Therapeutic effect of Xuezhitong capsule on microvascular angina

Purpose: To determine the therapeutic effect of Xuezhitong capsule in patients with microvascular angina (MVA), and its impact on vascular endothelial function.Methods: In total, 172 MVA patients treated in Beijing City Fengtai District Nanyuan Hospital from September 2017 to September 2019 were selected and randomized into control group which received conventional treatment, and treatment group which received Xuezhitong capsules plus. There were 86 patients in each group. Therapeutic effect, levels of inflammatory factors, i.e., high-sensitivity C- reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and vascular endothelial factors such as nitric oxide (NO), thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and endothelin (ET), were determined.Results: Markedly higher total treatment effectiveness was observed in the treatment group than in the control group (89.53 % vs. 72.94 %; p < 0.05). In both groups, treatment reduced the levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α, TXB2 and ET, but elevated NO, with better results for treatment group than the control group (p < 0.05). Better optimizations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were observed in the treatment group, relative to the control group (p < 0.05). Patients in the treatment group experienced fewer (8.14%) adverse reactions than those in control group (21.18 %, p < 0.05).Conclusion: Xuezhitong capsule, when combined with conventional treatment, exerts high therapeutic effectiveness and safety in MVA patients by inhibiting inflammatory reactions, optimizing endothelialfunction, reducing blood lipid levels, and decreasing the incidence of cardiovascular adverse events. Thus, the combination therapy is a potentially superior therapeutic strategy to the conventional approach for the management of MVA patients

Synaptotagmin-2 Is Essential for Survival and Contributes to Ca²⁺ Triggering of Neurotransmitter Release in Central and Neuromuscular Synapses

Biochemical and genetic data suggest that synaptotagmin-2 functions as a Ca²⁺ sensor for fast neurotransmitter release in caudal brain regions, but animals and/or synapses lacking synaptotagmin-2 have not been examined. We have now generated mice in which the 5’ end of the synaptotagmin-2 gene was replaced by lacZ. Using β-galactosidase as a marker, we show that, consistent with previous studies, synaptotagmin-2 is widely expressed in spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebellum, but is additionally present in selected forebrain neurons, including most striatal neurons and some hypothalamic, cortical, and hippocampal neurons. Synaptotagmin-2-deficient mice were indistinguishable from wild-type littermates at birth, but subsequently developed severe motor dysfunction, and perished at ~3 weeks of age. Electrophysiological studies in cultured striatal neurons revealed that the synaptotagmin-2 deletion slowed the kinetics of evoked neurotransmitter release without altering the total amount of release. In contrast, synaptotagmin-2-deficient neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) suffered from a large reduction in evoked release and changes in short-term synaptic plasticity. Furthermore, in mutant NMJs, the frequency of spontaneous miniature release events was increased both at rest and during stimulus trains. Viewed together, our results demonstrate that the synaptotagmin-2 deficiency causes a lethal impairment in synaptic transmission in selected synapses. This impairment, however, is less severe than that produced in forebrain neurons by deletion of synaptotagmin-1, presumably because at least in NMJs, synaptotagmin-1 is coexpressed with synaptotagmin-2, and both together mediate fast Ca²⁺-triggered release. Thus, synaptotagmin-2 is an essential synaptotagmin isoform that functions in concert with other synaptotagmins in the Ca²⁺ triggering of neurotransmitter release

Ciliary proteins Bbs8 and Ift20 promote planar cell polarity in the cochlea

Primary cilia have been implicated in the generation of planar cell polarity (PCP). However, variations in the severity of polarity defects in different cilia mutants, coupled with recent demonstrations of non-cilia-related actions of some cilia genes, make it difficult to determine the basis of these polarity defects. To address this issue, we evaluated PCP defects in cochlea from a selection of mice with mutations in cilia-related genes. Results indicated notable PCP defects, including mis-oriented hair cell stereociliary bundles, in Bbs8 and Ift20 single mutants that are more severe than in other cilia gene knockouts. In addition, deletion of either Bbs8 or Ift20 results in disruptions in asymmetric accumulation of the core PCP molecule Vangl2 in cochlear cells, suggesting a role for Bbs8 and/or Ift20, possibly upstream of core PCP asymmetry. Consistent with this, co-immunoprecipitation experiments indicate direct interactions of Bbs8 and Ift20 with Vangl2. We observed localization of Bbs and Ift proteins to filamentous actin as well as microtubules. This could implicate these molecules in selective trafficking of membrane proteins upstream of cytoskeletal reorganization, and identifies new roles for cilia-related proteins in cochlear PCP

IMECE2008-66899 A New Design Concept of Highly-Loaded Axial Flow Compressor by Applying Boundary Layer Suction and 3D Blade Technique

ABSTRACT A new design concept of highly-loaded axial flow compressor by applying boundary layer suction and 3D blade technique was proposed in this paper. The basic idea of this design concept was that low reaction was adopted as while as increasing the rotor's geometry turning angle, so that the boundary layer separation of a rotor could be eliminated and the rotor was kept working in high efficiency. This design concept would greatly increase the stator's geometry turning angle, so boundary layer suction on stator cascades was adopted in order to restrain the boundary layer separation. In some situations, 3D blade technique was also applied in order to control the boundary layer separation more efficiently. The advantages of the above design concept were: the compressor's pressure ratio was increased remarkably; boundary layer suction was only adopted in stator cascades so as to reduce the complexity of boundary layer suction structure. The key techniques of the new design concept were also explained in this paper. In order to increase the compressor's pressure ratio, the geometry turning angle of rotor was increased greatly, and the rotor inlet was prewhirled to reduce the rotor's reaction so as to restrain the rotor's boundary separation. Boundary layer suction was carried out in the stator cascades (mainly on suction side), hub and shroud in order to control the flow separation. 3D blade technique could be adopted if necessary. The limitation of the application of this design concept was also pointed out through the analysis of the Mach number at rotor inlet, the prewhirl angle of rotor, the work distribution along span wise and the control method of stator separation. Numerical simulation was carried out on a single lowreaction compressor stage with IGV in order to demonstrate the new design concept. By using boundary layer suction and 3D blade technique, the energy loss in stator cascades was greatly reduced and the whole stage's isentropic efficiency was about 90%. The low-reaction stage's aerodynamic load was double than conventional design. The boundary layer separation could be effectively controlled by proper combination of boundary layer suction and bowed or twisted blade. The numerical result proved that the new design concept was feasible and had a wide application area

Ependymin as a substrate for outgrowth of axons from cultured explants of goldfish retina

Ependymin, a prominent protein of the brain's extracellular fluid (ECF) was-previously implicated in the consolidation of memory and in the activity-driven sharpening of the retinotectal projection. Because both these phenomena probably involve the growth and elaboration of appropriate synapses, we have tested whether ependymin can serve as a substrate for the growth of axons from goldfish retinal ganglion cells in a culture assay. Ependymin (Ep), laminin (LAM), polylysine (PL), and Concanavalin A (Con A) were plated on glass coverslips either uniformly or in striped patterns. Ep alone, either soluble or partly polymerized (by dropping calcium concentration and pH), was a good substrate for axonal outgrowth, as good or better than PL and Con A, but not as good as LAM. Neurites grew faster on LAM (71 m/h) than on Ep (32 m/h) or on PL (22 m/h). Fasciculation was low on LAM, intermediate on Ep, and highest on PL. In exclusive side-by-side stripe assays, axons preferred LAM over Ep, but gave weak or no preference for Ep over Con A or PL. With stripes of LAM + Ep alongside pure LAM, the axons preferred the mixture of LAM + Ep. When antibodies to Ep were plated in stripes over continuous Ep substrate, the axons avoided the antibody-blocked stripes and grew on the Ep stripes. Antibodies to Ep did not, however, block growth on laminin substrates, nor did antibodies to LAM block growth on Ep. Dot blots and western blots showed very little cross recognition between the antibodies. Ependymin is a good substrate for neurite outgrowth, which is normally present in ECF, and adhesion to Ep is independent of LAM and possibly additive to it

Determination of Heat Transfer Coefficient by Inverse Analyzing for Selective Laser Melting (SLM) of AlSi10Mg

Heat treatment can improve performance and control quality in the additive manufacturing process. In the numerical simulation of heat treatment, the accuracy of the heat transfer coefficient will have a significant impact on the accuracy of the simulated temperature field. At present, The inverse analysis method is the most common and effective method to determine the heat transfer coefficient. Taking the actual temperature curve as the input condition, the heat transfer coefficient values of the heating, quenching, and air cooling components in the heat treatment process are successfully obtained. Based on the obtained heat transfer coefficient, a mathematical model of the heat transfer coefficient change with temperature during heat treatment is established. The heat transfer coefficient obtained by the inverse analysis method is then applied to the simulation of heat treatment, and more accurate simulation results are obtained. It is proven in this work that the inverse analysis method can improve the accuracy of the simulation model in the heat treatment process of AlSi10Mg

Effects of 1-MCP Treatment on Physiology and Storage Quality of Root Mustard at Ambient Temperature

Root mustard is plentiful in vitamins and minerals but shrivels and molds easily. In this study, freshly harvested root mustard was fumigated with various concentrations of 1-Methycyclopropene(1-MCP) (1 µL L−1, 1.5 µL L−1, and 2.0 µL L−1) for 24 h and stored at ambient temperature (17 ± 1 °C) for 35 d. Our data showed that 1-MCP fumigation had a striking preservation effect on maintaining weight loss, fruit firmness, lignin, Vc content, and moisture content, inhibiting respiratory intensity and ethylene release rate, as well as decreasing cell permeability and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and maintaining cell membrane integrity of root mustard. In addition, lipoxygenase (LOX), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were significantly reduced throughout the storage period. In contrast, the activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), phenylalanine deaminase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) remained at high levels. Results showed that 1-MCP treatments were effective in maintaining the quality of root mustard, and the preservation effect of 1.0 μL·L−1 1-MCP was better than other concentrations of 1-MCP. This study could serve as a theoretical reference for root mustard preservation

Measurement of MR induced nonlinearities using a novel single neuron model

The MR heads induced nonlinear effects include asymmetry and saturation. Superposition model with nonlinear transfer function are used to describe the magnetic recording channel with MR induced non-linearity 11-31, In which the transfer function is modeled by either a set of data based on measurement or some polynomial. In this paper,a systematic asymmetry easurement method using a novel single neuron model is proposed. The nonlinear function used in this paper clearly separate the two nonlinear effects into a bias parameter and a saturation parameter. Both parameters can he obtained from written data and read back waveform.Published versio

Compensation of MR head non-linearities using a saturable transfer function

It is well known that the nonlinear behavior of Magneto-Resistive (MR) heads result in the isolated pulses having asymmetry and saturation. These nonlinear effects can be quantified by measuring the positive and negative isolated pulses. In this paper, we propose a saturable model for estimating the MR nonlinearity from read-back signals. It models the nonlinearity using bias and saturation parameters. The proposed model can be used to compensate the nonlinearity in the read-back signal, thus providing a way to linearize the channel. Simulations done using measured data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.Published versio