Blockage of the NLRP3 inflammasome by MCC950 improves anti-tumor immune responses in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical innate immune pathway responsible for producing active interleukin (IL)-1β, which is associated with tumor development and immunity. However, the mechanisms regulating the inflammatory microenvironment, tumorigenesis and tumor immunity are unclear. Herein, we show that the NLRP3 inflammasome was over-expressed in human HNSCC tissues and that the IL-1β concentration was increased in the peripheral blood of HNSCC patients. Additionally, elevated NLRP3 inflammasome levels were detected in tumor tissues of Tgfbr1/Pten 2cKO HNSCC mice, and elevated IL-1β levels were detected in the peripheral blood serum, spleen, draining lymph nodes and tumor tissues. Blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation using MCC950 remarkably reduced IL-1β production in an HNSCC mouse model and reduced the numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), regulatory T cells (Tregs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Moreover, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation increased the numbers of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in HNSCC mice. Notably, the numbers of exhausted PD-1⁺ and Tim3⁺ T cells were significantly reduced. A human HNSCC tissue microarray showed that NLRP3 inflammasome expression was correlated with the expression of CD8 and CD4, the Treg marker Foxp3, the MDSC markers CD11b and CD33, and the TAM markers CD68 and CD163, PD-1 and Tim3. Overall, our results demonstrate that the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway promotes tumorigenesis in HNSCC and inactivation of this pathway delays tumor growth, accompanied by decreased immunosuppressive cell accumulation and an increased number of effector T cells. Thus, inhibition of the tumor microenvironment through the NLRP3 inflammasome/IL-1β pathway may provide a novel approach for HNSCC therapy.     

Long-term increases in clutch size in common snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin)

Clutch size (CS) is a well-studied life history characteristic, and optimal egg size theory predicts that CS should correlate positively with reproductive investment. Turtles are good subjects for studies of reproductive strategies because few turtle species exhibit parental care; therefore quantifying their short-term reproductive investment is mostly limited to measuring egg size and number. Clutch size is usually reported as an average value for each turtle population, and where CS variation is noted, it is usually attributable to variation in adult body size. In two long-term studies of ecologically dissimilar species we detected a dramatic increase in CS in a common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) population and in a diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) population. It is unknown whether these changes are due to either variation in adult body size or resource availability; but the temporal patterns we observed have apparently never been reported previously. These trends remain unexplained and should be explored further.     

矿井索车的优化设计

对矿井索车优化设计中的几个关键性问题进行了探讨，包括驱动轮和尾轮的设计、钢丝绳直径的选择计算、托绳轮间距的确定、绳卡的设计、张紧力和张紧行程的确定、互锁问题的解决等。     

尾水管水力振动的监测与故障判断

从模型及真机试验结果出发，叙述混流式水轮机一般的水力故障形式，研究了尾水管的水力振动特点及振动随运行工况而变化的情况，介绍了以压力脉动频率及幅值作为特征参量对尾水管进行振动监测及故障判断的方法。     

西文期刊回溯建库中几个重要项目的著录

在实践的基础上，从期刊的出版日期、出版周期、卷、期、年、月及其他标识、ISSN、增刊、出版者以及期刊的历史发展等方面对西文期刊机读目录的标准化著录问题进行了探讨。     

关于21世纪图书馆员继续教育问题的思考

论述了21世纪对图书馆员进行继续教育的必要性，介绍了图书馆员继续教育的内容，针对我国图书馆员继续教育的状况，提出了应采取加大投入、进行针对性培训、运用激励机制等措施来加强对图书馆员的继续教育。     

酸性硅溶胶沉淀法制备超微细活性白炭黑

对酸性硅溶胶沉淀法生产超微细活性白炭黑的工艺进行了研究；探讨了生产过程中硅溶胶的ｐＨ值，反应终点ｐＨ值，反应温度以及分散剂等条件；制备了较高品质的产品，其性能接近或超过国外同类产品．     

C60偶联多孔硅系统的蓝光发射

用G60作为表面钝化剂，与多孔硅进行偶联．发现当C60偶联多孔硅系统在空气中存储一年后，能够发射460nm左右的强烈蓝光．经过系统的测量和分析，认为蓝光起源的发光中心与SiO2体材料中的“自捕获激子”模型类似．它是由一个氧空位和一个间隙氧组成的，间隙氧同时和相邻的晶格氧形成过氧连接．光激发载流子来自于Si纳米晶粒的核心，辐射复合过程则在多孔硅表面的发光中心进行．进一步的电子束辐照和臭氧辐照实验证明了这个发光中心的存在．从FTIR谱的分析，推测是样品表面Si=O双键的缓慢变化促使了蓝光中心的自发产生．