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Biometrics has become an important research issue in recent years, and the use of deep learning neural networks has made it possible to develop more reliable and efficient recognition systems. Palms have been identified as one of the most promising candidates among various biometrics due to their unique features and easy accessibility. However, traditional palm recognition methods involve 3D point clouds, which can be complex and difficult to work with. To mitigate this challenge, this paper proposes two methods which are Multi-View Projection (MVP) and Light Inverted Residual Block (LIRB).The MVP simulates different angles that observers use to observe palms in reality. It transforms 3D point clouds into multiple 2D images and effectively reduces the loss of mapping 3D data to 2D data. Therefore, the MVP can greatly reduce the complexity of the system. In experiments, MVP demonstrated remarkable performance on various famous models, such as VGG or MobileNetv2, with a particular improvement in the performance of smaller models. To further improve the performance of small models, this paper applies LIRB to build a lightweight 2D CNN called Tiny-MobileNet (TMBNet).The TMBNet has only a few convolutional layers but outperforms the 3D baselines PointNet and PointNet++ in FLOPs and accuracy. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively mitigate the challenges of recognizing palms through 3D point clouds of palms. The proposed method not only reduces the complexity of the system but also extends the use of lightweight CNN. These findings have significant implications for developing biometrics and could lead to improvements in various fields, such as access control and security control.

Resistive random-access memories (RRAMs) based on wide-bandgap oxides is not only a promising candidate for next-generation non-volatile storage technology but also a suitable family of materials capable of neural network computing. However, the exact mechanism of resistive switching (RS) is not yet clearly understood. In this paper, we investigate Ga2O3-based RRAMs to understand the microscopic-level RS behavior and its relation to the actual process. We find that the oxygenation process during magnetron sputtering affects the crystallization orientation of Ga2O3 thin films. The XRD analysis reveals that the crystalline orientation of Ga2O3 films deposited with O2 flow is [006], and the prepared devices exhibit a lower operating voltage, a higher high/low resistance state ratio, and a more concentrated distribution. By using first-principles calculations and the climbing image nudged elastic band (CI-NEB) method, we show that the oxygen vacancies of the [006] crystalline Ga2O3 films only need to migrate in the (110) plane to form conductive filaments with an energy barrier of 0.65 eV. In contrast, [122] crystalline Ga2O3 films require additional movement in the Z-axis direction, resulting in a much higher energy barrier. Our results can be utilized to modulate the operating voltage and improve the endurance of Ga2O3-based RRAMs.

Hubei Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve is an ideal place to restore the wild population of Père David's deer (

Metal doped bioceramic nanopowders were prepared by solid-state mechanochemical reactions. Also, genetic programming (GP) and gene expression programming (GEP) models were developed to predict the structural features of the mechanosynthesized nanopowders aimed at developing an innovative solution to enhance bone mineral density. The substitution of Ca2+ with different ions in the apatite structure was confirmed from chemical analysis and structural assessment, where irregular changes in the lattice parameters and unit cell volume were observed due to the replacement of the Ca2+ bivalent cation with monovalent, bivalent or trivalent ions as well as the carbonate ions effects on the apatite lattice. It was found that the crystallite size and micro-strain of the substituted bioceramics were between ~11 and 98 nm and ~0.31–2.49%, respectively. From the functional group analysis, the intensity of the hydroxyl groups decreased as the dopant content increased. The electron microscopy images showed that both undoped and low-doped samples consist of spheroidal particles in the nano regime, whereas the high-doped specimens exhibited a high propensity to agglomerate. The results of cytotoxicity assays corroborated that appropriate ionic substitution can prevent the toxic effects of Li on Mus musculus fibroblast cells, and thus by increasing dopant concentration up to z = 0.25, cell viability of around 90% was observed. The results obtained from the modeling demonstrated that both GP and GEP methods are reliable in predicting the structural properties of the synthetic metal-doped bioceramic nanopowders.

Objective The goal of the present study was to observe the effect of autophagy in tibial plateau chondrocytes on apoptosis in spontaneous knee osteoarthritis (OA) in guinea pigs. Design Fifty 2-month-old female Hartley guinea pigs were divided into a normal group (10 animals, all euthanized after 7 months) and an OA group (40 animals, 10 of which were euthanized after 10 months). Immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate autophagy levels, intracellular glycogen accumulation and apoptosis in tibial plateau chondrocytes in vivo and in vitro. The remaining 30 guinea pigs in the OA group were divided into 3 groups: a rapamycin group, a normal saline group, and a 3-methyladenine (3-MA) group. Intracellular glycogen accumulation and chondrocyte apoptosis were assessed by altering the level of autophagy in chondrocytes in vivo. Results When spontaneous OA occurred in guinea pigs, autophagy levels in tibial plateau chondrocytes decreased, while intracellular glycogen accumulation and the rate of chondrocyte apoptosis increased. After enhancing the level of autophagy in tibial plateau chondrocytes in guinea pigs with OA, intracellular glycogen accumulation and the rate of chondrocyte apoptosis decreased, while inhibiting autophagy had the opposite effects. Conclusion The results indicate that the function of autophagy in chondrocytes may at least partly involve the catabolism of glycogen. In guinea pigs with OA, the level of autophagy in tibial plateau chondrocytes decreased, and chondrocytes were unable to degrade intracellular glycogen into glucose, leading to less energy for chondrocytes and increased apoptosis.

Acutemonocytic leukemia (AMoL) is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanisms and key regulators involved in the global regulation of gene expression levels in AMoL are poorly understood. In order to elucidate the role of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) and transcription factors (TFs) in AMoL pathogenesis at the network level, miRNA and TF expression level profiles were systematically analyzed by miRNA sequencing and TF array, respectively; this identified 285 differentially expressed miRNAs and 139 differentially expressed TFs in AMoL samples compared with controls. By combining expression level profile data and bioinformatics tools available for predicting TF and miRNA targets, a comprehensive AMoL-specific miRNA-TF-mediated regulatory network was constructed. A total of 26 miRNAs and 23 TFs were identified as hub nodes in the network. Among these hubs, miR-29b-3p, MYC, TP53 and NFKB1 were determined to be potential AMoL regulators, and were subsequently extracted to construct sub-networks. A hypothetical pathway model was also proposed for miR-29b-3p to reveal the potential co-regulatory mechanisms of miR-29b-3p, MYC, TP53 and NFKB1 in AMoL. The present study provided an effective approach to discover critical regulators via a comprehensive regulatory network in AMoL, in addition to enhancing understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease at the molecular level.

The role of serotonin₆ (5-HT₆) receptors in the regulation of anxiety is poorly understood, particularly in Parkinson’s disease-related anxiety. Here we examined whether 5-HT₆ receptors in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) involve in the regulation of anxiety-like behaviors in sham-operated rats and rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the medial forebrain bundle. The lesion induced anxiogenic responses as measured by the open-field and elevated-plus maze tests compared to sham-operated rats. Intra-PrL injection of 5-HT₆ receptor agonist WAY208466 (0.5, 3 and 6 μg/ rat) decreased the percentage of time spent in the center area of the open field and percentages of open arm entries and open arm time in sham-operated rats, indicating the induction of anxiogenic responses, and injection of 5-HT₆ receptor antagonist SB258585 (1, 2, and 4 μg/rat) showed anxiolytic effects. Interestingly, WAY208466, at the same doses, increased the percentage of time spent in the center area of the open-field and percentages of open arm entries and open arm time in the lesioned rats, indicating the induction of anxiolytic effects, and SB258585, at the same doses, produced anxiogenic responses. Collectively, our findings indicate that 5-HT₆ receptors in the PrL are involved in the regulation of anxiety-like behaviors, which may attribute to changes in dopamine and noradrenaline levels in the limbic and limbic-related brain regions after activation and blockade of PrL 5-HT₆ receptors.

Both thermal cyclic lifetime and thermal barrier performance are essentially important to the application of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). In this study, equivalent thermal insulation conception is introduced to the design of TBCs to fairly compare different structured TBCs. Dense vertically crack (DVC) structured TBCs and the lamellar structured TBCs with same top coat thickness of 1000 µm (D1000 and L1000), and lamellar structured TBCs with 570 µm (L570, equivalent thermal insulation performance with D1000) top coat were prepared. Their lifetimes were evaluated under gradient thermal cyclic test. D1000 TBC shows a rather longer lifetime than L1000 TBC because of the alleviation of vertically cracks, but D1000 TBC possesses a much lower thermal barrier performance than L1000 TBC due to the dense structure of D1000 TBC. However, for the TBCs with the same equivalent thermal insulation performance, L570 TBC presents a more than two times longer lifetime than D1000 TBC. TGO thickening and phase transformation were proved not responsible for the failure of L1000 and D1000 TBCs in the present condition. The in-plane elastic modulus and Vickers hardness across top coat thickness were examined, and the results proved that the mechanical evolution of the top coat after high temperature exposure resulting in the competition between driving force and cracking resistance dominates the failure behavior of TBCs. This study is beneficial for the comprehensively understanding of the failure behavior of DVC and lamellar structured TBCs, and thereby shed light to further coating structure optimization and design innovation.

Lifetime is crucial to the application of advanced thermal barrier coatings (TBCs), and proper lifetime evaluation methods should be developed to predict the service lifetime of TBCs precisely and efficiently. In this study, plasma-sprayed YSZ TBCs were subjected to gradient thermal cyclic tests under different surface temperatures, with the aim of elucidating the correlation between the coating surface temperature and the thermal cyclic lifetime. Results showed that the thermal cyclic lifetime of TBCs decreased with the increasing of surface temperatures. However, the failure modes of these TBCs subjected to thermal cyclic tests were irrespective of different surface/BC temperatures, that is, sintering-induced delamination of the top coat. The thickness of thermally grown oxide (TGO) was significantly less than the critical TGO thickness to result in the failure of TBCs through the delamination of top coat. There was no phase transformation of the top coat after failure. In contrast, in the case concerning the top coat surface of the failure specimens, the elastic modulus and microhardness increased to a comparable level due to sintering despite of the various thermal cyclic conditions. Consequently, it is conclusive that the failure of TBCs subjected to gradient thermal cyclic test was primarily induced by sintering during high-temperature exposure. A delamination model with multilayer splats was developed to assist in understanding the failure mechanism of TBCs through sintering-induced delamination of the top coat. Based on the above-described results, this study should aid in facilitating the lifetime evaluation of the TBCs, which are on active service at relatively lower temperatures, by an accelerated thermal cyclic test at higher temperatures in laboratory conditions.

The objective of the present study was to determine whether the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), cross-priming amplification (CPA), and/or isothermal multiple-self-matching-initiated amplification (IMSA) methods can provide rapid detection of the runt related transcription factor 1/runt related transcription factor 1 translocation partner 1 (AML1/ETO) fusion gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). According to the sequence of the AML1/ETO fusion gene available in GenBank and the principles of the LAMP, CPA and IMSA methods, specific primers were designed to bind a conserved region of the AML1/ETO gene in each assay. Following optimization of the conditions for the LAMP, CPA and IMSA assays, the specificity and sensitivity of the assays were examined and compared. In addition, 41 clinical samples were assayed using the three methods. It was observed that a ladder-like pattern of DNA products was produced in AML1/ETO-positive samples in all three assays, whereas no DNA product was generated with the controls. The detection limit of the LAMP and CPA assays was 50 copies/tube, and for the IMSA assay was 10 copies/tube. This sensitivity was consistent, and improved in the latter case, compared with that of the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Furthermore, the detection rate for bone marrow or peripheral blood samples was 9.76%, and the agreement among the LAMP, CPA, IMSA and RT-PCR methods was 100%. Therefore, the LAMP, CPA and IMSA methods optimized in the present study provided rapid detection of the AML1/ETO fusion gene for an initial clinical diagnosis of AML. In addition, the LAMP, CPA and IMSA assays are straightforward to perform and do not require specialized instruments. Therefore, these three isothermal methods may be used to perform field tests or assays at resource-limited hospitals.

Based on the Fermi’s golden rule and the theory of Boltzmann collision term approximation, a physically-based model for hole scattering rate (SR) in strained Si1−xGex/(100)Si was presented, which takes into account a variety of scattering mechanisms, including ionized impurity, acoustic phonon, non-polar optical phonon and alloy disorder scattering. It is indicated that the SRs of acoustic phonon and non-polar optical phonon decrease under the strain, and the total SR in strained Si1−xGex/(100)Si also decreases obviously with increasing Ge fraction (x). Moreover, the total SR continues to show a constant tendency when x is less than 0.3. In comparison with bulk Si, the total SR of strained Si1−xGex/(100) Si decreases by about 58%.

Tumor-associated macrophages are key regulators of the complex interplay between tumor and tumor microenvironment. M2 Macrophages, one type of tumor-associated macrophages, are involved in prostate cancer growth and progression. Protein kinase C zeta has been shown to suppress prostate cancer cell growth, invasion, and metastasis as a tumor suppressor; however, its role in chemotaxis and activation of tumor-associated macrophages remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of protein kinase C zeta of prostate cancer cells in regulation of macrophage chemotaxis and M2 phenotype activation. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze the expression of protein kinase C zeta and the number of CD206+ M2 macrophages in human prostate tissue. Macrophage chemotaxis and polarization were examined using Transwell migration assays and a co-culture system. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect M2 markers, protein kinase C zeta, interleukin-4, and interleukin-10 expression. We found the expression of protein kinase C zeta increased in prostate cancer tissues, especially in the early stage, and was negatively associated with tumor grade and the number of CD206+ macrophages. Inhibition of protein kinase C zeta expression in prostate cancer cells promoted chemotaxis of peripheral macrophages and acquisition of M2 phenotypic features. These results were further supported by the finding that silencing of endogenous protein kinase C zeta promoted the expression of prostate cancer cell-derived interleukin-4 and interleukin-10. These results suggest that protein kinase C zeta plays an important role in reducing infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages and activation of a pro-tumor M2 phenotype, which may constitute an important mechanism by which protein kinase C zeta represses cancer progression.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Background: As a monotherpay, a-blockers and anti-muscarinics are both efficacy for ureteral stent-related symptoms (SRS). The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate their efficacy of a combination therapy for SRS. Methods: Relevant studies investigating α-blockers and/or anti-muscarinics for SRS were identified though searching online databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and other sources up to March 2016. The RevMan software was used for data analysis, and senesitivity analysis and inverted funnel plot were also adopted. Results: Seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 1 prospective controlled trial including 545 patients were selected. Compared with α-blockers, the combination group achieved significant improvements in total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) [–3.93 (2.89, 4.96), P

The effect of substrate doping on the threshold voltages of buried channel pMOSFET based on strained-SiGe technology was studied. By physically deriving the models of the threshold voltages, it is found that the layer which inversely occurs first is substrate doping dependent, giving explanation for the variation of plateau observed in the C-V characteristics of this device, as the doping concentration increases. The threshold voltages obtained from the proposed model are −1.2805 V for buried channel and −2.9358 V for surface channel at a lightly doping case, and −3.41 V for surface channel at a heavily doping case, which agrees well with the experimental results. Also, the variations of the threshold voltages with several device parameters are discussed, which provides valuable reference to the designers of strained-SiGe devices.

The tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) is a potential candidate for the post-CMOS era. As one of the most important electrical parameters of a device, double gate TFET (DG-TFET) gate threshold voltage was studied. First, a numerical simulation study of transfer characteristic and gate threshold voltage in DG-TFET was reported. Then, a simple analytical model for DG-TFET gate threshold voltage V TG was built by solving quasi-two-dimensional Poisson equation in Si film. The model as a function of the drain voltage, the Si layer thickness, the gate length and the gate dielectric was discussed. It is shown that the proposed model is consistent with the simulation results. This model should be useful for further investigation of performance of circuits containing TFETs.

A physically based analytical model was developed to predict the performance of the plateau observed in the gate C-V characteristics of strained-Si/SiGe pMOSFET. Experimental results were used to validate this model. The extracted parameters from our model were t OX=20 nm, N D=1×1016 cm−3, t SSi=13.2 nm, consistent with the experimental values. The results show that the simulation results agree with experimental data well. It is found that the plateau can be strongly affected by doping concentration, strained-Si layer thickness and mass fraction of Ge in the SiGe layer. The model has been implemented in the software for strained silicon MOSFET parameter extraction, and has great value in the design of the strained-Si/SiGe devices.

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‑ALL) is an aggressive hematological malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in children and young adults. The molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of its gene expression has yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we performed large scale expression profiling of microRNA (miRNA) and transcription factor (TF) by Illumina deep‑sequencing and TF array technology, respectively, and identified 291 differentially expressed miRNAs and 201 differentially expressed TFs in adult B‑ALL samples relative to their controls. After integrating expression profile data with computational prediction of miRNA and TF targets from different databases, we construct a comprehensive miRNA‑TF regulatory network specifically for adult B‑ALL. Network function analysis revealed 25 significantly enriched pathways, four pathways are well‑known to be involved in B‑ALL, such as PI3K‑Akt signaling pathway, Jak‑STAT signaling pathway, Ras signaling pathway and cell cycle pathway. By analyzing the network topology, we identified 28 hub miRNAs and 19 hub TFs in the network, and found nine potential B‑ALL regulators among these hub nodes. We also constructed a Jak‑STAT signaling sub‑network for B‑ALL. Based on the sub‑network analysis and literature survey, we proposed a cellular model to discuss MYC/miR‑15a‑5p/FLT3 feed-forward loop (FFL) with Jak‑STAT signaling pathway in B‑ALL. These findings enhance our understanding of this disease at the molecular level, as well as provide putative therapeutic targets for B-ALL.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenic hematological malignancy with pathogenesis that has yet to be elucidated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) are two major regulators of gene expression, which may play important roles in the etiology of AML. However, the global regulation of gene expression in AML, involving miRNAs and TFs, still remains elusive. To characterize the global role of miRNAs and TFs in AML pathogenesis, large scale expression profiling of miRNA and TF was performed using miRNA sequencing and TF array technology, respectively, and validated by qPCR. In the present study, 308 miRNAs and 84 TFs were identified to be differentially expressed (fold-change ≥2.0) in AML samples relative to their controls. After integrating the expression profiling data into bioinformatic analysis, we identified 1,462 miRNA-gene pairs, 982 TF-gene pairs and 296 TF-miRNA pairs. By merging these regulatory relations together, we constructed a comprehensive AML-specific miRNA-TF regulatory network. In this network, we identified 22 hub miRNAs and 11 hub TFs. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the network nodes were significantly enriched in 33 different pathways, of which the AML pathway was the most significant. After analyzing the topology of the subnetwork, we propose that TCF3 was a potential key regulator in this regulatory network. In conclusion, this is the first study perform on global expression profiling of miRNAs and TFs relating to AML. These results may enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying AML and provide potential targets for future therapeutics.

To analyze the clinical features and genotype in a 8-year-old boy with dyskeratosis congenita (DC).We reviewed the clinical data of the case and amplified 7 DC-related genes (including DKC1,TERT,TERC,TINF2,NOP10, NHP2 and WRAP53) using polymerase chain reaction for DNA sequence analysis to identify the abnormal exons.DNA sequence analysis showed a c.85-15TC mutation in DKC1 gene of the patient. His mother was a carrier of the mutated gene and presented with partial clinical features such as abnormal nails.The mutation of c.85-15TC in DKC1 gene was reported for the first time in China. The diagnosis of DC should be considered if a young patient presents with mucocutaneous abnormalities, bone marrow failure, cancer susceptibility and a family history of cancer. Early genetic tests can improve the diagnosis rates and reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.

Sequencing amplifi cation fragments produced using simple-sequence repeat (SSR) primer pairs pchgms2 and UDP96008 in 'Dayezhugan' japanese apricot showed that SSRs obtained included a microsatellite locus originally identifi ed in peach. The mic- rosatellite sequence homogeneity between UDP96008 in japanese apricot in this study and UDP96008 in the peach in GenBank was 98%. Twenty-four japanese apricot genotypes originating in diverse geographic areas had been identifi ed with 14 SSR primer pairs de- veloped in different species of Prunus. In total, 129 alleles were obtained and per primer pairs detected 2.5 alleles on the average. The results from cluster analysis showed that the genetic distance between 'Nanhong' and 'Zhonghong' was the closest, and cultivars from China and from Japan could not be separated completely. Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) originates in southern China and has been widely cultivated in China and Japan. It is used as fruit production and ornamental appreciation. Since most of the fresh Prunus mume fruit are sour, they are usually processed into different products, not for fresh-market sale

The authors investigated the kinetic mechanism of V-shaped twinning in 3C/4H-SiC heteroepitaxy. A fourfold V-shaped twinning complex was found, and its interface was measured with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Two linear coherent boundaries and a nonlinear incoherent boundary (also called the double-position boundary) were observed. On the basis of the HRTEM results, the authors proposed an adatom migration growth model, in which the activation barrier at the coherent boundary is much lower than that at the incoherent boundary. From a kinetic perspective, adatoms are prone to migrate to the side of the boundary with the lower potential energy if they have sufficient thermal energy to overcome the activation barrier. In the case of a coherent boundary, the growth rates of the domains either side of the boundary can be balanced through the intermigration of adatoms, leading to a linear boundary. Conversely, it is difficult for adatoms to migrate across an incoherent boundary, which results in asynchronous growth rates and a nonlinear boundary.

To establish a modified plasma protamine paracoagulation test.Plasma protamine paracoagulation, modified plasma protamine paracoagulation and D-dimer (D-D) tests were performed for the plasma samples collected from 98 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and 156 normal subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of the 3 tests were analyzed. The plasma samples from 8 cases of suspected myocardial infarction were detected using modified plasma protamine paracoagulation for diagnostic purpose.The sensitivity of plasma protamine paracoagulation, modified plasma protamine paracoagulation and D-D tests was 16.33%, 88.76% and 77.56%, and the specificity was 100%, 88.46% and 97.44%, respectively. Positive results occurred earlier in modified plasma protamine paracoagulation test than in plasma protamine paracoagulation and D-D tests in 5 cases of myocardial infarction.The modified plasma protamine paracoagulation test has a higher sensitivity than plasma protamine paracoagulation test and a higher specificity than D-D test, and can be helpful in early diagnosis of thrombosis and fibrinolysis.

In cases of severe sepsis and septic shock, a series of pathophysiological changes lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the expression of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in the rat lung following endotoxin (LPS) induced shock.Totally 56 SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: LPS shock group (n=16), LPS+vasoactive intestinal peptide group(VIP) group, (n=16), LPS+VIP+ glucocorticoid (GC) group, (n=16),and control group (n=8). LPS shock was induced by intravenous injection of LPS (10 mg/kg) in rats. Within 15 minutes after LPS injection, rats in the treatment groups received VIP (5 nmol/kg) or VIP and methylprednisolone (3 mg/kg). The control group was given normal saline instead of LPS. The rats of the four groups were sacrificed at 6 hours,24 hours after injection respectively, and the lung tissues were collected. Pathological changes of the lungs were examined by light microscopy and electron microscopy. GRmRNA expression in the lung tissues was evaluated by RT-PCR.In the LPS shock group, lung histopathology demonstrated destruction of the alveolar space,widening of the inter-alveolar space, inflammatory cell infiltration and interstitial edema. However,pathological changes in the LPS+ VIP group and LPS+ VIP+GC group were milder than those in the LPS shock group. Six hours after LPS injection, GR mRNA expression was down-regulated in the LPS group (0.72± 0.24) and LPS+ VIP group (0.88±0.27) (P0.05) as compared with the control group (1.17±0.22). The LPS shock group showed a more significant down-regualtion than the LPS+VIP group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P0.05). In contrast, GRmRNA expression in the LPS+ VIP+GC group was significantly up-regulated at 6 hours and further at 24 hours (1.45±0.32 and 1.91±0.46 respectively) (P0.05).GrmRNA expression decreased in LPS induced lung injury in rats. Combined treatment with VIP and GC mitigated lung injury ang inflammation. The mechanism may be related to up-regulation of GR mRNA expression.

Based on the prototype experiment of treating herb wastewater by Up flow Anaerobic Sludge Bed and Anaerobic Filter reactor (UASBAF), an artificial neural network (ANN) model which adopts a back propagation algorithm with momentum and adaptive learning rate was established. And the effect of each parameter to the performance of the reactor was compared, using the method of partitioning connection weights (PCW). The result is pH values > influent of chemical oxygen demand (COD) > hydraulic retention time (HRT) > alkalinity. In addition, many strategies were proposed to optimize the working condition of the system. Adding some alkali to increase pH value when raising influent COD, was an effective way to avoid negative effect to system; low influent COD had a negative impact on the performance of the reactor; pH was suggested to be controlled more than 7.5 when the influent COD was increased over 6000 mg L−1. The best influent COD concentration was 6000–8000 mg L−1 when the conditions were that pH was 7.5, alkalinity was 2000 mg L−1 and HRT was 35–50 h; HRT was suggested to be controlled more than 50 h to maintain good performance of the reactor with high influent COD (8000–10,000 mg L−1). These strategies provided an effective way of controlling UASBAF simply.