[en] Objective: To explore the significance of serum VEGF-A and VEGF-C levels in relation to conventional clinopathological parameters of gastric carcinoma, investigate the relationship between serum VEGF-C level and expression of VEGF-C in carcinoma tissue. Methods: 28 patients with gastric carcinoma and 21 healthy controls were included in the current study. Serum VEGF-C and VEGF-A levels were assessed by enzymed-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of VEGF-C protein in gastric carcinoma tissue from 28 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy was examined by immunohistochemistry. Results: Serum VEGF-C and VEGF- A levels were higher in patients with gastric carcinoma than those in the healthy controls (P<0.01, respectively). The serum VEGF-C level showed no differenc in two groups: VEGF-C positive expression group and VEGF-C negative expression group (P<0.05). Serum VEGF-A level was correlated with lymph node metastsis (P<0.01), distant matastasis (P<0.01), TNM stage (P<0.01) and depth of invasion (P<0.01); Serum VEGF-C level was correlated with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), TNM stage (P<0.05) and depth of invasion (P<0.05). Conclusion: The serum levels of both VEGF-A and VEGF-C have potential usefulness as biologic markers of gastric carcinoma; Preoperative serum VEGF-C and VEGF-A levels are potentively useful as a marker reflecting lymph node status in gastric carcinoma; there is no relationship between serum VEGF-C level and expression of VEGF-C in gastric carcinoma. (authors)

[en] Objective: To investigate the influence of early enteral nutrition therapy on the intestinal barrier function and immune response of the patients with radiation enteritis (ER) so as to find a relatively simple and effective method to treat RE. Methods: Fifty-six patients with radiation enteritis (RE) diagnosed by colonoscopy, X-rays, and pathology were randomly divided into 2 equal groups: experimental group undergoing enteral nutrition therapy, and control group undergoing conventional therapy only. Peripheral blood samples were collected 1, 11, and 21 days after admission. Plasma diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid, endotoxin, and lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio, and levels of IgG, IgM, and IgA, and CD4/CD8 ratio were examined. Five cases from the experimental group and 5 cases from the control group underwent second-time operation because of incomplete intestinal obstruction, intestinal stenosis, or recurrent tumor respectively. The biopsy specimens of the terminal ileum or distal descending colon taken during the first and second operations underwent pathological examination. Peripheral blood samples were collected 1, 11, and 21 days after admission. Plasma diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid, endotoxin, and lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio, and levels of IgG, IgM, and IgA, and CD4/CD8 ratio were examined. Results: There were no significant differences in the intestinal function and blood immunological indices between these 2 groups. The levels of DAO, D-lactic acid, and endotoxin,and the L/M ratio 11 days after admission of the experiment group were all significantly lower than those of the control group (t=2.568, 2.427, 2.143, 2.443, P<0.05), and all those indices 21 days after admission of the experiment group were all much more significantly lower in comparison with the control group (t=6.019, 12.834, 7.837, 7.997, P<0.01). The levels of IgG, IgM, and IgA, and CD4/CD8 ratio 11 days after admission of the experimental group were all significantly higher than those of the control group (t=2.096, 2.211, 2.182, P<0.05, and t=2.301, P<0.05), and the differences became much more significant 21 days after admission (t=2.703, 2.679, 3.138, P<0.01, and t=5.107, P<0.01). The height of the intestinal villa and the thickness of the mucosa of the specimens taken at the second-time operation were both much greater than those at the first-time operation. Conclusion: Early enteral support therapy helps effectively maintain the intestinal barrier and immune response function of the RE patients. (authors)

[en] The heads of rats were protected by lead shields. The midline tissue dose behind the shield was approximately 40 percent of the midline tissue dose at the same point without shield in place. The experiments were done in two parts: (1) The protective effect of head shielding on the incapacitation of general performance capacity postexposure was observed by rotarod method. Head shielding shortened significantly the early temporary incapacitation and postponed strikingly the onset time of permanent incapacitation after 300 Gy and 400 Gy irradiation; and decreased the incidence of frantic activity markedly after 400 Gy irradiation. (2) The protective effect of head shielding on the incapacitation of higher nervous system activity postexposure was observed by maze method. Head shielding alleviated significantly the decrease of avoidence and correct reaction, the prolongation of the reaction time and the degree of error after 200 Gy and 100 Gy irradiation

[en] Objective: To investigate the value of perfusion MR imaging in differential diagnosis between primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL)and high grade astrocytomas. Methods: Twelve patients with PCNSL and 23 patients with high grade astrocytomas were preoperatively examined using a 1.5T MR unit. Routine MR sequences were performed followed by dynamic susceptibility contrast- enhanced MR perfusion imaging. The perfusion color images and the time-signal intensity curves of the two tumor groups were compared. The relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV)within the tumor parenchyma was measured and the data were analyzed with unpaired Student's t-test. Results: The rCBVs within the tumor parenchyma of the PCNSL and high grade astrocytomas were 1.78 ± 0.51 and 3.87 ± 0.87 respectively. The rCBV in the PCNSL was significantly lower than that of the high grade astrocytoma (P<0.05). When the time-signal intensity curves were compared, the PCNSL showed a trend towards the baseline after the first pass and the curves even overshot above the baseline in 7 out of 12 cases, whereas the high grade astrocytoma showed a trend to be close to the baseline but couldn't return to the baseline completely. Conclusion: The MR perfusion imaging can be very useful in distinguishing the PCNSL from high grade astrocytomas. (authors)

[en] It has been well recognized that local activity is the origin of complex dynamics. Many important commercial applications would benefit from the locally-active memristors. To explore the locally active characteristics of memristors, a new tristable voltage-controlled locally-active memristor model is proposed based on Chua's unfolding theorem, which has three asymptotically equilibrium points and three locally-active regions. Non-volatility and the local activity of the memristor are demonstrated by POP (Power-Off Plot) and DC V-I plot. A small-signal equivalent circuit is established on a locally active operating point of the memristor to describe the characteristic of the memristor at the locally active region. Based on the admittance function $Y(i\omega ,V)$ of the small-signal equivalent circuit, the parasitic capacitor and the oscillation frequency of the are determined. The parasitic oscillation circuit consisting of the memristor, a parasitic resistor and a parasitic capacitor is analyzed in detail by Hopf bifurcation theory and the pole diagram of the composite admittance function Y_P (s, Q) of the parasitic oscillation circuit. Furthermore, by adding an inductor to the periodic parasitic circuit, we derive a simple chaotic circuit whose basic properties and coexisting dynamics are analyzed in detail. We concluded that the locally-active memristor provides the energy for the circuit to excite and maintain the periodic and chaotic oscillations.

[en] In this paper, a fractional-order locally active memristor is proposed based on the definition of fractional derivative. It is found that the side lobe area of the pinched hysteretic curve of the memristor changes with the fractional-order value, and the side lobe’s area of the fractional-order memristor is greater than that of the memristor with integer order, meaning that the memory of the fractional-order memristor is stronger than that of the memristor with integer order. It is proved by the dynamic rout map (DRM) that the fractional-order memristor possesses continuous memory. The pinched hysteresis, memristance and power characteristics which vary with the fractional order are compared and analysed in detail. Furthermore, we use the memristor to construct a fractional-order chaotic circuit, which can exhibit continuous chaotic motion in the range of 0.75 < fractional order α < 1 and various coexisting attractors. We also show that the lower fractional order causes higher complexity of the fractional- order chaotic system using different methods, such as Lyapunov exponent spectrum, bifurcation diagram, spectral entropy and Co complexity method. Finally, the circuit simulations of the fractional-order chaotic circuit are realised, demonstrating the validity of the mathematical model and the theoretical analysis. (author)

[en] Highlights: • Density and viscosity of three binary mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters and methylcyclohexane were investigated. • Excess molar volumes and viscosity deviation of the mixtures were fitted to Redlich-Kister equation. • The thermodynamic functions of activation for the flow process for mixtures were calculated. -- Abstract: The thermodynamics properties of the mixtures of biodiesel and petroleum-based fuel are useful for the research of blending fuels. Biodiesel is mainly consisting of fatty acid alkyl esters. Densities and viscosity for the binary mixtures of three fatty acid methyl esters (methyl decanoate, methyl dodecanoate and methyl tetradecanoate) with methylcyclohexane (MCH) were measured at 7 temperatures from 293.15 to 323.15 K and at atmospheric pressure. Excess molar volumes and viscosity deviations of the three binary systems have been correlated and fitted to Redlich-Kister equation. The change of enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs energy of activation for the flow process for the binary mixtures were calculated on the basis of Eyring’s absolute reaction rate theory. The experimental data and correlated results could provide important information for the research of the blends of biodiesel and diesel oil.

[en] In this paper, a new four-dimensional autonomous hyperchaotic system is designed for generating complex chaotic signals. In the design, its parameters are selected according to the requirements for chaos and hyperchaos. The hyperchaotic Nature is verified theoretically by using the bifurcation analysis and demonstrated experimentally by the implementation of an analogue electronic circuit. Moreover, the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology is applied to implementing a continuous system in a digital form by using a chip of Altera Cyclone II EP2C35F484C8. The digital sequence generated from the FPGA device is observed in our experimental setup. (general)

[en] Meminductor is a novel nonlinear inductor with memory. A meminductor-based chaotic oscillating circuit that has only two linear resistors, two linear capacitors and a meminductor, is designed based on a mathematical model of the flux-controlled meminductor to study its characteristics in nonlinear circuit. Through the analysis of bifurcations, dynamic map and Lyapunov exponents, it is found that the system can exhibit some complex characteristics, such as an infinite number of equilibrium points and burst chaos. Especially, bifurcation without parameters and coexisting attractors appear under a fixed set of parameter values but different initial conditions. Moreover, random characteristics of the PN sequences generated from the chaotic circuit are tested via the test suit of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the tested randomness definitely reaches the standards of NIST. Finally, a scheme for digitally realising this oscillating circuit is provided using the digital signal processor (DSP). (author)

[en] This paper aims to propose a material-independent novel locally-active memristor (LAM) model, which is applied to the fourth-order autonomous chaotic oscillation circuit to investigate the phenomena and mechanisms of chaos and hyperchaos. Under different parameter configurations, the LAM-based system can exhibit rich dynamic behaviours and multistability, such as multi-equilibrium points, period, chaos and hyperchaos attractors. The phase diagram, bifurcation diagram, Lyapunov exponential spectrum, basins of attraction and dynamics map are used to analyse the complex dynamics of the system. In addition, we find many types of coexisting attractors, including periodic attractors with multiple different periods, hyperchaotic attractors with multiple different scrolls, a double- scroll chaotic attractor with a shock wave orbit and so on. This work fills the gap by theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. And proves that the local activity and non-volatility of memristors are two important reasons for the generation of complex and coexisting attractors. (author)