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Amphioctopus neglectus is a species of octopus that is favored by consumers due to its rich nutrient profile. To investigate the influence of different thawing methods on the quality of octopus meat, we employed four distinct thawing methods: air thawing (AT), hydrostatic thawing (HT), flowing water thawing (FWT), and microwave thawing (MT). We then explored the differences in texture, color, water retention, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB–N), total sulfhydryl content, Ca2+–ATPase activity, and myofibrillar protein, among other quality indicators in response to these methods, and used a low-field nuclear magnetic resonance analyzer to assess the water migration that occurred during the thawing process. The results revealed that AT had the longest thawing time, leading to oxidation-induced protein denaturation, myofibrillar protein damage, and a significant decrease in water retention. Additionally, when this method was utilized, the content of TVB–N was significantly higher than in the other three groups. HT, to a certain extent, isolated the oxygen in the meat and thus alleviated protein oxidation, allowing higher levels of Ca2+–ATPase activity, sulfhydryl content, and springiness to be maintained. However, HT had a longer duration: 2.95 times that of FWT, resulting in a 9.84% higher cooking loss and a 28.21% higher TVB–N content compared to FWT. MT had the shortest thawing time, yielding the lowest content of TVB–N. However, uneven heating and in some cases overcooking occurred, severely damaging the protein structure, with a concurrent increase in thawing loss, W value, hardness, and shear force. Meanwhile, FWT improved the L*, W* and b* values of octopus meat, enhancing its color and water retention. The myofibrillar protein (MP) concentration was also the highest after FWT, with clearer subunit bands in SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, indicating that less degradation occurred and allowing greater springiness, increased Ca2+–ATPase activity, and a higher sulfhydryl content to be maintained. This suggests that FWT has an inhibitory effect on oxidation, alleviating protein oxidation degradation and preserving the quality of the meat. In conclusion, FWT outperformed the other three thawing methods, effectively minimizing adverse changes during thawing and successfully maintaining the quality of octopus meat.

Analyzing the spatio-temporal relationship between socio-economics and land-use structure at the micro-scale is crucial for effective spatial governance in large cities. This paper focuses on Beijing, utilizing long time-series remote sensing images and multi-source data spanning 30 years. We employ spatio-temporal clustering based on kilometer grid cells and a community-scale multi-factor aggregation method to categorize the linkages and spatio-temporal matching of population, GDP, land development, and ecological protection at the community level in a problem-oriented approach. Results indicate significant changes in Beijing’s population, GDP, and land use, with a 11.53% increase in land development intensity. We identify significant temporal and spatial disparities between population–GDP dynamics, population–land development trends, and GDP–land development patterns, underscoring the multifaceted challenges inherent in urban governance. Areas characterized by lagging population concentration, sluggish economic growth, rampant land development, and ecological fragility collectively encapsulate notable portions of Beijing’s expansive urban terrain. Mismatches pose governance risks, with medium to high-risk communities comprising 18.08% of community units and high-risk types representing 4.27% in Beijing. These discrepancies pose formidable governance risks, with communities ranging from moderate to high-risk categories, necessitating tailored interventions to address their unique challenges. This systematic exploration of comprehensive governance issues within mega-cities promises to furnish decision-makers with invaluable insights, facilitating nuanced and strategic urban governance approaches tailored to the intricacies of urban dynamics and challenges.

This review aims to provide an understanding of the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of uveitis associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). In the wake of these molecules being increasingly employed as a treatment against different cancers, cases of uveitis post-ICI therapy have also been increasingly reported in the literature, warranting an extensive exploration of the clinical presentations, risk factors, and pathophysiological mechanisms of ICI-induced uveitis. This review further provides an understanding of the association between ICIs and uveitis, and assesses the efficacy of current diagnostic tools, underscoring the need for advanced techniques to enable early detection and accurate assessment. Further, it investigates the therapeutic strategies for ICI-related uveitis, weighing the benefits and limitations of existing treatment regimens, and discussing current challenges and emerging therapies in the context of their potential efficacy and side effects. Through an overview of the short-term and long-term outcomes, this article suggests recommendations and emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration between ophthalmologists and oncologists. Finally, the review highlights promising avenues for future research and development in the field, potentially informing transformative approaches in the ocular assessment of patients under immunotherapy and the management of uveitis following ICI therapy.

This study aimed to assess the effect of excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) before and after 28 weeks on the mode of delivery in women who attempted a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC), stratified by pre-pregnancy BMI. A retrospective analysis of the outcomes of eligible women who attempted trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) in a Chinese hospital from January 2016 to October 2022 was performed. GWG before and after 28 weeks was categorized as ‘excessive’ or ‘non-excessive’ based on the guideline of Institute of Medicine (IOM). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the effect of excessive GWG before and after 28 weeks on mode of delivery in women who underwent TOLAC, stratified by pre-pregnancy BMI. Of the 512 women who underwent term trial of labor, 71.1% achieved a vaginal birth. No correlation was found between excessive GWG before 28 weeks and the rate of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). Among women with or without excessive GWG before 28 weeks, excessive GWG after 28 weeks was significantly associated with a reduced rate of VBAC. When stratified by pre-pregnancy BMI, women who had excessive gestational weight gain after 28 weeks gestation had lower rates of VBAC than those who did not, regardless of being underweight, normal or overweight (aOR 0.23, 95% CI 0.06–0.88; aOR 0.42, 95% CI 0.25, 0.70; and aOR 0.12, 95% CI 0.04–0.36; respectively). Excessive weight gain after 28 weeks of pregnancy was related to decreased rates of VBAC, irrespective of pre-pregnancy weight status and weight gain before 28 weeks.

Exosomes, small extracellular vesicles that function as a key regulator of cell-to-cell communication, are emerging as a promising candidate for bone regeneration. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of exosomes from pre-differentiated human alveolar bone-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (AB-BMSCs) carrying specific microRNAs on bone regeneration. Exosomes secreted from AB-BMSCs pre-differentiated for 0 and 7 days were cocultured with BMSCs in vitro to investigate their effect on the differentiation of the BMSCs. MiRNAs from AB-BMSCs at different stages of osteogenic differentiation were analyzed. BMSCs seeded on poly-L-lactic acid(PLLA) scaffolds were treated with miRNA antagonist-decorated exosomes to verify their effect on new bone regeneration. Exosomes pre-differentiated for 7 days effectively promoted the differentiation of BMSCs. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that miRNAs within the exosomes were differentially expressed, including the upregulation of osteogenic miRNAs (miR-3182, miR-1468) and downregulation of anti-osteogenic miRNAs (miR-182–5p, miR-335–3p, miR-382–5p), causing activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The treatment of BMSC-seeded scaffolds with anti-miR-182–5p decorated exosomes demonstrated enhanced osteogenic differentiation and efficient formation of new bone. In conclusion, Osteogenic exosomes secreted from pre-differentiated AB-BMSCs were identified and the gene modification of exosomes provides great potential as a bone regeneration strategy. Data Availability Statement: Data generated or analyzed in this paper partly are available in the GEO public data repository(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo).

It is still a great challenge to develop effective strategies to improve the low electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of air-saturated luminol. Herein, the synergistic effects of Ti3C2-TiO2-AuNPs nano hybrid and high-intensity focused ultrasound pretreatment (ultrasound-pretreatment) were used to significantly improve the ECL emission of the air-saturated luminol, and the mechanism was proposed. The ultrasound-pretreatment as a green method with the cavitation effect could form O2–• and H2O2 in situ as an initiator. TiO2 and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) were in situ decorated on the Ti3C2 surface to form Ti3C2-TiO2-AuNPs, and it was proved as a highly efficient booster which could catalyze and aggregate H2O2 to the O2–•. The utilization rate of intermediates has been greatly improved. Exosomes as model targets can be sensitively detected by the ECL sensor. The detection limit was 195 particles μL−1. The detection results of exosomes in actual samples are satisfactory. We believe that the ultrasound-pretreatment strategy could be extended to the sensitive detection in the biological sample.

Abstract To solve the problems of eutrophication and resource crisis, the recovery of phosphorus by struvite (NH4MgPO4·6H2O) precipitation has become a focus of recent research. The feasibility of using Kraft lignin powder as a seed to promote struvite precipitation has been demonstrated in the previous study. In this study, the effect of lignin in promoting struvite precipitation in synthetic wastewater with different characteristics was investigated. Lignin-induced struvite crystallization was tested under various initial concentrations of PO4–P and NH4–N, total suspended solids (TSS) and alkalinity. At pH 7.9, the enhancement of PO4–P recovery remains around 45% under different PO4–P and NH4–N concentrations. Moreover, lignin is more effective under relatively lower alkalinity and still workable to reduce co-precipitates potential under higher alkalinity. Also, the effect of TSS on PO4–P recovery is not significant. Overall, the effect of lignin in promoting phosphorus recovery is relatively stable and can be used in synthetic wastewater with different characteristics.

Persimmon is a fruit that contains sugars, vitamins, phenolic compounds, and various other nutrients. The aim of this study was to explore the structure of carboxymethylated persimmon polysaccharide (CM-PFP) and its interaction with the human gut microbiota. Carboxymethyl modification of the persimmon polysaccharide (PFP) increased both the Mw and Mn, enhanced dispersion stability, and decreased thermal stability. Both PFP and CM-PFP promoted the proliferation of Lactobacillus while inhibiting the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In the simulated fecal fermentation, the pH of PFP- and CM-PFP-containing media decreased, the content of short-chain fatty acids increased, and the abundance of intestinal flora at the phylum and genus levels changed. The relative abundance of harmful intestinal bacteria was significantly reduced in both PFP and CM-PFP groups. Furthermore, it was found that CM-PFP was more easily metabolized than PFP, glucose, and fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) and had a proliferation increase effect on Lactobacillus. Therefore, CM-PFP has a significant positive effect on both Lactobacillus proliferation and the human gut microbiota.

Torularhodin is a fungus-derived carotenoid, and the lack of downstream processing of torularhodin is still a challenge for its large-scale production. To support the industrial production of torularhodin, this work initially evaluated the efficiency of carotenoid release from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa using thermal acid treatment, saponification and ultrasound-assisted enzymatic lysis. Based on the polarity, torularhodin was then purified using methanol/acetone/hexane (2/2/1, v/v/v) solution eluting from a silica cartridge. Thermal acid treatment was considered the most appropriate method for total carotenoid release and torularhodin recovery. The highest carotenoid content was 121.3 ± 7.0 μg/g dry cell weight and 63.0 ± 6.1% of torularhodin (50.5 ± 3.0 μg/g dry cell weight in total) was recovered after purification. To fast quantify the content of torularhodin extracted from yeast, the absorption coefficient (E1cm1% = 3342) of torularhodin dissolved in chloroform was assayed. With the developed strategy for torularhodin recovery, purification and quantification, the potential of this yeast to produce torularhodin using xylose and glycerol was further evaluated. It was found that carbon sources may influence the proportion of carotenoids in this yeast, but torularhodin was still the dominant pigment. The results obtained in this study identified the feasibility of sustainable production of torularhodin from Rhodotorula mucilaginosa with high efficiency and purity.

BackgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major cause of malignancy-related deaths worldwide, and its incidence is likely to increase in the future as life expectancy increases. Therefore, the management of elderly patients with HCC has become a global issue. Aim of this study was to assess whether elderly patients with small HCC could obtain survival benefit from cryoablation (CRYO) in a real-world.Materials and methodsFrom July 2007 to June 2013, 185 patients with small HCC who underwent curative-intent percutaneous CRYO. All patients were divided into three groups according to age distribution. Overall survival (OS) and tumor-free survival (TFS) were compared between among of groups before and after the 1:1 propensity score matching, respectively. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to determine the potential relationships between variables and prognostic outcomes.ResultsOne hundred and eighty-five patients (144 men, 41 women) received CRYO for small HCC, including 59 patients with age 65 years. The three age groups showed significant differences in the terms of underlying chronic liver disease and the number of patients with minor postoperative complications. After propensity score matching, the younger and elderly groups showed significant differences in mean OS (P=0.008) and tumor progression (P=0.050). However, no significant differences were shown in mean progression-free survival (PFS) (P=0.303). The Cox multivariate analysis showed that the Child-Pugh grade (HR=3.1, P

In the luminol-O2 ECL system, O2 as an endogenous coreactant has the advantages of non-toxicity and stability. Improving the efficiency to generate radicals of O2 is a challenge currently. In this work, a strategy combining physical method - ultrasound and nanomaterial with unique physicochemical properties was designed to enhance the ECL signal of luminol-O2 system. Specifically, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pretreatment as a non-invasive method could generate ROS (H2O2, O2•−, OH•, 1O2) in situ, triggering and boosting the ECL signal of luminol. In addition, 1T/2H MoS2 with excellent catalytic activity could catalyze the H2O2 produced in situ, accelerate the oxidation of luminol and further enhance the ECL response. At the same time, combined with the catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) reaction, the constructed ECL biosensing platform showed excellent performance for the detection of miRNA-155. The concentration range of 0.1 fM ∼ 1 nM with the detection limit as low as 0.057 fM were obtained. Furthermore, the ECL biosensor was also successfully applied to the determination of miRNA-155 in human serum samples. The established ECL sensing platform opens up a promising method for the detection of clinical biomarkers.

Abstract Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels seeds have been shown to have diverse beneficial medical value due to their unique active components. This study analysed the composition of essential oils (EOs) of C. lansium seeds and investigated their potential antifungal effects against Candida strains. A total of forty-six components were identified in all samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The main components were sabinene, β-phellandrene and 4-terpineol. Thirteen EOs of C. lansium seeds were classified into three clusters based on their components. Cluster analysis showed that the difference between the tropics and subtropics was the greatest. These EOs and the three main chemicals showed different antifungal activities against five Candida species (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei and C. parapsilosis). The antifungal activity against C. glabrata and C. krusei was higher than that against other Candida strains. EOs of C. lansium seeds displayed noteworthy antifungal activity against both sensitive and fluconazole-resistant strains, with inhibition zone diameters in the range of 9.4–23.4 mm. Comprehensive analysis illustrated the importance of sabinene, β-phellandrene and 4-terpineol to antifungal activity, and there may be some synergistic effects with other components. These results represent the first report about the correlation between the chemical composition of EOs of C. lansium seeds and antifungal activity. Taken together, the results obtained provide scientific evidence for the traditional use of C. lansium seeds waste.

Wearable surface electromyography (sEMG) signal-acquisition devices have considerable potential for medical applications. Signals obtained from sEMG armbands can be used to identify a person’s intentions using machine learning. However, the performance and recognition capabilities of commercially available sEMG armbands are generally limited. This paper presents the design of a wireless high-performance sEMG armband (hereinafter referred to as the α Armband), which has 16 channels and a 16-bit analog-to-digital converter and can reach 2000 samples per second per channel (adjustable) with a bandwidth of 0.1–20 kHz (adjustable). The α Armband can configure parameters and interact with sEMG data through low-power Bluetooth. We collected sEMG data from the forearms of 30 subjects using the α Armband and extracted three different image samples from the time–frequency domain for training and testing convolutional neural networks. The average recognition accuracy for 10 hand gestures was as high as 98.6%, indicating that the α Armband is highly practical and robust, with excellent development potential.

The inspection of railway fasteners to assess their clamping force can be used to evaluate the looseness of the fasteners and improve railway safety. Although there are various methods for inspecting railway fasteners, there is still a need for non-contact, fast inspection without installing additional devices on fasteners. In this study, a system that uses digital fringe projection technology to measure the 3D topography of the fastener was developed. This system inspects the looseness through a series of algorithms, including point cloud denoising, coarse registration based on fast point feature histograms (FPFH) features, fine registration based on the iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm, specific region selection, kernel density estimation, and ridge regression. Unlike the previous inspection technology, which can only measure the geometric parameters of fasteners to characterize the tightness, this system can directly estimate the tightening torque and the bolt clamping force. Experiments on WJ-8 fasteners showed a root mean square error of 9.272 N·m and 1.94 kN for the tightening torque and clamping force, demonstrating that the system is sufficiently precise to replace manual measurement and can substantially improve inspection efficiency while evaluating railway fastener looseness.

The purpose of this study was to explore the hydrolytic ability of Lactobacillus helveticus CICC 22171 with regard to protein and the expression of enzyme genes during protein utilization. The results revealed that the strain hydrolyzed casein from the C-terminal, reached the maximum level in 6 h, and the number of amino acids in the hydrolyzed peptide was 7–33. The molecular weight was 652.4–3432.74 kDa. Hydrophobic peptides produced by hydrolysis were the source of β-casein bitterness. Leucine and glutamine were the preferred cleavage points after 1 h; tyrosine and tryptophan subsequently increased. The first step of hydrolysis was controlled by PrtP and PrtM genes and coordinated with the action of PrtH1 and PrtH2. The transport system consisted of DtpT, OppB, OppD and OppF. The hydrolytic third step endopeptidase system consisted of the aminopeptidases (PepN, PepC, PepM and PepA), the endopeptidases (PepE, PepF and PepO); the dipeptidases (PepV and PepD), the tripeptidase PepT; the proline peptidases (PepX, PepP, PepQ, PepR and PepI). The expression of CEP genes was significantly different, and the expression level of genes related to the transport system significantly increased from 0 to 1 h. The specificity of the substrate and action site of endopeptidase was abundant.

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence shows that microRNA-210 (miR-210) holds great promise to improve angiogenesis for brain tissue repair after cerebral ischemia. However, safe and efficient delivery of miR-210 via intravenous administration is still a challenge. In the past decade, exosomes have emerged as a novel endogenous delivery system. Here, c(RGDyK) peptide is conjugated to exosomes, and they are loaded with cholesterol-modified miR-210 (RGD-exo:miR-210). Results In a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model, the RGD-exo:miR-210 targets the lesion region of the ischemic brain after intravenous administration, resulting in an increase in miR-210 at the site. Furthermore, RGD-exo:miR-210 are administered once every other day for 14 days, and the expressions of integrin β3, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD34 are significantly upregulated. The animal survival rate is also enhanced. Conclusions These results suggest a strategy for the targeted delivery of miR-210 to ischemic brain and provide an angiogenic agent for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

The ultrasonic Lamb wave detection principle can realize the noncontact measurement of liquid level in closed containers. When designing an ultrasonic Lamb wave sensor, it is vital to thoroughly study and select the optimal wedge size at the front of the sensor. In this paper, firstly, we select the best working mode of Lamb waves according to their propagation dispersion curve in aluminum alloy, and we obtain the best angle of wedge through experiments. Secondly, we study the impact of the size of the wedge block on the results, and we obtain the selection method of wedge block parameters. The evaluations show that, when the frequency–thickness product is 3 MHz·mm, the Lamb waves work in the A1 mode, and the experimental effect is the best. At this time, the incident angle of the ultrasonic wave is 27.39°. The wedge thickness should be designed to avoid the near-field area of the ultrasonic field, and we should choose the length as odd multiples of 1/4 wavelength. The rules obtained from the experiment can effectively select the best working mode for ultrasonic Lamb waves, while also providing a basis for the design of the wedge block size in a Lamb wave sensor.

An approach to improve the side-coupling ratio of the macro-bend polymer optical fiber (POF) coupler is proposed in this paper. Two naked POFs are twisted and twined around a cylinder to achieve continuous liquid level sensing. Through filling the gap between the two twisted POFs with UV optical cement, both the sensitivity and the measurement range are increased substantially. The reversibility is also improved since the gap is eliminated, and little liquid can exist in the structure with the liquid level decreasing. The design turns out to be a good method to enhance the performance, and could also be applied in the displacement or stress sensing field.

A simple and effective mixing carbonization-activation process was developed to prepare rice hull-derived porous Si–carbon materials. The morphologies and pore structures of the materials were controlled effectively without any loading or additions at various carbonization temperatures. The structures of the samples changed from large pores and thick walls after 800 ∘C carbonization to small pores and thin walls after 1000 ∘C carbonization. An additional alkali activation–carbonization process led to coral reef-like structures surrounded by squama in the sample that underwent 900 ∘C carbonization (Act-RH-900). This optimal material (Act-RH-900) had a large specific surface area (768 m2 g−1), relatively stable specific capacitance (150.8 F g−1), high energy density (31.9 Wh kg−1), and high-power density (309.2 w kg−1) at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 in 1 M KOH electrolyte, as well as a good rate performance and high stability (capacitance retention > 87.88% after 5000 cycles). The results indicated that Act-RH-900 is a promising candidate for capacitive applications. This work overcomes the restrictions imposed by the complex internal structure of biomass, implements a simple reaction environment, and broadens the potential applicability of biomass waste in the field of supercapacitors.

A new rust converter, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-2-[(hydroxyimino) methyl] benzoic acid (named as RC-GAO), has been synthesized based on gallic acid by formylation and oximation. The synthesis was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies. The nature and morphology of rust and conversion layer on the rusty samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The corrosion resistance of the residual rust coatings containing the rust converter on the rusty sample was measured by the salt spray test. The results showed that the synthesized rust converter possessed excellent chelating capability with rust and significant anticorrosive performance. The synthesized rust converter revealed excellent chelating capability with rust and significant anticorrosive performance

In order to solve the adverse effects caused by multi point distributed power grid on the feeder steady voltage, power quality of power supply and relay protection, a distributed power triangle load distribution model is put forward, and according to the circuit superposition theorem, the voltage distribution calculation method based on this model is proposed. The verification of this model shows that the triangle load distribution model with distributed power is much better than the uniform load distribution model. Under the condition that the the access position is not changed, the output force is determined by the support function of voltage. The more the output force is, the greater the voltage support function is, and the higher the overall voltage level is. When the output force is unchanged, the closer the access position to the end of the line is, the greater the impact on voltage is. In conclusion, this result provides a theoretical basis for voltage regulation analysis.

A wireless passive pressure measurement system for an 800 °C high-temperature environment is proposed and the impedance variation caused by the mutual coupling between a read antenna and a LC resonant sensor is analyzed. The system consists of a ceramic-based LC resonant sensor, a readout device for impedance phase interrogation, heat insulating material, and a composite temperature-pressure test platform. Performances of the pressure sensor are measured by the measurement system sufficiently, including pressure sensitivity at room temperature, zero drift from room temperature to 800 °C, and the pressure sensitivity under the 800 °C high temperature environment. The results show that the linearity of sensor is 0.93%, the repeatability is 6.6%, the hysteretic error is 1.67%, and the sensor sensitivity is 374 KHz/bar. The proposed measurement system, with high engineering value, demonstrates good pressure sensing performance in a high temperature environment.

Because mobile virtual reality (VR) is both mobile and immersive, three-dimensional (3D) visualizations of disaster scenes based in mobile VR enable users to perceive and recognize disaster environments faster and better than is possible with other methods. To achieve immersion and prevent users from feeling dizzy, such visualizations require a high scene-rendering frame rate. However, the existing related visualization work cannot provide a sufficient solution for this purpose. This study focuses on the construction and optimization of a 3D disaster scene in order to satisfy the high frame-rate requirements for the rendering of 3D disaster scenes in mobile VR. First, the design of a plugin-free browser/server (B/S) architecture for 3D disaster scene construction and visualization based in mobile VR is presented. Second, certain key technologies for scene optimization are discussed, including diverse modes of scene data representation, representation optimization of mobile scenes, and adaptive scheduling of mobile scenes. By means of these technologies, smartphones with various performance levels can achieve higher scene-rendering frame rates and improved visual quality. Finally, using a flood disaster as an example, a plugin-free prototype system was developed, and experiments were conducted. The experimental results demonstrate that a 3D disaster scene constructed via the methods addressed in this study has a sufficiently high scene-rendering frame rate to satisfy the requirements for rendering a 3D disaster scene in mobile VR.

Segmenting 3D models into meaningful parts is a fundamental problem in computer graphics. In this paper, we present an algorithm which is guided by the mesh vertices for segmenting a mesh into meaningful sub-meshes. First, a candidate set of feature points is selected to highlight the most significant features of the model. After that, a diversity measure is calculated by using Hausdorff distance. The collection of seed points we defined is a subset of the candidate set. The collection of seed points consists of two parts, namely, the basic point and lucky points. By maximizing the diversity measure between the seed set and candidate set, an appropriate seed point is selected. Based on the collection of seed points, the segmentation process can be guided by these seeds. Because humans generally perceive desirable segmentations at concave regions, and the geodesic distance and curvature are well-known noise sensitive. Considering the above factors, in order to partition the target into meaningful parts, we define a distance function between each pair of mesh vertices. This function is formed by arc length, angular distance and curvature-related correction term. We have tested the method developed in this paper with 3D meshes from the Princeton segmentation benchmark. Moreover, our segmentation method also has been compared with other methods. The experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed segmentation method.

The partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) ceramic has wide applications due to its excellent mechanical toughness and chemically inert and electrical properties for fabricating various devices. In this paper, a novel high temperature pressure sensor with the PSZ was designed and fabricated. The sensor was designed based on the small deflection theory, which enables its theoretic pressure-capacitance capability up to 60 bar. HTCC process technology was used to fabricate the sensor, which would realize a completely passive LC resonant circuit integrated on the ceramic substrate. According to the coupling principle, noncontact testing is achieved using the designed readout system, with average sensitivity up to 38 kHz Bar −1 presented. Compared to the fabrication and measurement of traditional sensors, excellent packaging process is demonstrated, and the sensor can be completely tested from 0 to 60 bar.

A intensity-modulated optical fiber relative humidity (RH) sensor based on the side coupling induction technology (SCIT) is presented and experimentally demonstrated. The agarose gel and the twisted macro-bend coupling structure are first combined for RH sensing applications. The refractive index (RI) of the agarose gel increases with the increase of the RH and is in linear proportion from 20 to 80%RH. The side coupling power, which changes directly with the RI of the agarose gel, can strip the source noise from the sensor signal and improve the signal to noise ratio substantially. The experiment results show that the sensitivity of the proposed sensor increases while the bend radius decreases. When the bend radius is 8 mm, the sensor has a linear response from 40% to 80% RH with the sensitivity of 4.23 nW/% and the limit of detection of 0.70%. A higher sensitivity of 12.49 nW/% is achieved when RH raises from 80% to 90% and the limit of detection decreases to 0.55%. Furthermore, the proposed sensor is a low-cost solution, offering advantages of good reversibility, fast response time, and compensable temperature dependence.

This paper proposes the strategy of fabricating an all fiber wide-range displacement sensor based on the macro-bend coupling effect which causes power transmission between two twisted bending plastic optical fibers (POF), where the coupling power changes with the bending radius of the fibers. For the sensor, a structure of two twisted plastic fibers is designed with the experimental platform that we constructed. The influence of external temperature and displacement speed shifts are reported. The displacement sensor performance is the sensor test at different temperatures and speeds. The sensor was found to be satisfactory at both room temperature and 70 °C when the displacement is up to 140 mm. The output power is approximately linear to a displacement of 110 mm–140 mm under room temperature and 2 mm/s speed at 19.805 nW/mm sensitivity and 0.12 mm resolution. The simple structure of the sensor makes it reliable for other applications and further utilizations, promising a bright future.

Objective. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues (e.g., exenatide) increase insulin secretion in diabetes but less is known about their effects on glucose production or insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in peripheral tissues. Methods. Four groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied: nondiabetic (control, C); nondiabetic + exenatide (C + E); diabetic (D); diabetic + exenatide (D + E) with diabetes induced by streptozotocin and high fat diet. Infusion of 3-3H-glucose and U-13C-glycerol was used to measure basal rates of appearance (Ra) of glucose and glycerol and gluconeogenesis from glycerol (GNG). During hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, glucose uptake into gastrocnemius muscles was measured with 2-deoxy-D-14C-glucose. Results. In the diabetic rats, exenatide reduced the basal Ra of glucose (P

Objective. As a complicated symbiotic system, intestinal flora is reported closely related to the development of type 2 diabetes recently. Sleeve gastrectomy is one of the approaches of bariatric surgery and could improve blood glucose control in type 2 diabetes patients. This study was to explore the relationship between remodeled intestinal flora and glucose metabolism in diabetic rats. Methods. 20 male diabetic rats were operated; 10 of them underwent sleeve gastrectomy, and 10 of them underwent sham operation. Meanwhile 10 male normal rats underwent sleeve gastrectomy as control. The animals’ weight and FBG had been measured. The composition changes of intestinal flora were detected by 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Results. In diabetic rats, weight and fasting blood glucose decreased significantly after sleeve gastrectomy. However, there was no significant change for weight and blood glucose in normal rats after operation. The intestinal flora of diabetic rats reduced in the proportion of Firmicutes and increased in the proportion of Bacteroidetes after sleeve gastrectomy. Conclusion. The change of dominant microorganisms in intestinal flora might play an important role in the glucose metabolism.