Objective To investigate the hypocholesterolemic activity of red yeast rice （RYR） and its underlying mechanism. Methods Three groups of hamsters were fed either the control diet or one of the two experimental diets ...Objective To investigate the hypocholesterolemic activity of red yeast rice （RYR） and its underlying mechanism. Methods Three groups of hamsters were fed either the control diet or one of the two experimental diets containing by weight 0.1% RYR （0.1RYR） or 0.3% RYR （0.3RYR）. Blood （0.5 mL） was collected from the retro-orbital sinus into a heparinized capillary tube at the end of week 0, 3, and 6. Plasma lipoproteins were measured using enzymatic kits, while fecal neutral and acidic sterols were quantified using a gas-liquid chromatography. Results Plasma total cholesterol was reduced by 12% in 0.1RYR group and by 18% in 0.3RYR group compared with the control value. Similarly, plasma triacylglycerol was decreased by 11% in 0.1RYR group and by 24% in 0.3RYR group. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that RYR had no effect on sterol regulatory element binding protein 2, fiver X receptor, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary-CoA reductase, LDL receptor, and cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase. HPLC analysis confirmed that RYR contained 0.88% monacolin K. It was recently found that RYR supplementation increased excretion of fecal acidic sterols by 34 folds compared with the conlrol value. Conclusion Hypocholesterolemic activity of RYR is mediated at least partially by enhancement of acidic sterol excretion.展开更多
Heart failure （HF） is a potentially fatal disease that affects increasing number of people worldwide. Although heart transplant is the ＂gold standard＂ therapy for HF, due to the limited availability of organs, man...Heart failure （HF） is a potentially fatal disease that affects increasing number of people worldwide. Although heart transplant is the ＂gold standard＂ therapy for HF, due to the limited availability of organs, many patients died when waiting for the transplant. Left ventricular assist device （LVAD）, as a mechanical circulatory support, has become a new light for patients with HF. With the technical advancements, LVADs work not only as a bridge to transplant, but also assist heart recovery and even as a destination therapy in long-term treatment. This observation paper reviewed the development of LVAD and its clinical roles. The challenges and possible solutions in nursing care for pa- tients with LVAD at different stage of implantation were discussed. The healthcare professionals could obtain a better understanding about the LVAD treatment for HF patients.展开更多
This paper presents the development of dynamic simulation of a flexible plate structure with various boundary conditions. A flexible square plate is considered. A finite-difference method is used to discretise the gov...This paper presents the development of dynamic simulation of a flexible plate structure with various boundary conditions. A flexible square plate is considered. A finite-difference method is used to discretise the governing partial differential equation formulation describing its dynamic behaviour. The model thus developed has been validated against characteristic parameters of the plate. The model thus developed is further formulated using discrete state-space representation, to allow easy and fast implementation for simulating the dynamic behaviour of the plate with various boundary conditions. The simulation algorithm thus developed is validated, and accurate results with representation of the first five modes of vibration of the plate have been achieved. The algorithm thus developed is used in subsequent research work as a platform for development and verification of suitable control strategies for vibration suppression of flexible plate structures.展开更多
The paper investigates the places of an urban region inside a Biosphere Reserve in southern Brazil and explores the potentialities for synergies between their biological and sociocultural systems. It assumes： （i） t...The paper investigates the places of an urban region inside a Biosphere Reserve in southern Brazil and explores the potentialities for synergies between their biological and sociocultural systems. It assumes： （i） the perception of their regional rootedness works beneficially for enhancing sustainability; （ii） current progress in place＇s conceptualization helps in the quest for sustainability, since the core factors of the concept deal precisely with the relationships between people and environment. The paper works both with the perception of existing, as invented places, analysing the perception they stimulate. Real places are seen as socially constructed; invented places, as economically promoted. Selection of empirical regional cases is based on their： perception （real and invented places）; scale （urban and ex-urban）; management （public or private）. In the area of Architecture-Urbanism, place is a created environmental form, imbued with symbolic significance to its users. In the present shift of paradigms from modernism to postmodernism, the discipline evolves towards a more thorough concern with the philosophical implications of places on phenomenological grounds. Also, the making and marketing of new places become increasingly accepted as influential tools to foster prosperity and well-being, by means of the economic development attributed to the creation of places. The concerted private and public management of the region＇s places and the restrained design they presently employ are providing grounds for an affluent development, showing a wise use of the regional resources. Altogether, it seems inhabitants have learned how to work in conjunction with the environment. This hints at a clear manifestation of sustainable development, worth investigating. Presumably, the concept of place, positioned as it is at the very interface of physical, social, economic and behavioural disciplines, seems to provide a likely means for tackling the challenges for a sustained regional development planning.展开更多
X2CrNiMoN25-7-3 duplex stainless steel is suitable for chloride-containing environments such as seawater because it has excellent pitting corrosion resistance. Duplex stainless cast steel is often used to accommodate ...X2CrNiMoN25-7-3 duplex stainless steel is suitable for chloride-containing environments such as seawater because it has excellent pitting corrosion resistance. Duplex stainless cast steel is often used to accommodate the complexity of part geometry at joints. However, machining after casting is indispensable. This study evaluated the cutting characteristics of stainless cast steel. Adhesion of the cutting edge was weak at high cutting speeds, but tool wear was large. Diffusion and reactions between the work-pieces and the tool edge were investigated. Slight inter-diffusion and a reaction phase were observed, but the bond-ability was low.展开更多
This paper proposes a proper methodology in data modification by using AHP （analytical hierarchy process） technique and FCM （fuzzy c-mean） model in the ICU （intensive care unit）. The binary data were created fro...This paper proposes a proper methodology in data modification by using AHP （analytical hierarchy process） technique and FCM （fuzzy c-mean） model in the ICU （intensive care unit）. The binary data were created from continuous data using FCM model, while the continuous data were constructed from binary data using AHP technique. The models used in this study are FCRM （fuzzy c-regression model）. A case study in scale of health at the ICU ward using the AI-IP, FCM model and FCRM models was conducted. There are six independent variables in this study. There are four cases which are considered as the result of using AHP technique and FCM model against independent data. After comparing the four cases, it was found that case 4 appeared to be the best model, because it has the lowest MSE （mean square error） value. The original data have the MSE value of 97.33, while the data in case 4 have the MSE value of 82.75. This means that the use of AHP technique can reduce the MSE value, while the use of FCM model can not reduce the MSE value. In other words, it can be proved that the AHP technique can increase the accuracy of prediction in modeling scale of health which is associated with the mortality rate in the ICU.展开更多
文摘Objective To investigate the hypocholesterolemic activity of red yeast rice （RYR） and its underlying mechanism. Methods Three groups of hamsters were fed either the control diet or one of the two experimental diets containing by weight 0.1% RYR （0.1RYR） or 0.3% RYR （0.3RYR）. Blood （0.5 mL） was collected from the retro-orbital sinus into a heparinized capillary tube at the end of week 0, 3, and 6. Plasma lipoproteins were measured using enzymatic kits, while fecal neutral and acidic sterols were quantified using a gas-liquid chromatography. Results Plasma total cholesterol was reduced by 12% in 0.1RYR group and by 18% in 0.3RYR group compared with the control value. Similarly, plasma triacylglycerol was decreased by 11% in 0.1RYR group and by 24% in 0.3RYR group. Western blotting analysis demonstrated that RYR had no effect on sterol regulatory element binding protein 2, fiver X receptor, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutary-CoA reductase, LDL receptor, and cholesterol-7α-hydroxylase. HPLC analysis confirmed that RYR contained 0.88% monacolin K. It was recently found that RYR supplementation increased excretion of fecal acidic sterols by 34 folds compared with the conlrol value. Conclusion Hypocholesterolemic activity of RYR is mediated at least partially by enhancement of acidic sterol excretion.
文摘Heart failure （HF） is a potentially fatal disease that affects increasing number of people worldwide. Although heart transplant is the ＂gold standard＂ therapy for HF, due to the limited availability of organs, many patients died when waiting for the transplant. Left ventricular assist device （LVAD）, as a mechanical circulatory support, has become a new light for patients with HF. With the technical advancements, LVADs work not only as a bridge to transplant, but also assist heart recovery and even as a destination therapy in long-term treatment. This observation paper reviewed the development of LVAD and its clinical roles. The challenges and possible solutions in nursing care for pa- tients with LVAD at different stage of implantation were discussed. The healthcare professionals could obtain a better understanding about the LVAD treatment for HF patients.
文摘This paper presents the development of dynamic simulation of a flexible plate structure with various boundary conditions. A flexible square plate is considered. A finite-difference method is used to discretise the governing partial differential equation formulation describing its dynamic behaviour. The model thus developed has been validated against characteristic parameters of the plate. The model thus developed is further formulated using discrete state-space representation, to allow easy and fast implementation for simulating the dynamic behaviour of the plate with various boundary conditions. The simulation algorithm thus developed is validated, and accurate results with representation of the first five modes of vibration of the plate have been achieved. The algorithm thus developed is used in subsequent research work as a platform for development and verification of suitable control strategies for vibration suppression of flexible plate structures.
文摘The paper investigates the places of an urban region inside a Biosphere Reserve in southern Brazil and explores the potentialities for synergies between their biological and sociocultural systems. It assumes： （i） the perception of their regional rootedness works beneficially for enhancing sustainability; （ii） current progress in place＇s conceptualization helps in the quest for sustainability, since the core factors of the concept deal precisely with the relationships between people and environment. The paper works both with the perception of existing, as invented places, analysing the perception they stimulate. Real places are seen as socially constructed; invented places, as economically promoted. Selection of empirical regional cases is based on their： perception （real and invented places）; scale （urban and ex-urban）; management （public or private）. In the area of Architecture-Urbanism, place is a created environmental form, imbued with symbolic significance to its users. In the present shift of paradigms from modernism to postmodernism, the discipline evolves towards a more thorough concern with the philosophical implications of places on phenomenological grounds. Also, the making and marketing of new places become increasingly accepted as influential tools to foster prosperity and well-being, by means of the economic development attributed to the creation of places. The concerted private and public management of the region＇s places and the restrained design they presently employ are providing grounds for an affluent development, showing a wise use of the regional resources. Altogether, it seems inhabitants have learned how to work in conjunction with the environment. This hints at a clear manifestation of sustainable development, worth investigating. Presumably, the concept of place, positioned as it is at the very interface of physical, social, economic and behavioural disciplines, seems to provide a likely means for tackling the challenges for a sustained regional development planning.
文摘X2CrNiMoN25-7-3 duplex stainless steel is suitable for chloride-containing environments such as seawater because it has excellent pitting corrosion resistance. Duplex stainless cast steel is often used to accommodate the complexity of part geometry at joints. However, machining after casting is indispensable. This study evaluated the cutting characteristics of stainless cast steel. Adhesion of the cutting edge was weak at high cutting speeds, but tool wear was large. Diffusion and reactions between the work-pieces and the tool edge were investigated. Slight inter-diffusion and a reaction phase were observed, but the bond-ability was low.
文摘This paper proposes a proper methodology in data modification by using AHP （analytical hierarchy process） technique and FCM （fuzzy c-mean） model in the ICU （intensive care unit）. The binary data were created from continuous data using FCM model, while the continuous data were constructed from binary data using AHP technique. The models used in this study are FCRM （fuzzy c-regression model）. A case study in scale of health at the ICU ward using the AI-IP, FCM model and FCRM models was conducted. There are six independent variables in this study. There are four cases which are considered as the result of using AHP technique and FCM model against independent data. After comparing the four cases, it was found that case 4 appeared to be the best model, because it has the lowest MSE （mean square error） value. The original data have the MSE value of 97.33, while the data in case 4 have the MSE value of 82.75. This means that the use of AHP technique can reduce the MSE value, while the use of FCM model can not reduce the MSE value. In other words, it can be proved that the AHP technique can increase the accuracy of prediction in modeling scale of health which is associated with the mortality rate in the ICU.
