Search

We present PneuSeries, a series of modularized inflatables where their inflation and deflation are propagated in-between stage by stage to form various shapes. The key component of PneuSeries is the bidirectional check valve that passively regulates the air flowing in/out from/to adjacent inflatables, allowing each of the inflatables to be inflated/deflated one by one through serial propagation. The form of the inflatable series thus is programmed by the sequential operations of a pump that push/pull the air in/out. In this paper, we explored the design of PneuSeries and implemented working prototypes as a proof of concept. In particular, we built PneuSeries with (1) modularized cubical, cuboidal, tetrahedral, prismatic, and custom inflatables to examine their shape forming, (2) fast assembly connectors to allow quick reconfiguration of the series, and (3) folding mechanism to reduce irregularity of the shrunken inflatables. We also evaluated the inflating and deflating time and the flow rate of the valve for simulating the inflating and deflating process and display the steps and time required to transform in our software. Finally, we demonstrate example objects that show the capability of PneuSeries and its potential applications.

We present TexelBlocks, modular blocks that dynamically change their surfaces to support rich physical interactions. The core component of each block is a motorized crawler belt with a set of material patches attached to it, allowing each of the TexelBlocks to change their surface independently and be concatenated into flat surfaces of various sizes. We implemented a working system that controls 24 TexelBlocks to form 6 × 4 dynamic surfaces. With the working prototype, we developed five applications such as context-aware surface adaptation, real-time tactile feedback, immersive storytelling with dynamic background, real-time embodied platform game, and a surface-changing board game to demonstrate rich physical interactions of dynamic surfaces.

Introduction: There are many injection methods for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, but there is no comprehensive comparison, based on the fixed effect model. Methods: According to the retrieval strategy, we searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) randomly from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database from their inceptions to August 2020, and 2 members of us selected literatures and extracted data independently. Methodological quality was assessed by using the Cochrane bias risk tool, and meta-analysis was performed by using the Stat.14.0. Results: This study will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different injectable drugs for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and rank the efficacies of drugs, then to determine the optimal treatment. Conclusion: This study will provide evidence for the choice of injection therapy for knee osteoarthritis. INPLASY registration number: INPLASY202080099.

Introduction: Traditional Chinese medicine has been widely used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. However, currently randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analysis only compare 1 or 2 types of traditional Chinese medicine therapies, and the comprehensive ranking of efficacy and safety of multiple traditional Chinese medicine therapies for the treatment of allergic rhinitis has not been completed. Therefore, the purpose of this network meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different traditional Chinese medicine therapies for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Methods and analysis: Three English databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and 2 Chinese databases of CNKI and Wanfang were searched from their inceptions to September 1, 2020. At the same time, in order to prevent omissions, we also compared the previous meta-analysis to determine the final included trials. The main evaluation outcome was the total Clinical Score (total nasal symptom score [TNSS]), the secondary evaluation outcome was the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and adverse events. The Cochrane Collaboration's Tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of articles, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) instrument was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Network meta-analysis was completed by using Stata Statistical Software (Version 14.0, Stata Corporation, College Station, TX). Results: This study will compare and rank the different traditional Chinese medicine therapies for allergic rhinitis. Conclusion: This study is the first time to use network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of allergic rhinitis, which will provide ideas and methods for the clinical treatment for allergic rhinitis. INPLASY registration number: No. INPLASY202080119

Background: Anxiety and depression, complications of cancer, are prevalent but often overlooked mental illnesses. Studies have demonstrated that massage therapy is useful in relieving anxiety and depression of cancer survivors. However, the mechanism is still unclear and no systematic review has provided sufficient evidence for the treatment. Therefore, this protocol is carried out to comprehensively evaluate the reliability of cancer patients with anxiety and depression treated by massage. Methods: We will systematically search the relevant literature from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, Wanfang, Chongqing VIP, CNKI and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from the establishment of the databases to June 1, 2020. In addition, we will only include randomized controlled trials about massage for cancer survivors with anxiety and depression, regardless of language and publication status. Two experienced researchers will separately screen the literature, collect data, analyze data and synthesize data using RevMan V.5.3 software. The quality of the included trials in the study will be assessed by the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool. Results: The protocol for the meta-analysis will systematically evaluate the reliability of massage therapy for cancer patients with anxiety and depression. Conclusion: This conclusion will provide an important basis for evaluating whether massage is reliable in treating cancer survivors who feel anxious and depressed. INPLASY registration number: INPLASY202060101

By March 31, 2020, COVID-19 had spread to more than 200 countries. Over 750,000 confirmed cases were reported, leading to more than 36,000 deaths. In this study, we analysed the efficiency of various intervention strategies to prevent infection by the virus, SARS-CoV-2, using an agent-based SEIIR model, in the fully urbanised city of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. Shortening the duration from symptom onset to hospital admission, quarantining recent arrivals from Hubei Province, and letting symptomatic individuals stay at home were found to be the three most important interventions to reduce the risk of infection in Shenzhen. The ideal time window for a mandatory quarantine of arrivals from Hubei Province was between 10 January and January 17, 2020, while the ideal time window for local intervention strategies was between 15 and 22 January. The risk of infection could have been reduced by 50% if all symptomatic individuals had immediately gone to hospital for isolation, and by 35% if a 14-day quarantine for arrivals from Hubei Province had been introduced one week earlier. Intervention strategies implemented in Shenzhen were effective, and the spread of infection would be controlled even if the initial basic reproduction number had doubled. Our results may be useful for other cities when choosing their intervention strategies to prevent outbreaks of COVID-19., Highlights • Shortening the delay to hospital is the most effective intervention in Shenzhen. • 10 to 17 January is the best time for a mandatory quarantine of Hubei's arrivals. • 15 to 22 January is the best time for local intervention strategy in Shenzhen. • Work/school closure and mask wearing are effective interventions in other countries. • Airport screening is not very effective.

There are several problems need to be solved in the process of the recognition of the point cloud target in the urban traffic scene: Low target recognition accuracy due to noise and low real-time performance when dealing with a large amount of data. Therefore, in order to improve the situation, a new method, SVM target recognition algorithm based on fast density clustering is proposed in this paper. The workflow of the algorithm includes: (1) Point cloud denoising. In this step, most noise points are removed, the adverse effect of noise on subsequent processing is avoided. (2) A fast density clustering algorithm, GLDBSCAN, is used for clustering and then the eigenvectors are extracted. (3) A SVM classifier is used to identify the point cloud target. Experimental results show that the algorithm is effective. The algorithm presented in this paper is more accurate and efficient than the previous point cloud recognition algorithms.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Grape Seed Proanthocyanidins (GSP) on Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced hypertension in pregnant mice. Fifty Kunming mice were randomized into control, control + GSP, model, and model + GSP. Three weeks later, the artery systolic blood pressure was examined and the related pathological changes were detected. Aorta relaxation function was assessed by aorta ring apparatus. Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were measured by an automatic biochemistry analyzer. Colorimetric analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence, and western blot were applied to detect related indicator in serum, cardiac, and kidney tissues. The results showed that GSP treatment for 3 weeks could improve cardiovascular and kidney remodeling indexes and decrease blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine content in serum, as well as could ameliorate oxidative stress status and endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, it is for the first time found that GSP exerts protective effect against Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced hypertension in pregnant mice, which provided a theoretical basis for potential application in the clinic.

Background Xin-Ji-Er-Kang (XJEK) is a Chinese herbal formula, which has been reported to exert effective protection on cardiovascular diseases like hypertension and myocarditis. Purpose To elucidate the protective effects of XJEK on heart failure (HF) induced by myocardial infarction (MI) through the amelioration of inflammation, oxidative stress (OS) and endothelial dysfunction(ED). Materials and methods Fifty-seven male KM mice were randomized into the following six groups (n = 9–10 for each): control group, model group, MI+XJEK low dose group(XJEKL) group, MI+XJEK middle dose group(XJEKM), MI+XJEK high dose group(XJEKH), and MI+fosinopril group (positive control group). After treatment for four weeks, electrocardiography (ECG) and haemodynamics were recorded. Serum and tissues were collected for further analysis. Endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by acetylcholine was assessed in isolated thoracic aorta ring experiment. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Van Gieson (VG) staining were used to detect the pathological changes of heart and thoracic aorta. Colorimetric analysis was employed to determine serum nitric oxide level (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. ELISA was used to detect serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and serum inflammatory cytokines, as well as endothelial NO synthetase (eNOS), angiotensinII (Ang II) and endothelin-1(ET-1) concentration in both serum and cardiac tissues. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting (WB) were employed to detect eNOS and inflammatory cytokine expressions in cardiac tissues. Results XJEK administration markedly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction and abnormal ECG manifested by decreased weight/body weight (HW/BW) ratio, BNP and remedied hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes and deposition of collagen, which might be in part attributed to the increased SOD and decreased MDA in serum. Furthermore, XJEK administration improved ED with boosted eNOS activities in serum and cardiac tissues, as well as up-regulated NO levels in serum, down-regulated Ang II and ET-1 content in serum and cardiac tissues. Lastly, protein expression of pro-inflammation cytokines significantly decreased, and anti-inflammatory cytokine was significantly enhanced in serum and cardiac tissues compared to model group. Conclusion XJEK may exert beneficial effects on HF induced by MI in mice, and the underlying mechanism may be attributable to the amelioration of ED, anti-OS and anti-inflammation effects.

In Command and Control (C2) network, the measure of invulnerability mainly focuses on structural characteristics of the network, where the operational mission has not been adequately considered. As a result, it becomes difficult to assess the invulnerability of C2 network in a dynamical manner. In this paper, the operational entities and heterogeneous relationships among combat entities are analyzed, where the operational C2 network model is constructed based on the combat theory of OODA and the super network. Subsequently, the mission link is defined, which can be used to characterize the combat network. Finally, a new measure of invulnerability for C2 networks is proposed based on the efficiency and entropy of the mission link. In particular, this measure can desirably represent the efficiency of information transmission and robustness of network structures, respectively. The simulation results have demonstrated that the proposed invulnerability measure is highly sensitive and accurate. More specifically, the proposed measure could more accurately reveal the invulnerability of C2 network, where theoretical basis for designing and optimizing the structure of C2 networks can be also provided.

With the safe and stable operation of the new generation of power line carrier communication, it is of great significance to the rapid development of smart power grid. However, due to its own physical characteristics and the impact of the external environment, communication cables usually have some security risks, such as aging, damage, theft. In this paper, a new generation of power line carrier communication trusted access network is studied. In this paper, the current situation of the new generation of power line carrier trusted access and network requirements are analyzed, then the principle and characteristics of basic ant colony algorithm are briefly introduced, then the characteristics of power line carrier communication system network and network requirements are analyzed, the improved ant colony algorithm is applied to network optimization of the new generation of PLC communication system. The algorithm makes the power line carrier communication system have certain destruction resistance and recombination ability when the network state changes, it can guarantee the reliable operation of power network communication system.

Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) is widely applied in aircraft aerodynamic and aeroelastic analysis. Iteration between the CFD and FEA will solve the aerodynamic force, flow field, structure stress and deformation under equilibrium state simultaneously. In aircraft product development, the CFD mesh and Finite element model normally do not match each other because the goal of CFD and FEA are different. To connect between unmatched interface, a pixelation method is developed to transfer the aerodynamic loads onto the finite element model correctly. The pixelation method is also easy to be implemented and parallelized.

Metallic silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with various concentrations were embedded into Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ tri-doped tellurite glasses prepared using melt-quenching and heat-treated techniques. Heat-treatment at temperature above the glass transition temperature induced the nucleation and growth of near-spherical shape silver NPs confirmed by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, and the average diameter of silver NPs was about 10 nm. The thermal stability, structural and optical properties of the prepared glasses were characterized by the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) curves, X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, absorption spectra, luminescence spectra and fluorescence decay curves. The DSC curves displayed that the prepared glasses possess good thermal stability with ∆ T larger than 138 °C while the XRD patterns indicated the amorphous structural nature. Under the excitation of 980 nm LD, the luminescence spectra exhibited two intense near-infrared band fluorescence at 1.81 and 1.53 μm in the wavelength range of 1400–2200 nm, which are originated from the Tm3+:3F4 → 3H6 and Er3+:4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transitions respectively. With the embedding of 0.5 mol % amount of silver NPs, the 1.81 μm band fluorescence of Tm3+ increased significantly by about 70%, mainly due to the local electric field enhanced effect induced by silver NPs on the basis of energy transfers from Er3+ to Tm3+ ions, and the energy transfer efficiency, micro-coefficient and critical radius were calculated to elucidate the interaction mechanism between Er3+ and Tm3+ ions. Additionally, the intensity parameters Ω t (t = 2, 4, 6) and radiative properties of Tm3+ such as the transition probabilities, radiative lifetimes and branching ratios were calculated from the measured absorption spectra based on Judd-Ofelt theory. The present results indicate that the Er3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ tri-doped tellurite glass with an appropriate amount of silver NPs is a promising luminescent material applied for the near-infrared band solid-state lasers and fiber amplifiers.

WO3 oxides with relatively high phonon energy and different concentrations were introduced into the Nd3+-doped tellurite-based glasses of TeO2-ZnO-Na2O to improve the 1.32 μm band fluorescence emission. The absorption spectra, Raman spectra, 1.32 μm band fluorescence spectra and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) curves were measured, together with the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters, stimulated emission and gain parameters were calculated to evaluate the effects of WO3 amount on the glass structure and spectroscopic properties of 1.32 μm band fluorescence. It is shown that the introduction of an appropriate amount of WO3 oxide can effectively improve the 1.32 μm band fluorescence intensity through the enhanced multi-phonon relaxation (MPR) processes between the excited levels of Nd3+. The results indicate that the prepared Nd3+-doped tellurite glass with an appropriate amount of WO3 oxide is a potential gain medium applied for the O-band broad and high-gain fiber amplifier.

For enhancing the 2.0 μm band fluorescence of Ho3+, a certain amount of WO3 oxide was introduced into Ho3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ tri-doped tellurite glass prepared using melt-quenching technique. The prepared tri-doped tellurite glass was characterized by the absorption spectra, fluorescence emission and Raman scattering spectra, together with the stimulated absorption, emission cross-sections and gain coefficient. The research results show that the introduction of WO3 oxide can further improve the 2.0 μm band fluorescence emission through the enhanced phonon-assisted energy transfers between Ho3+/Tm3+/Yb3+ ions under the excitation of 980 nm laser diode (LD). Meanwhile, the maximum gain coefficient of Ho3+ at 2.0 μm band reaches about 2.36 cm-1. An intense 2.0 μm fluorescence emission can be realized.

The present study was designed to elucidate the beneficial effects of XJEK on myocardial infarction (MI) in rats, especially through the amelioration of endothelial dysfunction (ED). 136 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into 13 groups: control group for 0wk (n = 8); sham groups for 2, 4, and 6 weeks (wk); MI groups for 2, 4, and 6 wk; MI+XJEK groups for 2, 4, and 6w k; MI+Fosinopril groups for 2, 4, and 6 wk (n = 8~10). In addition, 8 rats were treated for Evans blue staining and Tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining to determine the infarct size. Cardiac function, ECG, and cardiac morphological changes were examined. Colorimetric analysis was employed to detect nitric oxide (NO), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to determine N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP), endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin II (Ang II), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), and endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) content. The total eNOS and eNOS dimer/(dimer+monomer) ratios in cardiac tissues were detected by Western blot. We found that administration of XJEK markedly ameliorated cardiovascular remodeling (CR), which was manifested by decreased HW/BW ratio, CSA, and less collagen deposition after MI. XJEK administration also improved cardiac function by significant inhibition of the increased hemodynamic parameters in the early stage and by suppression of the decreased hemodynamic parameters later on. XJEK also continuously suppressed the increased NT-ProBNP content in the serum of MI rats. XJEK improved ED with stimulated eNOS activities, as well as upregulated NO levels, BH4 content, and eNOS dimer/(dimer+monomer) ratio in the cardiac tissues. XJEK downregulated ET-1, Ang II, and ADMA content obviously compared to sham group. In conclusion, XJEK may exert the protective effects on MI rats and could continuously ameliorate ED and reverse CR with the progression of MI over time.

Aim Cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction (MI) are currently considered as the leading causes of death and disability. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of Xin-Ji-Er-Kang (XJEK) on kidney injury and renal oxidative stress. In addition, the associated mechanism involved in these processes was examined in an MI model, and particularly focused on the nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor (NRF2)/heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) pathway. Materials and methods A total of 138 Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the present study. The control group was designated as 0 wk (n = 8). A total of 3 phases (2, 4, 6 wk) of administration were used in the sham-operated groups (sham, n = 10), MI groups (MI, n = 10), MI + XJEK groups (XJEK, n = 10) and MI + fosinopril groups (fosinopril, n = 10). Additional 10 rats were used to evaluate the infarct area. At 2, 4 or 6 wk post-MI, the hemodynamic parameters were monitored, the rats were sacrificed, then blood, heart and renal tissues were collected for furtherly analysis. Results The results indicated that XJEK administration continuously ameliorated renal hypertrophy index, blood urea nitrogen and cystatin C concentrations. XJEK further improved post-MI cardiac function by limiting scar formation and caused a downregulation in the hemodynamic parameters at the end of 2 and 4 wk. The hemodynamic parameters were upregulated after 6 wk treatment with XJEKcompared with those noted in the MI groups. Similarly, XJEK treatment for 2 wk potentiated Nrf2 nuclear translocation and HO-1 expression and inhibited the deficiency of nuclear Nrf2 and HO-1 at 6 wk post-MI compared with that of the MI groups, indicating the attenuation of the renal oxidative stress condition. The levels of malondialdehyde and angiotensin II (Ang II) in plasma and renal tissues, as well as the levels of aldosterone, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, angiotensin II type 1 receptor and NADPH Oxidase-4 in the kidney tissue significantly decreased following XJEK treatment for 6 wk. In addition, the XJEK treatment groups revealed a significant upregulation in the activity of superoxide dismutase and in the total antioxidant capacity activity compared with those noted in the corresponding MI groups. Conclusion These results demonstrated that progressive nephropathy in MI rats was associated with intrarenal activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Concomitantly, this process was associated with oxidative stress and impaired Nrf2 activation. The improvement in the severity of nephropathy by XJEK in this model may be associated with the reversal of these abnormalities.

We present a method of inspecting surface defects of ring magnets by using deep learning technology, and the inspection system developed utilizing this method has achieved much better accuracy and speed than human inspectors in actual production environment, while such accuracy and speed are essential for such systems. The proposed method can also be used for the surface defect inspection of many other industrial products and systems.

Background: This study will evaluate the clinical effect of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). Methods: In this study, we will identify relevant trials on the topic published in MEDLINE, EBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL, CBM, and CNKI from inception to the present. We will also search conference proceedings, thesis/dissertation, ongoing trials in clinical trial registry, and reference lists of included studies. Two researchers will independently carry out record selection, data extraction, and study quality assessment, respectively. Any disagreement will be arbitrated and solved with the help of a third researcher. If necessary, we will conduct random-effects meta-analysis to pool the effect estimates of included trials determined to be acceptable heterogeneity. Results: We will summarize the latest evidence to assess the effect of VR for the treatment of patients with BPPV. Conclusion: The findings of this study will help determine whether or not VR is effective in treating BPPV. OSF registration: osf.io/k83y5.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA), a concerning public health problem, seriously threatens well being of human beings. At present, studies have shown that massage therapy is effective in relieving related symptoms of KOA. However, the evidence of massage for KOA has not been systematically evaluated. Therefore, the study is conducted to systematically assess the reliability of patients with KOA treated by massage. Methods: We will retrieve the relevant literature of massage for KOA from PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, Wanfang, Chongqing VIP, CNKI, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from the establishment of the databases to August 1, 2020. Two researchers will independently perform the screening of literature and extract the basic information of the data. In addition, RevMan V.5.3 software will be used for data analysis. Results: The study will comprehensively assess the effect of massage for KOA. Conclusion: The study will provide comprehensive evidence for evaluating whether massage therapy is useful in treating patients with KOA. INPLASY registration number: INPLASY202080115.

Background: With the rising incidences stroke, the Post-Stroke Urinary Incontinence (PSUI) has become one of the common clinical sequelae. PSUI not only lowers the quality of life of patients, but also impacts tremendously to mental health. As a treasure of Chinese medicine, acupuncture and its related therapies have been widely accepted in clinical treatment of PSUI. Recently, there have been many clinical studies on the treatment of PSUI with acupuncture and related therapies, but the best way to treat PSUI is controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide an optimal ranking regarding acupuncture and its related therapies for PSUI. Methods: The five domestic and foreign databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database will be systematically searched. The time range of the literature search is from the date of establishment to August 31, 2020. The main evaluation outcome was the number of patients after treatment, and the frequency of urinary incontinence. The secondary evaluation outcome was International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF), Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index (Barthel ADL Index) and the incidence rate of adverse events. The methodological quality of the article will evaluated by Cochrane Collaboration's Tool and the quality of evidence will evaluated through Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) instrument. The Network Meta-Analysis (NMA) will be completed using Stata statistical software. Results: The final results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Conclusion: This network meta-analysis will compare the efficacy and safety of different acupuncture therapies in the treatment of PSUI and summarize the best treatment options, which will help patients and doctors to choose effective acupuncture methods in time.

Background This systematic review is designed to provide an assessment of the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion therapy for cervical vertigo (CV). Methods Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be searched from the databases of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from their inception to June 2020. Two authors will independently select studies, collect data, and assess the methodology quality by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. RevMan V.5.3 software will be used for statistical analysis. Results The results of this study will provide an assessment of the current state of moxibustion for CV and aim to prove the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion therapy. Conclusion This systematic review will provide a credible Evidence-based for the treatment of CV with moxibustion. Study registration number INPLASY202060004.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a key role in cancer metastasis but are very difficult to detect. in vivo monitoring CTCs has been recognized as an important technique for cancer research and clinical diagnosis. Recently, a noninvasive method, in vivo flow cytometry (IVFC) has been developed to enable continuous, real-time, and long-duration detection of CTCs in animal models by detecting CTC fluorescence in blood vessels excited by lasers. In this study, we present a simple optical scheme for direct noninvasive CTC detection using confocal microscopes. We demonstrate that line scanning of confocal microscopy can provide effective and quantitative CTC detection in live mice during cancer development. Rare CTC signals can be acquired at the early stage of the tumor development after implantation of subcutaneous tumor and monitored continuously to the end. Signals from CTC clusters can also be acquired and distinguished from single CTCs. Our results suggest confocal microscopy is a simple and reliable method for biologists and doctors to use for cancer research. © 2018 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

Background. Xin-Ji-Er-Kang (XJEK) shows protective effects on the myocardial ischemic diseases in our previous reports. We hypothesized that XJEK may exert preventing effects on L-NAME induced hypertensive mice by ameliorating oxidative stress (OS) and endothelial dysfunction (ED). Methods. After treatment with XJEK for four weeks, cardiac function and cardiovascular pathology changes were evaluated. Then, endothelial-dependent vascular relaxation and serum NO, eNOS, AMDA, SOD, MDA content, and cardiac tissue eNOS expression were detected. Results. The hypertensive mice displayed distinct cardiovascular remodeling including increased HW/BW index (4.7 ± 0.33 versus 5.2 ± 0.34), cross-section area, and collagen deposition. In addition, ED was found manifested by decreased serum NO (20.54 ± 8.05 versus 6.29 ± 2.33), eNOS (28.34 ± 2.36 versus 20.37 ± 2.30), content, and decreased eNOS expression in cardiac tissue and damaged endothelium-dependent diastolic function. Moreover, OS was detected confirmed by decreased SOD activity and increased MDA content in serum. However, treatment with XJEK for 4 wk could reverse cardiovascular remodeling (HW/BW index normalized from 5.2 ± 0.34 to 4.59 ± 0.25), ameliorate and preserve endothelial function (NO: 16.67 ± 7.24 versus 6.29 ± 2.33; eNOS: 16.67 ± 7.24 versus 6.29 ± 2.33), and suppress OS. Conclusion. XJEK has protective effects against cardiovascular remodeling in L-NAME induced hypertensive mice.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a post-infectious autoimmune disease. Dendritic cells (DCs) can recognize the pathogen and modulate the host immune response. Exploring the role of DCs in GBS will help our understanding of the disease development. In this study, we aimed to analyze plasmacytoid and conventional DCs in peripheral blood of patients with GBS at different stages of the disease: acute phase as well as early and late recovery phases. There was a significant increase of plasmacytoid DCs in the acute phase (p=0.03 vs healthy donors). There was a positive correlation between percentage of plasmacytoid DCs and the clinical severity of patients with GBS (r=0.61, p0.001). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry confirmed the aberrant plasmacytoid DCs in GBS. Thus, plasmacytoid DCs may participate in the development of GBS.

Gear transmission is a key component in locomotive where it delivers the traction or braking forces between the motor and the wheelset. Its working performance has a direct effect on the operating reliability and safety. Therefore, investigation on the dynamic characteristics of the gear transmission in locomotives is very meaningful. In this study, a gear transmission-locomotive-track spatial coupled dynamic model is established based on the classical locomotive-track coupled dynamics and the gear dynamics theory. Based on this model, the dynamic responses of the gear transmission can be analysed under excitations from different track geometrical irregularity, and the dynamic performance of the gear transmission can be obtained. This paper also studies the effect law of the track irregularity on the vibration of the gear transmission by using statistical indicators RMS (Root Mean Square) and PtP (Peak-to-Peak). The results indicate that the track geometrical irregularity has an obvious impact to the dynamic performance of gear transmission. The dynamic response of the gear transmission will increase violently when the locomotive runs on the track in a worse condition. The results are expected to be capable of providing some references for fatigue life prediction and reliability analysis of the gear transmissions in locomotive.

We propose a class of passive haptics that we call Sparse Haptic Proxy: a set of geometric primitives that simulate touch feedback in elaborate virtual reality scenes. Unlike previous passive haptics that replicate the virtual environment in physical space, a Sparse Haptic Proxy simulates a scene's detailed geometry by redirecting the user's hand to a matching primitive of the proxy. To bridge the divergence of the scene from the proxy, we augment an existing Haptic Retargeting technique with an on-the-fly target remapping: We predict users' intentions during interaction in the virtual space by analyzing their gaze and hand motions, and consequently redirect their hand to a matching part of the proxy. We conducted three user studies on haptic retargeting technique and implemented a system from three main results: 1) The maximum angle participants found acceptable for retargeting their hand is 40°, with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. 2) Tracking participants' eye gaze reliably predicts their touch intentions (97.5%), even while simultaneously manipulating the user's hand-eye coordination for retargeting. 3) Participants preferred minimized retargeting distances over better-matching surfaces of our Sparse Haptic Proxy when receiving haptic feedback for single-finger touch input. We demonstrate our system with two virtual scenes: a flight cockpit and a room quest game. While their scene geometries differ substantially, both use the same sparse haptic proxy to provide haptic feedback to the user during task completion.

Widespread use of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in schistosomiasis endemic areas had led to ubiquitous exposure to PCP and its residues. Numerous studies had revealed that occupational PCP exposure probably increased risk of cancers, but whether long-term community-level exposure to PCP generates the similarly carcinogenic effect, seldom studies focused on it. This study was to explore the cancer risks of long-term community-level PCP exposure from drinking water in a Chinese general population. Incident (2009-2012) cancer records were identified by local government national registry. And PCP concentration of raw drinking water samples in each district was measured by GC-MS/MS analysis for further division of three PCP exposure categories by interquartile range (high vs. medium vs. low). Internal comparisons were performed, and standard rate ratio was calculated to describe the relationship between PCP exposure and cancer risks by using low-exposure group as the reference group. PCP was detected in all 27 raw drinking water samples ranging from 11.21 to 684.00 ng/L. A total of 6,750 cases (4,409 male and 2,341 female cases) were identified, and age-standardized rate (world) was 154.95 per 100,000 person-years. The cancer incidence for the high-exposure group was remarkably high. Internal comparisons indicated that high PCP exposure might be positively associated with high cancer risks in the community population, particularly for leukemia (SRR = 5.93, 95 % CI = 5.24-6.71), maligant lymphoma (SRR = 2.27, 95 % CI = 2.10-2.54), and esophageal cancer (SRR = 2.42, 95 % CI = 2.35-2.50). Long-term community-level exposure to PCP was probably associated with hemolymph neoplasm, neurologic tumors, and digestive system neoplasm.

The demands of safety in the e-commerce based on the Internet was discussed in the paper. And it started from the threats that e-commerce faced. And then some technology used to reinforce the safety of the e-commerce was described, including the safety demands of e-commerce, the safety of network. Some safety technology were discussed such as the encryption technology,the authentication and the safety protocol etc.

High performance inverted polymer solar cell is demonstrated by introducing a nanostructured backscattering rear electrode, which is fabricated by embedding silver nanoparticle (NP) arrays into the MoO3 hole extraction layer. As verified by characterizing and simulating the electrical and optical properties, such a nanostructured rear electrode can achieve an improved cell performance by maintaining simultaneously high open-circuit voltage and fill factor values, while providing excellent short-circuit current enhancement through efficient backscattering-induced light trapping. A careful optimization of the nanostructured rear electrode can result in polymer solar cells with an enhanced power conversion efficiency of 7.21%, as compared to 6.26% of the reference cell with a flat electrode. It is noteworthy that the method described here offers a convenient and scalable way for inexpensive and high-performance polymer solar cell designs.

The lattice Boltzmann method has become an attractive and promising approach in computational fluid dynamics. In this paper, the D3Q19 multi-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method is employed to simulate complex fluid flow and its parallel algorithm is presented including Cartesian grid generation, domain decomposition method, and data exchange strategy on clusters. Considering load balancing on large scale cluster, details of domain decomposition method are presented. The numerical results show that the presented algorithm have considerable scalability on 2048 cores and the efficiency can achieve 92.01%.

The effects of exhaust temperature on infrared signature (in 3–5 μm band) for a helicopter equipped with integrative infrared suppressor were numerically investigated. The internal flow of exhaust gas and the external downwash flow, as well as the mixing between exhaust gas and downwash were simulated by CFD software to determine the temperature distributions on the helicopter skin and in the exhaust plume. Based on the skin and plume temperature distributions, a forward–backward ray-tracing method was used to calculate the infrared radiation intensity from the helicopter with a narrow-band model. The results show that for a helicopter with its integrative infrared suppressor embedded inside its rear airframe, the exhaust temperature has significant influence on the plume radiation characteristics, while the helicopter skin radiation intensity has little impact. When the exhaust temperature is raised from 900 K to 1200 K, the plume radiation intensity in 3–5 μm band is increased by about 100%, while the skin radiation intensity is increased by only about 5%. In general, the effects of exhaust temperature on helicopter infrared radiation intensity are mainly concentrated on plume, especially obvious for a lower skin emissivity case.

An impact rotary motor based on a bulk piezoelectric torsional actuator with grooved helical electrodes is proposed. The prototype actuator, with dimensions of Φ 8 mm × 10 mm, produces a maximum torsional angle of 0.035° with a driving voltage of 2200 Vp-p. Its first torsional resonant frequency is 32 kHz with the fixed-free boundary condition. The rotational speed of the developed motor is proportional to both the amplitude and the frequency of the driving voltage in low frequency range. With a saw-shaped driving voltage of 1400 Vp-p at 8 kHz, the motor can rotate at a speed of 22.5 r/min with a braking torque of 0.1 mN·m, and the stall torque can reach up to 1.6 mN·m. Although its maximum efficiency is less than 0.1%, the motor produces a rather small step angle with a large driving torque. It is suitable for ultrahigh precision positioning.

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (5): 517–525 Abstract Background Hepcidin plays a central role in iron homeostasis, which is regulated by iron stores, the rate of erythropoiesis, inflammation, and hypoxia. Aberrant expression of hepcidin was found in many diseases, however, there is scant information on hepcidin expression in acute leukemia (AL). Materials and methods 32 patients with AL which diagnosis according to FAB criteria were studied. Serum hepcidin levels, erythropoietin (EPO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), hematological parameters, intracellular and extracellular iron store were evaluated. Results Hepcidin was elevated significantly with increased iron storage in patients at onset of AL when erythropoiesis was depressed by blast cells, then decreased significantly with AL remission, while soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentration was elevated. Negative correlations were found between serum hepcidin and erythropoietic markers including RBC, Hb, Ret and sTfR. Positive correlations were shown between hepcidin and ferritin, between hepcidin and ratio of sideroblasts, as well as between hepcidin and IL-6. Conclusions Hepcidin production was regulated by iron stores, inflammation and erythropoietic activity in AL patients. Erythropoietic activity may play the main role among the regulators of hepcidin expresssion.

Two-photon microscopy (TPM) has been one of the most widely used fluorescent microscopy methods in biological tissue. The femtosecond laser in the near-infrared (NIR) range showed better penetration in tissue due to less scattering and absorption. The method to estimate the optimal wavelength generally according to the scattering and absorption is somehow too rough considering the complex biological property and other factors that influence TPM. In this report, we set up a model to calculate the optimal wavelength in the NIR range for different imaging depths by involving more parameters of TPM. The calculated result suggests the image of brain slice stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) can be acquired with the best TPM imaging quality at 780 nm excitation rather than longer wavelengths, which is consistent with our experimental results of TPM at depth of 50-300 μm in mouse brain tissue. Our results may, therefore, bring a better understanding on TPM in tissue and help to develop a more accurate model for the simulation of TPM.

We investigated the acceptability of early anti-retroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-infected people in Anhui Province, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 convenience selected cities of Anhui Province from September 2012 to December 2013. Study participants were convenience recruited from local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they attended for CD4(+) cell counts testing and HIV counselling. Answers to questionnaires were obtained through face-to-face structured interviews. Factors influencing the acceptability of early ART were identified by multiple logistic regression analysis. A total of 287 HIV-infected people met the criteria and completed the survey. The acceptability of early ART was 65.2%. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the acceptability of early ART was associated with the following factors: CD4(+) T cell count (above 750 cells/µL vs. 350 cells/µL to 550 cells/µL: OR = 0.144, P0.001), years of HIV diagnosis confirmation (1 year to 5 years vs.1 year: OR = 0.418, P = 0.005; above 5 years vs.1 year: OR = 0.160, P0.001), whether had sexual behaviour after HIV diagnosis confirmation (yes vs. no: OR = 2.342, P = 0.005) and the awareness of two early ART-related questions (OR = 4.101, P = 0.015; OR = 3.294, P0.001). In summary, the present study showed that most HIV-infected people can accept early ART. Early ART interest in Anhui HIV-infected population was high. The awareness of early ART-related knowledge in HIV-infected population was low and should be improved to achieve higher acceptability and keep adherence to early ART for HIV prevention.

The association between glutathione-S-transferase polymorphisms (GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1) and risk of acute leukemia in Asians remains controversial. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the precise association in 23 studies identified by a search of PubMed and several other databases, up to December 2013. Using random or fixed effects models odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity across studies was assessed, and funnel plots were constructed to test for publication bias. The meta-analysis showed positive associations between GST polymorphisms (GSTM1 and GSTT1 but not GSTP1) and acute leukemia risk [(OR=1.47, 95% CI 1.18-1.83); (OR=1.32, 95% CI 1.07-1.62); (OR=1.01, 95% CI 0.84-1.23), respectively] and heterogeneity between the studies. The results suggested that the GSTM1 null genotype and GSTT1null genotype, but not the GSTP1 polymorphism, might be a potential risk factors for acute leukemia. Further well-designed studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Images are one of vital ways to get information for us. However, in the practical application, images are often subject to a variety of noise, so that solving the problem of image denoising becomes particularly important. The K-SVD algorithm can improve the denoising effect by sparse coding atoms instead of the traditional method of sparse coding dictionary. In order to further improve the effect of denoising, we propose to extended the K-SVD algorithm via group sparse representation. The key point of this method is dividing the sparse coefficients into groups, so that adjusts the correlation among the elements by controlling the size of the groups. This new approach can improve the local constraints between adjacent atoms, thereby it is very important to increase the correlation between the atoms. The experimental results show that our method has a better effect on image recovery, which is efficient to prevent the block effect and can get smoother images.

Multitouch tablets, such as iPad and Android tablets, support virtual keyboards for text entry. Our 64-user study shows that 98% of the users preferred different keyboard layouts and positions depending on how they were holding these devices. However, current tablets either do not allow keyboard adjustment or require users to manually adjust the keyboards. We present iGrasp, which automatically adapts the layout and position of virtual keyboards based on how and where users are grasping the devices without requiring explicit user input. Our prototype uses 46 capacitive sensors positioned along the sides of an iPad to sense users' grasps, and supports two types of grasp-based automatic adaptation: layout switching and continuous positioning. Our two 18-user studies show that participants were able to begin typing 42% earlier using iGrasp's adaptive keyboard compared to the manually adjustable keyboard. Participants also rated iGrasp much easier to use than the manually adjustable keyboard (4.2 vs 2.9 on five-point Likert scale.)

Automatic screen rotation improves viewing experience and usability of mobile devices, but current gravity-based approaches do not support postures such as lying on one side, and manual rotation switches require explicit user input. iRotateGrasp automatically rotates screens of mobile devices to match users' viewing orientations based on how users are grasping the devices. Our insight is that users' grasps are consistent for each orientation, but significantly differ between different orientations. Our prototype used a total of 44 capacitive sensors along the four sides and the back of an iPod Touch, and uses support vector machine (SVM) to recognize grasps at 25Hz. We collected 6-users' usage under 108 different combinations of posture, orienta-tion, touchscreen operation, and left/right/both hands. Our offline analysis showed that our grasp-based approach is promising, with 80.9% accuracy when training and testing on different users, and up to 96.7% if users are willing to train the system. Our user study (N=16) showed that iRo-tateGrasp had an accuracy of 78.8% and was 31.3% more accurate than gravity-based rotation.

Automatic screen rotation improves viewing experience and usability of mobile devices, but current gravity-based approaches do not support postures such as lying on one side, and manual rotation switches require explicit user input. iRotate Grasp automatically rotates screens of mobile devices to match users' viewing orientations based on how users are grasping the devices. Our insight is that users' grasps are consistent for each orientation, but significantly differ between different orientations. Our prototype embeds a total of 32 light sensors along the four sides and the back of an iPod Touch, and uses support vector machine (SVM) to recognize grasps at 25Hz. We collected 6-users' usage under 54 different conditions: 1) grasping the device using left, right, and both hands, 2) scrolling, zooming and typing, 3) in portrait, landscape-left, and landscape-right orientations, and while 4) sitting and lying down on one side. Results show that our grasp-based approach is promising, and our iRotate Grasp prototype could correctly rotate the screen 90.5% of the time when training and testing on different users.

We present iRotate, an approach to automatically rotate screens on mobile devices to match users' face orientation. Current approaches to automatic screen rotation are based on gravity and device orientation. Our survey of 513 users shows that 42% currently experience auto-rotation that leads to incorrect viewing orientation several times a week or more, and 24% find the problem to be very serious to extremely serious. iRotate augments gravity-based approach, and uses front cameras on mobile devices to detect users' faces and rotates screens accordingly. It requires no explicit user input and supports different user postures and device orientations. We have implemented a iRotate that works in real-time on iPhone and iPad, and we assess the accuracy and limitations of iRotate through a 20- participant feasibility study.

We present TUIC, a technology that enables tangible interaction on capacitive multi-touch devices, such as iPad, iPhone, and 3M's multi-touch displays, without requiring any hardware modifications. TUIC simulates finger touches on capacitive displays using passive materials and active modulation circuits embedded inside tangible objects, and can be used with multi-touch gestures simultaneously. TUIC consists of three approaches to sense and track objects: spatial, frequency, and hybrid (spatial plus frequency). The spatial approach, also known as 2D markers, uses geometric, multi-point touch patterns to encode object IDs. Spatial tags are straightforward to construct and are easily tracked when moved, but require sufficient spacing between the multiple touch points. The frequency approach uses modulation circuits to generate high-frequency touches to encode object IDs in the time domain. It requires fewer touch points and allows smaller tags to be built. The hybrid approach combines both spatial and frequency tags to construct small tags that can be reliably tracked when moved and rotated. We show three applications demonstrating the above approaches on iPads and 3M's multi-touch displays.

The AOS packet service organization is presented firstly in this paper. Based on it, the AOS packet service throughput is analyzed. Then the relations between the frame length of AOS space data link protocol sublayer, bit error rate (ber) of physical layer and the AOS throughput are discussed and the optimal frame length which gains the maximum throughput under a certain ber is obtained. Consequently, a frame length adaptive scheme is proposed to control the frame length for the maximum throughput according to the different channel state information (CSI). Simulation results show that compared with fixed length frame transmission, the proposed scheme can improve the AOS throughput performance availably.