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Objectives: We investigated the association of female reproductive factors with periodontitis. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2014 on 2321 women aged 45–80 years who had full-mouth periodontal examination and reproductive questionnaire. The 2018 World Workshop Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases was used to classify periodontitis stages. Results: After adjustment, > 3 pregnancies or live births were associated with increased stage III/IV periodontitis but age at first birth (AFB) > 23 years and female hormone use were associated with decreased stage III/IV periodontitis, while there were no associations of oral contraceptive use or menopause status with stage III/IV periodontitis. Stage III/IV periodontitis was more common in women with > 3 pregnancies or live births and AFB ≤ 23 years or never using female hormones but less common in women with ≥ 3 pregnancies or > 3 live births and AFB > 23 years or using female hormones. >3 pregnancies or live births were related with increased stage III/IV periodontitis and increased AFB was related with lowered stage III/IV periodontitis in overweight and smoking subgroups but using female hormone was related with reduced stage III/IV periodontitis in nonsmoking, non-overweight and black subgroups. Conclusions: >3 pregnancies/live births were related with severe periodontitis but AFB > 23 years and female hormone use were related with ameliorating periodontitis. Clinical Relevance: Women with > 3 pregnancies/live births should receive intensive periodontal interventions. Female hormone therapy or AFB > 23 years may be beneficial for periodontal health of > 3 pregnancies/live births women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in exploring the potential therapeutic advantages of Citrullus mucosospermus extracts (CME) for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of CME on NASH using a mice model. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to identify cucurbitacin E and cucurbitacin E-2-O-glucoside from the CME. Although CME did not significantly alter the serum lipid levels in methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD) mice, it demonstrated a protective effect against MCD diet-induced liver damage. CME reduced histological markers, reduced alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartame transaminase (AST) levels, and modulated key NASH-related genes, including C/EBPα, PPARγ, Fas, and aP2. In addition, CME was found to restore hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) activity, both crucial for fat catabolism, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, CME demonstrated the potential to mitigate oxidative stress by maintaining or enhancing the activation and expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), both pivotal players in antioxidant defense mechanisms. These findings underscore the promising therapeutic potential of CME in ameliorating liver damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress associated with NASH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage sags resulting from symmetrical or asymmetrical faults pose a significant threat to power quality. In response to this challenge, a voltage sag loss assessment method based on a two-stage Taguchi quality perspective approach is proposed to address the quantitative analysis of voltage sag economic losses. Initially, using the Taguchi quality perspective method, single-index quality loss functions are separately established for voltage sag magnitude and fault duration. Subsequently, by introducing a comprehensive load tolerance curve, sensitivity parameters within the quality loss function are accurately calculated. This yields a deterministic model for voltage sag assessment. Building upon this, the relative impact of the two indices on voltage sag loss is evaluated using the quality loss function. Consequently, a comprehensive loss model under the influence of multiple indices is formed by integrating two single-index evaluation models. The simulation results indicate that this method can effectively assess the economic losses of voltage sags under the combined influence of multiple factors. Compared to the original economic loss assessment method, it improves quantitative accuracy by approximately 3.72%. Moreover, the method reduces the computational complexity of loss assessment through the consolidation of intervals with similar sensitivity parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We investigated the association between dietary flavonoids intake and periodontitis. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2010 on 3025 participants aged between 30 and 80 years who had full-mouth periodontal examination and dietary flavonoids intake data. This study used periodontal pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) as periodontitis markers. Data were analyzed using multivariate linear regression. Results: After adjusting confounders, the middle tertile of total dietary flavonoids was associated with decreased mean PPD (0.06 mm, P = 0.016) and mean CAL (0.13 mm, P = 0.001) and the top tertile of total dietary flavonoids was significantly associated with decreases in mean PPD (0.05 mm, P = 0.029) and mean CAL (0.11 mm, P = 0.010). Both the middle and top tertiles of total flavonoids intake were significantly related with decreased mean CAL in females, those flossing 0 days/week, overweight and non-diabetic population but not in males, smokers, those flossing 1–6 days/week and diabetic population. Higher anthocyanidins, flavones and flavonols intake was significantly associated with decreased mean PPD and mean CAL while higher flavanones intake was only significantly associated with decreased mean CAL. Higher anthocyanidins intake was particularly related with greatest decreases in mean CAL (top tertile: 0.22 mm, middle tertile: 0.17 mm, both P < 0.010). However, no significant associations were found between isoflavones and flavan_3_ols intake and mean CAL. Conclusions: Higher dietary flavonoids intake may be beneficial for periodontal health. Clinical relevance: Additional anthocyanidins, flavanones, flavones and flavonols intake was associated with improved periodontal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate identification and localization of multiple abnormalities are crucial steps in the interpretation of chest X-rays (CXRs); however, the lack of a large CXR dataset with bounding boxes severely constrains accurate localization research based on deep learning. We created a large CXR dataset named CXR-AL14, containing 165,988 CXRs and 253,844 bounding boxes. On the basis of this dataset, a deep-learning-based framework was developed to identify and localize 14 common abnormalities and calculate the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) simultaneously. The mean average precision values obtained by the model for 14 abnormalities reached 0.572-0.631 with an intersection-over-union threshold of 0.5, and the intraclass correlation coefficient of the CTR algorithm exceeded 0.95 on the held-out, multicentre and prospective test datasets. This framework shows an excellent performance, good generalization ability and strong clinical applicability, which is superior to senior radiologists and suitable for routine clinical settings. Accurate localization of abnormalities is crucial in the interpretation of chest X-rays. Here the authors present a deep learning framework for simultaneous localization of 14 thoracic abnormalities and calculation of cardiothoracic ratio, based on large X-ray dataset with bounding boxes created via a human-in-the-loop approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the role of phospholipase D (PLD) in retinal ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury using an oxygen‐glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) model commonly used in retinal I/R injury research. To create an in vitro cellular I/R model, pharmacological inhibitors and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used to target PLD1 and PLD2 in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Treatment with PLD inhibitors and siRNA reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) induced by OGD/R in RPE cells and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), indicating a reduction in oxidative damage and improvement in the antioxidant system. Next, we showed that inhibiting PLD1 or PLD2 reduced intracellular iron levels and lipid peroxidation, which are critical factors in ferroptosis. Additionally, PLD1 and PLD2 modulated the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of ferroptosis, including GPX4, SLC7A11, FTH1, and ACSL4. We also investigated the roles of PLD1 and PLD2 in preventing pyroptosis, another form of programmed cell death associated with inflammation. Our study found that OGD/R significantly increased the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and activated caspase‐1, NLRP3, ASC, cleaved‐caspase 1 (C‐caspase‐1), and GSDMD‐N in RPE cells, indicating pyroptosis induction. However, PLD1 and PLD2 inhibition or knockdown significantly inhibited the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, Taken together, our findings support the hypothesis that the PLD signaling pathway plays a key role in OGD/R‐induced ferroptosis and pyroptosis induction and may be a potential therapeutic target for preventing or treating retinal dysfunction and degeneration. Significance statement: Inhibiting PLD1 and PLD2 presents a novel and promising strategy for treating retinal damage. This study sheds light on intricate mechanisms that not only mitigate oxidative stress but also suppress ferroptosis and alleviate pyroptosis in retinal pigment epithelium cells. These findings significantly advance retinal health and disease treatment by unraveling interactions between phospholipase D isoforms and cellular stress responses, suggesting potential therapies for conditions marked by cell death pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of Cucumis melo var. gaettongchamoe (CG) in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The mice received CG water extract (CGWE) treatment for 8 weeks, and changes in body weight and serum lipid levels were analyzed. The HFD + vehicle group showed a significant increase in body weight compared to the control group, while the HFD + CGWE and HFD + positive (orlistat) groups exhibited reduced body weight. Lipid profile analysis revealed lower levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the HFD + CGWE group compared to the HFD + vehicle group. The HFD + vehicle group had increased abdominal fat weight and fat content, whereas both HFD + CGWE groups showed significant reductions in abdominal fat content and adipocyte size. Additionally, CGWE administration downregulated mRNA expression of key proteins involved in neutral lipid metabolism. CGWE also promoted hepatic lipolysis, reducing lipid droplet accumulation in hepatic tissue and altering neutral lipid metabolism protein expression. Furthermore, CGWE treatment reduced inflammatory mediators and suppressed the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway in hepatic tissue. In conclusion, CGWE shows promise as a therapeutic intervention for obesity and associated metabolic dysregulation, including alterations in body weight, serum lipid profiles, adipose tissue accumulation, hepatic lipolysis, and the inflammatory response. CGWE may serve as a potential natural anti-obesity agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated the association of severely damaged endodontically infected tooth with carotid artery plaque and abnormal mean carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥ 1.0 mm. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1502 control participants and 1552 participants with severely damaged endodontically infected tooth who received routine medical and dental checkup in Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital was performed. Carotid plaque and CIMT were measured with B-mode tomographic ultrasound. Data were analyzed using logistic and linear regression. Results: Severely damaged endodontically infected tooth group had a significantly higher prevalence of carotid plaque (41.62%) compared to 32.22% of carotid plaque in control group. Participants with severely damaged endodontically infected tooth had a significantly higher prevalence of abnormal CIMT (16.17%) and a significantly increased level of CIMT (0.79 ± 0.16 mm) in comparison to 10.79% of abnormal CIMT and 0.77 ± 0.14 mm CIMT in control participants. Severely damaged endodontically infected tooth was significantly related with formation of carotid plaque [1.37(1.18–1.60), P < 0.001], top quartile length [1.21(1.02–1.44), P = 0.029] and top quartile thickness [1.27(1.08–1.51), P = 0.005] of carotid plaque and abnormal CIMT [1.47(1.18–1.83), P < 0.001]. Severely damaged endodontically infected tooth was significantly associated with both single [1.277(1.056–1.546), P = 0.012] and multiple carotid plaques [1.488(1.214–1.825), P < 0.001] and instable carotid plaques [1.380(1.167–1.632), P < 0.001]. Presence of severely damaged endodontically infected tooth increased 0.588 mm of carotid plaque length (P = 0.001), 0.157 mm of carotid plaque thickness (P < 0.001) and 0.015 mm of CIMT (P = 0.005). Conclusion: Severely damaged endodontically infected tooth was associated with carotid plaque and abnormal CIMT. Clinical relevance: Early treatment of endodontically infected tooth is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most studies support parafunctions play an important role in temporomandibular disorders (TMD), whereas the association between tooth wear and TMD remains controversial. Betel nut chewing as a parafunction is popular in South and Southeast Asia. We therefore investigated the association of severely worn dentition resulting from betel nut chewing with TMD. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 408 control participants (male: 380, female: 28, 43.62 ± 9.54 years) and 408 participants with betel nut chewing related severely worn dentition (male: 380, female: 28, 43.73 ± 8.93 years) who received dental and TMD checkup according to Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) in Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital was performed. Betel nut chewing related severely worn dentition meant all the natural teeth had moderate to severe tooth wear [Tooth Wear Index (TWI) ≥ 2)] including ≥ 2 severe wear teeth (TWI ≥ 3) due to betel nut chewing. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. Results: After adjusting for age, gender, betel nut chewing related severely worn dentition, oral submucosal fibrosis, number of missing teeth, number of dental quadrants with missing teeth, visible third molar and orthodontic history, variables of age, gender and betel nut chewing related severely worn dentition were significant for overall TMD. Multivariable analysis showed betel nut chewing related severely worn dentition was significantly associated with intra-articular TMD [odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals: 1.689 (1.271–2.244), P = 0.001] in a betel nut chewing dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Betel nut chewing related severely worn dentition was associated with intra-articular TMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt iron phosphide (Co–Fe–P), a metalloid-like material with zero band gap and high specific capacity, has received much attention in the field of supercapacitors, but the poor rate performance and cycling stability limit its commercial applications. Herein, we used cobalt-iron metal organic framework as the precursor (under the modulation of the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), the morphology changes from three-dimensions to one-dimension), to synthesize the Co–Fe–P@NiCo-layered double hydroxide (LDH) core–shell nanostructure on conductive nickel foam (NF). Profiting of high conductivity of Co–Fe–P nanowires as the core and large surface area of NiCoLDH nanosheets as the shell, the fabricated Co–Fe–P@NiCoLDH/NF electrode exhibits outstanding electrochemical properties, such as high special capacity of 5.67 C cm−2 at a current density of 1 mA cm−2, remarkable rate capability (78.59% from 1 to 20 mA cm−2). Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor assembled by Co–Fe–P@NiCoLDH/NF and activated carbon/NF, also delivers excellent electrochemical performance with high energy density of 0.164 mW h cm−2 (30.4 mW h cm−3) and a superior cyclic life span of 91.67% over 5000 cyclic tests under 20 mA cm−2. This work proposes a unique route for the application of Co–Fe–P with elaborate structures, which may excite new significant findings in the energy storage field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt‐based sulfide is an excellent electrode material applied to supercapacitors (SCs) because of its good reversibility and abundant nanoforms. However, the feasibility of its practical application is reduced due to lack of stability and some difference with theoretical capacity. Herein, the hierarchical structures of Co3S4 hollow nanotube arrays wrapped with NiCo‐layered double hydroxide nanosheets (Co3S4@NiCo‐LDHs) are successfully fabricated on the nickel foam (NF) as the nonbinder electrode of SCs. Profiting from the synthetic effect of Co3S4 hollow nanotube arrays with effective diffusion channels, and NiCo‐LDH nanosheets with a stable interconnected network, the prepared Co3S4@NiCo‐LDH/NF composite electrode with a unique hierarchical structure attains an amazing areal capacity (7.45 C cm−2 at 2 mA cm−2) and impressive cycle stability (87.7% through 5000 charge and discharge cycles). In addition, the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor (Co3S4@NiCo‐LDH/NF//AC) shows pleasant energy density (0.661 mWh cm−2 under 1.359 mW cm−2). The capacity of the assembled device can still be retained at 92% after 5000 cycles, which verifies the feasibility of the device in practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenitally missing tooth is the most common dental abnormality which leaves spaces in the arch, leads to numerous forms of malocclusion due to the Bolton index discrepancy and is even associated with abnormal craniofacial morphology. Even though the roles of malocclusion and tooth loss in temporomandibular disorders (TMD) development remain controversial, basic researches have found some common molecules are involved in osteoarthritis and dental agenesis. However, the association of congenitally missing teeth with TMD is unknown. We hence investigated the association of congenitally missing teeth with TMD. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 586 control participants (male: 287, female: 299, 38.33 ± 11.65 years) and 583 participants with non-third molar congenitally missing teeth (male: 238, female: 345, 39.13 ± 11.67 years) who consecutively received routine dental and TMD checkup according to Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders Axis I in Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital was performed. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the association of congenitally missing teeth with TMD. Results: The congenitally missing teeth group included 581 hypodontia and 2 oligodontia participants. The congenitally missing anterior teeth participants, the congenitally missing posterior teeth participants and participants with both congenitally missing anterior and posterior teeth accounted for 88.34%, 8.40% and 3.26% of the congenitally missing teeth group respectively. Congenitally missing teeth group had greater ratios of females and orthodontic history. Participants with congenitally missing teeth had a significantly higher prevalence of overall TMD (67.24%) in comparison to control participants (45.90%). After adjusting age, gender, presence of congenitally missing teeth, number of congenitally missing teeth, number of non-congenitally missing teeth, number of dental quadrants with missing teeth, visible third molar and orthodontic history, the variables of age, gender, presence of congenitally missing teeth and number of dental quadrants with missing teeth were significant for overall TMD. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed congenitally missing tooth was significantly related with overall TMD [odds ratio (OR):1.689(1.080–2.642), P = 0.022], intra-articular TMD [OR: 1.711(1.103–2.656), P = 0.017] and pain-related TMD [OR: 3.093(1.321–7.239), P = 0.009]. Conclusion: Congenitally missing tooth is a risk factor for TMD. When treating the congenitally missing teeth population, TMJ evaluation and multidisciplinary strategies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malformed fruits depreciate a plant's market value. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), fruit malformation is associated with the multi‐locule trait, which involves genes regulating shoot apical meristem (SAM) development. The expression pattern of TOPLESS3 (SlTPL3) throughout SAM development prompted us to investigate its functional significance via RNA interference (RNAi) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR‐associated nuclease 9 (Cas9)‐mediated gene editing. Lower SlTPL3 transcript levels resulted in larger fruits with more locules and larger SAMs at the 5 d after germination (DAG5) stage. Differentially expressed genes in the SAM of wild‐type (WT) and SlTPL3‐RNAi plants, identified by transcriptome deep sequencing (RNA‐seq), were enriched in the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis and plant hormone signaling pathways. Moreover, exogenous auxin and paclobutrazol treatments rescued the multi‐locule phenotype, indicating that SlTPL3 affects SAM size by mediating auxin and GA levels in the SAM. Furthermore, SlTPL3 interacted with WUSCHEL (SlWUS), which plays an important role in SAM size maintenance. We conducted RNA‐seq and DNA affinity purification followed by sequencing (DAP‐seq) analyses to identify the genes regulated by SlTPL3 and SlWUS in the SAM and to determine how they regulate SAM size. We detected 24 overlapping genes regulated by SlTPL3 and SlWUS and harboring an SlWUS‐binding motif in their promoters. Furthermore, functional annotation revealed a notable enrichment for functions in auxin transport, auxin signal transduction, and GA biosynthesis. Dual‐luciferase assays also revealed that SlTPL3 enhances SlWUS‐mediated regulation (repression and activation) of SlPIN3 and SlGA2ox4 transcription, indicating that the SlTPL3–SlWUS module regulates SAM size by mediating auxin distribution and GA levels, and perturbations of this module result in enlarged SAM. These results provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of SAM maintenance and locule formation in tomato and highlight the SlTPL3–SlWUS module as a key regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional breeding of wild (Cucumis melo var. makuwa Makino (CM)) and cultivated (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus (CR)) melons is aimed at improving their biological traits. Here, we prepared a nontoxic, bioactive extract of vitalmelon (F1 hybrid) and evaluated its antiadipogenic and antiobesity effects in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced obese C57BL/6 mice. In fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the vitalmelon extract reduced the DMI- (dexamethasone, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and insulin-) induced increases in lipid droplet number and intracellular glucose and triglyceride levels. In addition, the extract inhibited 3T3-L1 preadipocyte differentiation by downregulating PPAR-γ and target genes LPL, CD36, HMGCR, and L-FABP. To investigate the inhibitory effects of the vitalmelon extract on lipid metabolism, we measured serum lipid, hormone, and cytokine concentrations; lipolytic activity; lipid accumulation; and adipogenesis in HFD-fed mice treated with the extract. The HFD+vitalmelon-fed mice showed lower blood cholesterol, free fatty acid, sugar, leptin, and insulin concentrations but higher blood adiponectin concentrations than the HFD-fed mice. Moreover, the HFD+vitalmelon-fed mice showed lower abdominal fat levels, smaller fat cells, lower weight, and fewer lipid droplets in the liver tissue than the HFD-fed mice. Therefore, in HFD-fed mice, vitalmelon regulated lipid metabolism through PPAR-γ, highlighting its potential as a promising antiobesity functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The doctor/nurse and police officer population have some common typical characteristics of great professional pressure and night shift and past studies indicated oral mucosa lesions were closely associated with psychological factors and health-risking behaviors, however the prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and the two commonly seen oral potentially malignant disorders of oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) and oral leukoplakia in doctor/nurse and police officer in the Betel quid chewing city of Mainland China is unknown The cross-sectional study was to determine the prevalence differences of RAS, oral leukoplakia and OSF among doctor/nurse, police officer and non-doctor/nurse and non-police officer population aged 20–59 years. Methods: RAS, OSF and oral leukoplakia were examined in doctor/nurse group (male: 659, female: 2439), police officer group (male: 839, female: 262) and non-doctor/nurse and non-police officer group (male: 7576, female: 8129) from 2020-11-01 to 2021-08-31 in Health Management Center, Xiangya Hospital in Changsha city, Hunan province. Results: The prevalence rates of RAS, OSF, oral leukoplakia and oral leukoplakia combined with OSF in male and female non-doctor/nurse and non-police officer group are 8.32‰ and 10.83‰, 58.08‰ and 1.23‰, 11.75‰ and 0.25‰, 7.66‰ and 0.12‰ respectively. Compared with the non-doctor/nurse and non-police officer population, prevalence rates of RAS in male (24.27‰) and female (20.50‰) doctor/nurse population were significantly higher. Prevalence rates of OSF (21.24‰) and oral leukoplakia (3.03‰) in male doctor/nurse population were significantly less but prevalence rates of OSF (93.71‰), oral leukoplakia (20.17‰) and oral leukoplakia combined with OSF (15.42‰) for male police officer were significantly greater in comparison with male non-doctor/nurse and non-police officer group. OSF and oral leukoplakia prevalence rates were obvious lower for the female than the counterpart male group, but there were no significant differences of OSF and oral leukoplakia prevalence rates between the female non-doctor/nurse and non-police officer and female doctor/nurse group. Oral leukoplakia was not found in the female police officers. Conclusions: Doctor/nurse population have higher prevalence of RAS. Male doctors/nurses have lower prevalence of OSF and oral leukoplakia, while male police officers have higher prevalence of OSF, oral leukoplakia and oral leukoplakia combined with OSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many researches have been made in the construction and fabrication of electrode materials for supercapacitors, it remains a difficult task to realize the application of the supercapacitor with high energy density. The binary MnCo2O4@NiO hierarchical electrode has been successfully fabricated on nickel foam (NF) without any binder or additives by simple hydrothermal methods and corresponding annealing processes. By virtue of constructing hierarchical core–shell structure with different morphologies and forming additive-free electrode, the composite electrode not only possesses abundant surface active sites for electrochemical reaction as well as large buffering space for volume deformation in the charging-discharging processes, but also shows the improved contacting area and electric conductivity between active substance and metal collector. The synthetic MnCo2O4@NiO/NF electrode presented higher specific capacitance (1186 F g−1 under 1 A g−1) and long cycle lifespan (maintain 91% of the original capacitance over 5000 cycles) under a high current density of 10 A g−1. Further, the asymmetric supercapacitor with MnCo2O4@NiO/NF electrode shows higher energy density of 42.2 Wh kg−1 under a power density of 748.2 W kg−1. These results demonstrate that the binary MnCo2O4@NiO hierarchical structure is the hopeful candidate material for high performance supercapacitor electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facultative parthenocarpy is of great practical value. However, the molecular mechanism underlying facultative parthenocarpy remains elusive. Transcriptional co-repressors (TPL) act as a central regulatory hub controlling all nine phytohormone pathways. Previously, we proved that SlTPLs participate in the auxin signaling pathway by interacting with auxin/indole acetic acid (Aux/IAAs) in tomato; however, their function in fruit development has not been studied. In addition to their high expression levels during flower development, the interaction between SlTPL1 and SlIAA9 stimulated the investigation of its functional significance via RNA interference (RNAi) technology, whereby the translation of a protein is prevented by selective degradation of its encoded mRNA. Down-regulation of SlTPL1 resulted in facultative parthenocarpy. Plants of SlTPL1-RNAi transgenic lines produced similar fruits which did not show any pleiotropic effects under normal conditions. However, they produced seedless fruits upon emasculation and under heat stress conditions. Furthermore, SlTPL1-RNAi flower buds contained higher levels of cytokinins and lower levels of abscisic acid. To reveal how SlTPL1 regulates facultative parthenocarpy, RNA-seq was performed to identify genes regulated by SlTPL1 in ovaries before and after fruit set. The results showed that down-regulation of SlTPL1 resulted in reduced expression levels of cytokinin metabolism-related genes, and all transcription factors such as MYB, CDF, and ERFs. Conversely, down-regulation of SlTPL1 induced the expression of genes related to cell wall and cytoskeleton organization. These data provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of facultative tomato parthenocarpy and identify SlTPL1 as a key factor regulating these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Multiple organ failure (MOF) may lead to an increased mortality rate of moderately severe (MSAP) or severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). This study is aimed to use machine learning to predict the risk of MOF in the course of disease. Methods. Clinical and laboratory features with significant differences between patients with and without MOF were screened out by univariate analysis. Prediction models were developed for selected features through six machine learning methods. The models were internally validated with a five-fold cross-validation, and a series of optimal feature subsets were generated in corresponding models. A test set was used to evaluate the predictive performance of the six models. Results. 305 (68%) of 455 patients with MSAP or SAP developed MOF. Eighteen features with significant differences between the group with MOF and without it in the training and validation set were used for modeling. Interleukin-6 levels, creatinine levels, and the kinetic time were the three most important features in the optimal feature subsets selected by K-fold cross-validation. The adaptive boosting algorithm (AdaBoost) showed the best predictive performance with the highest AUC value (0.826; 95% confidence interval: 0.740 to 0.888). The sensitivity of AdaBoost (80.49%) and specificity of logistic regression analysis (93.33%) were the best scores among the six models in the test set. Conclusions. A predictive model of MOF complicated by MSAP or SAP was successfully developed based on machine learning. The predictive performance was evaluated by a test set, for which AdaBoost showed a satisfactory predictive performance. The study is registered with the China Clinical Trial Registry (Identifier: ChiCTR1800016079). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since December 2019, COVID-19 has spread throughout the world. Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients vary among infected individuals. Therefore, it is vital to identify patients at high risk of disease progression. Methods: In this retrospective, multicenter cohort study, COVID-19 patients from Huoshenshan Hospital and Taikang Tongji Hospital (Wuhan, China) were included. Clinical features showing significant differences between the severe and nonsevere groups were screened out by univariate analysis. Then, these features were used to generate classifier models to predict whether a COVID-19 case would be severe or nonsevere based on machine learning. Two test sets of data from the two hospitals were gathered to evaluate the predictive performance of the models. Results: A total of 455 patients were included, and 21 features showing significant differences between the severe and nonsevere groups were selected for the training and validation set. The optimal subset, with eleven features in the k–nearest neighbor model, obtained the highest area under the curve (AUC) value among the four models in the validation set. D-dimer, CRP, and age were the three most important features in the optimal-feature subsets. The highest AUC value was obtained using a support vector–machine model for a test set from Huoshenshan Hospital. Software for predicting disease progression based on machine learning was developed. Conclusion: The predictive models were successfully established based on machine learning, and achieved satisfactory predictive performance of disease progression with optimal-feature subsets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct evidence is limited for the association between heart rate variability (HRV) indices and ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTAs). While galectin‐3 (Gal‐3) is regarded as a causal factor for cardiac remodelling and a biomarker for arrhythmias, its regulation on VTAs and HVR is unknown. Using aged transgenic (TG) mice with cardiac overexpression of β2‐adrenoceptors and spontaneous VTAs, we studied whether changes in HRV indices correlated with the severity of VTAs, and whether Gal‐3 gene knockout (KO) in TG mice might limit VTA. Body‐surface ECG was recorded (10‐minute period) in 9‐ to 10‐month‐old mice of non‐transgenic (nTG), TG and TG × Gal‐3 knockout (TG/KO). Time‐domain, frequency‐domain and nonlinear‐domain HRV indices were calculated using the R‐R intervals extracted from ECG signals and compared with frequency of VTAs. TG and TG/KO mice developed frequent VTAs and showed significant changes in certain time‐domain and nonlinear‐domain HRV indices relative to nTG mice. The severity of VTAs in TG and TG/KO mice in combination, estimated by VTA counts and arrhythmia score, was significantly correlated with certain time‐domain and nonlinear‐domain HRV indices. In conclusion, significant changes in HRV indices were evident and correlated with the severity of spontaneous VTAs in TG mice. The frequency of VTA and HRV indices were largely comparable between TG and TG/KO mice. Deletion of Gal‐3 in TG mice altered certain HRV indices implying influence by neuronally localized Gal‐3 on autonomic nervous activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymphovascular invasion (LVI) is a vital risk factor for prognosis across cancers. We aimed to develop a scoring system for stratifying LVI risk in patients with breast cancer.Methods: A total of 301 consecutive patients (mean age, 49.8 ± 11.0 years; range, 29-86 years) with breast cancer confirmed by pathological reports were retrospectively evaluated at the authors' institution between June 2015 and October 2018. All patients underwent contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations before surgery. MRI findings and histopathologic characteristics of tumors were collected for analysis. Breast LVI was confirmed by postoperative pathology. We used a stepwise logistic regression to select variables and two cut-points were determined to create a three-tier risk-stratification scoring system. The patients were classified as having low, moderate and high probability of LVI. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the discrimination ability of the scoring system.Results: Tumor margins, lobulation sign, diffusion-weighted imaging appearance, MRI-reported axillary lymph node metastasis, time to signal intensity curve pattern, and HER-2 were selected as predictors for LVI in the point-based scoring system. Patients were considered at low risk if the score was < 3.5, moderate risk if the score was 3.5 to 6.0, and high risk if the score was ≥6.0. LVI risk was segmented from 0 to 100.0% and was positively associated with an increase in risk scores. The AUC of the scoring system was 0.824 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.776--0.872).Conclusion: This study shows that a simple and reliable score-based risk-stratification system can be practically used in stratifying the risk of LVI in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and optimization of electrode materials are critically important for the development of high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, hollow FeO nanotubes supported on nitrogen-doped graphene was fabricated via a facile hydrothermal process. The morphologies of the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra, X-ray diffraction, and so on. The electrochemical performance was tested with a three-electrode system in the aqueous electrolyte of 2 M KOH. The hollow FeO nanotubes/nitrogen-doped graphene composite electrode demonstrated a high specific capacitance of 270 F/g (136 F/g for hollow FeO nanotubes/graphene electrode) at a current density of 1 A/g. Besides, over 89% of the original capacitance retention was maintained after 3000 cycles, indicating a good cycle stability of hollow FeO nanotubes/nitrogen-doped graphene electrode materials. In comparison with the hollow FeO nanotubes/graphene composite, the obviously improved electrochemical performance of hollow FeO nanotubes/nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposite was possibly due to the synergistic effect, in which hollow FeO nanotubes provided a convenient channel for the ion transport and the nitrogen-doped graphene possessed the good electronic conductivity as well as more active sites than the pure graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the problem of lossy compression for hyperspectral images and presents an efficient compression algorithm based on distributed source coding. The proposed algorithm employs a block-based quantizer followed by distributed lossless coding, which is implemented through the use of multilevel coset codes. First, a bitrate allocation algorithm is proposed to assign the rational bitrate for each block. Subsequently, the multilinear regression model is employed to construct the side information of each block, and the optimal quantization step size of each block is obtained under the assigned bitrate while minimizing the distortion. Finally, the quantized version of each block is encoded by distributed lossless compression. Experimental results show that the compression performance of the proposed algorithm is competitive with that of state-of-the-art transform-based compression algorithms. Moreover, the proposed algorithm provides both low encoder complexity and error resilience, making it suitable for onboard compression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rough set theory (RST) has been widely used to measure and handle uncertain information; however, the existing RST-based measures are difficult to generalize the results of incomplete information systems to complete information systems. In this paper, some well-justified measures of uncertainty based on discernibility capability of attributes are presented. We first define two single measures and give their useful properties, based on which a new uncertainty measure of rough sets is proposed, which can be consist with human cognition. We then propose three combination measures for multiattribute case and discuss their relationships. Last, we compare our methods with the existing measures to illustrate the physical meaning of the existing measures in RST. Theoretical analysis with numerical examples proves that the new measures will work efficiently on both complete and incomplete information systems. The research results may lead us to a deeper understanding of the essence of uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain wideband orthogonal waveforms of radar systems with high-range resolution and good correlation properties, this paper proposes two types of orthogonal wideband hybrid-coding waveforms, polyphase discrete frequency (PDF) waveforms and polyphase signed-chirp (PSC) waveforms. Using an intra-pulse hybrid modulation, high-range resolution can be obtained, and good correlation properties between different waveforms are easier to optimize within a larger optimization space. Specifically, good correlation properties of the PDF waveforms are indeed easier to achieve without a loss of range resolution, as occurs with a discrete frequency coding waveform. Compared with polyphase coding waveforms, the signal bandwidth of each PSC waveform is twice as large as that of sub-pulse chirp signals, and superior correlation properties are obtained. Finally, various designed waveforms optimized by the genetic algorithm are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of these proposed wideband hybrid-coding waveforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient lossy compression algorithm for multispectral images based on block Karhunen-Loève transform (KLT) is proposed. First, a two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform is performed on each band of multispectral images to remove the spatial correlation. Subsequently, each band is partitioned into non-overlapping blocks of the same size, and the transform coefficients of each block in the wavelet domain are treated as a single object. Blocks that are co-located in the spectral orientation are affected by an adaptive Karhunen-Loève transform to remove their spectral correlation. Finally, embedded block coding with optimized truncation is performed on all principal components to generate the final bit-stream. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm, based on block KLT, outperforms the algorithm based on global KLT, without significant increase of complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Quantitative ventricular fibrillation (VF) waveform analysis is a potentially powerful tool to optimize defibrillation. However, whether combining VF features with additional attributes that related to the previous shock could enhance the prediction performance for subsequent shocks is still uncertain. Methods: A total of 528 defibrillation shocks from 199 patients experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were analyzed in this study. VF waveform was quantified using amplitude spectrum area (AMSA) from defibrillator's ECG recordings prior to each shock. Combinations of AMSA with previous shock index (PSI) or/and change of AMSA (ΔAMSA) between successive shocks were exercised through a training dataset including 255shocks from 99patientswith neural networks. Performance of the combination methods were compared with AMSA based single feature prediction by area under receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC), sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and prediction accuracy (PA) through a validation dataset that was consisted of 273 shocks from 100patients. Results: A total of61 (61.0%) patients required subsequent shocks (N = 173) in the validation dataset. Combining AMSA with PSI and ΔAMSA obtained highest AUC (0.904 vs. 0.819, p<0.001) among different combination approaches for subsequent shocks. Sensitivity (76.5% vs. 35.3%, p<0.001), NPV (90.2% vs. 76.9%, p = 0.007) and PA (86.1% vs. 74.0%, p = 0.005)were greatly improved compared with AMSA based single feature prediction with a threshold of 90% specificity. Conclusion: In this retrospective study, combining AMSA with previous shock information using neural networks greatly improves prediction performance of defibrillation outcome for subsequent shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quantitative electrocardiographic (ECG) waveform analysis provides a noninvasive reflection of the metabolic milieu of the myocardium during resuscitation and is a potentially useful tool to optimize the defibrillation strategy. However, whether combining multiple ECG features can improve the capability of defibrillation outcome prediction in comparison to single feature analysis is still uncertain.Methods: A total of 3828 defibrillations from 1617 patients who experienced out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were analyzed. A 2.048-s ECG trace prior to each defibrillation without chest compressions was used for the analysis. Sixteen predictive features were optimized through the training dataset that included 2447 shocks from 1050 patients. Logistic regression, neural network and support vector machine were used to combine multiple features for the prediction of defibrillation outcome. Performance between single and combined predictive features were compared by area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and prediction accuracy (PA) on a validation dataset that consisted of 1381 shocks from 567 patients.Results: Among the single features, mean slope (MS) outperformed other methods with an AUC of 0.876. Combination of complementary features using neural network resulted in the highest AUC of 0.874 among the multifeature-based methods. Compared to MS, no statistical difference was observed in AUC, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and PA when multiple features were considered.Conclusions: In this large dataset, the amplitude-related features achieved better defibrillation outcome prediction capability than other features. Combinations of multiple electrical features did not further improve prediction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have recently demonstrated that the greatly increased immunological activities of recombinant murine calreticulin (rCRT) are largely attributed to its self-oligomerization. Although native CRT (nCRT) can also oligomerize under stress conditions in vitro, whether this phenomenon could occur inside cells and the immunological activity difference between nCRT monomers and oligomers remained unclear. In this study, we illustrated the formation of CRT oligomers in tranfectant cells under “heat & low pH” (42°C/pH 6.5) condition. The mixture of nCRT oligomers and monomers (OnCRT) was obtained after 3 hr treatment of murine monomeric nCRT (MnCRT) under similar condition (42°C/pH 5.0) in vitro. The OnCRT thus obtained was better recognized by 2 monoclonal Abs from mice that had been immunized with oligomeric rCRT. Unlike MnCRT, OnCRT was able to elicit CRT-specific IgG production in mice. OnCRT also stimulated bone-marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) to secrete significantly higher levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-12p40 than did MnCRT in vitro. We postulate that oligomerization of soluble CRT may occur under certain pathophysiological conditions (e.g. ultrahyperpyrexia) and the resultant oligomers may exhibit exaggerated immunostimulating activities, thereby affiliating the inflammatory responses in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new cross-channel interference suppression method based on the fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) is proposed to eliminate the effect due to cross-channel interference when a full-polarimetric radar adopts the opposite-slope linear frequency modulation transmit signals and de-ramping processing in the simultaneous measurement mode. The FRFT with an appropriate order is operated on the signals in the cross-interference interval. Such order is obtained via the calculation of the frequency-modulation slope of transmitted signals. The cross-channel interference is changed into sinc functions that are detected by a designed threshold and filtered out in the FRFT domain to suppress the cross-channel interference. The simulations show that the proposed method can obviously reduce the peak sidelobe levels and the integrated sidelobe levels of targets in range profiles compared with the traditional method, which is benefit to improve the detection and measurement performances of weak polarimetric scattering components. The proposed method is suitable for stable or slow-moving targets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Here, we report on a surfactant-thermal method to prepare four new 3-D crystalline heterometal–organic frameworks (HMOFs). The results indicate that our new strategy for growing crystalline materials in surfactant media has great potential for the synthesis of novel MOFs with various structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous (ET1) and alcoholic (ET2) extracts from Mactra veneriformis were studied for their antioxidant potentials using various in vitro assays. The ET2 was fractioned into four parts according to the polarity of the extractive medium, viz. ET2-p (petroleum ether), ET2-e (ethyl acetate), ET2-n (n-butanol) and ET2-w (water). Among the four fractions, ET2-w showed the strongest reducing power, and highest 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging and metal chelating activities, while the ET2-p possessed higher hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. It was found that ET2-w had large amounts of free amino acids and oligosaccharides, while ET2-p contained a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids. We conclude that amino acids, oligosaccharides and unsaturated fatty acids all contribute to the antioxidant activity of M. veneriformis. In order to elucidate the above, antioxidative components involved in the antioxidant activities were also detected. It was found that amino acids and carbohydrates were the major components of ET2-w. The amino acids were Tau (0.26%), Tyr (0.38%), Met (0.31%), Cys (0.38%), Arg (1.79%) and so on, while carbohydrates were oligosaccharides that were composed of disaccharides and trisaccharides. The unsaturated fatty acids were the major components of ET2-p, which contained a high amount of docosahexaenoic acid (9.03%) and eicosapentaenoic acid (18.49%). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We report the effect of magnetic field on the transport properties of polycrystalline parent compound LaFeAsO. The magnetic field has no significant influence on the structural phase transitions or spin density wave (SDW) ordering of small moments on iron, but causes large positive magento-resistance below 100 K. Meanwhile, the absolute magnitude of thermopower, which is negative, increases remarkably with increasing magnetic field below 100 K. Such a large positive magneto-thermopower was first reported in this iron arsenide. The result suggests that there could exist an enhancement of SDW gapping in holelike Fermi surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin cancer is the most common human malignancy worldwide and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is known to serve an important role in its pathogenesis. Natural candidate compounds with antioxidant, photoprotective and anti-melanogenic effects were investigated against the background of skin photoprotective and anti-melanogenic properties. Gomisin D, J and O are dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans present in Kadsura medicinal plants and possess several pharmacological activities. In this study, the functions and mechanisms underlying the effects of gomisin D, J and O in UVA-and UVB-irradiated keratinocytes and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated melanocytes were explored. Following UVA and UVB irradiation, keratinocytes were treated with gomisin D, J and O, and keratinocyte viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis were examined. The results demonstrated that gomisin D and J improved keratinocyte viability and reduced LDH release under UVA and UVB irradiation. Intracellular ROS production induced by UVA and UVB irradiation was suppressed by gomisin D and J. In addition, Annexin V and TUNEL staining analysis indicated that gomisin D and J have significant anti-apoptotic effects on UVA-and UVB-irradiated keratinocytes. After α-MSH stimulation, melanocytes were treated with gomisin D, J and O, and the changes in melanocyte viability, intracellular melanin content, intracellular tyrosinase activity, and mechanisms underlying these changes were examined. Gomisin D markedly inhibited the α-MSH-induced increase in intracellular melanin content and tyrosinase activity. Mechanistically, gomisin D reduced the protein and mRNA expression levels of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1 and TRP-2 in α-MSH-stimulated melanocytes. In addition, gomisin D markedly downregulated α-MSH-induced phosphorylation of protein kinase A and cAMP response element binding protein, which are known to be present upstream of the MITF, tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2 genes. Overall, gomisin D has photoprotective and anti-melanogenic effects; these findings provide a basis for the production of potential brightening and photoprotective agents using natural compounds such as gomisin D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kadsura coccinea (KC), a beneficial plant for human health, has been used for centuries in China, Thailand, and Korea in folk medicine and food. There is evidence supporting the biological effects of highly bioactive ingredients in KC such as lignans, triterpenoids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, steroids, and amino acids. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects, functions, and mechanisms of the extracts from KC root (KCR), stem (KCS), leaf (KCL), and fruit (KCF) in UVA and UVB-irradiated keratinocytes and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated melanocytes. First, the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of KCR, KCS, KCL, and KCF and their radical scavenging activities were investigated. These parameters were found to be in the following order: KCL > KCR > KCS > KCF. UVA and UVB-irradiated keratinocytes were treated with KCR, KCS, KCL, and KCF, and keratinocyte viability, LDH release, intracellular ROS production, and apoptosis were examined. Our results demonstrated that KC extracts improved keratinocyte viability and reduced LDH release, intracellular ROS production, and apoptosis in the presence UVA and UVB irradiation. The overall photoprotective activity of the KC extracts was confirmed in the following order: KCL > KCR > KCS > KCF. Moreover, KC extracts significantly decreased the intracellular melanin content and tyrosinase activity in α-MSH-stimulated melanocytes. Mechanistically, KC extracts reduced the protein and mRNA expression levels of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), and tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2) in α-MSH-stimulated melanocytes. In addition, these extracts markedly downregulated myophthalmosis-related transcription factor expression and cAMP-related binding protein phosphorylation, which is upstream of the regulation of Tyrosinase, TRP-1, and TRP-2. The overall anti-melanogenic activity of the KC extracts was established in the following order. KCL > KCR > KCS > KCF. Overall, the KC extracts exert photoprotective and anti-melanogenic effects, providing a basis for developing potential skin-whitening and photoprotective agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-contact monitoring of vital signs by radar has great prospects in clinical monitoring. However, the accuracy of separated respiratory and heartbeat signals has not satisfied the clinical limits of agreement. This paper presents a study for automated separation of respiratory and heartbeat signals based on empirical wavelet transform (EWT) for multiple people. The initial boundary of the EWT was set according to the limited prior information of vital signs. Using the initial boundary, empirical wavelets with a tight frame were constructed to adaptively separate the respiratory signal, the heartbeat signal and interference due to unconscious body movement. To verify the validity of the proposed method, the vital signs of three volunteers were simultaneously measured by a stepped-frequency continuous wave ultra-wideband (UWB) radar and contact physiological sensors. Compared with the vital signs from contact sensors, the proposed method can separate the respiratory and heartbeat signals among multiple people and obtain the precise rate that satisfies clinical monitoring requirements using a UWB radar. The detection errors of respiratory and heartbeat rates by the proposed method were within ±0.3 bpm and ±2 bpm, respectively, which are much smaller than those obtained by the bandpass filtering, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and wavelet transform (WT) methods. The proposed method is unsupervised and does not require reference signals. Moreover, the proposed method can obtain accurate respiratory and heartbeat signal rates even when the persons unconsciously move their bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Th and F co-doped superconductors Sm1-xThxFeAsO1-yFy are synthesized and the variation of superconductivity with the doping level is investigated. At the fixed Th doping level x = 0.1, the superconducting transition temperature Tc increases monotonically with F content, and finally Tc reaches a maximum of about 55K around y = 0.1, and saturates for even more F content (y = 0.15). Similar to the SmFeAsO1-yFy system, the normal state thermopower increases monotonically with the doping level. However the decrease of Tc in the 'overdoped' regime is not observed and possible explanation is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]