Lipid-lowering drugs

Although a change in life-style is often the method of first choice for lipid lowering, lipid-lowering drugs, in general, help to control elevated levels of different forms of lipids in patients with hyperlipidemia. While one group of drugs, statins, lowers cholesterol, the other group, fibrates, is known to take care of fatty acids and triglycerides. In addition, other drugs, such as ezetimibe, colesevelam, torcetrapib, avasimibe, implitapide, and niacin are also being considered to manage hyperlipidemia. As lipids are very critical for cardiovascular diseases, these drugs reduce fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular abnormalities in the general population. However, a number of recent studies indicate that apart from their lipidlowering activities, statins and fibrates exhibit multiple functions to modulate intracellular signaling pathways, inhibit inflammation, suppress the production of reactive oxygen species, and modulate T cell activity. Therefore, nowadays, these drugs are being considered as possible therapeutics for several forms of human disorders including cancer, autoimmunity, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. Here I discuss these applications in the light of newly discovered modes of action of these drugs. Received 5 September 2005; received after revision 29 December 2005; accepted 26 January 2006     

Family I.3 lipase: bacterial lipases secreted by the type I secretion system

Based on the classification of bacterial lipolytic enzymes, family I.3 lipase is a member of the large group of Gram-negative bacterial true lipases. This lipase family is distinguished from other families not only by the amino acid sequence, but also by the secretion mechanism. Lipases of family I.3 are secreted via the well-known type I secretion system. Like most of proteins secreted via this system, family I.3 lipases are composed of two domains with distinct yet related functions. Recent years have seen an increasing amount of research on this lipase family, in terms of isolation, secretion mechanism, as well as biochemical and biophysical studies. This review describes our current knowledge on the structure-function relationships of family I.3 lipase, with an emphasis on its secretion mechanism. Received 18 April 2006; received after revision 3 July 2006; accepted 24 August 2006     

Regulation of phagocyte migration and recruitment by Src-family kinases

Src-family kinases (SFKs) regulate different granulocyte and monocyte/macrophage responses. Accumulating evidence suggests that members of this family are implicated in signal transduction pathways regulating phagocytic cell migration and recruitment into inflammatory sites. Macrophages with a genetic deficiency of SFKs display marked alterations in cytoskeleton dynamics, polarization and migration. This same phenotype is found in cells with either a lack of SFK substrates and/or interacting proteins such as Pyk2/FAK, c-Cbl and p190RhoGAP. Notably, SFKs and their downstream targets also regulate monocyte recruitment into inflammatory sites. Depending on the type of assay used, neutrophil migration in vitro may be either dependent on or independent of SFKs. Also neutrophil recruitment in in vivo models of inflammation may be regulated differently by SFKs depending on the tissue involved. In this review we will discuss possible mechanisms by which SFKs may regulate phagocytic cell migratory abilities.     

Dissection of a novel molecular determinant mediating Golgi to trans-Golgi network transition

Two major functions of the Golgi apparatus (GA) are formation of complex glycans and sorting of proteins destined for various subcellular compartments or secretion. To fulfill these tasks proper localization of the accessory proteins within the different sub-compartments of the GA is crucial. Here we investigate structural determinants mediating transition of the two glycosyltransferases β-1,4- galactosyltransferase 1 (gal-T1) and the α-1,3-fucosyltransferase 6 (fuc-T6) from the trans-Golgi cisterna to the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Upon treatment with the ionophore monensin both glycosyltransferases are found in TGN-derived swollen vesicles, as determined by confocal fluorescence microscopy and density gradient fractionation. Both enzymes carry a signal consisting of the amino acids E₅P₆ in gal-T1 and D₂P₃ in fuc-T6 necessary for the transition of these glycosyltransferases from the trans-Golgi cisterna to the TGN, but not for their steady state localization in the trans-Golgi cisterna. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Received 30 July 2008; received after revision 17 September 2008; accepted 29 September 2008     

高动态GPS/INS组合导航算法研究

首先介绍了新型深组合GPS/INS系统原理图及组合导航滤波算法。在该算法中,组合卡尔曼滤波器除完成INS误差及GPS接收机时钟误差的估计外,还参与了GPS码跟踪,即完成传统码跟踪环中环路滤波器的功能。采用自适应码跟踪误差估计器补偿组合卡尔曼滤波器测量值中的相关分量,从而消除了传统组合中不稳定的主要根源。然后进行了计算机仿真计算,仿真结果表明,新型深组合GPS/INS导航算法适用于机动性较高的载体。     

直扩信号的谱检测和神经网络估计

论述了二次谱理论、谱相关理论和神经网络方法在直接序列扩频(DS/SS)信号的检测与估计中的应用,提出了利用谱分析结合神经网络的方法来实现对低信噪比DS/SS信号的参数及其伪码(PN)序列的估计.计算机模拟结果表明,该方法在较低的输入信噪比条件下能良好地工作.     

公交优先的信号控制策略研究

研究了公交优先信号控制策略,模拟路边建立公交车辆检测器的情况下,不同交通流量和公交车发车间隔的最优控制策略,研究发现：当交通流量小于300辆／h．车道时,公交优先信号控制策略能显著地减少乘客的延误时间,而当交通流量达到500辆／h．车道时,即使有公交优先控制策略,而无公交专用道路,也不能有效减少乘客的延误时间,模拟实验的结果是：找到了使公交优先信号控制有效的交通流量和公交车发车间隔的阈值。     

不完全信号时内部交易

在假设内部交易者均收到不完全信号的基础上,对该信号在交易市场中所产生的影响进行了研究;在内部交易者进行多次交易时,模型以Schimidt正交化为研究方法、以标准Cournot双寡头模型为指导思想;进而得到风险资产市场上的均衡解及相关结论.     

基于DSP＆CPLD的便携式振动信号处理系统

为了更准确方便地诊断设备运行特性,结合FFT和小波分析原理设计了一种基于DSP＆CPLD的便携式振动信号处理系统。系统的硬件电路由信号调理电路、数据采集处理模块和外围电路等组成,其软件部分由主程序模块、数据采集处理程序和LCD显示程序等组成,能够实时采集振动信号,显示并存储静态特性、振动波形和频谱等数据。     

基于△DOR信号的高精度VLBI技术

在嫦娥二号（CE-2）工程中,我国首次开展了X波段ADOR测量实验,获取了ADOR信号的VLBI时延数据,并用于精密定轨．本文给出了CE-2中ADOR信号的VLBI测量与数据处理方法,结合我国VLBI测量系统对时延数据进行了误差分析及精密定轨分析．结果表明：ADOR信号的VLBI时延精度优于0．5ns,比利用S波段信标的测量精度提高约一个数量级．本研究成果为后续的月球及深空探测高精度测定轨提供了重要的技术手段．