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Objective - The effects of vasectomy on testes and related structures are disputable. The aim of this study was to determine whether the reproductive organs of rabbits were influenced after 12 months vasectomy. Study design – Bilateral vasectomy was performed on 10 male adult New Zealand Big Eared White Rabbits (another 10 rabbits set as sham operated group) and tissue samples were examined by light microscopy after 12 months treatment. The histologic alterations were observed and analyzed by stereology method. Cell apoptosis by Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay were employed. Result - Bilateral vasectomy for 12 months affected the morphology of testis, epididymis and vas deferens tissues. Significant changes were noted in the histological stereology analysis. The apoptosis of the cells on the testis, epididymis and vas deferens increased compared with the sham operated group. Conclusion - Our findings suggest that the reproductive tissues of rabbits were influenced in a relatively longer term vasectomy.

The adjustment of the bankfull channel area in the Lower Yellow River has been dramatically affected by altered flow regimes caused by human activities. This paper presents a study on the effects of altered discharge and suspended sediment load on the bankfull area at Gaocun, a representative hydrometric station in the Lower Yellow River. The analysis demonstrates the cumulative effect of previous years' flow and sediment conditions on channel adjustment, a phenomenon commonly occurring in geomorphic systems due to the delayed channel response to flow and sediment conditions. A methodology for the prediction of bankfull area was developed based on the general concept that the rate of adjustment is proportional to the difference between the bankfull area and its equilibrium value. The proposed methodology is not only applicable for the prediction of the bankfull area in response to the changes in flow and sediment conditions in the Lower Yellow River, but can also be extended to other studies where the response times have a key role to play in the assessment of channel adjustment to external changes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Acquisition of specific neuronal identity by individual brain nuclei is a key step in brain development. However, how the mechanisms that confer neuronal identity are integrated with upstream regional specification networks is still mysterious. Expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), is required for hypothalamic specification and is later downregulated by Tbx3 to allow for the differentiation of the tubero-mamillary region. In this region, the mamillary body (MBO), is a large neuronal aggregate essential for memory formation. To clarify how MBO identity is acquired after regional specification, we investigated Lhx5, a transcription factor with restricted MBO expression. We first generated a hypomorph allele of Lhx5—in homozygotes, the MBO disappears after initial specification. Intriguingly, in these mutants, Tbx3 was downregulated and the Shh expression domain abnormally extended. Microarray analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that Lhx5 appears to be involved in Shh downregulation through Tbx3 and activates several MBO-specific regulator and effector genes. Finally, by tracing the caudal hypothalamic cell lineage we show that, in the Lhx5 mutant, at least some MBO cells are present but lack characteristic marker expression. Our work shows how the Lhx5 locus contributes to integrate regional specification pathways with downstream acquisition of neuronal identity in the MBO.

A multichannel waveform recorder is raised to solve the puzzling problem of failures of aircraft ground power sources. The hardware system is established with embedded single-board computer PC/104 and multichannel parallel data acquisition card, etc. Windows XP Embedded and LabVIEW are used in software architecture. Strategies for automatic segmentation of massive data block are proposed. System testing is done on the medium frequency electric power source. Testing results show that this multichannel waveform recorder is easy to operate, accurate in measurement, and has good stability and portability. It can be used to monitor power supply of aircraft ground electric power source for a longtime, and thus is of high practical value and economic significance.

Here we introduce a cost-effective and highly sensitive flexible accelerometer system, which can sense human pulse by detecting the pulsation. The accelerometer employs capacitive sensing with a structure of two parallel plate electrodes with the optimally designed top electrode pattern in order to achieve high sensitivity. This flexible light-weight sensor is fabricated by direct-printing of silver nano-inks on pre-patterned flexible paper substrates. When the accelerometer is attached to the body surfaces: neck, inner elbow, or any other pulsation point, accurate pulse rates are obtained by reading out the voltage output signal.

All effects on self-adaptive dynamic Optimizing control system from step change and drift of every parameter of control plant and control method are discussed in detail. Theoretical analysis and simulation research show that whichever suitable step period \( T_{0} \) is selected and the parameter of pure time \( \tau

In the present study, we tested the efficacy and safety of Huperzine A in treatment of mild to moderate vascular dementia (VaD). This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study with 78 patients with mild to moderate VaD. The participants were randomized to receive either vitamin C (100-mg bid) as placebo (n = 39) or Huperzine A (0.1-mg bid) (n = 39) for 12 consecutive weeks. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE), clinical dementia rating (CDR), and activities of daily living (ADL) scores were used for the assessment of cognition. The assessments were made prior to treatment, and 4, 8, and 12 weeks of the treatment. The adverse effects of the treatment were also recorded. After 12 weeks of treatment, the MMSE, CDR, and ADL scores significantly improved in the Huperzine A group (P0.01 for all comparisons), whereas the placebo group did not show any such improvement (P0.05 for all comparisons). No serious adverse events were recorded during the treatment.Huperzine A can significantly improve the cognitive function in patients with mild to moderate vascular dementia. Further, the medicament is safe.

This paper deals with the design and analysis of codebook optimization for MIMO-OFDM systems. We present a capacity based codebook construction algorithm under a specific average power and BER constraint. We also derive the close form solution of optimal transmission scheme on capacity sense. Simulation results show that the capacity based codebook construction algorithm with hybrid design of power allocation and multi-mode beamforming can achieve higher capacity than that of equal power allocation based codebook.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), serial studies were conducted in 150 BPH patients before and 30 min, 1, 2, 6 and 12 month(s) after Sonablate-500™ HIFU treatment. A silicon-coated indwelling 16F latex catheter was placed during the determination of the therapy zone. Preoperative and postoperative evaluations were made by using the international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL), uroflowmetric findings and transrectal ultrasound, and incidence of complications. The cystourethrography was done in 23 patients within 1 year postoperatively. The results showed that after HIFU treatment, IPSS and QOL scores were significantly decreased at 1, 2, 6 and 12 month(s) (P

Here we report a highly sensitive single-axis membrane-type paper accelerometer. The accelerometer is consisted of a suspended parallel-plate sensing capacitor prepared by cost-effective nano ink printing technologies on a flexible paper substrate. The proof mass and suspension bridge structures of the accelerometer are designed based on the simulation results for the optimization of sensitivity. Vertical acceleration sensitivity of the optimized design with long ellipse-shaped bridges and round-shaped proof mass can reach 20 fF/g at z-axis acceleration of 1–10 g.

Cyclodextrin-modified polycations have been studied widely due to their low cytotoxicity, low immunogenicity and the ability to form inclusion complexes. However, the influence of CD modification on cellular uptake and transfection efficiency of polyplexes is still unclear. In this research, cyclodextrin-modified polyethylenimines (PEI-CD) with different CD-grafting levels were synthesized, which were named PEI-CD(15) and PEI-CD(41), respectively, according to the CD number per PEI chain. CD modification showed great influence on the DNA condensation ability of the polycation. PEI-CD(15) could protect DNA completely above N/P ratio of 2. The particle sizes of these polyplexes were about 120 nm. However, PEI-CD(41) could not protect DNA below N/P of 6, and PEI-CD(41)/DNA polyplexes were larger than 1 μm, even at N/P ratio of 10. Therefore, this research was mainly focused on PEI-CD(15). It was interesting that the PEI-CD(15)/DNA polyplexes at N/P ratio of 8 and 10 displayed excellent stability in physiological salt conditions, probably due to the hydration shell of CDs. The influence of CD modification on the cellular uptake and transfection efficiency of polyplexes depended on the type of the cells. Uptake inhibition experiments indicated that PEI/DNA polyplexes were internalized by HEK293T cells by both clathrin-mediated endocytosis and caveolae-mediated endocytosis. The route of caveolae-mediated endocytosis was significantly promoted after CD modification. So the cell uptake and transfection efficiency of PEI-CD(15)/DNA polyplexes were significantly improved for HEK293T cells. However, the uptake and transfection efficiency of PEI-CD(15)/DNA polyplexes in HepG2 cells was similar to that of PEI/DNA polyplexes, probably due to the lack of endogenous caveolins.