A thermally stable, piezoelectric and pyroelectric polymeric substrate was prepared. This thermally stable, piezoelectric and pyroelectric polymeric substrate may be used to prepare electromechanical transducers, thermomechanical transducers, accelerometers, acoustic sensors, infrared sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, impact sensors, in-situ temperature sensors, in-situ stresshtrain...

Background: Previous studies have shown that some cytokines have protective effects on cartilage in joint diseases. In the current study, effects of IL-4 against morphological changes and tissue degradation induced by IL-1α on bovine nasal cartilage (BNC) explants were investigated. Methods: Fresh BNC samples were prepared from a slaughterhouse under sterile conditions. BNC explants culture was...

bakground: multiple sclerosis (ms) is a cd4+ t cell-mediated autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (cns). it was previously believed that th1 cells were pathogenic t cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (eae). however, the functional role of th1 cells in eae has been reconsidered upon the discovery of il-17- producing t cells which are consider as dominant effect...

background: astrocytes, which comprise ~90% of overall brain mass, are involved in brain immunity. these cells represent the non-professional class of cns-resident apcs and may promote or inhibit cns inflammation depending on the cytokines they secrete. il-10 family of cytokines and their receptors, il-20r1 and il-20r2, may have a role in shifting astrocytes to a neuroprotective or neurodegener...

I will focus on arguments against classical deductive and inductive logic (“relevantist” and “grue” arguments). The talk is mainly defensive. I won’t offer positive accounts of the “paradoxical” cases I will discuss (but, see “Extras”). I’ll begin with Harman’s defense of classical deductive logic against certain (epistemological) “relevantist” arguments. Then, I’ll argue that if you like Harma...

Mice lacking the gene for the IL-1R antagonist (IL-1ra) show abnormal development and homeostasis as well as altered responses to infectious and inflammatory stimuli. A reduction in the level of IL-1 signaling, either by deletion of the receptor or increased expression of IL-1ra, does not affect development or homeostasis, but does alter immune responses. In this study we use genetic epistasis ...