Study on the Inhibitory Effects of Ephedra Aconite Asarum

Dendritic cells (DCs) can secrete cytokines stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which leads to not just acute inflammatory responses but also Th1 polarization. Furtherly, chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases could be triggered. As a classic Traditional Chinese Medicine formula, Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction with the main ingredients of ephedrine and hypaconitine can show effect on anti-inflammation and immunoregulation. But it remains unclear whether Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction controls DCs. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction on LPS-induced bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) in vitro. We found that Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction lowered surface costimulators on DCs and reduced the expression of Th1 type cytokines. Yet it is slightly beneficial for shifting to Th2. Our work reveals that the Ephedra Aconite Asarum Decoction can regulate Th1 inflammation through intervening DCs

Interleukin-35 Dampens CD8+ T Cells Activity in Patients With Non-viral Hepatitis-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Interleukin (IL)-35 is a newly identified IL-12 cytokine family member, which has been demonstrated to induce immunotolerance by suppression of CD8+ T cells function in chronic viral hepatitis. However, the role of IL-35 in modulating CD8+ T cells activity in non-viral hepatitis-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was not fully elucidated. Forty-four patients with non-viral hepatitis-related HCC and 20 healthy individuals were enrolled. Serum IL-35 concentration was measured by ELISA. CD8+ T cells were purified from peripheral bloods and liver tissues. mRNA expression of cytotoxic/inhibitory molecules in CD8+ T cells with IL-35 stimulation was semi-quantified by real-time PCR. Direct and indirect contact co-culture systems of CD8+ T cells and HCC cell lines were set up. The modulatory function of IL-35 on peripheral and liver-resident CD8+ T cells was assessed by measurement of lactate dehydrogenase release and cytokine production in the co-culture supernatants. Serum IL-35 was notably elevated in HCC patients, while effective anti-tumor therapies down-regulated IL-35 concentration. Recombinant IL-35 stimulation suppressed cytotoxicity and proinflammatory cytokine secretion of peripheral and liver-resident CD8+ T cells in direct and indirect contact co-culture systems. This process was accompanied by reduction of perforin expression and interferon-γ production, as well as programmed death-1 and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 elevation in CD8+ T cells. The current data suggested that IL-35 inhibited both cytolytic and non-cytolytic function of CD8+ T cells to non-viral hepatitis-related HCC probably via repression of perforin expression. IL-35 might be considered to be one of the therapeutic targets for patients with HCC

Simple Random Sampling-Based Probe Station Selection for Fault Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks

Fault detection for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has been studied intensively in recent years. Most existing works statically choose the manager nodes as probe stations and probe the network at a fixed frequency. This straightforward solution leads however to several deficiencies. Firstly, by only assigning the fault detection task to the manager node the whole network is out of balance, and this quickly overloads the already heavily burdened manager node, which in turn ultimately shortens the lifetime of the whole network. Secondly, probing with a fixed frequency often generates too much useless network traffic, which results in a waste of the limited network energy. Thirdly, the traditional algorithm for choosing a probing node is too complicated to be used in energy-critical wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we study the distribution characters of the fault nodes in wireless sensor networks, validate the Pareto principle that a small number of clusters contain most of the faults. We then present a Simple Random Sampling-based algorithm to dynamic choose sensor nodes as probe stations. A dynamic adjusting rule for probing frequency is also proposed to reduce the number of useless probing packets. The simulation experiments demonstrate that the algorithm and adjusting rule we present can effectively prolong the lifetime of a wireless sensor network without decreasing the fault detected rate

Mode Conversion of the Edge Modes in the Graphene Double-Ribbon Bend

In this paper, a new kind of graphene double-ribbon bend structure, which can support two edge graphene surface plasmons (EGSPs) modes, is proposed. In this double-ribbon bend, one edge mode can be partly converted into another one. We attribute the mode conversion mechanism to the interference between the two edge plasmonic modes. Based on the finite element method (FEM), we calculate the transmission and loss of EGSPs propagating along this graphene double-ribbon bend in the mid-infrared range under different parameters

The Evolution of the Construction Waste Recycling System and the Willingness to Use Recycled Products in China

This paper establishes a recycling system for construction waste and simulates the operation of its four links using the theory and method of system dynamics. In addition, based on the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior, a research model on the willingness of purchasers to use recycled products of construction waste is established, and the factors influencing willingness to use recycled products are analyzed using structural equations. Results show that the operation trend of the building waste recycling subsystem and information feedback subsystem is relatively poor. Purchasers’ perceived ease of use of recycled products correlates positively with their perceived usefulness, and attitude toward use correlates positively with behavioral intention, which promotes willingness to use. The attitudes toward use, behavioral intention, and intention to use are all negatively correlated with purchasers’ perceived risk of recycled products, with the negative correlation being stronger for behavioral intention and attitude toward use. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for promoting the process of recycling construction waste

The Evolution of the Construction Waste Recycling System and the Willingness to Use Recycled Products in China

This paper establishes a recycling system for construction waste and simulates the operation of its four links using the theory and method of system dynamics. In addition, based on the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior, a research model on the willingness of purchasers to use recycled products of construction waste is established, and the factors influencing willingness to use recycled products are analyzed using structural equations. Results show that the operation trend of the building waste recycling subsystem and information feedback subsystem is relatively poor. Purchasers’ perceived ease of use of recycled products correlates positively with their perceived usefulness, and attitude toward use correlates positively with behavioral intention, which promotes willingness to use. The attitudes toward use, behavioral intention, and intention to use are all negatively correlated with purchasers’ perceived risk of recycled products, with the negative correlation being stronger for behavioral intention and attitude toward use. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for promoting the process of recycling construction waste

Shape Effect Analysis of the Mechanical Properties of PVC-Coated Fabrics under Off-Axis Tension

This paper selects polyvinyl chloride- (PVC-) coated fabrics to study its off-axial tensile behaviors under different off-axis angles including 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°. In the experiment, dumbbell-shaped and strip-shaped specimens are analyzed for shape effect. The variations in the strain distribution are studied by using digital image correlation (DIC) noncontact full-field measurement system. The shape and off-axis angle of specimens are analyzed to predict the influences of shape effect. The results show that the longitudinal strain and shear strain of the coated fabrics are obviously symmetrical to the off-axis direction. The shear strain distribution of the two kinds is basically the same, but the longitudinal strain fields are different. The off-axis tensile properties of the material are obviously anisotropic and nonlinear. The tensile testing curve of the specimens mainly consists of three stages: initial linear stage, deformation strengthening stage, and stress strengthening stage. At 0°, the tensile strength is the largest and the elongation at break is the smallest. In contrast, at 45°, the elongation at break is the highest and the tensile strength was the smallest. The properties under the other off-axis angles were between these two extremes