Construction of modular novel bioartificial liver support system.

A modular novel bioartificial liver support system was designed and constructed in order to simplify tedious operation of artificial liver treatment and to improve the applicability in the system. The design ideas, structure composition, system function, and etc, were described in detail. In this system, the variety of the therapy modes could be conveniently connected by the interface of modular structure.

Life cycle emissions and cost of producing electricity from coal, natural gas, and wood pellets in Ontario, Canada.

The use of coal is responsible for (1)/(5) of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Substitution of coal with biomass fuels is one of a limited set of near-term options to significantly reduce these emissions. We investigate, on a life cycle basis, 100% wood pellet firing and cofiring with coal in two coal generating stations (GS) in Ontario, Canada.

Influence prediction of tissue injury on frequency variations of the lumbar spine under vibration.

A three-dimensional finite element model of the spine T12-S1 segment was developed and used to investigate biodynamics characteristics of the human lumbar spine. The T12-S1 model was carefully built including spinal vertebrae, intervertebral discs, and ligaments so as to approach the real human spine. Finite element modal analysis was carried out to obtain vibration modes and resonant frequencies of the spine.

Vibration modes of injured spine at resonant frequencies under vertical vibration.

Study Design: A detailed three-dimensional finite element model of the spine segment T12-Pelvis was developed to investigate dynamic characteristics of whole lumbar spine with injured cases.

Objective: This study investigates the motion mechanism of the human lumbar spine and the effect of component injuries on adjacent spinal components under whole body vibration.

Summary Of Background Data: Several investigations have analyzed the influence of injured spines on adjacent spinal components under static loadings.

Clonidine induces calcitonin gene-related peptide expression via nitric oxide pathway in endothelial cells.

The present study was to determine whether clonidine could induce calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) production and the underlying mechanisms. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with clonidine and the dose-effect or time-effect relationship of clonidine on CGRP production was examined. Yohimbine (a alpha(2)-adrenoceptor blocker) and L-NAME (an antagonist of nitric oxide synthase, NOS) were chosen to explore the role of alpha(2)-adrenoceptor and nitric oxide pathway in the effect of clonidine on endothelial cell-derived CGRP production.

[Effects of leptin on RAAS and nitric oxide production in isolated rat glomeruli].

Objective: To investigate the changes in angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT(1)R), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA and protein expressions and nitric oxide (NO) content in the rat glomeruli in response to leptin stimulation.

Methods: The glomeruli isolated from male SD rats were stimulated with 3 nmol/L leptin for 2 h. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to analyze the mRNA and protein expressions of AGT, AT(1)R and eNOS in the glomeruli, and nitrite concentration in the glomeruli was measured by nitrate reductase assay.

Role of CCL5 in invasion, proliferation and proportion of CD44+/CD24- phenotype of MCF-7 cells and correlation of CCL5 and CCR5 expression with breast cancer progression.

This study was undertaken to observe the effects and possible mechanism of CC chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) on invasion, proliferation and percentage of CD44+/CD24- subpopulation of human breast cancer line MCF-7 and to investigate the correlation of expression levels of CCL5 and its receptors with the progression of breast cancer. We used real-time RT-PCR to detect the expression levels of CCL5 and its receptors CCR5, CCR1 and CCR3 in 36 breast cancer specimens of different TNM stage and their corresponding normal breast tissue. CCL5 expression and invasive ability of four human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, SK-BR-3, T-47D and MDA-MB-231 were analyzed by real-time RT-PCR and cell invasion assay, respectively.

Optimization of H2SO4-catalyzed hydrothermal pretreatment of rapeseed straw for bioconversion to ethanol: focusing on pretreatment at high solids content.

A central composite design of response surface method was used to optimize H(2)SO(4)-catalyzed hydrothermal pretreatment of rapeseed straw, in respect to acid concentration (0.5-2%), treatment time (5-20 min) and solid content (10-20%) at 180 degrees C. Enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation were also measured to evaluate the optimal pretreatment conditions for maximizing ethanol production.

Green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate down-regulates VASP expression and inhibits breast cancer cell migration and invasion by attenuating Rac1 activity.

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a polyphenolic compound from green tea that has been shown to have anti-tumor activities such as inhibiting adhesion, migration, and proliferation of tumor cells. However, the delicate mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying the potential anticancer effects of EGCG in breast cancer cells remain unclear. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of EGCG on the migration and invasion of MCF-7 cells and to identify the signaling pathway(s) underlying the cellular response to EGCG exposure.

Positive regulation of migration and invasion by vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein via Rac1 pathway in human breast cancer cells.

This study aimed to investigate the role of the cytoskeleton-associated protein vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) on the migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells and its relationship to Rac1 which is a member of the Rho family and has been found to be implicated in tumorigenesis, invasion and metastasis. We detected the mRNA and protein expression levels of VASP and Rac1 of the non-invasive breast cancer cell line MCF-7 as well as the invasive cell line MDA-MB-231 by RT-PCR and Western blotting. GST pull-down assay was used to examine the activity of Rac1.

Serum thymidine kinase 1 reflects the progression of pre-malignant and malignant tumors during therapy.

This study evaluated the clinical utility of serum thymidine kinase 1 (STK1) in following the progression of pre-malignancies and malignancies and in monitoring the response of common carcinomas to therapy within a routine clinical setting. The STK1 concentration levels of patients with malignancies (n=224), pre-malignancies (n=10), non-tumor/non-proliferating diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE) (n=53), benign tumors (n=20) and healthy volunteers (n=761) were determined by enhanced chemoluminescence dot blot assay. Prior to treatment, STK1 levels in the pre-malignant group alone (3.

Crystal structure of cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-cyclodextrin) complexes with p-aminobenzoic acid and o-aminobenzoic acid.

Crystal structures of cyclomaltoheptaose (beta-cyclodextrin) complexes with p-aminobenzoic acid and o-aminobenzoic acid have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The space group of the beta-cyclodextrin-p-aminobenzoic acid complex is P2(1) with a host:guest stoichiometry of 1:1, and that of the beta-cyclodextrin-o-aminobenzoic acid complex is P1 with a stoichiometry of 2:3. The different structures of the guest molecules lead to the different molecular packing structures of the two complexes.

[The study on the preparation and spectroscopic properties of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin/glipizide inclusion complex].

The interaction of glipizide and hydroxypropyl-pcyclodextrin was investigated in the present paper. The stability constant and molar ratio of glipizide and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin was calculated from the phase soluility diagram. The solid state inclusion complex of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin/glipizide prepared by neutralization method was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD).

[Clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with glomerular hematuria as the major manifestation].

Objective: To compare the clinical and pathological characteristics between patients with and without glomerular hematuria.

Methods: Totally 310 patients with isolated microscopic hematuria and 24-hour urinary protein <0.5 g were enrolled in this study, who were free of renal calculi, infections, or tumors.

Influence of anteroposterior shifting of trunk mass centroid on vibrational configuration of human spine.

This study attempts to determine the influence of anteroposterior (A-P) shifting of trunk mass from the upright sedentary posture on dynamic characteristics of the human lumbar spine. A three-dimensional finite element (FE) model comprising of the T12-Pelvis spine unit was used to mimic the human spine system. It is not clear how the A-P shifting of the upper part of human upper body affect on vibrational modality of the human lumbar spine under whole body vibration.

Color image segmentation based on mean shift and normalized cuts.

In this correspondence, we develop a novel approach that provides effective and robust segmentation of color images. By incorporating the advantages of the mean shift (MS) segmentation and the normalized cut (Ncut) partitioning methods, the proposed method requires low computational complexity and is therefore very feasible for real-time image segmentation processing. It preprocesses an image by using the MS algorithm to form segmented regions that preserve the desirable discontinuity characteristics of the image.

[Researches of the left ventricle model and optimization arithmetic based on myocardial radionuclide tomographic images].

In this paper are presented and recommended the researches of the left ventricle model and optimization arithmetic based on myocardial radionuclide tomographic images (SPECT and PET). We adopted the hemispheric-cylindrical myocardial model which was largely used in quantitative analysis of myocardium. Then we adopted the radionuclide maximum counts method in LV myocardium and used the Powell optimization arithmetic to fit the myocardial model.

Environmental and economic evaluation of bioenergy in Ontario, Canada.

We examined life cycle environmental and economic implications of two near-term scenarios for converting cellulosic biomass to energy, generating electricity from cofiring biomass in existing coal power plants, and producing ethanol from biomass in stand-alone facilities in Ontario, Canada. The study inventories near-term biomass supply in the province, quantifies environmental metrics associated with the use of agricultural residues for producing electricity and ethanol, determines the incremental costs of switching from fossil fuels to biomass, and compares the cost-effectiveness of greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollutant emissions abatement achieved through the use of the bioenergy. Implementing a biomass cofiring rate of 10% in existing coal-fired power plants would reduce annual GHG emissions by 2.

Genetic polymorphisms and treatment response in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Genetic polymorphisms involved in DNA repair and apoptosis are suspected to influence patient response to cancer treatment. To evaluate the effect of genetic variations on chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, we genotyped four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ATM (A60G), ERCC1 (Asn118Asn), APE1 (Asn148Glu), and iASPP (A67T), and examined their associations with treatment response among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Included in the study were 230 patients diagnosed with inoperable advanced NSCLC.

[Determination of lead and arsenic contents in amylum by ICP-AES methodology].

Lead and arsenic contents in amylum were determined by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy) method with the addition of Ni(NO3)2 as the matrix modifier. Detailed discussion was conducted about the impact of factors such as ashing and automation temperature, ashing method of samples, and matrix modifier on the experimental results. The experimental results showed that ICP-AES method is easy, rapid and exact, its return character is good, and it can be used in the inspection of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic in amylum.

Cross-section measurements for the 128Te(n,2n) 127mTe reaction induced by neutrons around 14 MeV.

The cross sections of 128Te(n,2n) 127mTe reaction induced by neutrons around 14 MeV were measured using activation technique and calculated by a previously developed formula. 737+/-69 and 853+/-82 mb at the neutron energies of 14.1+/-0.

Life cycle assessment of switchgrass- and corn stover-derived ethanol-fueled automobiles.

Utilizing domestically produced cellulose-derived ethanol for the light-duty vehicle fleet can potentially improve the environmental performance and sustainability of the transport and energy sectors of the economy. A life cycle assessment model was developed to examine environmental implications of the production and use of ethanol in automobiles in Ontario, Canada. The results were compared to those of low-sulfur reformulated gasoline (RFG) in a functionally equivalent automobile.

Density-fluctuation-induced swelling of polymer thin films in carbon dioxide.

We report an anomalous swelling of polymer thin films in carbon dioxide (CO(2)) which is associated (in both locus and form) with the density fluctuation ridge that forms along the extension of the coexistence curve of gas and liquid in the P-T phase diagram. Neutron reflectivity results showed that CO(2) could be sorbed to a large extent ( approximately 60%) in thin polymer films even when the bulk miscibility of the polymer with CO(2) is very poor. The anomalous swelling is found to scale with the polymer radius of gyration (R(g)) and extends to a distance approximately 10 R(g).