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Aims: The use of extended criteria donors is a routine practice that sometimes involves extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in donations after cardiac death or brain death. Methods: We performed a retrospective study in a single center from January 2006 to December 2019. The study included 90 deceased donor liver transplants. The patients were divided into three groups: the donation after brain death (DBD) group (n = 58, 64.4%), the DBD with ECMO group (n = 11, 12.2%) and the donation after cardiac death (DCD) with ECMO group (n = 21, 23.3%). Results: There were no significant differences between the DBD with ECMO group and the DBD group. When comparing the DCD with ECMO group and the DBD group, there were statistically significant differences for total warm ischemia time (p < 0.001), total cold ischemia time (p = 0.023), and split liver transplantation (p < 0.001), and there was significantly poor recovery in regard to total bilirubin level (p = 0.027) for the DCD with ECMO group by repeated measures ANOVA. The 5‐year survival rates of the DBD, DBD with ECMO, and DCD with ECMO groups were 78.1%, 90.9%, and 75.6%, respectively. The survival rate was not significantly different when comparing the DBD group to either the DBD with ECMO group (p = 0.435) or the DCD with ECMO group (p = 0.310). Conclusions: Using ECMO in donations after cardiac death or brain death is a good technology, and it contributed to 35.6% of the liver graft pool. The findings of this study suggest that using ECMO in donations after cardiac death or brain death is a good technology and increase the pool of organs. Using ECMO of technology is convenient, but the material cost of machine perfusion is too expensive, especially in small organ donation centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper develops a smart system based on the concept of Industry 4.0 to prevent customer dissatisfaction. The value of this prevention system is that it enables hoteliers to interact with customers by understanding what they like/dislike from their behaviors via data analysis. Therefore, this system helps hoteliers to enhance service quality by predicting service issues. Design/methodology/approach: The system, named the dissatisfaction identification system (DIS), is developed. A total of 127 service items were examined by a hotel manager who preset the threshold values for the measurement of service quality. A big data set for the questionnaire survey is statistically generated by a pseudorandom number generator and 10,000 mock data sets are taken as input for comparison. Findings: The results indicated that 36 out of 127 service items are identified as service issues for the participating hotel. Examples include customer code number 01d, "Space of parking lot is adequate" in the safety management category, and number 05a, "A hotel's service time meets my needs" in the front office service category. The items identified require improvement action plans for preventing customer dissatisfaction. Originality/value: This paper offers a new perspective paper emphasizing customer dissatisfaction using a big data-driven technology system. The DIS, prevention system, is developed to aid hotels by enhancing their relationships with customers using a data-driven approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic echo causes the quality of communication to degenerate and results in loss of clarity. Though conventional linear adaptive filters have been applied successfully to eliminate linear acoustic echo, they can barely deal with the problem of nonlinear acoustic echo. In this paper, a collaborative spline adaptive filter is presented to eliminate nonlinear acoustic echo. The filter is composed of a linear adaptive filter in the upper branch and a nonlinear spline adaptive filter in the lower branch. The nonlinear one is a Hammerstein system consisting of a spline interpolation function and a subsequent linear adaptive filter. The two branches are collaboratively combined and a mixing parameter is adopted, which can be updated to adjust the proportion of the lower branch output signal. Experimental results show that the presented method can achieve a good performance in nonlinear echo cancelation regardless of whether the nonlinear degree of the echo path varies with time or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gesture recognition in computer vision on life, work and the application of technology products occupy an important position. In this paper, we use the finger valleys, distance mapping and triangular method (FVDMTM) to precisely recognize the fingers. FVDMTM adopt three novel ideas: first, we use the finger valleys to distinguish each finger. It is robust against intentional deformation of the fingers. Second, we employ a distance mapping method effectively to detect the valleys between the fingers. Third: we use the center-of-gravity of the palm as the original point for angle calculation of each finger by the triangular method. This let us to get precise finger angles of the test image. The experimental results demonstrate that our scheme is an effective and correct method for finger recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the patients with limb disorder to control the home robot movement, the human intention sensing and encoding are the two important tasks. This paper focuses on a new augmented reality brain computer interface (ARBCI) of the stable state visual evoked potential (SSVEP), the human intention recognition algorithms using SSVEP and Electra-hologram (EOG) respectively, and the encoding design of the human intentions. Firstly, the new ARBCI is developed which includes the SSVEP collector and a specific environment augmented reality stimulator of the symbols of the robot operations. Furthermore, the robot control instructions are encoded. Secondly, the sliding window superposition-average algorithm (SWSA) is proposed for human intention recognition on the basis of SSVEP. The stimulation frequency feature from the augmented reality stimulator is extracted by using SWSA to control the power supply and the robot speed. Thirdly, the intentional blinking EOG threshold is defined according to the experiments. Then, a fusion recognition (FR) algorithm of amplitude and sampling time is developed on the basis of EOG, which is for the home robot direction controls. It is experimentally proved that the ARBCI improves the eye comfort compared with that of the original BCI stimulator. Besides, the SWSA can save 4 s to sensing a SSVEP intention meanwhile keep the same recognition accuracy compared with the traditional superposition-average method. In addition, the human intention sensing accuracy can reach 100% by using ARBCI and SWSA and the FR if the sensing time is adequate. A EOG intention sensing time is about 0.5 s by using the FR algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a bulk acoustic wave piezoelectric disk resonator based on a special pair of degenerative modes, to detect z-axis angular velocity. A single piezoelectric disk is operated in its appropriate modes in the kHz frequency range to achieve this function. This design combines the bulk acoustic wave drive/sense mode with lead zirconate titanate resonator which improves device's performance and simplifies its structural complexity. The operation principle of piezoelectric disk resonator is given and validated by finite element method, and the scale factor of piezoelectric disk resonator is 0.977 μV/[(º) · s] without any amplification section. The results of impedance analysis for the prototype in the air, which is fabricated on lead zirconate titanate wafer by Micro-Electro-Mechanical System process, show that the resonant frequency of the piezoelectric disk resonator is about 190 kHz. Moreover, the measured frequency split between drive and sense mode is about 290 Hz without any tuning methods. At last, a closed-loop driving and detecting circuit system is designed and its modulation/demodulation method is studied, preliminary experiments show that this device is not sensitive to acceleration, but is sensitive to angular velocity, its performance parameters need follow-up experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: To study the angiogenesis modulation mechanism of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (血府逐瘀汤) on the endothelial cell line ECV304. Methods: ECV304 cells were treated with 2.5% Xuefu Zhuyu Decoctioncontaining serum (XFZYD-CS) for 24 h, 48 h or 72 h. Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT), fluorescence activating cell sorter (FACS), migration, adhesion and in vitro tube formation assays were conducted to confirm an angiogenesis effect of XFZYD at 3 time points. An analysis of angiogenesis regulator profiles was performed at 3 times with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) superarray. Results: At 48 h, XFZYD-CS induced ECV304 significantly improved cell viability, number in S phase, migration, adhesion and tube formation. At 24 h and 72 h, only cell migration was elevated. Microarray results showed that the expression of 27 angiogenesis-related genes was changed. Conclusion: XFZYD-CS treatment induced angiogenesis on ECV304 cells with significant cellcular changes occurring at 48 h and genetic changes as early as 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To observe the effect of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (血府逐瘀汤)-containing serum (XFZYD-CS) on endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) tube formation in vitro. Mononuclear cells from rat bone marrow were prepared in a Ficoll density gradient centrifuge. EPCs were separated by the differential attachment method, and observed with inverted microscope for the effect of XFZYD-CS on EPC tube formation. After one day, EPCs exposed to the serum containing 5%, 10% and 15% XFZYD-CS formed typical tubes or vessel networks. The tube formation time was two days ahead of the control group and the size of most tubes in the serum groups was smaller than in the control group. XFZYD-CS could induce EPC angiogenesis and hasten tube formation, especially in capillary vessels. The study provides experimental evidence for the plausibility of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction in the treatment of ischemic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new scheme is proposed to model 3D angular motion of a revolving regular object with miniature, low-cost micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) accelerometers (instead of gyroscope), which is employed in 3D mouse system. To sense 3D angular motion, the static property of MEMS accelerometer, sensitive to gravity acceleration, is exploited. With the three outputs of configured accelerometers, the proposed model is implemented to get the rotary motion of the rigid object. In order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, an input device is developed with the configuration of the scheme. Experimental results show that a simulated 3D cube can accurately track the rotation of the input device. The result indicates the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model in the 3D mouse system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3D model of flapping wing mechanism and veins is constructed in 3D computer aided design (CAD) software UG. Then the co-simulation model is established by using multibody dynamics software ADAMS and MATLAB. The validation of this co-simulation model is verified by comparing the simulation results with final experiments. The simulation results and experiments reveal that the relation between flapping frequency and driving voltage of motor is approximately linear under various wingspans. The variance of flapping frequency among different wingspans augments gradually with increasing voltage. Furthermore, the simulation results suggest that flapping frequency is sensitive to wingspan and decreases with increasing wingspan of veins, and the relation between flapping frequency and moment of inertia of veins is also approximately linear for various voltages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine if a functional heterodimer of prolactin receptor (PRLR) and growth hormone receptor (GHR) can be formed in humans. A novel ligand was designed that is composed of a GHR antagonist (B2036) and a PRLR antagonist (G129R) fused in tandem (B2036-G129R). Because both B2036 and G129R are binding site 2 inactive antagonists, the B2036-G129R fusion protein, in theory contains only two functional binding site 1s: one for GHR and one for PRLR. We examined the behavior of this chimeric ligand in cell lines known to express GHR, PRLR, or both receptors. The data presented show that B2036-G129R is inactive in IM-9 cells that express only GHR or Nb2 cells that express PRLR. In T-47D cells that coexpress PRLR and GHR, B2036-G129R activates JAK2/STAT5 signaling. These findings provide evidence that B2036-G129R is able to activate signal transduction through a heterodimer of PRLR and GHR in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-try counter-meshing gears (CMG) discrimination device based on micro electromechanical system (MEMS) technology was designed for some specified information fields. The discrimination device consists of two groups of metal CMG, two pawl/ratchet mechanisms, two driving micromotors and two resetting micromotors, which make the CMG withdraw by raising the pawls. The energy-coupling element is a photoelectric sensor with a circular plate which is notched. Micromotor is fabricated using the ultraviolet LiGA (UV-LiGA) fabrication process and precision mechanical engineering. The discrimination device has the function which can automatically reset, with the correct resetting code, it can be tried another times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-try counter-meshing gears stronglink based on micro electromechanical system (MEMS) technology is introduced, including research, design, couple and fabrication of unique signal (UQS) for some specified fields of information security. The stronglink consists of two groups of metal counter-meshing gears, two pawl/ratchet mechanisms, two driving micromotors and two resetting micromotors. The resetting micromotors make counter-meshing gears withdraw by raising pawls so that the interfered counter-meshing gears will be relieved. The energy-coupling element is a photoelectric sensor with a circular notched plate. The counter-meshing mechanism is fabricated using the ultraviolet-lithographie, galvanoformung and abformung (UV-LiGA) process and a precision mechanical technique. The stronglink can be tried several times if the correct resetting code is known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A parallel dynamic passive valveless micropump was designed, which consists of three layers—valve, diaphragm and electromagnetic coil. The valve was wetly etched in a silicon wafer, the diaphragm was a PDMS (polydimethyl siloxane) film spun on a silicon wafer with embedded permanent magnet posts, and the coil was electroplated on a silicon substrate. Under the actuation of the magnetic field generated by coils, the flexible diaphragm could be displaced upwards and downwards. After analyzing magnetic and mechanical characteristic of the flexible membrane and direction-dependence of the nozzle, a micropump was designed. And the relative length ( L/d) of the micropump nozzle was taken 4. A 7 × 7 array of permanent magnetic posts was embedded in the PDMS film. Two diaphragms worked in an anti-step mode, which could relieve the liquid shock and increase the discharge of the micropump. The ANSYS® and Matlab® were adopted to analyze the actuation effect of the coil and the flow characteristic of the micropump. Results show that when actuated under a 0.3 A, 100 Hz current, the displacement of the diaphragm is more than 30 μm, and the discharge of the micropump is about 6 μL/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virtual machine of code mechanism (VMCM) as a new concept for code mechanical solidification and verification is proposed and can be applied in MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) security device for high consequence systems. Based on a study of the running condition of physical code mechanism, VMCM′s configuration, ternary encoding method, running action and logic are derived. The cases of multi-level code mechanism are designed and verified with the VMCM method, showing that the presented method is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Singular value decomposition is used to obtain the mean value of the first and second singular value ratios of normal and defect LCD images. Then the third and fourth singular values matched with the standard deviation of the first two singular value ratios are used to divide the defect images into two categories: coarse and fine. Finally, 2D discrete wavelet coefficient filtering combined with region growing is adopted to extract defect regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dice recognition, there are several situations that may cause dice image identification problems, including the color of background being the same as the dice, the shape of the dice being round, or the dice touching each other. Especially when the camera zooms in or out, the pip sizes become irregular. We analyze the dice structure features to develop an intelligent memorized least-distance search method (IMLDSM) that can achieve accurate dice detection. Compared to other schemes, our method has two major advantages: (i) Unlike other schemes using complicated classification methods to segment the dice, we adopt a novel, simple, and effective method to analyze dice structure features to achieve more accurate recognition results and (ii) the IMLDSM solves the problems of image zooming in and out, which other methods cannot. After over 250 test images that include different shapes, styles, sizes, and colors used in simulations, this scheme is proven to achieve 100% dice image identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]