp3+Tregs inhibit the activity of T_effcells mainly in the peripheral lymphoid tissues.</p

Wavefront shaping: A versatile tool to conquer multiple scattering in multidisciplinary fields

Optical techniques offer a wide variety of applications as light-matter interactions provide extremely sensitive mechanisms to probe or treat target media. Most of these implementations rely on the usage of ballistic or quasi-ballistic photons to achieve high spatial resolution. However, the inherent scattering nature of light in biological tissues or tissue-like scattering media constitutes a critical obstacle that has restricted the penetration depth of non-scattered photons and hence limited the implementation of most optical techniques for wider applications. In addition, the components of an optical system are usually designed and manufactured for a fixed function or performance. Recent advances in wavefront shaping have demonstrated that scattering- or component-induced phase distortions can be compensated by optimizing the wavefront of the input light pattern through iteration or by conjugating the transmission matrix of the scattering medium. This offers unprecedented opportunities in many applications to achieve controllable optical delivery or detection at depths or dynamically configurable functionalities by using scattering media to substitute conventional optical components. In this article, the recent progress of wavefront shaping in multidisciplinary fields is reviewed, from optical focusing and imaging with scattering media, functionalized devices, modulation of mode coupling, and nonlinearity in multimode fiber to multimode fiber-based applications. Apart from insights into the underlying principles and recent advances in wavefront shaping implementations, practical limitations and roadmap for future development are discussed in depth. Looking back and looking forward, it is believed that wavefront shaping holds a bright future that will open new avenues for noninvasive or minimally invasive optical interactions and arbitrary control inside deep tissues. The high degree of freedom with multiple scattering will also provide unprecedented opportunities to develop novel optical devices based on a single scattering medium (generic or customized) that can outperform traditional optical components

Relationships between Combustion Behavior in Air and the Chemical Structure of Bituminous Coal during Combustion Processes

The structural parameters of five bituminous coals were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction and attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The combustion behavior of coal was investigated by using a thermogravimetric analyzer under air conditions. Furthermore, the relationships between combustion parameters and the coal structure were established. The results show that bituminous coals contain crystalline and amorphous carbon. The aromaticity, interlayer spacing, average stacking height, aliphatic chain length, and the hydrocarbon-generating potential varied with the different bituminous coals. The coal samples exhibited similar weight changes during the combustion process, and the combustion parameters increased with increments in heating rate. The maximum combustion rate and activation energy increased with declining interlayer spacing and hydrocarbon-generating potential and increasing aromaticity, average stacking height, and aliphatic chain length. The bituminous coal for the utilization of combustion should have high aromaticity, a degree of graphitization, crystalline, long aliphatic chain length, and weak hydrocarbon-generating potential

The complete chloroplast genome of Epimedium jinchengshanense Y. J. Zhang & J. Q. Li (Berberidaceae), an ornamental and medicinal species

Epimedium jinchengshanense Y. J. Zhang & J. Q. Li 2014 is an important ornamental and medicinal herb, but of unclear taxonomy. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of E. jinchengshanense was sequenced. The genome was 157,169 bp in length, with a large single-copy region of 88, 520 bp, a small single-copy region of 17,075 bp and 2 inverted repeat regions of 25, 787 bp. The genome consisted of 113 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The GC contents were 38.78%. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship between E. jinchengshanense and E. ilicifolium, which was explained by the morphological similarity of flowers and leaves of the two species

Optimal sizing and operation of hybrid energy storage systems in co‐phase traction power supply system considering battery degradation

Abstract To recycle regenerative braking energy (RBE) while reducing demand charge in electrified railway, a co‐phase power supply system with hybrid energy storage system (HESS) is implemented. However, the dynamical degradation characteristic of battery is necessary to be considered in optimal operation of HESS. A bi‐level model considering battery degradation is proposed to obtain optimal sizing and operation of HESS. The proposed model includes a novel real‐time energy management strategy (EMS) using average power as thresholds, to effectively reduce the demand charge and energy consumption charge. Thresholds are dynamically adjusted with the consideration of battery capacity degradation. A real measured load profile from Beijing‐Shanghai high speed railway is studied. The results demonstrate that the proposed EMS performs better than previous EMS in cost saving. The dynamically adjusted thresholds of EMS are proved to be essential under the consideration of battery degradation. With the optimal sizing of the HESS, the traction substation can achieve 8.69% annual saving of demand charge and recycle 52.33% of the RBE. The results also show that a traction substation equipped with the HESS yields higher economic benefit than the energy storage systems equipped with only a battery or a supercapacitor

Negative Expression of DSG1 and DSG2, as Prognostic Biomarkers, Impacts on the Overall Survival in Patients with Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Aims. To evaluate the expression of DSG1 and DSG2 and investigate their clinicopathological significance in EHCC. Method. The protein expression of DSG1 and DSG2 was measured by EnVision immunohistochemistry in 15 normal biliary tract tissues, 10 biliary tract adenoma tissues, 30 peritumoral tissues, and 100 EHCC tumour tissues. Result. The expression of the DSG1 and DSG2 proteins was significantly lower in EHCC tumour tissues than in normal biliary tract tissues, biliary tract adenoma, and peritumoral tissues (P<0.05). Adenoma and peritumoral tissues with negative DSG1 and/or DSG2 protein expression exhibited atypical hyperplasia. DSG1 expression was positively correlated with DSG2 expression in EHCC (P<0.01). In patients with good differentiation, no invasion, no lymph metastasis, TNM I + II stage, and radical surgery, the positive expression of DSG1 and DSG2 proteins was higher (P<0.05). In comparison to patients with negative DSG1 and/or DSG2 expression, the average overall survival time of those with positive expression was significantly longer (P=0.000). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that negative DSG1 and DSG2 expressions were independent of poor prognosis factors in EHCC patients. The AUC calculated for DSG1 was 0.681 (95% confidence interval: 0.594–0.768) and that for DSG2 was 0.645 (95% confidence interval: 0.555–0.734), while that for DSG1 and DSG2 was 0.772 (95% confidence interval: 0.609-0.936). Conclusions. Negative protein expression of DSG1 and DSG2 is closely related to the pathogenesis, severe clinicopathological characteristics, aggressive biological behaviours, and dismal prognosis in EHCC