FFTPL: An Analytic Placement Algorithm Using Fast Fourier Transform for Density Equalization

We propose a flat nonlinear placement algorithm FFTPL using fast Fourier transform for density equalization. The placement instance is modeled as an electrostatic system with the analogy of density cost to the potential energy. A well-defined Poisson's equation is proposed for gradient and cost computation. Our placer outperforms state-of-the-art placers with better solution quality and efficiency

Improvement of n-butanol tolerance in Escherichia coli by membrane-targeted tilapia metallothionein

Background: Though n-butanol has been proposed as a potential transportation biofuel, its toxicity oftencauses oxidative stress in the host microorganism and is considered one of the bottlenecks preventing itsefficient mass production.Results: To relieve the oxidative stress in the host cell, metallothioneins (MTs), which are known as scavengersfor reactive oxygen species (ROS), were engineered in E. coli hosts for both cytosolic and outer-membrane-targeted (osmoregulatory membrane protein OmpC fused) expression. Metallothioneins from human (HMT),mouse (MMT), and tilapia fish (TMT) were tested. The host strain expressing membrane-targeted TMT showed thegreatest ability to reduce oxidative stresses induced by n-butanol, ethanol, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, andnickel. The same strain also allowed for an increased growth rate of recombinant E. coli under n-butanol stress.Further experiments indicated that the TMT-fused OmpC protein could not only function in ROS scavenging butalso regulate either glycine betaine (GB) or glucose uptake via osmosis, and the dual functional fusion proteincould contribute in an enhancement of the host microorganism’s growth rate.Conclusions: The abilities of scavenging intracellular or extracellular ROS by these engineering E. coli wereexamined, and TMT show the best ability among three MTs. Additionally, the membrane-targeted fusion protein,OmpC-TMT, improved host tolerance up to 1.5% n-butanol above that of TMT which is only 1%. These resultspresented indicate potential novel approaches for engineering stress tolerant microorganism strains

Toona sinensis

Toona sinensis leaf (TSL) is commonly used as a vegetable and in spice in Asia. In this study, feeding with aqueous extract of TSL (TSL-A) alleviated oxidative stress and recovered the motility and functions of sperm in rats under oxidative stress. Protein expressions in testes identified by proteomic analysis and verified by Western blot demonstrated that TSL-A not only downregulated the level of glutathione transferase mu6 (antioxidant system), heat shock protein 90 kDa-β (protein misfolding repairing system), cofilin 2 (spermatogenesis), and cyclophilin A (apoptosis) but also upregulated crease3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A synthase 2 (steroidogenesis), heat shock glycoprotein 96, and pancreatic trypsin 1 (sperm-oocyte interaction). These results indicate that TSL-A promotes the functions of sperm and testes via regulating multiple testicular proteins in rats under oxidative stress, suggesting that TSL-A is a valuable functional food supplement to improve functions of sperm and testes for males under oxidative stress

Design of Dual-Band Microstrip Rat Race Coupler with Circuit Miniaturization

Abstract- Rat race ring coupler with stepped-impedance sections is designed to have a dual-band characteristic. This is realized by attaching open stubs to both ends of each stepped-impedance section to create a phase of 900 at two designated frequencies. Transcendental equations are derived for solving impedance ratio R and lengths of the stepped-impedance sections. Circuit with miniaturized area can be obtained ifR> 1 is chosen. Such microstrip ring hybrids operating at 2.45/5.2 GHz with R = 1 and R = 4 are designed and fabricated. Experiments are performed to confirm the theory

Discriminating Glucose Tolerance Status by Regions of Interest of Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry: Clinical Implications of Body Fat Distribution

WSTĘP. Zbadanie, czy ocena rozmieszczenia tkanki tłuszczowej w organizmie metodą absorpcjometrii promieniowania rentgenowskiego o podwójnej energii (DEXA, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) może być pomocny w ocenie stanu tolerancji glukozy. MATERIAŁ I METODY. U 1015 badanych mieszkańców Chin (559 mężczyzn i 456 kobiet) zastosowano doustny test obciążenia glukozą (75,0 g). Na podstawie jego wyników wyodrębniono osoby o prawidłowej (NGT, normal glucose tolerance) i upośledzonej (IGT, impaired glucose tolerance) tolerancji glukozy oraz osoby, u których rozpoznano cukrzycę (DM, diabetes mellitus). Mierzono wysokość ciśnienia tętniczego i oceniano profil lipidowy. Na podstawie stosunku obwodu talii do bioder (WHR, waist-to-hip ratio) i wyników DEXA oceniano rozmieszczenie tkanki tłuszczowej u osób w poszczególnych grupach. WYNIKI. Rozmieszczenie tkanki tłuszczowej, wyrażone poprzez WHR oraz wskaźnik centralizacji, wykazało znamienną częściową korelację ze stężeniem hemoglobiny glikowanej, wysokością ciśnienia tętniczego i profilem lipidowym u wszystkich badanych. Po skorygowaniu wyników wobec wieku i wskaźnika masy ciała (BMI, body mass index), stwierdzono znamienne różnice częstości wszystkich sercowo-naczyniowych czynników ryzyka w poszczególnych grupach, z wyjątkiem stężenia cholesterolu całkowitego. W grupie DM odnotowano znamiennie wyż-sze wartości WHR i wskaźnika centralizacji przy niższej procentowo zawartości tkanki tłuszczowej w udach. Ponadto, pacjentów z grupy IGT charakteryzował wyższy wskaźnik centralizacji niż osoby z grupy NGT. Nie stwierdzono jednakże znamiennych różnic masy tkanek beztłuszczowych w porównywanych grupach. Po dokonaniu wieloczynnikowej analizy logistycznej regresji wskaźnik centralizacji pozostał istotnym czynnikiem umożliwiającym ocenę tolerancji glukozy, niezależnie od procentowej zawartości tkanki tłuszczowej w organizmie. WNIOSKI. Otyłość centralna wykazuje znamienną korelację z sercowo-naczyniowymi czynnikami ryzyka w grupach osób o różnej tolerancji glukozy. Indeks centralizacji, oceniany metodą DEXA, wydaje się lepszym wskaźnikiem upośledzenia tolerancji glukozy niż WHR, otyłość brzuszna czy uogólniona otyłość (wyrażone odpowiednio jako odsetek zawartości tłuszczu całkowitego lub BMI) w dużej grupie badanych Chińczyków.OBJECTIVE. To determine whether measuring body fat distribution by dual-energy X-ray a bsor ptio metry (DEXA) can be used to discriminate glucose tolerance status. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS. Using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, a total of 1,015 Chinese subjects (559 men and 456 women) were categorized as having normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), or diabetes. Blood pre ssure and lipid profiles of these subjects were measured. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and DEXA were used to evaluate the varying patterns of body fat distribution among the gro ups. RESULTS. Body fat distribution, as reflected by WHR and the centrality index, showed significant partial correlation coefficients with glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and lipid profiles in all subjects. After adjusting for age and BMI, there were significant differences among the three glycemic groups for all the cardiovascular risk factors except for total cholesterol level. The diabetic group had a significantly higher WHR and centrality index, but lower femoral fat percentage than the NGT and IGT groups. The diabetic group also showed higher abdominal fat percentage than the NGT group. More over, the IGT group had a higher centrality index than the NGT group. However, no significant differences were found in the percentage of lean tissue mass among the three groups. Using multiple stepwise logistic regression models, the centrality index remained a significant factor for discriminating different glucose tolerance status independent of the percentage total body fat. CONCLUSIONS. Central obesity has shown significant correlation with cardio vascular risk factors among the three different glycemic groups. Centrality index measured by DEXA appears to be the better predictor of glucose intolerance, compared with WHR, abdominal fat, and general obesity (reflected by percentage total body fat or BMI) in a large cohort of the Chinese population

Apoptosis induction in BEFV-infected Vero and MDBK cells through Src-dependent JNK activation regulates caspase-3 and mitochondria pathways

Our previous report demonstrated that bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV)-infected cultured cells could induce caspase-dependent apoptosis. This study aims to further elucidate how BEFV activates the caspase cascade in bovine cells. BEFV replicated and induced apoptosis in Vero and Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells, and a kinetic study showed a higher efficiency of replication and a greater apoptosis induction ability of BEFV in Vero cells. Src and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, but not extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or p38 inhibitor, alleviated BEFV-mediated cytopathic effect and apoptosis. In BEFV-infected Vero and MDBK cells, BEFV directly induced Src tyrosine-418 phosphorylation and JNK phosphorylation and kinase activity, which was inhibited specifically by SU6656 and SP600125, respectively. The caspase cascade and its downstream effectors, Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and DFF45, were also activated simultaneously upon BEFV infection. In addition, cytochrome c, but not Smac/DIABLO, was released gradually from mitochondria after BEFV infection. SU6656 suppressed Src, JNK, and caspase-3 and -9 activation, as well as PARP and DFF45 cleavage; SP600125 reduced JNK and caspase-3 and -9 activation, as well as PARP and DFF45 cleavage. Taken together, these results strongly support the hypothesis that a Src-dependent JNK signaling pathway plays a key role in BEFV-induced apoptosis. The molecular mechanism identified in our study may provide useful information for the treatment of BEFV

Partially Neutralizing Potency against Emerging Genotype I Virus among Children Received Formalin- Inactivated Japanese Encephalitis Virus Vaccine

Background: Genotype I (GI) Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) that replaced GIII virus has become the dominant circulating virus in Asia. Currently, all registered live and inactivated JEV vaccines are derived from genotype III viruses. In Taiwan, the compulsory JEV vaccination policy recommends that children receives four doses of formalin-inactivated Nakayama (GIII) JEV vaccine. Methodology/Principal Findings: To evaluate the influence of genotype replacement on the post-vaccination viral neutralizing ability by GIII and GI viruses, the small panel of vaccinated-children serum specimens was assembled, and the reciprocal 50% plaque-reduction neutralizing antibody titers (PRNT50) were measured against Nakayama vaccine strain, CJN GIII human brain isolate and TC2009-1 GI mosquito isolate. The seropositivity rate (PRNT50$1:10) and geometric mean titers (GMT) against the TC2009-1 virus were the lowest among the three viruses. The protective threshold against the CJN and TC2009-1 viruses could only be achieved when the GMT against Nakayama virus was$1:20 or $1:80, respectively. Using undiluted vaccinees’ sera, the enhancement of JEV infection in K562 cells was observed in some low or non-neutralizing serum specimens. Conclusions/Significance: Our preliminary study has shown that neutralizing antibodies, elicited by the mouse brainderived and formalin-inactivated JEV Nakayama vaccine among a limited number of vaccinees, have reduced neutralizing capacity against circulating GI virus, but more detailed studies are needed to address the potential impact on the future vaccine policy

Rapid Increase in the Height and Width of the Upper Chest in Adolescents with Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax

BackgroundWe determined the chest height in a cohort of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) who had received chest radiographic examinations prior to the attack. The aim of this study was to determine when their chest height began to change and how this was related to the PSP.MethodsFrom June 2009 to February 2012, the chest posteroanterior radiographs of 156 patients with PSP (Group 1) were reviewed. Among another 3134 patients with PSP, we identified 52 patients who had a chest posteroanterior radiograph prior to the attack (Group 2). We also recruited 196 controls for comparison (Group 3). The chest height and chest width at different levels were measured and analyzed.ResultsBefore 14 years of age, the chest height of patients in Group 2 was no different from that of patients in Group 3. By the age of 14 years, however, the chest height and upper chest width of patients with PSP was significantly higher than that of the normal controls. The difference from normal chest height did not increase at adulthood.ConclusionThe rapid increase in chest height and upper chest width is a unique finding in patients with PSP. It might be attributable to the occurrence of PSP. This finding may also help to identify patients who are at risk of PSP

Chinese Herbal Medicine as an Adjunctive Therapy Ameliorated the Incidence of Chronic Hepatitis in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

We conducted a National Health Insurance Research Database-based Taiwanese nationwide population-based cohort study to evaluate whether Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) treatment decreased the incidence of chronic hepatitis in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. A total of 81171 patients were diagnosed with breast cancer within the defined study period. After randomly equal matching, data from 13856 patients were analyzed. Hazard ratios of incidence rate of chronic hepatitis were used to determine the influence and therapeutic potential of CHM in patients with breast cancer. The patients with breast cancer receiving CHM treatment exhibited a significantly decreased incidence rate of chronic hepatitis even across the stratification of age, CCI score, and treatments. The cumulative incidence of chronic hepatitis for a period of seven years after initial breast cancer diagnosis was also reduced in the patients receiving CHM treatment. The ten most commonly used single herbs and formulas were effective in protecting liver function in patients with breast cancer, where Hedyotis diffusa and Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San were the most commonly used herbal agents. In conclusion, our study provided information that western medicine therapy combined with CHM as an adjuvant modality may have a significant impact on liver protection in patients with breast cancer