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Information is transmitted between brain regions through the release of neurotransmitters from long-range projecting axons. Understanding how the activity of such long-range connections contributes to behavior requires efficient methods for reversibly manipulating their function. Chemogenetic and optogenetic tools, acting through endogenous G-protein-coupled receptor pathways, can be used to modulate synaptic transmission, but existing tools are limited in sensitivity, spatiotemporal precision or spectral multiplexing capabilities. Here we systematically evaluated multiple bistable opsins for optogenetic applications and found that the Platynereis dumeriliiciliary opsin (PdCO) is an efficient, versatile, light-activated bistable G-protein-coupled receptor that can suppress synaptic transmission in mammalian neurons with high temporal precision in vivo. PdCO has useful biophysical properties that enable spectral multiplexing with other optogenetic actuators and reporters. We demonstrate that PdCO can be used to conduct reversible loss-of-function experiments in long-range projections of behaving animals, thereby enabling detailed synapse-specific functional circuit mapping.

An efficient product packing system through a simplified automatic counting and collecting process is a critical aspect of the manufacturing industry. In this article, we propose a real-time tool for simultaneous counting and collection of the objects into different bins using machine vision. The system employs a minimum distance classifier for object detection. Counting on the conveyor belt is done by tracking the Euclidian distances between the centroids of the objects in successive frames. Furthermore, the required number of object collection is carried out in two steps. In the first step, multiple objects nearest to the required count are collected. In the second step, the difference of objects that remained from the previous step is added one by one. Object collection is carried out by integrating software output to the hardware, which collects them in required numbers in the different bins. To meet the fast-counting requirements, a high-speed conveyor system constituting vision sensor with a pixel resolution of $1920\times1200$ and 41 frames/s frame rate is employed. The high computational power requirements for implementing the algorithm are accomplished by employing a dedicated graphics microcontroller, whose general-purpose input–output (GPIO) pins are used for interfacing the hardware for the object collection. The testing results of the proposed device with 30 variants of different plumbing industry objects confirm an accuracy of 100% for a period of 3 h. Moreover, the proposed module is scalable and could boost the productivity of the company in a complex environment without affecting the accuracy of the system.

Fluorescent proteins are excited by light that is polarized parallel to the dipole axis of the chromophore. In two-photon microscopy, polarized light is used for excitation. Here we reveal surprisingly strong polarization sensitivity in a class of genetically encoded, GPCR-based neurotransmitter sensors. In tubular structures such as dendrites, this effect led to a complete loss of membrane signal in dendrites running parallel to the polarization direction of the excitation beam. To reduce the sensitivity to dendritic orientation, we designed an optical device that generates interleaved pulse trains of orthogonal polarization. The passive device, which we inserted in the beam path of an existing two-photon microscope, removed the strong direction bias from fluorescence and second-harmonic (SHG) images. We conclude that for optical measurements of transmitter concentration with GPCR-based sensors, orthogonally polarized excitation is essential.

Lack of background parenchymal enhancement suppression at breast MRI during neoadjuvant chemotherapy may indicate inferior treatment response in hormone receptor–positive breast cancer.

Background and Aims: The role of progesterone in preparing the endometrium for implantation and sustaining early pregnancy is well established in ART, however the role of serum progesterone measurement within cycles in determining the outcome of embryo transfer (ET) is not defined. This study aimed to examine the interaction between serum progesterone concentration on the day of HCG trigger and choice of freeze-all and fresh transfer strategies on live birth.Method: We retrospectively studied 26661 women (Chengdu Xinan Hospital) commencing their first IVF cycle using autologous gametes between January 2015 and September 2019. We excluded cycles where oocyte retrieval was cancelled or no embryos were available for transfer, cycles where fresh or frozen transfer was determined by patient preference, and when serum progesterone on day of HCG was ≥2.0 or ≥20 oocytes were collected. The primary outcome of interest was live birth after 28 weeks gestation following first ET and expressed as an odds ratio (OR).Results: The predicted odds of live birth were greater in the frozen ET group at all progesterone concentrations. The effect was more pronounced with progressive increase in progesterone concentration (Figure 1) and maintained in both unadjusted and adjusted models. For women >35 years (n=4687), a positive interaction between progesterone and treatment effect was present although the treatment effect curve was flattened (p for interaction = 0.01).Conclusion: In an unselected population undergoing IVF/ICSI, there is an increased chance of pregnancy with a freeze all ET strategy at different progesterone concentrations on HCG trigger day. The effect appears to be dose related with increasing magnitude of effect with rising progesterone concentration. This interaction was also observed in subsets of women with single ET and women > 35 years old, however the benefit of a freeze-all policy appears low in these women.

Fangxian huangjiu (FH) is the representative of xiaoqu huangjiu and is made from glutinous rice and traditional Fangxian huangjiu xiaoqu. This study investigated the correlations among microbial communities, physicochemical factors, and flavor compounds during the fermentation of traditional FH. Ethanol, amino nitrogen, and total acidity were the top three physicochemical factors closely related to the structure of the microbial community. A comprehensive analysis identified 10 organic acids, 18 amino acids, and 89 volatile compounds in FH. Notably, 28 of these volatile compounds, including 9 esters, 2 alcohols, 5 acids, and 2 aromatic compounds, were identified as the compounds responsible for the characteristic aroma of FH. The metabolic pathway of the flavor compounds was mapped, which primarily involved alcohols and esters. Moreover, microbial contributions to starch degradation and flavor formation were investigated using metagenomic sequencing data. The microorganisms involved in starch degradation primarily included Rhizopus, Mucor, Saccharomycopsis, Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Leuconostoc. The microorganisms involved in flavor formation primarily included Rhizopus, Mucor, Saccharomyces, Wickerhamomyces, Cyberlindnera, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, and Lactiplantibacillus. The findings of this research offer valuable insights into the diverse metabolic functions of these microorganisms during fermentation and serve as a basis for the development of synthetic microbiota for FH brewing.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease without effective therapy. Animal models effectively reproducing IPF disease features are needed to study the underlying molecular mechanisms. Tree shrews are genetically, anatomically, and metabolically closer to humans than rodents or dogs; therefore, the tree shrew model presents a unique opportunity for translational research in lung fibrosis. Here we demonstrate that tree shrews have in vivo and in vitro fibrotic responses induced by bleomycin and pro-fibrotic mediators. Bleomycin exposure induced lung fibrosis evidenced by histological and biochemical fibrotic changes. In primary tree shrew lung fibroblasts, transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) induced myofibroblast differentiation, increased extracellular matrix (ECM) protein production, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation. Tree shrew lung fibroblasts showed enhanced migration and increased matrix invasion in response to platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). Inhibition of FAK significantly attenuated pro-fibrotic responses in lung fibroblasts. The data demonstrate that tree shrews have in vivo and in vitro fibrotic responses similar to that observed in IPF. The data, for the first time, support that the tree shrew model of lung fibrosis is a new and promising experimental animal model for studying the pathophysiology and therapeutics of lung fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic lung disease without effective therapy. Animal models effectively reproducing IPF disease features are needed to study the underlying molecular mechanisms. Tree shrews are genetically, anatomically, and metabolically closer to humans than rodents or dogs; therefore, the tree shrew model presents a unique opportunity for translational research in lung fibrosis. Here we demonstrate that tree shrews have in vivo and in vitro fibrotic responses induced by bleomycin and pro-fibrotic mediators. Bleomycin exposure induced lung fibrosis evidenced by histological and biochemical fibrotic changes. In primary tree shrew lung fibroblasts, transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) induced myofibroblast differentiation, increased extracellular matrix (ECM) protein production, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation. Tree shrew lung fibroblasts showed enhanced migration and increased matrix invasion in response to platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). Inhibition of FAK significantly attenuated pro-fibrotic responses in lung fibroblasts. The data demonstrate that tree shrews have in vivo and in vitro fibrotic responses similar to that observed in IPF. The data, for the first time, support that the tree shrew model of lung fibrosis is a new and promising experimental animal model for studying the pathophysiology and therapeutics of lung fibrosis.

Laser-MAG hybrid welding 10CrNi3MoV steel was fabricated with different arrangements (the leading mode, and distance between laser beam and electrode tip (DLA)). Welding characteristics and defect formation mechanisms were investigated by high-speed images (HSI) and real-time electric signals. Arc behaviors, droplet transfers and defects (pores, undercut and spatters) were observed with the increased DLAin arc leading mode and laser leading mode. electric signals and HSI observations revealed that the leading mode and DLAsignificantly affected the welding characteristics (Weld morphologies, process stability and droplet transfer) and defect formation. For two leading modes, stable welding process and sound welded formation was achieved by adjusting DLA= 2-4 mm. Synergistic effect of laser and arc made the arc stabilize and droplets transfer smoothly and steadily in projected transfer mode. And the final weld morphology for arc leading mode was superior to one for laser leading mode. As DLAincreased, defects began to form. Arc leading mode was susceptible of pore and undercut formation. Because the increased DLAprovoked the irregular molten metal movement, leading to keyhole collapse, and caused the previous solidified layer rim hinder the center molten metal to fill the weld toe. While Laser leading mode was susceptible of spatter formation since the increased DLAcaused the swelling formation by the arc forces and droplets impact on the back wall of the keyhole, and the swelling was collided by laser evaporation reaction and formed liquid column, final disintegrating into spatters.

High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels with a yield strength of 800 MPa and a thickness of 8 mm were subjected to laser welding to address the problem of loss of strength in the welded joint. The influence of the heat input of the laser on the microstructure and the resultant mechanical properties of the joint were thoroughly investigated. The results show that the phases present in the fusion zone (FZ), the morphology and amount of martensite/austenite constituents, and the grain size and width of the heat affected zone (HAZ) vary with respect to the heat input, which consequently influences the mechanical properties of the joint. In this work, an excellent tensile strength of the base metal of 98 % is obtained at a heat input of 0.39 kJ/mm, whereas a low tensile strength of the base metal of 77 % is obtained at a heat input of 0.78 kJ/mm. The location of fracture changes from the FZ to the HAZ when the heat input is reduced from 0.78 kJ/mm to 0.39 kJ/mm. In addition, a large amount of martensite/austenite constituents with a long chain morphology is observed in the FZ for a moderate heat input, which results in the low impact toughness of the joint, which is 44.1 J at a heat input of 0.56 kJ/mm. In comparison, reducing the heat input to 0.39 kJ/mm or increasing it to 0.78 kJ/mm tends to increase the impact energy to beyond 54.0 J. Therefore, a low heat input is necessary for laser welding HSLA steel with 800 MPa yield strength.

Manufacturing industry is heading towards socialization, interconnection and platformization. Motivated by the infiltration of sharing economy usage in manufacturing, this article addresses a new factory model – shared factory, and provides a theoretical architecture and some actual cases for manufacturing sharing. Concepts related to three kinds of shared factories which deal, respectively, with sharing production-orders, manufacturing-resources and manufacturing-capabilities are defined accordingly. These three kinds of shared factory modes can be used for building correspondent sharing manufacturing ecosystems. On the basis of sharing economic analysis, we identify feasible key-enabled technologies for configuring and running a shared factory. At the same time, opportunities and challenges of enabling the shared factory are also analysed in detail. In fact, shared factory, as a new production node, enhances the sharing nature of social manufacturing paradigm, fits the needs of light assets and gives us a new chance to use socialized manufacturing resources. It can be drawn that implementing a shared factory would reach a ‘win-win’ way through production value-added transformation and social innovation.

Product manufacturing activities must be synchronous with social, scientific and technological developments, social manufacturing as a kind of next generation manufacturing paradigm combines the state-of-the-art technologies, such as Internet, cyber physical system (CPS) and internet of things. This paper is a typical position paper for elaborating the key fundamentals of social manufacturing based on its characteristics. The theoretical research and empirical study on social manufacturing in recent years, six key fundamentals have emerged and can be summarized as demands on service principles, grouping and communities with complex network, extended CPS and nets for industrial needs, collective intelligence in social manufacturing, block chain for cyber-credits and matched industrial software framework and models. Demands on service principles is the base key fundamental and determine others. In this paper, the key fundamentals and the technologies behind them have been analyzed for better development of social manufacturing in the future.

Disseminated atypical leishmaniasis is a stage IV defining illness in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Although visceral leishmaniasis is endemic in some regions of India, atypical disseminated leishmaniasis is not reported frequently. Patients of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome present with atypical manifestations like involvement of upper or lower gastrointestinal tract, lungs, pleura, liver, kidney, skin, and peritoneum and have chronic progression with relapses irrespective of treatment given. We hereby report a case of atypical disseminated leishmaniasis in an HIV-positive patient, who also developed Pneumocystispneumonia as a part of immune reconstitution syndrome after failure of first-line antiretroviral therapy. Our patient also had involvement of gastrointestinal tract and lymph nodes which has rarely been reported from Indian subcontinent.

Tissue patterning, the process of localizing different cell types to the right place, is critical for tissue function and thus a central goal for tissue engineering. Developing embryos employ diverse cell interaction-based mechanisms to robustly pattern tissues, such as specifying different regions of the central nervous system and aligning all the hair cells in the inner ear. These events range in lengthscale and must all be specified with cell-level precision, imposing challenges for recreating such patterns in vitrousing conventional engineering approaches. Synthetic developmental biology as an emerging field provides a complementary approach for patterning tissues, by harnessing the molecular mechanisms used by natural tissues to program self-organizing behavior of the cells. Here we review advances in adapting these modules to program cells in culture. These modules could potentially be used for biomedical tissue engineering, as a complement to existing methods for generating morphologically complex multi-cell-type tissues in vitro.

According to WHO estimates, more than 700,000 people die each year due to suicide and suicides performed with a bladed weapon account for approximately 1.6%–3% of all suicides. It is statistically more common to find injuries to the heart, lungs, and thoracic vessels in homicides, whereas in suicides there is a higher frequency of vascular injuries to the extremities of the limbs. Also in suicides, the presence of “hesitation marks,” related to the attempts the victim makes before having the courage to kill himself, can often be found. In the case presented by the authors, these parameters are subverted: There was only one injury and it was the fatal one, it was located on the chest and reached the heart. But it was suicide. The circumstantial data, the psychological explanation, and the previous similar suicide attempt left no doubt about it. The man decided to commit suicide because he could no longer find meaning in his life after losing hope for a career as a pianist, having been diagnosed with a degenerative disease in his hands. The man hated himself and his existence: The future appeared extremely negative and the only escape was self-suppression. This case report makes an essential contribution to the already existing Literature as it shows a suicide that occurred in an unusual manner.

Unlike wafer-based rigid electronics, soft electronics have many unique advantages including thinness, flexibility, stretchability, conformability, lightweight, large area, as well as low cost. As a result, they have demonstrated many emerging capabilities in healthcare devices, soft robotics, and human-machine interface. Instead of conventional microfabrication, there is an evergrowing interest in the freeform or digital manufacture of soft electronics. This review provides a survey for a cost- and timeeffective subtractive manufacturing process called the “cut-and-paste” method. It employs a mechanical cutter plotter to form patterns on various electronically functional membranes such as sheets of metals, functional polymers, and even two-dimensional (2D) materials, supported by a temporary tape. The patterned membranes can then be pasted on soft substrates such as medical tapes or even human skin. This process is completely dry and desktop. It does not involve any rigid wafers and is hence capable of making large-area electronics. The process can be repeated to integrate multiple materials on a single substrate. Integrated circuits (ICs) and rigid components can be added through a “cut-solder-paste” process. Multilayer devices can also be fabricated through lamination. We therefore advocate that the “cut-and-paste” method is a very versatile approach for the rapid prototyping of soft electronics for various applications.

Our goal was to conduct a network meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the effects of the long‐axis (LAX), short‐axis (SAX), and oblique‐axis (OAX) ultrasound guidance approaches for vascular access cannulation. We searched 5 databases, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in the Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science. Seven randomized clinical trials assessing ultrasound guidance for vascular access cannulation via the LAX, SAX, or OAX approach were included. The primary end point was the first‐pass success rate. Secondary end points included the mean time to success and average number of attempts until success. We used random‐effects models to calculate weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals for continuous outcomes and relative risks with 95% confidence intervals for dichotomous outcomes. There were no significant differences between the LAX, SAX, and OAX techniques with respect to the first‐pass success rate, mean time to success, average number of attempts until success, or the incidence of hematoma. There was insufficient evidence to definitively recommend the LAX, SAX, or OAX approach for patients undergoing ultrasound‐guided vascular access cannulation.

Quality controlling and process stability evaluating for one-of-a-kind production are the key aspects in improving the major technical equipment production capability. However, it is difficult to find the relationships between upstream machining errors and the machining process conditions and the machining quality due to the samples’ insufficiency. A novel sensitivity analysis-based process stability evaluation for one-of-a-kind production is proposed to solve this problem. First, a variation evaluation model for one-of-a-kind production is established. Second, this model will be analyzed, and the safety and real feasible spaces are described with performance distribution analyses. Finally, the process stability index for one-of-a-kind production is calculated by comparing the relationship between the two spaces. Also, a case validates the effectiveness of the proposed method. It is expected that this paper would contribute to the research of innovative QC methods and process stability evaluation of one-of-a-kind production.

A 29-month-old boy presented to a pediatric emergency department with complaints of trouble sleeping for more than a week. History consisted of episodes of screaming while asleep from which he could not be awakened. A detailed physical examination revealed left arm dystonia and left plantar reflex to be upgoing. Upon admission, all imaging and an electroencephalogram were normal. Extensive laboratory work was done showing positive anti-N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) antibody in the cerebrospinal fluid. Inpatient care included intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and Solumedrol. Cellcept was started after definitive diagnosis and continued on discharge. The patient was discharged with residual defects that will need long-term therapy. The varied presenting symptoms are easily misinterpreted as common clinical entities. Pediatric emergency physicians need to be aware of the wide spectrum of presenting symptoms for this clinical entity because earlier diagnosis and treatment have been shown to improve long-term morbidity.

The laser welding of Ti6Al4V alloy to 304 stainless steel using a 1-mm-thick Cu interlayer was developed by changing the laser power. The fracture characteristics of joints were analyzed by SEM, EDS, and XRD. The fracture examinations indicated that both the joint strength and the fracture occurrence location in the joints depend on the laser power settings. The optimal value for the maximized tensile strength of the joints, up to 300 MPa, was obtained at a power of 4 kW. Increasing the laser power by 4 kW increased the tensile strength; it decreased as the laser power exceeded 4 kW. In the 4-kW samples, the fracture characterization indicated that the higher remaining Cu deposited on the Ti sheet that caused the fracture path tended to make the fracture propagate toward the Cu interlayer. The fractography investigations illustrated that the fracture surface of a 4-kW joint had a greater rough area than that of either the 3- or the 6-kW joints. The XRD results demonstrated that the most of solid solution phases, such as αTi, (V), and (Ni) coexisting with various types of Al-intermetallics could occur on the fracture surface of a 4-kW weldment.

Benzotriazoles are emerging contaminants widespread in environmental waters. As they are robust against conventional biological wastewater treatment, it is desirable to develop cost-effective and safe treatment methods for benzotriazole removal. The current study attempted to investigate the degradation of water dissolved 1H-benzotriazole (1H-BTA) with UV/H2O2and UV/TiO2. Pseudo-first order degradation kinetics were observed in low power 280 nm UV/H2O2and UV/TiO2systems (UV intensity = 0.023 mW cm−2, kappreached 1.63 × 10−3s−1and 1.87 × 10−3s−1, respectively), and radical oxidation was the dominant reaction mechanism with kOH-BTAat (7.1 ± 0.8) × 109M−1s−1and (6.9 ± 0.7) × 109M−1s−1. Both systems were affected by the pH value, natural organic matter and anions, leading to incomplete mineralization in actual water treatment processes. As the reaction proceeded, 1H-BTA was progressively transformed into eight organic products. The number of preliminary hydroxylated products (e.g.C6H5N3O) increased rapidly at the early stage, while the further open-loop products (e.g.C4H3N3O4) were dominant at the later stage. Based on the proteomics analysis, the significant activation of ribosome, transporter and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolisms in Escherichia coli, which exposed to the later degradation product mixture, suggested that the toxicity of 1H-BTA decreased. In conclusion, incomplete mineralization using hydroxyl radical oxidation likewise has potential for thedetoxification of 1H-BTA.

Social Change, a journal that has a publishing history of 47 years, has always strived to create a platform for scholars, researchers and practitioners to debate and discuss issues of pivotal importance to the social science discipline. As part of this initiative, we invited Professor Pulin B. Nayak, former Director of the Delhi School of Economics and Professor Vibhuti Patel associated with the Centre for Women's Studies, TISS Mumbai, to comment on the seminal paper presented by Professor M.A. Oommen, entitled ‘The Meaning of Development: Reflections of an Octogenarian Teacher of Economics’. Though the paper was published inSocial Change in 2012 it still draws thoughtful comments from those connected with the discipline of Economics. The original paper can be accessed from the SAGE website through the following link http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0049085712454051?journalCode=scha

ABSTRACTDifficulties related to the obtainment of stem/progenitor cells from skeletal muscle tissue make the search for new sources of myogenic cells highly relevant. Alveolar mucosa might be considered as a perspective candidate due to availability and high proliferative capacity of its cells. Human alveolar mucosa cells (AMC) were obtained from gingival biopsy samples collected from 10 healthy donors and cultured up to 10 passages. AMC matched the generally accepted multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells criteria and possess population doubling time, caryotype and immunophenotype stability during long-term cultivation. The single myogenic induction of primary cell cultures resulted in differentiation of AMC into multinucleated myotubes. The myogenic differentiation was associated with expression of skeletal muscle markers: skeletal myosin, skeletal actin, myogenin and MyoD1. Efficiency of myogenic differentiation in AMC cultures was similar to that in skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore, some of differentiated myotubes exhibited contractions in vitro. Our data confirms the sufficiently high myogenic potential and proliferative capacity of AMC and their ability to maintain in vitroproliferation-competent myogenic precursor cells regardless of the passage number.

Over a decade in the making and described in some seventy-five published papers, the LIDA cognitive model is comprehensive, complex, and hard to “wrap one’s head around”. Here we offer, in tutorial fashion, a current, relatively complete and somewhat detailed, description of the conceptual LIDA model, with pointers to more complete accounts of individual processes in the literature. These descriptions also include some features of the workings of the LIDA model that have not been published previously.

Dentigerous cyst is the most common developmental odontogenic cyst of the jaws and is frequently noted as an incidental finding on radiographs. The reported occurrence of bilateral dentigerous cysts in the absence of a developmental syndrome is rare and those involving canines are even rarer. The current manuscript highlights two cases of bilateral dentigerous cysts involving maxillary and mandibular canines in non-syndromic patients along with an exhaustive review of literature.