Apoptosis in the failing human heart

BACKGROUND: Loss of myocytes is an important mechanism in the development of cardiac failure of either ischemic or nonischemic origin. However, whether programmed cell death (apoptosis) is implicated in the terminal stages of heart failure is not known. We therefore studied the magnitude of myocyte apoptosis in patients with intractable congestive heart failure. METHODS: Myocardial samples were obtained from the hearts of 36 patients who underwent cardiac transplantation and from the hearts of 3 patients who died soon after myocardial infarction. Samples from 11 normal hearts were used as controls. Apoptosis was evaluated histochemically, biochemically, and by a combination of histochemical analysis and confocal microscopy. The expression of two proto-oncogenes that influence apoptosis, BCL2 and BAX, was also determined. RESULTS: Heart failure was characterized morphologically by a 232-fold increase in myocyte apoptosis and biochemically by DNA laddering (an indicator of apoptosis). The histochemical demonstration of DNA-strand breaks in myocyte nuclei was coupled with the documentation of chromatin condensation and fragmentation by confocal microscopy. All these findings reflect apoptosis of myocytes. The percentage of myocytes labeled with BCL2 (which protects cells against apoptosis) was 1.8 times as high in the hearts of patients with cardiac failure as in the normal hearts, whereas labeling with BAX (which promotes apoptosis) remained constant. The near doubling of the expression of BCL2 in the cardiac tissue of patients with heart failure was confirmed by Western blotting. CONCLUSIONS: Programmed death of myocytes occurs in the decompensated human heart in spite of the enhanced expression of BCL2; this phenomenon may contribute to the progression of cardiac dysfunction.     

铌酸对酯化反应催化性能的研究

研究了新型固体酸催化剂铌酸对乙醇及异戊醇与乙酸酯化反应的催化性能、研究表明热处理温度对水洗法制备的铌酸催化剂的催化活性有显著影响,在350℃处理时活性达到极大值.与HZSM-5相比,铌酸催化剂不仅在乙醇和乙酸的气相酯化反应中表现出良好的催比性能,而且在异戊醇和乙醇的液相酯化反应中亦表现出较好的催化活性和稳定性.     

管外上升R－113流体的沸腾换热试验

详细介绍了Ｒ－１１３流体管外上升流动的沸腾换热试验，包括试验台架、流量计和温度测量的修正，以及试验数据。拟合的换热关系式为ｑ＝５２８（Ｔｗ─Ｔｓ）１．３３。     

Multilevel barrel shifter for CORDIC design

The coordinate rotation digital computer (CORDIC) algorithm is used in numerous special purpose systems for real-time signal processing applications. It uses barrel shifters to complete shift operations. However, the barrel shifter occupies most of the area of the CORDIC chip. A new structure of multilevel barrel shifters is presented. With this structure the shifter size is reduced by 68%. The novel structure can also slightly reduce the latency time of shift operations     

轻武器专业用数据库研究

从需求分析、概念设计、数据库管理系统的结构、数据结构以及数据库的建立等五个方面论述了轻武器专业用数据库的设计技术，提出了专业用数据库建立过程中的几项关键技术的解决方法。     

ATM交换结构的成组输入排队模型

本文提出一种新的ATM交换排队结构——成组输入排队结构(GIQ),其基本思想是将输入端分组,同一组的输入端共享排队缓存。GIQ不仅能提高缓存的利用率和系统的吞吐率(达到96.2％),而且还能大大改善交换结构的抗突发能力。采用计算机仿真模拟的方法,分析了GIQ在均匀连续业务流和突发业务流下的性能,并与其它输入排队结构的性能进行了比较。     

含氮化合物废气选择性催化氧化技术研究进展

通过对当前含氮化合物废气治理技术的对比分析,总结选择性催化氧化的相关技术优势。根据对含氮化合物的种类及来源分析,介绍氨气、腈类、胺类及其他含氮化合物的催化净化技术。重点总结催化剂的种类、研发进展和在实际使用中可能遇到的问题,同时展望含氮化合物废气选择性催化氧化技术的研发方向。     

建筑构件积木式CAD软件研究

西方以混凝土坝内廓道施工样图设计阶段为例，论述水工建筑件积木式ＣＡＤ软件的必要性和积木模块ＣＡＤ软件的具体实现方法。     

Simple approximations of the DC flux influence on the core losspower electronic ferrites and their use in design of magnetic components

The effect of DC flux on the core loss is examined for the practical range of power and frequency. Relevant core loss equations are derived and applied to an optimization algorithm to determine the minimum core loss at a given ratio of s (DC flux density to AC peak flux density). It has been found that the curves of hysteresis loss density versus the ratio of s exhibit a peak at a critical ratio. Below or above this critical ratio, the loss density decreases drastically. On the other hand, the curves of eddy-current loss density versus the ratio of s exhibits a minimum point at a critical ratio. Below or above this critical ratio, the loss density increases gradually     

Three‐dimensionally braided carbon fiber–epoxy composites,a new type of material for osteosynthesis devices. I. Mechanical properties and moisture absorption behavior

In recent years, three‐dimensionally (3D) braided composites have attracted a great deal of attention because of their high‐impact damage tolerance and fatigue life, superior fracture toughness, and so forth, and have been used in aeronautics, military, and transportation. These advantages make them strong candidates for osteosynthesis devices. In this study, 3D braided carbon fiber–epoxy (C_3D/EP) composites were produced via a simple vacuum impregnation technique. The load‐deflection curve, mechanical properties, and influence of fiber volume fraction, braiding angle, and axial reinforcing fibers were examined to determine their suitability for internal fixation devices. It is found that the C_3D/EP composites have excellent toughness and do not show brittleness when fractured because of their relatively high void content. The flexural, shear, and impact strengths of the C_3D/EP composites are excellent. It was shown that a C_3D/EP composite with a stiffness similar to load‐bearing bones can be made while maintaining enough strength. It is concluded that a relatively higher void content and braiding angle is more suitable for the C_3D/EP composites from the viewpoint of requirements of fracture fixation materials. The moisture absorption behavior and changes in mechanical properties caused by moisture uptake were evaluated. Results show that absorbed moisture slightly decreases mechanical properties of the C_3D/EP composites. Contrary to the unreinforced epoxy, the moisture absorption behavior of the C_3D/EP composites cannot be described with Fick's law of diffusion, probably because of the presence of voids and/or 3D fiber structure. The exact mechanisms should be proposed in further investigations. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 1031–1039, 2002