Search

This paper deals with the problems of location and travel choices for strategic land use and transport planning. Conventionally, the interaction between location choices and travel choices is investigated through the iteration operation in a nested set of land-use model and transport model. However, these choices and associated utilities (or costs) may not be consistent within that assumed in the iteration process. This paper proposes a combined activity-based network equilibrium model for location and travel choices so as to avoid the consistency problems. The activity-based approach is developed to interpret both location and travel choice behaviors. A solution algorithm is presented for solving the proposed location and travel choice problem. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the performance of the proposed model and solution algorithm under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the core acquisition and remanufacturing problem in which the remanufactured products are produced from acquired cores with uncertain quality condition, and are used to satisfy customer demand. Decision-making models are developed to examine the potential value of core sorting and quality grading in the remanufacturing system: a single-period model with deterministic demand, and a single-period model with stochastic demand (i.e., a newsvendor-type model). In each model, both the sorting strategy and the non-sorting strategy are discussed and compared. Our theoretical and numerical results show that: (1) In the deterministic demand case, core sorting is cost-effective only when the unit sorting cost is below a threshold value and the unit acquisition cost falls into a specific interval. Furthermore, in the case with two quality grades the adoption of sorting strategy with respect to the expected fraction of high-quality cores may be nonmonotone: an initial increase in the expected fraction of high-quality cores may motivate a switch to core sorting, however, further increase in the expected fraction may motivate a reverse switch; (2) Similarly, in the stochastic demand case, the sorting strategy also becomes unattractive when the unit sorting cost is sufficiently high. In addition, the value of core sorting will be better off under more fluctuating demand for remanufactured products if the sorting strategy is the dominant strategy. Otherwise, it will be worse off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is not simply a disease of hyperglycemia, but also is an inflammatory disorder. This study aimed to observe the expression of inflammation-related factors in elderly T2DM patients with or without macrovascular disease (MVD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 64 T2DM patients participated in this study, including 31 patients with MVD (group A) and 33 patients without MVD (group B); and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited as normal control (group C). The levels of serum irisin, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and adiponectin expression were all detected and compared between groups. RESULTS: The demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between T2DM patients and healthy volunteers. For patients in group A, the serum levels of irisin, RBP4 and adiponectin were 12.05 ± 2.12 pg/mL, 2.13 ± 0.83 μg/mL and 45.65±20.13 ng/mL, respectively. While the corresponding parameters were 26.11 ± 4.09 pg/ml, 1.54 ± 0.54 μg/ml and 57.93 ± 23.47 ng/mL for patients in group B; and were 40.25 ± 2.73 pg/mL, 0.98 ± 0.36 μg/mL and 60.03 ± 20.26 ng/mL for healthy volunteers in group C, respectively. As compared to healthy volunteers, the levels of irisin, RBP4 and adiponectin were all significantly changed in T2DM patients; and the difference in irisin, RBP4 and adiponectin between T2DM patients with and without MVD were all significant (p = 0.000, p = 0.001, and p = 0.029, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis showed that irisin and RBP4 are both independent predictors for MVD in T2DM patients. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory disorder is significantly in T2DM patients with MVD, and serum irisin and RBP4 would be reasonable new markers of MVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An auxiliary resonant tank-protected high-frequency electronic ballast and a pseudo-inductive soft-switching concept are proposed in this paper. Based on the steady state analysis of the series resonant converter, the operational characteristics of the ballast circuit for metal-halide (MH) lamps under different conditions are examined, and then potential hazards to the ballast circuit are addressed. To avoid those dangers, an auxiliary resonant tank is used for protecting the ballast circuit under all operations. With this auxiliary resonant tank operating in either inductive or pseudo-inductive modes, soft-switching can be ensured in the electronic ballasts. Feasibility of the proposal for the ballast circuit is verified by analytical and experimental results obtained from the 150-W prototype ballast for a MH lamp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the differences in the biological effects of different expansion systems on natural killer (NK) cells, as well as the safety and preliminary clinical efficacy in the treatment of patients with recurrence after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Methods: Peripheral blood cells from healthy donors were stimulated with either CD3 combined with CD52 or K562 feeder cells loaded with IL-21/4-1BB to induce NK cell expansion. Changes in the NK cell phenotype, cytokine secretion, and cytotoxicity before and after expansion were detected. We also evaluated the safety and clinical efficacy of two different expansion strategies for patients received NK infusion. Results: Compared with the CD3/CD52 monoclonal antibody amplification system, the feeder cell expansion group had a higher purity of NK cells and higher expression ratios of NK cell surface activation receptors such as DNAM-1 and NKp30, while inhibitory receptor CTLA-4 expression was low and NKG2D/CD25/CD69/ Trail/PD-1/TIM-3/TIGIT had no statistically significant differences between the groups. Further functional results showed that the expression level of KI67 in NK cells after expansion in the two groups increased significantly, especially in the feeder cell expansion group. Simultaneously, the perforin and granzyme B levels of NK cells in the feeder cell expansion group were significantly higher than in the CD3/CD52 expansion group. A retrospective analysis of eight patients who received monoclonal antibody-expanded NK cell reinfusion and nine patients with trophoblast cell-expanded NK cell reinfusion was done. The disease characteristics of the two groups were comparable, NK cell reinfusion was safe, and there were no obvious adverse reactions. Clinical prognostic results showed that in the CD3/CD52 monoclonal antibody amplification group, the MRD conversion rate was 50% (2/4) , and the feeder cell expansion group was 50% (3/6) . After 5 years of follow-up from allo-HSCT, three patients in the monoclonal antibody expansion group had long-term survival without leukemia, and the remaining five patients had died; two patients died in the feeder cell expansion group, and the other six patients had long-term survival. Six cases had GVHD before NK cell reinfusion, and GVHD did not aggravate or even relieved after NK cell reinfusion. Conclusions: Preliminary results show that the biological characteristics of NK cells with diverse expansion strategies are significantly different, which may affect the clinical prognosis of patients with recurrence or persistent minimal residual disease after HSCT. The two groups of patients treated with NK cells from different expansion strategies had no obvious adverse reactions after NK cell infusion, but efficacy still needs to be further confirmed.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of lower extremities deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with chronic refractory wounds (chronic wounds). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 722 cases of chronic wounds admitted to the First People's Hospital of Zhengzhou from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018 was carried out, and clinical data such as gender, age, wound involves the lower extremities, wound type, duration of wound, D-dimer level and complicated diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, pneumonia and sepsis/septic shock were collected. The patients were divided into DVT group and non-DVT group according to the color ultrasound test. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent risk factors of DVT in patients with chronic wounds. Results: There were 55 (7.6%) patients in DVT group, of which 44(80.0%) were diagnosed as chronic DVT by conventional lower extremities venous color ultrasound screening at admission, and the remaining 11(20.0%) were newly diagnosed during hospitalization. There were no significant differences in gender, wound involves the lower extremities, duration of wound, complicated diabetes and hypertension between DVT group and non-DVT group (all P> 0.05); and the differences were statistically significant in age, wound type, D-dimer level, complicated coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, pneumonia and sepsis/septic shock (all P< 0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed age [ OR= 2.260 (95 %CI : 1.584-3.224)], D-dimer level [ OR= 14.201 (95 %CI : 6.101-33.055)], complicated coronary heart disease [ OR= 2.731 (95 %CI : 1.210-6.162)] and sepsis/septic shock [ OR= 3.170 (95 %CI : 1.115-9.016)] were independent risk factors for DVT (all P< 0.05). Conclusion: Chronic wounds patients have a higher incidence of DVT, most of which are chronic DVT, and age, D-dimer level, complicated coronary heart disease and sepsis/septic shock are independent risk factors for DVT in chronic wounds.

Purpose Our objective was to evaluate the birth outcomes of FET from different developmental stage of embryo at freezing (Day 3, Day 5 and Day 6). Methods All vitrified-warmed day 3 (D3) and day 5/6 (D5, D6) embryo transfers during the time period from January 2013 until December 2015 were included in the study. The Birthweight, Low birthweight (LBW), sexual distinction, gestation and for singleton births and twins conceived by FET were compared retrospectively between three cryopreservation strategies utilizing either D3, D5 or D6 embryo freezing. All embryos were vitrified by Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), Ethylene glycol (EG) and Sucrose used as Cryoprotectants and using Cryoleaf as the receptacles. Results A total of 993 infants from 771 women. The length of embryos storage was 3-38 months, with a median of 8 months. For singleton, birthweight from D5 and D6 blastocysts transfers were significantly heavier than for D3 cleavage-stage embryos transfers (P =0.0065 P =0.0006). For twins, birthweight from D6 blastocysts transfers were significantly heavier than for D5 blastocysts transfers (P =0.0044), and children born after D3 were at a signigicantly increased risk of being born a LBW. Conclusions Birthweights from FET are influenced by developmental stage of embryos at freezing, which were lower for cleavage-stage embryos transfer than blastocysts transfer after FET in singletons. The birth rate of LBW infants was higher in the twins. The study was small so there may be other factors than cryopreservation which affected outcomes. A higher sample size or a multi-centre prospective randomized design could be used in future studies to corroborate the current findings.

To investigate the effects of antitestosterone immunization, initiated during early puberty, on hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular feedback in rabbits, 16 early pubertal male rabbits were randomly allocated into 2 groups (n = 8), control or immunized against testosterone-3(O-carboxymethyl)oxime-BSA in Freund adjuvant at 4 mo of age (with a booster immunization 4 wk later). Blood samples (for antibody titers and hormone concentrations) were collected at 2- or 4-wk intervals after immunization. Compared with controls, antitestosterone immunization triggered: a substantial and sustained antibody response (P < 0.01); increases in serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone and testis weight and volume (P < 0.05); hyperplasia of testicular interstitial tissue with clustered and hypertrophic Leydig cells; and greater (P < 0.05) enzyme protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels for testicular cholesterol side-chain cleavage cytochrome P-450, 17α-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450, and 3β-dydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Furthermore, immunoneutralization of testosterone upregulated mRNA expressions for genes in sex steroid negative feedback loops, including androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α), kisspeptin encoded gene (kiss-1) and kisspeptin receptor (G-coupled receptor 54) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, GnRH receptor and LH-β in pituitary, and AR, inhibin-α and βA subunits in testes (P < 0.05). However, immunization did not affect mRNA expressions for follicle-stimulating hormone β, AR, and ER-α in pituitary, or ER-α in testes. We concluded that antitestosterone immunization in male rabbits, initiated during early puberty, increased GnRH mRNA expression, and in turn LH synthesis by reducing testicular feedback signaling. Reduction of direct steroidal effects on the testis may also have increased testosterone secretion. Consequently, there was an accelerated testicular development during puberty and enhanced testicular function after puberty, which likely conferred prolonged reproductive advantages., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The cyclic lipopeptide (CLP) has been known to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in CLP-induced apoptosis are still uncharacterized in human leukemic K562 cells. The current study investigated the molecular mechanism of action of CLP, purified from Bacillus natto T-2. CLP-induced a sustained increase in concentration of intracellular Ca(2+). This increase in [Ca(2+)]i was associated with CLP-induced cell apoptosis and ERK phosphorylation. CLP-induced cell apoptosis was reversed by PD98059 (an inhibitor of ERK), but not by SB203580 (an inhibitor of p38) and SP200125 (an inhibitor of JNK), suggesting that the action of CLP on K562 cells was via ERK, but not via p38 and JNK. On the other hand, pretreatment with Bapta-AM, a well-known calcium chelator, partially blocked CLP-induced apoptosis, indicating that the elevation of [Ca(2+)]i may play an important role in the apoptosis. Collectively, in K562 cells, CLP-induced an increase in [Ca(2+)]i which evoked ERK phosphorylation. This ERK phosphorylation subsequently activated Bax, cytochrome c and caspase-3 leading to apoptosis.

Objective: To develop a method to determine the content of puerarin in Xinmaitong oral liquid., Methods: HPLC method was used. The separation was performed on Suntek kromasil C18 column with methanol-water containing 0.5% acetic acid (25:75) as a mobile phase and the wavelength of UV detector was 250 nm., Results: The linearity of puerarin was good and average recovery was 97.8%., Conclusion: The method is simple, reliable and sensitive. It also shows good resolation. It can be used in quality control of Xinmaitong oral liquid.

Genetic variation in CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), the major HIV-1 coreceptor, has been shown to influence HIV-1 transmission and disease progression. However, it is generally assumed that the same CCR5 genotype (or haplotype) has similar phenotypic effects in different populations. To test this assumption, we used an evolutionary-based classification of CCR5 haplotypes to determine their associated HIV-1 disease-modifying effects in a large well-characterized racially mixed cohort of HIV-1-seropositive individuals. We demonstrate that the spectrum of CCR5 haplotypes associated with disease acceleration or retardation differs between African Americans and Caucasians. Also, we show that there is a strong interactive effect between CCR5 haplotypes with different evolutionary histories. The striking population-specific phenotypic effects associated with CCR5 haplotypes emphasize the importance of understanding the evolutionary context in which disease susceptibility genes are expressed.

Selective total vascular occlusion for the resection of large tumors on the right lobe of the liver or central hepatic tumors was described. The occlusion of the portal triad, infrahepatic vena cava and the total hepatic circulation was selectively used in combination to control bleeding in the process of hepatectomy. Within a year, major resection was successfully performed with this technique on 10 patients (extended right lobectomy 4 patients, right lobectomy 4, central segmentectomy 2). The mean duration of total vascular exclusion was 19.35 +/- 19.32 minutes and mean blood transfusion requirement was 7 +/- 4.5 units during surgery.

Concentration of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with cerebrovascular diseases was measured by using radioimmunoassay. The results showed that NPY concentration in CSF in patients with hemorrhagic cerebrovascular diseases (HCVD) was 4148 +/- 397.2 pg/ml, being significantly higher than the control level of 1083.7 +/- 245.8 pg/ml. While the NPY concentration in CSF of patients with ischemic cerebrovascular diseases (ICVD) was 2214 +/- 289.2 pg/ml, being not significantly different from the level in the control group. The effect of NPY in vasospasm after HCVD was preliminarily discussed.

The conventional Heaney's avascular hepatic resection was modified based on an experimental study on normothermic total hepatic vascular exclusion in dog. The modification was cancellation of simultaneous exclusion of the abdominal aorta and proper prolongation of total hepatic vascular exclusion time. The method was successfully used in 3 patients, 2 with primary hepatocellular carcinoma involving the second porta hepatis and 1 with a huge hepatic cavernous hemangioma in segments VII and VIII. The clinical application of this method is presented and discussed. The modified Heaney's technique, being simpler and safer than the conventional one, may increase the resection rate for central hepatic tumors (segments I, IV, V and VIII according to Couinaud's classification).

The possibility of using the bioluminescent (BL) technique to substitute the traditional viability count of colony forming units (CFU) of BCG vaccine was investigated. The results showed there is a significant dose-dependent correlation between the concentration of standard adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and ATP BL value. The ultrasonic-chloroform method designed by us yielded the best results. The correlation coefficient values (r) of BL of the liquid and lyophilized vaccine were found to be 0.8 155 and 0.8 484 respectively (P less than 0.05). The coefficient of variation (CV) between the BL value of different lots of ATP obtained was 3.2-4.4%, much lower than that of CFU (CV = 10.4-11.2%). The presence of bacterial clumps within the vaccine had great influence on the bacterial ATP value and on the CFU viability count. 2.8 fg of ATP was found in each CFU formed in the vaccine with clumps, while it was only 0.94 fg in the vaccine without clumps, indicating the superiority of the BL method. The BL method has shown a high sensitivity, good reproducibility and simplicity in handling with quick results and high accuracy. Therefore, we consider that the BL method can be used to substitute the CFU method.