AIM: To investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of a probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius ssp. salivariusCECT5713 in the TNBS model of rat colitis. METHODS: Female Wistar rats (180-200 g) w...AIM: To investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of a probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius ssp. salivariusCECT5713 in the TNBS model of rat colitis. METHODS: Female Wistar rats (180-200 g) were used in this study. A group of rats were administered orally the probiotic L. salivarius ssp. salivarius (5 × 10^8 CFU suspended in 0.5 mL of skimmed milk) daily for 3 wk. Two additional groups were used for reference, a non-colitic and a control colitic without probiotic treatment, which received orally the vehicle used to administer the probiotic. Two weeks after starting the experiment, the rats were rendered colitic by intracolonic administration of 10 mg of TNBS dissolved in 0.25 mL of 500 mL/L ethanol. One week after colitis induction, all animals were killed and colonic damage was evaluated both histologically and biochemically. The biochemical studies performed in colonic homogenates include determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, glutathione (GSH) content, leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. In addition, the luminal contents obtained from colonic samples were used for microbiological studies, in order to determine Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria counts. RESULTS: Treatment of colitic rats with L. salivarius ssp. salivarius resulted in amelioration of the inflammatory response in colitic rats, when compared with the corresponding control group without probiotic treatment. This antiinflammatory effect was evidenced macroscopically by a significant reduction in the extent of colonic necrosis and/or inflammation induced by the administration of TNBS/ethanol (2.3±0.4 cm vs3.4±0.3 cm in control group, P〈0.01) and histologically by improvement of the colonic architecture associated with a reduction in the neutrophil infiltrate in comparison with non-treated colitic rats. The latter was confirmed biochemically by a significant reduction of colonic MPO activity (105.3±26.0 U/g vs 180.6±21.9 U/g, P〈0.05), a marker of neutrophil infiltration. The beneficial effect was associated with an increase of the colonic GSH content (1 252±42 nmol/g vs i 087±51 nmol/g, P〈0.05), which is depleted in colitic rats, as a consequence of the oxidative stress induced by the inflammatory process. In addition, the treatment of colitic rats with L. salivarius resulted in a significant reduction of colonic TNF-(~ levels (509.4±68.2 pg/g vs782.9±60.1 pg/g, P〈0.01) and in a lower colonic iNOS expression, when compared to TNBS control animals without probiotic administration. Finally, treated colitic rats showed higher counts of Lactobacilli species in colonic contents than control colitic rats, whereas no differences were observed in Bifidobacteria counts. CONCLUSION: Administration of the probiotic L. salivarius ssp. salivarius CECT5713 facilitates the recovery of the inflamed tissue in the TNBS model of rat colitis, an effect associated with amelioration of the production of some of the mediators involved in the inflammatory response in the intestine, such as cytokines, including TNF-α and NO. This beneficial effect could be ascribed to its effect on the altered immune response that occurs in this inflammatory condition.展开更多
In present paper, we derive the quasi-least squares estimation(QLSE) and approximate maximum likelihood estimation(AMLE) for the Birnbaum-Saunders fatigue life distribution under multiply Type-Ⅱcensoring. Furthermore...In present paper, we derive the quasi-least squares estimation(QLSE) and approximate maximum likelihood estimation(AMLE) for the Birnbaum-Saunders fatigue life distribution under multiply Type-Ⅱcensoring. Furthermore, we get the variance and covariance of the approximate maximum likelihood estimation.展开更多
Ernest Hemingway is one of the greatest American novelists. His For Whom the Bell Tolls, a novel on Spanish Civil War, is generally regarded as "his most ambitious artistic endeavor and a heroic epic of the 20th cent...Ernest Hemingway is one of the greatest American novelists. His For Whom the Bell Tolls, a novel on Spanish Civil War, is generally regarded as "his most ambitious artistic endeavor and a heroic epic of the 20th century American literature". The protagonist, Jordan, is a brave, unselfish, and stressful fighter for fascist, who is the more mature epitome of Ernest Hemingway in the reality. It is an example of application of"meta-fiction". Both of their views on war change from being pessimistic to being optimistic; both Hemingway and Jordan are the heroes of "Grace under Pressure" and both of them start to care for the society and love others.展开更多
The debate concerning abortion abounds in miraculous narratives. Judith Jarvis Thomson has contrived the most celebrated set among related ones, to wit the "violinist analogy," the "Good Samaritan" narrative, and ...The debate concerning abortion abounds in miraculous narratives. Judith Jarvis Thomson has contrived the most celebrated set among related ones, to wit the "violinist analogy," the "Good Samaritan" narrative, and the "Henry Fonda" allegory, by virtue of which, she intends, on the one hand, to argue that women's right to autonomy outweighs the alleged fetus's right to life, and on the other, to prove that no positive moral duties can be derived towards other persons alone from the fact that a moral agent is ascribed certain rights. What this short paper endeavors to prove is that Thomson's argumentation by analogy is a weak one, since neither the number nor the relevance of similarities invoked is adequate or satisfactory, while crucial parameters concerning the morality of abortion are being totally overlooked.展开更多
For Deleuze, the time of thinking in terms of"I" or "sell" has already ended. Novelists, according to Deleuze, have already recognized this. What these new novelists have realized is simply the way to elude contro...For Deleuze, the time of thinking in terms of"I" or "sell" has already ended. Novelists, according to Deleuze, have already recognized this. What these new novelists have realized is simply the way to elude control, a new intuition to develop unidentifiable means of resistance. Who are these novelists? What struggles have been made in their work for liberation? In what sense these fictions are revolutionary? And what does it mean to think as impersonal individuations? I argue, in this piece of work, that Italo Calvino is one of those novelists, in fictions of whom one might find truthful answers to most of the questions above and trace revolutionary insights of the kind Deleuze implicitly fosters. The ordinary characters or non-characters of Calvino function in a sense as a minor language operating through pages of the fiction. The fact that they are not in focus or not habitually actualized gives them power to resist representation. The elusive force running through the fiction might clearly be read as Deleuze-Guattarian body-without-organs. Accomplishing a reading of this kind requires a machinic thinking. What I attempt in this work is to try to perform such an experimental reading.展开更多
This paper presents a generalized model for determining minimum cost preventive maintenance schedules for a maintained reliability system. Through balancing the cost of system failure during operation against the cos...This paper presents a generalized model for determining minimum cost preventive maintenance schedules for a maintained reliability system. Through balancing the cost of system failure during operation against the cost of planned maintenance, an optimal policy is established which minimizes the expected cost rate. A simple equation to determine the optimal period between maintenances for a system with the known failure distribution is acquired, and the calculation for the system with Gamma failure distribution is given.展开更多
In the last decades, there is a lot of discussion in many scientific fields, about the high importance of water as a basic element for the existence and the maintenance of life, aiming to the right and proper usage of...In the last decades, there is a lot of discussion in many scientific fields, about the high importance of water as a basic element for the existence and the maintenance of life, aiming to the right and proper usage of water in our everyday basic water-needs due to its limited resources and the growing demand. This research deals with simple ways and technological systems applicable in urban residential buildings for the better management of domestic fresh water, as far as its maintenance and sustainability. Main aim of the survey is the effective minimization of urban daily water usage. All measurements of water quantities have estimated in the imperial gallon (1 gallon = 4.546 liter), and in liter (1 liter = 0.2 gallon).展开更多
The topic investigated competition in marketing as a survival yardstick for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The objectives addressed by this study were: (1) identifying different types and intensi...The topic investigated competition in marketing as a survival yardstick for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The objectives addressed by this study were: (1) identifying different types and intensity of competition that SMEs are exposed to along the life-cycle portfolio in Nigeria; (2) quantifying the strength of SMEs vis-a-vis some foreign enterprises in terms of market competition; and (3) proffering solutions on how best they could match competitively these foreign enterprises. Relevant models and theories were employed in literature to evolve detailed analysis of issues relating to the variables used in terms of competition in marketing and survival of juice-producing SMEs. Two hypotheses were investigated through the survey of 20 prominent Ikeja based SMEs using Cluster sampling, 5-points Likert summated rating scale was adopted, while Yard's formula with 95% confidence level and 5% error tolerance was used. Alternative form validity of the instrument was measured at 0.63 while its reliability was measured at Cronbach's alpha of 0.70. Pearson's product-moment correlation was used in testing hypothesis 1 while standard multiple regressions were used to test hypothesis 2. Findings revealed that there was strong relationship between survival of juice-producing SMEs with forms of competition on a firm's life-cycle; while competition had positive effects on survival components for the enterprises. It was concluded that since competition subsists in any firm's life-cycle, strategies to support operations for survival must be adopted. It was recommended that operators of SMEs have to monitor and manage competition as it affects their businesses positively and/or negatively.展开更多
In order to mitigate vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of marine risers, especially to eliminate the phenomenon of frequency 'lock-in', a new suppression device of crescent-shaped flow spoiler was designed with s...In order to mitigate vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of marine risers, especially to eliminate the phenomenon of frequency 'lock-in', a new suppression device of crescent-shaped flow spoiler was designed with seven different layout schemes. VIV model tests with six flow levels were conducted in a large wind-wave-current flume. In all cases, vibration responses in both in-line and cross-flow cases were measured. With the installation of suppression devices vibration frequency evolution of a riser was analyzed by Morlet wavelet transform. The principle of VIV suppression was interpreted through vibration characteristics. Fatigue life of the riser was calculated by the Palmgren-Miner rule. Compared with a bare riser, vibration of an outfitted riser with suppression devices disturbed the steady flow, the vibration amplitudes in the two flow directions were reduced, and the riser fatigue life was improved.展开更多
The electro-hydraulic servo system was studied to cancel the amplitude attenuation and phase delay of its sinusoidal response,by developing a network using normalized least-mean-square (LMS) adaptive filtering algorit...The electro-hydraulic servo system was studied to cancel the amplitude attenuation and phase delay of its sinusoidal response,by developing a network using normalized least-mean-square (LMS) adaptive filtering algorithm.The command input was corrected by weights to generate the desired input for the algorithm,and the feedback was brought into the feedback correction,whose output was the weighted feedback.The weights of the normalized LMS adaptive filtering algorithm were updated on-line according to the estimation error between the desired input and the weighted feedback.Thus,the updated weights were copied to the input correction.The estimation error was forced to zero by the normalized LMS adaptive filtering algorithm such that the weighted feedback was equal to the desired input,making the feedback track the command.The above concept was used as a basis for the development of amplitude phase control.The method has good real-time performance without estimating the system model.The simulation and experiment results show that the proposed amplitude phase control can efficiently cancel the amplitude attenuation and phase delay with high precision.展开更多
Hydraulic pumps belong to reliable long-life hydraulic components. The reliability evaluation includes characters such as long test period,high cost,and high power loss and so on. Based on the principle of energy-savi...Hydraulic pumps belong to reliable long-life hydraulic components. The reliability evaluation includes characters such as long test period,high cost,and high power loss and so on. Based on the principle of energy-saving and power recovery,a small sample hydraulic pump reliability test rig is built,and the service life of hydraulic pump is predicted,and then the sampling period of reliability test is optimized. On the basis of considering the performance degradation mechanism of hydraulic pump,the feature information of degradation distribution of hydraulic pump volumetric efficiency during the test is collected,so an optimal degradation path model of feature information is selected from the aspect of fitting accuracy,and pseudo life data are obtained. Then a small sample reliability test of period constrained optimization search strategy for hydraulic pump is constructed to solve the optimization problem of the test sampling period and tightening end threshold,and it is verified that the accuracy of the minimum sampling period by the non-parametric hypothes is tested. Simulation result shows it could possess instructional significance and referenced value for hydraulic pump reliability life evaluation and the test's research and design.展开更多
基金Supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology, No. SAF2002-02592 and by Institute de Salud 'Carlos Ⅲ', No. PI021732, with Funds from the European Union, and by Junta de Andalucia (CTS 164) Monica Comalada is a recipient of Juan de la Cierva Program from Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. Laura Peran is a Recipient From Puleva Foundation Spain
文摘AIM: To investigate the intestinal anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of a probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius ssp. salivariusCECT5713 in the TNBS model of rat colitis. METHODS: Female Wistar rats (180-200 g) were used in this study. A group of rats were administered orally the probiotic L. salivarius ssp. salivarius (5 × 10^8 CFU suspended in 0.5 mL of skimmed milk) daily for 3 wk. Two additional groups were used for reference, a non-colitic and a control colitic without probiotic treatment, which received orally the vehicle used to administer the probiotic. Two weeks after starting the experiment, the rats were rendered colitic by intracolonic administration of 10 mg of TNBS dissolved in 0.25 mL of 500 mL/L ethanol. One week after colitis induction, all animals were killed and colonic damage was evaluated both histologically and biochemically. The biochemical studies performed in colonic homogenates include determination of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, glutathione (GSH) content, leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels, as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. In addition, the luminal contents obtained from colonic samples were used for microbiological studies, in order to determine Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria counts. RESULTS: Treatment of colitic rats with L. salivarius ssp. salivarius resulted in amelioration of the inflammatory response in colitic rats, when compared with the corresponding control group without probiotic treatment. This antiinflammatory effect was evidenced macroscopically by a significant reduction in the extent of colonic necrosis and/or inflammation induced by the administration of TNBS/ethanol (2.3±0.4 cm vs3.4±0.3 cm in control group, P〈0.01) and histologically by improvement of the colonic architecture associated with a reduction in the neutrophil infiltrate in comparison with non-treated colitic rats. The latter was confirmed biochemically by a significant reduction of colonic MPO activity (105.3±26.0 U/g vs 180.6±21.9 U/g, P〈0.05), a marker of neutrophil infiltration. The beneficial effect was associated with an increase of the colonic GSH content (1 252±42 nmol/g vs i 087±51 nmol/g, P〈0.05), which is depleted in colitic rats, as a consequence of the oxidative stress induced by the inflammatory process. In addition, the treatment of colitic rats with L. salivarius resulted in a significant reduction of colonic TNF-(~ levels (509.4±68.2 pg/g vs782.9±60.1 pg/g, P〈0.01) and in a lower colonic iNOS expression, when compared to TNBS control animals without probiotic administration. Finally, treated colitic rats showed higher counts of Lactobacilli species in colonic contents than control colitic rats, whereas no differences were observed in Bifidobacteria counts. CONCLUSION: Administration of the probiotic L. salivarius ssp. salivarius CECT5713 facilitates the recovery of the inflamed tissue in the TNBS model of rat colitis, an effect associated with amelioration of the production of some of the mediators involved in the inflammatory response in the intestine, such as cytokines, including TNF-α and NO. This beneficial effect could be ascribed to its effect on the altered immune response that occurs in this inflammatory condition.
基金Supported by the NSF of China(69971016)Supported by the Shanghai Higher Learning Science and Technology Development Foundation(04DB24)
文摘In present paper, we derive the quasi-least squares estimation(QLSE) and approximate maximum likelihood estimation(AMLE) for the Birnbaum-Saunders fatigue life distribution under multiply Type-Ⅱcensoring. Furthermore, we get the variance and covariance of the approximate maximum likelihood estimation.
文摘Ernest Hemingway is one of the greatest American novelists. His For Whom the Bell Tolls, a novel on Spanish Civil War, is generally regarded as "his most ambitious artistic endeavor and a heroic epic of the 20th century American literature". The protagonist, Jordan, is a brave, unselfish, and stressful fighter for fascist, who is the more mature epitome of Ernest Hemingway in the reality. It is an example of application of"meta-fiction". Both of their views on war change from being pessimistic to being optimistic; both Hemingway and Jordan are the heroes of "Grace under Pressure" and both of them start to care for the society and love others.
文摘The debate concerning abortion abounds in miraculous narratives. Judith Jarvis Thomson has contrived the most celebrated set among related ones, to wit the "violinist analogy," the "Good Samaritan" narrative, and the "Henry Fonda" allegory, by virtue of which, she intends, on the one hand, to argue that women's right to autonomy outweighs the alleged fetus's right to life, and on the other, to prove that no positive moral duties can be derived towards other persons alone from the fact that a moral agent is ascribed certain rights. What this short paper endeavors to prove is that Thomson's argumentation by analogy is a weak one, since neither the number nor the relevance of similarities invoked is adequate or satisfactory, while crucial parameters concerning the morality of abortion are being totally overlooked.
文摘For Deleuze, the time of thinking in terms of"I" or "sell" has already ended. Novelists, according to Deleuze, have already recognized this. What these new novelists have realized is simply the way to elude control, a new intuition to develop unidentifiable means of resistance. Who are these novelists? What struggles have been made in their work for liberation? In what sense these fictions are revolutionary? And what does it mean to think as impersonal individuations? I argue, in this piece of work, that Italo Calvino is one of those novelists, in fictions of whom one might find truthful answers to most of the questions above and trace revolutionary insights of the kind Deleuze implicitly fosters. The ordinary characters or non-characters of Calvino function in a sense as a minor language operating through pages of the fiction. The fact that they are not in focus or not habitually actualized gives them power to resist representation. The elusive force running through the fiction might clearly be read as Deleuze-Guattarian body-without-organs. Accomplishing a reading of this kind requires a machinic thinking. What I attempt in this work is to try to perform such an experimental reading.
文摘This paper presents a generalized model for determining minimum cost preventive maintenance schedules for a maintained reliability system. Through balancing the cost of system failure during operation against the cost of planned maintenance, an optimal policy is established which minimizes the expected cost rate. A simple equation to determine the optimal period between maintenances for a system with the known failure distribution is acquired, and the calculation for the system with Gamma failure distribution is given.
文摘In the last decades, there is a lot of discussion in many scientific fields, about the high importance of water as a basic element for the existence and the maintenance of life, aiming to the right and proper usage of water in our everyday basic water-needs due to its limited resources and the growing demand. This research deals with simple ways and technological systems applicable in urban residential buildings for the better management of domestic fresh water, as far as its maintenance and sustainability. Main aim of the survey is the effective minimization of urban daily water usage. All measurements of water quantities have estimated in the imperial gallon (1 gallon = 4.546 liter), and in liter (1 liter = 0.2 gallon).
文摘The topic investigated competition in marketing as a survival yardstick for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The objectives addressed by this study were: (1) identifying different types and intensity of competition that SMEs are exposed to along the life-cycle portfolio in Nigeria; (2) quantifying the strength of SMEs vis-a-vis some foreign enterprises in terms of market competition; and (3) proffering solutions on how best they could match competitively these foreign enterprises. Relevant models and theories were employed in literature to evolve detailed analysis of issues relating to the variables used in terms of competition in marketing and survival of juice-producing SMEs. Two hypotheses were investigated through the survey of 20 prominent Ikeja based SMEs using Cluster sampling, 5-points Likert summated rating scale was adopted, while Yard's formula with 95% confidence level and 5% error tolerance was used. Alternative form validity of the instrument was measured at 0.63 while its reliability was measured at Cronbach's alpha of 0.70. Pearson's product-moment correlation was used in testing hypothesis 1 while standard multiple regressions were used to test hypothesis 2. Findings revealed that there was strong relationship between survival of juice-producing SMEs with forms of competition on a firm's life-cycle; while competition had positive effects on survival components for the enterprises. It was concluded that since competition subsists in any firm's life-cycle, strategies to support operations for survival must be adopted. It was recommended that operators of SMEs have to monitor and manage competition as it affects their businesses positively and/or negatively.
基金financially supported by the High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, Grant No. 2010AA09Z303)
文摘In order to mitigate vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of marine risers, especially to eliminate the phenomenon of frequency 'lock-in', a new suppression device of crescent-shaped flow spoiler was designed with seven different layout schemes. VIV model tests with six flow levels were conducted in a large wind-wave-current flume. In all cases, vibration responses in both in-line and cross-flow cases were measured. With the installation of suppression devices vibration frequency evolution of a riser was analyzed by Morlet wavelet transform. The principle of VIV suppression was interpreted through vibration characteristics. Fatigue life of the riser was calculated by the Palmgren-Miner rule. Compared with a bare riser, vibration of an outfitted riser with suppression devices disturbed the steady flow, the vibration amplitudes in the two flow directions were reduced, and the riser fatigue life was improved.
基金Project(50905037) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(20092304120014) supported by Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China+2 种基金 Project(20100471021) supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Project(LBH-Q09134) supported by Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Science-Research Foundation,China Project (HEUFT09013) supported by the Foundation of Harbin Engineering University,China
文摘The electro-hydraulic servo system was studied to cancel the amplitude attenuation and phase delay of its sinusoidal response,by developing a network using normalized least-mean-square (LMS) adaptive filtering algorithm.The command input was corrected by weights to generate the desired input for the algorithm,and the feedback was brought into the feedback correction,whose output was the weighted feedback.The weights of the normalized LMS adaptive filtering algorithm were updated on-line according to the estimation error between the desired input and the weighted feedback.Thus,the updated weights were copied to the input correction.The estimation error was forced to zero by the normalized LMS adaptive filtering algorithm such that the weighted feedback was equal to the desired input,making the feedback track the command.The above concept was used as a basis for the development of amplitude phase control.The method has good real-time performance without estimating the system model.The simulation and experiment results show that the proposed amplitude phase control can efficiently cancel the amplitude attenuation and phase delay with high precision.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51405424,11673040)the Special Scientific Research Fund of Public Welfare for Quality Inspection(No.201510202)
文摘Hydraulic pumps belong to reliable long-life hydraulic components. The reliability evaluation includes characters such as long test period,high cost,and high power loss and so on. Based on the principle of energy-saving and power recovery,a small sample hydraulic pump reliability test rig is built,and the service life of hydraulic pump is predicted,and then the sampling period of reliability test is optimized. On the basis of considering the performance degradation mechanism of hydraulic pump,the feature information of degradation distribution of hydraulic pump volumetric efficiency during the test is collected,so an optimal degradation path model of feature information is selected from the aspect of fitting accuracy,and pseudo life data are obtained. Then a small sample reliability test of period constrained optimization search strategy for hydraulic pump is constructed to solve the optimization problem of the test sampling period and tightening end threshold,and it is verified that the accuracy of the minimum sampling period by the non-parametric hypothes is tested. Simulation result shows it could possess instructional significance and referenced value for hydraulic pump reliability life evaluation and the test's research and design.