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This paper presents a real-time, vision-based algorithm for the pose and motion estimation of non-cooperative targets and its application in visual servo robotic manipulator to perform autonomous capture. A hybrid approach of adaptive extended Kalman filter and photogrammetry is developed for the real-time pose and motion estimation of non-cooperative targets. Based on the pose and motion estimates, the desired pose and trajectory of end-effector is defined and the corresponding desired joint angles of the robotic manipulator are derived by inverse kinematics. A close-loop visual servo control scheme is then developed for the robotic manipulator to track, approach and capture the target. Validating experiments are designed and performed on a custom-built six degrees of freedom robotic manipulator with an eye-in-hand configuration. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility, effectiveness and robustness of the proposed adaptive extended Kalman filter enabled pose and motion estimation and visual servo strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to describe the refinements to the classic enlarged translabyrinthine approach (ETLA) by modifying the bony dissection range of temporal bone and to analyze the main outcomes achieved in a series of vestibular schwannoma (VS) cases submitted to microsurgery by ETLA. This was a retrospective study of 382 patients who underwent VS surgical removal via ETLA between January 2001 and December 2012. Among those cases, 332 were via classic ETLA, while 28 cases were via ETLA with blind sac technique and middle ear eradication and 22 via transotic approach. Total tumor removal was achieved in 368 cases, whereas near total removal in 11 patients and subtotal in 3 patients. In cases of large VS (>3 cm) via classic ETLA, good short-term and long-term facial nerve function (HB I-II) was gained in 27.8 % (32/115) and 42.6 % (49/115) cases, respectively, meanwhile in VS operated via blind sac technique, good short-term ( p = 0.048) and long-term ( p = 0.044) facial nerve function was reached in 44.0 % (22/50) and 60.0 % (30/50) cases, respectively. Postoperative facial nerve function was proved to be better in modified ETLA group. CSF leakage occurred in 16 (4.2 %) patients via classic ETLA. In 115 cases of large VS (>3 cm), postoperative CSF leakage occurred in 10 (8.7 %) patients. Whereas in 50 cases via blind sac technique, none developed CSF leakage ( p = 0.03). The incidence of CSF leakage was lower in modified ETLA group. Our refinements to classic ETLA by changing the temporal bone resection range provide a wide surgical field, well prevention of CSF leakage and preservation of facial nerve function in large VS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents how to stabilize the deployment and retrieval processes of a space tether system via the tension control, where the model predictive control is exploited to optimize the control performance while the nonlinear dynamics and tension constraint are explicitly taken into account. A new scheme of online quasi-linearization iteration is proposed to transfer the nonlinear optimal control problem into a series of linear optimal control problems that can be solved in sequence at a series of sampling instants. Consequently, it avoids the complete solution of the nonlinear optimal control problem at each sampling interval such that the computational load can be greatly alleviated. Furthermore, the scheme extends the conventional quasi-linearization schemes by distributing the iterative process across sampling instants and online updating the initial condition of the linear optimal control problem. The problems of linear optimal control are discretized using a pseudo-spectral algorithm and then solved by a solver of linear quadratic programming. Numerical case studies indicate that successful deployment and retrieval of the system can be achieved using the proposed control scheme without violating the positive tension constraint. The time cost for each online optimization in the proposed scheme is on the order of 10 ms and far below the sampling interval under consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper developed a high-fidelity dynamic model of flexible space tether systems by considering the elastic, thermal, and electrical coupling effects on the dynamics and stability of bare electrodynamic tether systems. A simple and effective control strategy based on the libration energy of the flexible tether is derived and applied in the deorbit process. Numerical results show that the newly proposed energy control strategy is effective in controlling the libration and transverse elastic motion of the electrodynamic tether. In addition, the effect of the mass of sub-satellite on the system dynamics and stability is investigated. It is found that the libration and transverse motion of the electrodynamic tether can be stabilized by the proposed control strategy even without the sub-satellite when the electrodynamic force is dominant. This new finding shows the satellite deorbit with the electrodynamic tethers is advantageous in term of mass saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a tension control law to stabilize the motions of a Tethered Space-Tug system during its deorbiting process by regulating the tension in the tether. The tension control law is designed on a basis of two straightforward ideas, i.e., the potential energy shaping and the damping injection. The law is expressed in an analytical feedback form in terms of only the tether length without the need of the feedback of full state information. Meanwhile, the requirements of measuring velocities are removed with the aid of a dynamic extension technique based on the feedback interconnection of Euler-Lagrange systems. The positive and bounded tension constraint is taken into consideration explicitly by including a pair of special saturation terms in the feedback control law. The relative motions of the space-tug and the debris are described with respect to a local non-inertial orbital frame of reference, whereas the orbital motion equations of the system are formulated in terms of the modified equinoctial elements of the orbit. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated via numerical case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injecting a single hole into a one-dimensional Heisenberg spin chain is probably the simplest case of doping a Mott insulator. The motion of such a single hole will generally induce a many-body phase shift, which can be identified by an exact sign structure of the model known as the phase string. We show that the sign structure is nontrivial even in this simplest problem, which is responsible for the essential properties of Mott physics. We find that the characteristic momentum structure, the Luttinger liquid behavior, and the quantum phase interference of the hole under a periodic boundary condition can all be attributed to it. We use the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) numerical simulation to make a comparative study of the t – J chain and a model in which the sign structure is switched off. We further show that the key DMRG results can be reproduced by a variational wave function with incorporating the correct sign structure. Physical implications of the sign structure for doped Mott insulators in general are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the dynamic simulation analysis on the basis of summarizing the international theories and methods of urban agglomeration spatial analysis, and uses this analysis on the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration as an example. The dynamic simulation analysis aims to grasp the thread of historical development of an urban agglomeration, predict its future development trend, simulate its expansion condition, and find its advantages and disadvantages. In the analysis process, a grid system of 6,808 cells measuring 5 × 5 km was established on the base maps of the urban built-up areas of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration during 1980 to 2010. In every grid cell, the proportions of built-up areas were measured byMAPGIS. All grid cells were colored with different shades according to the density of the built-up area. Then the authors drew up three-dimensional curves using the centrifugal model, which quantified the distribution and change of grid cells. After that, the authors built rose maps which dynamically simulated the historical expansion trend of those cities. Through the above research, the past and future development trend and characteristics of the urban agglomeration were summarized completely. This analysis method is significantly different from the previous methods. It can not only grasp the current and historical development situations, but alsoforecast future development trends and simulate expansion degrees in various directions of the urban agglomeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the harmonic requirements of a power system transformer and the principle of the Rogowski coil electronic current transformer, summarizes the simple and practical methods for harmonic measurement of the Rogowski coil electronic current transformer, and conducts harmonic measurement of the electronic current transformer through high-precision harmonic source and standard current transformer and transformer calibrator. The results show that this method has strong applicability and simple operation, which greatly enriches the harmonic measurement methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the prognostic impact of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 278 consecutive patients undergoing chemotherapy for stage III-IV NSCLC between May 2012 and July 2020. CONUT score was calculated by incorporating serum albumin, total cholesterol, and total lymphocyte count. The patients were divided into two groups: CONUT ≥ 3 and CONUT < 3, according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The associations of CONUT with clinicopathological factors and survival were evaluated. Results: A high CONUT score was significantly associated with older age(P = 0.003), worse ECOG-PS(P = 0.018), advanced clinical stage(P = 0.006), higher systematic inflammation index (SII) (P < 0.001)and lower prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (P < 0.001).The high CONUT group had a significantly shorter progression-free survival(PFS) and overall survival(OS) than the low CONUT group. In the univariate analysis, higher SII, higher CONUT, advanced clinical stage and lower PNI were associated with worse PFS (Pall < 0.05). Worse ECOG-PS, higher SII, higher CONUT, advanced clinical stage and lower PNI were associated with worse OS (Pall < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, CONUT(HR, 2.487; 95%CI 1.818 ~ 3.403; P < 0.001) was independently associated with PFS, while PNI(HR, 0.676; 95%CI 0.494 ~ 0.927; P = 0.015) and CONUT(HR, 2.186; 95%CI 1.591 ~ 3.002; P < 0.001)were independently associated with OS. In ROC analysis, CONUT had a higher area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the prediction of 24-month PFS and OS than the SII or PNI. When the time-dependent AUC curve was used to predict PFS and OS, CONUT tended to maintain its predictive accuracy for long-term prognosis at a significantly higher level for an extended period after chemotherapy when compared with the other markers tested. The CONUT score showed better accuracy of predicting OS (C-index: 0.711) and PFS(C-index: 0.753). Conclusion: CONUT score is an independent prognostic indicator of poor outcomes for patients with stage III-IV NSCLC and is superior to the SII and PNI in terms of prognostic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a systematical study is performed to analyze the quality factor, electromechanical coupling (k 2 eff) and spurious modes of Lamb-wave resonators for the frequency above 2 GHz. The effect of the support tether width on the resonator's performance was studied through theoretical and experimental analysis. By extracting the equivalent electrical parameters of the interdigitated (IDT)-Ground and IDT-Floating resonators, the reasons for their differences in k 2 eff and parallel-resonance quality factor (Q p) values were clarified. Moreover, the spurious modes can be effectively suppressed by increasing the number of IDTs and reducing the length proportion of the bottom electrode to the effective electrode. The measurement results show that the optimized IDT-Floating resonator is free of spurious mode, meanwhile its series-resonance quality factor (Q s), and k 2 eff values can reach 1371.7, 448.8, and 0.82% at 2.092 GHz, respectively. Moreover, the influence of IDT materials on the resonators' performance was also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clostera anastomosis (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is a defoliating forest insect pest. Clostera anastomosis granulovirus-B (ClasGV-B) belonging to the genus Betabaculovirus of family Baculoviridae has been used for biological control of the pest. Here we reported the full genome sequence of ClasGV-B and compared it to other previously sequenced baculoviruses. The circular double-stranded DNA genome is 107,439 bp in length, with a G+C content of 37.8% and contains 123 open reading frames (ORFs) representing 93% of the genome. ClasGV-B contains 37 baculovirus core genes, 25 lepidopteran baculovirus specific genes, 19 betabaculovirus specific genes, 39 other genes with homologues to baculoviruses and 3 ORFs unique to ClasGV-B. Hrs appear to be absent from the ClasGV-B genome, however, two non-hr repeats were found. Phylogenetic tree based on 37 core genes from 73 baculovirus genomes placed ClasGV-B in the clade b of betabaculoviruses and was most closely related to Erinnyis ello GV (ErelGV). The gene arrangement of ClasGV-B also shared the strongest collinearity with ErelGV but differed from Clostera anachoreta GV (ClanGV), Clostera anastomosis GV-A (ClasGV-A, previously also called CaLGV) and Epinotia aporema GV (EpapGV) with a 20 kb inversion. ClasGV-B genome contains three copies of polyhedron envelope protein gene (pep) and phylogenetic tree divides the PEPs of betabaculoviruses into three major clades: PEP-1, PEP-2 and PEP/P10. ClasGV-B also contains three homologues of P10 which all harbor an N-terminal coiled-coil domain and a C-terminal basic sequence. ClasGV-B encodes three fibroblast growth factor (FGF) homologues which are conserved in all sequenced betabaculoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis placed these three FGFs into different groups and suggested that the FGFs were evolved at the early stage of the betabaculovirus expansion. ClasGV-B is different from previously reported ClasGV-A and ClanGV isolated from Notodontidae in sequence and gene arrangement, indicating the virus is a new notodontid betabaculovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Periodontitis induced by oral pathogens leads to severe periodontal tissue damage and osteoclast-mediated bone resorption caused by inflammation. On the basis of the importance of Ac45 in osteoclast formation and function, we performed this study to evaluate the therapeutic potential of periodontitis by local adeno-associated virus ( AAV)-mediated Ac45 gene knockdown. Material and Methods We used AAV-mediated short hairpin RNAi knockdown of Ac45 gene expression ( AAV-sh-Ac45) to inhibit bone erosion and gingival inflammation simultaneously in a well-established periodontitis mouse model induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis W50. Histological studies were performed to evaluate the bone protection of AAV-sh-Ac45. Immunochemistry, ELISA and qRT- PCR were performed to reveal the role of Ac45 knockdown on inflammation, immune response and expression of cytokine. Results We found that Ac45 knockdown impaired osteoclast-mediated extracellular acidification and bone resorption in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, local administration of AAV-sh-Ac45 protected mice from bone erosion by >85% and attenuated inflammation and decreased infiltration of T cells, dendritic cells and macrophages in the periodontal lesion. Notably, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was also reduced. Conclusions Local AAV-sh-Ac45 gene therapy efficiently protects against periodontal tissue damage and bone erosion through both inhibition of osteoclast function and attenuating inflammation, and may represent a powerful new treatment strategy for periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To prospectively investigate the effect of using Gemstone Spectral Imaging (GSI) and adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) for reducing radiation and iodine contrast dose in abdominal CT patients with high BMI values. Materials and Methods: 26 patients (weight > 65kg and BMI ≥ 22) underwent abdominal CT using GSI mode with 300mgI/kg contrast material as study group (group A). Another 21 patients (weight ≤ 65kg and BMI ≥ 22) were scanned with a conventional 120 kVp tube voltage for noise index (NI) of 11 with 450mgI/kg contrast material as control group (group B). GSI images were reconstructed at 60keV with 50%ASIR and the conventional 120kVp images were reconstructed with FBP reconstruction. The CT values, standard deviation (SD), signal-noise-ratio (SNR), contrast-noise-ratio (CNR) of 26 landmarks were quantitatively measured and image quality qualitatively assessed using statistical analysis. Results: As for the quantitative analysis, the difference of CNR between groups A and B was all significant except for the mesenteric vein. The SNR in group A was higher than B except the mesenteric artery and splenic artery. As for the qualitative analysis, all images had diagnostic quality and the agreement for image quality assessment between the reviewers was substantial (kappa = 0.684). CT dose index (CTDI) values for non-enhanced, arterial phase and portal phase in group A were decreased by 49.04%, 40.51% and 40.54% compared with group B (P = 0.000), respectively. The total dose and the injection rate for the contrast material were reduced by 14.40% and 14.95% in A compared with B. Conclusion: The use of GSI and ASIR provides similar enhancement in vessels and image quality with reduced radiation dose and contrast dose, compared with the use of conventional scan protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of traditional fuzz C-means algorithm, which was excessively dependent on the initial cluster centers and that had high computation, this paper proposed a novel FCM initialization approach. Firstly, it respectively preprocessed the R, G and B components of the image by Wiener filter. After transformed the image into LAB color space, it extracted the closed areas of the image by secondary watershed, and then computed the centroid of the areas. After that, it used the self-adaptive unsupervised screen method to merge centroid, and set the final centroid as the initial cluster centers. Finally, it applied FCM algorithm to image segmentation. The experimental results show that the proposed method can not only obtain more accuracy cluster centers, which decreases the iteration times and the computation time, but also make the color image segmentation more accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the CT and MR findings of retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytoma. Methods To analyze retrospectively the CT and MR images of 32 patients with retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytoma proved by pathology. Results The lesions (benign = 28, malignant =4) were located in die anterior pararenal space (ARS) ( n = 12) , the perirenal space (PS) (n = 13) and the posterior pararenal space (PRS) (n = 7). The tumors showed heterogeneous density on unenhanced CT (n=25). Among the 23 cases with enhanced CT imaging, 19 cases had marked contrast and 4 had mild contrast. The enhancement patterns included whole enhancement (n = 9 ) , solid area enhancement (n=12) , peripheral enhancement (n=1 ) , and spotted enhancement (n=1). The tumors had heterogeneous signal on unenhanced MR (n =23) , and usually showed enhancement at arterial, portal and delayed phases on 22 enhanced MR, while cystic area with no enhancement. The lesions usually had cystic changes (n = 18) , septa ( n = 16) , vessels inside ( n = 9 ) , hemorrhage (n=3 ) , and calcification (n=3 ). Besides that the morphology had statistical significance (P = 0.013), other indexes had no statistical significance (P>0. 05) in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytomas. Conclusions Retroperitoneal ectopic pheochromocytomas have some CT and MR features, usually revealed as an oval mass, growing along the paravertebral axis, and often with cystic changes. Those signs combined with hypertension and elevated catecholamine level may lead to a correct diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium was assessed. P. chrysosporium had a stronger tolerance for SMX in the concentration range of 10–30 mg L − 1 . The degradation percentage of SMX in liquid medium was 53% after 24 h and reached 74% after 10 days when SMX was added at 10 mg L − 1 . Crude laccase produced by P. chrysosporium was used to degrade SMX in vitro. The results showed that the removal of SMX obviously increased with laccase activity and reaction time increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite having been used in the clinical practice of respiratory diseases for decades in China, the overall description of nebulized therapy has not been reported to date. The purpose of this study was to investigate the basic characteristics and information on the application of nebulized therapy in the clinical practice of respiratory diseases in China. Methods: A questionnaire survey with 17 questions relating to nebulized therapy was carried out in three levels (tertiary, secondary, and primary) of hospitals throughout mainland China. The perspectives of various professional degrees of the medical staffs from different levels of hospitals were further studied. Results: A total of 6,449 effective questionnaires were collected from 1,328 hospitals or clinics located in 27 provinces or autonomous regions of mainland China. Nebulized therapy was applied in 91.1% of the hospitals, significantly more in tertiary and secondary levels of hospitals than in the primary level of hospitals. Jet and ultrasonic nebulizers were used in 53.3% and 47.7% of the hospitals, respectively. Only 50.8% of the responders identified the brands of the devices. 82.5 Percent of the responders had prescribed nebulized therapy. 68.8 Percent and 41.5% of responders agreed that nebulized therapy can be used for the treatment of asthma and COPD, respectively. 86.5 Percent of responders agreed that nebulized therapy can be used for patients with acute exacerbation, whereas 27.5% stated that it can be used for stable patients. The most commonly used medicines were short-acting bronchodilators, followed by corticosteroids, mucolytics, and antibiotics. 17.2 Percent of the responders reported adverse events of nebulized therapy experienced by the patients. Continuous medical education and training on nebulized therapy were required by 72.1% of responders. Conclusions: The present national survey, firstly, provided the basic characteristics and information on the application of nebulizer therapy in the clinical practice of respiratory diseases in China. Certainly, this will help facilitate nebulized therapy, especially in the community hospitals. Continuous medical education and technical training are essential to improve the clinical application of nebulized therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotube (CNT) polymer composites exhibit strong nonlinear and asymmetric piezoresistivity about zero strain in tensile and compressive strain states. The existing models explain the characteristic qualitatively but not quantitatively. This paper attempts to understand the mechanisms of this piezoresistivity by developing a new 3-dimensional percolation CNT network model, where the effect of CNT deformation (wall indentation and tube bending) is considered for the first time. The predicted electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity agree with experiments quantitatively, which reveals that the CNT deformation is a dominant mechanism for the nonlinearity and asymmetry of piezoresistivity of CNT-polymer composites. Parametric studies have been conducted to show the effects of morphology and electrical properties of CNTs, work functions and Poisson's ratio of polymer on the piezoresistivity of CNT-polymer composites for future application in nanosensing composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunotherapy has become the central pillar of cancer therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a major category of tumor immunotherapy, reactivate preexisting anticancer immunity. Initially, ICIs were approved only for advanced and metastatic cancers in the salvage setting after or concurrent with chemotherapy at a response rate of around 20–30% with a few exceptions. With significant progress over the decade, advances in immunotherapy have led to numerous clinical trials investigating ICIs as neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant therapies for resectable solid tumors. The promising results of these trials have led to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of ICIs as neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapies for non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer, and bladder cancer, and the list continues to grow. This therapy represents a paradigm shift in cancer treatment, as many early-stage cancer patients could be cured with the introduction of immunotherapy in the early stages of cancer. Therefore, this topic became one of the main themes at the 2021 China Cancer Immunotherapy Workshop co-organized by the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, the China National Medical Products Administration and the Tsinghua University School of Medicine. This review article summarizes the current landscape of ICI-based immunotherapy, emphasizing the new clinical developments of ICIs as curative neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies for early-stage disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the adverse effects of genotoxic chemicals and identifying them effectively from non-genotoxic chemicals are of great worldwide concerns. Here, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) genome-wide single-gene knockout screening approach was conducted to assess two genotoxic chemicals (4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) and formaldehyde (FA)) and environmental pollutant dichloroacetic acid (DCA, genotoxicity is controversial). DNA repair was significant enriched in the gene ontology (GO) biology process (BP) terms and KEGG pathways when exposed to low concentrations of 4-NQO and FA. Higher concentrations of 4-NQO and FA influenced some RNA metabolic and biosynthesis pathways. Moreover, replication and repair associated pathways were top ranked KEGG pathways with high fold-change for low concentrations of 4-NQO and FA. The similar gene profiles perturbed by DCA with three test concentrations identified, the common GO BP terms associated with aromatic amino acid family biosynthetic process and ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process via the multivesicular body sorting pathway. DCA has no obvious genotoxicity as there was no enriched DNA damage and repair pathways and fold-change of replication and repair KEGG pathways were very low. Five genes (RAD18 , RAD59 , MUS81 , MMS4 , and BEM4) could serve as candidate genes for genotoxic chemicals. Overall, the yeast functional genomic profiling showed great performance for assessing the signatures and potential molecular mechanisms of genotoxic chemicals. • Genotoxic chemicals were assessed by yeast functional genome-wide knockout mutant profiling. • Signatures of same chemical with different concentrations were similar. • Low concentrations of genotoxic chemicals perturbated DNA repair pathway. • DCA was non-genotoxic after chemogenomic profiling analysis. • RAD18 , RAD59 , MUS81 , MMS4 , and BEM4 were selected as genotoxic responsive genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the heterogeneous sentiment information in each modal feature and improve the accuracy of sentiment analysis, this paper proposes a Multimodal Sentiment Analysis based on Text-Centric Sharing-Private Affective Semantics (TCSP). First, the Deep Canonical Time Wrapping (DCTW) algorithm is employed to effectively align the timing deviations of Audio and Picture modalities. Then, a cross-modal shared mask matrix is designed, and a mutual attention mechanism is introduced to compute the shared affective semantic features of Audio-picture-to-text. Following this, the private affective semantic features within Audio and Picture modalities are derived via the self-attention mechanism with LSTM. Finally, the Transformer Encoder structure is improved, achieving deep interaction and feature fusion of cross-modal emotional information, and conducting emotional analysis. Experiments are conducted on the IEMOCAP and MELD datasets. By comparing with current state-of-the-art models, the accuracy of the TCSP model reaches 82.02%, fully validating the effectiveness. In addition, the rationality of the design of each structure within the model is verified through ablation experiments. • Proposed an emotion recognition method that includes shared and private emotions. • Utilized the DCTW for audio-picture time-series features alignment effectively improved recognition accuracy. • TCSP Achieved 82.02% accuracy on the IEMOCAP dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractReducing monosaccharides and their phosphates are critical metabolites in the central carbon metabolism pathway of living organisms. Variations in their content can indicate abnormalities in metabolic pathways and the onset of certain diseases, necessitating their analysis and detection. Reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates exhibit significant variations in content within biological samples and are present in many isomers, which makes the accurate quantification of reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates in biological samples a challenging task. Various analytical methods such as spectroscopy, fluorescence detection, colorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, sensor-based techniques, chromatography, and mass spectrometry are employed to detect monosaccharides and phosphates. In comparison, chromatography and mass spectrometry are highly favored for their ability to simultaneously analyze multiple components and their high sensitivity and selectivity. This review thoroughly evaluates the current chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods used for detecting reducing monosaccharides and their phosphates from 2013 to 2023, highlighting their efficacy and the advancements in these analytical technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (α-syn) in Lewy bodies is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Genetic mutations in lipid metabolism are causative for a subset of patients with Parkinsonism. The role of α-syn's lipid interactions in its function and aggregation is recognized, yet the specific lipids involved and how lipid metabolism issues trigger α-syn aggregation and neurodegeneration remain unclear. Here, we found that α-syn shows a preference for binding to lysophospholipids (LPLs), particularly targeting lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) without relying on electrostatic interactions. LPC is capable of maintaining α-syn in a compact conformation, significantly reducing its propensity to aggregate both in vitro and within cellular environments. Conversely, a reduction in the production of cellular LPLs is associated with an increase in α-syn accumulation. Our work underscores the critical role of LPLs in preserving the natural conformation of α-syn to inhibit improper aggregation, and establishes a potential connection between lipid metabolic dysfunction and α-syn aggregation in PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sex differences exist in the regulation of energy homeostasis in response to calorie scarcity or excess. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the anorexigenic neuropeptides regulating energy homeostasis. Expression of Bdnf mRNA in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) is closely associated with energy and reproductive status. We hypothesized that Bdnf expression in the VMH was differentially regulated by altered energy balance in male and female rats. Using dietary intervention, including fasting-induced negative energy status and high-fat diet (HFD) feeding-induced positive energy status, along with low-fat diet (LFD) feeding and HFD pair-feeding (HFD-PF), effects of diets and changes in energy status on VMH Bdnf expression were compared between male and female rats. Fasted males but not females had lower VMH Bdnf expression than their fed counterparts following 24-hour fasting, suggesting that fasted males reduced Bdnf expression to drive hyperphagia and body weight gain. Male HFD obese and HFD-PF non-obese rats had similarly reduced expression of Bdnf compared with LFD males, indicating that dampened Bdnf expression was associated with feeding a diet high in fat instead of increased adiposity. Decreased BDNF signaling during HFD feeding would increase a drive to eat and may contribute to diet-induced obesity in males. In contrast, VMH Bdnf expression was stably maintained in females when energy homeostasis was disturbed. These results suggest sex-distinct regulation of central Bdnf expression by diet and energy status. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, a simple and novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) assay is demonstrated to selectively and sensitively detect the adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The amplification process consists of circular nucleic acid strand-displacement polymerization, aptamer recognition strategy and nanoparticle signal amplification. With the involvement of an aptamer-based complex, two amplification reaction templates and AuNP-functionalized probes, the whole circle amplification process is triggered by the target recognition of ATP. As an efficient mass amplifier, AuNP-functionalized probes are introduced to enhance the QCM signals. As a result of DNA multiple amplification, a large number of AuNP-functionalized probes are released and hybridized with the capture probes on the gold electrode. Therefore the QCM signals are significantly enhanced, reaching a detection limit of ATP as low as 1.3nM. This strategy can be conveniently used for any aptamer-target binding events with other biological detection such as protein and small molecules. Moreover, the practical determination of ATP in cancer cells demonstrates the feasibility of this QCM approach and potential application in clinical diagnostics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) burns calories to produce heat, and is thus relevant to energy balance. Interscapular BAT (IBAT) of donor mice was transplanted into recipient mice (transBATation). To test whether transBATation counteracts high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity, some sham-operated and recipient mice were fed a HFD (HFD-sham, HFD-trans) while others remained on a standard chow (chow-sham, chow-trans). HFD-trans mice had lower body weight and fat and greater energy expenditure, but similar caloric intake compared with HFD-sham mice. We hypothesized that HFD-trans mice had elevated sympathetic activity compared with HFD-sham mice, contributing to increased energy expenditure and fuel mobilization. This was supported by findings that HFD-trans mice had greater energy expenditure during a norepinephrine challenge test and higher core temperatures after cold exposure than did HFD-sham mice, implicating enhanced whole-body metabolic response and elevated sympathetic activity. Additionally, transBATation selectively increased sympathetic drive to some, but not all, white adipose tissue depots and skeletal muscles, as well as the endogenous IBAT, heart, and liver. Collectively, transBATation confers resistance to HFD-induced obesity via increase in whole-body sympathetic activity, and differential activation of sympathetic drive to some of the tissues involved in energy expenditure and fuel mobilization. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: CD4+ latency-associated peptide (LAP)+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a newly discovered T cell subset in humans and the role of these cells in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has not been explored. We designed to investigate whether circulating frequency and function of CD4+LAP+ Tregs are defective in ACS. Methods: One hundred eleven ACS patients (acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina) and 117 control patients were enrolled in the study. The control patients consisted of chronic stable angina (CSA) and chest pain syndrome (CPS). The frequencies of circulating CD4+LAP+ Tregs and the expression of the transmembrane protein glycoprotein-A repetitions predominant (GARP) on CD4+ T cells were determined by flow cytometry. The function of CD4+LAP+ Tregs was detected using thymidine uptake. Serum interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β protein (TGF-β) levels were detected using ELISA and expression of GARP mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured by real time-polymerase chain reaction. Results: We found ACS patients had a significantly lower frequency of circulating CD4+LAP+ Tregs, and the function of these cells was reduced compared to controls. The expression of GARP in CD4+ T cells and the serum levels of TGF-β in ACS patients were lower than those of control patients. The serum levels of IL-10 were similar between the two cohorts. Conclusions: A novel regulatory T cell subset, defined as CD4+LAP+ T cells is defective in ACS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genome of Buzura suppressaria nucleopolyhedrovirus (BusuNPV) was sequenced by 454 pyrosequencing technology. The size of the genome is 120,420 bp with 36.8% G+C content. It contains 127 hypothetical open reading frames (ORFs) covering 90.7% of the genome and includes the 37 conserved baculovirus core genes, 84 genes found in other baculoviruses, and 6 unique ORFs. No typical baculoviral homologous repeats (hrs) were present but the genome contained a region of repeated sequences. Gene Parity Plots revealed a 28.8 kb region conserved among the alpha- and beta-baculoviruses. Overall comparisons of BusuNPV to other baculoviruses point to a distinct species in group II Alphabaculovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of missile interception is investigated in this paper. Sliding-mode controllers with finite-time convergence are proposed for the design of guidance laws. In particular, the control design consists of the estimation of the target acceleration by the extended state observer (ESO), and thus, it achieves the decrease of undesired chattering effectively. Also, simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Correct dosing of antimicrobial drugs in septic patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is complex. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dosing adjustments performed by pharmacists on the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, ICU cost, and antimicrobial adverse drug events (ADEs). Methods: A single-center, 2-phase (pre-/post-intervention) study was performed in an ICU of a university-affiliated hospital. Septic patients receiving CRRT in the post-intervention phase received a specialized antimicrobial dosing service from critical care pharmacists, whereas patients in the pre-intervention phase received routine medical care without involving pharmacists. The 2 phases were compared to evaluate the outcomes of pharmacist interventions. Results: Pharmacists made 183 antimicrobial dosing adjustment recommendations for septic patients receiving CRRT. Changes in CRRT-related variables (116, 63.4%) were the most common risk factors for dosing errors, and β-lactams (101, 55.2%) were the antimicrobials most commonly associated with dosing errors. Dosing adjustments were related to a reduced length of ICU stay from 10.7 ± 11.1 days to 7.7 ± 8.3 days ( p = 0.037) in the intervention group, and to cost savings of $3525 (13,463 ± 12,045 vs. 9938 ± 8811, p = 0.038) per septic patient receiving CRRT in the ICU. Suspected antimicrobial adverse drug events in the intervention group were significantly fewer than in the pre-intervention group (19 events vs. 8 events, p = 0.048). Conclusions: The involvement of pharmacists in antimicrobial dosing adjustments in septic patients receiving CRRT is associated with a reduced length of ICU stay, lower ICU costs, and fewer ADEs. Hospitals may consider employing clinical pharmacists in ICUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most recently a novel avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus emerged in China and has been associated with lots of human infection and fatal cases. Genetic analysis of the viral genome revealed that this reassortant virus might be better adapted to humans than other avian influenza viruses. Molecular diagnostic methods are thus urgently needed in public health laboratories. In this study, a SYBR green-based one-step real time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) was developed to detect the novel H7N9 virus. The primer pairs on the basis of the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase gene sequences of H7N9 viruses amplified subtype-specific fragments with Tm values of 80.77±0.06°C for H7 and 81.20±0.17°C for N9 respectively. The standard curves showed a dynamic linear range across 6 log units of RNA copy number (106 to 101 copies/ µl) with a detection limit of 10 copies per reaction for both H7 and N9 assays by using serial ten-fold diluted in-vitro transcribed viral RNA. In addition, no cross-reactivity was observed with seasonal H1N1, H1N1 pdm09, H3N2, H5N1 and H9N2 viruses as well as other human respiratory viruses. When the assay was further evaluated in H7N9 virus infected clinical samples, positive amplification signals were obtained in all of the specimens with the accordance between H7 and N9 assays. Therefore, the established SYBR green-based real time RT-PCR assay could provide a rapid, sensitive, specific and reliable alternative approach with lower costs for high throughput screening of suspected samples from humans, animals and environments in first line public health laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether an injury of the common extensor tendon (CET) is associated with other abnormalities in the elbow joint and find the potential relationships between these imaging features by using a high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Twenty-three patients were examined with 3.0 T MR. Two reviewers were recruited for MR images evaluation. Image features were recorded in terms of (1) the injury degree of CET; (2) associated injuries in the elbow joint. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was performed to analyze the relationships between the injury degree of CET and associated abnormalities of the elbow joint, correlations were considered significant at p<0.05. Results: Total 24 elbows in 23 patients were included. Various degrees of injuries were found in total 24 CETs (10 mild, 7 moderate and 7 severe). Associated abnormalities were detected in accompaniments of the elbow joints including ligaments, tendons, saccussynovialis and muscles. A significantly positive correlation (r = 0.877,p<0.01) was found in injuries of CET and lateral ulnar collateral ligament (LUCL). Conclusion: Injury of the CET is not an isolated lesion for lateral picondylitis, which is mostly accompanied with other abnormalities, of which the LUCL injury is the most commonly seen in lateral epicondylitis, and there is a positive correlation between the injury degree in CET and LUCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A steady heterojunction interface between Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 and LaCoO 3 was exquisitely constructed for the boosting oxidation of tetracycline. • A direct Z-scheme heterostructure with highly efficiency electron transport capability can be founded in this heterojunction. • This heterojunction system between Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 and LaCoO 3 is first applied for the photocatalytic oxidation of tetracycline. • The degradation activity of LCBT-2 for SMX reaches 87.8% (100 min) and its stability can maintain 78.4% even after 4 cycles. Of large amounts of catalysts that have been developed to date for high catalytic activity and durability, perovskite oxides have appealed the attention due to their inherent performance as well as structural flexibility. Especially, the aurivillius perovskites could be a fantastic "pollutants oxidizer". Therefore, we designed a novel catalyst, LCBT-2 (LaCoO 3 :Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 = 1:2, mole ratio), composed by ultrathin aurivillius perovskite Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 nanosheets and typical perovskite LaCoO 3 particles. This new type of composite catalyst appeared exceptional catalytic activity and high stability for tetracycline (TC) degradation. The activity of TC degradation by LCBT-2 reached 87.8% and the activity could maintain 78.4% after 4 cycles, proving the high durability of LCBT-2. A proposed mechanism for the synergistic effects between Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 and LaCoO 3 was analyzed by active species trapping experiment and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Moreover, the possible pathways of TC degradation were proposed according to the results of high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). This study aims at the application of coupled perovskite oxides as photocatalysts for TC degradation and reveals the reason of synergistic effects between the two part of perovskite oxides (Z-scheme heterojunction interface) by experiments and in-depth mechanistic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe-based metallic glasses (MGs) not only are an industrially produced amorphous zero-valent iron (AZVI) with a promising reductive degradability to azo dyes but also can activate persulfate (PS) with sulfate radicals (SO 4 •-, E o = 2.5–3.1V) for wastewater remediation. In this study, acid orange II (AOII) was rapidly and efficiently decolored by Fe 78 Si 8 B 14 MG/PS system with a 99% degradation rate in 8 min. Based on monitoring the degradation rate and the concentration of Fe2+/Fe3+, a two-step degradation mechanism is proposed, that one is deductive degradation by AZVI with products of small organic molecules and Fe2+, and the other is oxidative degradation, where AZVI and Fe2+ activate PS with products of SO 4 •- and •OH confirmed by the electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis test. The orthogonal experimental design proves that the effects of the experiment operating parameters on the decolorization efficiency from high to low are Fe-based MGs dosage, PS dosage, and reaction temperature. Meanwhile, the high efficiency of the Fe-based MGs/PS system is also illustrated for the mineralization of AOII by an indication of the TOC removal rate as high as 57%. This work gives new insight into Fe-based MGs for activating PS and will accelerate the application of Fe-based MGs as catalysts in the field of wastewater treatment. • Fe-based MGs plays the most important role in the decolorization of AOII based on the orthogonal experiments design. • A two-step synergetic decolorization mechanism for the AOII decolorization is proposed. • The Ea of Fe-based MG/PS system is11.556kJ/mol, much lower than other systems for the decolorization of azo dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MDRV infection alters the structure of intestinal bacteria and causes enrichment of opportunistic pathogens in the intestine. • Gut microbiota stimulate innate immunity through the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. • Intestinal immunosuppression caused by MDRV is closely related to the Jak-STAT signaling pathway. It has been shown that Muscovy duck reovirus (MDRV) infection causes severe intestinal barrier damage and intestinal mucosal immune suppression. The health and balance of gut microbes is essential for the progression of intestinal infectious diseases. To investigate the interaction of MDRV, intestinal bacteria with host intestinal innate immunity, an MDRV contact-infection model was established in this study. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence 16S rDNA and transcripts in ileal samples from experimental Muscovy ducklings. Our results suggest that intestinal opportunistic pathogens such as Streptococcus and Corynebacterium proliferated massively in MDRV-infected Muscovy ducklings. The body initiates antiviral and antibacterial immunity and actively fights the infection of gut microbes. The synthesis of peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharide, and flagellin by intestinal bacteria activates the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway resulting in increased secretion of IFN-β, IL-1β, and IL-8. The RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway is an important signaling pathway for the interaction between MDRV and the host. At the same time, we also observed that multiple genes in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway were significantly different. These genes are important targets for studying the immunosuppression caused by MDRV. In conclusion, we analyzed the interaction of MDRV, intestinal flora and host immune system during MDRV infection, which provides a basis for the further study on the mechanism of intestinal immunosuppression caused by MDRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the control of libration stability of an insulated electrodynamic tether system in orbital boost. The electrodynamic tether is assumed rigid and the tethered spacecraft are modeled as lumped masses, while a complete electric circuit model is established by the Parker-Murphy model and Kirchhoff's first law. The electric current regulation is realized by adjusting the resistance of a resistor in the circuit. The impact of periodic variations of electrodynamic force on the libration of electrodynamic tether is minimized by a simple fuzzy-based continuous electric current control. The proposed controller maintains the merits of continuous electric current control and simplicity of on-off current control. The effectiveness of the fuzzy-based controller has been demonstrated by analyzing the libration dynamics of electrodynamic tether with continuous and discrete on-off current profiles in orbital boost. Numerical results show that the proposed approach is much effective than the on-off current control in stabilizing both in-plane and out-of-plane libration of the electrodynamic tether system subjected to periodic and non-periodic perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ride-sourcing services have become an integral part of urban transportation systems. In a cooperative relationship with the platform, ride-sourcing drivers have the flexibility to work according to their habits or preferences, which could constitute heterogeneous working pattern(s) among drivers. Based on real-world ride-sourcing data, we analyze drivers' working pattern(s) via their work slices (WSs). A WS is defined as a time window during which a driver is continuously online to take ride-sourcing orders. We use the Gaussian mixture model to classify the WSs according to the start time/start place attributes and obtain 9 clusters with significant spatiotemporal differences. It is found that WSs starting from rural areas that are closed to urban areas show no significant spatiotemporal grouping and mediocre performance in terms of fare income and fare-cost ratio, while WSs starting from distant rural areas show the worst performance; WSs starting from urban/suburban areas reflect more diverse spatiotemporal groupings and significant differences in attributes of delivery time and fares earned. We also analyze drivers' working pattern(s) by summarizing their habitual WS clusters. Findings include that drivers with suburban-dominant/rural-dominant patterns have a disadvantage in working efficiency in terms of the shorter order distance and longer cruising time. If geometrical distance allows, they can improve their income by switching to urban WS clusters occasionally. However, frequently switching between WS clusters can lead to a decrease in fares income. According to our results, the platform can introduce differentiated policies, including subsidies and order-matching algorithms, to better handle the spatiotemporal inequality, ultimately improving the service performance and overall benefits. • We analyze ride-sourcing drivers' working pattern(s) via their work slices (WSs) based on real-world data. • We use the Gaussian mixture model to classify the WSs according to their attributes and obtain 9 clusters. • WSs starting from distant rural areas show lowest earnings, but WSs from urban/suburban areas reflect higher earnings. • Drivers with suburban/rural working patterns have a disadvantage in efficiency with short order distance and long cruise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • N-doped 1T-2H MoSe 2 /N doped carbon paper was fabricated by a low-temperature nitrogen plasma strategy. • N doping along with 1T phase into the 2H-MoSe 2 can expose more active edge sites and improve electrical conductivity. • N-MoSe 2 /NCP-30 only needs an overpotential of 274 mV to reach −200 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 54.7 mV dec-1. Molybdenum selenide (MoSe 2) is considered to be a promising catalyst for seawater hydrogen evolution, but its catalytic activity falls far short of requirements due to its inert surface. Here, self-supported N-doped 1T@2H-MoSe 2 /N doped carbon paper (N-MoSe 2 /NCP) was fabricated by a novel low-temperature nitrogen plasma strategy. In alkaline simulated seawater, the optimized N-MoSe 2 /NCP-30 only requires an overpotential of 274 mV to reach −200 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 54.7 mV dec-1, and exhibits stability over 24 h. This work proposes that the introduction of 1 T phase and N dopant into 2H-MoSe 2 using low-temperature plasma strategy can significantly facilitate the exposure of abundant active edge sites and boost the conductivity of MoSe 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-step travel time prediction is more reasonable in reality than one-step travel time prediction method, but it was done research in by few scholars. Meanwhile, the real-time travel time in future several time sections cannot be detected. In this paper, multi-step travel time estimation model and algorithm based on Kalman filtering (KF) were presented. This model took real-time and history travel time of the upper road and road itself into account. The algorithm found the nearest time in history data away from today. They can solve the problem that travel time in future are not be detected, and travel time in future several time sections can be predicted reasonably. Meanwhile, the time lag was solved effectively. Results of experiments show that the accuracy of several-step prediction algorithm is great, and it is meaningful in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Estrogens potently suppress food intake. Compelling evidence suggests that estradiol, the primary form of estrogens, reduces food intake by facilitating other anorectic signals. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), like estradiol, appears to suppress food intake by affecting meal size. We hypothesized that estradiol modulates Bdnf expression and the anorectic effect of BDNF. The first goal was to determine whether Bdnf expression was regulated by endogenous estradiol of cycling rats and by cyclic estradiol treatment using ovariectomized rats. Bdnf expression within the ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMH) was temporally elevated at estrus following the estradiol peak, which coincided with the decline in feeding at this phase of the ovarian cycle. Additionally, food intake and body weight were increased following ovariectomy with a parallel decrease in Bdnf expression in the VMH. All of these alterations were reversed by cyclic estradiol treatment, suggesting that Bdnf expression within the VMH was regulated in an estradiol-dependent manner. The second goal was to determine whether estradiol modulates the anorectic effect of BDNF. Sham-operated estrous rats and ovariectomized rats cyclically treated with estradiol responded to a lower dose of central administration of BDNF to decrease food intake than male rats and oil-treated ovariectomized rats, implying that endogenous estradiol or cyclic estradiol replacement increased the sensitivity to anorectic effect of BDNF. These data indicate that Bdnf expression within the VMH and the anorectic effect of BDNF varied depending on plasma estradiol levels, suggesting that estradiol may regulate BDNF signaling to regulate feeding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In the present work we calculate the energies, quadrupole moments, and electric field gradients (EFGs) of molecules C2, N2, and O2 based on the DIRRCI method with basis aug-cc-pVTZ-DK. We prove that the quadratic force constant k2 is the product of charge and EFG at its equilibrium nuclear distance. The dipole charge distributions for these symmetrical molecules are all in equilibrium, however, the quadrupole charge distributions are far from equilibrium; among these, there is the most remarkable deviation from equilibrium for N2, for its many charges concentrate on two sides of the molecule, which is in agreement with the well-known characteristic of the nitrogen molecule. The relativistic effect is remarkable even for the same period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two kinds of exchange–correlation functional GGA–PBE and HSE06 were used in the first principle method to calculate the complex dielectric function of CuInSe2 and CuAlSe2. Compared with experimental data, GGA–PBE functional cannot properly predict dielectric function, while calculated results by HSE06 quantitatively agree with experimental data. With HSE06 functional, optical properties of CuIn1−x Al x Se2 (x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) were calculated. As x increases from 0 to 1, within the solar spectrum, the real and the imaginary parts of the dielectric functions reduce, the static dielectric constant decreases from 7 to 5, the absorption coefficient and refractive indices decrease, while the optical band gap increases from 1.07 to 2.61eV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background. Increasing evidences have been obtained that immune activation and inflammation play critical roles in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure (CHF). T helper (Th) 17 cells are a newly found pro-inflammatory T cell subtype. We therefore assessed the hypothesis that circulating Th17 cells increased in patients with CHF. Hypothesis. Th17 cells and its cytokine might be elevated in patients with CHF. Methods. A total of 92 patients with CHF and 59 healthy donors were enrolled in the study. The frequencies of circulating Th17 cells were determined by flow cytometry. The interleukin (IL)-17 protein levels in the serum and supernatant of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated periphery blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected using ELISA and the mRNA expression of retinoic acid-related orphan receptor (ROR)γt, which is the key transcription factor of Th17 cells was measured by RT-PCR. Results. There were no significant differences in the frequency of circulating Th17 cells, serum level of IL-17, and expression of RORγt in PBMCs between CHF patients and healthy controls. IL-17 protein level in the supernatants of PHA-stimulated PBMCs was also comparable between CHF patients and health donors. Conclusions. Circulating Th17 cells are not elevated in patients with CHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The ability of adult injured postganglionic axons to reinnervate cerebrovascular targets is unknown, yet these axons can influence cerebral blood flow, particularly during REM sleep. The objective of the present study was to assess quantitatively the sympathetic reinnervation of vascular as well as non-vascular targets following bilateral axotomy of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) at short term (1 day, 7 day) and long term (8 weeks, 12 weeks) survival time points. The sympathetic innervation of representative extracerebral blood vessels [internal carotid artery (ICA), basilar artery (BA), middle cerebral artery (MCA)], the submandibular gland (SMG), and pineal gland was quantified following injury using an antibody to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Changes in TH innervation were related to TH protein content in the SCG. At 7 day following bilateral SCG axotomy, all targets were significantly depleted of TH innervation, and the exact site on the BA where SCG input was lost could be discerned. Complete sympathetic reinnervation of the ICA was observed at long term survival times, yet TH innervation of other vascular targets showed significant decreases even at 12 weeks following axotomy. The SMG was fully reinnervated by 12 weeks, yet TH innervation of the pineal gland remained significantly decreased. TH protein in the SCG was significantly decreased at both short term and long term time points and showed little evidence of recovery. Our data demonstrate a slow reinnervation of most vascular targets following axotomy of the SCG with only minimal recovery of TH protein in the SCG at 12 weeks following injury. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents a novel method that direct intramyocardial injection of low-dose plasmid DNA and microbubbles combined with insonation could further augment gene expression in normal and ischemic canine myocardium. Plasmids encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (pEGFP) and hepatocyte growth factor (pHGF) (500 μg) were individually mixed with 0.5 ml of microbubble solution (MB) and injected into the normal or acute ischemic canine myocardium. The dogs in the plasmid + MB/US group underwent insonation (US). Other dogs were randomly divided into three treatment groups: plasmid and insonation, plasmid and MB injection, and plasmid injection only. The EGFP and HGF mRNA expressions were assessed in the myocardium at the injection site and at sites 0.5 and 1 cm remote from the injection site. Compared to plasmid transfer alone, a mean 13.4-fold enhancement of gene expression was achieved in the EGFP + MB/US group at 48 h ( p < 0.01). HGF mRNA expression in ischemic zones was markedly elevated after 28 days, with a mean 9.0-fold enhancement in the HGF + MB/US group ( p < 0.01). EGFP protein expression was detected in the normal myocardium at 1 cm remote from the injection site in the EGFP + MB/US group. Similarly, HGF protein expression was detected in the ischemic myocardium at 0.5 cm remote from the injection site in the HGF + MB/US group. These findings indicate that the radius of gene expression was partly extended in the two plasmid + MB/US groups. The capillary density increased from 20.9 ± 5.3/mm in control myocardial infarction dogs without treatment to 126.7 ± 38.2/mm in the HGF + MB/US group ( p < 0.01). Taken together, the present data demonstrate that direct intramyocardial injection of an angiogenic gene and microbubbles combined with insonation can augment gene expression and angiogenesis. Consequently, this strategy may be a useful tool for gene therapy of ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum dots are highly fluorescent and photostable, making them excellent tools for imaging. When using these quantum dots in cells and animals, however, intracellular biothiols (such as glutathione and cysteine) can degrade the quantum dot monolayer, compromising function. Here, we describe a label-free method to quantify the intracellular stability of monolayers on quantum dot surfaces that couples laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Using this new approach we have demonstrated that quantum dot monolayer stability is correlated with both quantum dot particle size and monolayer structure, with appropriate choice of both particle size and ligand structure required for intracellular stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of attitude stabilization for a spacecraft system which is nonlinear in dynamics with inertia uncertainty and external disturbance is investigated in this paper. An adaptive law is applied to estimate the disturbances, where a sliding mode controller is designed to force the state variables of the closed-loop system to converge to the origin. Then, the spacecraft system subjected to control constraints is further considered, and another adaptive sliding mode control law is designed to achieve the attitude stabilization. No prior knowledge of inertia moment is required for both of the proposed adaptive control laws, which implies that the designed control schemes can be applied in spacecraft systems with a large parametric uncertainty existing in inertial matrix or even in unknown inertial matrix. Also, simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Unstable slopes have been monitored since the beginning of the last century. Current electro-optic detection technology can achieve automatic monitoring remotely with high safety and includes such methods as time domain reflectometry, optical time domain reflectometry and Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry. However, these technologies cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of distributed sensing, high initial measurement accuracy, large sliding distance and high dynamic range. Based on the space frame theory of reinforced concrete beams, this study presents an innovative design for a distributed optic fiber sensor: a novel transduser with a bowknot. Using the optic fiber microbending loss mechanism and optical time domain reflectometry technology, bending and shear tests based on the combined fiber sensor are conducted, and the vertical displacement of midspan, optical fiber sliding distance and loss data under three different spans are collected. Feasibility study and economic analysis of the transduser used for landslide monitoring are also presented. The results show that the maximum sliding distance of our transduser is 21.8, 26.5 and 30.6mm with corresponding initial accuracies of 1.2, 2.3 and 3.3mm, and the dynamic ranges are 0–20.6, 0–23.2 and 0–27.3mm. The cost of the transduser is economical at $0.15/m, which demonstrates promising economic application, high monitoring effectiveness and stability in monitoring civil works, such as slope, dam and tunnel construction and measurement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper studied compressive postbuckling under thermal environments and thermal postbuckling due to a uniform temperature rise for a shear deformable laminated plate with piezoelectric fiber reinforced composite (PFRC) actuators based on a higher order shear deformation plate theory that includes thermo-piezoelectric effects. The material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent and the initial geometric imperfection of the plate is considered. The compressive and thermal postbuckling behaviors of perfect, imperfect, symmetric cross-ply and antisymmetric angle-ply laminated plates with fully covered or embedded PFRC actuators are conducted under different sets of thermal and electric loading conditions. The results reveal that, the applied voltage usually has a small effect on the postbuckling load–deflection relationship of the plate with PFRC actuators in the compressive buckling case, whereas the effect of applied voltage is more pronounced for the plate with PFRC actuators, compared to the results of the same plate with monolithic piezoelectric actuators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]