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Our study was designed to investigate the original spectrum of feline respiratory tract infection and to provide a scientific basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of feline respiratory infections and for precise prevention and control measures. A total of 400 cats with upper respiratory tract infections from animal hospitals in 12 provinces in China were examined from November 2022 to October 2023 to investigate the epidemiology of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpes virus type 1 (FHV-1), influenza A virus (IAV), Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydia felis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica through loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with microfluidic chip detection. The results showed that 396 of the 400 samples tested were positive for at least one of these pathogens, with an overall detection rate of 99.00%. The detection rates were as follows: FCV, 36.00% (144/400); M. felis, 34.00% (136/400); FHV-1, 21.50% (86/400); C. felis, 15.75% (63/400); B. b, 13.00% (52/400); IAV, 4.50% (18/400). There were no statistically significant differences in the detection rates of respiratory pathogens between different sexes, ages, seasons, breeds, or regions (P > 0.05). There were 88 mixed infections, giving a total mixed infection rate of 22.00% (88/400). It is worth noting that the detection rate of FCV at different ages and of FHV-1 in different sexes showed significant differences (P < 0.05). The highest rate of FCV infection was found in animals that were 1 to 2 years old, and the rate of FHV-1 infection in male cats was higher than that in female cats. The results showed that the spectrum of feline respiratory pathogens is complex, with diverse epidemiological characteristics and mixed infections, and some differences among different respiratory pathogens were found with regard to the sex, age, and breed of the cat. Studies should be continued to provide a scientific basis for precise prevention and control of feline respiratory diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs) as a novel marker associated with liver metastases and treatment response to transarterial embolization (TAE) in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs). Methods: Circulating Tregs, defined as the CD4+CD25+CD127low/− population, were examined by flow cytometry in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with GEP-NETs. Clinicopathological parameters, radiologic response, and hepatic progression-free survival (hPFS) data were collected. Results: The association between circulating Tregs and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed in 139 GEP-NET patients. Higher Treg levels were significantly associated with more progressive clinical features, including a higher WHO grade, more advanced TNM stage, and the presence of liver metastases. A Treg level ≥8.015% distinguished between patients with and without liver metastases. Among a cohort of 51 GEP-NET patients who were subjected to TAE for reducing liver metastasis burden, patients with higher Treg levels depicted unfavorable responses and significantly reduced hPFS after TAE treatment. We also revealed that patients with Treghigh (≥8.975%) displayed significantly shorter median hPFS than patients with Treglow (<8.975%). Additionally, after adjusting for other confounding clinical parameters, the association between Tregs and treatment response as well as hPFS remained significant, suggesting that Tregs may have a strong and independent prognostic impact in GEP-NETs. Conclusion: Our data suggest that circulating Tregs are a novel immunological marker associated with liver metastases and treatment response to TAE in patients with GEP-NETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In order to understand the prevalence of respiratory diseases in urban stray cats in Shanghai and provide scientific evidence for the development of targeted prevention and control strategies for respiratory diseases in stray cats, we performed a molecular survey in Shanghai in 2022. A total of 374 stray cats were screened against six respiratory pathogens. Out of the 374 samples, 146 tested positive. Mycoplasma felis exhibited the highest positivity rate at 18.72% (70/374), followed by Chlamydia felis at 11.76% (44/374), feline calicivirus at 3.74% (14/374), feline herpesvirus type-1 at 3.48% (13/374), and Bordetella bronchiseptica at 1.34% (5/374); influenza A virus was not detected. Mycoplasma felis and Chlamydia felis were the primary causative agents of respiratory infections in urban stray cats, with Mycoplasma felis demonstrating a notably higher positivity rate compared to other respiratory pathogens and frequently co-infecting with Chlamydia felis and feline calicivirus. The positivity rate of Mycoplasma felis was elevated during the summer, autumn, and winter seasons, with no significant variance between seasons. These results highlight a substantial overall prevalence of respiratory pathogens in urban stray cats in the Shanghai region, characterized by seasonal patterns and concurrent infections with other pathogens. These findings suggest the need for comprehensive prevention and control measures to address respiratory pathogen infections in urban stray cats in the Shanghai area. Urban stray cats are cats without owners that survive in the wild for extended periods of time. They are one of the most common stray animals in cities, and as such, monitoring the pathogens carried by urban stray cats is an important component of urban epidemiological surveillance. In order to understand the prevalence of respiratory diseases in urban stray cats in Shanghai and provide scientific evidence for the development of targeted prevention and control strategies for respiratory diseases in stray cats, we collected 374 ocular, nasal, and oropharyngeal swabs from urban stray cats in Shanghai from January 2022 to December 2022. After RNA extraction, we used real-time PCR to detect six respiratory pathogens, including influenza A virus, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type 1, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. The results showed that among the 374 samples, 146 tested positive, with a positivity rate of 39.04%. The highest positivity rate was observed for Mycoplasma felis at 18.72% (70/374), followed by Chlamydia felis at 11.76% (44/374), feline calicivirus at 3.74% (14/374), feline herpesvirus 1 at 3.48% (13/374), Bordetella bronchiseptica at 1.34% (5/374), and influenza A virus was not detected. The highest positivity rate for Mycoplasma felis was in Minhang District at 31.94% (23/72), while Chlamydia felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica had the highest positivity rates in Jiading District at 23.53% (8/34) and 5.88% (2/34), respectively. The highest positivity rates for feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus 1 were both observed in Qingpu District, at 14.46% (12/83) and 9.64% (8/83), respectively. A total of 36 samples showed mixed infections with two or more pathogens, with Mycoplasma felis being involved in 32 of these mixed infections, with the highest number of mixed infections being with Chlamydia felis at 25 samples. Respiratory pathogen positivity was detected throughout the year, with peak detection rates in summer and winter. The positivity rates of cat respiratory pathogens in different seasons showed statistical differences (χ2 = 27.73, p < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the positivity rates of respiratory pathogens between cats of different genders (χ2 = 0.92, p > 0.05). The positivity rates of respiratory pathogens in cats of different age groups showed statistical differences (χ2 = 44.41, p < 0.01). Mycoplasma felis and Chlamydia felis were the main pathogens causing respiratory infections in stray cats, with Mycoplasma felis showing a much higher positivity rate than other respiratory pathogens and often co-infecting with Chlamydia felis and feline calicivirus. The positivity rate of Mycoplasma felis was high in summer, autumn, and winter, with no statistical difference between seasons. These results indicate a serious overall prevalence of respiratory pathogens in urban stray cats in the Shanghai area, showing seasonal trends and mixed infections with other pathogens. These findings suggest the need for comprehensive prevention and control measures to address respiratory pathogen infections in urban stray cats in the Shanghai area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and sensitive assay is essential for reliable surveillance and diagnosis of canine astrovirus (CaAstV). In this study, two real-time reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assays with high sensitivity, rapidity, and reliability were developed using fluorescence dye and FRET-based assimilating probes for real-time detection of CaAstV. These assays specifically amplified the ORF2 gene of CaAstV and did not amplify any sequences from canine enterovirus. The limit of detection (LOD) of both the probe-based and dye-based RT-LAMPs was 100 copies/μL. Fluorescence signals were generated within 30 min for the lowest concentration of a standard RNA sample, which was significantly faster than that achieved by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) assay. When clinical samples were tested, the positive and negative agreement of the dye-based RT-LAMP assay with qRT-PCR was 87.5% (14/16) and 93.55% (29/31), respectively. The positive and negative agreement of the probe-based RT-LAMP assay with qRT-PCR was 94.11% (16/17) and 96.55% (28/29), respectively. The RT-LAMP assays developed in this study showed strong potential for use as an on-site diagnostic assay for rapid, specific, and reliable detection of CaAstV in clinical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bearings are important paths for the shaft vibration transmitting to the hull structure. A new scenario based on non-contact electromagnetic actuators mounted at bearing pedestals is proposed to suppress the vibration transmission from the shaft to the elastic foundation. The dynamic model of a shafting system with the non-contact electromagnetic actuators is established on the Hamilton's principle. With this model, the influence of the displacement stiffnesses of the electromagnetic actuators on the vibration transmission is discussed, and the feasibility of active control is investigated. A multi-harmonic vibration suppression method is adopted and the performance is evaluated. Numerical results show that the vertical control by the electromagnetic actuators is able to attenuate the vibration transmission from the shaft to the foundation. With the addition of horizontal control, the foundation vibration is further decreased due to the reduction of power flow generated by the moments between the bearing pedestals and foundation. The results of a proof-of-principle experiment have also verified the effectiveness of the vertical control by the non-contact electromagnetic actuators in vibration transmission suppression and the foundation acceleration responses are remarkably reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibacterial nonwoven fabrics, incorporated with Ag, have been applied as masks and air conditioner filters to prevent the spread of disease from airborne respiratory pathogens. In this work, we present a comparison study of Ag ions: Ag and AgCu nanoparticles (NPs) coated onto nonwoven fabrics intended for use as air conditioner antibacterial filters. We illustrate their color changes and durability running in air conditioners using antibacterial activity testing and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic (XPS) analysis. We found that AgCu NPs showed the best antibacterial efficacy and durability. XPS analysis indicated that the Ag concentration, on both the AgCu and Ag- NP-coated fibers, changed little. On the contrary, the Ag concentration on Ag ion-coated fibers decreased by ~30%, and the coated NPs aggregated over time. The color change in AgCu NP-coated fabric, from yellow to white, is caused by oxide shell formation over the NPs, with nearly 46% oxidized silver. Our results, both from antibacterial evaluation and wind blowing tests, indicate that AgCu NP-coated fibers have higher durability, while Ag ion-coated fibers have little durability in such applications. The enhanced durability of the AgCu NP-coated antibacterial fabrics can be attributed to stronger NP–fiber interactions and greater ion release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As deep neural networks (DNNs) are widely used in the field of remote sensing image recognition, there is a model security issue that cannot be ignored. DNNs have been shown to be vulnerable to small perturbations in a large number of studies in the past, and this security risk naturally exists in remote sensing object detection models based on DNNs. The complexity of remote sensing object detection models makes it difficult to implement adversarial attacks on them, resulting in the current lack of systematic research on adversarial examples in the field of remote sensing image recognition. In order to better deal with the adversarial threats that remote sensing image recognition models may confront and to provide an effective means for evaluating the robustness of the models, this paper takes the adversarial examples for remote sensing image recognition as the research goal and systematically studies vanishing attacks against a remote sensing image object detection model. To solve the problem of difficult attack implementation on remote sensing image object detection, adversarial attack adaptation methods based on interpolation scaling and patch perturbation stacking are proposed in this paper, which realizes the adaptation of classical attack algorithms. We propose a hot restart perturbation update strategy and the joint attack of the first and second stages of the two-stage remote sensing object detection model is realized through the design of the attack loss function. For the problem of the modification cost of global pixel attack being too large, a local pixel attack algorithm based on sensitive pixel location is proposed in this paper. By searching the location of the sensitive pixels and constructing the mask of attack area, good local pixel attack effect is achieved. Experimental results show that the average pixel modification rate of the proposed attack method decreases to less than 4% and the vanishing rate can still be maintained above 80%, which effectively achieves the balance between attack effect and attack cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bearings in a shafting system are important paths for the lateral vibration of the shaft to transmit to the hull structure and induce underwater sound. An auxiliary active magnetic bearing for suppressing the lateral vibration at the stern support of a shafting system is investigated. The active magnetic bearing situated close to the stern bearing generates electromagnetic forces to support the shaft, which decreases the contact stiffness as well as the friction between the shaft and the stern bearing and accordingly reduces the stern support acceleration. A dynamic model is established using the Timoshenko beam theory and Hamilton's principle and the performance of the active magnetic bearing in vibration suppression of the shafting system is evaluated with position control. An experimental system is also built to verify the effectiveness of the active magnetic bearing. Numerical and experimental results have shown that the active magnetic bearing is able to suppress the stern support acceleration responses after the shaft is suspended by the active magnetic bearing. Moreover, the orbit of the shaft center is controlled as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facile technology of hyperthermal hydrogen‐induced cross‐linking (HHIC) has recently been employed to efficiently cross‐link the typical surface modification material of poly acrylic acid (PAA) on polymer substrates, such as polylactic acid substrates, parylene C substrates and hydrophobic polypropylene substrates. This paper systematically studied the HHIC induced self‐cross‐linking of PAA without polymer substrates. It was found that the H was cleaved not only from the CH, but also from the surface functional group COOH, evidenced by both X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement and the water contact angle test. We explained the self‐cross‐linking process as a result of both CC bonding and COOC bonding. Meanwhile, it was also found that PAA on different substrates can also be cross‐linked by secondary electron generated by X‐ray radiation during XPS analysis, which could be the main reason for wide variations of different reported XPS results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a facile route to prepare AgCu nanoalloys (NAs) with enhanced antibacterial efficacy using Ag NP catalysis of Cu ions at elevated temperatures was previously developed, its detailed reaction process is still unclear due to the fast reaction process at higher temperatures. This work found that AgCu NAs can also be synthesized by the same process but at room temperature. AgCu NAs formation kinetics have been studied using UV–Visible spectra and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), where formation includes Cu2+ deposition onto the Ag NP surface and Ag+ release, reduction, and agglomeration to form new Ag NPs; this is followed by a redistribution of the NA components and coalescence to form larger AgCu NPs. It is found that SPR absorption is linear with time early in the reaction, as expected for both pseudo-first-order (PFO) and pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetics; neither model is followed subsequently due to contributions from newly formed Ag NPs and AgCu NAs. The antibacterial efficacy of the AgCu NAs thus formed was estimated, with a continuous increase over the whole alloying process, demonstrating the correlation of antibacterial efficacy with the extent of AgCu NA formation and Ag+ release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The axial vibration of a shaft-bearing system induced by the thrust excitation is usually composed of multiple tones. To suppress the axial vibration of the shaft-bearing system, two inertial electro-magnetic actuators are mounted symmetrically at the thrust bearing and work in parallel to exert control forces. The control signal is generated by an adaptive algorithm with subband filtering, which aims to attenuate over a broadband the vibration of the thrust bearing and its foundation induced by the dynamic thrust force. To reduce computational complexity, the recursive computation is partly realized with the auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) model. The proposed active control approach is evaluated numerically at first with the dynamic model of the shaft-bearing system and then verified with an experimental system. It is demonstrated by the numerical and experimental results that the active control approach is able to suppress the multi-tone vibration of the thrust bearing and the foundation. Moreover, in comparison to the single-band adaptive feedback algorithm, the adaptive algorithm with subband filtering is more effective when the disturbance contains multiple tones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active vibration control of a shaft bracket-plate coupled system is investigated. The vibration of the plate is controlled with electromagnetic vibration absorbers (EVAs), which are mounted around the feet of the shaft bracket to impede the transmission of vibration from the bracket apex to the plate. A dynamic model is established on the Timoshenko beam theory and the Kirchhoff thin plate theory to reveal the mechanism of vibration transmission. It is exhibited that all the induced forces and moments at the coupling points contribute much to the transverse responses of the plate. The feasibility of active control with the EVAs is evaluated numerically based on the controllability of the plate vibration. It is demonstrated that the two-point in-plane control is able to attenuate the plate vibration under the excitation of in-plane disturbance forces, while the multi-point control is effective in reducing the plate vibration regardless of the directions of disturbance forces. An experimental system is built to verify the performance of the two-point in-plane control. The results have shown that with the help of adaptive control, the two-point in-plane control is capable of suppressing the vibration of the foundation induced by the in-plane forces acting on the shaft bracket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing security awareness among users is essential for protecting industrial control systems (ICSs) from social engineering attacks. This research aimed to determine the effect of cyber security awareness on the emergency response to cyber security incidents in the ICS. Additionally, this study has adopted a variety of cyber security emergency response process measures and frameworks and comprehensively proposes a new organizational model of cyber security incident response. The corresponding measures are evaluated based on the MP2DR2 risk control matrix model to assess their practical value in the evaluation stage. This study found that after adding security awareness measures to response control measures, the influential value ranking of other control measures changed. The practical value of security awareness control measures was given a higher priority than that of other control measures. The research results highlight the importance of cyber security awareness and aim to inspire ICSs to place a higher priority on staff cyber security awareness in relation to cyber security incidents, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of cyber security incidents and make the field of industrial control application agency respond to incidents faster to restore the regular progress of all works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mold infection of wood reduces the quality of its surface and potentially endangers human health. One category of the most popular mold inhibitors on the market is water-soluble fungicides. However, easy leaching due to ionic forms is a problem, which reduces the effectiveness of their antimicrobial action, as well as causing environmental pollution. Interestingly, nanometer-sized sterilizing agents present strong permeability and highly fungicidal behavior, and they are not easily leached, due to the unique nanoscale effect, and they have become alternative candidates as marketable anti-mold agents for wood protection. In this study, we first designed and explored a nanoscale alloy (nano silver–copper alloy, nano-AgCu) to treat wood surfaces for mold growth resistance. The results showed that three molds, i.e., Aspergillus niger, Penicillium citrinum and Trichoderma viride, mainly grew on the surface of wood within a depth of 100 μm; and that the nano-AgCu alloy with a particle size of ~15 nm presented improved retention and anti-mold efficiency at a nanomaterial concentration on the wood surface. Its leaching rate increased non-linearly with the increase in nano-AgCu retention and then it showed a gradually decreasing trend. When the concentration reached 1000 mg/L, the nano-AgCu alloy uniformly distributed on the wood surface in a monodispersed state and exhibited a lower retention of 0.342 g/m2, with an anti-mold efficiency of more than 75% and a leaching rate of only 7.678%. Such results positioned 1000 mg/L as the toxic threshold concentration of nano-AgCu against the three molds. This study can provide a scientific basis for the analysis of the anti-mold mechanisms of nano-AgCu alloy on wood surfaces and guide the application of nano-metal alloy materials in the field of wood antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most heritage buildings and monuments are constructed out of natural stones which suffer irrevocable degradation when undergoing wet weathering, bowing, and dissolution in outdoor conditions. Self-cleaning treatments are effective for stone protecting. Herein, nano-materials which provide enhanced protectants for Marble, Qingshi and Hedishi were prepared. Inherent microscale interstices and holes exist on polished natural stone surfaces. When treated by a commercial protectant, 101S, the surfaces were hydrophobic but not self-cleaning. Colloidal protectants were prepared by dispersion of Al2O3 and SiO2 nano-powder in 101S, respectively. Self-cleaning stone surfaces were achieved after treated by the protectants, meanwhile, the interstices and holes were reserved as much as possible. The principle of the as- prepared protectants is penetrating and crosslinking on the stone surfaces as well as the inner surfaces of the interstices and holes. The reserving of the micro interstices and holes is important since the breathability of the stones is remained. The self-cleaning surfaces showed good thermal stability below 250 °C. Meanwhile, changes of color and gloss of the treated stone surfaces are in the acceptable range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spatiotemporal empirical orthogonal function (STEOF) forecast method is proposed and used in medium- to long-term sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) forecast. This method embeds temporal information in empirical orthogonal function spatial patterns, effectively capturing the evolving spatial distribution of variables and avoiding the typical rapid accumulation of forecast errors. The forecast experiments are carried out for SSHA in the South China Sea to evaluate the proposed model. Experimental results demonstrate that the STEOF forecast method consistently outperforms the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), optimal climatic normal (OCN), and persistence prediction. The model accurately forecasts the intensity and location of ocean eddies, indicating its great potential for practical applications in medium- to long-term ocean forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the problem of eliminating self-excited vibration in a propulsion shafting system induced by the friction of the water-lubricated rubber bearing. A new scenario involving electromagnetic suspension is proposed to change the condition of instability. To explore the mechanism of elimination of self-excited vibration, a dynamic model of the shafting system is established on the basis of Hamilton's principle, the velocity-dependent friction model as well as the dynamics of the electromagnetic suspension. Influence of the electromagnetic force on the self-excited vibration of the system is evaluated. Transient responses of the system are obtained by using the Runge–Kutta fourth-order method. Numerical results indicate that the electromagnetic force can reduce the load on the rubber bearing and correspondingly the friction force on the interface. The occurrence of self-excited vibration will be delayed as the electromagnetic force increases, and once the suspension force increases to a critical value, instability of the system will be eliminated and vibration responses are damped exponentially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The filtered-x least mean square (FxLMS) algorithm has been widely used in active noise and vibration control of time-varying structural systems, where the secondary path is estimated online by injecting an auxiliary signal. However, the continuous injection of an auxiliary signal will increase the residual error. In this paper, a logic unit is proposed to remove such a drawback from the LMS-based control algorithm. The logic unit decides whether to start/stop injecting an auxiliary signal. The start procedure (SAP) and stop procedure (SOP) send out trigger signals of the logic unit. A flexible structure, which has a time-varying concentrated mass, was established to investigate the adaptive control method. Simulation and experiments were conducted to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the logic unit. The results have proved that the adaptive control method with the logic unit can suppress vibration effectively in the presence of time-varying dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brittleness is one of the most significant properties of geomaterials. However, very few studies have been conducted on factors influencing the rock brittleness indices. In this paper, conventional triaxial compression tests were carried out to investigate the effects of confining pressure and bedding angle on the brittleness of slate. From the perspective of energy, brittleness is an index that could reflect the release rate of energy that accumulated in the slate under the effect of external energy after reaching peak strength. Therefore, a new brittleness index of slate based on postpeak energy release is proposed herein. The applicability of this index is illustrated by comparing with other five existing brittleness indices. The following results can be obtained. (1) The confining pressure exerts a great influence on the brittleness of slate. With the increase of confining pressure, the brittleness of slate decreases significantly. The dispersion of brittleness values of slate declines with increasing confining pressure. (2) There is a parabolic relationship between slate brittleness and bedding angle. As bedding angle increases, the brittleness is intensified and reaches its maximum at a bedding angle of about 45° and then decreases gradually. (3) In contrast to the previous indices, the brittleness index proposed in this paper can describe the whole process of the postpeak stage through an index of the energy release, which makes this measure more suitable for rock that has the characteristics of step-drop or bench-drop at the postpeak stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Avian influenza viruses represent a growing threat of an influenza pandemic. The co-circulation of multiple H9N2 genotypes over the past decade has been replaced by one predominant genotype-G57 genotype, which displays a changed antigenicity and improved adaptability in chickens. Effective H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus vaccines for poultry are urgently needed. Objective In this study, we constructed H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus-like particle ( VLP) and evaluated its protective efficacy in specific pathogen-free ( SPF) chickens to lay the foundation for developing an effective vaccine against influenza viruses. Methods Expression of influenza proteins in VLPs was confirmed by Western blot, hemagglutination inhibition ( HI), and neuraminidase inhibition ( NI). The morphology was observed by electron microscopy. A group of 15 three-week-old SPF chickens was divided into three subgroups of five chickens immunized with VLP, commercial vaccine, and PBS. Challenge study was performed to evaluate efficacy of VLP vaccine. Results and Conclusions The hemagglutinin ( HA) and neuraminidase ( NA) proteins were co-expressed in the infected cells, self-assembled, and were released into the culture medium in the form of VLPs of diameter ~80 nm. The VLPs exhibited some functional characteristics of a full influenza virus, including hemagglutination and neuraminidase activity. In SPF chickens, the VLPs elicited serum antibodies specific for H9N2 and induced a higher HI titer (as detected by a homologous antigen) than did a commercial H9N2 vaccine (A/chicken/Shanghai/F/1998). Viral shedding from VLP vaccine subgroup was reduced compared with commercial vaccine subgroup and control subgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H9N2 influenza viruses have been circulating in China since 1994, but a systematic investigation of H9N2 in Shanghai has not previously been undertaken. Here, using 14 viruses we isolated from poultry and pigs in Shanghai during 2002 and 2006-2014, together with the commercial vaccine A/chicken/Shanghai/F/1998 (Ck/SH/F/98), we analyzed the evolution of H9N2 influenza viruses in Shanghai and showed that all 14 isolates originated from Ck/SH/F/98 antigenically. We evaluated the immune protection efficiency of the vaccine. Our findings demonstrate that H9N2 viruses in Shanghai have undergone extensive reassortment. Various genotypes emerged in 2002, 2006 and 2007, while during 2009-2014 only one genotype was found. Four antigenic groups, A-D, could be identified among the 14 isolates and a variety of antigenically distinct H9N2-virus-derived avian influenza viruses (AIVs) circulated simultaneously in Shanghai during this period. Challenge experiments using vaccinated chickens indicated that the vaccine prevented shedding of antigenic group A and B viruses, but not those of the more recent groups C and D. Genetic analysis showed that compared to the vaccine strain, representative viruses of antigenic groups C and D possess greater numbers of amino acid substitutions in the hemagglutinin (HA) protein than viruses in antigenic groups A and B. Many of these substitutions are located in antigenic sites. Our results indicate that the persistence of H9N2 AIV in China might be due to incomplete vaccine protection and that the avian influenza vaccine should be regularly evaluated and updated to maintain optimal protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five H3N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) were isolated from live poultry markets (LPMs) and poultry slaughterhouses in Shanghai, China in 2013. All viruses were characterized by whole-genome sequencing with subsequent genetic comparison and phylogenetic analysis. The hemagglutinin cleavage site of all viruses indicated that the five strains were low-pathogenic AIVs. Phylogenetic analysis of all eight viral genes showed that the five H3N2 viruses clustered in the Eurasian lineage of influenza viruses. The eight genes showed evidence of reassortment events between these H3 subtype viruses and other subtype viruses, especially H5 and H7 subtypes, probably in pigeons, domestic ducks, and wild birds. These findings emphasized the importance of AIV surveillance in LPMs and poultry slaughterhouses for understanding the genesis and emergence of novel reassortants with pandemic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the structure of BDN(bis(4-diethylaminodithiobenzil) Nickel)-SOH(Stearyl alcohol) Langmuir-Blodgett films using small angle X-ray diffraction and polarized FTIR spectroscopy. The results show that the microcrystal domains formed on the surface of LB film resemble a well-laminated periodic structure with a molecular spacing of 2.56 nm. Meanwhile, the tilted angles of the molecules of SOH and BDN are about 30°, referring to the normal direction of the sample surface, as determined by our XRD and FTIR studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IPv6 is a next-generation IP protocol that replaces IPv4. It not only expands the number of network address resources but also solves the problem of multiple access devices connected to the Internet. While IPv6 has brought excellent convenience to the public, related security issues have gradually emerged, and an assessment of the security situation in IPv6 has also become more important. Unlike passive defense, the honeypot is a security device for active defense. The real network application and the fake network application, disguised by the honeypot, are located on a similar subnet, and provide a network application service; but, in both cases, behavior logs from unauthorized users are caught. In this manner, and to protect web-based applications from attacks, this article introduces the design and implementation of a web-based honeypot that includes a weak password module and an SQL inject module, which supports the IPv6 network to capture unauthorized access behavior. We also propose the Security Situation Index (SSI), which can measure the security situation of the network application environment. The value of SSI is established according to the different parameters that are based on honeypots. There is a firewall outside the test system environment, so the obtained data should be used as the real invasion data, and the captured behavior is not a false positive. Threats can be spotted smartly by deploying honeypots; this paper demonstrates that the honeypot is an excellent method of capturing malicious requests and can be measured with the SSI of the whole system. According to the information, the administrator can modify the current security policy, which can improve the security level of a whole IPv6 network system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]