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Heat pipe radiators are popular as heat dissipation system of electronic components due to high heat transfer efficiency and reliability. This study proposed a metal foam heat pipe radiator to enhance heat transfer between heat pipe condensed section and air. The prototypes of traditional fins and metal foam heat pipe radiator were produced to validate the heat transfer enhancement. The effect of metal foam pore density on the heat dissipation capability was discussed. The experiment results showed that metal foam heat pipe radiator could improve the start-up time and part-load time in comparison with the traditional fins heat pipe radiator. The thermal resistance of proposed radiators could reduce by 10% when the pore density of copper foam is 5 PPI.

The Laser Photothermal Method (LPM), which is a transient non-contact technique, was employed to measure the thermal physical parameters of Stainless Steel 304 (SS304), Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) and Aluminum Nitride (AlN) ceramics. The thermal diffusivity of SS304, OFC and AlN ceramic were measured by the LPM and some explanations for the tendency with the temperature were given. Compared with the reference values, it showed that the LPM is reliable in measuring thermal parameters. Following, the Thermal Contact Resistances (TCRs) of OFC-AlN ceramic, SS304-AlN, SS304-SS304 and AlN ceramic were measured in the temperature range from 70 K to 300 K and the contact pressure was on the order of 0.10 MPa. Some explanations were given to make clear the changing trend of TCRs with the increase of temperature. Moreover, some empirical formulas of the TCRs were established. The accuracy of the establishing empirical formulas had been validated by the experiment, and the error was smaller than 9%.

Reports on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Mycobacterium leprae, relationship with bacteriological index (BI), and transmission in China are limited. We investigated the emergence of AMR mutations, the relationship between BI and AMR in complete, moderate and lack of BI decline cases, and molecular epidemiological features of AMR cases by enrolling 290 leprosy cases from four endemic provinces. Seven (2.41%), one (0.34%), five (1.72%), one (0.34%), and one (0.34%) strains had single mutations in folP1, rpoC, gyrA, gyrB, and 23S rRNA, respectively. Double mutations in folP1 and gyrA, rpoB and gyrA, and gyrA and 23S rRNA were observed in one (0.34%) strain each. Mutated strains occurred in three out of 81 (95% CI−0.005-0.079, p = 0.083) cases with complete BI decline, in seven out of 103 (95% CI 0.018-0.117, p = 0.008) cases with moderate BI decline, and in four out of 34 (95% CI 0.003-0.231, p = 0.044) cases with lack of BI decline. Most of these mutated strains were geographically separated and diverged genotypically. AMR mutations may not be the main cause of the lack of BI decline. The low transmission of AMR strains at the county level indicates an ongoing transmission at close contact levels.

More than 100 counties, mainly in southwest China, report incidence rates of leprosy >1/100,000. The current study analysed the epidemiology of leprosy in southwest China to improve our understanding of the transmission pattern and improve control programs. 207 counties were selected in southwest China. Leprosy patients and their household contacts were recruited. The data from the medical interview and the serological antileprosy antibody of the leprosy patients were analysed. A total of 2,353 new cases of leprosy were interviewed. The distribution of leprosy patients was partly associated with local natural and economic conditions, especially several pocket areas. A total of 53 from 6643 household contacts developed leprosy, and the incidence rate of leprosy in the household contacts was 364/100,000 person-years. We found that NDO-BSA attained higher positive rates than MMP-II and LID-1 regardless of clinical types, disability and infection time in leprosy patients. By means of combination of antigens, 88.4% patients of multibacillary leprosy were detected, in contrast to 59.9% in paucibacillary leprosy. Household contacts should be given close attention for the early diagnosis, disruption of disease transmission and precise control. Applications of serology for multi-antigens were recommended for effective coverage and monitoring in leprosy control.

The murine Friend virus (FV) retrovirus model has been widely used to study anti-viral immune responses, and virus-induced cancer. Here we analyzed FV immune evasion mechanisms on the level of dendritic cells (DC) essential for the induction of primary adaptive immune responses. Comparative quantitative proteome analysis of FV-infected DC (FV-DC) of different genotypes (BALB/c, C57BL/6) and non-infected DC revealed numerous genotype-independently regulated proteins rergulating metabolic activity, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and antigen processing/presentation. These alterations may promote virion production in FV-DC. Stimulation of FV-DC with LPS resulted in strongly enhanced IL-10 production which was partially responsible for their attenuated T cell (CD4+, CD8+) stimulatory capacity. Stimulated FV-DC induced less IFN-γ production in T cells required for cellular anti-viral responses, but more T helper cell type 2 (Th2)-associated cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13). We conclude that FV reprograms DC to promote viral spreading and immune deviation by imprinting a largely maturation-resistant, Th2-biased immunophenotype. OA gold - CA extern

Dendritic cells (DCs) constitute an attractive target for specific delivery of nanovaccines for immunotherapeutic applications. Here we tested nano-sized dextran (DEX) particles to serve as a DC-addressing nanocarrier platform. Non-functionalized DEX particles had no immunomodulatory effect on bone marrow (BM)-derived murine DCs in vitro. However, when adsorbed with ovalbumine (OVA), DEX particles were efficiently engulfed by BM-DCs in a mannose receptor-dependent manner. A DEX-based nanovaccine containing OVA and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a DC stimulus induced strong OVA peptide-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell proliferation both in vitro and upon systemic application in mice, as well as a robust OVA-specific humoral immune response (IgG1>IgG2a) in vivo. Accordingly, this nanovaccine also raised both a more pronounced delayed-type hypersensitivity response and a stronger induction of cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells than obtained upon administration of OVA and LPS in soluble form. Therefore, DEX-based nanoparticles constitute a potent, versatile and easy to prepare nanovaccine platform for immunotherapeutic approaches.