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Abstract Certificateless public key infrastructure (PKI) avoids the key escrow problem associated with identity-based PKI and has recently been widely employed in anonymous communication schemes for vehicular adhoc networks (VANETs). In existing certificateless anonymous signcryption schemes for VANETs, vulnerabilities such as potential attacks involving the substitution of pseudonyms and the forging of pseudonymous public-private key pairs exist due to the lack of “identity-key binding” and “non-linearity processing of public-private key pairs.” To address this issue, we propose an improved certificateless anonymous signcryption scheme based on elliptic curve cryptography. The scheme incorporates bilinear pairing as one of the authentication mechanisms, designs pseudonym generation algorithms and public-private key pair structures, and introduces a pseudonym verification mechanism. The correctness of the scheme is proven under the random oracle model, and its security is extensively demonstrated through detailed discussions on its confidentiality, authentication, unforgeability, anonymity, and traceability. Furthermore, the time and space complexity of the scheme are calculated. By comparing with recently published certificateless signcryption schemes, it is shown that the proposed scheme offers higher security with smaller computational and communication overheads. This certificateless vehicular network signcryption algorithm provides an efficient encryption solution for anonymous communication in vehicular networks, thereby ensuring the rapid development of secure technology for intelligent connected vehicle super terminals.

Abstract In the field of brain-computer interface (BCI) based on motor imagery (MI), multi-channel electroencephalography (EEG) data is commonly utilized for MI task recognition to achieve sensory compensation or precise human-computer interaction. However, individual physiological differences, environmental variations, or redundant information and noise in certain channels can pose challenges and impact the performance of BCI systems. In this study, we introduce a channel selection method utilizing Hybrid-Recursive Feature Elimination (H-RFE) combined with residual graph neural networks for MI recognition. This channel selection method employs a recursive feature elimination strategy and integrates three classification methods, namely random forest, gradient boosting, and logistic regression, as evaluators for adaptive channel selection tailored to specific subjects. To fully exploit the spatiotemporal information of multi-channel EEG, this study employed a graph neural network embedded with residual blocks to achieve precise recognition of motor imagery. We conducted algorithm testing using the SHU dataset and the PhysioNet dataset. Experimental results show that on the SHU dataset, utilizing 73.44% of the total channels, the cross-session MI recognition accuracy is 90.03%. Similarly, in the PhysioNet dataset, using 72.5% of the channel data, the classification result also reaches 93.99%. Compared to traditional strategies such as selecting three specific channels, correlation-based channel selection, mutual information-based channel selection, and adaptive channel selection based on Pearson coefficients and spatial positions, the proposed method improved classification accuracy by 34.64%, 10.8%, 3.25% and 2.88% on the SHU dataset, and by 46.96%, 5.04%, 5.81% and 2.32% on the PhysioNet dataset, respectively.

Abstract Background Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) accounts for about 75% of anovulatory infertility. The cause of PCOS is not clear. CircRNAs acting as miRNA sponges mediate the post-transcriptional regulation of multiple genes. CYP19A1 is a limiting enzyme in the ovarian steroidogenesis pathway. However, the mechanism of circRNAs regulating granulosa cell (GC) estradiol secretion in PCOS remains to be elucidated. Methods Bioinformatics was used to predict the potential target miRNAs of circ_0043532 and target genes of miR-1270. Target miRNAs and mRNA expression were verified by qRT-PCR in GCs from 45 women with PCOS and 65 non-PCOS. Western blot, ELISA and dual-luciferase reporter assays were applied to confirm the substrate of miR-1270. Results Circ_0043532 and CYP19A1 were significant up-regulation in GCs from patients with PCOS. The predicted target miRNAs of circ_0053432, miR-1270, miR-576-5p, miR-421 and miR-142-5p, were notably decreased in GCs from patients with PCOS. Mechanistic experiments showed that circ_0043532 specifically binds to miR-1270. MiR-1270 was negatively regulated by circ_0043532. Concomitantly, miR-1270 inhibited CYP19A1 expression and estradiol production, which could be reversed by circ_0043532 over-expression. Conclusion We identified that circ_0043532/miR-1270/CYP19A1 axis contributes to the aberrant steroidogenesis of GCs from patients with PCOS. This study broadens the spectrum of pathogenic factors of PCOS, and circ_0043532 might be a potential therapeutic target for PCOS.

Increasing researches reveal gut microbiota was associated with the development of tuberculosis (TB). How to prevent or reduce Mycobacterium tuberculosis colonization in the lungs is a key measure to prevent TB. However, the data on gut microbiota preventing Mycobacterium colonization in the lungs were scarce. Here, we established the clindamycin-inducing intestinal microbiome dysbiosis and fecal microbial transplantation models in mice to identify gut microbiota’s effect on Mycobacterium’s colonization in the mouse lungs and explore its potential mechanisms. The results showed that clindamycin treatment altered the diversity and composition of the intestinal bacterial and fungal microbiome, weakened the trans-kingdom network interactions between bacteria and fungi, and induced gut microbiome dysbiosis in the mice. Gut microbiota dysbiosis increases intestinal permeability and enhances the susceptibility of Mycobacterium colonization in the lungs of mice. The potential mechanisms were gut microbiota dysbiosis altered the lung transcriptome and increased Nos2 expression through the ‘gut–lung axis’. Nos2 high expression disrupts the intracellular antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory environment by increasing the concentration of nitric oxide, decreasing the levels of reactive oxygen species and Defb1 in the cells, and promoting Mycobacteria colonization in the lungs of mice. The present study raises a potential strategy for reducing the risks of Mycobacteria infections and transmission by regulating the gut microbiome balance.

ABSTRACT African swine fever (ASF), caused by ASF virus (ASFV), is a highly infectious and severe hemorrhagic disease of pigs that causes major economic losses. Currently, no commercial vaccine is available and prevention and control of ASF relies mainly on early diagnosis. Here, a novel automated double antigen sandwich chemiluminescent immunoassay (DAgS-aCLIA) was developed to detect antibodies against ASFV p72 (p72-Ab). For this purpose, recombinant p72 trimer was produced, coupled to magnetic particles as carriers and labeled with acridinium ester as a signal trace. Finally, p72-Ab can be sensitively and rapidly measured on an automated chemiluminescent instrument. For quantitative analysis, a calibration curve was established with a laudable linearity range of 0.21 to 212.0 ng/mL (R2 = 0.9910) and a lower detection limit of 0.15 ng/mL. For qualitative analysis, a cut-off value was set at 1.50 ng/mL with a diagnostic sensitivity of 100.00% and specificity of 98.33%. Furthermore, antibody response to an ASF gene-deleted vaccine candidate can be accurately quantified using this DAgS-aCLIA, as evidenced by early seroconversion as early as 7 days post-immunization and high antibody levels. Compared with available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, this DAgS-aCLIA demonstrated a wider linearity range of 4 to 16-fold, and excellent analytical sensitivity and agreement of over 95.60%. In conclusion, our proposed DAgS-aCLIA would be an effective tool to support ASF epidemiological surveillance.IMPORTANCEAfrican swine fever virus (ASFV) is highly contagious in wild boar and domestic pigs. There is currently no vaccine available for ASF, so serological testing is an important diagnostic tool. Traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays provide only qualitative results and are time and resource consuming. This study will develop an automated chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) that can quantitatively and qualitatively detect antibodies to ASFV p72, greatly reducing detection time and labour-intensive operation, and improving detection sensitivity and linearity range. This novel CLIA would serve as a reliable and convenient tool for ASF pandemic surveillance and vaccine development.

Abstract Background Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) is a group of rare genetic metabolic disorders resulting from defects in methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase (MCM) or intracellular cobalamin (cbl) metabolism. MMA patients show diverse clinical and genetic features across different subtypes and populations. Methods We retrospectively recruited 60 MMA patients from a single center and diagnosed them based on their clinical manifestations and biochemical assays. We then performed genetic analysis to confirm the diagnosis and identify the causal variants. Results We confirmed the common clinical manifestations of MMA reported previously. We also described four rare MMA cases with unusual symptoms or genetic variants, such as pulmonary hypertension or limb weakness in late-onset patients. We identified 15 MMACHC and 26 MMUT variants in 57 patients, including 6 novel MMUT variants. Two patients had only one MMAA variant each, and one patient had mild MMA due to mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome caused by a SUCLA2 variant. Among 12 critically ill patients, isolated MMA was associated with higher C3, blood ammonia, and acidosis, while combined MMA was linked to hydrocephalus on skull MRI. MMACHC c.658-660delAAG and MMUT c.1280G > A variants were correlated with more severe phenotypes. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the clinical and genotypic heterogeneity of MMA patients and indicates that metabolic screening and genetic analysis are useful tools to identify rare cases.

Abstract Background Recent studies have more focused on gut microbial alteration in tuberculosis (TB) patients. However, no detailed study on gut fungi modification has been reported till now. So, current research explores the characteristics of gut microbiota (bacteria)- and mycobiota (fungi)-dysbiosis in TB patients and also assesses the correlation between the gut microbiome and serum cytokines. It may help to screen the potential diagnostic biomarker for TB. Results The results show that the alpha diversity of the gut microbiome (including bacteria and fungi) decreased and altered the gut microbiome composition of TB patients. The bacterial genera Bacteroides and Prevotella were significantly increased, and Blautia and Bifidobacterium decreased in the TB patients group. The fungi genus Saccharomyces was increased while decreased levels of Aspergillus in TB patients. It indicates that gut microbial equilibrium between bacteria and fungi has been altered in TB patients. The fungal-to-bacterial species ratio was significantly decreased, and the bacterial-fungal trans-kingdom interactions have been reduced in TB patients. A set model including Bacteroides, Blautia, Eubacterium_hallii_group, Apiotrichum, Penicillium, and Saccharomyces may provide a better TB diagnostics option than using single bacterial or fungi sets. Also, gut microbial dysbiosis has a strong correlation with the alteration of IL-17 and IFN-γ. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that TB patients exhibit the gut bacterial and fungal dysbiosis. In the clinics, some gut microbes may be considered as potential biomarkers for auxiliary TB diagnosis.

Water processes secure plant survival and maintain their ecosystem function. Salinity affects water processes, but the mechanisms remain unclear and may depend on the degree of salinity stress. To improve the understanding of the cooperation of plant organs involved in water processes under salinity stress, we determined hydraulic, gas exchange, and physiological and biochemical parameters in Populus euphratica Oliv. under different salinity stresses. The results suggested that P. euphratica enhanced water transport efficiency in a salinity-stress environment, and the strengthening effect of roots in the water transfer process was greater than that of the aboveground parts. P. euphratica also increased water use efficiency and water transport efficiency in mild and moderate salinity stress (less than 200 mmol/L NaCl) but was adversely affected by heavy salinity stress (more than 300 mmol/L NaCl). Furthermore, P. euphratica increased its water storage by regulating antioxidant enzyme scavenging capacity and osmoregulation, which resulted in coordinated greater water utilization and enhanced water transport among plant organs and indicated that the adverse effects on water processes triggered by salinity stress depended on the extent of salt stress. P. euphratica lessened stress-induced damage and maintained plant productivity by coordination and cooperation of water processes under certain levels of salinity. Research on the coordination and cooperation involving water processes in riparian forests in saline areas provides the scientific basis for riparian plant protection and restoration.

IntroductionIntrauterine transfusion of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has become a new treatment for thin endometrium (TE) in recent years, but its low efficacy due to rapid release of growth factors limits its clinical use. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) starts the coagulation cascade reaction immediately after the blood comes into contact with the test tube. The natural coagulation process results in stable platelet activation and the slow release of growth factors.MethodsIn our study, primary human endometrial stromal cells (hESCs) were extracted from endometrial tissue. PRP and PRF were prepared from the patient cubital vein blood. Stromal cells were cultured in conditioned medium supplemented with PRP and PRF. Differences in cell behavior were observed by cell proliferation test and cell migration test. The relative expression levels of apoptotic Bax and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 genes were measured by qRT-PCR. The release of growth factors from PRP and PRF was detected by ELISA.ResultsWe found that both PRP and PRF inhibited apoptosis of hESCs, which favored cell proliferation and migration. In addition, PRF releases growth factors for a longer period of time compared to PRP.DiscussionPRF offer a more sustained therapeutic effect compared to PRP, which provides a new idea for endometrial regeneration and repair.

The real-time and accurate detection of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) in patients is of great significance for preventing the occurrence of high-risk events such as sudden cardiac death and guiding cardiac surgical procedures such as radiofrequency ablation. To improve the diagnostic accuracy and real-time performance, and expand application scenarios, an economical wearable PVC real-time auxiliary diagnosis system based on the multi-parameter squeeze excitation residual network (MP-SE-ResNet) is proposed. We have realized the real-time acquisition, processing, and wireless transmission of dynamic ECGs based on ESP32, furthermore, realized the PVCs recognition based on MP-SE-ResNet. Using the lead-II ECGs in the MIT-BIH arrhythmia databases as training samples, and the network was evaluated using the remainder of this dataset and data recorded by our device, respectively. The accuracy of the MIT-BIH dataset reached 99.34%, and the sensitivity and specificity of PVC recognition reached 98.26% and 99.64%, respectively. Using the ECGs recorded by our system, we achieved the following results: the accuracy was 94.07%, the sensitivity and specificity of PVC were 92.76% and 97.63%, respectively. The experimental results show that the system meets the requirements of remote monitoring and auxiliary diagnosis. Therefore, it provides a new method and design idea for wearable remote arrhythmia monitoring and auxiliary diagnosis.

ABSTRACTChronic alcohol consumption, an important risk factor for diseases and deaths, can cause intestinal microbiota dysbiosis and increase the infection of some opportunistic pathogens. However, the current studies on the effects of alcohol-induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis on gut colonization of Klebsiella pneumoniae are still scarce. In the present study, we established a binge-on-chronic alcohol model in mice to identify the characteristics of alcohol-induced intestinal microbiome and metabolite dysbiosis using multi-omics and explored the effects and potential mechanisms of these dysbioses on the intestinal colonization of K. pneumoniae. The results show that chronic alcohol consumption alters the diversity and composition of gut microbiota (including bacteria and fungi), decreases the complexity of the interaction between intestinal bacteria and fungi, disturbs the gut metabolites, and promotes the colonization of K. pneumoniae on the gut of mice. The relevance analyses find that alcohol-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis has a strong correlation with the alteration of secondary bile acids. In vitro results suggest that the high concentration of lithocholic acid, a secondary bile acid, could significantly inhibit the proliferation of K. pneumoniae, and the adhesion of K. pneumoniae to Caco-2 cells. Our results indicate that alcohol-induced microbiome dysbiosis contributes to decreased levels of secondary bile acids, which was one of the main reasons affecting the colonization of K. pneumoniae in mice’s intestines. Some secondary bile acids (e.g., lithocholic acid) might be a potential drug to prevent the colonization and spread of K. pneumoniae.IMPORTANCEAlcohol is one of the most commonly misused substances in our lives. However, long-term heavy drinking will increase the colonization of some opportunistic pathogens (e.g., Klebsiella pneumoniae) in the body. Here, we revealed that binge-on-chronic alcohol consumption disrupted the balance between gut bacteria and fungi, induced the gut microbiome and metabolites dysbiosis, and promoted the colonization of K. pneumoniae in the intestine of mice. In particular, alcohol-taking disrupted intestinal bile acid metabolism and reduced the lithocholic acid concentration. However, a high concentration of lithocholic acid can protect against intestinal colonization of K. pneumoniae by inhabiting the bacterial growth and adhesion to the host cell. Hence, regulating the balance of gut microbiota and intestinal bile acid metabolism may be a potential strategy for reducing the risk of K. pneumoniae infection and spread.

Bone defects resulting from severe trauma, tumors, inflammation, and other factors are increasingly prevalent. Stem cell-based therapies have emerged as a promising alternative. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), sourced from dental pulp, have garnered significant attention owing to their ready accessibility and minimal collection-associated risks. Ongoing investigations into DPSCs have revealed their potential to undergo osteogenic differentiation and their capacity to secrete a diverse array of ontogenetic components, such as extracellular vesicles and cell lysates. This comprehensive review article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of DPSCs and their secretory components, emphasizing extraction techniques and utilization while elucidating the intricate mechanisms governing bone regeneration. Furthermore, we explore the merits and demerits of cell and cell-free therapeutic modalities, as well as discuss the potential prospects, opportunities, and inherent challenges associated with DPSC therapy and cell-free therapies in the context of bone regeneration.

This paper proposes a method for three-dimensional style modeling of loose sweaters. Through the correlation analysis of the three-dimensional human body and the classic sweater style, a style model was built on the three-dimensional human body model to realize efficient personalized sweater design and production. First of all, the design model was extracted from the human body model based on the characteristics of the ring-cutting algorithm. Secondly, the loose model of the sweater was established based on the chest, waist, and hip data of the human body. Subsequently, the feature line between the size information and style features was created, and curve interpolation values were combined with joint smoothing methods to generate a multi-faceted sweater style model. Finally, the mapping function was used to flatten the style model, the related styles were woven by operating the computer, and the suitability of the established sweater fabric was verified. The comparison results showed that the accuracy of the style construction of this model was improved. Through the analysis of experimental data, it can be proven that the method proposed in this paper can quickly and accurately establish a three-dimensional style model of a sweater, without the need for repeated measurements to make templates, thus saving development time.

Objective: This study aimed to find the most appropriate tartary buckwheat variety for soaking wine. Methods: The contents of total flavones, soluble solids, total phenols, antioxidant properties, color difference and light transmittance of three kinds of tartary buckwheat wines (A, B and C) were investigated. The effects of different tartary buckwheat varieties on wine quality characteristics were explored. Results: The contents of total flavone, total phenol, soluble solid and the scavenging rate of DPPH and ABTS free radicals of tartary buckwheat B were the highest. The color difference showed that the content of total flavonoids and total phenols had a significant correlation with the color of wine samples. 49 kinds of volatile substances were found in B1 samples after soaking for 40 days, the relative content was 79.488%, among which 16 kinds of esters (the relative content was 49.916%) were the main volatile substances. Conclusion: The variety The variety of tartary buckwheat influences the quality of the wine significantly. The content of flavonoids and total phenols in the wine has a significant correlation with the color of the wine sample. The optimum variety for black wine is tartary buckwheat B.

Objective: The effect of ultrasonic-assisted ionic crosslinking method on the peppermint capsule roundness was studied. Methods: The optimal treatment process was obtained through response surface optimization method, and the quality indicators of peppermint capsule was analyzed. Results: The results showed that, the optimum conditions of ionic crosslinking method were calcium ion mass fraction of 0.4%, soaking time of 20 min, solid/liquid ratio of 1.3∶1.0 （mL/g）. Under the conditions, the strength of wet-capsule was 11.5 N, and the roundness of capsule was 0.033 mm. The optimum conditions of ultrasonic-assisted ionic crosslinking method were: ultrasonic time of 10 min, ultrasonic power of 105 W, ultrasonic temperature of 25 ℃. Under the conditions, the strength of wet-capsule was 14.7 N, and the roundness of capsule was 0.028 mm. Conclusion: Compared with the traditional ionic crosslinking method, the strength of the wet-capsule was increased by 27.8%, the roundness of the capsule product was decreased from 0.075 mm to 0.028 mm, and the product yield was increased from 83.7% to 98.3%, which showed that the quality of the peppermint capsule was obviously improved. The ultrasonic-assisted ionic crosslinking has the advantages of simple process and high efficiency, which could provide a reference for the development of capsule preparation technology.

Objective: In order to explore the effect of arrowhead starch on the quality of fresh noodles, arrowhead starch in different proportions were added into wheat core powder to make fresh noodles. Methods: The cooking characteristics, color, sensory evaluation, texture characteristics and GC-MS of fresh noodles were measured. Results: Increasing the amount of arrowhead starch can not only increase the water absorption rate, broken rate and cooking loss rate of noodles as a whole, but also increase the flavor, hardness and elasticity of noodles, and reduced the chewiness, stickiness and taste quality of noodles as well as. When the addition of arrowhead starch was 5%, the sensory score of arrowhead fresh noodles was optimal. The optimized cooking time of the fresh noodles was 4.5 min, which had a 0% noodle breakage rate, 5.28% cooking loss rate and 70.09% water absorption rate. The color difference △E* was 2.31. GC-MS showed that the fresh arrowhead starch noodles were rich in hydrocarbons and alcohols. Conclusion: Adding a proper amount of arrowhead starch could improve the quality of fresh noodle.

African swine fever (ASF), caused by ASF virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious and lethal disease of domestic pigs leading to tremendous economic losses. As there are no vaccines and drugs available. An effective diagnosis to eliminate ASFV-infected pigs is a crucial strategy to prevent and control ASF. To this end, ASFV capsid protein p72 was expressed using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and subsequently conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to develop a one-step double-antigen sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (one-step DAgS-ELISA). The performance of this ELISA for detecting ASFV antibodies was evaluated. Overall, a diagnostic sensitivity of 97.96% and specificity of 98.96% was achieved when the cutoff value was set to 0.25. No cross-reaction with healthy pig serum and other swine viruses was observed. The coefficients of variation of the intra-assay and inter-assay were both

Leaf functional traits allow plant survival and maintain their ecosystem function. Salinity affects leaf functional traits, but coordination among leaf functional traits is poorly known and may depend on salt severity. To increase our understanding of the coordination of leaf functional traits under salt stress, we determined hydraulic, gas exchange, and physiological and biochemical parameters in Populus euphratica Oliv. (P. euphratica) grown under salinity treatments, as well as gas exchange parameters under different CO2 concentrations. We found that P. euphratica can reinforce its hydraulic capacity by increasing the water transfer efficiency of both its leaves and stems when a salinity threat occurs for a specific duration of stress. Its stems were more adaptable than leaves. The economic and hydraulic traits of P. euphratica leaves were consistent during the middle stages of salt stress, but inconsistent during the onset and late stages of salt stress. There was almost no biochemical limitation under severe salinity conditions, and CO2 enrichment of P. euphratica had a greater effect on leaf economic traits. The mechanism of toxic ion exclusion based on water availability and intracellular mechanisms in leaves contributed to salt tolerance when P. euphratica was exposed to salinity stress. There was also a coordination mechanism for the plants during increasing salt stress. The leaf intracellular traits of P. euphratica can coordinate with the leaf economic and hydraulic traits and form a defense mechanism to reduce salt damage and guarantee growth under saline conditions. In conclusion, P. euphratica, the main constructional species of riparian forests, adapts to saline environments by adjustment and coordination of leaf functional traits, ensuring survival. These results provide a scientific basis for riparian forest restoration.

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is an important iron, copper, gold and other polymetallic metallogenic belt in China. The southern part of the Yangtze River is the southeast Hubei ore concentration area. As an important source of iron and copper deposits in China, several iron-rich copper deposits are concentrated in this area. The Jinniu volcanic basin is located in the southeastern Hubei ore concentration area. The basin has the ore potential of iron, copper, gold and other polymetallic deposits with the similar metallogenic conditions of other mining areas in this metallogenic belt. However, the basin has a thick overlying strata of magnetic rock and sedimentary rock, which increases the difficulty of ore prospecting. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the application of technologies for improving the effect of ore prediction. In the adjacent ore concentration areas, the prospecting work mainly focuses on gravity and magnetic data and combined with other geophysical data for comprehensive analysis, which lays a good foundation for the study of structural characteristics and the guidance of prospecting prediction. These previous works has proved that by comprehensive analysis and interpretation of high-precision gravity and magnetic data combined with other geophysical data, the tectonic framework characteristics, buried rocks and physical property distribution of the study area can be extracted, so as to infer the tectonic characteristics of the basin and its basement and put forward prospecting prediction. For the lack of systematic research and demand for prospecting in Jinniu volcanic basin, based on measured and collected geological and geophysical data, comprehensive analysis and interpretation of gravity and magnetic data combined with MT data were carried out. The techniques of linear signal extraction, multi-scale analysis, inversion and resistivity imaging, etc., were utilized to estimate the depth of the basin basement, delineate volcanic mechanism and buried rocks, and speculate fractures, basin boundary, and some areas of prospecting prospect. The such research has the guidance or reference significance for the basic geological survey and deep ore prediction in this area.

ObjectiveThe present study opted for the adrenal phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cell line to frame a neuronal injury model induced by alcohol exposure in vitro, aiming to probe whether TAp73 and miR-96-5p are involved in the neuronal injury process induced by alcohol and elucidate the regulatory relationship between miR-96-5p and TAp73.MethodsImmunofluorescence staining was used to observe the structural features of PC12 cells after culturing in medium with nerve growth factor (NGF). After different doses and different durations of alcohol treatment, CCK-8 assay was performed to detect the viability of PC12 cells, flow cytometry assay was carried out to detect the apoptosis rate of PC12 cells, dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to definitude the regulatory relationship between miR-96-5p and Tp73, and western blot was used to detect the protein expression of TAp73.ResultsThe result of immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that PC12 cells abundantly expressed Map2, CCK-8 assay illustrated alcohol exposure significantly downregulated the cell viability of PC12 cells, Treatment with miR-96-5p inhibitor induced apoptosis and upregulated the expression of TAp73 in PC12 cells. Contrastingly, miR-96-5p mimic reversed the above effects and downregulation of TAp73 inhibited the apoptosis of PC12 cells.ConclusionThe present study demonstrated that miR-96-5p participates in alcohol-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells via negatively regulating TAp73.

The list of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that participate in the function of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) is rapidly expanding, but the mechanisms through which lncRNAs regulate GC function are not yet fully understood. Here, we recognized a minimally expressed lncRNA RP4-545C24.1 (which we named DDGC) in GCs from patients with biochemical premature ovarian insufficiency (bPOI). We further explored the role of lncRNA DDGC in GC function and its contribution to the development of bPOI. Mechanistically, silencing DDGC downregulated RAD51 by competitively binding with miR-589-5p, and this resulted in significant inhibition of DNA damage repair capacity. In addition, decreased expression of DDGC promoted ubiquitin-mediated degradation of Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) protein through interactions with heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), which led to aberrant differentiation of GCs. Moreover, DDGC was able to ameliorate the etoposide-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in vivo. Taken together, these findings provide new insights into the contribution of lncRNAs in POI pathogenesis.

Abstract FANCI is an essential component of Fanconi anemia pathway, which is responsible for the repair of DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs). As an evolutionarily related partner of FANCD2, FANCI functions together with FANCD2 downstream of FA core complex. Currently, growing evidences showed that the essential role of FA pathway in male fertility. However, the underlying mechanisms for FANCI in regulating spermatogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, we found that the male Fanci −/− mice were sterile and exhibited abnormal spermatogenesis, including massive germ cell apoptosis in seminiferous tubules and dramatically decreased number of sperms in epididymis. Besides, FANCI deletion impaired maintenance of undifferentiated spermatogonia. Further investigation indicated that FANCI was essential for FANCD2 foci formation and regulated H3K4 and H3K9 methylation on meiotic sex chromosomes. These findings elucidate the role and mechanism of FANCI during spermatogenesis in mice and provide new insights into the etiology and molecular basis of nonobstructive azoospermia.

Cordyceps militaris polysaccharides have aroused attention due to extensive physiological activities. One novel enzymatic-extractable polysaccharide, EPCMa, was obtained by chromatography column under optimum conditions. Structural characteristics analysis indicated that EPCMa consisted of → 3)-α-L-Fucp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →2,6)-α-D-Galp-(1→, →3)-α-Glcp-(1→, →6)-β-D-Galp-(1 → and β-D-Manp-(1 → with 20792 Da. Moreover, our work further investigated the effect of EPCMa on CCl4-indued liver injury and its underlying in mice. Results showed that EPCMa activated Nrf2 pathway by up-regulating Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions to enhance antioxidant enzymes for decreasing ROS and lipid peroxidation against oxidative stress, which inhibited NF-κB p65 and IκBα phosphorylation against the releases of IL-6, TNF-α and COX-2, thereby achieving hepatoprotective effect. To sum up, activation of Nrf2 pathway and suppression of NF-κB pathway by Nrf2/ROS/NF-κB signaling pathway are the main underlying mechanisms against CCl4-induced liver injury. These results demonstrated that EPCMa might be developed as a potential functional food and natural agent against liver injury.

Abstract Granulosa cell (GC) is a critical somatic component of ovarian follicles to support oocyte development, while the regulatory role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in GCs is largely unknown. Here, we identified a down-regulated lncRNA ZNF674-AS1 in GCs from patients with biochemical premature ovarian insufficiency (bPOI), and its expression correlates with serum levels of clinical ovarian reserve indicators. Functional experiments showed that ZNF674-AS1 is induced by energy stress, and regulates the proliferation and glycolysis of GCs, which possibly leads to follicular dysfunction. Mechanistically, low-expressed ZNF674-AS1 reduced the enzymatic activity of aldolase A (ALDOA), concomitant with promoting the association between ALDOA and v-ATPase to activate the lysosome localized AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). These findings identified a new lncRNA–ALDOA complex through which ZNF674-AS1 exerts its functions, expanding the understanding of epigenetic regulation of GCs function and POI pathogenesis.

Dysfunction of granulosa cells (GCs) leading to follicle atresia has been extensively studied as a major cause of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), but the regulatory role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in this process is still poorly understood. Here, we show that the lncRNA LINC02690 or GCAT1 (granulosa cell-associated transcript 1) is downregulated in GCs from patients with biochemical POI (bPOI), and we show a significant correlation between downregulated GCAT1 and serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and anti-Müllerian hormone. Downregulation of GCAT1 inhibited G1/S cell cycle progression and thus inhibited the proliferation of GCs. Mechanistically, we show that GCAT1 competes with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B) mRNA for polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) binding, and thus decreased GCAT1 might promote PTBP1 binding to CDKN1B mRNA and thereby initiate CDKN1B protein (p27) translation. Together, our results suggest that downregulation of GCAT1 under conditions of bPOI inhibits the proliferation of GCs through PTBP1-dependent p27 regulation, thus suggesting a novel form of lncRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation of GC function that contributes to the pathogenesis of POI.

Abstract Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) has long been assumed to modulate multiple biological processes, yet very little is known about the impact of FGF9 on neurodevelopment. Herein, we found that loss of Fgf9 in olig1 progenitor cells induced epilepsy in mice, with pathological changes in the cortex. Then depleting Fgf9 in different neural populations revealed that epilepsy was associated with GABAergic neurons. Fgf9 CKO in GABAergic neuron (CKOVGAT) mice exhibited not only the most severe seizures, but also the most severe growth retardation and highest mortality. Fgf9 deletion in CKOVGAT mice caused neuronal apoptosis and decreased GABA expression, leading to a GABA/Glu imbalance and epilepsy. The adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP and ERK signaling pathways were activated in this process. Recombinant FGF9 proteoliposomes could significantly decrease the number of seizures. Furthermore, the decrease of FGF9 was commonly observed in serum of epileptic patients, especially those with focal seizures. Thus, FGF9 plays essential roles in GABAergic neuron survival and epilepsy pathology, which could serve as a new target for the treatment of epilepsy.

Abstract Silicon nitride foams with a hierarchical porous structure was formed by the combination of protein-based gelcasting, chemical vapor infiltration, and in-situ growth of silicon nitride nanowires. The porosity of the foams can be controlled at 76.3–83.8 vol% with an open porosity of 70.2– 82.8 vol%. The pore size distribution was presented in three levels: < 2 μm (voids among grains and cross overlapping of silicon nitride nanowires (SNNWs)), 10–50 μm (cell windows), and >100 μm (cells). The resulted compressive strength of the porous bodies at room temperature can achieve up to 18.0±1.0 MPa (porosity = 76.3 vol%) while the corresponding retention rate at 800 ℃ was 58.3%. Gas permeability value was measured to be 5.16 (cm3·cm)/(cm2·s·kPa). The good strength, high permeability together with the pore structure in multiple scales enabled the foam materials for microparticle infiltration applications.

Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that spontaneous brain activity exhibits rich spatiotemporal structure that can be characterized as the exploration of a repertoire of spatially distributed patterns that recur over time. The repertoire of brain states may reflect the capacity for consciousness, since general anesthetics suppress and psychedelic drugs enhance such dynamics. However, the modulation of brain activity repertoire across varying states of consciousness has not yet been studied in a systematic and unified framework. As a unique drug that has both psychedelic and anesthetic properties depending on the dose, ketamine offers an opportunity to examine brain reconfiguration dynamics along a continuum of consciousness. Here we investigated the dynamic organization of cortical activity during wakefulness and during altered states of consciousness induced by different doses of ketamine. Through k-means clustering analysis of the envelope data of source-localized electroencephalographic (EEG) signals, we identified a set of recurring states that represent frequency-specific spatial coactivation patterns. We quantified the effect of ketamine on individual brain states in terms of fractional occupancy and transition probabilities and found that ketamine anesthesia tends to shift the configuration toward brain states with low spatial variability. Furthermore, by assessing the temporal dynamics of the occurrence and transitions of brain states, we showed that subanesthetic ketamine is associated with a richer repertoire, while anesthetic ketamine induces dynamic changes in brain state organization, with the repertoire richness evolving from a reduced level to one comparable to that of normal wakefulness before recovery of consciousness. These results provide a novel description of ketamine's modulation of the dynamic configuration of cortical activity and advance understanding of the neurophysiological mechanism of ketamine in terms of the spatial, temporal, and spectral structures of underlying whole-brain dynamics.

Among the most widespread structures for successfully retaining water and checking erosion on the semi-arid portions of China's Loess Plateau, check dams retain silt at slower than projected rates, leading to flood control issues. Meanwhile, the shortage and the uneven distribution of time and space of water resources in semi-arid areas can easily cause droughts and floods, which seriously restricted the rapid development of the socioeconomic. However, some of the high-quality rain and flood resources accumulated in the check dams can be used to alleviate part of the water resources crisis instead of causing flood. With the goal of holistically maximizing a projected check dam array's water resource, ecosystem and socioeconomic benefits, a Check Dam Benefit Maximization Model (CDBMM) was first developed. The CDBMM was first applied to the Si Jiagou Basin, and the model showed the total costs represent 7.07% of the total and rather significant benefits. Water resources benefits accounting for 45.40% of the total benefits, indicating that the water resources benefits were substantial and should be considered as the main influencing factors in the basin's ecosystem-friendly design and construction. Use of the CDBMM in watershed planning will allow a more efficient use of water and soil resources and greatly alleviate water crises in the semi-arid area. It can further provide a reference for both check dam system planning and the system benefits analysis. HIGHLIGHTS A Check Dam Benefit Maximization Model (CDBMM) is proposed.; CDBMM maximize the overall benefits of the check dam system and efficiently use water resources.; For the first time, CDBMM considers water resource benefits of the check dam system in the check dam construction.; Provide new ways for the sustainable development of semi-arid areas and the construction of water-saving and ecological check dam systems.;

BackgroundThe overuse and abuse of antibiotics is a major risk factor for antibiotic resistance in primary care settings of China. In this study, the effectiveness of an automatically-presented, privacy-protecting, computer information technology (IT)-based antibiotic feedback intervention will be evaluated to determine whether it can reduce antibiotic prescribing rates and unreasonable prescribing behaviours.MethodsWe will pilot and develop a cluster-randomised, open controlled, crossover, superiority trial. A total of 320 outpatient physicians in 6 counties of Guizhou province who met the standard will be randomly divided into intervention group and control group with a primary care hospital being the unit of cluster allocation. In the intervention group, the three components of the feedback intervention included: 1. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based real-time warnings of improper antibiotic use; 2. Pop-up windows of antibiotic prescription rate ranking; 3. Distribution of educational manuals. In the control group, no form of intervention will be provided. The trial will last for 6 months and will be divided into two phases of three months each. The two groups will crossover after 3 months. The primary outcome is the 10-day antibiotic prescription rate of physicians. The secondary outcome is the rational use of antibiotic prescriptions. The acceptability and feasibility of this feedback intervention study will be evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative assessment methods.DiscussionThis study will overcome limitations of our previous study, which only focused on reducing antibiotic prescription rates. AI techniques and an educational intervention will be used in this study to effectively reduce antibiotic prescription rates and antibiotic irregularities. This study will also provide new ideas and approaches for further research in this area.Trial registrationISRCTN, ID: ISRCTN13817256. Registered on 11 January 2020.

MoSi2 intermetallic is well known as one of the most promising compounds used as structural components due to its high melting point, relatively low density, excellent oxidation resistance, and good strength at high temperatures. Unfortunately, MoSi2 has poor toughness at low temperatures and low creep strength at elevated temperatures. Especially, MoSi2 alloy usually exhibits severe "pest oxidation" at low temperatures of between 400 and 900℃. These problems limit the applications of MoSi2 alloys. The main methods to solve these problems are alloying and compounding. Unfortunately, so far, the problem of low-temperature oxidation resistance of MoSi2 has not been completely solved, and its composite materials are reinforced using external means. In a previous work, SiC particle-reinforced MoSi2 matrix composites were prepared by an in situ synthesis technique, and the microstructures and the mechanical behaviors at room temperature and high temperature were systematically studied. In this work, the long-term oxidation behavior of in situ synthesized SiC particulate-reinforced MoSi2 matrix composites with different volume fractions and occurring at 900℃ for 1000 h was investigated. The composites are not observed to disintegrate (pest) after oxidation for 1000 h. The oxidation resistances of six kinds of materials appear excellent. The composite synthesized by in situ possesses higher oxidation resistance than the traditional composite, which is fabricated by hot-pressing the mixture of commercial powders of MoSi2 and SiC. The surface of scales consists of α-SiO2 (α-quartz), and the subsurface is composed of Mo5Si3. The oxidation of the composites is conducted not only between MoSi2 and O2, but also SiC is oxidized. Selective oxidation of Si completely takes place at 900℃. This selective oxidation results in the spontaneously formation of a layer of dense SiO2 protective scale on the MoSi2 surface, making the material exhibit excellent long-term oxidation resistance.

In the apparel manufacturing, fabric utilization always remains the significant apprehensions in controlling the production expenditure. Alteration in pattern shapes and marker preparation leads to the enormous utilization of fabric. The purpose of this research is to study fabric efficiency in correspondence with four different human body shapes in both genders. Two clothing styles, fitted trousers and fitted shirts, were processed conventionally in the garment manufacturing company. The comparative study of auto-marker and manual-marker making through Garment Gerber Technology (GGT) software were also accomplished. The evaluation of fabric consumptions, marker efficiency, marker loss, fabric loss, and fabric cost relevant to four different body shapes was analyzed for both women and men. The investigation carried out in this article concludes that there are differences in fabric consumptions, efficiencies, and cost-effectiveness relative to body shapes. The result revealed that the manualmarker of trousers for triangular body shape in women’s wears has the least fabric consumption (most cost-effective), whereas the shirt’s auto-marker for an oval body shape in men’s wears has the most fabric utilization (least costeffective). The manual-virtual-marker making is efficient (significant p-value) than auto-generated-markers. Also, fabric utilization for women’s garments is cost-effective than that for men. Trousers are cost-effective compared to the shirts.

Understanding how the brain recovers from unconsciousness can inform neurobiological theories of consciousness and guide clinical investigation. To address this question, we conducted a multicenter study of 60 healthy humans, half of whom received general anesthesia for 3 hr and half of whom served as awake controls. We administered a battery of neurocognitive tests and recorded electroencephalography to assess cortical dynamics. We hypothesized that recovery of consciousness and cognition is an extended process, with differential recovery of cognitive functions that would commence with return of responsiveness and end with return of executive function, mediated by prefrontal cortex. We found that, just prior to the recovery of consciousness, frontal-parietal dynamics returned to baseline. Consistent with our hypothesis, cognitive reconstitution after anesthesia evolved over time. Contrary to our hypothesis, executive function returned first. Early engagement of prefrontal cortex in recovery of consciousness and cognition is consistent with global neuronal workspace theory.

The modeling of laser transmission characteristics in complex seawater is fundamental for bathymetric and oceanographic laser detection systems. Because the factors affecting laser transmission in seawater are independent of one another, firstly, in this paper, a Monte Carlo model of laser propagation in seawaters with suspended matter was established to study the influence of suspended matter with specific radius on the underwater laser transmission. Secondly, the influence of transmission depth and the number of photons on the laser extinction coefficients of seawater containing different concentrations of suspended matter were analyzed, respectively. Thirdly, the relationships between maximum transmission depth, the number of initial photons, and the concentrations were built and verified by simulations. Lastly, an experimental platform was set up and experiments were carried out to verify the Monte Carlo model and the relationships. Results show that (1) both the minimum initial photon number and maximum transmission depth depend exponentially on the concentrations of the suspended matter; (2) the extinction coefficients obtained by the Monte Carlo model and those obtained by experiments are consistent. The absolute values of the differences are less than 0.028 m−1, implying that (1) the proposed Monte Carlo model is effective for simulating laser propagation in seawaters with suspended matter; (2) the established relationships between maximum transmission depth, the minimum initial photon number, and the concentrations of suspended matter have better accuracies, which are valuable for the simulations on attenuation of laser transmission in seawater. The method of this paper can also be extended to the study of suspended solids with other radii and improve the simulation accuracy and decrease simulation time consumption.

There is an ongoing debate as to whether ketamine anesthesia suppresses neurophysiologic complexity at doses sufficient for surgical anesthesia, with previous human studies reporting surrogates of both suppressed and preserved levels of cortical complexity. However, these studies have not assessed cortical dynamics in higher gamma frequencies, which have previously been demonstrated to correlate with the level of consciousness during anesthesia. In this study, we used Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZc) to characterize frontal and parietal electroencephalographic complexity (0.5–175 Hz, 0.5–55 Hz, 65–175 Hz) before, during, and after ketamine or propofol anesthesia in the rat. To control for the potential influence of spectral changes in complexity estimation, LZc was normalized with phase-shuffled surrogate data. We demonstrate that ketamine and propofol anesthesia were characterized by a significant reduction in broadband (0.5–175 Hz) LZc. Further analysis showed that while the reduction of LZc during ketamine anesthesia was significant in 65–175 Hz range, during propofol anesthesia, a significant decrease was observed in 0.5–55 Hz bandwidth. LZc in broadband and 0.5–55 Hz range showed a significant increase during emergence from ketamine anesthesia. Phase-shuffled normalized LZc revealed that (1) decrease in complexity during ketamine and propofol anesthesia—not increase in complexity during emergence—were dissociable from the influence of spectral changes, and (2) reduced LZc during ketamine anesthesia was present across all three bandwidths. Ketamine anesthesia was characterized by reduced complexity in high gamma bandwidth, as reflected in both raw and phase-shuffled normalized LZc, which suggests that reduced high gamma complexity is a neurophysiological feature of ketamine anesthesia.

Perovskite-type oxynitride with a general formula of ATa(O,N)3 (A = Sr, Ba) is a class of promising dielectric material due to their very high permittivity. Conventional synthesis routes for these materials always require multiple processing steps, long durations and elevated temperatures. In this study, thermodynamic calculations were employed to predict the feasible synthesis reactions, possible impurities and reasonable processing parameters. Then, ceramic powders of SrTaO2N and BaTaO2N were fabricated through direct calcination of SrCO3/BaCO3 and Ta2O5 with urea as nitrogen source by using a modified pressureless spark plasma sintering set-up. High-purity oxynitrides can be obtained within 10 min. Thermal stability, corrosion resistance and dielectric property were evaluated. The results showed that SrTaO2N was thermally stable up to 475 °C in air while that temperature for BaTaO2N was 605 °C. The oxynitrides possessed a good resistance to hot water and strong acid/alkali. BaTaO2N had a very high room-temperature relative permittivity up to 9550 with a dielectric loss down to 0.001 at 100 Hz, while the values for SrTaO2N were 3141 and 0.017 respectively. The temperature dependence of permittivity for BaTaO2N was weak at −10–200 °C. The efficient synthesis method enabled the fast preparation of the tantalum-based oxynitride materials for energy storage applications. Keywords: Perovskite, Oxynitride, Urea, Spark plasma sintering, Permittivity

An advanced understanding of the neurophysiologic changes that occur with aging may help improve care for older, vulnerable surgical patients. The objective of this study was to determine age-related changes in cortical connectivity patterns during surgical anesthesia. This was a substudy analysis of a prospective, observational study characterizing cortical connectivity during surgical anesthesia in adult patients (n = 45) via whole-scalp (16-channel) electroencephalography. Functional connectivity was estimated using a weighted phase lag index (wPLI), which was classified into a discrete set of states through k-means analysis. Temporal dynamics were quantified by occurrence rate and state transition probabilities. The mean global connectivity state transition probability [13.4% (±8.1)] was not correlated with age (ρ = 0.100, p = 0.513). Increasing age was inversely correlated with prefrontal-frontal alpha-beta connectivity (ρ = −0.446, p = 0.002) and positively correlated with frontal-parietal theta connectivity (ρ = 0.414, p = 0.005). After adjusting for anesthetic-related confounders, prefrontal-frontal alpha-beta connectivity remained significantly associated with age (β = −0.625, 95% CI −0.99 to −0.26; p = 0.001), while frontal-parietal theta connectivity was no longer significant (β = 0.436, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.90; p = 0.066). Specific transition states were also examined. Between frontal-parietal connectivity states, transitioning from theta-alpha to theta-dominated connectivity positively correlated with age (ρ = 0.545, p = 0.001). Dynamic connectivity states during surgical anesthesia, particularly involving alpha and theta bandwidths, maybe an informative measure to assess neurophysiologic changes that occur with aging.

PurposeOveruse and misuse of antibiotics are the primary risk factors for antibiotics resistance. Inadequate professional competence of primary care physicians might exacerbate these problems in China. This retrospective study aims to document the clinical pattern of antibiotics use and its overuse and misuse rates in rural primary care institutions and to evaluate the association between antibiotics use and characteristics of physicians and their patients.MethodsMedical records from 16 primary care hospitals in rural areas of Guizhou province, China were obtained from the Health Information System in 2018. Classification of unnecessary use, incorrect spectrum of antibiotic, escalated use of extended spectrum and combined antibiotics use was based on the Guiding Principle of Clinical Use of Antibiotics (2015, China) and guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Generalized Estimating Equations were employed to determine predictive factors for inappropriate antibiotics use.ResultsA total of 74,648 antibiotics prescriptions were retrieved. Uncomplicated respiratory infection was the most common disease accounting for 58.6% of all prescriptions. The main antibiotic group used was penicillins (51.5%) followed by cephalosporins and macrolides (14% each). Of 57,009 patient visits, only 8.7% of the antibiotic prescriptions were appropriate. Combined use, escalated use of extended spectrum antibiotics, incorrect spectrum and unnecessary antibiotics use was found in 7.8%, 1.9%, 4.3% and 77.3% of patient visits, respectively, of which 28.7% were given intravenously. Antibiotics misuse was significantly more likely among newly employed physicians with lower levels of professional education. Adult patients and those who had public insurance had a higher risk of being prescribed unnecessary antibiotics.ConclusionOveruse of antibiotics for uncomplicated respiratory infection and use of cephalosporins, macrolides and injection antibiotics in primary care are the major problems of clinical practice in rural areas of Guizhou.

The fast estimation of blue-green laser transmission characteristics through the fluctuating sea surface, such as refraction angles and transmittance, is very important to correct operating parameters, detection depth and anti-detection warning in airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) applications. However, the geometry of the sea surface is changed by complex environment factors, such as wind and wave, which significantly affect the rapid acquisition of the blue-green laser transmission characteristics. To address this problem, a fast analysis method is provided to rapidly compute the blue-green laser transmittance and refraction angles through the fluctuating sea surface driven by different wind directions and speeds. In the method, a three-dimensional wave model driven by the wind was built to describe the wave spatial distribution varying with time. Using the wave model, the propagation path of the scanning laser footprint was analyzed using the proposed meshing method, thus the transmittance and refraction angles of the optical path can be fast obtained by using parallel computing. The simulation results imply that the proposed method can reduce the time consumption by 70% compared with the traditional analytical method with sequential computing. This paper provides some statistical laws of refraction angles and transmittance through the fluctuating sea surface under different wind conditions, which may serve as a basic for fast computation of airborne LiDAR transmission characteristics in complex environments.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States. The neurophysiological mechanism underlying sudden death is not well understood. Previously we have shown that the brain is highly stimulated in dying animals and that asphyxia-induced death could be delayed by blocking the intact brain-heart neuronal connection. These studies suggest that the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in mediating sudden cardiac arrest. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of phentolamine and atenolol, individually or combined, in prolonging functionality of the vital organs in CO2-mediated asphyxic cardiac arrest model. Rats received either saline, phentolamine, atenolol, or phentolamine plus atenolol, 30 min before the onset of asphyxia. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals were simultaneously collected from each rat during the entire process and investigated for cardiac and brain functions using a battery of analytic tools. We found that adrenergic blockade significantly suppressed the initial decline of cardiac output, prolonged electrical activities of both brain and heart, asymmetrically altered functional connectivity within the brain, and altered, bi-directionally and asymmetrically, functional, and effective connectivity between the brain and heart. The protective effects of adrenergic blockers paralleled the suppression of brain and heart connectivity, especially in the right hemisphere associated with central regulation of sympathetic function. Collectively, our results demonstrate that blockade of brain-heart connection via alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockers significantly prolonged the detectable activities of both the heart and the brain in asphyxic rat. The beneficial effects of combined alpha and beta blockers may help extend the survival of cardiac arrest patients.