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The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (plgR) has been found to move pneumococci across human nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. The human phgR (hplgR) binds to a major Streptococcus pneumoniae adhesin, CbpA. Expression of phlgR in nasopharnygeal cells and MDCK cells enhances pneumococcal adherence and invasion greatly.

The shroud is a key component of the frost-free refrigerator and its geometric parameters have great influence on the aerodynamic performance of the whole system. Previous researches mainly focused on the effect of other components, such as the fan, shelves, or plate-evaporator. In this paper, the influence of the shroud with multi-outlets on the flow distributions of a frost-free refrigerator is studied thoroughly with the help of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools. A 1/2 3-D CFD model is developed, where the verification of turbulence models and mesh independence tests are performed by comparing the mass flow rate obtained by different model configurations. The standard k-epsilon is deemed as the most suitable turbulence model choice and a mesh with Fine level is considered as mesh independence. To obtain the boundaries of the developed CFD model, an airflow velocity test rig is built and constructed. To convert the measured data to CFD model, Structural Response Vector (SRV) method is implemented for velocity profile fitting, and the fitted surface is assigned by User Defined Functions (UDF) macros in simulations. A series of simulations are carried out with the developed model, and the results indicates that no streamline in the middle two cavities of the original freezer compartment and the airflow velocities at the three outlets of the investigated shroud show a certain difference. To optimize the flow distribution, the agent model based on the BP neural network is established, in which four critical parameters of the shroud are adopted as design variables. The results show that the velocity streamlines in the middle two cavities are significantly increased after optimization and the value of the mean square error model constructed in optimization has a reduction of 61.09% compared with the original design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the associations of interleukin-18 (IL-18) and IL-9 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to asthma, and to study the associations between IL-18 and IL-9 expression levels and polymorphisms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 200 asthma patients in our hospital were collected as disease group, while 200 healthy people were taken as control group. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from peripheral blood and sent to the company for the detection of IL-18 and IL-9 gene polymorphisms via sequencing. The levels of serum IL-18 and IL-9 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and arterial blood gas analysis was performed for patients. RESULTS: The allele distributions at IL-18 gene loci rs189667 and rs360715 had no differences between control group and disease group. The allele distributions at IL-9 gene loci rs1859430 and rs2066758 were different between the two groups (p=0.001, p=0.022), among which the G allele frequency was the highest in disease group [245 (0.613)], and the T allele frequency was also the highest in disease group [240 (0.600)]. There was a difference in the genotype distribution at IL-9 gene locus rs1859430 between the two groups, and the GG genotype frequency in disease group [82 (0.410)] was significantly higher than that in control group (p=0.005). The CC genotype frequency at rs2066758 was significantly lower in disease group [27 (0.135), p=0.044]. In disease group, the frequency of heterozygous model CT (p=0.047) at IL-18 gene locus rs360715, and recessive model GA+AA (p=0.021) and heterozygous model GA (p=0.031) at IL-19 gene locus rs1859430 was significantly lower than that in control group. In disease group, the AC haplotype frequency at IL-18 gene loci rs189667 and rs360715 was evidently lower than that in control group (p=0.048). Disease group had evidently lower AT haplotype frequency (p=0.006) and evidently higher GT haplotype frequency (p=0.000) at IL-9 gene loci rs1859430 and rs2066758. Moreover, the level of serum IL-18 in patients with TT genotype at IL-18 gene locus rs360715 was higher than that in those with other genotypes in disease group (p<0.05), and the level of serum IL-9 in patients with AG genotype at IL-9 gene locus rs1859430 was also higher than that in those with other genotypes in disease group (p<0.05). There was a remarkable association between CT genotype at IL-18 gene locus rs360715 and partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) (p=0.035), and between CC genotype at IL-9 gene locus rs2066758 and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) (p=0.041). CONCLUSIONS: The expression levels of serum IL-18 and IL-9 and their gene polymorphisms are significantly associated with asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Acquired radioresistance remains the primary obstacle to improving the survival of esophageal cancer (EC). Related hypoxia factors play crucial roles in radioresistance such as hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF- 1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and angiogenic factor with G-patch and FHA domains 1 (AGGF1). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) on the radiosensitivity of EC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, and AGGF1 in 70 EC patients was detected using immunohistochemistry. The relation between the expression levels of the above genes with clinicopathologic characteristics was explored as well. Human ECA-109 cells were subjected to hypoxia and/or radiation in the presence or absence of 2ME2. Subsequently, cell growth, colony formation, and apoptosis were evaluated. Moreover, the mRNA and protein expression levels were determined using quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: HIF-1α, VEGF, and AGGF1 were significantly in EC tissues and were associated with cancer aggressiveness. 2ME2 treatment significantly increased the radiosensitivity of ESCC cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was related to the inhibited expression of HIF-1α. Subsequent immunohistochemical staining results showed that the VEGF expression was positively correlated with the HIF-1α expression in EC. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of HIF-1α, VEGF, and AGGF1 in EC are indicators of poor prognosis in patients treated with radiotherapy, which can offer new ideas and methods for the treatment of ESCC. In addition, 2ME2 inhibits the expression of HIF-1α and confers radiosensitivity in ECA-109 cells. Our findings suggest that 2ME2 has the potential to be applied as an adjuvant treatment with radiotherapy for EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase transitions, magnetocaloric effect, and magnetoresistance in Ni50-xCoxMn39Sb11 (x=0–11) ferromagnetic shape memory alloys were investigated. The temperatures of martensitic transformation and magnetic transition in austenitic phase depend strongly on the Co concentration, while the magnetic transition temperature in martensitic phase shows small dependence on alloy composition. For 7≤x≤9, the martensitic transformation is accompanied by a sudden change in magnetization. Large positive magnetic entropy changes and negative magnetoresistance near room temperature, which originate from the magnetic-field-induced transformation from the weak-magnetic high-resistance martensitic phase to the ferromagnetic low-resistance parent phase, are observed in these alloys. Our results indicate the potential application of Ni50-xCoxMn39Sb11 alloys in magnetic refrigeration and magnetic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Ni43Mn46-xCuxSn11 (x=1, 2, and 3) alloys was prepared by the arc melting method. The martensitic transition shifts to a higher temperature with increasing Cu concentration. The isothermal magnetization curves around the martensitic transition temperature show a typical metamagnetic behavior. Under a low applied magnetic field of 10 kOe, positive values of magnetic entropy change around the martensitic transition temperature are 14.1, 18.0, and 15.8 J/kg K for x=1, 2, and 3, respectively. While in the vicinity of the Curie temperature of the austenitic phase, these negative values are 1.1, 1.0, and 0.9 J/kg K for x=1, 2, and 3, respectively. The origin of the large entropy changes and the potential application for Ni43Mn46-xCuxSn11 alloys as a working substance for magnetic refrigeration are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of constitutive models for unsaturated soils is briefly reviewed, and the state-of-the-art of elastoplastic constitutive models for unsaturated soils is summarized. This paper introduces an elastoplastic model that couples hydraulic and mechanical behaviour for unsaturated non-expansive and expansive soils. The two coupled elastoplastic constitutive models are illustrated with laboratory tests to show their application and performance. Hydraulic hysteresis in the soil-water characteristic is modeled as an elastoplastic process with the elastic region of the degree of saturation. The effect of change in degree of saturation on the stress-strain-strength behaviour and the effect of change in void ratio on the soil-water characteristics are taken into consideration in the model in addition to the effect of suction on the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a significant member of the non-coding RNA family. New evidence has shown that it plays a pivotal role in the processes of tumor genesis and development. According to previous verification, the lncRNA Tubulin Alpha 4B (TUBA4B) is a tumor-associated molecule, but how TUBA4B expresses and functions in breast cancer is still not clear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted this study to examine what expression and biological role TUBA4B plays in breast cancer. The expression of TUBA4B was measured in breast cancer samples and cell lines. CCK8 assays and transwell assays were used for evaluating the effects of TUBA4B on breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Luciferase reporter assays were used for identifying the direct target of TUBA4B. RESULTS: According to the results, TUBA4B was largely downregulated in breast cancer samples and cell lines. The functional analysis demonstrated that breast cancer cells proliferation and invasion could be inhibited by overexpression of TUBA4B. The results of Luciferase reporter assays indicated that TUBA4B directly targeted miR-19, which could rescue the effects of TUBA4B on breast cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that TUBA4B was downregulated in breast cancer and suppressed proliferation and invasion of breast cancer by targeting miR-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]