Immunogenicity of tumor cells is generally weak. Therefore, dendritic cells (DCs) have been used to boost anti-tumor responses of DC-based vaccines. DC function is highly dependent on its subsets and the level of its maturation. Nowadays, DC/tumor cell fusion vaccines are already used in clinical trials, and there are numerous studies discussing the effects of cytidine-phosphate-guanosine-containing oligonucleotides (CpG-ODN) on various cell types including DC. CpG-ODN a powerful immuno-stimulant can drive DCs fully mature, thus improve the efficacy of vaccine therapy. There are two simple ways to help load tumor antigens onto DCs by direct contact with cells themselves: fusion or co-culture of DCs with whole tumor cells. In this study, we combined these two approaches to improve the efficacy of DC/tumor cell-based vaccine. Mature DCs are adept at presenting processed Ag to T cells with loss of its capacity to capture Ag, while immature DCs are on the contrary. Our results emphasize the necessity of considering the stage of DC maturation and corresponding choice of tumor antigen delivery when designing approaches for prophylaxis or therapy of tumors using DC-based immunization protocols. We used CpG-ODN-1826-stimulated mature DCs and non-CpG-ODN-stimulating DCs as sources of tumor antigen carriers to investigate the appropriate Ag-loading ways between fusion and co-culture. Our results displayed that DC/tumor vaccine using CpG-ODN-stimulating mature DCs fused, not co-cultured, with tumor cells can generate a consistent and highly effective anti-tumor immune responses in vivo.
Abstract. There is little historic data about the vulnerability of damaged elements due to debris flow events in China. Therefore, it is difficult to quantitatively estimate the vulnerable elements suffered by debris flows. This paper is devoted to the research of the vulnerability of brick and concrete walls impacted by debris flows. An experimental boulder (an iron sphere) was applied to be the substitute of debris flow since it can produce similar shape impulse load on elements as debris flow. Several walls made of brick and concrete were constructed in prototype dimensions to physically simulate the damaged structures in debris flows. The maximum impact force was measured, and the damage conditions of the elements (including cracks and displacements) were collected, described and compared. The failure criterion of brick and concrete wall was proposed with reference to the structure characteristics as well as the damage pattern caused by debris flows. The quantitative estimation of the vulnerability of brick and concrete wall was finally established based on fuzzy mathematics and the proposed failure criterion. Momentum, maximum impact force and maximum impact bending moment were compared to be the best candidate for disaster intensity index. The results show that the maximum impact bending moment seems to be most suitable for the disaster intensity index in establishing vulnerability curve and formula.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.