SummarySubstance P (SP), a neurotransmitter, may play an important role in neurogenic inflammation. Ginseng has been used extensively in traditional medicine; however, few studies were focused on their anti-allergic effect. Therefore, the effect and mechanism of ginsenoside Rb1 on the SP enhancement of allergic mediators were explored. In this study, SP and dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA) were used to activate rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. The cultured supernatants were assayed for histamine, leukotriene C 4 (LTC 4 ) and interleulin-4 (IL-4) production. The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway was determined by Western blotting analysis. We found that IgE/DNP-BSA, SP, ginsenoside Rb1, or MAPK specific inhibitors had no effect on cell viability and cytotoxicity. SP (30 lM) alone, did not induce histamine and LTC 4 release, but it enhanced allergen-induced histamine and LTC 4 release. In addition, SP significantly induced and enhanced allergen-activated IL-4. Ginsenoside Rb1 dosedependently inhibited these effects. SP enhanced the allergen-activated ERK pathway in RBL-2H3 cells, and Rb1 effectively inhibited the ERK pathway activation. Although MAPK specific inhibitors suppressed LTC 4 and IL-4, only U0126 inhibited the SP enhanced histamine release. These results demonstrate that Rb1 dose-dependently inhibited SP enhanced allergen-induced mediator release and its mechanism was through the inhibition of the ERK pathway.

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This work developed a stand-alone ABWR (Advanced Boiled Water Reactor) feedwater pump and controller model which was incorporated with a simplified reactor vessel and steam line model. The purpose of this work is to improve the existing model in PCTran-ABWR, a nuclear power plant (NPP) simulation code. INER has been using this computer code as an NPP simulation model for Software Safety Analysis (SSA) and software Fault Injection (FI) of digital instrumentation and control (I&C) research for years. The feedwater pump model includes three turbine-driven feed water pumps and one motor-driven feed water pump. The feedwater controller includes a one-element / three-element water level controller and a specific feedwater speed controller for each feedwater pump. The feed water turbines are driven by the steam from main steam line. As a result, the reactor dome pressure can affect the driving force of the three turbine-driven feed water pumps. It means if the dome pressure becomes low enough, the turbine-driven feed water pumps cannot function normally. The reactor dome pressure transient also affects the pressure difference of feedwater pump discharge pressure and the reactor dome pressure, which can actually affect the feedwater flow rate and reactor water level. The time-lag of feedwater control valve is also considered in this model. Hence, the slower response of turbine-driven feed water pump than that of motor-driven feed water pump can be observed. A number of test cases namely step change of dome pressure, load rejection, and four tests of feedwater pumps transfer were performed in this work to demonstrate the feasibility of dynamic response of this model. Therefore, this model will be implemented into the existing PCTran-ABWR plant simulation code to improve the response of feedwater pump and controller model. This stand-alone model can also be a feedwater control strategy tool to observe the possible responses of various feedwater control architectures.

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