AIM: To investigate whether serum levels of two soluble forms of extracellular cytokeratin 18 (M30-antigen and M65-antigen) may differentiate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from simple steatosis in patients with ...AIM: To investigate whether serum levels of two soluble forms of extracellular cytokeratin 18 (M30-antigen and M65-antigen) may differentiate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from simple steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: A total of 83 patients with suspected NAFLD and 49 healthy volunteers were investigated. Patients with suspected NAFLD were classified according to their liver histology into four groups: definitive NASH (n = 45), borderline NASH (n = 24), simple fatty liver (n = 9), and normal tissue (n = 5). Serum levels of caspase-3 generated cytokeratin-18 fragments (M30-antigen) and total cytokeratin-18 (M65-antigen) were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Levels of M30-antigen and M65-antigen were significantly higher in patients with definitive NASH compared to the other groups. An abnormal value (> 121.60 IU/L) of M30-antigen yielded a 60.0% sensitivity and a 97.4% specificity for the diagnosis of NASH. Sensitivity and specificity of an abnormal M65-antigen level (> 243.82 IU/L) for the diagnosis of NASH were 68.9% and 81.6%, respectively. Among patients with NAFLD, M30-antigen and M65-antigen levels distinguished between advanced fibrosis and early-stage fibrosis with a sensitivity of 64.7% and 70.6%, and a specificity of 77.3% and 71.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of M30-antigen and M65-antigen may be of clinical usefulness to identify patients with NASH. Further studies are mandatory to better assess the role of these apoptonecrotic biomarkers in NAFLD pathophysiology.展开更多
Discrete-event system simulation technology is used to analyze distribution system reliability in this paper. A simulation model, including entity state models, system state models, state transition models, reliabilit...Discrete-event system simulation technology is used to analyze distribution system reliability in this paper. A simulation model, including entity state models, system state models, state transition models, reliability criterion model, is established. ‘Next happen event’ is taken as impulse principle of simulator clock to determine the sequence of random event occurrence dynamically. The results show this method is feasible.展开更多
In general, every system is in one of the three states： normal, abnormal, or failure state. When the system is diagnosed as abnormal state, it needs predictive maintenance, lfthe system fails, an identical new one wi...In general, every system is in one of the three states： normal, abnormal, or failure state. When the system is diagnosed as abnormal state, it needs predictive maintenance, lfthe system fails, an identical new one will replace it. The predictive maintenance cannot make the system ＂as good as new＂. Under these assumptions, the reliability index and the inspection-replacement policy of a system were studied. The explicit expression of the reliability index and the average income rate （i.e., the long-run average income per unit time） are derived by using probability analysis and vector Markov process method. The criterion of feasibility for the optimal inspection-replacement policy under the maximum average income rate is obtained. The numerical example shows the optimal inspection-replacement policy can raise the average income rate when the optimal inspection-replacement policy is feasible.展开更多
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has pleiotropic actions on many neuronal populations as well as on glia. Signal transduction by CNTF requires that it bind first to CNTF R, permitting the recruitment of gp130 and L...Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has pleiotropic actions on many neuronal populations as well as on glia. Signal transduction by CNTF requires that it bind first to CNTF R, permitting the recruitment of gp130 and LIF R, forming a tripartite receptor complex. Cells that only express gp130 and LIF R, but not CNTF R are refractory to stimulation by CNTF. On many target cells CNTF only acts in the presence of its specific agonistic soluble receptors. We engineered a soluble fusion protein by linking the COOH terminus of sCNTF R to the NH 2 terminus of CNTF. Recombinant CNTF/sCNTF R fusion protein (Hyper CNTF) was successfully expressed in COS 7 cells. The apparent molecular mass of the Hyper CNTF protein was estimated from western blots to be 75 kDa. Proliferation assays of transfected BAF/3 cells in response to CNTF and Hyper CNTF were used to verify the activity of the cytokines. The proliferative results confirmed that CNTF required homodimerization of the gp130, CNTF R and LIF R receptor subunit whereas Hyper CNTF required heterodimerization of the gp130 and LIF R receptor subunit. We concluded that the fusion protein Hyper CNTF had superagonistic activity on target cells expressing gp130 and LIF R, but lacking membrane bound CNTF R.展开更多
Sustainability is popularly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Social, economic and environmental parameters are most...Sustainability is popularly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Social, economic and environmental parameters are most commonly accepted as the three pillars of sustainability. In this paper, various sustainability indicators have been identified during the construction stage for elevated transportation corridors and thereafter classified under various categories. Using fuzzy VIKOR technique, sustainability evaluation of transportation corridors is made on two selected project sites of two different government organizations using various identified sustainability indicators, i.e., a 3.2-km long elevated road project under construction from Vikaspuri to Meerabagh in West Delhi by PWD （Public Works Department） and the metro rail elevated corridor （part） from Punjabi Bagh to Mayapuri as a part of Phase 3, Line 7 by DMRC （Delhi Metro Rail Corporation）. The study is made at both sites in the midst of the construction period and it is identified that during the construction stage, the sustainability of these transportation corridors is just not limited to three pillars, but in actuality, it is much beyond that. From the study, it is inferred that the metro rail elevated corridor is a more sustainable corridor, in the context of the identified sustainability indicators.展开更多
文摘AIM: To investigate whether serum levels of two soluble forms of extracellular cytokeratin 18 (M30-antigen and M65-antigen) may differentiate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) from simple steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: A total of 83 patients with suspected NAFLD and 49 healthy volunteers were investigated. Patients with suspected NAFLD were classified according to their liver histology into four groups: definitive NASH (n = 45), borderline NASH (n = 24), simple fatty liver (n = 9), and normal tissue (n = 5). Serum levels of caspase-3 generated cytokeratin-18 fragments (M30-antigen) and total cytokeratin-18 (M65-antigen) were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Levels of M30-antigen and M65-antigen were significantly higher in patients with definitive NASH compared to the other groups. An abnormal value (> 121.60 IU/L) of M30-antigen yielded a 60.0% sensitivity and a 97.4% specificity for the diagnosis of NASH. Sensitivity and specificity of an abnormal M65-antigen level (> 243.82 IU/L) for the diagnosis of NASH were 68.9% and 81.6%, respectively. Among patients with NAFLD, M30-antigen and M65-antigen levels distinguished between advanced fibrosis and early-stage fibrosis with a sensitivity of 64.7% and 70.6%, and a specificity of 77.3% and 71.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of M30-antigen and M65-antigen may be of clinical usefulness to identify patients with NASH. Further studies are mandatory to better assess the role of these apoptonecrotic biomarkers in NAFLD pathophysiology.
基金SupportedbyNationalNatureScienceFoundation No .5 0 1770 17
文摘Discrete-event system simulation technology is used to analyze distribution system reliability in this paper. A simulation model, including entity state models, system state models, state transition models, reliability criterion model, is established. ‘Next happen event’ is taken as impulse principle of simulator clock to determine the sequence of random event occurrence dynamically. The results show this method is feasible.
基金Project supported by the National Hi-Tech Research and Develop-ment Program (863) of China (No. 2005AA505101-506)theNational Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50477030)
文摘In general, every system is in one of the three states： normal, abnormal, or failure state. When the system is diagnosed as abnormal state, it needs predictive maintenance, lfthe system fails, an identical new one will replace it. The predictive maintenance cannot make the system ＂as good as new＂. Under these assumptions, the reliability index and the inspection-replacement policy of a system were studied. The explicit expression of the reliability index and the average income rate （i.e., the long-run average income per unit time） are derived by using probability analysis and vector Markov process method. The criterion of feasibility for the optimal inspection-replacement policy under the maximum average income rate is obtained. The numerical example shows the optimal inspection-replacement policy can raise the average income rate when the optimal inspection-replacement policy is feasible.
文摘Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) has pleiotropic actions on many neuronal populations as well as on glia. Signal transduction by CNTF requires that it bind first to CNTF R, permitting the recruitment of gp130 and LIF R, forming a tripartite receptor complex. Cells that only express gp130 and LIF R, but not CNTF R are refractory to stimulation by CNTF. On many target cells CNTF only acts in the presence of its specific agonistic soluble receptors. We engineered a soluble fusion protein by linking the COOH terminus of sCNTF R to the NH 2 terminus of CNTF. Recombinant CNTF/sCNTF R fusion protein (Hyper CNTF) was successfully expressed in COS 7 cells. The apparent molecular mass of the Hyper CNTF protein was estimated from western blots to be 75 kDa. Proliferation assays of transfected BAF/3 cells in response to CNTF and Hyper CNTF were used to verify the activity of the cytokines. The proliferative results confirmed that CNTF required homodimerization of the gp130, CNTF R and LIF R receptor subunit whereas Hyper CNTF required heterodimerization of the gp130 and LIF R receptor subunit. We concluded that the fusion protein Hyper CNTF had superagonistic activity on target cells expressing gp130 and LIF R, but lacking membrane bound CNTF R.
文摘Sustainability is popularly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Social, economic and environmental parameters are most commonly accepted as the three pillars of sustainability. In this paper, various sustainability indicators have been identified during the construction stage for elevated transportation corridors and thereafter classified under various categories. Using fuzzy VIKOR technique, sustainability evaluation of transportation corridors is made on two selected project sites of two different government organizations using various identified sustainability indicators, i.e., a 3.2-km long elevated road project under construction from Vikaspuri to Meerabagh in West Delhi by PWD （Public Works Department） and the metro rail elevated corridor （part） from Punjabi Bagh to Mayapuri as a part of Phase 3, Line 7 by DMRC （Delhi Metro Rail Corporation）. The study is made at both sites in the midst of the construction period and it is identified that during the construction stage, the sustainability of these transportation corridors is just not limited to three pillars, but in actuality, it is much beyond that. From the study, it is inferred that the metro rail elevated corridor is a more sustainable corridor, in the context of the identified sustainability indicators.
