Search

In this paper, a new method that combines the Market-Based Control (MBC) strategy and Force Analogy Method (FAM) is presented to realize the nonlinear structural vibration control. The MBC is used to reduce the structural vibration response and FAM is proposed to perform the nonlinear analysis, which reduces computation time and storage spaces, and enhances computing speed. A numerical example of nine-storied steel frame structure is used to compare the control effect of this method and usual LQR algorithm, which shows the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed computation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics and evaluate the prognosis in young Chinese women with breast cancer., Methods: A total of 1538 female patients with operable primary breast cancer (stage I-III) treated at our hospital from December 1994 to December 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 1075 patients (≤ 60 yrs) with the complete follow-up data were divided into two groups according to age: young breast cancer group (≤ 40 yrs, n = 208) and control group (41 - 60 yrs, n = 867) to analyze the differences in their clinicopathologic characteristics and evaluate the prognosis of both groups., Results: The patients with young breast cancer were more likely to have positive lymph nodes (P = 0.016), a negative expression of ER (estrogen receptor) (P = 0.016) and a positive expression of HER2 (P = 0.001). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates of young breast cancer group and control group were 73.3% and 84.1% (P < 0.001) and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates 83.5% and 89.1% (P = 0.004) respectively. Moreover, the patients with young breast cancer had a worse DFS than control group in patients with stage I-II disease but not in those with stage III disease. And ≤ 40 years was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor of DFS (HR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.19 - 2.66, P = 0.005) and OS (HR = 1.71, 95%CI: 1.01 - 2.90, P = 0.046) in the patients with stage I-II disease., Conclusion: Chinese women with young breast cancer have a worse prognosis, particularly in those with stage I-II disease.

Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of tranilast on the adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome of rats., Methods: Twenty four rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal control group, model group, irbesartan treatment group and tranilast treatment group. The rats in normal control group were injected with normal saline via the tail vein. The rats in the other groups were uninephrectomized and injected with adriamycin 5 mg/kg via the tail vein one week later. Rats in model group underwent gavage to receive the sodium carboxymethylcellulose, rats in irbesartan treatment group to receive the irbesartan with 10 mg/kg x d, and rats in tranilast treatment group to receive the tranilast with 400 mg/kg. Rats were then sacrificed at the end of week 8. The body weight, 24 hours urinary protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (Scr) of each group rats were measured for the study. Renal pathological changes were evaluated. And immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1). In situ hybridization was used to measure the expression of a-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) mRNA in the kidney., Results: Compared with the untreated nephrotic syndrome rats, the proteinuria and Scr of rats treated with tranilast were significantly reduced (P < 0.05); Compared with model group, the renal pathological changes of rats in tranilast treatment group were decreased, with glomerular sclerosis to be markedly lower; Tranilast could decrease the expression of TGF-beta1, TIMP-1 and alpha-SMA mRNA in the kidney of rats with adriamycin nephropathy., Conclusions: Tranilast has a renoprotective effect on adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome in rats, of which the mechanism may be related to that tranilast can depress the expression of TGF-beta1, and TIMP-1 in the kidney, with result in decreasing the synthesis and secretion of extracellular matrix. And tranilast inhibits the transdifferentation of renal primary cells, regulates the synthesis and degradation system of extracellular matrix.

Objective: To investigate the renal protective effect and possible mechanism of matrine on experimental cyclosporine A (CsA) induced chronic nephrotoxicity., Methods: 56 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group (olive oil 0. 2 mL/d), CsA group (CsA 20 mg/(kg x d)), Irbesartan group CCsA 20 mg/(kg x d) plus Irbesartan 10 mg/(kg x d)), matrine group CCsA 20 mg/(kg * d) plus matrine 100 mg/(kg x d)), and each group comprised fourteen rats. After treated with drugs, rats were sacrificed at the end of week 2 and 4. The body weight, 24-hours urine and blood sample were collected before rats sacrificed. The rat kidneys were taken and fixed in 10% neutral formaldehyde for HE staining. The osteopontin (OPN) and ectodermal dysplasia 1 (ED-1) were determined by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS Compared to control group, the 24-hour urine of rats, histological scores, the expression of OPN and the ED-1 positive cells number of CsA group were significantly increased, but Ccr was significantly lower (P<0. 05). Matrine could down-regulate OPN expression and decrease ED-1 positive cell infiltration in kidney, compared with CsA group (P <0. 05)., Conclusion: Matrine has a renal protective effect on chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity of rat model.