High-Performance Ammonia Protonic Ceramic Fuel Cells Using a Pd Inter-Catalyst.

This study reports the performance and durability of a protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) in an ammonia fuel injection environment. The low ammonia decomposition rate in PCFCs with lower operating temperatures is improved relative to that of solid oxide fuel cells by treatment with a catalyst. By treating the anode of the PCFCs with a palladium (Pd) catalyst at 500 °C under ammonia fuel injection, the performance (peak power density of 340 mW cm-2 at 500 °C) is approximately two-fold higher than that of the bare sample not treated with Pd. Pd catalysts are deposited through an atomic layer deposition post-treatment process on the anode surface, in which nickel oxide (NiO) and BaZr0.2 Ce0.6 Y0.1 Yb0.1 O3-δ (BZCYYb) are mixed, and Pd can penetrate the anode surface and porous interior. Impedance analysis confirmed that Pd increased the current collection and significantly reduced the polarization resistance, particularly in the low-temperature region (≈500 °C), thereby improving the performance. Furthermore, stability tests showed that superior durability is achieved compared with that of the bare sample. Based on these results, the method presented herein is expected to represent a promising solution for securing high-performance and stable PCFCs based on ammonia injection.

Dual plate fixation on distal third diaphyseal fracture of the humerus.

INTRODUCTION: Displaced unstable distal third fractures of the humeral diaphysis are treated surgically through open reduction and internal fixation. Conventionally, surgeons prefer using long plates for secure fixation; however, we performed short plate dual plating for robust fixation that required a smaller incision and less dissection through an anterior approach. In this study, we report the results of dual plating of fractures of the humeral shaft, with radiographic evidence and clinical analysis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 29 patients with distal third diaphyseal fractures of the humerus. There were 18 men and 11 women, with an average age of 43 years, and a mean follow-up period of 21.2 months. We investigated the type of fracture, plate length, number of fixed screws, and fracture union. Range of motion, Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score, and complications during follow-up were analyzed for clinical results. RESULTS: All fractures were classified according to AO classification. We used 4.5-mm narrow locking compression plates (LCP) and 3.5-mm LCP reconstruction plates. Fracture union was achieved in all cases during the follow-up. All patients recovered favourable elbow range of motion at final follow-up. At the final follow-up, average DASH score was 10.0, and no patient showed postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory radiographic evidence and clinical results suggest that dual plating for distal diaphyseal humeral fractures may be considered a surgical option, with the advantages of strong fixation, less invasion of soft tissue, and early rehabilitation.

Overexpression of an Arabidopsis ß-glucosidase gene enhances drought resistance with dwarf phenotype in creeping bentgrass.

UNLABELLED: An Arabidopsis ß-glucosidase, AtBG1 is known to hydrolyze glucose-conjugated, biologically inactive abscisic acid (ABA) to produce active ABA, which increases the level of ABA in plants. Since an increase of ABA in plants confers tolerance against abiotic stress such as drought, we introduced the pCAMBIA3301 vector harboring the AtBG1 gene into creeping bentgrass through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. After transformation, putative transgenic plants were selected using the BASTA resistance assay at a concentration of 0.8%. Genomic integration of the AtBG1 gene was confirmed by genomic PCR and Southern blot analysis, and gene expression was validated by Northern blot and Western blot analyses. Interestingly, the transgenic bentgrass plants overexpressing AtBG1 had a dwarf phenotype with reduced growth rates when compared to wild-type creeping bentgrass. In addition, the transgenic plants accumulated higher ABA levels and displayed enhanced drought tolerance. These results suggest that the expression of AtBG1 in plants induces the accumulation of higher ABA levels, which results in the formation of dwarf creeping bentgrass and enhances the survival in water-limiting environments. KEY MESSAGE: We used an Arabidopsis ß-glucosidase AtBG1 to engineer a crop with elevated active ABA levels, and developed transgenic creeping bentgrass with enhanced drought tolerance and dwarf phenotype.

Complement C3a and C4a increased in plasma of patients with aspirin-induced asthma.

RATIONALE: Aspirin-induced asthma (AIA) is a distinct clinical syndrome that affects up to 10% of adults with asthma. Although eicosanoid metabolites appear to play an important role in AIA, the exact pathogenic mechanism for the syndrome remains obscure. In addition, the proposed mechanism fails to explain why aspirin does not cause bronchoconstriction in all individuals. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify proteins that were differentially expressed in between AIA and aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) plasma. METHODS AND MAIN RESULTS: By using a proteomics approach, six proteins were found to be differentially expressed in plasma between patients with AIA and patients with ATA at baseline, and eight proteins were significantly up- or down-regulated after aspirin challenge in patients with AIA. These proteins, which were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, can be classified into four groups: complement components, apolipoproteins, modified albumin, and unknown proteins. Among them, the complement component levels in plasma were validated by using ELISA. Plasma concentrations of C3a and C4a were higher in patients with AIA (n = 30) than in patients with ATA (n = 24). After the aspirin challenge, C3 decreased in both patients with AIA and those with ATA, but the C3a concentration increased in the AIA patient group (p = 0.019). Moreover, C3a and C4a levels and the ratios of C3a/C3 and C4a/C4 were correlated with the changes of FEV(1) values after aspirin challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Aspirin intolerance may be related to alterations in the levels of complements, as well as those of lipoprotein and other proteins.

Interleukin-25 and interleukin-13 production by alveolar macrophages in response to particles.

Particle inhalation-induced lung inflammation acts as an adjuvant to allergens or respiratory viral infection in a process that is mediated by macrophages and epitheliums. The production of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 by activated T cells is involved in the augmentation of Th2-type immune responses to particles, and IL-25 induces the synthesis of IL-4 and IL-13. However, whether IL-13 and IL-25 are directly regulated by particle instillation in the lung has not been studied. The aim of this study was to reveal particle induction of IL-13 and IL-25 in the lung. TiO(2) instillation potently induced the mRNA expression for IL-25 and IL-13 in lung tissue extracts 24 h after treatment, as compared with the sham group. Immunostaining for IL-25 and IL-13 showed strong positivity for macrophages in the inflammatory lung lesions of TiO(2)-treated rats. The alveolar macrophages expressed IL-25 and IL-13 24 h after in vitro stimulation with TiO(2) particles in dose- and time-dependent manners, with maximal induction at 24 and 48 h after stimulation, respectively. The sequence of the rat IL-25 gene is 95% homologous with the mouse IL-25 gene. These findings indicate that alveolar macrophages play an important role in particle-induced lung inflammation via direct induction of IL-13 and IL-25 production.

Interferon-gamma inhibits in vitro mobilization of eosinophils by interleukin-5.

BACKGROUND: Th2 cytokines play pivotal roles in allergic inflammation, including eosinophilia, and their actions are antagonized by Th1 cytokines, conferring them therapeutic potential. METHODS: In this study, we examined the ability of a number of cytokines to suppress the activation of eosinophils that function as effector cells for allergic airway diseases. RESULTS: Interleukin (IL)-5, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induced an eosinophil shape change, whereas interferon (IFN)-gamma significantly inhibited the shape change. Other cytokines, including IL-1beta, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13, had little or only slightly enhancing or reducing effects on the shape change. We further analyzed the IFN-gamma effect, showing that pretreatment with IFN-gamma strongly suppressed IL-5-induced eosinophil shape change, and cycloheximide (CHX) abrogated the suppression by IFN-gamma, suggesting that new protein synthesis is required for the inhibitory effect by this cytokine. In agreement with these results, IFN-gamma blocked the eosinophil migration and ERK phophorylation induced by IL-5, and the addition of CHX restored eosinophil chemotaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, IFN-gamma may attenuate eosinophilic inflammation by directly negating eosinophil mobilization.