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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common mental disorder in children, which is related to inattention and hyperactivity. These symptoms are associated with abnormal interactions of brain networks. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) based on the graph theory to explore the topology property changes of brain networks between an ADHD group and a normal group. The more refined AAL_1024 atlas was used to construct the functional networks with high nodal resolution, for detecting more subtle changes in brain regions and differences among groups. We compared altered topology properties of brain network between the groups from multilevel, mainly including modularity at mesolevel. Specifically, we analyzed the similarities and differences of module compositions between the two groups. The results found that the ADHD group showed stronger economic small-world network property, while the clustering coefficient was significantly lower than the normal group; the frontal and occipital lobes showed smaller node degree and global efficiency between disease statuses. The modularity results also showed that the module number of the ADHD group decreased, and the ADHD group had short-range overconnectivity within module and long-range underconnectivity between modules. Moreover, modules containing long-range connections between the frontal and occipital lobes disappeared, indicating that there was lack of top-down control information between the executive control region and the visual processing region in the ADHD group. Our results suggested that these abnormal regions were related to executive control and attention deficit of ADHD patients. These findings helped to better understand how brain function correlates with the ADHD symptoms and complement the fewer modularity elaboration of ADHD research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) is an abnormally proliferating photoallergic skin disease. Dysregulated inflammation and oxidative stress are the immediate factors in the abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on the aberrant proliferation of keratinocytes in an in vitro (actinic dermatitis) AD model and the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods. The keratinocytes were irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) to construct an in vitro AD model and then processed with different concentrations of curcumin. Cell viability, oxidative stress markers (SOD, GSH-PX, and MDA), activated oxygen species (ROS), and inflammation markers (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNFα) were determined, respectively. Western blot was applied to assay the profiles of apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-xL, Caspase3, Caspase8, and Caspase9), oxidative stress proteins (Keap1, Nrf2, HO-1, COX2, and iNOS), and inflammatory proteins (NF-κB, MMP1, and MMP9) and SPAG5/FOXM1. Functionally, SPAG5 or FOXM1 overexpression and knockdown models were constructed in keratinocytes to characterize their influence on UV irradiation-mediated keratinocyte dysfunction. Results. Curcumin weakened UV-mediated inflammation, proliferation, and oxidative stress and impaired apoptosis in keratinocytes. UV boosted SPAG5/FOXM1 expression in cells, while curcumin concentration-dependently retarded SPAG5/FOXM1 expression. Overexpression of SPAG5/FOXM1 fostered UV-mediated inflammation, proliferation, oxidative stress, and intensified apoptosis, whereas curcumin mostly reversed the SPAG5/FOXM1-mediated effects. In addition, knocking down SPAG5/FOXM1 ameliorated UV-mediated keratinocyte dysfunction, whereas curcumin failed to exert further protective effects in cells with knockdown of SPAG5/FOXM1. Conclusion. Curcumin modulated proliferation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis of keratinocytes by restraining the SPAG5/FOXM1 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to shorten the image registration time and improve the imaging quality, this paper proposes a fuzzy medical computer vision image information recovery algorithm based on the fuzzy sparse representation algorithm. Firstly, by constructing a computer vision image acquisition model, the visual feature quantity of the fuzzy medical computer vision image is extracted, and the feature registration design of the fuzzy medical computer vision image is carried out by using the 3D visual reconstruction technology. Then, by establishing a multidimensional histogram structure model, the wavelet multidimensional scale feature detection method is used to achieve grayscale feature extraction of fuzzy medical computer vision images. Finally, the fuzzy sparse representation algorithm is used to automatically optimize the fuzzy medical computer vision images. The experimental results show that the proposed method has a short image information registration time, less than 10 ms, and has a high peak PSNR. When the number of pixels is 700, its peak PSNR can reach 83.5 dB, which is suitable for computer image restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) usually causes right ventricular dysfunction, which is closely related to cardiac fibrosis. But cardiac fibrosis mechanism remains unclear. Our purpose was to explore microRNA-325-3p (miR-325-3p)/human epididymis protein 4's (HE4) role in the occurrence and development of right ventricular fibrosis in PAH. Methods. The right ventricular fibrosis model of rats with PAH was constructed, and miR-325-3p was overexpressed to explore miR-325-3p's effect on myocardial fibrosis in rats with PAH. Pearson correlation coefficient examined the correlation between HE4 and miR-325-3p. We separated and identified the primary rat myocardial fibroblasts from the heart tissue. Then, the Ang II-treated myocardial fibroblast fibrosis model was constructed. miR-325-3p mimics and si-HE4 and oe-HE4 cell lines were constructed to investigate miR-325-3p and HE4 effects on myocardial cell fibrosis. Then, we added PI3K inhibitor LY294002 to study the effects of HE4 in cell fibrosis by the PI3K/AKT pathway. Starbase was used to predict miR-325-3p and HE4 binding sites. Dual-luciferase reporter assay verified whether miR-325-3p and HE4 were targeted. Results. Overexpression of miR-325-3p alleviated myocardial fibrosis in rats with PAH. Pearson correlation coefficient showed that HE4 was negatively correlated with miR-325-3p expression. Starbase predicted that miR-325-3p had binding sites with HE4. Dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-325-3p targeted HE4. Overexpression of miR-325-3p downregulated HE4 and inhibited myocardial fibroblast fibrosis. HE4 knockdown inhibited myocardial fibroblast fibrosis. HE4 promoted myocardial fibroblast fibrosis and activated the PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, HE4 affected myocardial fibroblast fibrosis through the PI3K/AKT pathway. Conclusions. miR-325-3p could target HE4 to relieve right ventricular fibrosis in rats with PAH. This study could provide new targets and strategies for right ventricular fibrosis in PAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors. Partial hepatectomy is the most basic and effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma because of its high operative effect and perioperative safety. Open surgery is the most traditional hepatectomy. Although it can completely remove tumor lesions and prolong patient survival, it has disadvantages such as large trauma and long postoperative recovery time. Meanwhile, long-term bed rest can increase the risk of complications such as venous thrombosis and infection. The advantages of laparoscopic partial hepatectomy, such as clear operative field, simple operation, little trauma, light surgical stress, quick postoperative recovery, and low complications, can avoid damage to vital organs, blood vessels, and nerves, which has been widely accepted and recognized in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Subsequent commutation failure (CF) elimination in line‐commutated‐converter–based high‐voltage direct current (LCC‐HVDC) is an essential issue of AC/DC hybrid power systems. Since methods based on improving HVDC control systems or advancing the firing angle have inherent limitations, adjustment of the DC current order is regarded as an effective emergency control strategy for HVDC that has been put into operation. However, existing methods sometimes result in failed CF elimination due to improper control timing of DC current. In order to determine proper control timing, novel voltage indexes are put forward in this article to identify stability or instability of the hybrid system. Then, the DC current order is adjusted in real time to eliminate subsequent CF according to the evaluation results given by the proposed voltage indexes. The control strategy is simulated in the PSCAD/EMTDC platform as well as actual power system, and the simulation results compared with those of existing schemes verify the effectiveness and advancement of the proposed strategy on subsequent CF elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the expression of immune-related lncRNAs in colon adenocarcinoma and find out the effect on how these lncRNAs influence the development and prognosis of colon adenocarcinoma. Method. Transcriptome data of colon adenocarcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were downloaded, and gene sets "IMMUNE RESPONSE" and "IMMUNE SYSTEM PROCESS" were sought from the Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB). The expression of immune-related genes was extracted that were immune-related mRNAs. Then, the immune-related lncRNAs were sought out by utilizing of the above data. Clinical traits were combined with immune-related lncRNAs, so that prognostic-related lncRNAs were identified by Cox regression. Multivariate Cox regression was built to calculate risk scores. Relationships between clinical traits and immune-related lncRNAs were also calculated. Result. A total of 480 colorectal adenocarcinoma patients and 41 normal control patients' transcriptome sequencing data of tissue samples were obtained from TCGA database. 918 immune-related lncRNAs were screened. Cox regression showed that 34 immune-related lncRNAs were associated with colon adenocarcinoma prognosis. Seven lncRNAs were independent risk factors. Conclusion. This study revealed that some lncRNAs can affect the development and prognosis of colon adenocarcinoma. It may provide new theory evidence of molecular mechanism for the future research and molecular targeted therapy of colon adenocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, Coulomb and Rankine earth pressure theories have been widely applied to solve the earth pressure on a retaining structure. However, both of the theories established on the basis of the semi-infinite space assumption are not suitable for calculating the earth pressure from finite soil body. Therefore, this paper focuses on a theoretical study about the active earth pressure from finite soil body. Firstly, a common calculation model of finite soil body is established according to the results of previous studies. And then, based on Coulomb’s theory and the wedge element method, an analytical solution of the unit active earth pressure from finite soil body is deduced without an assumption of its linear distribution in advance. Meanwhile, formulas of the active earth pressure strength coefficient and the application point of the resultant force are also deduced. Finally, the influence of parameters such as the frictional angle between the retaining wall back and backfill, slope angle of backfill, dip angle of the retaining wall back, the frictional angle between backfill and rock slope, and uniformly applied load on the backfill surface on the distribution of the unit active earth pressure and the application point of the resultant force is analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper briefly introduces the existing methods for voltage sag source location and theoretically analyzes some reasons why high accuracy cannot be achieved by using these methods. Based on the redefined voltage sag source location 'reference direction' and the analysis of voltage sag source's influences in power network, it is pointed out that observing from disturbance source point to both sides of monitoring services, any power network can be equivalent to 2 active single-port networks and the networks can be equally replaced by 'Thevenin's equivalent circuit.' By judging the sign of the internal resistance in Thevenin' s equivalent circuit, the origin of voltage sag disturbance can be easily identified. The calculation of internal transient resistance is given based on the application of space vector theory. This method can locate voltage sag source with an accuracy of 100% verified by simulation experiments. It is a very practical method that is not only applicable in radial and nonradial power systems but also in networks of neutral grounded effectively or ineffectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area of interest (AOI) reflects the degree of attention of a driver while driving. The division of AOI is visual characteristic analysis required in both real vehicle tests and simulated driving scenarios. Some key eye tracking parameters and their transformations can only be obtained after the division of AOI. In this study, 9 experienced and 7 novice drivers participated in real vehicle driving tests. They were asked to drive along a freeway section and a highway section, wearing the Dikablis eye tracking device. On average, 8132 fixation points for each driver were extracted. After coordinate conversion, the MSAP (Mean Shift Affinity Propagation) method is proposed to classify the distribution of fixation points into a circle type and a rectangle type. Experienced drivers’ fixation behavior falls into the circle type, in which fixation points are concentrated. Novice drivers’ fixation points, which are decentralized, are illustrated in the rectangle type. In the clustering algorithm, the damping coefficient λ determines the algorithm convergence, and the deviation parameter p mainly affects the number of clusters, where larger p values generate more clusters. This study not only provides the cluster type and cluster counts, but also presents the borderlines for each cluster. The findings provide significant contribution to eye tracking research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consensus problems for both continuous-time and discrete-time multiagent networks are deeply investigated by adopting hybrid adaptive and pinning control laws, respectively. Particularly, the topology of the networks needs to neither be symmetric nor contain a directed spanning tree and some useful criteria are addressed analytically. Simultaneously, a comprehensive pinning scheme is proposed as well which shows that the nodes with zero in-degree need to be pinned primarily in order to guarantee the system to achieve consensus, and then the nodes whose out-degrees are bigger than their in-degrees can give priority to be pinned compared to other nodes for improving the convergence rate of the system, whereas it is also interesting to find out that the regular rule does not always hold, that is, the more nodes are selected to be pinned, the faster the system will converge. Finally, the validity of our theoretical findings is verified by several numerical examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been demonstrated in previous studies, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 status influences psychiatric manifestations of AD. However, whether ApoE ε4 status modifies the sex differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD is still unclear. In this study, sex differences in neuropsychiatric abnormalities were stratified and analyzed by ApoE ε4 status in mild AD and moderate to severe AD separately. The Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) were used to assess dementia severity and neuropsychiatric symptoms. No sex differences were found in mild AD. In moderate to severe AD, among ε4 positive individuals, disinhibition was significantly more prevalent (8.0% in men versus 43.2% in women, p=0.003) and severer p=0.003 in female patients. The frequency (16.0% in men versus 51.4% in women, p=0.005) and score p=0.004 of irritability were of borderline significance after strict Bonferroni correction. In conclusion, this study supported the modifying effect of ApoE ε4 status on sex differences in neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD, and this modifying effect was pronounced in moderate to severe stage of AD. The interaction between gender and ApoE ε4 status should be considered in studies on neuropsychiatric symptoms of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During growth and aging, the role of the hippocampus in memory depends on its interactions with related brain regions. Particularly, two subregions, anterior hippocampus (aHipp) and posterior hippocampus (pHipp), play different and critical roles in memory processing. However, age-related changes of hippocampus subregions on structure and function are still unclear. Here, we investigated age-related structural and functional characteristics of 106 participants (7-85 years old) in resting state based on fractional anisotropy (FA) and functional connectivity (FC) in aHipp and pHipp in the lifespan. The correlation between FA and FC was also explored to identify the coupling. Furthermore, the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) was used to explore the relationship between cognitive ability and hippocampal changes. Results showed that there was functional separation and integration in aHipp and pHipp, and the number of functional connections in pHipp was more than that in aHipp across the lifespan. The age-related FC changes showed four different trends (U-shaped/inverted U-shaped/linear upward/linear downward). And around the age of 40 was a critical period for transformation. Then, FA analyses indicated that all effects of age on the hippocampal structures were nonlinear, and the white matter integrity of pHipp was higher than that of aHipp. In the functional-structural coupling, we found that the age-related FA of the right aHipp (aHipp.R) was negatively related to the FC. Finally, through the WASI, we found that the age-related FA of the left aHipp (aHipp.L) was positively correlated with verbal IQ (VERB) and vocabulary comprehension (VOCAB.T), the FA of aHipp.R was only positively correlated with VERB, and the FA of the left pHipp (pHipp.L) was only positively correlated with VOCAB.T. These FC and FA results supported that age-related normal memory changes were closely related to the hippocampus subregions. We also provided empirical evidence that memory ability was altered with the hippocampus, and its efficiency tended to decline after age 40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As behavioural health occupations have diversified, more specialists such as social workers and counsellors are involved in providing substance use disorder treatment services. This study examined the association between changes in the number of different types of behavioural health professionals and changes in drug and opioid overdose deaths in the United States. Using publicly available state‐level data from 2008 to 2017, we constructed multivariate linear regression models with state‐ and year fixed‐effects to examine the effect of changes in the number of different types of behavioural health professionals (i.e. psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and counsellors) on changes in drug and opioid overdose deaths at the state level, controlling for state population characteristics and other state‐level factors. After controlling for confounding factors, a 1% increase in the number of social workers and counsellors at the state level was significantly associated with a 0.215% reduction in drug overdose deaths per 100,000 state population and with a 0.358% reduction in opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 state population. We did not find statistically significant associations between changes in drug overdose death rates and increases in the number of psychiatrists or psychologists alone. Our findings suggest efforts to facilitate a prepared and skilled workforce, such as expanding the capacity of social workers and counsellors, to maximise access to substance use disorder treatment services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic autoimmune oral mucosal disease that seriously affects the life quality of the patients. But till now, the exact etiology and pathogenesis of OLP remain unclear. Our study is aimed at finding the key molecules and pathways involved in the pathogenesis mechanisms of OLP, providing more effective therapeutic strategies for OLP. Methods. Data from GSE52130 were downloaded from GEO datasets for analysis. Then, we carried out enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway analyses. Next, the CIBERSORT algorithm was used to assess immune cell infiltration in OLP patients. Furthermore, we also constructed a protein-protein interaction network using STRING and Cytoscape and simultaneously sought potential transcription factors plug-in including MCODE CytoHubba and iRegulon. In addition, ROC analysis was employed to assess the diagnostic performance of these hub genes. Lastly, we identified 6 promising novel drugs to treat OLP through Connectivity Map. Results. We illustrated that 255 DEGs were mainly enriched in the focal adhesion pathway and metabolism pathways. Besides, Cibersort analysis showed that M1 macrophages, T follicular helper cells, and T regulatory cells are more infiltrated in OLP samples. In addition, ROC analysis demonstrated that these hub genes owned higher diagnostic value in OLP, in which SPRR1B had the highest diagnostic value. And we also predicted that SOX7 was the most relevant transcription factor of those hub genes. Lastly, through the CMap database, we identified 6 small molecules as possible treatment drugs of OLP. Conclusion. Our research identified that SPRR1B could be used as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of OLP. In addition, as a chronic autoimmune oral mucosal disease, OLP has different infiltration types of immune cells. Furthermore, 6 small molecules were proposed as promising novel treatment drugs for OLP patients. Therefore, our research may provide new impetus for the development of effective OLP biological treatment options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Load model has significant impact on power system simulation. Current load modeling approaches are inadequate on revealing the accuracy and time-variation of load compositions. The application of wireless sensors dispersed in power distribution networks provides further opportunities for load modeling. In this article, a data-driven online aggregated load modeling approach is proposed systematically. First, all the electricity consumers are clustered according to big data of power consumption behaviors. In each cluster, typical users are designated to stand for the characteristics of the cluster, and intrusive measurement is adapted to capture these typical users' time-varying information by employing wireless intelligent terminals, which can identify the composition of static load and induction motor load online. Second, the load models of other users in each cluster are assumed identical to typical users, including static impedance–current–power models and induction motor models. Finally, the composite load model is achieved by hierarchical aggregation and bottom-to-up stepwise equivalence. Simulations demonstrate that the load model built by proposed approach reflects higher accuracy and adaptability in power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggest that the practice of long-term (months to years) mindfulness meditation induces structural plasticity in gray matter. However, it remains unknown whether short-term (<30 days) mindfulness meditation in novices could induce similar structural changes. Our previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified white matter changes surrounding the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) within 2 to 4 weeks, following 5-10 h of mindfulness training. Furthermore, these changes were correlated with emotional states in healthy adults. The PCC is a key hub in the functional anatomy implicated in meditation and other perspectival processes. In this longitudinal study using a randomized design, we therefore examined the effect of a 10 h of mindfulness training, the Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) on gray matter volume of the PCC compared to an active control—relaxation training (RT). We found that brief IBMT increased ventral PCC volume and that baseline temperamental trait—an index of individual differences was associated with a reduction in training-induced gray matter increases. Our findings indicate that brief mindfulness meditation induces gray matter plasticity, suggesting that structural changes in ventral PCC—a key hub associated with self-awareness, emotion, cognition, and aging—may have important implications for protecting against mood-related disorders and aging-related cognitive declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggest that the practice of long-term (months to years) mindfulness meditation induces structural plasticity in gray matter. However, it remains unknown whether short-term (<30 days) mindfulness meditation in novices could induce similar structural changes. Our previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified white matter changes surrounding the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) within 2 to 4 weeks, following 5-10 h of mindfulness training. Furthermore, these changes were correlated with emotional states in healthy adults. The PCC is a key hub in the functional anatomy implicated in meditation and other perspectival processes. In this longitudinal study using a randomized design, we therefore examined the effect of a 10 h of mindfulness training, the Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) on gray matter volume of the PCC compared to an active control—relaxation training (RT). We found that brief IBMT increased ventral PCC volume and that baseline temperamental trait—an index of individual differences was associated with a reduction in training-induced gray matter increases. Our findings indicate that brief mindfulness meditation induces gray matter plasticity, suggesting that structural changes in ventral PCC—a key hub associated with self-awareness, emotion, cognition, and aging—may have important implications for protecting against mood-related disorders and aging-related cognitive declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel duck orthoreovirus can infect various hosts, mainly causing spleen necrosis and hemorrhagic necrotizing hepatitis, leading to immunosuppression and growth impairment. Infectious diseases characterized by swollen hock joints, movement disorders, and impaired growths have recently occurred in significant duck breeding areas in China. Infected ducks from Shandong Province were selected, and N-DRV-LY20 was isolated from the swollen joints. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of N-DRV-LY20 and homology analysis showed that all ten fragments had the highest homology to N-DRV and the closest affinity to Duck/N-DRV-XT18/China/2018. After artificial inoculation with N-DRV-LY20 virus solution, Cherry Valley ducks showed the same symptoms of leg swelling and hock joint deformation, which were not explored in previous studies. A long history of evolution has led to significant variation in DRV and altered its pathogenicity. In this study, we confirmed the ability of N-DRV to cause viral arthritis in ducks and clarified this isolate's genetic characteristics and level of variation, providing a basis for the control and variation detection of N-DRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A severe infectious disease characterized with gout, haemorrhage and swellings of kidneys has affected goslings around the major goose‐producing regions in China since November 2016. A Novel goose‐origin astrovirus (AStV), designated as AStV/SDPY/Goose/1116/17 (AStV‐SDPY) strain, was isolated from diseased goslings, and experimental reproduction of gout was successful using the AStV‐SDPY strain. Additionally, the AStV‐SDPY was conducted for its full genome sequencing characterization using next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technique on Illumina HiSeq platform. A complete genome of the AStV‐SDPY was 7,252 nt in length and encoded three viral proteins. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AStV‐SDPY strain belongs to an independent branch of avian astroviruses, and the nucleotide homology among AStV‐SDPY and other classic avian astrovirus strains was only 48.8%–68.2%. Results of above data indicated the causative agent of the gosling gout occurring in China is a novel divergent goose astrovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goose astrovirus genotype 2 (GoAstV2), as a contagious pathogen of fatal visceral gout in goslings, has been widely distributed in major goose-producing regions in China since 2017, leading to significant economic losses to the Chinese goose industry. In this study, a novel goose astrovirus (GoAstV-SDHZ) was isolated and identified from laying hens with nephritis for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequenced genome of ORF2 gene revealed that the GoAstV-SDHZ strain clustered into Group 2 GoAstVs and shared the highest identity with the other representative GoAstV2 in the nucleotide (ORF1a: 97.2–99.7%; ORF1b: 98.4–99.8%; ORF2: 97.2–99.9%) and amino acid sequence (ORF1a: 98.2–100%; ORF1b: 98.8–99.6%; ORF2: 97.4–99.6%). In summary, this study provides the first evidence of the GoAstV2 infection in Chinese laying hens, which raises potential threat to the poultry industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Emerging evidence has shown that two common genetic polymorphisms within the pleckstrin domain-containing protein 5 (DEPDC5), rs1012068 and rs5998152, may be associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially in those individuals chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) or the hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, these findings have not been consistently replicated in the literature due to limited sample sizes or different etiologies of HCC. Thus, the present systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to resolve this inconsistency. Methods. The databases PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Scopus were searched up to December 12, 2022. Data from relevant studies were pooled, and odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results. A total of 11 case-control studies encompassing 2,609 cases and 8,171 controls on rs1012068 and three encompassing 411 cases and 1,448 controls on rs5998152 were included. Results indicated that the DEPDC5 rs1012068 polymorphism did not significantly increase HCC risk in the total population (allelic model (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.04–1.67, P = 0.02); the recessive model (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 0.96–2.10, P = 0.08); the dominant model (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.09–1.87, P = 0.01); the homozygous model (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.01–2.57, P = 0.05); the heterozygous model (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.09–1.79, P = 0.009)). Subgroup analyses based on ethnicity and etiology revealed that the rs1012068 polymorphism, under all five genetic models, was associated with increased HCC risk in Asians or in individuals with chronic HBV infection but not in individuals with chronic HCV infection. A significant association was also observed between rs5998152 and HCV-related HCC risk in Asians chronically infected with HCV under allelic, dominant, and heterozygous models. Conclusion. Our study suggests that the DEPDC5 rs1012068 polymorphism increases HCC risk, especially in Asians with chronic HBV infection, while the rs5998152 polymorphism increases HCC risk in Asians with chronic HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geese play an important role in agricultural economics, with China producing the vast majority of goose meat consumed worldwide annually. The variations in the avian viruses and co‐infections result in substantial economic losses to the goose industry in China. To understand the evolutionary characteristics and co‐infections of viruses, a broad epidemiological investigation of epizootic viruses of goose was carried out in nine provinces of China during 2018–2021. Here, the results indicated that, among the 1970 clinical samples, 50.81% (1001/1970) were positive for goose astrovirus (GAstV), 18.22% (359/1970) for avian orthoreovirus, 12.74% (251/1970) for goose parvovirus, 11.02% (217/1970) for H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus, 4.01% (79/1970) for Newcastle disease virus, and 2.08% (41/1970) for fowl adenovirus. Among the six viruses, co‐infections comprised a large proportion (66.37%) in the field, of which the dual infection was more common. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of GAstVs indicated that Chinese GAstVs had formed two distinct groups, that is, GAstV‐1 and GAstV‐2. GAstV‐2 sub‐genotype II‐c had arisen as the dominant genotype in the whole country. Notably, all the H9N2‐AIV isolated strains harboured the mammalian adaptation markers I155T, H183N, and Q226L (H3 numbering) in the HA gene, which promotes preferential binding to human‐like α2‐6‐linked sialic acid receptors. And beyond that, we determined that the goose‐origin Muscovy Duck Reovirus isolates, showing 51.7%–96% similarities to that of other waterfowl‐origin orthoreovirus isolates in sequence homology analysis of the representative part of σC, are a new variant of waterfowl‐origin orthoreovirus. These data provide valuable information about the prevalence of infectious diseases in geese on mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Observational studies have reported that it is associated with SLE. In this bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) study, we explored the genetic association between serum vitamin D (VD) levels and SLE using two models.Methods: Genetic variants associated with vitamin D (n = 304,181), 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (n = 401,460), and SLE (n = 213,683) at genome-wide significance (P < 5∗10-8) derived from large-scale publicly available GWAS data were used as instrumental variables. Bidirectional two-sample MR analyses were performed using the inverse variance weighted method (IVW, random, or fixed effect model). Sensitivity analyses including maximum likelihood, MR-Egger method, penalized weighted median method, MR-PRESSO, MR-RAPS, and MR-radial method were conducted.Results: The findings showed that genetically predicted SLE using the IVW method had a negative effect on the vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in the two models. The results of sensitivity analyses of different analytical approaches were consistent.Conclusions: These findings indicated that genetically determined SLE had a negative effect on the vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Future studies, including random controlled clinical trials, should evaluate the association and mechanisms between serum VD levels and SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first report from Cherry Valley ducks on a commercial duck farm in China (2008), duck astrovirus type 1(DAstV‐1)‐associated duck viral hepatitis (DVH) have been detected in several commercial duck flocks. A highly acute disease characterized by hepatitis broke out in ducklings in Shandong Province in March 2021, all diseased ducks have been immunized against the duck viral hepatitis vaccine. One DAstV‐1 strain, designated as DAstV‐SDWF, was isolated from a diseased duckling. Here, the isolation, cultivation, and characterization of DAstV‐1 isolate are described. The isolated astrovirus grew well in the LMH cell line. To determine the entire genomic of the DAstV‐SDWF isolate, the next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technique was conducted on the Illumina HiSeq platform. Complete genome sequence analysis revealed that DAstV‐SDWF isolate was 91.6%–98.6% homology with others DAstV‐1 deposited in Genbank. Similar clinical symptoms were successfully reproduced by an experimental infection study using the DAstV‐SDWF isolate. DAstV‐SDWF is the first DAstV‐1 strain whose experimental infection study has been conducted in China. Results of the above data demonstrated that DAstV‐1 could be one of the causative agents of the DVH occurring in China. The present works are likely to provide new insights into the pathogenicity and evolution of DAstV‐1 in ducks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the force mechanism for the steel plate shear wall with slits, the pushover analysis method was used in this study. An estimated equation for the lateral bearing capacity which considered the effect of edge stiffener was proposed. A simplified elastic-plastic analytical model for the stiffened steel slit wall composed of beam elements was presented, where the effects of edge stiffeners were taken into account. The wall-frame analysis model was established, and the geometric parameters were defined. Pushover analysis of two specimens was carried out, and the analysis was validated by comparing the results from the experiment, the shell element model, and a simplified model. The simplified model provided a good prediction of the lateral stiffness and the strength of the steel slit wall, with less than 10% error compared with the experimental results. The mutual effects of the bearing wall and the frame were also predicted correctly. In the end, the seismic performance evaluation of a steel slit wall-frame structure was presented. The results showed that the steel slit wall could prevent the beams and columns from being damaged by an earthquake and that the steel slit wall was an efficient energy dissipation component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a simplified voltage control of paralleling doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) connected to the grid by using static Var compensator (SVC). The DFIG converters are based on a voltage source converter in the grid side converter (GSC) and current source converter in the rotor side converter (RSC). The GSC is employed to work like static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) to provide precise control to maintain the DC link voltage under control. The RSC is oriented to control real and reactive powers of the DFIG. Instead of adding two SVCs in every DFIG bus it connects only one SVC in the point of common coupling of the generators to enhance the voltage stability at a steady state and dynamic operation by decreasing the reactive power hence to increase the voltage amplitude. The comprehensive simulations are carried out using PSCAD/EMTDC program. The results show that the SVC has improved voltage stability and promote the system transient response by compensating reactive power. Furthermore, this study has presented the possibility of using one SVC with low capacity based on the SVC characteristics adjusted only by choosing a suitable transformer rating. Moreover, the system model simulation was tested at steady state and dynamic mode during constant and random wind speeds. Using one SVC with low capacity leads to decrease power dissipation, and this directly reduced the power cost. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May 2018, Landes geese raised in Weifang, Shandong Province, China, developed a disease characterized by thickened oesophageal mucosa and white, round ulcers. Based on pathogen isolation and identification, differential culture and morphological observations, Candida albicans (C. albicans) was identified as the causative pathogen from the oesophagus of infected geese, and artificial infection experiments were then performed using the isolated strains. In experimental reproduction, the symptoms of infected geese were consistent with those of natural infection, and gosling morbidity and mortality were 75% and 60%, respectively. Re‐isolation of the strain from the dead goslings confirmed C. albicans as the causative pathogen of oesophageal ulcers. We further performed internal transcribed space rDNA sequence analysis, ABC genotyping and multi‐locus sequence typing analysis. We observed 100% sequence similarity between the two strains, designated as WFCL and WFLQ, which were isolated from different regions, with 100% homology between the strains isolated in the present study and the human‐origin C. albicans strains isolated previously from China. The goose‐origin strains isolated in this study and the human‐origin C. albicans isolates were included in the same branch in phylogenetic trees analysis, indicating that the strain responsible for oesophageal ulcer in geese is closely related to human‐origin C. albicans. In addition, based on eBURST analysis of sequence types, goose‐origin C. albicans strains were relatively independent in terms of population evolution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first detailed report on goose oesophageal ulceration caused by C. albicans infection in geese. Considering that C. albicans is an important zoonotic pathogen, this study provides a reference for further studies on avian C. albicans infections and is important for ensuring public health and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2013, there have been an increasing number of cases of arthritis in broilers caused by avian orthoreovirus (ARV) in China, and the virus remains highly virulent in chicks with high‐level maternal antibodies. However, little information is available about the complete gene analysis and pathogenicity of the epidemic ARVs. In the study, the ARV strain (V‐ARV‐SD26) was isolated from broilers associated with arthritis in Shandong Province. To genetically characterize the ARV strain, the whole‐genome sequencing was conducted by next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technique. Sequence analysis demonstrated that V‐ARV‐SD26 might have acquired its current genomic composition through several homologous and, in case of the λC, μA and σB, divergent reassortment events. To further investigate the pathogenicity of the strain, 160 one‐day‐old Ross broilers with maternal antibodies were equally divided into four groups (foodpad‐, eye mucosa‐ and intramuscular‐inoculated groups and the negative control group), three experimental groups were inoculated separately with the low‐dose virus fluid, and the negative control was equally inoculated with sterile PBS. The results showed that the symptoms of broilers in foodpad inoculation group were the most serious, while that of the eye mucosa infection group were the mildest. Meanwhile, the cloacal cotton swabs and organs were collected for qRT‐PCR detection to evaluate the infection status. In conclusion, these findings indicate that V‐ARV‐SD26 is a divergent ARV strain, which provide experimental data for the prevention and control of newly emerged reovirus, and have a certain reference value for the preparation and evaluation of new vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes some novel decentralized adaptive control protocols to settle the quasi-consensus problem of multiagent systems with heterogeneous nonlinear dynamics. Based on local communication with the leader and between the followers, some innovative control protocols are put forward to adapt the control gains and coupling weights simultaneously and to steer the consensus errors to some bounded areas. In particular, two new inequalities are proposed to establish the Lyapunov-based adaptive controller design approach for quasi-consensus. Some quasi-consensus criteria are derived by utilizing the designed controllers, in which the error bound can be modulated on the basis of the adaptive controller parameters. Numerical tests are conducted to show the feasibility of the theoretical derivation. Our findings highlight quasi-consensus in heterogeneous multiagent systems without adding some additional complex nonlinear control terms to cancel the dynamical differences between agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cutaneous microbiota responses to skin health as well as atopic dermatitis. To reveal the microbiota effect in atopic dermatitis children under therapy with topical corticosteroids and antibiotics. 59 atopic dermatitis patients were randomized to two treatment groups (by corticosteroids or combination therapy) in Beijing Children's Hospital. The lesion microbial samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. After treatment, 57 patients recovered significantly. Though topical antibiotics application blocked the restoration of commensal Streptococcus, no remarkable differences of cutaneous microbiota were identified between the two groups along the treatment. In subject 1081, who received the combination therapy, the Streptococcus and Pseudomonas as well as Chryseobacterium increased dramatically. On the contrary, the Staphylococcus aureus decreased sharply in subject 1107 with topical corticosteroids treatment Our preliminary study suggested the necessity to consider cutaneous microbiota profile when prescribing antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly acute disease broke out in ducklings in Shandong Province in March 2019. The disease was characterized as visceral gout, with a mortality rate of 30%. The causative agent, which has given rise to similar symptoms in goslings, has been confirmed to be a novel goose astrovirus. The novel goose astrovirus, which was designated as the SDXT strain, was identified from a diseased duck farm using duck embryo primary cells in an experimental infection test. Genomic sequence analysis, as well as phylogenetic analysis of the viral proteins, revealed that the SDXT strain was closely related to a novel goose astrovirus of the Avastrovirus three species. These results indicate that the novel goose astrovirus may cross‐host infect ducklings. Further studies are needed to define its host range and transmission route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since December 2017, an infectious disease has caused economic hardship for duck farms and breeding ducks in many regions of China. This disease characterized by spleen necrosis and swelling, is due to a variant strain of duck orthoreovirus (DRV) (Duck/N‐DRV‐XT18/China/2018), which we isolated from the spleen of diseased ducks. After isolating the virus, we used next‐generation sequencing technology to determine the entire genomic of the virus. Our phylogenetic analysis of 10 genomic segments showed that the N‐DRV‐XT18 strain is closely related to orthoreovirus isolates derived from ducks and geese, with nucleotide sequence identities for 10 genomic fragments ranging between 49.8% and 99.3%. In contract, the nucleotide sequence of N‐DRV‐XT18 genomic fragments are only 38.6% to 78.8% similar to the chicken orthoreovirus isolate. Therefore, we determined that this pathogen, causing duck spleen necrosis, is a new variant of a duck orthoreovirus that is significantly different from any previously reported waterfowl‐derived othoreovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many uncertainties with respect to the assessment of slope stability, and those associated with soil properties should be given particular attention. The uncertainty theory provides an alternative to treat these uncertainties using parochial cognitive sources. A novel methodology is proposed to evaluate the stability of slopes based on an uncertain set. The soil properties involved in the deterministic methods, i.e., shear strength parameters and unit weight, are expressed as uncertain sets, and their membership functions can be assumed to be triangular or trapezoidal for a homogeneous or two-layered slope, respectively. The parameter values of membership functions are designed according to the means and variations of the soil properties, and then the expected safety factor can be calculated through the operational laws. Two numerical examples including a homogeneous slope and a two-layered slope illustrate the suitability of the proposed methodology. The relationship between the variation in the safety factor and the changes in the soil properties is investigated; moreover, the determination of the parameter values of membership is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes high mortality in poultry flocks and often is complicated with viral infections, leading to large economic losses; however, little information is available on the epidemiological characteristics of this pathogen in ducks. Therefore, a systemic epidemiological investigation was performed on 325 duck farms from 13 provinces in China during the period of 1 April 2016 until 31 March 2018, covering 2 years. A total of 26 APEC strains were isolated from different farms in this study, and analysis showed that all of those isolates carried multiple virulence‐associated genes and drug‐resistance genes, which led to high pathogenicity (15/26), strong or moderate biofilm formation (24/26) and multidrug‐resistant abilities (26/26). On the other hand, coinfection with APEC, H9 avian influenza virus (AIV) and Tembusu virus (TMUV) was very common on those farms (11/26), with APEC and TMUV sharing a similar morbidity peak (from May to September) and susceptibility (60% infections occurred in ducklings); thus, we speculated that the emerging TMUV infection escalated the APEC incidence in ducks. Finally, the data presented in this report enhance the current understanding of the epidemiology of APEC and different viral infections in ducks and provide additional insight into the critical factors that determine their pathogenicity. Meanwhile, the emergence of multidrug‐resistant APEC strains and their coinfection with different viruses emphasize that preventive measures against such infections on poultry farms should be implemented immediately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Enhanced migration and osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are beneficial for MSC-mediated periodontal tissue regeneration, a promising method for periodontitis treatment. FBXO5, a member of the F-box protein family, is involved in the osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Here, we investigated the effect of FBXO5 on human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs). Materials and Methods. hPDLSCs were isolated from periodontal ligament tissue. Lentivirus FBXO5 shRNA was used to silence FBXO5 expression. Two transcripts of FBXO5 were overexpressed and transduced into hPDLSCs via retroviral infection. Migration and osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs were evaluated using the scratch migration assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, ALP staining, alizarin red staining, western blotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results. The expression of FBXO5 was upregulated after osteogenic induction in hPDLSCs. FBXO5 knockdown attenuated migration, inhibited ALP activity and mineralization, and decreased RUNX2, OSX, and OCN expression, while the overexpression of two transcript isoforms significantly accelerated migration, enhanced ALP activity and mineralization, and increased RUNX2, OSX, and OCN expression in hPDLSCs. Conclusions. Both isoforms of FBXO5 promoted the migration and osteogenic differentiation potential of hPDLSCs, which identified a potential target for improving periodontal tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To compare the expression of G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) in the junctional zone and outer myometrium of the proliferative and secretory phases of women with and without adenomyosis. Methods. A total of 76 women were included in this study, 42 with adenomyosis (proliferative phase, n=23; secretory phases, n=19) and 34 controls (proliferative phase, n=16; secretory phases, n=18). Protein and total RNA were extracted from the junctional zone (JZ) and outer myometrium (OM). GPER protein and mRNA expression levels were evaluated by the use of western blotting and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results. The expression of GPER protein and mRNA in women with adenomyosis was significantly higher than that of control subjects, both in the junctional zone and in the outer myometrium and both in the proliferative and in the secretory phases. Conclusion. The significant and consistent increase in GPER expression in adenomyosis compared with control subjects, regardless of whether it was in the proliferative or secretory phases and regardless of whether it was in the JZ or OM, suggests that GPER plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the adenomyosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new method for battery degradation estimation using a power-energy (PE) function in a battery/ultracapacitor hybrid energy storage system (HESS), and the integrated optimization which concerns both parameters matching and control for HESS has been done as well. A semiactive topology of HESS with double-layer capacitor (EDLC) coupled directly with DC-link is adopted for a hybrid electric city bus (HECB). In the purpose of presenting the quantitative relationship between system parameters and battery serving life, the data during a 37-minute driving cycle has been collected and decomposed into discharging/charging fragments firstly, and then the optimal control strategy which is supposed to maximally use the available EDLC energy is presented to decompose the power between battery and EDLC. Furthermore, based on a battery degradation model, the conversion of power demand by PE function and PE matrix is applied to evaluate the relationship between the available energy stored in HESS and the serving life of battery pack. Therefore, according to the approach which could decouple parameters matching and optimal control of the HESS, the process of battery degradation and its serving life estimation for HESS has been summed up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the influence of enamel surface morphology on nanoscale bacterial adhesion forces. Three dimensional morphology characteristics of enamel slices, which were treated with phosphoric acid (for 0 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s, and 30 s), were acquired. Adhesion forces of three initial colonizers ( Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Streptococcus mitis) and two cariogenic bacterial strains ( Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus) with etched enamel surfaces were determined. Comparison of the forces was made by using bacterial probe method under atomic force microscope (AFM) in adhesion buffer. The results showed that enamel morphology was significantly altered by etching treatment. The roughness, peak-to-valley height, and valley-to-valley width of the depth profile, surface area, and volume increased linearly with acid exposure time, and reached the maximum at 30s, respectively. The adhesion forces of different strains increased accordingly with etching time. Adhesion forces of S. oralis, S. mitis, S. mutans, and S. sobrinus reached the maximum values of 0.81 nN, 0.84 nN, 0.73 nN, and 0.64 nN with enamel treated for 20s, respectively, whereas that of S. sanguinis at 10s (1.28nN), and dropped on coarser enamel surfaces. In conclusion, enamel micro-scale morphology may significantly alter the direct adhesion forces of bacteria. And there may be a threshold roughness for bacterial adhesion on enamel surface. SCANNING 37:313-321, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent progress in neural stem cell- (NSC-) based tumor-targeted gene therapy showed that NSC vectors expressing an artificially engineered viral fusogenic protein, VSV-G H162R, could cause tumor cell death specifically under acidic tumor microenvironment by syncytia formation; however, the killing efficiency still had much room to improve. In the view that coexpression of another antitumoral gene with VSV-G can augment the bystander effect, a synthetic regulatory system that triggers transgene expression in a cell fusion-inducible manner has been proposed. Here we have developed a double-switch cell fusion-inducible transgene expression system (DoFIT) to drive transgene expression upon VSV-G-mediated NSC-glioma cell fusion. In this binary system, transgene expression is coregulated by a glioma-specific promoter and targeting sequences of a microRNA (miR) that is highly expressed in NSCs but lowly expressed in glioma cells. Thus, transgene expression is “switched off” by the miR in NSC vectors, but after cell fusion with glioma cells, the miR is diluted and loses its suppressive effect. Meanwhile, in the syncytia, transgene expression is “switched on” by the glioma-specific promoter. Our in vitro and in vivo experimental data show that DoFIT successfully abolishes luciferase reporter gene expression in NSC vectors but activates it specifically after VSV-G-mediated NSC-glioma cell fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a complex disease, leading to the damage of multisystems. The pathogen that triggers this sophisticated disease is still unknown since it was first reported in 1967. To increase our knowledge on the effects of genes in KD, we extracted statistically significant genes so far associated with thismysterious illness fromcandidate gene studies and genome-wide association studies. These genes contributed to susceptibility to KD, coronary artery lesions, resistance to initial IVIG treatment, incomplete KD, and so on. Gene ontology category and pathways were analyzed for relationships among these statistically significant genes. These genes were represented in a variety of functional categories, including immune response, inflammatory response, and cellular calcium ion homeostasis. They were mainly enriched in the pathway of immune response. We further highlighted the compelling immune pathway ofNF-ATsignal and leukocyte interactions combinedwith another transcription factorNF-kB in the pathogenesis of KD. STRING analysis, a network analysis focusing on protein interactions, validated close contact between these genes and implied the importance of this pathway. This data will contribute to understanding pathogenesis of KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of different types of agents have been employed to aid in the visualization of lymph nodes, particularly the sentinel lymph node, and to decrease the tissue destruction associated with the diagnosis of nodal metastases. The current study was performed to see if a novel macromolecular near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) probe could be used to visualize lymph nodes after intravenous administration (pan-node visualization) or subcutaneous administration (sentinel node visualization), and serve as method for guiding dissection with interventional radiologic and surgical procedures. Cy5.5-PGC, the near-infrared dye Cy5.5 coupled to a protected graft copolymer (PGC), was injected (iv or sc) into nude mice. Twenty-four hours later white light and NIRF images were obtained on (i) the live animal, (ii) a partially dissected animal, and (iii) tissue specimens. With Cy5.5-PGC administered intravenously, axillary nodes were visualized from outside a living mouse. With partial dissection, iliac and aortic nodes were visible as concentrated foci of highintensity NIRF signals. With subcutaneous injection in the front extremity, axillary and brachial nodes draining the injection site were easily visualized. NIRF imaging provides a nonradioactive method of visualizing lymph nodes through layers of tissue that can be employed with intravenous or subcutaneous injection. Mol Imaging (2003) 2, 18-23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Transient frequency prediction helps formulate and take emergency control measures in a timely way, which is of great significance to the security and stability of a power system. Conventional frequency prediction methods encounter challenges when taking both speed and accuracy into account. Machine–learning‐based prediction methods cannot readily achieve satisfactory prediction accuracy based on historical samples of transient faults; only by updating the prediction model online can these methods accommodate a transient fault, which may occur at any time. Aiming at the online update of the prediction model, the concept of data inheritance is presented and applied to the process of model updating. Based on this update method, a transient frequency prediction method considering model inheritance is proposed. In this prediction method, the historical transient fault samples of the power system are used to train the initial prediction model; in this way, the prediction performance can be quickly improved according to the newly incremented transient fault samples by inheriting the historical prediction model. Validations on the New England 39‐bus and NPCC 140‐bus systems demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]