Phosphorylcholine-Primed Dendritic Cells Aggravate the Development of Atherosclerosis in ApoE Mice.

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease involving activation of adaptive and innate immune responses to antigens, including oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and phosphorylcholine (PC). Dendritic cells (DCs), which are antigen-presenting cells that activate T cells, are present in atherosclerotic lesions and are activated in immune organs. However, the mechanism by which PC promotes atherosclerosis is unclear.

Morphologic analysis of Chinese lumbar endplate by three-dimensional computed tomography reconstructions for helping design lumbar disc prosthesis.

Lumbar disc prostheses have been used increasingly in recent years. The successful design of lumbar disc prostheses depends on accurate morphometric parameters. However, the morphologic dimensions of lumbar endplate area have not been investigated in Chinese population.

Knockdown of microRNA-17-5p Enhances the Neuroprotective Effect of Act A/Smads Signal Loop After Ischemic Injury.

Cerebral ischemic injury is a leading cause of human mortality and disability, seriously threatening human health in the world. Activin A (Act A), as a well-known neuroprotective factor, could alleviate ischemic brain injury mainly through Act A/Smads signaling. In our previous study, a noncanonical Act A/Smads signal loop with self-amplifying property was found, which strengthened the neuroprotective effect of Act A.

Power density of piezoelectric transformers improved using a contact heat transfer structure.

Based on contact heat transfer, a novel method to increase power density of piezoelectric transformers is proposed. A heat transfer structure is realized by directly attaching a dissipater to the piezoelectric transformer plate. By maintaining the vibration mode of the transformer and limiting additional energy losses from the contact interface, an appropriate design can improve power density of the transformer on a large scale, resulting from effective suppression of its working temperature rise.

A high-sensitive static vector magnetometer based on two vibrating coils.

A static vector magnetometer based on two-dimensional (2D) vibrating coils actuated by a piezoelectric cantilever is presented. Two individual sensing coils are orthogonally fastened at the tip of cantilever and piezoelectric sheets are used to excite the cantilever bending. Due to off-axis coupler on the tip, the cantilever generates bending and twisting vibrations simultaneously on their corresponding resonant frequencies, realizing the 2D rotating vibrations of the coils.

Coupled torsional and longitudinal vibrations of piezoelectric fiber actuator with helical electrodes.

The vibration characteristics of a piezoelectric fiber actuator with helical electrodes are studied theoretically and experimentally. Its working principle indicates that the torsional, longitudinal, and tangential deformations of the fiber are coupled. A simplified dynamic model is deduced to investigate the properties of the coupled vibrations and their corresponding equivalent circuits are also provided.