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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complex inflammatory disease of colorectum that induces abnormal immune responses and severely affects the quality of life of the patients. Grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) exerts anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant functions in many inflammatory diseases. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of GSPE in UC using a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐induced mouse UC model and a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage model. In this study, we found that the GSPE markedly prevented DSS‐induced weight loss and colon length shortening in UC mice. Further investigations showed that GSPE significantly attenuated the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1β, and elevated the expression of anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 in the colon tissues and serum of DSS‐induced colitis mice by suppressing NF‐κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, LPS‐induced inflammation in RAW264.7 cells was also reversed by GSPE. Taken together, our results confirm that GSPE can ameliorate inflammatory response in experimental colitis via inhibiting NF‐κB signaling pathway. This study advances the research progress on a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers adaptive event‐triggered control for nonlinear systems with time‐varying parameter uncertainties. The time‐varying uncertainties do not need to be differentiable, but their variation amplitudes are required to be known. Such uncertainties appear not only in the system nonlinearities but also as the control coefficient. We pursue a tight design scheme by combining tuning functions and the congelation of variables method, thereby avoiding the overuse of dominations and obtaining a less conservative controller. In view of the essence of the control problem, we don't design a continuous controller first and then search for a complex and suitable event‐triggering mechanism, as emulation methods done in the literature. In contrast, we adopt a simple event‐triggering mechanism with the relative threshold, while seeking a complex and appropriate adaptive controller which contains the new adaptive treatment for execution error due to the unknown time‐varying control coefficient. Note that there are three parameter dynamic compensators in the adaptive controller, and one is specialized to the execution error, which is not required in the continuous feedback context. It is shown that with the proposed adaptive event‐triggered controller, all the closed‐loop signals are bounded, the system state converges to zero, and no Zeno behavior occurs. A comparative simulation is provided to verify the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional signals emerge from the structural network, supporting multiple cognitive processes through underlying molecular mechanism. The link between human brain structure and function is region‐specific and hierarchical across the neocortex. However, the relationship between hierarchical structure–function decoupling and the manifestation of individual behavior and cognition, along with the significance of the functional systems involved, and the specific molecular mechanism underlying structure–function decoupling remain incompletely characterized. Here, we used the structural‐decoupling index (SDI) to quantify the dependency of functional signals on the structural connectome using a significantly larger cohort of healthy subjects. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was utilized to assess the general multivariate correlation pattern between region‐specific SDIs across the whole brain and multiple cognitive traits. Then, we predicted five composite cognitive scores resulting from multivariate analysis using SDIs in primary networks, association networks, and all networks, respectively. Finally, we explored the molecular mechanism related to SDI by investigating its genetic factors and relationship with neurotransmitter receptors/transporters. We demonstrated that structure–function decoupling is hierarchical across the neocortex, spanning from primary networks to association networks. We revealed better performance in cognition prediction is achieved by using high‐level hierarchical SDIs, with varying significance of different brain regions in predicting cognitive processes. We found that the SDIs were associated with the gene expression level of several receptor‐related terms, and we also found the spatial distributions of four receptors/transporters significantly correlated with SDIs, namely D2, NET, MOR, and mGluR5, which play an important role in the flexibility of neuronal function. Collectively, our findings corroborate the association between hierarchical macroscale structure–function decoupling and individual cognition and provide implications for comprehending the molecular mechanism of structure–function decoupling. Practitioner Points: Structure–function decoupling is hierarchical across the neocortex, spanning from primary networks to association networks.High‐level hierarchical structure–function decoupling contributes much more than low‐level decoupling to individual cognition.Structure–function decoupling could be regulated by genes associated with pivotal receptors that are crucial for neuronal function flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the adaptive decentralized control problem for a class of large‐scale nonlinear systems with finite‐time output constraints. In order to ensure that the tracking errors are constrained within a predefined boundary in finite time, a novel adaptive barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) control method is proposed by combining the modified finite‐time performance function (FTPF) in the first step of backstepping process. Besides, the mean value theorem and regulating functions are employed to handle the difficulties caused by interconnection functions in large‐scale systems. Subsequently, with the approximation performance of multi‐dimensional Taylor network (MTN), a MTN‐based adaptive decentralized tracking control scheme is developed to guarantee that the tracking errors satisfy the prescribed performance and all signals of the closed‐loop systems are bounded. Finally, the stability theory analysis and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective and design: Database screening indicated that tubulin polymerization‐promoting protein 3 (TPPP3) was involved in pathogenesis of multiple cancer types. miR‐1827 has a potential role in a variety of human cancers. However, the role of TPPP3 and its underlying molecular mechanism in endometrial cancer (EC) has not been investigated. Herein, we aimed to reveal the role of TPPP3/miR‐1827 in EC progression. Methods: Tumour tissue and whole blood samples were collected for the detection of TPPP3 expression. TPPP3 shRNAs and pcDNA‐TPPP3 were applied to knockdown or upregulate the TPPP3 expression, and miR‐1827 mimic was used to upregulate miR‐1827 level. CCK‐8 and colony assays were applied to estimate the cell proliferation. Wound healing and Transwell assays were conducted to assess the cell migration and invasion abilities. The dual‐luciferase reporter assay was conducted to validate the putative binding site between TPPP3 and miR‐1827. Expression of TPPP3, miR‐1827 and related proteins in cell lines, tissue and whole blood sample were detected using western blot, RT‐qPCR and immunofluorescence. Results: TPPP3 was observed markedly elevated in EC patients and cells. TPPP3 knockdown displayed evident suppression in cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we identified TPPP3 as a direct and functional target gene of miR‐1827 in EC cells. The miR‐1827 induced regulatory effects on EC cells were partially reversed by TPPP3. Additionally, in vivo study confirmed the findings discovered in vitro. Conclusion: TPPP3 exerted oncogenic roles in EC progression by sponging miR‐1827. This finding might provide potential targets for EC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement data collected from the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system installed in distribution network can reflect the operational state of the network effectively. In this study, a random matrix theory-based approach is developed for early anomaly detection and localisation by using the data. For every feeder in the distribution network, a corresponding data matrix is formed. Based on the Marchenko–Pastur law for the empirical spectral analysis of covariance 'signal+noise' matrix, the linear eigenvalue statistics are introduced to indicate the anomaly, and the outliers and their corresponding eigenvectors are analysed for locating the anomaly. As for the low observability feeders in the distribution network, an increasing data dimension algorithm is designed for the formulated low-dimensional matrices being more accurately analysed. The developed approach can detect and localise the anomaly at an early stage, and it is robust to random disturbance and measurement error. Cases on Matpower simulation data and real SCADA data corroborate the feasibility of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freeform surfaces whose principal curvature line network is regularly distributed, are essential to many real applications like CAD modeling, architecture design, and industrial fabrication. However, most designed surfaces do not hold this nice property because it is hard to enforce such constraints in the design process. In this paper, we present a novel method for surface fairing which takes a regular distribution of the principal curvature line network on a surface as an objective. Our method first removes the high‐frequency signals from the curvature tensor field of an input freeform surface by a novel rolling guidance tensor filter, which results in a more regular and smooth curvature tensor field, then deforms the input surface to match the smoothed field as much as possible. As an application, we solve the problem of approximating freeform surfaces with regular principal curvature line networks, discretized by quadrilateral meshes. By introducing the circular or conical conditions on the quadrilateral mesh to guarantee the existence of discrete principal curvature line networks, and minimizing the approximate error to the original surface and improving the fairness of the quad mesh, we obtain a regular discrete principal curvature line network that approximates the original surface. We evaluate the efficacy of our method on various freeform surfaces and demonstrate the superiority of the rolling guidance tensor filter over other tensor smoothing techniques. We also utilize our method to generate high‐quality circular/conical meshes for architecture design and cyclide spline surfaces for CAD modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission corridors can be effectively saved using 750 kV four-circuit transmission line on the same tower. In order to reduce the corona level, structure optimisation of fittings plays an important role in the transmission line design. In this study, the electric field distribution of 750 kV transmission line on six cross-arms tower was calculated based on finite element method, and the influences of pipe diameter, ring diameter and installation position of the grading ring were analysed. The results show that the increase of pipe diameter can reduce the electric field strength of grading ring while the increase of installation position and decrease of ring diameter are important to protect the end fitting of composite insulator. When using grading ring with the pipe diameter of 100 mm, the ring diameter of 700–900 mm and the installation position of 150–250 mm, the electric field strength can be controlled in a reasonable range. These results can provide references for the grading ring design of 750 kV four-circuit transmission line on the same tower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Over‐grazing by livestock in semiarid ecosystems is one of the main causes of desertification. Although over‐grazing contributes to global environmental challenge, only a few studies have investigated grazing impacts on the composition of species and functional groups of seedling bank. In this study, we determined whether the composition of seedling species and functional groups, as well as the correlations between the seedlings of sparse‐elm (Ulmus pumila var. sabulosa or U. pumila) and other species changed under three grazing intensities in the degraded sparse‐elm grassland in the Horqin Sandy Land, China. Species composition and abundance of established seedlings were surveyed and the relationships between seedlings of U. pumila and other species were analyzed. The results showed that plant communities under moderate grazing were more stable than the other two grazing intensities due to higher seedling density, higher species richness, and higher number of perennial herbs. Seedlings of U. pumila could even prevent noxious seedlings growth under moderate grazing. We concluded that moderate grazing could benefit the recovery of this sparse‐elm grassland in the Horqin Sandy Land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus oligofermentans is a novel strain of oral streptococcus that can specifically inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans. The aims of this study were to assess the growth of S. oligofermentans and the ability of S. oligofermentans to inhibit growth of Streptococcus mutans at different pH values. Growth inhibition was investigated in vitro using an interspecies competition assay. The 4-aminoantipyine method was used to measure the initial production rate and the total yield of hydrogen peroxide in S. oligofermentans. S. oligofermentans grew best at pH 7.0 and showed the most pronounced inhibitory effect when it was inoculated earlier than S. mutans. In terms of the total yield and the initial production rate of hydrogen peroxide by S. oligofermentans, the effects of the different culture pH values were as follows: pH 7.0 > 6.5 > 6.0 > 7.5 > 5.5 = 8.0 (i.e. there was no significant difference between pH 5.5 and pH 8.0). Environmental pH and the sequence of inoculation significantly affected the ability of S. oligofermentans to inhibit the growth of S. mutans. The degree of inhibition may be attributed to the amount of hydrogen peroxide produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liu Y, Wu L, Wu F, Chu L, Liu X, Xia K, Wang Y. Interspecies competition and inhibition within the oral microbial flora: environmental factors influence the inhibition of Streptococcus mutans by Streptococcus oligofermentans. Eur J Oral Sci 2012; 120: 179-184. © 2012 Eur J Oral Sci Dental caries is a bacterial infectious disease. Streptococcus mutans is the primary pathogen that causes dental caries. Streptococcus oligofermentans is a new oral streptococcal species that can inhibit the growth of S. mutans specifically. The study aimed to assess the inhibition of S. mutans by S. oligofermentans under different oral environmental conditions. The inhibition under different carbohydrate and oxygen conditions was investigated in vitro using an interspecies interaction assay. The 4-aminoantipyine (4-ATTP) method was used to measure the yield and the initial production rate of H2O2 in S. oligofermentans. The inhibitory effect was enhanced when the bacteria were cultured with carbohydrates and under aerobic conditions, or when S. oligofermentans was inoculated earlier than S. mutans. The initial synthesis rates of H2O2 by S. oligofermentans were higher in the presence of carbohydrates and in aerobic culture conditions. In terms of the total H2O2 yield, the effect of the environmental conditions was as follows: no carbohydrates > sucrose > glucose, and aerobic conditions > anaerobic conditions. We conclude that the presence of carbohydrate and oxygen significantly affect the ability of S. oligofermentans to inhibit the growth of S. mutans. The difference in inhibitory effect may be attributed to changes in the capacity of S. oligofermentans to produce H2O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]