Midkine ameliorates LPS-induced apoptosis of airway smooth muscle cells via the Notch2 pathway

Objective:To evaluate the effect of midkine on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced airway smooth muscle cells(ASMCs).Methods:LPS-stimulated acute lung injury model was used to analyze the effect of midkine on ASMCs in vitro.Recombinant midkine and midkine siRNA were used to investigate the role of Notch2 signaling pathway.Cell proliferation was assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay.Additionally,apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and protein and mRNA expression of midkine and Notch2 was assessed by Western blotting and qPCR,respectively.Immunofluorescence analysis was also conducted.Results:LPS increased the mRNA and protein expression of midkine and Notch2.Midkine silencing reduced LPS-induced midkine and Notch2 expression.In addition,midkine silencing further reduced the viability and increased apoptosis of ASMCs induced by LPS,which was attenuated by recombinant midkine.Conclusions:The midkine/Notch2 signaling pathway plays a regulatory role in ASMC proliferation and apoptosis in airway inflammation.

Gigacycle Fatigue Behavior of 1800 MPa Grade High Strength Spring Steel for Automobile Lightweight

Gigacycle fatigue behavior of 60Si2CrVA high strength spring steel was investigated by ultrasonic fatigue test machine. Fatigue fractography was observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Maximum inclusion sizes and fatigue strength in different volumes were estimated by statistics of extreme values （SEV） and generalized Pareto distribution （GPD） methods. The results showed that S N curves of 60Si2CrVA spring steels for two rolling processes were not horizontal asymptotes but a gradient in a regime of 109 cycles, and traditional fatigue limits were eliminated. Surface machined topography and inclusions in steel were major factors that led to elimination of fatigue limit for 60Si2CrVA spring steel. The SEV and GPD methods could effectively predict size of the maximum inclusion and fatigue strength in different volumes of 60Si2CrVA spring steel. Predicted fatigue strength was in accordance with experimental results by ultrasonic fatigue testing.

Research Progress and Development Tendency of Nitrogen-alloyed Austenitic Stainless Steels

Research progress on nitrogen alloyed austenitic stainless steels was expounded through the development of steel grades. In addition, hot topics in the research of nitrogen-alloyed austenitic stainless steels were discussed, in cluding the solubility of nitrogen, brittle ductile transition, and welding. On this basis, it was proposed that the fu- ture development tendency of nitrogen alloyed austenitic stainless steels lied in the three fields of high-performance steels, resource saving steels, and biologically friendly steels. The problems encountered during the research of ni- trogen-alloyed austenitic stainless steels were discussed.

Mechanical Properties of Steels Treated by Q-P-T Process Incorporating Carbide-free-bainite/martensite Multiphase Microstructure

Quenching partitioning tempering （QP-T） process were applied to a quenched carbide-free bainite/mar- tensite （CFB/M） multiphase steel 40Mn2Si2Cr and its effect on the mechanical properties was studied. The results showed that the partitioning time of Q P T treatment can he increased greatly to 90 min or even longer. The tensile strength, elongation and product of strength and elongation （PSE） of the experimental steel can achieve 1650 MPa, about 20% and over 33 GPa ·%, respectively. The significant increase of partitioning time and excellent mechanical properties could be related to the CFB microstrueture introduced in the quenching process during the Q-P-T treat- ment.

Heat Treatment of a Candidate Material for 700 ℃ A-USC Power Plants

The preliminary chemical composition optimization and heat treatment parameters of Inconel 740H were investigated systematically. Six heats of experimental alloys （designated as heat 401 to heat 406） with varied chemi- cal compositions were subjected to standard heat treatment at four different solution temperatures. Due to its superi- or combination of strength, ductility, and toughness together with its minor mechanical property changes at different solution temperatures, heat 405 was chosen as an optimized one to conduct further heat treatment investigations. The evolution of grain size with solution temperature for heat 405 was studied and the optimal solution temperature was determined. After solution treatment at the optimal temperature, four different cooling rates were applied to investi- gate the effect of cooling rate on the size distribution modal and mean radius of the γ′ precipitates. No bi-modal size distribution of γ′ precipitates was found for all cooling rates and water cooling was recommended for Inconel 740H. In addition, the effect of pre-aging at 800 ℃ for 16 h on the microstrueture of Inconel 740H aged for a long time was studied. It is found that pre-aging at 800 ℃ would result in bi-modal size distribution of γ′ precipitates after long time aging at 750 ℃ compared with mono modal size distribution in samples without pre-aging, which might be caused by the difference in initial size distribution modal before Ostwald ripening of γ′ precipitates in samples with and without pre-aging at 800 ℃.

A Novel Low-cost Hot Rolled High Strength Steel for an Automatic Teller Machine

A novel hot rolled steel LG600A with the tensile strength exceeding 700 MPa was developed for automatic teller machine application. Thelow-cost C-Mn steel was microalloyed with：0.08 mass%- 0.12 mass% Ti rather than noble alloying elements, such as Nb, V, Mo, and Cu, etc. The novel steel had a good surface quality and welding property. After the hot rolled steel coils were leveled, the steel plates, the length of which was even down to 1 500 mm, had an excellent flatness. The effects of hot rolling parameters on mechanical per formance, m icrostructure and recrystallization behavior were studied. The metallurgical concept for the steel production was also discussed. The result shows that decreasing the finish rolling temperature, increasing cooling rate in the first cooling stage and decreasing the cooling rate in the last cooling stage, together with coiling at a modestly high coiling temperature all resulted in the refined grains and TiC precipitates, thereby improving the strength and toughness of this new steel greatly.