Apoptosis is very common during various stages of mammalian germ cell development and differentiation, and the BCL2 gene is one of the most important apoptotic regulators. Although its genetic ...variants are reported to be involved in cancers and autoimmune diseases, little information is available regarding BCL2 polymorphisms in male spermatogenesis. In the present study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in coding regions of the BCL2 gene were examined in a hospital-based, case-control study including 198 infertile patients with idiopathic azoospermia and 183 fertile controls. Subsequently, a functional study was conducted for comparison of paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis between the BCL2 variant and the wild type in vitro. Three SNPs were found in exon 2—A21G (rs1801018), G127A (rs1800477), and C300T (rs61733416)—with the latter first reported in the Han-Chinese population. The frequency of G127A (GA+AA) genotype was significantly lower in azoospermic, infertile men compared to the age-matched controls (P = 0.01). This genotype may confer a lower risk of azoospermia (adjusted odd ratio OR = 0.448, 95% confidence interval = 0.226–0.889). In addition, HeLa cells expressing the BCL2 Ala43Thr (G127A), similar to the control cells, were more sensitive to paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis than those expressing wild-type BCL2. Consistently, the cleaved PARP and p-BCL2 proteins were subsequently increased after paclitaxel treatment, as also predicted by the bioinformatics analysis. Considering the decreased antiapoptotic function of BCL2, these results suggest that the Ala43Thr variant is associated with protection against azoospermia in the Han-Chinese population.
This paper describes a validated high-performance liquid chromatographic method to quantitate four tanshinones as markers; dihydrotanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA for ...use in the quality control of the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its related traditional Chinese medicinal preparations.
Separation was achieved using a Zorbax Extend C18 reserved-phase column (5microm, 250*4.6mm) at 20 degrees with a gradient mixture of deionized water and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 1.2ml/min.
The limits of quantitation were 0.13, 0.08, 0.06 and 0.05microg/ml for dihydrotanshinone I, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I and tanshinone IIA, respectively. This method provided good reproducibility and sensitivity for the quantification of four tanshinones with overall RSD values for intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy better than 3.8% and higher than 94.9%, respectively. The recovery of the method was 95.4-104.4% for all the tanshinones and showed good linearity (r>0.9998) over a relatively wide concentration range.
This assay was successfully applied to the determination of four tanshinones in the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its related traditional Chinese medicinal preparations. The results indicated that the HPLC assay could be readily utilized as a quality control method for the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its related traditional Chinese medicinal preparations.
The gain of SVC depends upon the type of reactive power load for optimum performance. As the load and input wind power conditions are variable, the gain setting of SVC needs to be adjusted or tuned. ...In this paper, an ANN based approach has been used to tune the gained parameters of the SVC controller over a wide range of load characteristics. The multi-layer feedforward ANN tool with the error back-propagation training method is employed. Loads have been taken as the function of voltage. Analytical techniques have mostly been based on impedance load reduced network models, which suffer from several disadvantages, including inadequate load representation and lack of structural integrity. The ability of ANNs to spontaneously learn from examples, reason over inexact and fuzzy data and provide adequate and quick responses to new information not previously stored in memory has generated high performance dynamical system with unprecedented robustness. ANNs models have been developed for different hybrid power system configurations for tuning the proportional-integral controller for SVC. Transient responses of different autonomous configurations show that SVC controller with its gained tuned by the ANNs which provide optimum system performance for a variety of loads.
In our Research, we Used Cornus Wisoniana oil as Feedstock and the High Temperature Pyrolysis Kettle as the Reactor. Examine the Performance of Lanthanum Oxide, Zirconium Sulfate, Calcium Oxide and ...KF Loaded Catalyst on Cornus Wisoniana oil Catalytic Cracking Reaction. and through the SEM, XRD and FT-IR, Optimal Catalysts were Used to Characterize the Structure. the Results Showed that among KF Modified Catalyst KF Supported on Cao Produced Highest Yield of Bio-Fuel Oil from Cornus Wisoniana oil. when the Dosage of Catalyst Reached 1%, KF Impregnation Ratio of 40%, and Catalyst Calcination for 4h at 600°C, it can be Obtained Highest Yield of Bio-Fuel Oil about 82.7% and Reaction Rate up to 94.1. in Addition to the KF/MgO Having Low Yield about 60.6%, Catalytic Activity of other Four KF Catalysts were Higher than that of Lanthanum Oxide, Zirconium Sulfate and Calcium Oxide. the Catalytic Efficiency of Lanthanum Oxide and Zirconium Sulfate Appeared Similarity and are all Low. the Catalytic Activity of Calcium Oxide is Slightly Higher than the Lanthanum Oxide and Zirconium Sulfate, but Lower than that of KF/CaO Catalyst.
Objective To investigate the therapeutic effects of lumbar and ventricular drainage in the treatment of intracranial hypertension on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with ...cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 138 cases of CM with intracranial hypertension, including 36 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive cases and 102 HIV-negative cases. All patients were given anti-infectious drugs. In drainage group, patients (N = 76, including 17 HIV-positive cases and 59 HIV-negative cases) were treated with lumbar, modified lumbar or ventricular drainage. In non-drainage group, patients (N = 62, including 19 HIV-positive cases and 43 HIV-negative cases) were treated with anti-fungal drugs by intrathecal injection through lumbar puncture. Comparative observation was done on indwelling catheter time, cryptococcal clearance time and complications between drainage and non-drainage groups, as well as HIV-positive and HIV-negative subgroups. Results The intracranial hypertension symptoms were improved significantly within one week in drainage group. The first indwelling catheter median time in drainage group was 30 (17, 35) d, and there was no statistically significant difference between HIV-positive and HIV-negative subgroups 28 (15, 32) d vs 30 (18, 35) d; U = -1.459, P = 0.144. The cryptococcal clearance median time in drainage group was 41 (26, 58) d, and there was no statistically significant difference between HIV-positive and HIV-negative subgroups 46 (28, 66) d vs 36 (21, 45) d; U = -1.608, P = 0.108. The cryptococcal clearance median time in non-drainage group was 42 (32, 65) d, and there was no statistically significant difference between HIV-positive and HIV-negative subgroups 52 (38, 68) d vs 39 (30, 62) d; U = -0.401, P = 0.688. However, there was significant difference between drainage and non-drainage groups (U = -2.117, P = 0.034). The total effective rate of drainage group was 86.84% (66/76), and there was no statistically significant difference between HIV-positive and HIV-negative subgroups 14/17 vs 89.83% (53/59); χ2 = 0.172, P = 0.678. The total effective rate of non-drainage group was 72.58% (45/62), and there was no statistically significant difference between HIV-positive and HIV-negative subgroups 8/19 vs 86.05% (37/43); χ2 = 0.023, P = 0.880. There was significant difference between drainage and non-drainage groups (χ2 = 4.413, P = 0.036). Conclusions Using lumbar or ventricular drainage to treat AIDS patients with CM in the early stage can effectively control intracranial hypertension, shorten the duration of symptoms, and significantly improve the clinical efficacy.
In this paper, we address the problem of consistency checking for Point Objects. A coordinate graph representation is introduced. The basic idea is to project the spatial constraints on both X and Y ...dimensions, and the graph is constructed on each dimension. By using the graph representation, the problem of consistency checking is then transformed to a graph cycle detection problem. The consistency checking can be achieved with O(N+E) time as well as space complexity, where N is the number of spatial objects, and E is number of spatial predicates in the constraint. The proposed approach to consistency checking for point objects is faster than O(N2) when the number of predicates is much smaller than N2 . The algorithm can also guarantee the global consistency.
To observe the clinical efficacy of Ginkgo biloba exocarp polysaccharides (GBEP) capsule preparation in treating upper digestive tract malignant tumors of middle and late stage.
Eighty-six patients ...of the upper digestive tract malignant tumors were treated with GBEP capsule preparation taken orally. The clinical symptoms and the qualities of life of the patients with single GBEP and combined with operation, radiotherapy or intervention chemotherapy were observed. The tumor size was measured by electronic gastroscope before and after treatment with single GBEP. Objective response rate (RR) of the tumor was calculated. The survival period of patient was observed. The changes of blood routine examination in the patients treated with radiotherapy were observed.
GBEP preparation could markedly improve the patients'clinical symptoms. Karnofsky scoring of the patients markedly increased after treatment. There were 2 CR (complete response, 6.3%), 22 PR (partial response, 68.8%)and 5 SD (stable disease, 15.6%) of 32 c
T
1
contrast agents based on Mn(
ii
) were conjugated on amphiphilic dextran micelles
via
click chemistry. The obtained paramagnetic nanomicelle contrast agent has a higher
T
1
relaxivity (13.3 Mn ...mmol
−1
s
−1
) and better sensitivity than those of free Mn(
ii
) complexes. Studies carried out
in vivo
suggest that this contrast agent has a better and long-acting vascular enhancement effect at a lower manganese dosage (0.1 Mn mmol kg
−1
BW).
Manganese complex decorated amphiphilic dextran micelles were prepared and have a high
T
1
relaxivity in MRI.
The output of Terfenol-D is nonlinear and hysteretic under the effect of magnetic field and prestress. The nonlinear constitutive relation between magnetostriction and magnetization with ...magneto-stress coupling was built in consideration of the magnetostriction saturation and the prestress correlation. Then, the hysteresis behavior of Terfenol-D was modeled based on the Jiles-Atherton model. The error of magnetostriction between simulations and experimental data is less than 6%. This result indicates that the model can adequately predict the nonlinear hysteresis and magneto-stress coupling character of Terfenol-D.
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