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Hazy images degrade visual quality, and dehazing is a crucial prerequisite for subsequent processing tasks. Most current dehazing methods rely on neural networks and face challenges such as high computational parameter pressure and weak generalization capabilities. This paper introduces PriorNet--a novel, lightweight, and highly applicable dehazing network designed to significantly improve the clarity and visual quality of hazy images while avoiding excessive detail extraction issues. The core of PriorNet is the original Multi-Dimensional Interactive Attention (MIA) mechanism, which effectively captures a wide range of haze characteristics, substantially reducing the computational load and generalization difficulties associated with complex systems. By utilizing a uniform convolutional kernel size and incorporating skip connections, we have streamlined the feature extraction process. Simplifying the number of layers and architecture not only enhances dehazing efficiency but also facilitates easier deployment on edge devices. Extensive testing across multiple datasets has demonstrated PriorNet's exceptional performance in dehazing and clarity restoration, maintaining image detail and color fidelity in single-image dehazing tasks. Notably, with a model size of just 18Kb, PriorNet showcases superior dehazing generalization capabilities compared to other methods. Our research makes a significant contribution to advancing image dehazing technology, providing new perspectives and tools for the field and related domains, particularly emphasizing the importance of improving universality and deployability., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, we investigated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of a young patient infected by avian influenza A (H5N6) virus in Anhui Province, East China, and analyzed genomic features of the pathogen in 2020. Through the cross-sectional investigation of external environment monitoring (December 29–31, 2020), 1909 samples were collected from Fuyang City. It was found that the positive rate of H5N6 was higher than other areas obviously in Tianma poultry market, where the case appeared. In addition, dual coinfections were detected with a 0.057% polymerase chain reaction positive rate the surveillance years. The virus was the clade 2.3.4.4, which was most likely formed by genetic reassortment between H5N6 and H9N2 viruses. This study found that the evolution rates of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of the virus were higher than those of common seasonal influenza viruses. The virus was still highly pathogenic to poultry and had a preference for avian receptor binding.

Bo Zhao,1,* Renjing Hu,2,* Lei Gong,1 Xiaoyun Wang,1 Yingwei Zhu,1 Gaojue Wu1 1Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Wuxi Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Wuxi Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaoyun WangDepartment of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Wuxi Second People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 15061857125Fax +86 510 685662052Email xiaoyunwang68@aliyun.comRationale: Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae, KP) are divided into two types: classic K. pneumoniae (cKP) and hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKP). hvKP causes liver abscess and metastatic infection. Here, we report one case with pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) and endogenous endophthalmitis (EE) due to a relatively rarely reported serotype of K. pneumoniae in China.Patient Concerns: An 80-year old man presented with nausea, vomiting, and epigastric discomfort for 2 weeks.Diagnoses: PLA was identified by CT scan and abdominal ultrasound. Urgent ophthalmologic consultation was performed. B-scan ocular ultrasound was done and he was diagnosed as EE.Interventions: Antibiotic treatment, intravitreal injection of eyes and eye drops were given. Percutaneous needle aspiration, evisceration, and drainage of the right eye were performed.Outcomes: Cultures of the blood, the aspirated pus from the liver abscess, and the contents of the eyeball all yielded K. pneumoniae with a positive string test. The capsular serotype was K64. According to the existence of multiple virulence genes and the severe invasive clinical manifestation, this strain is regarded as a hvKp strain. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) revealed the sequence type (ST) of this strain was K64-ST1764. Antimicrobial

With increasing plastic production and consumption, large amounts of polystyrene nanoplastics are accumulated in soil due to improper disposal causing pollution and deleterious effects to environment. However, little information is available about how to alleviate the adverse impacts of nanoplastics on crops. In this study, the involvement of melatonin in modulating nanoplastic uptake, translocation and toxicity in wheat plant was investigated. The results demonstrated that exogenous melatonin application reduced the nanoplastic uptake by roots and their translocation to shoots via regulating the expression of genes associated with aquaporin, including the upregulation of the TIP2-9, PIP2, PIP3 and PIP1.2 in leaves and TIP2-9, PIP1-5, PIP2 and PIP1.2 in roots. Melatonin activated the ROS scavenging system to maintain a better redox homeostasis and ameliorated the negative effects of nanoplastics on carbohydrate metabolism, hence ameliorated the plant growth and enhanced the tolerance to nanoplastics toxicity. This process was closely related to the exogenous melatonin application induced melatonin accumulation in leave. These results suggest that melatonin could alleviate the adverse effects of nanoplastics on wheat, and exogenous melatonin application might be used as a promising management strategy to sustain crop production in the nanoplastic-polluted soils.

Fuqiang Liu,1– 4 Feng Han,4,5 Xiaoli Liu,4,5 Lina Yang,4,5 Caixia Jiang,4,5 Chen Cui,1– 4 Fang Yuan,1– 4 Xin Zhang,1– 4 Lei Gong,1– 4 Xinguo Hou,1– 4 Yuan Liu,1– 4 Li Chen1– 4 1Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shandong Province Medicine & Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of China; 4Jinan Clinical Research Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Endocrinology, Zhangqiu District People’s Hospital, Jinan, 250200, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yuan Liu; Li Chen Email liuyuan198735@163.com; chenli3@medmail.com.cnBackground: To investigate the correlation between serum interleukin-17A (IL-17A) levels and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: The study included 194 elderly patients (94 males and 100 females) with T2DM. Digital retinal photography as well as fundus fluorescein angiography was employed to distinguish between nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between serum IL-17A levels and DR status.Results: The average age of the study cohort was 69.14 ± 6.33 years, of which 52.08% were male. The study participants with the highest IL-17A (Q4) levels had higher TC, DBP, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) values than those the other groups. Analysis using unadjusted and adjusted linear regression revealed that the effect size of 1.09 for DR in the unadjusted model indicates that IL-17A is associated with an increase of 1.09 in DR (mmol/L) (β 1.09, 95% confidence in

The genetic basis and corresponding clinical relevance of prolactinomas remain poorly understood. Here, we perform whole genome sequencing (WGS) on 21 patients with prolactinomas to detect somatic mutations and then validate the mutations with digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of tissue samples from 227 prolactinomas. We identify the same hotspot somatic mutation in splicing factor 3 subunit B1 (SF3B1R625H) in 19.8% of prolactinomas. These patients with mutant prolactinomas display higher prolactin (PRL) levels (p = 0.02) and shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.02) compared to patients without the mutation. Moreover, we identify that the SF3B1R625H mutation causes aberrant splicing of estrogen related receptor gamma (ESRRG), which results in stronger binding of pituitary-specific positive transcription factor 1 (Pit-1), leading to excessive PRL secretion. Thus our study validates an important mutation and elucidates a potential mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of prolactinomas that may lead to the development of targeted therapeutics.

Hong Peng,1 Jie Zheng,2 Qiang Su,3 Xueya Feng,1 Mingsha Peng,1 Lei Gong,4 Hong Wu,1 Xue Pan5 1Department of Anorectal Surgery, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pharmacy, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong Key Laboratory of Individualized Drug Therapy, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, 637000, People’s Republic of China; 5Scientific Research Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xue PanScientific Research Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 of Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400016, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 13594002025Email panxue89012705@163.comBackground: Many studies found that VPS53, one of the subunits of the golgi-associated retrograde protein (GARP) complexes, was aberrantly expressed in human diseases.Aim: This study investigated the functions and molecular mechanisms of VPS53 in colorectal cancer (CRC).Methods: Expression and correlation of Beclin 1 and VPS53 were analyzed by RT-qPCR and Pearson’s correlation in CRC tissues, and VPS53 expression was also determined in CRC cells. The changes of proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and autophagy of CRC cells were examined by a succession of functional experiments including CCK-8, flow cytometry, transwell assay, and electron micro

Fuqiang Liu,1– 4 Lei Gong,1– 4 Weidong Qin,5 Chen Cui,1– 4 Li Chen,1– 4 Mingxiang Zhang5 1Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shandong Province Medicine and Health, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 4Jinan Clinical Research Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, People’s Republic of China; 5Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan Shandong 250012, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Li ChenDepartment of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, 107 Wen Hua Xi Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-531-8216-9255Fax +86-531-86169356Email chenli191125@126.comMingxiang ZhangKey Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Public Health, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, 107 Wen Hua Xi Road, Jinan, Shandong 250012, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-531-8216-9255Fax +86-531-86169356Email zhangmingxiang2019@126.comAim: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) is known to decrease glucagon release and may be beneficial for the reduction of elevated blood glucose. However, its role and mechanism of action in diabetes remain elusive. This study aimed to examine the function of GLP1 and analyze the mechanism of effect that GLP1exerts on inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in diabetic mice.Methods: A diabetes model was established in ApoE–/– mice fed a high-fat diet and treated with GLP1 and/or lentivirus-expressing PARP1. PARP1, iNOS, and inflammatory factors

Исследуется эволюция языковой политики в бывших республиках Советского Союза Латвии и Казахстане. Анализ ее исторических корней и развития позволяет выявить сходства и различия двух стран постсоветского времени, преимущества и недостатки реализации этой политики. Работа является комплексным междисциплинарным исследованием на основе сочетания методов лингвистики, социологии, истории, политологии и этнологии. Ее актуальность обусловлена недостаточной разработанностью проблемы языковой политики в бывших советских республиках и странах социалистического лагеря. Учитывается факт осознания странами роли культурной мягкой силы на фоне непрекращающейся глобализации и волны этнического национализма, когда язык все больше ценится как носитель национальной культуры. Мировое сообщество, включая Латвию и Казахстан, для достижения стратегических целей постоянно корректируют и совершенствуют языковую политику. Латвия и Казахстан имеют схожие исторические воспоминания и языковые ситуации, однако в них применяются разные варианты языковой политики. Правительство Латвии утвердило политику монолингвизма как юридически закрепленную форму, в Казахстане же предпочитают политику двуязычия, здесь принята программа о триединстве языков. Авторы приходят к выводу, что монолингвизм, обслуживая политические запросы, находится в слабой позиции. В эпоху глобализации крайне сложно утвердить систему монолингвизма в ее строгом смысле, на смену ей рано или поздно утвердится мультилингвизм., This article examines the evolution of language policy in Latvia and Kazakhstan, former republics of the Soviet Union. An analysis of the historical roots and development in the language policies of the two post-Soviet countries makes it possible to identify similarities and differences and advantages and disadvantages in the implementation processes. This article represents complex interdisciplinary research in the fields of linguistics, sociology, education, history, political science, and ethnology. The study is relevant as it considers the little-studied issue of language policy in former USSR republics and countries of the socialist camp. The research takes into account the fact that all countries are aware of the status of cultural soft power in the conditions of ongoing globalisation and a wave of ethnic nationalism where language is increasingly valued as a carrier of national culture. The entire global community, including Latvia and Kazakhstan, constantly adjusts and improves language policy in order to fulfill strategic goals. Latvia and Kazakhstan have similar historical memories and language situations, but they are carrying out different language policies. The government of Latvia has implemented a policy of monolingualism, while Kazakhstan has stuck to a bilingualism policy (although it is also attempting to realise a policy of trilingualism). The authors conclude that monolingualism fundamentally serves politics and occupies a weak position. In an era of globalisation, it is extremely difficult to establish a system of monolingualism in its strict sense; ultimately, it will be replaced by multilingualism.

Rationale: The incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide. However, whether and how GDM exposure induces fetal programming of adult cardiac dysfunctional phenotype, especially the underlying epigenetic molecular mechanisms and theranostics remain unclear. To address this problem, we developed a late GDM rat model. Methods: Pregnant rats were made diabetic on day 12 of gestation by streptozotocin (STZ). Experiments were conducted in 6 weeks old offspring. Results: There were significant increases in ischemia-induced cardiac infarction and gender-dependent left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in male offspring in GDM group as compared to controls. Exposure to GDM enhanced ROS level and caused a global DNA methylation in offspring cardiomyocytes. GDM attenuated cardiac Sirt 1 protein and p-Akt/Akt levels, but enhanced autophagy-related proteins expression (Atg 5 and LC3 II/LC3 I) as compared to controls. Ex-vivo treatment of DNA methylation inhibitor, 5-Aza directly inhibited Dnmt3A and enhanced Sirt 1 protein expression in fetal hearts. Furthermore, treatment with antioxidant, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in offspring reversed GDM-mediated DNA hypermethylation, Sirt1 repression and autophagy-related gene protein overexpression in the hearts, and rescued GDM-induced deterioration in heart ischemic injury and LV dysfunction. Conclusion: Our data indicated that exposure to GDM induced offspring cardiac oxidative stress and DNA hypermethylation, resulting in an epigenetic down-regulation of Sirt1 gene and aberrant development of heart ischemia-sensitive phenotype, which suggests that Sirt 1-mediated signaling is the potential therapeutic target for the heart ischemic disease in offspring.

Cognitive deficits are a devastating neurological outcome seen in survivors of cardiac arrest. We previously reported water electrolysis derived 67% hydrogen gas inhalation has some beneficial effects on short-term outcomes in a rat model of global brain hypoxia-ischemia induced by asphyxia cardiac arrest. In the present study, we further investigated its protective effects in long-term spatial learning memory function using the same animal model. Water electrolysis derived 67% hydrogen gas was either administered 1 hour prior to cardiac arrest for 1 hour and at 1-hour post-resuscitation for 1 hour (pre- & post-treatment) or at 1-hour post-resuscitation for 2 hours (post-treatment). T-maze and Morris water maze were used for hippocampal memory function evaluation at 7 and 14 days post-resuscitation, respectively. Neuronal degeneration within hippocampal Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) regions was examined by Fluoro-Jade staining ex vivo. Hippocampal deficits were detected at 7 and 18 days post-resuscitation, with increased neuronal degeneration within hippocampal CA1 regions. Both hydrogen gas treatment regimens significantly improved spatial learning function and attenuated neuronal degeneration within hippocampal CA1 regions at 18 days post-resuscitation. Our findings suggest that water electrolysis derived 67% hydrogen gas may be an effective therapeutic approach for improving cognitive outcomes associated with global brain hypoxia-ischemia following cardiac arrest. The study was approved by the Animal Health and Safety Committees of Loma Linda University, USA (approval number: IACUC #8170006) on March 2, 2017.

Xi Zhang,1 Hongjuan Geng,1 Lei Gong,2 Qian Zhang,1 Hongjie Li,1 Xu Zhang,1 Yonglan Wang,1 Ping Gao1 1School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China; 2Department of Esophageal Cancer, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer and Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300070, China Background: Prevention of bacterial colonization remains a major challenge in the field of oral implant devices. Chimeric peptides with binding, antimicrobial, and osteogenesis motifs may provide a promising alternative for the inhibition of biofilm formation on titanium (Ti) surfaces. Methods: In this study, chimeric peptides were designed by connecting an antimicrobial sequence from human β-defensin-3 with a Ti-binding sequence and arginine-glycine-aspartic acid using a glycine-glycine-glycine linker. Binding to the Ti substrate and antimicrobial properties against streptococci were evaluated. Significant improvement in reduction of bacterial colonization onto the Ti surface was observed, with or without the presence of saliva or serum. The MC3T3-E1 cells grew well on the modified Ti surfaces compared with the control group. Results: The data showed that the three peptide functional motifs maintained their respective functions, and that the antibiofilm mechanism of the chimeric peptide was via suppression of sspA and sspB gene expression. Conclusion: These results indicated that the endogenous peptide fragments engineered on the Ti surface could provide an environmentally friendly approach for improving the biocompatibility of oral implants. Keywords: multifunctional chimeric peptide, modification of titanium surface, human β-defensin-3, Ti-binding peptide-1, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-containing peptides

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations are commonly employed for estimating features of a target distribution, particularly for Bayesian inference. A fundamental challenge is determining when these simulations should stop. This dissertation begins by introducing relevant MCMC basics and discussing several existing techniques to terminate an MCMC simulation: the convergence diagnostics, using the effective sample size (ESS) as a stopping rule, and the fixed-width stopping rule (FWSR).This dissertation continues by proposing the relative FWSRs that terminate the simulation when the width of a confidence interval is sufficiently small relative to the size of the target parameter. Specifically, we introduce two sequential stopping rules: the relative magnitude and the relative standard deviation FWSR in the context of MCMC. In each setting, we develop conditions to ensure the simulation will terminate with probability one and the resulting confidence intervals will have the proper coverage probability. The results are applicable in such MCMC estimation settings as expectation, quantile, or simultaneous multivariate estimation. We investigate the finite sample properties through a variety of examples, and provide some recommendations to practitioners. New challenges present when the relative FWSRs are applied to terminate high-dimensional MCMC simulations. To this end, we propose using a modified relative standard deviation FWSR that terminates the simulation when the computational uncertainty is small relative to the posterior uncertainty. Further, we show this stopping rule is equivalent to stopping when the effective sample size is sufficiently large. Such a stopping rule has previously been shown to work well in settings with posteriors of moderate dimension. We further illustrate its utility in high-dimensional simulations while overcoming some current computational issues. As examples, we consider two complex Bayesian analyses on spatially and temporally corre

Elastography can noninvasively map the elasticity distribution of biological tissue, which is often altered in pathological states. In this work, we report quantitative photoacoustic elastography (QPAE), capable of measuring Young’s modulus of human tissue in vivo. By combining photoacoustic elastography with a stress sensor having known stress-strain behavior, QPAE can simultaneously measure strain and stress, from which Young’s modulus is calculated. We first applied QPAE to quantify the Young’s modulus of tissue-mimicking agar phantoms with different concentrations. The measured values fitted well with both the empirical expectations based on the agar concentrations and those measured in independent standard compression tests. We then demonstrated the feasibility of QPAE by measuring the Young’s modulus of human skeletal muscle in vivo. The data showed a linear relationship between muscle stiffness and loading. The results proved that QPAE can noninvasively quantify the absolute elasticity of biological tissue, thus enabling longitudinal imaging of tissue elasticity. QPAE can be exploited for both preclinical biomechanics studies and clinical applications.

As the emerging field of machine learning, deep learning shows excellent ability in solving complex learning problems. However, the size of the networks becomes increasingly large scale due to the demands of the practical applications, which poses significant challenge to construct a high performance implementations of deep learning neural networks. In order to improve the performance as well as to maintain the low power cost, in this paper we design deep learning accelerator unit (DLAU), which is a scalable accelerator architecture for large-scale deep learning networks using field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as the hardware prototype. The DLAU accelerator employs three pipelined processing units to improve the throughput and utilizes tile techniques to explore locality for deep learning applications. Experimental results on the state-of-the-art Xilinx FPGA board demonstrate that the DLAU accelerator is able to achieve up to 36.1 × speedup comparing to the Intel Core2 processors, with the power consumption at 234 mW.

With the emerging big data applications of Machine Learning, Speech Recognition, Artificial Intelligence, and DNA Sequencing in recent years, computer architecture research communities are facing the explosive scale of various data explosion. To achieve high efficiency of data-intensive computing, studies of heterogeneous accelerators which focus on latest applications, have become a hot issue in computer architecture domain. At present, the implementation of heterogeneous accelerators mainly relies on heterogeneous computing units such as Application-specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Among the typical heterogeneous architectures above, FPGA-based reconfigurable accelerators have two merits as follows: First, FPGA architecture contains a large number of reconfigurable circuits, which satisfy requirements of high performance and low power consumption when specific applications are running. Second, the reconfigurable architectures of employing FPGA performs prototype systems rapidly and features excellent customizability and reconfigurability. Nowadays, in top-tier conferences of computer architecture, emerging a batch of accelerating works based on FPGA or other reconfigurable architectures. To better review the related work of reconfigurable computing accelerators recently, this survey reserves latest high-level research products of reconfigurable accelerator architectures and algorithm applications as the basis. In this survey, we compare hot research issues and concern domains, furthermore, analyze and illuminate advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of reconfigurable accelerators. In the end, we prospect the development tendency of accelerator architectures in the future, hoping to provide a reference for computer architecture researchers.

A symmetric Airy beam (SAB) autofocuses during free space propagation. Such autofocusing SAB is useful in optical manipulation and biomedical imaging. However, its inherently limited autofocusing property may degrade the performance of the SAB in those applications. To enhance the autofocus, a symmetric apodization mask was proposed to regulate the SAB. In combination with the even cubic phase that shapes the SAB, this even exponential function mask with an adjustable parameter regulates the contribution of different frequency spectral components to the SAB. The propagation properties of this new amplitude modulated SAB (AMSAB) were investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Simulation shows that the energy distribution and autofocusing property of an AMSAB can be adjusted by the exponential amplitude modulation. Especially, the beam energy will be more concentrated in the central lobe once the even cubic phase is modulated by the mask with a higher proportion of high-frequency spectral components. Consequently, the autofocusing property and axial gradient force of AMSABs are efficiently enhanced. The experimental generation and characterization for AMSABs were implemented by modulating the collimated beam with a phase-only spatial light modulator. The experimental results well supported the theoretical predictions. With the ability to enhance the autofocus, the proposed exponential apodization modulation will make SAB more powerful in various applications, including optical trapping, fluorescence imaging and particle acceleration. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.

As the emerging field of machine learning, deep learning shows excellent ability in solving complex learning problems. However, the size of the networks becomes increasingly large scale due to the demands of the practical applications, which poses significant challenge to construct a high performance implementations of deep learning neural networks. In order to improve the performance as well to maintain the low power cost, in this paper we design DLAU, which is a scalable accelerator architecture for large-scale deep learning networks using FPGA as the hardware prototype. The DLAU accelerator employs three pipelined processing units to improve the throughput and utilizes tile techniques to explore locality for deep learning applications. Experimental results on the state-of-the-art Xilinx FPGA board demonstrate that the DLAU accelerator is able to achieve up to 36.1x speedup comparing to the Intel Core2 processors, with the power consumption at 234mW.

Inert octahedral chiral-at-metal complexes are an emerging class of asymmetric catalysts that exploit the globular, rigid nature and stereochemical options of octahedral compounds. While the central transition metal serves as a structural anchorpoint and provides metal centrochirality, catalysis is mediated through the organic ligand sphere, thereby merging the branches of transition metal catalysis and organocatalysis. Here we report the development of inert octahedral 3-aminopyrazolato iridium(III) complexes as novel chiral Brønsted base catalysts and demonstrate their merit with applications to highly effective asymmetric sulfa-Michael and aza-Henry reactions, permitting catalyst loadings down to 0.02 and 0.25 mol, respectively. The observed high stereocontrol can be rationalized by a bifunctional mode of action in which the iridium catalyst, after the initial proton transfer, controls a ternary complex through defined hydrogen bonding interactions. This work reveals the potential of octahedral metal complexes as chiral scaffolds for the design of high-performance asymmetric catalysts. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

Yun Fan, Zhiyu Huang, Luo Fang, Lulu Miu, Nengming Lin, Lei Gong, Haifeng Yu, Haiyan Yang, Weimin Mao Key Laboratory Diagnosis and Treatment Technology on Thoracic Oncology (Esophagus, Lung), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China Background: Chemotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors are controversial in the treatment of patients with brain metastases from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We retrospectively studied the effects of solely localized treatment or localized treatment in combination with chemotherapy and/or EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors on outcomes in 210 NSCLC patients with brain metastases. The effects of treatment modality, Karnofsky performance status, age, primary tumor histology, number of brain metastases, and other factors on survival time were analyzed, and the robustness of two prognostic indices, ie, recursive partitioning analysis and graded prognostic assessment, was evaluated. Results: The median survival time in patients with systemic medication and localized treatments was higher than in those with localized treatments alone (11 versus 3 months, P=0.000). Within the systemic medication group, median survival time was significantly longer for EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors than for other types of chemotherapy (12 versus 9 months, P=0.002). In the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor group, median survival time for patients with EGFR gene mutation was 20 months versus 8 months for those with the wild-type EGFR gene. The median survival time with pemetrexed was significantly higher than with other chemotherapies (13 versus 7 months, P=0.006). In multivariate analysis, the prognosis was significantly correlated with treatment modality (P=0.000), Karnofsky performance status (P=0.000), number of brain metastases (P=0.001), and histologic tumor type (P=0.007). In the graded prognostic assessment model, survival curves for the subgroups showed clear separations. Co

BackgroundThe occurrence of liver cancer is higher in males than in females, and the incidence increases during aging. Signaling pathways regulated by retinoid x receptor alpha (RXRalpha) are involved in hepatocellular carcinogenesis. The phenotype of hepatocyte RXRalpha deficient mice is different between genders. To explore the impact of hepatocyte RXRalpha deficiency on gender-dependent hepatic gene expression, we compared the expression profiles of cancer-related genes in 6 and 24 month old male and female mice.ResultsIn 6 month old mice, male mutant mice showed more cancer-related genes with alteration in mRNA levels than females did (195 vs. 60). In aged mice (24 month), female mutant mice showed greater deviation in mRNA expression levels of cancer-related genes than their male counterparts (149 vs. 82). The genes were classified into five categories according to their role in carcinogenesis: apoptosis, metastasis, cell growth, stress, and immune respnse. In each category, dependent upon age and gender, the genes as well as the number of genes with altered mRNA levels due to RXRalpha deficiency varies.ConclusionThe change in hepatic cancer-related gene expression profiles due to RXRalpha deficiency was gender- and age-dependent. The alteration of mRNA levels of cancer-related genes implied that aberrant RXRalpha signaling could potentially increase the risk of liver cancer and that retinoid signaling might contribute to gender- and age-associated liver cancer incidence.

A rare breed: Although many stable metallabenzene derivatives with a metal atom from the third transition series are known, those with a metal atom from the first and the second transition series are rare. Air-stable ruthenabenzenes (e.g. 1 and 2) have now been isolated and characterized. (Chemical Equation Presented). © 2006 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

The effects are described of UV radiation on the mutation of the Thiobacillus ferrooxidans bacterium strain T.Y. The results of tests on the bio-leaching of low-grade chalcopyrite showed that UV radiation treatment improved the activity of the bacterium. Compared with the original bacterium, the mutated version increased the leaching rate of Cu sulphides by 46% so that the leaching period of chalcopyrite was reduced by 5-10 days., The effects are described of UV radiation on the mutation of the Thiobacillus ferrooxidans bacterium strain T.Y. The results of tests on the bio-leaching of low-grade chalcopyrite showed that UV radiation treatment improved the activity of the bacterium. Compared with the original bacterium, the mutated version increased the leaching rate of Cu sulphides by 46% so that the leaching period of chalcopyrite was reduced by 5-10 days.

Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was subjected to microwave radiation and used for the bioleaching of low-grade chalcopyrite. The results showed that microwave radiation resulted in mutation that improved the activity of the bacteria in the leaching of Cu sulphides. The leaching rate of primary Cu sulphide ores increased by 31.44 % and that of secondary Cu sulphide ores increased from 53.66% to 74.97%. Total Cu recovery increased from 32.43% to 56.58% and leaching time was shortened by 5-10 days., Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was subjected to microwave radiation and used for the bioleaching of low-grade chalcopyrite. The results showed that microwave radiation resulted in mutation that improved the activity of the bacteria in the leaching of Cu sulphides. The leaching rate of primary Cu sulphide ores increased by 31.44 % and that of secondary Cu sulphide ores increased from 53.66% to 74.97%. Total Cu recovery increased from 32.43% to 56.58% and leaching time was shortened by 5-10 days.