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Our previous study revealed that elevated C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) secretion by irradiated cancer cells recruited C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2)-positive myeloid cells and polarized M2-type tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), promoting lung metastasis in an established mouse model. This study investigated the impact of CCL2 and TAMs on adaptive immunity. We assessed the influence of CCL2 and TAMs on adaptive immunity through two ectopic allograft mouse models constructed with MB49 bladder cancer cells and Lewis lung carcinoma cells. Both models exhibited delayed primary tumor growth following radiation therapy (RT), but RT promoted the development of pulmonary metastases in C57BL/6 mice. Additionally, we employed a direct coculture system to investigate the interaction between macrophages and target cells in the context of adaptive immunity. C-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4)-positive regulatory T cells (Tregs) were recruited to the postirradiated tumor microenvironment (TME). Utilizing a CCR4 antagonist to inhibit CCL2-CCR4 activation reversed the infiltration of CCR4 + Tregs and reduced the incidence of pulmonary metastases. In addition, a positive feedback loop between M2-type TAMs and Tregs was observed. The combined blockade of the CCL2-CCR4 and CCL2-CCR2 signaling pathways further decreased the risk of RT-promoted lung metastasis. The recruitment of CCR4 + Tregs to the postirradiated TME increases the metastatic potential of tumor cells through increased interactions with M2-type TAMs. A significant reduction in post-RT lung metastases in ectopic mouse models was achieved by disrupting the recruitment of both CCR4 + Tregs and CCR2 + myeloid cells, which are TAM precursors. • Murine ectopic MB49 allograft simulates RT-promoted lung metastases. • RT-induced CCL2 recruits both CCR2 + TAMs and CCR4 + Tregs in the TME. • Mutually induced transformation between Treg and M2-TAM enhances lung metastasis. • Dual blockade of CCL2-CCR4 and CCL2-CCR2 pathways reduces lung metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, three cases of rough-sea navigation in the Southern Hemisphere were reproduced using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's WAVEWATCH III. Different wind inputs with various spatial and temporal resolutions were considered, originating from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Final (NCEP-FNL) Operation Model Global Tropospheric Analyses, the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts Interim Reanalysis (ERA-Interim), and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The simulated waves (wave hindcasts) were validated using measured onboard ship motion data. Comparisons of measured and simulated pitch motion indicated that each of the different wind inputs produced reasonable first-order estimates of rough waves. However, for application to a ship's weather routing systems, wind input selection should be carefully considered. For example, near-surface winds from the ERA-Interim underestimated rough waves, while those from the NCEP-FNL Analyses had a contrary tendency. In addition, although the wind inputs from the ERA-Interim produced wave hindcasts that is more consistent with measured results, these same inputs generally underestimated the increasing-phase pitch motion under severe weather conditions, which poses a danger for ships. Thus, the use of wind inputs from NCEP-FNL Analyses or higher-resolution WRF model is recommended for application to ship weather routing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of wind on summer water temperature trends in a semi-closed bay (Tokyo Bay, Japan) is examined through several numerical experiments using a high-resolution three-dimensional ocean model. The model is executed under no-wind and uniform southerly/northerly wind conditions, and monthly mean currents and temperature distributions and heat transport in Tokyo Bay for July are calculated. The model results show that wind has a significant effect on heat transport and temperature distribution in the bay. (1) When a southerly wind prevails northward cool water transport intensifies while southward warm water transport declines, thus decreasing the water temperature in the central bay area while increasing temperature at the bay head. (2) A northerly wind has an opposing effect and decreases the water temperature in coastal bay head area while increase the temperature along the southwest coast. The results also suggest that the trend of increasing southerly wind amplitude may have affected water temperature trends in Tokyo Bay from 1979 to 1997. The model results demonstrated that the an intensified southerly wind lowers water temperatures in most areas of the bay by enhancing upwelling and open ocean-water intrusion near the bay mouth while increases temperatures in the bottom layer of the bay head by suppressing southward warm water transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime transportation is becoming increasingly complex owing to the fluctuation of oil prices, the introduction of environmental guidelines, and the onset of climate change. Although optimal routing has been researched for decades, few studies have investigated speed loss in rough waves for ships with blunt shape and low speed. Onboard measurement of a 28,000DWT bulk carrier has been conducted for six years in rough sea voyages in the Southern Hemisphere. It is necessary to validate the wave and wind conditions in order to discuss speed loss in these situations. Here, numerical simulation of speed loss is developed and conducted for each estimated wave condition. The speed losses under different numerical models of added resistance are quantitatively compared in two rough sea voyages. The simulated results of speed loss are in good agreement with the measured results if the estimated wave is accurate and the wave direction is properly defined. The speed loss accuracy is significantly influenced by the wave estimation accuracy or wave direction setting compared to that in the numerical models of added resistance in actual seas. Simulated results provide important information to evaluate the performance of a ship with blunt shape in rough waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a hereditary defect, which is characterized by the absence of enteric ganglia and is frequently concurrent with Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC). However, the pathogenesis for HSCR is complicated and remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-11 (IL-11) are involved in the enteric nervous system's progress. It was found that IL-11 SNPs (rs8104023 and rs4252546) are associated with HSCR in the Korean population waiting for replication in an independent cohort. This study evaluated the relationship between IL-11 and the susceptibility of patients to HSCR by performing subphenotype interaction examination, HAEC pre-/post-surgical patient-only association analysis, and independence testing. Methods: In this study, a cohort consisting of children from Southern China, comprising 1470 cases and 1473 controls, was chosen to examine the relationship between two polymorphisms (rs8104023 and rs4252546 in IL-11) and susceptibility to HSCR by replication research, subphenotype association analysis, and independence testing. Results: The results showed that IL-11 gene polymorphisms (rs8104023 and rs4252546) are not associated with the risk of HSCR in the Chinese population. The results of both short-segment and long-segment (S-HSCR and L-HSCR) surgery (3.34 ≤ OR ≤ 4.05, 0.02 ≤ P ≤ 0.04) showed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs8104023 is associated with susceptibility to HAEC. Conclusions: This study explored the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to HAEC in HSCR subtypes for the first time. These findings should be replicated in a larger and multicentre study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]