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Boundary faults of the Daxing Uplift and Langgu–Dachang Depression are located in the southeastern region of the Beijing Plain and directly control the sedimentation, tectonic evolution, and strong seismic activity of the plain. The Sanhe–Pinggu earthquake of Ms 8.0 occurred in 1679, but the active tectonic deformation characteristics of the boundary have been rarely discussed. In this study, the active tectonic deformation characteristics of the Daxing Uplift and Langgu–Dachang Depression boundary rupture were investigated by collecting and analyzing the results of previous works, supplementing three shallow-seismic-exploration control lines at locations where the data are lacking, and carrying out borehole combined profile exploration and optically stimulated luminescence dating at local breakpoints. Results show that the Daxing Uplift and Langgu–Dachang Depression boundary faults constitute an active tectonic deformation zone with ∼50 km distance between Mafang and Niubaotun towns and then extends to both ends to form a deep and large fault that cuts through the earth’s crust. The activity of the Daxing Uplift eastern boundary fault may be divided into two sections near Anding town, with the early-to-middle Late Pleistocene gradually weakening in the northwest and the Holocene gradually weakening in the southwest. Moreover, the activity of the Xiadian fault may be divided into two sections near the Chaobai River: the Holocene gradually weakening in the northwest and the early-to-middle Late Pleistocene gradually weakening in the southwest. The boundary fault of the Daxing Uplift and Langgu–Dachang Depression has an ∼43 km seismic gap around Niubaotun town, which has a high risk of Ms 6.0–7.0 earthquakes. This investigation into the active tectonic deformation characteristics of the boundary fault of the Daxing Uplift and Langgu–Dachang Depression is crucial for analyzing the strong earthquake rupture behavior and the future risk of strong earthquakes in this area. It also contributes greatly to the study of the tectonic pattern evolution of the North China Plain and Beijing Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a brain disease that is caused by perinatal asphyxia. Icariin (ICA), which is an active component of Epimedii (a Chinese medicinal herb), has been verified to demonstrate a wide range of therapeutic effects, such as alleviating various kinds of brain injury. Objective: The current study aims to examine the neuroprotective effects of ICA on neonatal HIBD in mice. Materials and methods: A modified version of the Rice-Vannucci method was performed to establish neonatal HIBD in 7-day-old mouse pups that were pretreated with ICA or vehicle. The infarct volume was measured, and behavioral tests were conducted to assess the protective effects of ICA on the neonatal brain and to evaluate functional recovery after injury. TUNEL staining was used to detect cell apoptosis, and the levels of cleaved caspase-3 and phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) were determined by using Western blot. Results: We showed that pretreatment with ICA could significantly reduce brain damage, improve neurobehavioral outcomes, and suppress apoptotic cell death following HI injury. ICA reversed the HI-induced reduction in phosphorylated Akt and activation of cleaved caspase-3. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that ICA exerts potential neuroprotective effects on neonatal HIBD, which may be mediated by its anti-apoptotic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous systematic review suggested a beneficial effect of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. However, poor quality of eligible studies which included in previous systematic review impaired the reliability and validity of findings. The aim of the present systematic review was to further assess the value of PMR in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Methods: We assigned two independent investigators to search potential studies in PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trial (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), China Biomedical Literature database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data database. We used data extraction sheet to extract essential information, and used the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool to appraise the quality of eligible studies. Finally, we qualitatively summarized the results of all included studies. Results: Six studies enrolling 288 patients were included finally. Of these 6 studies, three were labeled as moderate quality and the remaining studies were low quality. All included studies consistently suggested that PMR has a positive effect on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, especially on the incidence, frequency, and degree of delayed nausea and vomiting. Conclusion: Independent studies indicated that PMR was a beneficial approach of preventing and alleviating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among cancer patients. However, further studies enrolling other types of primary tumors should be designed in order to increase the generality of PMR because studies which were included in the present systematic review mainly considered patients with lung cancer and breast cancer. Moreover, future studies with high quality and large-scale are also warranted in order to address the limitations in the present systematic review such as poor quality and limited data of eligible studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main objective is to explore the characteristics, drug resistance, and risk factors of pathogens in urinary tract infection patients complicated with urinary calculi. A total of 417 patients with urinary calculi who were treated in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2019 were enrolled in this study, including 234 patients with urinary tract infection and 183 patients without urinary tract infection. The midstream urine of 234 patients with urinary tract infection were cultured and used in the drug sensitivity test. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of postoperative urinary tract infection in patients with urinary calculi. A total of 624 strains of pathogens were isolated from the urine samples of 234 patients with postoperative urinary tract infection, of which 386 strains were gram-negative bacteria (61.86 %), 169 strains were gram-positive bacteria (27.08 %), and 69 strains were fungus (11.06 %). In the drug resistance test, the resistance rates of Staphylococcus aureus to tetracycline, rifampicin, and levofloxacin, and the resistance rate of Enterococcus faecium to levofloxacin was low. Enterococcus faecalis had the lowest resistance rate to levofloxacin, followed by azithromycin and gentamicin. The resistance rates of Staphylococcus epidermidis to levofloxacin and vancomycin were low and the resistance rate to erythromycin was 100.00 %. The resistance rate of Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis to meropenem and amikacin, and the resistance rate of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis to etilmicin and ceftriaxone were low. Univariate analysis showed that the postoperative urinary tract infection in patients with urinary calculi was related to the age, operation time, postoperative indwelling catheter time, stone size, and preoperative prophylactic use of antibiotics. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the age (=65 y old), operation time (=60 min), postoperative indwelling catheter time (=7 d), and no preoperative prophylactic use of antibiotics were the risk factors of postoperative urinary tract infection in patients with urinary calculi. Patients with urinary calculi were prone to urinary tract infection after the operation. The main pathogens of infection were gram-negative bacteria and gram-positive bacteria, and they were resistant to some antibiotics. Antibiotics should be treated reasonably according to the risk factors of urinary tract infection and the results of the drug sensitivity tests to avoid further aggravation of bacterial drug resistances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on China-India relationships. Topics include declaring his intention of building a country that is "poverty-free, corruption-free, clean, terrorism-free, and communalism-free by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi; unveiled the economic growth target in his second term of office, which foresees economy by 2024.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic disease characterized by nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea, and sneezing. Cineole, a monoterpenoid compound widely present in various volatile oils, has a wide range of pharmacological activities and is of interest in allergic airway diseases for its anti-inflammatory and anti-mucus production abilities. However, the protective effects of cineole in mice with allergic rhinitis and its mechanisms have not been well investigated. In this study, the protective effect of cineole against ovalbumin-induced (OVA-induced) allergic rhinitis and its molecular mechanism is investigated by metabolomic analysis based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). OVA combined with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant is used to sensitize and establish the allergic rhinitis (AR) mouse model. The mice are randomly divided into groups of control, AR, cineole (30 mg/kg), and budesonide (38.83 μg/kg). The pharmacodynamic results show that cineole significantly reduces the levels of Th2-type cytokines and OVA-specific IgE (OVA-sIgE) in AR mice, improves nasal mucosal tissue damage and alleviates nasal symptoms compared to the untreated AR group. Metabolomic results show that arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and tryptophan (Trp) metabolism are reprogrammed on the basis of 27 significantly altered metabolites. Further studies show that cineole inhibits the biosynthesis of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators leukotrienes (LTs) and prostaglandins (PGs) in mice by inhibiting the activity of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in the arachidonic acid metabolic (AA metabolic) pathway. It also inhibits the production of Th2 cytokines and inflammatory cell infiltration, thereby alleviating symptoms such as nasal congestion and nasal leakage. These results reveal the action and molecular mechanism of cineole in alleviating AR and provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of cineole in treating AR. [Display omitted] • Cineole exhibited a protective effect in allergic rhinitis mice. • UPLC/MS-MS based metabolomic was used to explore mechanisms of mitigating action. • Upregulation of arachidonic acid metabolites was associated with allergic rhinitis. • Cineole inhibits the metabolism of arachidonic acid to relieve allergic rhinitis. • Cineole inhibits 5-LOX and COX-2 activity reducing the biosynthesis of LTs and PGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy Type 1 (HSAN1) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited neuropathy, clinically characterized by a loss of distal peripheral sensory and motoneuronal function. Mutations in subunits of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) have been linked to the majority of HSAN1 cases. SPTs catalyze the condensation of l-serine with palmitoyl-CoA, the first committed and rate-limiting step in de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. Despite extensive investigation, the molecular pathogenesis of HSAN1 remains controversial. Here, we established a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model of HSAN1 by generating a sptl-1(c363g) mutation, encoding SPTL-1(C121W) and equivalent to human SPTLC1C133W, at the C. elegans genomic locus through CRISPR. The sptl-1(c363g) homozygous mutants exhibited the same larval lethality and epithelial polarity defect as observed in sptl-1(RNAi) animals, suggesting a loss-of-function effect of the SPTL-1(C121W) mutation. sptl-1(c363g)/+ heterozygous mutants displayed sensory dysfunction with concomitant neuronal morphology and axon-dendrite polarity defects, demonstrating that the C. elegans model recapitulates characteristics of the human disease. sptl-1(c363g)-derived neuronal defects were copied in animals with defective sphingolipid biosynthetic enzymes downstream of SPTL-1, including ceramide glucosyltransferases, suggesting that SPTLC1C133W contributes to the HSAN1 pathogenesis by limiting the production of complex sphingolipids, including glucosylceramide. Overexpression of SPTL-1(C121W) led to similar epithelial and neuronal defects and to reduced levels of complex sphingolipids, specifically glucosylceramide, consistent with a dominant-negative effect of SPTL-1(C121W) that is mediated by loss of this downstream product. Genetic interactions between SPTL-1(C121W) and components of directional trafficking in neurons suggest that the neuronal polarity phenotype could be caused by glycosphingolipid-dependent defects in polarized vesicular trafficking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Buckwheat is an important alternative crop and a raw material for functional food formulation. Phase II detoxification proteins/enzymes provide cytoprotective roles against oxidative stress and inflammation originating from various stressors. We aimed to identify and characterize potential phase II enzyme inducers from methanolic extracts of buckwheat flour, using an activity‐guided fractionation based on the induction of quinone reductase (QR) (EC 1.6.5.2) in Hepa 1c1c7 cells. RESULTS: We isolated the QR inducers N‐trans‐feruloyltyramine (I), syringic acid (II), quercetin (III) and myricetin (IV). The relative QR‐inducing ability, as well as the concentration required to double QR specific activity (CD values, in parentheses), decreased in the order: quercetin (3.0 µmol L–1) > N‐trans‐feruloyltyramine (24 µmol L–1) > myricetin (58 µmol L–1) > syringic acid (5.4 mmol L–1). Quercetin and N‐trans‐feruloyltyramine exhibited the greatest extent of QR induction of an approximately four‐fold maximum induction and these compounds also exhibited the greatest values for the ratio of IC50 (i.e. level to reduce viability by 50%): CD values of 11 and > 8.3, respectively, among the four QR inducers isolated. Isobologram analyses for binary combinations of compounds I–IV revealed primarily antagonistic interactions for QR induction. CONCLUSION: These findings add to our understanding of the nutraceutical potential of buckwheat as a chemoprophylactic dietary component. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunable liquid lenses with controllable focal length attract much attention from many researchers due to the unique advantages of strong adjustability, low power consumption, fast response time, and easy integration. In the last two decades, tunable liquid lenses have already been applied in machine vision, code scanner cameras, cellphone cameras, webcams, microscopes, mini projectors, AR/VR displays, 3D displays, and so on. There is no doubt that the tunable liquid lenses play an increasingly more important role in the field of optical technology. In this review, the research background and significance of the tunable liquid lenses are introduced. Tunable liquid lenses are systematically qualified according to the driving mechanism, and their current status and latest progress are presented in detail. The existing problems, directions for future research, and current and potential applications of the tunable liquid lenses are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the appearing probability of truck is introduced and an extended car-following model is presented to analyze the traffic flow based on the consideration of driver's characteristics, under honk environment. The stability condition of this proposed model is obtained through linear stability analysis. In order to study the evolution properties of traffic wave near the critical point, the mKdV equation is derived by the reductive perturbation method. The results show that the traffic flow will become more disorder for the larger appearing probability of truck. Besides, the appearance of leading truck affects not only the stability of traffic flow, but also the effect of other aspects on traffic flow, such as: driver's reaction and honk effect. The effects of them on traffic flow are closely correlated with the appearing probability of truck. Finally, the numerical simulations under the periodic boundary condition are carried out to verify the proposed model. And they are consistent with the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a non-lane-discipline-based car-following model by synthetically considering the visual angles and the timid/aggressive characteristics of drivers under honk environment. We firstly derived the neutral stability condition by the linear stability theory. It showed that the parameters related to visual angles and driving characteristics of drivers under honk environment all have significant impact on the stability of non-lane-discipline traffic flow. For better understanding the inner mechanism among these factors, we further analyzed how each parameter affects the traffic flow and gained further insight into how the visual angles information influences other parameters and then influences the non-lane-discipline traffic flow under honk environment. And the results showed that the other aspects such as driving characteristics of drivers or honk effect are all interacted with the “Visual-Angle Factor”. And the effect of visual angle is not just to say simply it has larger stable region or not as the existing studies. Finally, to verify the proposed model, we carried out the numerical simulation under the periodic boundary condition. And the results of numerical simulation are agreed well with the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Modi Doctrine and the future of China-India relations. It relates various developments and changes in India since Narendra Modi was elected prime minister in 2014. The contribution of Modi Doctrine to the rise of India and its great significance in maintaining the healthy and stable development in China-India relations are also discussed.

Abstract: In this paper, we propose an optical switch by deforming the shape of the liquid droplet. The optical switch consists of two immiscible liquids. The dye‐doped water is conductive, while the clear liquid is insulating. In the voltage‐off state, incident light can pass through the circular aperture formed of clear liquid. When the voltage is applied to the liquids, the surrounding dye‐doped water pushes to the side wall because of the effect of electric field force. So, the diameter of the circular aperture is rapidly reduced, and the incident light is absorbed by the dye‐doped water. Our results show that the device can obtain an optical attenuation (~350:1) and reasonable response time (~320 ms). The diameter of the aperture can be largely tuned from ~0.5 to ~6.2 mm as the applied voltage is changed from ~25 to ~65 V. The proposed optical switch has potential applications in light shutters, tunable irises, and variable optical attenuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Our objective was to explore STAT3 expression in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), assess the anti-proliferative effects of artesunate (ART) on THP-1 cells in vivo and in vitro, and investigate the underlying mechanisms. Methods In this study, we examined 30 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosed in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2016. The 20 control group patients had non-haematological diseases and were hospitalized for the same period. We extracted 2 ml bone marrow, separated the mononuclear cells, obtained total proteins, and detected STAT3 protein levels with Western blot analyses. The THP-1 cells were treated with different concentrations of ART(0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 μM). Then, THP-1 cell viability was detected with CCK-8 assays, apoptosis was measured with flow cytometry, and the STAT3, caspase-3 and caspase-8 protein levels were assessed using Western blot analyses. THP-1 cells in logarithmic growth phase were subcutaneously injected into the necks of 5-week-old nude mice. The control group was subcutaneously injected with 0.1 ml PBS. After the nude mouse tumours grew, the mice were divided into the control group and drug intervention groups (ART 100 μM group, ART 200 μM group). The mice in the intervention groups were intraperitoneally injected with ART, and the control group was injected with the same amount of normal saline. Then, changes in the tumours were observed. After the drug intervention, the total protein was extracted, and STAT3 expression was detected by Western blot analysis. Results Compared with the control group, the AML patients had significantly increased STAT3 protein levels (P < 0.01). ART significantly inhibited the proliferation of THP-1 cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. ART also increased THP-1cell apoptosis. After treatment with ART, STAT3 protein was significantly down-regulated, and apoptosis of the cells was induced by the activation of caspase-3 and caspse-8. Conclusion AML patients had higher expression of STAT3 than that of the controls. ART induced apoptosis in THP-1 cells and inhibited the growth of xenografts in nude mice, and we also observed that ART down-regulated the expression of STAT3 and activated the caspase-3 and caspase-8. We speculated that the effect of ART on THP-1 cells may be related to inhibition of STAT3 and activation of caspase3 and caspase-8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of some small molecules such as benzene and phthalimide with non-amphiphilic homopolymeric low-entropy chains such as PVAc, PVA, PVP, and PNIPAM has been realized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer reaction (RAFT) method. The as-prepared PT-PVA, PT-PVAc, PT-PVP, and PT-PNIPAM can serve as new building blocks and show the capability in concentration-dependent multidimensional self-assembly from vesicles to nanotubes, nanoribbons, and three-dimensional porous net-sheet structures. The introduction of low-entropy chains enables small molecules to aggregate into the J-type formation, which confers small molecules with the fluorescence-color-tunable ability. Incidentally, due to the essence of loosely stacking of J-type aggregates, reversible disassembly of the systems has also ensued. In particular, biocompatible PT-PVA shows excellent cell-labeling and sustained-drug-release abilities. This system promises potential applications in preparing sophisticated nanostructures and designing new sustained-drug-release systems from simple small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is the world's leading textile fiber crop and is also grown as a bioenergy and food crop. Knowledge of the phylogeny of closely related species and the genome origin and evolution of polyploid species is significant for advanced genomics research and breeding. We have reconstructed the phylogeny of the cotton genus, Gossypium L., and deciphered the genome origin and evolution of its five polyploid species by restriction fragment analysis of repeated sequences. Nuclear DNA of 84 accessions representing 35 species and all eight genomes of the genus were analyzed. The phylogenetic tree of the genus was reconstructed using the parsimony method on 1033 polymorphic repeated sequence restriction fragments. The genome origin of its polyploids was determined by calculating the diploid-polyploid restriction fragment correspondence (RFC). The tree is consistent with the morphological classification, genome designation and geographic distribution of the species at subgenus, section and subsection levels. Gossypium lobatum (D) was unambiguously shown to have the highest RFC with the D-subgenomes of all five polyploids of the genus, while the common ancestor of Gossypium herbaceum (A) and Gossypium arboreum (A) likely contributed to the A-subgenomes of the polyploids. These results provide a comprehensive phylogenetic tree of the cotton genus and new insights into the genome origin and evolution of its polyploid species. The results also further demonstrate a simple, rapid and inexpensive method suitable for phylogenetic analysis of closely related species, especially congeneric species, and the inference of genome origin of polyploids that constitute over 70 % of flowering plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an augmented reality (AR) autostereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) display based on sparse reflection array (SRA). The proposed display consists of a transparent light-emitting diode (LED) display panel and a periodic SRA. Benefiting from the advantages that most areas of the LED display panel are transparent and the arrangement of the SRA is periodic, the proposed display can realize a good fusion of real 3D objects and virtual 3D images. In addition, the proposed display has a higher light transmittance of the real-world object than the traditional parallax barrier based autostereoscopic 3D display and has a thinner thickness than the traditional lenticular lens barrier based autostereoscopic 3D display. An optical experiment of the proposed display is developed, and the experimental results show that the proposed display has a better display performance compared with the conventional AR autostereoscopic 3D display. Moreover, the proposed display is simple, which is more conducive to achieving practical applications in large-scene AR exhibition systems, glass curtain walls, and outdoor advertisements. • The proposed AR autostereoscopic display with improved light transmittance of the real-world object can be merged with a real 3D object. • The proposed AR autostereoscopic display can realize a good fusion of real 3D objects and virtual 3D images. • By using a transparent LED display panel and a periodic SRA, the 3D image with improved image quality can be produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new Mg(II)-based coordination polymers, {[Mg 3 (tci) 2 (DMAC) 4 ]·2DMF} n ( 1 ) and [Mg(bci)(H 2 O) 2 ] n ( 2 ) (H 3 tci = tris(2-carboxyethyl) isocyanurate, H 2 bci = bis(2-carboxyethyl) isocyanurate, DMAC = N,N′-dimethylacetamide, DMF = N,N′-dimethylformamide), were synthesized by using two similar flexible ligands with different number of arms, and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and TGA. Complexes 1 and 2 exhibit a structure progression from a rare two-dimensional (2D) kgd sheet to a three-dimensional pillar-layer structure involving the layer of Mg(II)–carboxylate connected by bci 2 − ligands. The structure dissimilarity between them was dependent on the different number of arms of the two ligands. In addition, the solid state luminescent property and CO 2 adsorption of complex 1 were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a multi-curved liquid lens with movable liquid–liquid(L–L)​ interface, which has a wide range of focal length. Due to movable L–L interface, the proposed lens can also be used as a single lens to achieve zoom function. The movement of the L–L interface can be achieved by controlling the flow of the liquid, which in turn changes the object distance and image distance to achieve the desired magnification. We fabricated a prototype based on this concept. The experimental result shows that when the movement distance of the L–L interface is ∼ 10 mm, the shortest positive and negative focal lengths of the lens are 9.3 mm and −8 mm, respectively, and the zoom ratio is 1.3 ×. The proposed multi-curved variable-focus lens simplifies the zoom imaging system, and its widespread applications in imaging systems are predictable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adsorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution by nano-carbonate hydroxylapatites (nano-CHAPs) of different Ca/P molar ratios (1.72, 1.74 and 1.78) was investigated. Nano-CHAPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The effects of pH, contact time, and temperature were conducted to evaluate the adsorption performance in batch experiments. Increasing the Ca/P molar ratio increased the specific surface area which was propitious to adsorption process. Maximum Cr(VI) sorption occurred at initial pH 3.0, and the adsorption capacity enhanced with the increase of Ca/P molar ratio. Langmuir model fitted the experimental equilibrium data better than the Freundlich model. The adsorption kinetics data were well described by the pseudo-second order model. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG 0, ΔH 0 and ΔS 0) calculated at three different temperatures revealed that the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto Nano-CHAP was spontaneous, endothermic and physical in nature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The hemochromatosis gene (HFE) has been involved in the etiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus and investigated in numerous epidemiologic studies. The current meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the gene-disease association in relevant studies. Electronic literature search was performed on June 18, 2011, from databases of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and HuGE Navigator. Articles were inspected by 2 authors independently, and data were extracted by identical extraction form. A total of 5,528 type 2 diabetes cases and 6,920 controls in relation to HFE polymorphisms (a cysteine to tyrosine substitution at amino acid position 282 (C282Y) and a histidine to aspartate substitution at amino acid position 63 (H63D)) were included in the meta-analysis (1997–2011). A fixed- or random-effect model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios based on the results from the heterogeneity tests. An increased odds ratio for type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed in persons carrying a D allele at the H63D polymorphism compared with those with an H allele (odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03, 1.41; P = 0.02). Moreover, carriers of a D allele had a modestly increased risk compared with persons with the wild genotype (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.25; P = 0.04). The C282Y variant was not significantly associated with diabetes risk. In summary, persons with a D allele may have a moderately increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This research was motivated by challenges facing inventory managers at a major retail chain in deciding how often to order each product and whether to use a standard batch size of a pallet, a half-pallet, or even less. The retailer offers thousands of different products, but the total demand for a typical product is only a few pallets per year. Manufacturers offer lower per unit prices for larger standard batch sizes, but larger order quantities increase inventory holding costs. The inventory managers are also concerned about how the ordering strategy might affect transportation costs and material handling costs at the warehouse.    We develop a framework and solution strategy to determine the best shipment frequency, standard batch size (from a set of options), and an ordering plan for a set of products procured from a single supply location. To do so, the inventory holding and material handling costs incurred by a single product are derived for a given review interval and standard batch size. We incorporate the individual product costs into an optimization model to find, for a given transportation interval (with a limit on transport capacity for each shipment), the best procurement plan considering variable procurement, inventory, material handling, and excess transportation costs. With this, several transportation intervals can be compared and the best one selected. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to consider the effects of transportation capacity and standard batch sizes in a multi-item procurement problem with the goal of minimizing transportation, inventory, and material handling costs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although circulating ghrelin levels correlate inversely with adiposity at baseline, little is known about the effect of percent visceral adipose tissue value (PVATV) on ghrelin expression and secretion in response to fasting. Our study demonstrated that ghrelin increased with 24-h fasting in rats with the lowest PVATV (less than 6%), after 3 days in rats with intermediate PVATV (6–9%) and 5 days in rats with the highest PVATV (greater than 9%). Ghrelin mRNA in the stomach was increased after 3 days in low-PVATV (5.8±0.9%) rats but not in high-PVATV (14±1.6%) rats. Therefore, both ghrelin secretion and mRNA were delayed in response to fasting in rats with increased visceral fat. In rats matched for PVATV, but with different body weights, the fasting induced similar levels of increased ghrelin while in rats with different PVATV ghrelin secretion was different in response to fasting, even when body weights were matched in two groups. These data suggested that the initial PVATV, not lean mass, was related to the pattern of plasma ghrelin in response to fasting in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ninety-eight genes/ESTs with differential expressions in epididymal adipose tissue of fed and 3-day fasting (F3) rats were identified by microarray analysis. Genes for lipogenesis, glycolysis, and glucose aerobic oxidation were decreased in response to starvation. Further study was performed to investigate the expression patterns of these genes in rat tissues after short- and long-term starvations. The results of the increased expression of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) gene and decreased pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) in rat muscle together with decreased fatty acid synthase (FAS) in rat adipose tissue after 1 day of fasting (F1) suggested from transcriptional level that glucose aerobic oxidation was down-regulated in rat muscle and synthesis of saturated fatty acids was inhibited in rat adipose tissue after short-term fasting. It was noted that the transcriptions of genes involved in the fatty acid oxidation, such as very-long-chain Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAH), Acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-I (CPT-I), and carntine-acylcarnitine translocase(CAT)L, were greatly increased in F1 rat liver, then began to decrease in F3 and 5-day fasting (F5) rat liver, combined with significantly increased serum non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in F1 rats and increased urea in F5 rats, suggesting that inhibition of the oxidation of lipid and not the decreased availability of these fuels may play an important role in the phase II–phase III of fasting transition in the long-term fasting rats. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The first annular variable focus Fresnel lens driven by electrowetting. • Each annular region can be independently controlled, and achieve multiple functions. • Suitable for applications as an optical collection device and for achieving uniform beam illumination. Traditional Fresnel lenses can achieve volume diminution by reducing lens material cost, thereby achieving further integration in optical systems. However, the solid Fresnel lenses in being are fixed once they are fabricated due to the limitation of materials, so their optical parameters, like focal length, cannot change. In this paper, we propose a ring-shaped tunable optofluidic Fresnel lens (OFL) based on the electrowetting effect for the first time. Each annular region of the OFL can be independently controlled. By changing the tilt angle of the liquid-liquid interface of each annular region to control the deflection of the beam, the OFL can achieve axial zoom and multi-focus, as well as off-axis zoom. We analyze and establish a theoretical model, provide calculation formulas for the focusing position, and explain the design principle of an annular Fresnel lens driven by electrowetting. A three-annular-regions OFL is fabricated, and we test the focal length of each ring band through experiments to prove the correctness and feasibility of our proposed theory. The OFL can achieve a maximum zoom range of -254 mm to 223 mm. At the same time, we also demonstrate the different working modes of the OFL for applications such as light collection and uniformity. The OFL has a variety of functions, with a lightweight and thin thickness, which meets the expectations of a more and more compact liquid photonic device in the future. We expect this innovative OFL will have extensive applications in various fields, such as optical imaging, lighting engineering, motion tracking, infrared tracking, solar energy collection, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional microscope has discrete magnification and slow response time in zoom process, which is difficult to capture the dynamic activity of the live specimen. We demonstrate an adaptive microscope employing a tunable objective and a tunable eyepiece with large zooming range. The tunable objective consists of three glass lenses and four electrowetting liquid lenses. The tunable eyepiece consists of an achromatic eyepiece and an electrowetting liquid lens. The focal point between the objective and the eyepiece is designed to be tunable, which are controlled by voltages. Thus, the tuning range is relatively large. We fabricate the adaptive microscope and observe the specimen. In the experiment, the magnification of the microscope changes continuously from ~ 59.1 × to ~ 159.2 × , and the largest numerical aperture is ~ 0.212. The tunable eyepiece can release the back focal length of the tunable objective, which increases the zoom range of the microscope. No mechanical movement is required and the aberrations can be corrected over a wide wavelength range. Thus, the proposed adaptive microscope has a potential application in biological research and clinical medical examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional error model for strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS)/Doppler velocity log (DVL) integrated navigation is establish for special orthogonal group Kalman filter (SOKF), which is only suitable for the case of small misalignment angle. In this article, the Lie group based nonlinear error model is investigated for SINS/DVL in inertial frame, this model is no longer limited by the size of misalignment angle like traditional SOKF, so initial alignment and integrated navigation could be combined into one stage, and the navigation solution is more accurate and faster. First, a thorough theoretical analysis is presented for state transformation extended Kalman filter (STEKF) modeling in both special orthogonal group (SO(3)) and special euclidean group (SE(3)). Then, the nonlinear error models (both left and right invariant error models) in inertial frame are derived in extended special euclidean group (SE 2 (3)). On this basis, SINS/DVL is verified as a type of left invariant observation system which is more applicable to the left invariant error model. Finally, both simulation and field test for SINS/DVL are conducted to evaluate the actual performance of the investigated methods. The results show that the proposed left invariant error model in inertial frame performs better for SINS/DVL than right invariant error model, and it also has more excellent performance than other existing integrated navigation methods, such as SOKF and STEKF. Especially compared with the current advanced invariant error model defined in earth frame, the model we investigated is more concise, efficient and accurate. • A thorough theoretical analysis is presented for STEKF modeling in both special orthogonal group (SO(3)) and special euclidean group (SE(3)). The inherent defects of STEKF are discussed from linearized modeling and Lie group theory. • A new navigation state is defined in inertial frame extended special euclidean group (SE 2 (3)), which is proved to satisfy the group affine property. The left and right invariant error models corresponding to the aforementioned state are derived for SINS/DVL integrated navigation. SINS/DVL is discussed as a type of left invariant observation system based on the analysis of transition matrices. • The simulation and field test are conducted to evaluate the actual performance of the investigated nonlinear error models. The results are explicitly presented with thorough discussion, which are consistent with theoretical analysis. The proposed left invariant error model in inertial frame outperform the common models (such as SOKF and STEKF) on the state estimation. Especially compared with the current advanced invariant error model defined in earth frame, the model we investigated is more concise, efficient, and accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose an electrowetting liquid lens integrating adaptive liquid iris (ELL-LI) with adjustable radial aperture and axial position. • The liquid iris part is ring shape and does not need the flat support of a traditional liquid iris. • The aperture can change from 1.16 to 5.11 mm. • The iris can move up and down in the axial direction, according to different working electrodes on the side wall. • Experiments show that our proposed ELL-LI has the functions of depth of field expansion and field adjustment, which has a great application prospect in imaging systems, such as camera imaging systems, etc. Multifunctional integration is the development direction of electrowetting liquid lenses. We propose an electrowetting liquid lens integrating adaptive liquid iris (ELL-LI) with adjustable radial aperture and axial position. The liquid iris and the liquid lens are both driven by electrowetting on dielectric and integrated in the same chamber together, and share the same conductive liquid part. The liquid iris does not need the flat support of a traditional liquid iris. The aperture can change from 1.16 to 5.11 mm. The iris can move up and down in the axial direction, according to different working electrodes on the side wall. Experiments show that our proposed ELL-LI has the functions of depth of field expansion and field adjustment, which has a great application prospect in imaging systems, such as camera imaging systems, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional electrowetting lens usually has one tunable liquid-liquid (L-L) interface. The shape of L-L interface is deformed to get variable focal length due to electrowetting effect. However, contact angle saturation of the L-L interface is an unavoidable problem which prevents focal length from further changing. Here, we demonstrate an optofluidic lens based on electrowetting liquid piston. The proposed lens has two connected chambers, the piston chamber and the lens chamber to form a closed-loop fluidic system. The electrowetting liquid piston can generate clockwise and counter-clockwise liquid flows, which can make the L-L interface convex and concave. To prove the concept, we fabricate an optofluidic device whose shortest negative and positive focal lengths are ~−17.9 mm and ~18 mm with 5 mm aperture, respectively. The proposed optofluidic lens has large tunable focal length range. Widespread application of such an adaptive lens is foreseeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a real time, ultrahigh accuracy and full-field-of-view (RUF) algorithm for full field of view (FOV) imaging system. The proposed algorithm combines rough matching and precise matching method to stitch multiple images with the whole FOV in short time and high imaging quality. In order to verify real-time imaging effect of RUF algorithm, we also fabricate a multi-camera imaging system which includes 19 independent cameras. And the experiment result practically illustrates that full-FOV system can achieve good performances under a near-limiting FOV of 360° × 240° with low distortion, meanwhile, optical resolution reaches up to 95 megapixels. 100% registration-accuracy RUF algorithm for imaging in one second can be widely applied to any optical imaging engineering field with large FOV, such as remote sensing imaging, microscopy imaging, monitoring system engineering fields and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response by D. Zhang to a letter to the editor about his article "Hemochromatosis gene (HFE) polymorphisms and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a meta-analysis" in the January 24, 2013 issue is presented.

Quantification of substances in biofluid samples (e.g., urine, blood, and cerebrospinal fluids) are useful for clinical diagnosis. In current study, a rapid and green strategy by coupling in-syringe kapok fiber-supported liquid-phase microextraction with flow-injection mass spectrometry was proposed. The natural kapok fiber was used as an oily extraction solvent (e.g., n-octanol) support material, and an in-syringe extraction device was conveniently constructed. The whole extraction processes, including sampling, washing and desorption, were conveniently conducted by simply pulling/pushing the syringe plunger, enabling rapid analyte enrichment and sample purification. The follow-up flow injection-mass spectrometry detection enabled rapid and high throughput analysis. As an example, the proposed method was applied to analyze antidepressants in plasma/urine, showing satisfied linearities (R2 ≥0.993) in ranges of 0.2–1000 ng/mL. By employing the in-syringe extraction method prior to flow injection-mass spectrometry detection, the LOQs in plasma and urine were reduced by 25–80 folds and 5–25 folds, respectively. Besides, by employing ethanol and 80% ethanol as the desorption solvent and carrier solvent, respectively, the analytical method showed excellent greenness. In general, the integrated method provides a promising choice for rapid and green biofluid analysis. [Display omitted] • An in-syringe KF-SLPME method was proposed for rapid extraction of biofluids. • Extraction processes were conveniently conducted by simple pull-push operations. • Flow injection-mass spectrometry enabled rapid and high throughput detection. • The method was advantageous in detection sensitivity, analysis speed and usability. • The integrated method is promising for rapid and green biofluid analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI), and currently lacks effective therapies. This study is to investigate the level of Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and autophagy status during renal I/R injury, so as to determine whether the exogenous NGAL protein could exert a protective effect for I/R injury and explore the potential mechanisms. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: Sham, I/R, pre-treated with NGAL before I/R (I/R + pre-N), treated with NGAL after I/R (I/R + post-N). All rats were subjected to clamping the left renal pedicle for 45 min after right nephrectomy, followed by 24 h of reperfusion. Serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were used for renal function, tubular cell apoptosis and autophagy were measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method, histological examination and electron microscope, respectively. The tubular cell proliferation was assessed by the protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Western blotting was used to quantitate the levels of LC3, Beclin-1, Bcl-2 and Bax in kidney tissues. Exogenous NGAL protein intervention significantly improved renal function, reduced tubular cell apoptosis, increased tubular cell proliferation and promoted autophagy activation after renal I/R injury. Further, the efficacy in pre-N was significantly better than post-N. The mechanisms were involved in the regulation of several autophagy and apoptosis-related genes. Our study demonstrated that exogenous NGAL protein play a protective role during I/R injury, which may offer a novel may for prevention and treatment of renal I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report a 1 × 4 optical switch using deformable liquid droplet. The deformation is produced by the electrowetting on dielectric phenomenon. The device consists of a dyed oil and a transparent conductive liquid sealed in a transparent cylinder. The top glass cover of the device has four independently addressable electrodes for the actuation of the liquid dome in each direction. In the voltage-off state, incident light is absorbed by the dyed liquid. When the voltage is applied to the liquid, the dome of the transparent liquid is uplifted and then spreads to four different directions because of the effect of electrostatic force. Accordingly, the transparent liquid pushes the dyed oil out to form a light path. The device with simple structure can freely control multiple switch apertures through changing the driven voltage. In addition, we analyze the electro-optical characteristics such as transmittance, response time (open time ~110 ms, close time ~160 ms), contrast ratio (~661:1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are thought to serve as crucial regulators of gene expression. Dysregulated expression of miRNAs has been described in various diseases and may contribute to related pathologic processes. Our aim was to examine circulating miRNA-146a levels in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (new-T2DM) patients from a Chinese Han population. Methodology/Principal Findings:Circulating miRNA-146a was extracted from plasma samples of 90 new-T2DM patients and 90 age- and sex-matched controls. Quantitative PCR assessment revealed that circulating miRNA-146a levels were significantly elevated in new-T2DM patients compared with controls. Participants in the highest tertile of circulating miRNA-146a levels showed a notably higher risk for new-T2DM (crude OR 4.333, 95% CI, 1.935 to 9.705, P = 0.001) than persons in the lowest tertile. Controlling for known risk factors and some biochemical indicators did not attenuate the aforementioned association. In addition, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves generated for miRNA-146a revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.725 (95% CI, 0.651 to 0.799, P < 0.001). Moreover, higher circulating miRNA-146a levels were significantly associated with higher plasma heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) concentrations (β coefficient = 0.131, P < 0.001) and lower HOMA-beta (β coefficient = -0.153, P = 0.015). Conclusions/Significance:We found that circulating miRNA-146a levels were significantly elevated in new-T2DM patients compared with healthy controls. Whether expression of circulating miRNA-146a holds predictive value for T2DM warrants further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive glycemic regulation has resulted in an increased incidence of hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemic burden correlates with adverse cardiovascular complications and contributes acutely and chronically to endothelial dysfunction. Prior data indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to hypoglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction, but the mechanisms behind this linkage remain unknown. We attempt to determine whether clinically relevant lowglucose (LG) exposures acutely induce endothelial dysfunction through activation of the mitochondrial fission process. Characterization of mitochondrial morphology was carried out in cultured endothelial cells by using confocal microscopy. Isolated human arterioles were used to explore the effect LG-induced mitochondrial fission has on the formation of detrimental reactive oxygen species (ROS), bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO), and endothelial-dependent vascular relaxation. Fluorescence microscopy was employed to visualize changes in mitochondrial ROS and NO levels and videomicroscopy applied to measure vasodilation response. Pharmacological disruption of the profission protein Drp1 with Mdivi-1 during LG exposure reduced mitochondrial fragmentation among vascular endothelial cells (LG: 0.469; LGMdivi-1: 0.276; P = 0.003), prevented formation of vascular ROS (LG: 2.036; LGMdivi-1: 1.774; P = 0.005), increased the presence of NO (LG: 1.352; LG+Mdivi-1: 1.502; P = 0.048), and improved vascular dilation response to acetylcholine (LG: 31.6%; LG+Mdivi-1; 78.5% at maximum dose; P < 0.001). Additionally, decreased expression of Drp1 via siRNA knockdown during LG conditions also improved vascular relaxation. Exposure to LG imparts endothelial dysfunction coupled with altered mitochondrial phenotypes among isolated human arterioles. Disruption of Drp1 and subsequent mitochondrial fragmentation events prevents impaired vascular dilation, restores mitochondrial phenotype, and implicates mitochondrial fission as a primary mediator of LG-induced endothelial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports a study which was conducted to determine whether there is a dose-response association between egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. The results revealed that consumption of one egg per day was not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease or stroke.

Leakage is the primary failure form of the dry gas seal, while the end face of the seal ring makes the main leaking channel. For some specific conditions, based on the relationships between the structural parameters and the gas film properties of the seal ring, the methods of finite element simulation and orthogonal optimization were used to select a better combination of the seal ring end face structural parameters. In addition, the steady-state heat distribution of the seal ring was simulated. On the basis of that, the thermal deformation of the seal ring was computed to explore the relationships between the material parameters and the sealing properties of the seal ring. The research results show that, except the elastic modulus, the thermal conductivity, Poisson' s ratio and thermal expansion coefficient are all in a quasi-linear relationship with the thermal deformation of the seal ring. The work has guiding significance and reference value for the design and optimization of dry gas seal rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction and evaluation of expressway traffic noise is essential work of environmental management. A Monte Carlo simulation method for instantaneous sound levels is introduced according to the characteristics of free-flow traffic on expressways. The sound power levels of light and heavy vehicles are measured by field experiments, and a probability model of vehicle noise emission is established. Noise under different traffic volumes and distances is simulated by the Monte Carlo method. A probability distribution model of traffic noise with traffic volume and distance as parameters is given. A comparison of the calculated results and measured data shows that the proposed model can effectively predict the probability distribution of traffic noise and can be used to predict common traffic noise indicators. The prediction errors are less than 3 dB(A) for L eq , L 10 , L 50 , and L 90 ; less than 1.3 dB(A) for σ ; and less than 13 dB(A) for TNI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic diagram of AAEO-based in-syringe KF-SLME-LC-MS/MS method for the determination of TFs. [Display omitted] • AAEO is used as a green solvent in in-syringe KF-SLME for hydrophobic compounds in aqueous samples. • AAEO-based in-syringe KF-SLME lowers LOQs by 5–50-fold for LC-MS/MS detection of TFs. • AAEO-based in-syringe KF-SLME provides rapid sample enrichment and purification in just ∼ 2 min. • The method with kapok fiber, AAEO, and ethanol shows excellent environmental friendliness. • It offers advantages in sensitivity, speed, applicability, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. In this study, Artemisia argyi essential oil (AAEO), extracted from the leaves of Artemisia argyi , was employed as a green extraction solvent for in-syringe kapok fiber-supported liquid-phase microextraction (KF-SLME) of hydrophobic compounds in aqueous samples. The wheat of natural kapok fiber as the support medium was 2 mg, and the optimum volume of the extraction solvent AAEO was 12.5 μL. The volume of green desorption solvent 75 % ethanol was 100 μL, which realized a highly environmentally friendly sample preparation method. By simply pulling and pushing the syringe plunger five times, the extraction process enabled rapid and convenient enrichment of analytes while removing most interferences. Coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the AAEO-based in-syringe SLME method was applied as a proof-of-concept study to determine triazole fungicides (TFs) residues in fruit juices, herbal oral liquids and herbal extract granules. Employing in-syringe KF-SLME prior to LC-MS/MS detection significantly reduced the limits of quantification (LOQs) by 5–50-fold. The integrated AAEO-based in-syringe KF-SLME-LC-MS/MS method demonstrated satisfactory linearity (R2 ≥ 0.995), accuracies (86.5 %–115.1 %), and precisions (1.2 %–12.7 %) using an isotope calibration method. Furthermore, three greenness assessment metrics uniformly highlighted its outstanding environmental friendliness. The proposed method offers competitive advantages in terms of its environmentally friendly approach, detection sensitivity, analysis cost, and operational convenience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider trees of order n with a given number of vertices of maximum degree and solve the minimal extremal problem for the Wiener index on that class. Characteristics of the extremal structures are presented, some directly from previously established methods. We also consider the maximal value of the Wiener index in the class of trees of order n with exactly k vertices of a given maximum degree, and characterize appropriate optimal trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Several studies have examined associations between genetic variants and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, inferences from these studies were often hindered by limited statistical power and conflicting results. We aimed to systematically review and quantitatively summarize the association of commonly studied single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with GDM risk and to identify important gaps that remain for consideration in future studies. METHODS Genetic association studies of GDM published through 1 October 2012 were searched using the HuGE Navigator and PubMed databases. A SNP was included if the SNP–GDM associations were assessed in three or more independent studies. Two reviewers independently evaluated the eligibility for inclusion and extracted the data. The allele-specific odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random effects models accounting for heterogeneity. RESULTS Overall, 29 eligible articles capturing associations of 12 SNPs from 10 genes were included for the systematic review. The minor alleles of rs7903146 (TCF7L2), rs12255372 (TCF7L2), rs1799884 (−30G/A, GCK), rs5219 (E23K, KCNJ11), rs7754840 (CDKAL1), rs4402960 (IGF2BP2), rs10830963 (MTNR1B), rs1387153 (MTNR1B) and rs1801278 (Gly972Arg, IRS1) were significantly associated with a higher risk of GDM. Among them, genetic variants in TCF7L2 showed the strongest association with GDM risk, with ORs (95% CIs) of 1.44 (1.29–1.60, P < 0.001) per T allele of rs7903146 and 1.46 (1.15–1.84, P = 0.002) per T allele of rs12255372. CONCLUSIONS In this systematic review, we found significant associations of GDM risk with nine SNPs in seven genes, most of which have been related to the regulation of insulin secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of robust bearing-only source localization in impulsive noise with symmetric α -stable distribution based on the Lp-norm minimization criterion. The existing Iteratively Reweighted Pseudolinear Least-Squares (IRPLS) method can be used to solve the least LP-norm optimization problem. However, the IRPLS algorithm cannot reduce the bias attributed to the correlation between system matrices and noise vectors. To reduce this kind of bias, a Total Lp-norm Optimization (TLPO) method is proposed by minimizing the errors in all elements of system matrix and data vector based on the minimum dispersion criterion. Subsequently, an equivalent form of TLPO is obtained, and two algorithms are developed to solve the TLPO problem by using Iterative Generalized Eigenvalue Decomposition (IGED) and Generalized Lagrange Multiplier (GLM), respectively. Numerical examples demonstrate the performance advantage of the IGED and GLM algorithms over the IRPLS algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possible intermittent impacts of a two-stage isolation system with rigid limiters have been investigated. The isolation system is under periodic external excitation disturbed by small stationary Gaussian white noise after shock. The maximal impact Poincare map is proposed based on the multi-body dynamics with unilateral constrains. Then in the period after shock, the zero order approximate stochastic discrete model and the first order approximate stochastic model are developed. The real isolation system of an MTU diesel engine is used to evaluate the established model. After calculating of the numerical example, the effects of noise excitation on the isolation system are discussed. The results show that the property of the system is complicated due to intermittent impact. The difference between zero order model and the first order model may be great. The effect of small noise is obvious. The results may be expected useful to the naval designers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]