Myofibroblast accumulation induced by transforming growth factor-beta is involved in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps

Myofibroblasts that express alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) are detected in many chronic inflammatory diseases. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a potent inducer of myofibroblast accumulation in tissues. In this study, scattered myofibroblasts and TGF-beta were quantified and localized in nasal polyps (NPs) and normal nasal mucosa (NM). NPs were sampled in 16 patients during ethmoidectomy and NM was obtained from 10 control subjects during rhinoplasty. alpha-SMA and TGF-beta were detected using immunohistochemistry and the numbers of labeled cells were quantified (alpha-SMA and TGF-beta indices) and compared between NPs and NM. In eight NPs, in which the pedicle was preserved, alpha-SMA and TGF-beta were evaluated and compared in the pedicle, central, and tip areas. Finally, TGF-beta expression was compared between low (zone 1), moderate (zone 2), and high (zone 3) zones of alpha-SMA positivity. alpha-SMA and TGF-beta indices were significantly higher in NPs than in NM. In the eight selected NPs, alpha-SMA-positive cells were significantly more abundant in the pedicle than in the central and tip areas, whereas TGF-beta-positive cells were significantly more numerous in the pedicle than in the tip area. The number of TGF-beta-positive cells was significantly higher in zone 3 than in zone 1 of alpha-SMA positivity. Myofibroblasts, which are abundant in NPs but rare in NM, could be involved in the growth of NPs by inducing extracellular matrix accumulation. The local development of myofibroblasts in NPs could be controlled by TGF-beta, locally produced by inflammatory cells.     

Highly compact AC-AC converter achieving a high voltage transferratio

This paper reports a new, highly integrated modular design approach for pulsewidth-modulation AC-AC converters based on a modular phase-bank structure. Novel high-power 3-in-1 integrated bi-directional power modules (IBPM) rated at 1200-V AC and 150 A and the 3-to-1 phase bank circuits have been successfully developed, fabricated and tested. This enables the modularity design of the multiphase converter systems and reduces the critical parasitic inductance. A theoretical analysis of the IBPM's silicon utilization for this new breed of direct power converters has been outlined. A lab prototype at medium power level has been successfully designed, implemented, and tested with good results. A nearly 460-VRMS out voltage at a 1:0.955 voltage transfer ratio, which, perhaps, is the highest performance reported so far in the literature, has been achieved by the novel two-side modulation control system. The converter-fed AC motor system is able to operate over the 0-240 Hz range with inherent regenerative capability and four-quadrant operation. Potential industrial applications are also briefly highlighted in this paper     

Singular value properties of LQ regulators

The closed-loop singular values of an LQ regulator transfer function are proved to be no greater than the singular values of the open-loop transfer function and, in the case of output-weighted cost function, to be no greater than the output-weighting parameter     

四川仪陇县:饮水安全助推新农村建设

地处大巴山区的仪陇县是朱德元帅和张思德同志的故乡，属于川陕革命老区。全县辖58个乡镇843个村，总人口中106万人，其中农业人口91万人。地处渠江与嘉陵江分水岭．境内无大江大河，降雨主要集中在7—9月，十年九旱，十旱九灾，是一个资源性缺水、工程性缺水与水质性缺水并重的地区。     

核电厂运行安全指标

本文着重介绍了 IAEA 所制定的核电厂运行安全指标,同时也介绍了美国所制定的类似指标。这些指标为定量地评估和比较各国核电厂运行安全提供了可靠的依据。     

多重散射X_α方法计算Na_3原子簇的探讨

从已有的多重散射统计总能量公式出发,我们计算了Na_3原子簇。该原子已用CI-SCF和LSD膺势方法计算过。为了进一步讨论这种方法的应用,我们计算了Na_3原子簇的统计总能量、轨道能量、电离能。借助于这些结果,讨论了这种方法的优缺点。     

石家庄市室内氡及其子体浓度

本文报道了用双滤膜法对石家庄市室内空气中氡及其子体浓度的调查结果。47个房间室内氡年平均浓度为17.0Bq·m~(-3),氡子体平均浓度是7.14Bq·m~(-3)。氡及其子体浓度的日变化是清晨4—8时出现峰值。季节变化是夏秋季低,冬季高,全年的最低值出现在8月,最高值出现在11月。