Quarantine Vehicle Scheduling for Transferring High-Risk Individuals in Epidemic Areas.

In a large-scale epidemic outbreak, there can be many high-risk individuals to be transferred for medical isolation in epidemic areas. Typically, the individuals are scattered across different locations, and available quarantine vehicles are limited. Therefore, it is challenging to efficiently schedule the vehicles to transfer the individuals to isolated regions to control the spread of the epidemic.

The individual and combined effects of deoxynivalenol and aflatoxin B₁on primary hepatocytes of Cyprinus carpio.

Aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) and deoxynivalenol (DON) are important food-borne mycotoxins that have been implicated in animal and human health. In this study, individual and combinative effects of AFB(1) and DON were tested in primary hepatocytes of Cyprinus carpio. The results indicated that the combinative effects of AFB(1) and DON (0.

Atorvastatin reduces calcification in rat arteries and vascular smooth muscle cells.

To examine the in vivo effects of atorvastatin (AT) on arterial calcification in rats, arterial calcification was established by subcutaneous injection of vitamin D3 and Warfarin. Intragastric administration of AT began 4 days before establishment of arterial calcification in the AT group (n=6). Blood samples were taken and abdominal aortas were collected and stained.

Effects of arginine vasopressin on differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts.

Background: Differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) into myofibroblasts is a critical event in the initiation of myocardial fibrosis (MF). Previous studies have shown that arginine vasopressin (AVP) facilitates MF. However, the effects of AVP on CFs-myofibroblasts transformation, and its possible mechanisms are still unknown.

Repeated electroacupuncture preconditioning attenuates matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and activity after focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Objective: This study investigates the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in subsequent ischemic hemisphere.

Methods: Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Animals were randomly divided into four groups: normal, sham-operated, MCAO and EA groups.

Arginine vasopressin increases iNOS-NO system activity in cardiac fibroblasts through NF-kappaB activation and its relation with myocardial fibrosis.

Previous studies have shown that arginine vasopressin (AVP) promotes myocardial fibrosis (MF), whereas nitric oxide (NO) inhibits MF. Cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are the main target cells of MF. However, the modulatory effect of AVP on NO production in CFs and the role of this effect in MF are still unknown.

The opposite-direction modulation of CD4+CD25+ Tregs and T helper 1 cells in acute coronary syndromes.

Different subsets of T lymphocytes have different functions in atherosclerosis advancement. T helper 1 cells and T regulatory 1 cells have been demonstrated to play opposite roles in rupture of atherosclerotic lesion. However, the role of novel subset of T regulatory cells, known as CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells, remains largely unknown in coronary artery disease (CAD).

[Effects of IL-1beta on inducible nitric oxide synthase-nitric oxide system activity in arginine vasopressin-induced rat cardiac fibroblasts].

Aim: To explore the effects of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-nitric oxide (NO) system activity in arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs).

Methods: CFs were isolated by trypsin digestion method. Nitric acid reductase method, spectrophotometry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect NO contents, NOS activity and iNOS mRNA expression.

A novel microcomputer temperature-compensating method for an overtone crystal oscillator.

In this paper, a novel microcomputer temperature-compensating method for an overtone crystal oscillator (MCOXO) is presented. In this method, a ceramic oscillator is chosen, and its output frequency is mixed with the output frequency of an overtone crystal oscillator. A crystal filter is used to suppress the spurious mixing products.

[Arginine vasopressin-induced nitric oxide content changes in cultured cardiac fibroblasts and its relation to nuclear factor-kappaB].

To investigate the changes in the nitric oxide (NO) contents, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) mRNA expression in arginine vasopressin (AVP)-induced cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) in vitro and its relation to nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), CFs were isolated by trypsin digestion method. Nitric acid reductase method, spectrophotometry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunofluorescence-interactive laser cytometer techniques and Western blotting were used respectively to detect NO contents, NOS activity, iNOS mRNA expression and the activation of NF-kappaB in CFs. AVP increased NO contents, NOS activity and iNOS mRNA expressions in a concentration-dependent manner; NF-kappaB was activated and mobilized from cytoplasm to nucleus in AVP-induced CFs; PDTC, one of the inhibitors of NF-kappaB, could inhibit aforementioned increments.

[Effects of chelerythrine on cell proliferation and p27 expression of cardiac fibroblasts modulated by arginine vasopressin].

Objective: To study the effects of chelerythrine, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, on the cell proliferation and p27 expression of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) modulated by arginine vasopressin (AVP) and to investigate the intracellular signal transduction mechanisms of AVP in CFs.

Methods: The cultured CFs of neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups: AVP group (10(-7) mol/L AVP was added into the culture), chelerythrine group (10(-6) mol/L chelerythrine and 10(-7) mol/L AVP were added into the culture), and control group. MTT assay was used to evaluate the cell proliferation.

[Effects of atorvastatin on the proliferation and collagen synthesis of rat cardiac fibroblasts].

Objective: To investigate the effects of atorvastatin on the proliferation and collagen synthesis of rat cardiac fibroblasts (CFs).

Methods: Isolated and cultured CFs of neonatal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were isolated and cultured. The DNA synthesis of CFs was measured by (3)H-TdR uptake test.