Search

A novel scheme to optimize the adaptive transmit waveform of chaotic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar is developed. The main objective of this work is to achieve high ability in target discrimination by using a Dirichlet process mixture model (DPMM)-based clustering method based on nonparametric Bayesian theory and to improve the capability of target detection by minimizing the mean square error of radar channel response via Kalman filtering (KF) technique. The two stages are the discrimination of multiple range-extended targets and the optimization of the adaptive chaos-based waveform for transmission. The adaptive chaotic MIMO waveform optimization scheme overcomes the problem of target discrimination and detection in an intelligent transportation system, where there is a need for extracting the feature of target information achieved from vehicle-mounted sensor. As the number of iterations increases, simulation experiments demonstrate better target discrimination capability provided by the proposed DPMM-KF technique as compared with the traditional waveform design method. In addition, the proposed DPMM-KF technique leads to improved target detection probability and receiver operating characteristics in the interference environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to quantify the interbody bone graft area following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) using traditional open and minimally invasive surgeries (MIS) and investigate their correlations with rates of fusion, complications, and clinical outcomes.Methods: Patients undergoing TLIF of 1 or 2 levels between October 2015 and December 2016 were retrospectively included. Fusion and bone graft areas were assessed with computed tomography (CT) at 6 months postoperatively. The bone graft area ratio was defined as the bone graft area divided by the average endplate area. The distributions of bone graft area within the discs were also recorded. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaires.Results: In total, 77 disc levels in 57 patients were analyzed. The fusion rate was 79.1% in the open group and 82.4% in the MIS group (p = 0.718). Clinical outcomes of both groups improved significantly. Changes in VAS and ODI scores at 12 months postoperatively were comparable between groups. Bone graft area ratio was not significantly different between the two groups (open, 38 ± 10.8%; MIS, 38.1 ± 9.0%, p = 0.977). Analysis of bone graft distribution revealed that the contralateral-dorsal part of the disc had the lowest bone graft area. The bone graft area ratio was significantly higher in the solid union group (39.2 ± 10.4%) than in the non-solid union group (33.5 ± 6.4%, p = 0.048).Conclusions: The fusion rates, bone graft area ratios, clinical outcomes, and complications were similar between MIS and open TLIF. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to discuss the surgical strategies, safety and clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal decompression for the treatment of patients with migrated lumbar disc herniation. This is a retrospective study. From May 2014 to April 2017, a total of 56 patients (32 men and 24 women) with migrated lumbar disc herniation were operated on by percutaneous endoscopic decompression via transforaminal approach. All enrolled patients had clinical symptoms with radiculopathy, and were identified as single-level, soft herniated disc by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical efficacy were evaluated chiefly by leg pain visual analogue scale score, Oswestry disability index score, and modified MacNab criteria. Patients were all successfully treated by percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal decompression, with an mean operation time of 63 ± 12 minutes. The patients were followed up for a mean duration of 15 ± 2.7 months (range 12–18 months). The leg pain visual analogue scale score was dropped from 8.2 ± 1.9 preoperatively to 2.4 ± 1.5, 2.2 ± 1.3, and 1.8 ± 1.1 at 1, 6, and 12 months after the operation, respectively. Similarly, the Oswestry disability index score was also decreased from 62.4 ± 8.2 preoperatively to 18.4 ± 6.2, 12.6 ± 5.1, and 9.2 ± 3.4 at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. There were 38 excellent cases, 13 good cases, and 5 fair cases by the assessment method of modified MacNab criteria at 12 months after the operation, with an excellent and good rate of 91.07%. Two cases were complicated with low extremity numbness, which were recovered by conservative treatment in 3 weeks. No persistent neurological deficit or infection occurred in this group postoperatively. We consider that percutaneous endoscopic decompression via transforaminal approach provided a safe, effective and minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of patients with migrated lumbar disc herniation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we proposed the 2-tuple linguistic VIKOR method based on the fundamental theories of 2-tuple linguistic information and origin VIKOR model. Firstly, we introduce the concepts, operation formulas and the distance calculating method of 2-tuple linguistic information. Then we review some aggregation operator of 2-tuple linguistic number, thereafter, the calculating steps of the VIKOR model for 2-tuple linguistic MCGDM problems are simply presented, in our proposed method; it's more scientific and reasonable for considering the conflicting attributes. Moreover, a numerical example for effect evaluation of ancient village landscape planning based on the heritage historical context has been proposed to illustrate the new method and some comparisons are also conducted to further illustrate advantages of the new method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first report the results from analyzing the GRACE satellite data for the coseismic and long-term post-seismic changes in the Earth's gravity field and geoid height induced by the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake (Mw 9.2) and the 2012 Indian-Ocean earthquake (Mw 8.6). The results suggest that the two earthquakes have changed the gravity field and geoid height irreversibly (as opposed to cyclically). We next use satellite ocean altimetry measurements to search for the geoid height change induced by the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, employing an effective method of extracting coherent space-temporal signals, namely the empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) analysis. Our results demonstrate that the sea level variation in the studied (tropical) area during the studied (10-year) period is dominated by the strong steric changes related to ENSO, to the point that the earthquake-induced signals, even using EOF for the largest earthquakes, are obscured and thus undetectable by ocean altimetry. However, this also means that steric and non-steric changes can be observed separately from artificial satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A CIL-LC-MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of CCM intermediates. • 22 CCM intermediates were simultaneously labeled using diazo reagent. • Highly sensitive detection and accurate quantification of CCM intermediates were achieved. • The developed method was applied to quantification of CCM intermediates at single-cell level. Central carbon metabolism pathway (CCM) is one of the most important metabolic pathways in all living organisms and play crucial function in aspect of organism life. However, the simultaneous detection of CCM intermediates remains challenging. Here, we developed a chemical isotope labeling combined with LC−MS method for simultaneous determination of CCM intermediates with high coverage and accuracy. By chemical derivatization with 2-(diazo-methyl)- N -methyl- N -phenyl-benzamide (2-DMBA) and d 5 -2-DMBA, all CCM intermediates obtain better separation and accurate quantification at a single LC-MS run. The obtained limits of detection of CCM intermediates ranged from 5 to 36 pg/mL. Using this method, we achieved simultaneous and accurate quantification of 22 CCM intermediates in different biological samples. Take account of the high detection sensitivity of the developed method, this method was further applied to the quantification of CCM intermediates at single-cell level. Finally, 21 CCM intermediates were detected in 1000 HEK-293T cells and 9 CCM intermediates were detected in mouse kidney glomeruli optical slice samples (10∼100 cells). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, bacterial mercury (Hg) methylation was investigated under the influence of red-tide algae of Skeletonema costatum (S. costatum). The distribution and speciation of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were profiled by employing Geobacter metallireducens (G. metallireducens GS-15) as the methylating bacteria. G. metallireducens GS-15 showed different capabilities in methylating different inorganic forms of Hg(II) (HgCl 2) and Hg(II)-Algae (HgCl 2 captured by S. costatum) to MeHg. In the absence of S. costatum , a maximum methylation efficiency of 4.31 ± 0.47% was achieved with Hg(II) of 1–100 μg L−1, while accelerated MeHg formation rate was detected at a higher initial Hg(II) concentration. In the presence of S. costatum , there were distinct changes in the distribution of THg and MeHg by altering the bioavailability of Hg(II) and Hg(II)-Algae. A larger proportion of THg tended to be retained by a higher algal biomass, resulting in decreased methylation efficiencies. The methylation efficiency of Hg(II) decreased from 3.01 ± 0.10% to 1.01 ± 0.01% with 10-mL and 250-mL algal media, and that of Hg(II)-Algae decreased from 0.83 ± 0.13% to 0.22 ± 0.01% with 10-mL and 250-mL Hg(II)-Algae media. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, surface charge properties and elemental compositions of S. costatum were used to infer that amine, carboxyl and sulfonate functional groups were most likely to interact with Hg(II) through complexation and/or electrostatic attraction. These results suggest that red-tide algae may be an influencing factor on bacterial Hg methylation in eutrophic water bodies. Unlabelled Image • Bacterial Hg methylation was investigated in the Hg-algae-bacteria system. • Bacterial MeHg yield and methylation efficiency depended on algal biomass. • Higher algal biomass reduced the potential risk of bacterial Hg methylation. • S. costatum exerted significant influences on Hg distribution and speciation. • Various functional groups in algal cells were involved in Hg-algae interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent field studies have increasingly recognized the importance of tides in dominating the coral reef hydrodynamics. Aside from the tidal level, it is also important to evaluate the effect of tidal current on wave breaking over coral reefs. In this study, a series of laboratory experiments were performed in a wave-current flume in the presence of both flooding and ebbing tides. Experimental results are reported for a variety of combined wave-current conditions based on an idealized barrier reef model. Results analyses show that the relative reef-flat submergence (the ratio of reef-flat submergence to deep-water wave height) is a key parameter to characterize such breaking-wave characteristics as the breaker type, the breaking location, the surfzone width, and the breaker depth index. The influences of the current flowrate on the breaking location, the surfzone width, and the breaker height index appear to be significant within our tested ranges. Empirical formulas to predict these characteristics in the existing literature are also improved to account for the current effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the two-body anti-triplet charmed baryon decays of B c → B n V , with B c = ( Ξ c 0 , − Ξ c + , Λ c +) and B n (V) the baryon (vector meson) states. Based on the S U (3) flavor symmetry, we predict that B (Λ c + → Σ + ρ 0 , Λ 0 ρ +) = (0.61 ± 0.46 , 0.74 ± 0.34) % , in agreement with the experimental upper bounds of (1.7 , 6) % , respectively. We also find B (Λ c + → Ξ 0 K ⁎ + , Σ 0 K ⁎ + , Λ 0 K ⁎ +) = (8.7 ± 2.7 , 1.2 ± 0.3 , 2.0 ± 0.5) × 10 − 3 to be compatible with the pseudoscalar counterparts. For the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decay Ξ c + → p ϕ , measured for the first time, we predict its branching ratio to be (1.5 ± 0.7) × 10 − 4 , together with B (Ξ c + → p K ¯ ⁎ 0 , Σ + ϕ) = (7.8 ± 2.2 , 1.9 ± 0.9) × 10 − 3. The B c → B n V decays with B ≃ O (10 − 4 − 10 − 3) are accessible to the BESIII, BELLEII and LHCb experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A novel mathematical model for worms spreading in a two-layered PLC-PC coupled network is proposed. • The disease-free and endemic equilibriums of the model are acquired. • The numerical and simulation experiments of the model are performed. • The effectiveness of different defensive measures on the security of PLC-PC coupled networks is discussed. • The effectiveness of extending the connection surface on the security of PLC-PC coupled networks is discussed. Abstract Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are important components of industrial control systems (ICSs), which are digital electronic devices with microprocessors and lack network security considerations. With the explosion of cyber-attacks on the ICS network, the concept of the worm known as PLC-PC worm that can spread between the Internet and ICS network has attracted a great deal of attention. In this paper, for the first time, we propose a propagation model to explore the spread behavior of PLC-PC worms across the PLC-PC coupled network. Theoretical analysis of the model shows the disease-free and endemic equilibriums of the network with defensive measures. And the stability of the model is examined by an epidemic threshold value. Several numerical and simulation experiments are presented to illustrate the analysis. Based on the results, some ideas for restraining the spread of PLC-PC worms or reducing the security threats of the ICS network are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended-binary phase shift keying (EBSPK)-MODEM radar-communication transceiver is considered as high-range resolution (HRR) radar in the ranging mode. In this paper, a new range-extended target detection method for EBPSK transceiver is investigated. First, the signal to noise ratio (SNR) improved amount of the proposed system is deduced. Secondly, Mean square error (MSE) of target scattering parameter is estimated. The optimal EBPSK waveform is designed to make sure that the estimated performance of the target frequency domain scattering parameters is optimal. Target detection performances of the optimized EBPSK signal in the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel and the dispersive channel are investigated, respectively. Finally, through optimizing carrier frequency and modulation parameters, the simulation experiment results showed that detection performance of the optimized EBSPK signal is better than the unoptimized EBSPK signal and traditional radar signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research work considers waveform design for an adaptive radar system. The aim is to achieve enhanced feature extraction performance for multiple extended targets. There are two scenarios to consider: multiple extended targets separated in range and multiple extended targets close in range. We propose a waveform optimization scheme based on Kalman filtering by minimizing the mean square error of separated target scattering coefficient estimation and a waveform optimization approach by minimizing the mean square error of closed power spectrum density estimation. A convex cost function is established, and the optimal solution can be obtained using the existing convex programming algorithm. With subsequent iterations of the algorithm, the simulation results demonstrate an improvement in the estimation of target parameters from the dynamic scene, such as target scattering coefficient and power spectrum density, while maintaining relatively lower computational complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to optically reconfigure an existing actuator of a liquid crystal polymer network (LCN) so that it can display a new actuation behavior or function is highly desired in developing materials for soft robotics applications. Demonstrated here is a powerful approach relying on selective polymer chain decrosslinking in a LCN actuator with uniaxial LC alignment. Using an anthracene‐containing LCN, spatially controlled optical decrosslinking can be realized through photocleavage of anthracene dimers under 254 nm UV light, which alters the distribution of actuation (crosslinked) and non‐actuation (decrosslinked) domains and thus determines the actuation behavior upon order‐disorder phase transitions. Based on this mechanism, a single actuator having a flat shape can be reconfigured in an on‐demand manner to exhibit reversible shape transformation such as self‐folding into origami three‐dimensional structures. Moreover, using a dye‐doped LCN actuator, a light‐fueled microwalker can be optically reconfigured to adopt different locomotion behaviors, changing from moving in the laser scanning direction to moving in the opposite direction. Walk along: Selective polymer chain decrosslinking in a liquid crystal polymer network (LCN) actuator is demonstrated. Spatially controlled optical decrosslinking alters the distribution of the actuation (crosslinked) and non‐actuation (decrosslinked) domains, and determines the actuation behavior upon the order–disorder phase transition. By using a dye‐doped LCN actuator, a light‐fueled microwalker can be optically reconfigured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to optically reconfigure an existing actuator of a liquid crystal polymer network (LCN) so that it can display a new actuation behavior or function is highly desired in developing materials for soft robotics applications. Demonstrated here is a powerful approach relying on selective polymer chain decrosslinking in a LCN actuator with uniaxial LC alignment. Using an anthracene‐containing LCN, spatially controlled optical decrosslinking can be realized through photocleavage of anthracene dimers under 254 nm UV light, which alters the distribution of actuation (crosslinked) and non‐actuation (decrosslinked) domains and thus determines the actuation behavior upon order‐disorder phase transitions. Based on this mechanism, a single actuator having a flat shape can be reconfigured in an on‐demand manner to exhibit reversible shape transformation such as self‐folding into origami three‐dimensional structures. Moreover, using a dye‐doped LCN actuator, a light‐fueled microwalker can be optically reconfigured to adopt different locomotion behaviors, changing from moving in the laser scanning direction to moving in the opposite direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnaporthe oryzae is a fungal pathogen that causes rice (Oryza sativa) blast. SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) are key components in vesicle trafficking in eukaryotic cells and are known to contribute to fungal pathogen resistance. Syntaxin of Plants121 (SYP121), a Qa-SNARE, has been reported to function in nonhost resistance in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). However, the functions of SYP121 in host resistance to rice blast are largely unknown. Here, we report that the rice SYP121 protein, OsSYP121, accumulates at fungal penetration sites and mediates host resistance to rice blast. OsSYP121 is plasma membrane localized and its expression was obviously induced by the rice blast in both the blast-resistant rice landrace Heikezijing and the blast-susceptible landrace Suyunuo (Su). Overexpression of OsSYP121 in Su resulted in enhanced resistance to blast. Knockdown of OsSYP121 expression in Su resulted in a more susceptible phenotype. However, knockdown of OsSYP121 expression in the resistant landrace Heikezijing resulted in susceptibility to the blast fungus. The POsSYP121::GFP-OsSYP121 accumulated at rice blast penetration sites in transgenic rice, as observed by confocal microscopy. Yeast two-hybrid results showed that OsSYP121 can interact with OsSNAP32 (Synaptosome-associated protein of 32 kD) and Vesicle-associated membrane protein714/724. The interaction between OsSYP121 and OsSNAP32 may contribute to host resistance to rice blast. Our study reveals that OsSYP121 plays an important role in rice blast resistance as it is a key component in vesicle trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a method to simulate desired approach turbulence characteristics and improve the typhoon resistance ability for complex building and transmission tower-line system in a multiple controlled fan wind tunnel is described. A case study is investigated using a closed-circuit single controlled fan wind tunnel model of the Full-Scale Test Facility at the State Grid Fujian Electric Power Research Institute for State Grid Wind Tunnel Laboratory. A small-scale model of the closed-circuit single controlled fan wind tunnel is designed and established to simulate the turbulence characteristics and develop the target turbulent flow generating methods efficiently. The results reveal that the value of the maximum average wind speed can reach 18.2 m/s and the maximum circular frequency is 7 Hz. Here, the mean wind speed of the sinusoidal wave flow is 15.1 m/s at the peak of amplitude of 3.8 m/s. The generated sinusoidal wave flow has a high correlation coefficient at 94.3% with the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a theoretical analysis of orbital angular momentum (OAM) wave propagation properties in terms of reflection and refraction is introduced by decomposing OAM waves into infinite plane waves in the spectral domain with different elevation and azimuth angles. Transformations of phases and amplitudes at the interface of two media for different incident angles and elevation angles are numerically analyzed. Similarly, based on the idea of decomposing OAM waves, reflection and refraction properties of OAMwave propagating through slabs are also analyzed and simulated. Finally, experiments on OAM waves with both mode numbers 1 and 2 are conducted to demonstrate the reflection and refraction properties of OAM waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Jet mixings of different constructional lobed mixers comprised of lobed nozzles with and without a mixing duct were investigated numerically. Based on the heat and mass transfer investigation in the streamwise vortices and the "stretch" and "cut" of the normal vortex ring, suggestions on investigations of lobed jet mixing were provided. A more reasonable mechanism for lobed jet mixing was suggested to be revealed when combined fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer were being investigated. Differences in fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer with different constructional lobed mixers meant different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of new organic–inorganic nanohybrids were successfully prepared by using Congo red and heat-treated halloysite clays. The results show that an increase in calcination temperature leads to the reduction of lightness (L *) and color hue (a *, b *). The hybrids prepared, respectively, with 400∘C treated and 500∘C treated halloysites have the same order of HNO 3 > HCl > H 2 SO 4 with respect to the acid resistance. The hybrid with a light red hue can be obtained by alkali treatment when halloysite calcined at higher temperature was used as a host. There exists a strong host–guest interaction between nanotubes and Congo red anions. The leaching of aluminum in the clay has a decisive influence on the acid/alkali resistance of the hybrid. A series of Congo red and heat-treated halloysite nanotube hybrids was prepared using adsorption–desorption method. The calcination temperature of halloysite has a significant effect on the color and chemical resistance of the hybrids, especially for the samples calcined at 400 and 500∘C. The color of the hybrids is mainly controlled by the amount of dye loaded on halloysite nanotubes, and the leaching amount of Al3+ from clay in strong acid or base system is the decisive factor for the chemical resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a constant stress accelerated life test terminated by a hybrid Type-I censoring at the first stress level. The model is based on a general log-location-scale lifetime distribution with mean life being a linear function of stress and with constant scale. We obtain the maximum likelihood estimators (MLE) and the approximate maximum likelihood estimators (AMLE) of the model parameters. Approximate confidence intervals, likelihood ratio tests and two bootstrap methods are used to construct confidence intervals for the unknown parameters of the Weibull and lognormal distributions using the MLEs. Finally, a simulation study and two illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the performance of the developed inferential methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The novel geometric indicator RSGGC provides a quantitative estimate of the effect of radiotherapy. • Radiotherapy is more effective for patients with a higher RSGGC score. • The cancer cell lines with higher RSGGC values are more sensitive to irradiation thus have smaller values of the survival fraction. • The score can evaluate radiation therapy effects at the subtypes level of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Abstract Radiotherapy plays a vital role in cancer treatment, for which accurate prognosis is important for guiding sequential treatment and improving the curative effect for patients. An issue of great significance in radiotherapy is to assess tumor radiosensitivity for devising the optimal treatment strategy. Previous studies focused on gene expression in cells closely associated with radiosensitivity, but factors such as the response of a cancer patient to irradiation and the patient survival time are largely ignored. For clinical cancer treatment, a specific pre-treatment indicator taking into account cancer cell type and patient radiosensitivity is of great value but it has been missing. Here, we propose an effective indicator for radiosensitivity: radiosensitive gene group centrality (RSGGC), which characterizes the importance of the group of genes that are radiosensitive in the whole gene correlation network. We demonstrate, using both clinical patient data and experimental cancer cell lines, which RSGGC can provide a quantitative estimate of the effect of radiotherapy, with factors such as the patient survival time and the survived fraction of cancer cell lines under radiotherapy fully taken into account. Our main finding is that, for patients with a higher RSGGC score before radiotherapy, cancer treatment tends to be more effective. The RSGGC can have significant applications in clinical prognosis, serving as a key measure to classifying radiosensitive and radioresistant patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Four OAS family genes were characterized in the Chinese tree shrew. • tOAS3 was lost in the Chinese tree shrew genome. • The mRNA expression levels of tOASs were induced by virus infections. • Overexpression of tOASs significantly inhibited DNA and RNA virus replications. • Antiviral effects of tOAS1 and tOAS2 were mediated by the RNase L pathway. Abstract Virus infection induces type I interferons (IFNs) that in turn exert their pleiotropic effects through inducing a large number of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The IFN-induced 2′,5′-oligoadenylate synthetases (OASs) have been identified as a member of the ISGs family characterized by the ability to synthesize 2′,5′-oligoadenylate (2-5A), which can induce the degradation of viral RNA by activating RNase L within the infected cells to block viral replications. In this study, we characterized the OASs of the Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis), a small mammal genetically close to primates and has the potential as animal model for viral infections. We identified 4 putative tree shrew OASs (tOASs , including tOAS1 , tOAS2 , tOASL1 , and tOASL2) and characterized their roles in antiviral responses. Tree shrew lost tOAS3 that was presented in human and mouse. Phylogenetic analyses based on the protein sequences showed a close relationship of tOASs with those of mammals. Constitutive mRNA expression of tOASs was found in seven tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, small intestine and brain). Moreover, tOASs were significantly up-regulated upon various virus infections. Overexpression of tOASs significantly inhibited DNA virus and RNA virus replications in tree shrew primary renal cells. tOAS1 and tOAS2, but not tOASL1 and tOASL2, exerted their anti-HSV activity in an RNase L-dependent pathway. Collectively, our results revealed the evolutionary conservation of tOASs in tree shrew and might offer helpful information for creating viral infection models using the Chinese tree shrew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effect of three anaesthetic drugs on postoperative recovery, regulatory T cells and T cell subset levels in elderly patients. Methods: The patients were randomly divided into groups A, B and C (42 patients per group). Group A received intravenous remifentanil, dexamethasone, dexmedetomidine and propofol, followed by continuous intraoperative inhalation of sevoflurane and continuous intravenous pumping of remifentanil. Group B was given intravenous propofol and midazolam, followed by continuous intraoperative inhalation of sevoflurane, while Group C received intravenous etomidate and rocuronium, with continuous intraoperative inhalation of sevoflurane. The preoperative or 24-h postoperative T regulatory cells (CD4+ CD25+) and T cell subsets (CD4+ and CD8+) were determined for each group. Results: MMSE scores in the three groups were lower than their pre-operation scores (p < 0.05). There were significant reductions in 24-h postoperative serum CD4+ CD25+ and CD4+ levels, with higher reductions in group B (p < 0.05). In contrast, CD8+ increased in all groups, but was lower in group B than in the other two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that propofol, midazolam and sevoflurane have rapid onset of action and recovery, which improves the comfort of patients while decreasing negative impact on the function of the immune system. Furthermore, these anaesthetic agents enhance the recovery of elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the seismic response of high CFRDs under non-uniform ground motion input is conducted using a novel non-uniform input motion calculation method combined with nonlinear FEM. The non-uniform input motion calculation method and its basic assumption are validated. The response of CFRDs under uniform and non-uniform input is compared to discuss the necessity of conducting seismic analysis of high CFRDs under realistic non-uniform ground motion input. When the acceleration at the surface of the free field for dynamic simulations with uniform and non-uniform input is kept consistent, the seismic response of CFRDs under non-uniform input is in general significantly smaller, while the dynamic tensile stress around the edges of the concrete face slab is greater. The simulation results suggest that non-uniformity of the ground motion input has important effects on the seismic response of high CFRDs and should be considered in the seismic design of CFRDs. The influence of the incident angle of seismic waves is also investigated, with results indicating that the influence is waveform dependent, while being frequency independent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new set of laboratory data for spectral wave processes over an idealized fringing reef is reported. • Different reef morphologies with/without reef crest, lagoon and reef surface roughness are examined. • Infragravity (IG) waves on reef flat are confirmed to be generated by the breakpoint forcing mechanism. • IG wave resonance on reef flat is identified by a spectral analysis of shoreline wave records. • A Boussinesq model is applied to investigate varying fore-reef slopes, reef-crest widths, lagoon widths, and reef roughness coefficients. Abstract Many low-lying tropical and sub-tropical atolls fringed by coral reefs are susceptible to coastal inundation during extreme wave events. Previous studies have shown that the infragravity (IG) wave is the dominant component of shoreline run-up compared to the sea and swell (SS) wave and the wave-induced setup. To better understand both the SS and IG wave dynamics over a fringing reef with various morphologies, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted in a wave flume based on an idealized fringing reef profile. The shoreline responses of waves to different reef morphologies with/without the reef crest, the lagoon and the reef surface roughness were examined. IG wave resonance on the reef flat was identified by a spectral analysis of the shoreline wave records. Subsequently, a numerical model based on the Boussinesq equations was validated by the experimental data. The model was then applied to investigate the impacts of varying reef morphologic features (fore-reef slope, reef-crest width, lagoon width, and reef roughness coefficient) on the shoreline wave motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract By combining the high mobility of a nm-scale u-GaN layer with the high hole concentration of the neighboring p-GaN layers for hole diffusing into the u-GaN layer, an extremely high effective conductivity in the lateral dimension can be obtained in a p-GaN/u-GaN alternating-layer structure. To better understand the current flow distribution and more accurately estimate the effective lateral conductivity and the current penetration depth, which is related to the vertical conductivity, in such a layered structure, we prepare a series of sample with different thickness combinations of the upper portion of a layered p-type structure to be characterized and the lower p-type portion of significantly higher conductivity. The measured sheet conductance results of the series of sample are fitted with a model, in which an exponential decay of conductance contribution with depth in the upper portion and a uniform distribution in the lower portion are assumed, to obtain the current penetration depth and effective conductivity of the upper portion. The relative size of the current penetration depth with respect to the total p-type layer thickness can be used as a criterion for high enough vertical conductivity in device application. Highlights • Demonstration of record-low resistivity in a p-type layer by forming a p-GaN/u-GaN alternating-layer nanostructure. • Demonstration of a novel technique for more accurately measuring the current penetration depth and effective conductivity. • Buildup of an effective model for simulating the conductivity of a nano-scale layered doped-semiconductor structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, we study some non-weight modules over the loop-Virasoro algebra L and Block type Lie algebras B(q) , where q is a nonzero complex number. Those modules when restricted to the Cartan subalgebra (modulo center) are free of rank one. We provide a sufficient and necessary condition for such modules to be simple, and determine their isomorphism classes. Moreover, we obtain the simplicity of modules over loop-Virasoro algebras by taking tensor products of some irreducible modules mentioned above with irreducible highest weight modules or Whittaker modules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Achieving good cell performance and high thermal stability of inverted ternary organic solar cell based on a single polymer donor (PTB7-Th) and two acceptors: one a polymer (N2200) and the other a fullerene component (PC 71 BM). • Ternary blended film based on PTB7-Th:N2200:PC 71 BM at a composition of 2:0.5:2.5 (w/w/w) exhibited a best PCE of 6.2%, and reached 7.7% after introducing 1% of 1,8-diiodoctane (DIO). • The ternary cell also exhibited good long-term thermal stability after annealing at 100 °C for 1000 h. Abstract Solution-processed bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells based on ternary blends have previously achieved high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). In this study, we obtained a combination of good cell performance and high thermal stability for an inverted ternary organic solar cell based on a single polymer donor (PTB7-Th) and two acceptors: one a polymer (N2200) and the other a fullerene component (PC 71 BM). The ternary blended film based on PTB7-Th:N2200:PC 71 BM at a composition of 2:0.5:2.5 (w/w/w) featured suitable cascade energy levels, a broad comprehensive absorption region, and smooth interfaces; its corresponding device exhibited a best PCE of 6.2%, an open-circuit voltage of 0.82 V, and a short-circuit current density of 14.4 mA cm−2. After introducing 1% of 1,8-diiodoctane (DIO), the highest PCE reached 7.7%. Furthermore, this ternary cell exhibited good long-term thermal stability after annealing at 100 °C for 1000 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. Colon cancer-associated transcript-1 (CCAT1), located in the vicinity of transcription factor c-Myc, was first identified in colon cancer. A small-molecule compound CX3543 (Quarfloxin) selectively targeting Myc G-quadruplexes has entered phase II clinical trials for neuroendocrine carcinomas. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between CX3543, CCAT1, and cell apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Methods. Semiquantitative PCR was used to detect the relative expression of CCAT1 in colon cancer (CC) tissues and HT29 cell lines. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was also used to investigate the expression of CCAT1 and c-Myc after HT29 cells being treated by CX3543 for 24 h. Cell apoptosis assay and cell proliferation assay were conducted in HT29 cells after being treated by CX3543. Results. The results showed that the expression of CCAT1 was remarkably increased in CC tissues and HT29 cells compared to controls. CX3543 treatment reduced the expression of c-Myc and CCAT1 and promoted cell apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation. After the expression of CCAT1 was inhibited by sh-CCAT1 transfection, the cell apoptosis rate was higher than that of control group. After the cells were treated by CCAT1 overexpression plasmid transfection and CX3543, the cell apoptosis rate was lower than that of control group. In vivo results showed that CX3543 inhibited the xenograft tumor growth of rats through downregulation of CCAT1. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated that CX3543 could inhibit the progression of colon cancer by downregulating CCAT1 expression and might be a potential drug for the treatment of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccination is a promising approach for active-specific immunotherapy, but is currently of limited efficacy. The safety and effectiveness of a DC vaccine (DCV) loaded with glioblastoma stem cell-like (GSC) antigens was assessed in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II clinical trial, 43 GBM patients were randomized after surgery at a 1:1 ratio to receive either DCV (n = 22) or normal saline placebo (n = 21). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analysed. Participants were stratified into different molecular subgroups based on the mutation (MT) status of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1/2) and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). Plasma cytokine levels, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte numbers and immune co-inhibitory molecules PD-L1 and B7-H4 were also assessed. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that DCV treatment significantly prolonged OS (p = 0.02) after adjusting for IDH1 and TERT promoter MT and B7-H4 expression, primary vs recurrent GBM. Among IDH1wild type (WT) TERTMT patients, DCV treatment significantly prolonged OS (p < 0.01) and PFS (p = 0.03) and increased plasma levels of cytokines CCL22 and IFN-γ compared with placebo. Patients with low B7-H4 expression showed significantly prolonged OS (p = 0.02) after DCV treatment. Therefore, IDH1WTTERTMT and low B7-H4 expression identified subgroups of GBM patients more responsive to GSC DCV-based specific active-immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithium metal anode is regarded as a promising candidate in next‐generation energy storage devices. Lithium nitrate (LiNO3) is widely applied as an effective additive in ether electrolyte to increase the interfacial stability in batteries containing lithium metal anodes. However, because of its poor solubility LiNO3 is rarely utilized in the high‐voltage window provided by carbonate electrolyte. Dissolution of LiNO3 in carbonate electrolyte is realized through an effective solvation regulation strategy. LiNO3 can be directly dissolved in an ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate electrolyte mixture by adding trace amounts of copper fluoride as a dissolution promoter. LiNO3 protects the Li metal anode in a working high‐voltage Li metal battery. When a LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode is paired with a Li metal anode, an extraordinary capacity retention of 53 % is achieved after 300 cycles (13 % after 200 cycles for LiNO3‐free electrolyte) and a very high average Coulombic efficiency above 99.5 % is achieved at 0.5 C. The solvation chemistry of LiNO3‐containing carbonate electrolyte may sustain high‐voltage Li metal anodes operating in corrosive carbonate electrolytes. Liquid assets: LiNO3 can be dissolved directly in an ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate electrolyte mixture by adding a trace amount of copper fluoride to promote dissolution. The solvation structure of the electrolyte system protects the lithium metal anode in a working high‐voltage lithium metal battery. NCA=LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significance: Oxidative stress caused by overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells is one of the most important contributors to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Excessive accumulation of ROS impairs, while limiting oxidative stress protects cardiovascular and metabolic function through various cellular mechanisms. Recent Advances: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are novel regulators of oxidative stress in cardiovascular cells that modulate the expression of redox-related genes. This article summarizes recent advances in our understanding of how miRNAs target major ROS generators, antioxidant signaling pathways, and effectors in cells of the cardiovascular system. Critical Issues: The role of miRNAs in regulating ROS in cardiovascular cells is complicated because miRNAs can target multiple redox-related genes, act on redox regulatory pathways indirectly, and display contextdependent pro- or antioxidant effects. The complex regulatory network of ROS and the plethora of targets make it difficult to pin point the role of miRNAs and develop them as therapeutics. Therefore, these properties should be considered when designing strategies for therapeutic or diagnostic development. Future Directions: Future studies can gain a better understanding of redox-related miRNAs by investigating their own regulatory mechanisms and the dual role of ROS in the cardiovascular systems. The combination of improved study design and technical advancements will reveal newer pathophysiological importance of redoxrelated miRNAs. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 29, 1092-1107. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently introduced hierarchical generative model unified the inference of effective connectivity in individual subjects and the unsupervised identification of subgroups defined by connectivity patterns. This hierarchical unsupervised generative embedding (HUGE) approach combined a hierarchical formulation of dynamic causal modelling (DCM) for fMRI with Gaussian mixture models and relied on Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling for inference. While well suited for the inversion of complex hierarchical models, MCMC-based sampling suffers from a computational burden that is prohibitive for many applications. To address this problem, this paper derives an efficient variational Bayesian (VB) inversion scheme for HUGE that simultaneously provides approximations to the posterior distribution over model parameters and to the log model evidence. The face validity of the VB scheme was tested using two synthetic fMRI datasets with known ground truth. Additionally, an empirical fMRI dataset of stroke patients and healthy controls was used to evaluate the practical utility of the method in application to real-world problems. Our analyses demonstrate good performance of our VB scheme, with a marked speed-up of model inversion by two orders of magnitude compared to MCMC, while maintaining a similar level of accuracy. Notably, additional acceleration would be possible if parallel computing techniques were applied. Generally, our VB implementation of HUGE is fast enough to support multi-start procedures for whole-group analyses, a useful strategy to ameliorate problems with local extrema. HUGE thus represents a potentially useful practical solution for an important problem in clinical neuromodeling and computational psychiatry, i.e., the unsupervised detection of subgroups in heterogeneous populations that are defined by effective connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We extend the heterogeneous coefficients spatial autoregressive panel model (HSAR) from Aquaro, Bailey, and Pesaran (2015) to the case of a heterogeneous coefficients matrix exponential spatial specification (HMESS). The HSAR is capable of producing parameter estimates for each region in the sample, that follow a spatial autoregressive process. Spatial autoregressive processes apply geometric decay of influence to higher‐order neighboring regions. The HMESS takes a similar approach as the HSAR to produce estimates for each region in the sample, but relies on a matrix exponential function to apply exponential decay to higher‐order neighbors. The MESS introduced by LeSage and Pace (2007) for the case of cross‐sectional spatial data samples has some potential computational advantages over the spatial autoregressive specification. In addition, the spatial dependence parameter in the MESS ranges from minus to plus infinity, which allows for use of normal priors assigned to this parameter in a Bayesian setting. We extend the cross‐sectional MESS to the case of a heterogeneous coefficients model, and describe Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimation. We illustrate the HMESS model with a panel wage curve relationship using quarterly unemployment and wage rates from 261 counties centered on the Bakken shale oil region in North Dakota and Montana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let g=W1 be the Witt algebra over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic p > 3; and let be the commuting variety of g. In contrast with the case of classical Lie algebras of P. Levy [J. Algebra, 2002, 250: 473-484], we show that the variety is reducible, and not equidimensional. Irreducible components of and their dimensions are precisely given. As a consequence, the variety is not normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2017, the DAMPE collaboration announced their first measurement of the electron spectrum between energies of 25 GeV and 4.6 TeV, including a narrow peak at ∼1.4 TeV with marginal significance. However, this feature is not observed in the larger statistic H.E.S.S. spectrum reported a few month earlier in the ICRC 2017. In this work, we perform a likelihood ratio method to test whether the DAMPE excess is compatible with the preliminary H.E.S.S. spectrum. By assuming the performance of the H.E.S.S. analysis is smooth with the electron energy, a 95 % CL upper limit on a stable DAMPE-like signal is set at ∼ 17 % of the DAMPE excess flux. The further investigation will rely on the formal publication of H.E.S.S. spectrum and higher statistic spectrum of DAMPE in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary action of near-shore waves at many field reef sites is to produce a wave-induced setup and 2DH reef-lagoon-channel circulation cells. Instead of using wave basin to study the behaviors of the wave-induced setup and wave-driven flow in such systems, an experimental technique was introduced to achieve the same objective through wave-flume tests. A pipe with a valve was installed underneath the wave flume to connect the lagoon and the ocean side, which makes it possible to simulate a rip channel connecting the lagoon and the offshore side. Experimental results for two reef systems with a fore-reef slope (1V:6H) were obtained under a series of monochromatic wave conditions: one simulating a closed lagoon and the other simulating an open lagoon. Compared with the reef system with a closed lagoon, connecting the lagoon to the ocean side was found to have the following effects: (i) producing a wave-driven current on the reef flat, (ii) reducing the maximum wave setup on the reef flat by 10%–40%, and (iii) causing the wave setup to decrease continuously along the reef flat all the way to the lagoon. For the reef system with an open lagoon, the wave-driven current was found to increase with increasing wave height and wave period, and there appeared to be a peak value of the current within the tested range of reef-flat submergences. The experimental results for the two reef systems were compared with a set of existing wave-basin results for similar reef systems, but with a much steeper fore-reef slope (1V:1H). The dimensionless parameters used in the literature were found to be insufficient to describe both the wave setup and wave-driven current on the reef flat for the reef system with an open lagoon. A semi-analytical quasi-2DH model, which was devised according to the balances of momentum and mass, was also included to understand how the reef and channel morphology and the bottom roughness affect the wave setup and wave-driven current in a reef-lagoon-channel system. The semi-analytical model was validated by our laboratory data as well as field observations reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a variety of evaluation methods were used, including active range of motion (AROM), Knee Society Score (KSS), and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), but except passive range of motion (PROM). To the Editor, We read with great interest the article by Magdalena Richter regarding the "Effect of continuous passive motion on the early recovery outcomes after total knee arthroplasty" [[1]]. Exercise combined with continuous passive motion or slider board therapy compared with exercise only: a randomized controlled trial of patients following total knee arthroplasty. [Extracted from the article]

In order to relieve the problem of a false and missed detection of casting defects in X-ray detection, a robust detection method based on vision attention mechanism and deep learning of feature map is proposed. The ray images are used as input sequence, the false detection is eliminated by the intra-frame attention strategy, and the missed detection is excluded by the inter-frame deep convolution neural network (DCNN) strategy. In the intra-frame detection stage, the center-peripheral difference method is proposed to simulate the difference operation of biological vision; the suspicious defect area is directly detected according to the gradient threshold in this stage. In the inter-frame learning stage, the convolution neural network is established based on deep learning strategy to extract defect feature from a suspicious defect area; a deep learning feature vector is obtained in this stage. The similarity degree of the suspicious defect area is computed by a feature vector; a casting defect is tracked by the similarity matching of the suspicious defect in continuous frames; then, the false defects (such as noise) is excluded after defect tracking. The experimental results show that the false rate and missed rate for detection of casting defects are less than 4%, and the accuracy of the defect detection is more than 96%, which proves the robustness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We aimed to investigate the prognostic significance of combined pretreatment lymphocyte counts (LCs) and body mass index (BMI) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) treated with radiation therapy (RT). Nine hundred and twelve patients with HNC who were treated with RT were retrospectively reviewed. Survival was analyzed by stratifying the patients according to pretreatment LCs and BMI. Patients with low pretreatment LCs and BMI were characterized by a more advanced T stage, fewer nasopharyngeal subsites, less smoking and drinking, and fewer comorbidities. Patients with low pretreatment LCs and BMI had a significantly poorer overall and distant metastasis‐free survival than those with high pretreatment LCs and BMI. No significant differences were observed in terms of local or regional recurrence‐free survival. Combined pretreatment LCs and BMI may be more effective at predicting overall and distant metastasis‐free survival in patients with HNC treated with RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Notch1 signaling pathway is considered as one of important regulators of angiogenesis during development, but its role in cerebral ischemia-induced angiogenesis is less well understood. Here, we used human and rodent brains to explore whether Notch1 signaling was involved in the angiogenesis after focal cerebral ischemia. Using immunohistochemistry on surgically resected ischemic stroke brain tissue, we found that the area, volume, and length of the blood vessels in the peri-infarct regions were significantly increased after ischemic stroke in humans, compared with non-ischemic stroke specimens. In addition, the expression of the activated form of Notch1 (Notch intracellular domain; NICD) was increased in endothelial cells of the peri-infarct region. The Notch1 ligand, Jagged1, also increased in abundance in the peri-infarct regions in human. We further confirmed that Notch1 signaling was activated in the peri-infarct regions in a mouse distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) model. Lentivirus-mediated Notch1 knockdown reduced ischemia-induced angiogenesis in the peri-infarct regions of the brain. Our findings suggest that ischemic stroke in human can also induce angiogenesis in the peri-infarct regions as does in animal models of focal ischemia and that Notch1 signaling plays a critical role in mediating this process, which may provide fundamental knowledge regarding the potential mechanisms underlying angiogenesis after ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive radio is an effective technology to improve spectrum utilization through spectrum sharing among primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs). Developing accurate and efficient methods to determine the PU coverage is crucial in order to avoid potential interference from SU to PU. In this paper, we propose to use the estimated location of each SU, which is obtained using the self-organizing maps algorithm, to determine the boundary of PU coverage. Furthermore, the PU boundary detection issue considering the presence of malicious SUs is also investigated. Support vector machine (SVM) algorithm, considering both linear and kernel cases, is implemented as the PU boundary detection method. Numerical results show that the boundary detection accuracy based on the estimated network layout approaches the results obtained from an accurate network layout (i.e., each SU with precise location information) and the kernel-based SVM classification results outperform the linear SVM method. In addition, PU boundary detection performance in the presence of malicious SUs is evaluated, in which three different $K$ nearest neighbor based malicious SU detection algorithms are utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Despite the success of modern neuroimaging techniques in furthering our understanding of cognitive and pathophysiological processes, translation of these advances into clinically relevant tools has been virtually absent until now. Neuromodeling represents a powerful framework for overcoming this translational deadlock, and the development of computational models to solve clinical problems has become a major scientific goal over the last decade, as reflected by the emergence of clinically oriented neuromodeling fields like Computational Psychiatry, Computational Neurology, and Computational Psychosomatics. Generative models of brain physiology and connectivity in the human brain play a key role in this endeavor, striving for computational assays that can be applied to neuroimaging data from individual patients for differential diagnosis and treatment prediction. In this review, we focus on dynamic causal modeling (DCM) and its use for Computational Psychiatry. DCM is a widely used generative modeling framework for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magneto‐/electroencephalography (M/EEG) data. This article reviews the basic concepts of DCM, revisits examples where it has proven valuable for addressing clinically relevant questions, and critically discusses methodological challenges and recent methodological advances. We conclude this review with a more general discussion of the promises and pitfalls of generative models in Computational Psychiatry and highlight the path that lies ahead of us. This article is categorized under: Neuroscience > Computation Neuroscience > Clinical Neuroscience [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The system architecture for cognitive radar-communication (CRC) transceiver is proposed. A cognitive waveforms design approach, which is suitable for simultaneously performing both data communication and target detection, is presented. This approach aims at estimating target scattering coefficient (TSC) from the radar scene and facilitating high data rate communications. In order to minimize the mean square error (MSE) of the TSC, a convex cost function is established. The peak to average power ratio- (PAPR-) constrained optimal solution is achieved by applying the Kalman filtering-based strategy to design the set of ultra-wideband (UWB) transmission pulses and embed into them the information data with the M-ary position phase shift keying modulation technique. In addition to theoretical considerations, the simulation results show an improvement in target scattering coefficient (TSC) estimation and target detection probability as the number of iterations increases, while still transmitting data rates in the range of several Mbps with low bit error rates between CRC transceivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the effectiveness of fringing reefs in protecting coastlines from tsunami-induced inundation has aroused great attention in the post-tsunami surveys. To better understand the role of fringing reefs in the mitigation of a tsunami hazard, laboratory experiments were conducted in a wave flume to study the transformation and run-up of tsunami-like solitary waves over various fringing reef profiles. The effects of incident wave height, reef-flat submergence, lagoon width and reef surface roughness were examined. Cylinder arrays were employed to create artificial roughness elements on the reef surface. Empirical formulas based on the experimental data were also proposed for the wave run-up. The ratio of the reef flat submergence to the incident wave height was always found to be the dominant parameter to characterize the wave run-ups over various tested reef profiles. Subsequently, a numerical model based on the improved Boussinesq equations including the drag effect of roughness elements was validated by the experimental data. The validated model was then applied to investigate the impacts of variations of reef morphologies (fore-reef slope, back-reef slope, reef-flat width, reef-crest width) on the solitary wave run-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Destructive tsunami waves may cause failure of the pile-supported nearshore structures, hence, accurate prediction of tsunami wave interaction with piles is a primary engineering concern in the field of coastal management and hazard mitigation. This study numerically investigated tsunami-like solitary waves propagating over a surface-piercing double row of vertical slotted piles. A three-dimensional numerical wave tank based on an open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool was developed in this study. The Navier-Stokes equations for two-phase incompressible flow were solved using the large eddy simulation (LES) method for turbulence closure and the volume of fluid (VOF) method for tracking the free surface. Laboratory measurements of the wave, flow, and dynamic pressure were performed to validate the numerical model. The model was then applied to examine the three-dimensional distribution of free-surface elevation and the vertical distribution of dynamic pressure in the vicinity of the piles. Via numerical results, the variations of wave runup and impact force on the piles were also analyzed in view of the wave nonlinearity and the ratio of pile spacing to its diameter. Finally, the drag coefficients were discussed through the Morison equation to account for the interfering effects among the piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]