Neoagarooligosaccharide Protects against Hepatic Fibrosis via Inhibition of TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway

Hepatic fibrosis occurs when liver tissue becomes scarred from repetitive liver injury and inflammatory responses; it can progress to cirrhosis and eventually to hepatocellular carcinoma. Previously, we reported that neoagarooligosaccharides (NAOs), produced by the hydrolysis of agar by β-agarases, have hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen overdose-induced acute liver injury. However, the effect of NAOs on chronic liver injury, including hepatic fibrosis, has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we examined whether NAOs protect against fibrogenesis in vitro and in vivo. NAOs ameliorated PAI-1, α-SMA, CTGF and fibronectin protein expression and decreased mRNA levels of fibrogenic genes in TGF-β-treated LX-2 cells. Furthermore, downstream of TGF-β, the Smad signaling pathway was inhibited by NAOs in LX-2 cells. Treatment with NAOs diminished the severity of hepatic injury, as evidenced by reduction in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced liver fibrosis mouse models. Moreover, NAOs markedly blocked histopathological changes and collagen accumulation, as shown by H&E and Sirius red staining, respectively. Finally, NAOs antagonized the CCl₄-induced upregulation of the protein and mRNA levels of fibrogenic genes in the liver. In conclusion, our findings suggest that NAOs may be a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of chronic liver injury via inhibition of the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.     

用于电弧检测的电力专用SoC设计

针对传统的电弧电路故障检测结果不准确的问题,设计用于电弧检测的SoC系统,并且在55nm工艺下进行流片验证。采用包含两种结构的模数转换器的片上电压源,设计了锁相环以及复位电路,精度最高可达8.67 bit。验证结果表明,本设计可提高电弧检测的准确性。     

Lactobacillus Gasseri LGZ 1029 in yogurt: rheological behaviour and volatile compound composition

Yogurt preserves and enhances nutritional value of milk. In this study, we have compared several strains to determine the physicochemical, sensory, rheological and aroma characteristics of different yogurts. We used Lactobacillus gasseri LGZ 1029 (LG), commercial probiotic L. rhamnosus (LGG) and traditional fermentation strains Streptococcus thermophilus and L. bulgaricus (SL). Results showed that the flavour and texture characteristics of mixed-strain yogurts were obviously better than in single-strain yogurts. Addition of LG increased pseudoplastic behaviour, as shown by Herschel–Bulkley model analysis of rheological behaviour. The LG + SL group also had both the highest viscosity consistency index and thickening ability. In addition, a total of 57 volatile compounds were detected in yogurts and the fermentation with the addition of LG was mainly affected by ketones. Our study suggested that a yogurt with new attributes can be produced by using LGZ 1029.     

Damage evolution in polymer due to exposure to high-pressure hydrogen gas

The use of hydrogen as a fuel is increasing exponentially, and the most economical way to store and transport hydrogen for fuel use is as a high-pressure gas. Polymers are widely used for hydrogen distribution and storage systems because they are chemically inert towards hydrogen. However, when exposed to high-pressure hydrogen, some hydrogen diffuses through polymers and occupies the preexisting cavities inside the material. Upon depressurization, the hydrogen trapped inside polymer cavities can cause blistering or cracking by expanding these cavities. A continuum mechanics–based deformation model was deployed to predict the stress distribution and damage propagation while the polymer undergoes depressurization after high-pressure hydrogen exposure. The effects of cavity size, cavity location, and pressure inside the cavity on damage initiation and evolution inside the polymer were studied. The stress and damage evolution in the presence of multiple cavities was also studied, because interaction among cavities alters the damage and stress field. It was found that all these factors significantly change the stress state in the polymer, resulting in different paths for damage propagation. The effect of adding carbon black filler particles and plasticizer on the damage was also studied. It was found that damage tolerance of the polymer increases drastically with the addition of carbon black fillers, but decreases with the addition of the plasticizer.     

PDC钻头水力结构优化设计研究

在PDC钻头工作过程中，钻井液对钻头体表面的冲洗、冷却和润滑是保证钻头正常工作的一个非常重要的条件。对PDC钻头而言，水力结构（主要是中心水眼和冠部水道）设计的重要性尤其突出。以前,对钻头水力系统研究只能通过实验的方法进行,研究周期长、成本高、结构调整不方便，而数值模拟的方法在几年前还不成熟，甚至静态的复杂结构流场问题基本无法解决。为此，在提出PDC钻头水力结构优化设计原则的基础上，对PDC钻头的三维流场进行了数值模拟。模拟中考虑了钻头的喷嘴布置位置、直径、数量以及切削齿对流场的影响。计算结果表明，原设计在喷嘴布置位置和喷射角度上存在不足，以此为基础进行了水力结构的优化设计。文中的研究成果成功地应用在新型钻头水力结构的设计中，研究方法为PDC钻头水力结构优化分析奠定了理论基础。     

信息安全风险评估的模糊多准则决策方法

基于ISO/IEC17799标准建立了一个综合的信息系统风险分析框架,并运用模糊多准则决策(FMCDM)方法计算信息安全风险,根据风险等级矩阵(RLM)对信息资产风险进行级别划分,最终建立评估信息资产相关风险的完整模型。     

Investigation into polishing process of CVD diamond films

A new technique used for polishing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond films has been investigated, by which rough polishing of the CVD diamond films can be achieved efficiently. A CVD diamond film is coated with a thin layer of electrically conductive material in advance, and then electro-discharge machining (EDM) is used to machine the coated surface. As a result, peaks on the surface of the diamond film are removed rapidly. During machining, graphitization of diamond enables the EDM process to continue. The single pulse discharge shows that the material of the coated layer evidently affects removal behavior of the CVD diamond films. Compared with the machining of ordinary metal materials, the process of EDM CVD diamond films possesses a quite different characteristic. The removal mechanism of the CVD diamond films is discussed.     

Long-term follow-up (8 to 17 years) after thromboexclusion operation for thoracic aortic aneurysms

Forty-eight Russell's viper bite patients (40 males, 8 females), age ranging from 16-76 years were studied. Out of 48 patients, 14 were found to have a prolonged whole blood clotting time test (WBCT) (i.e. incoagulable blood) (Group 1); 23 had a normal WBCT (i.e. clotted blood) (Group II); and 11 patients had a normal WBCT on admission which changed to non-clotting during the clinical course (Group III). Four patients from group I developed hypotension and 2 expired. The serum cortisol concentration (mean +/- SEM) on admission among groups I and II were 639 +/- 45.6 and 424 +/- 33.2 nmol/l respectively. The blood cortisol level in 35 subjects (controls) were 370.7 +/- 17.7 nmol/l (mean +/- SEM). There was a significant rise of blood cortisol in patients with incoagulable blood when compared to controls at the time of admission to the hospital (p < 0.05); but there was no significant difference among those patients with clotted blood. A much higher mean serum cortisol level was observed in 4 patients with hypotension as compared to 10 patients without shock. These patients with hypotension according to our study shown to have a favorable response to steroid therapy and eventually recovered. Whether higher doses of steroid in addition to antiserum confer extra benefit in suppressing nonspecific venom effects on the pituitary and/or adrenal is not known.