An intersection-movement-based stochastic dynamic user optimal route choice model for assessing network performance

Different from traditional methods, this paper formulates the logit-based stochastic dynamic user optimal (SDUO) route choice problem as a fixed point (FP) problem in terms of intersection movement choice probabilities, which contain travelers’ route information so that the realistic effects of physical queues can be captured in the formulation when a physical-queue traffic flow model is adopted, and that route enumeration and column generation heuristics can be avoided in the solution procedure when efficient path sets are used. The choice probability can be either destination specific or origin–destination specific, resulting into two formulations. To capture the effect of physical queues in these FP formulations, the link transmission model is modified for the network loading and travel time determination. The self-regulated averaging method (SRAM) was adopted to solve the FP formulations. Numerical examples were developed to illustrate the properties of the problem and the effectiveness of the solution method. The proposed models were further used to evaluate the effect of information quality and road network improvement on the network performance in terms of total system travel time (TSTT) and the cost of total vehicle emissions (CTVE). Numerical results show that providing better information quality, enhancing link outflow capacity, or constructing a new road can lead to poor network performance.postprin

Current situation analysis of the government invested project management

2004-2005 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Isoflurane and propofol synergy in reducing myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients

Abstract no. A285postprin

Genotyping isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana sensu lato by multi-locus polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis

Multi-locus denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis was developed to investigate the genotypes of Beauveria bassiana sensu lato. Sensitive tests indicated all isolates with one or more nucleotide differences at EF-1 and Bloc could be distinguished by DGGE except for one pair of strains that differed at four nucleotide positions. Ten, twelve and five genotypes were identified at the EF-1, Bloc and ITS locus, respectively, among seventeen isolates, which together differentiated 13 genotypes. These results demonstrated that multi-locus DGGE is a potentially useful molecular marker for genotyping, identifying and tracking the fates of experimentally released strains of B. bassiana sensu lato. Moreover, by multi-locus DGGE for scanning B. bassiana sensu lato isolates with different multilocus sequences, genetic diversity of B. bassiana sensu lato was effectively investigated with substantially reduced time and cost in subsequent DNA sequencing

Effects of L-arginine on intestinal development and endogenous arginine-synthesizing enzymes in neonatal pigs

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary L-arginine supplementation on the intestinal development of neonatal piglets and the underlying mechanisms. 36 neonatal piglets were randomly allocated into three diet groups: control group (supplemented with 0% L-arginine), 0.4 and 0.8% Larginine groups. When compared with the control, dietary supplementation with L-arginine decreased (P<0.05) blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and improved (P<0.05) serum T3 and insulin level of the piglets on day 11. Arginine and its metabolites (citrulline and ornithine) were elevated, additionally, dietary supplementation with 0.8% L-arginine markedly enhanced jejunal villus height, villus area on day 11 and D-xylose absorption rate on day 19. Dietary supplementation with 0.8% L-arginine increased (P<0.05) activities of maltose and lactose on day 18, respectively. This effect correlated with profound change in enzyme activities as inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS), glutamine synthetase (GS) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) were elevated on day 18. The concentrations of spermine was increased (P<0.05) by L-arginine supplementation on day 18. These results collectively suggest that dietary  Larginine supplementation improves protein synthesis and intestinal development of the neonatal pigs, the underlying mechanism includes dietary L-arginine supplementation which regulated the productions of intestinal polyamine in jejunum, and stimulated endogenous arginine-synthesizing enzymes in neonatal piglets.Key words: Neonatal pig, L-arginine, intestinal development, arginine-synthetases

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor-dependent oxidative stress mediates endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetic mice

The mechanisms underlying the effect of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition on endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes are incompletely understood. This study explored a causal relationship between RAAS activation and oxidative stress involved in diabetes-associated endothelial dysfunction. Daily oral administration of valsartan or enalapril at 10mg/kg/day to db/db mice for 6 weeks reversed the blunted acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent dilatations, suppressed the upregulated expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and NAD(P)H oxidase subunits (p22phox and p47phox), and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Acute exposure to AT1R blocker losartan restored the impaired endothelium-dependent dilatations in aortas of db/db mice and also in renal arteries of diabetic patients (fasting plasma glucose level ≥7.0 mmol/l). Similar observations were also made with apocynin, diphenyliodonium, or tempol treatment in db/db mouse aortas. DHE fluorescence revealed an overproduction of ROS in db/db aortas which was sensitive to inhibition by losartan or ROS scavengers. Losartan also prevented the impairment of endothelium-dependent dilatations under hyperglycemic conditions that were accompanied by high ROS production. The present study has identified an initiative role of AT1R activation in mediating endothelial dysfunction of arteries from db/db mice and diabetic patients. © 2010 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.published_or_final_versio

Effects of Brood Pheromone Modulated Brood Rearing Behaviors on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Colony Growth

A hallmark of eusociality is cooperative brood care. In most social insect systems brood rearing labor is divided between individuals working in the nest tending the queen and larvae, and foragers collecting food outside the nest. To place brood rearing division of labor within an evolutionary context, it is necessary to understand relationships between individuals in the nest engaged in brood care and colony growth in the honey bee. Here we examined responses of the queen, queen-worker interactions, and nursing behaviors to an increase in the brood rearing stimulus environment using brood pheromone. Colony pairs were derived from a single source and were headed by open-mated sister queens, for a total of four colony pairs. One colony of a pair was treated with 336 µg of brood pheromone, and the other a blank control. Queens in the brood pheromone treated colonies laid significantly more eggs, were fed longer, and were less idle compared to controls. Workers spent significantly more time cleaning cells in pheromone treatments. Increasing the brood rearing stimulus environment with the addition of brood pheromone significantly increased the tempo of brood rearing behaviors by bees working in the nest resulting in a significantly greater amount of brood reared

The nonlinear equation system approach to solving dynamic user optimal simultaneous route and departure time choice problems

postprin

Male germ cell-specific protein Trs4 binds to multiple proteins

Temperature-related sequence 4 (Trs4) has been identified as a testis-specific gene with expression sensitive to the abdominal temperature changes induced by artificial cryptorchidism. In murine testes, Trs4 mRNA was detected in round spermatids and its protein was localized mainly in the elongating spermatids as well as in the acrosomes and tails of mature spermatozoa. Using a yeast two-hybrid screening system, we identified Rshl-2, Gstmu1, and Ddc8 as putative binding partners of the Trs4 protein in mouse testes. Their interactions were confirmed by in vivo and in vitro binding assays. Further studies demonstrated that Ddc8, a newly identified gene with unknown functions, displayed a similar expression pattern with Trs4 in mouse testes. In particular, Trs4, Ddc8, and Rshl-2 proteins were co-localized to the tails of mature spermatozoa. These results suggested that Trs4 might be involved in diverse processes of spermiogenesis and/or fertilization through interactions with its multiple binding partners. © 2009 Elsevier Inc.postprin