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Abstract Background Pathologic scars, including keloids and hypertrophic scars, represent a common form of exaggerated cutaneous scarring that is difficult to prevent or treat effectively. Additionally, the pathobiology of pathologic scars remains poorly understood. We aim at investigating the impact of TEM1 (also known as endosialin or CD248), which is a glycosylated type I transmembrane protein, on development of pathologic scars. Methods To investigate the expression of TEM1, we utilized immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) techniques. We conducted in vitro cell culture experiments and an in vivo stretch-induced scar mouse model to study the involvement of TEM1 in TGF-β-mediated responses in pathologic scars. Results The levels of the protein TEM1 are elevated in both hypertrophic scars and keloids in comparison to normal skin. A re-analysis of scRNA-seq datasets reveals that a major profibrotic subpopulation of keloid and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts greatly expresses TEM1, with expression increasing during fibroblast activation. TEM1 promotes activation, proliferation, and ECM production in human dermal fibroblasts by enhancing TGF-β1 signaling through binding with and stabilizing TGF-β receptors. Global deletion of Tem1 markedly reduces the amount of ECM synthesis and inflammation in a scar in a mouse model of stretch-induced pathologic scarring. The intralesional administration of ontuxizumab, a humanized IgG monoclonal antibody targeting TEM1, significantly decreased both the size and collagen density of keloids. Conclusions Our data indicate that TEM1 plays a role in pathologic scarring, with its synergistic effect on the TGF-β signaling contributing to dermal fibroblast activation. Targeting TEM1 may represent a novel therapeutic approach in reducing the morbidity of pathologic scars.

Process capability indices are widely utilized to evaluate process performance and drive continuous improvements in quality and productivity. Among these indices, the the-larger-the-better lifetime performance index is particularly noteworthy. For products with multiple components, an overall lifetime performance index is used, since it is a monotonically increasing function of the overall conforming rate and the relationship with each individual lifetime performance index can be determined. For products with the lifetime of the ith component following the Chen distribution, we investigate the maximum likelihood estimator for the overall lifetime performance index and the individual lifetime performance index based on the progressive type I interval censoring sample. Their asymptotic distributions for all lifetime performance indices are also derived. Once the target level for the overall lifetime performance index is specified, the desired level of individual lifetime performance index can be specified. By using the maximum likelihood estimator as the test statistic, a testing procedure to test whether the overall lifetime performance index has reached the target level is developed. The power analysis of the testing procedure is shown with figures, and some findings are summarized. At last, we use one practical example with two components to demonstrate how to implement this testing algorithmic procedure to test if the overall production process has reached the pre-assigned target level.

In the strength and conditioning field, a variety of training exercises are being applied to improve speed-related performance, but there is a lack of traditional strength training guides that can be used for training effectiveness. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a six-week traditional strength training program on elite rugby players and explore the relationships between the one repetition maximum (1RM) of traditional strength exercises and athletic performance. Twenty elite rugby players (age = 30.5 ± 1.5 years, mass = 96.7 ± 16.6 kg, height = 179.3 ± 6.0 cm) completed the strength training program, and 1RM values for bench press, squat, deadlift, and power clean, along with athletic performance metrics (20 m and 40 m sprints, vertical jump, broad jump, Bronco test, L-run), were measured before and after the training period. Medium effect sizes were observed in the deadlift (p = 0.04, d = 0.49) and bench press (p = 0.019, d = 0.57) 1RM, while the squat exhibited a very large effect size (p < 0.001, d = 2.08). Both before and after training, greater power clean 1RM demonstrated a strong correlation with each athletic performance test. However, bench press 1RM, both pre-and post-training, did not significantly associate with functional performances (p > 0.05). Notably, power clean 1RM showed the strongest correlation with athletic performance; despite being the most significant improvement in squat 1RM after the six-week training period, it was not associated with athletic performance outcomes in rugby players. This study underscores the varied impact of specific strength exercises on athletic performance, emphasizing the distinct role of power clean 1RM in predicting speed-related performance in male rugby players.

Background and objectives: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) often results in quadricep atrophy. The purpose of this study was to compare the bilateral thickness of each quadricep component before and after ACLR. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study design. In 14 patients who underwent ACLR, bilateral quadricep muscle thicknesses were measured using a portable ultrasound device, 1 h before and 48–72 h after ACLR. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare muscle thickness pre- and post-ACLR between the limbs. Results: The primary finding was that the vastus intermedius (VI) muscle was significantly smaller in the reconstructed limb after ACLR compared to that in the healthy limb (Reconstructed limb; RCL = Pre-operated (PRE): 19.89 ± 6.91 mm, Post-operated(POST): 16.04 ± 6.13 mm, Healthy limb; HL = PRE: 22.88 ± 6.07, POST: 20.90 ± 5.78 mm, F = 9.325, p = 0.009, η2p = 0.418). Conclusions: The results represent a selective surgical influence on the quadricep muscle thickness. These findings highlight the need of advanced strengthening exercises in order to restore VI thickness after ACLR.

Traditional education models face great challenges from mobile devices, social networks and open courseware. Current professional knowledge and system design skills are inadequate for engineering-tracked students to thrive in a competitive job market and unpredictable professional contexts, which require them to develop unique ideas and innovations and know how to realize them. This study seeks to establish instructional arrangements in system engineering education to foster student creativity. A semester-long “embedded operating system (EOS)” course was offered as a trial system engineering course. In the paper, we explain the instructional challenges encountered and how these were addressed using the proposed Capability-Innovation-Motive (CIM) teaching model. Based on the CIM model, the EOS syllabus was redesigned to enhance student domain capabilities and build their innovative skills to help them better understand and manage abstract concepts discussed in the lectures. We then collected and analyzed student feedback by implementing Day Reconstruction Method (DRM). Analysis results show that the outcomes of both the best and worst final projects show a promising degree of creativity.

This paper introduces an Embedded Software Architecture for Intelligent Robot systems (ESAIR) that addresses the issues of parallel thread executions on multi-core processor platforms. ESAIR provides a thread scheduling interface to improve the execution performance of a robot system by assigning a dedicated core to a running thread on the fly and dynamically rescheduling the priority of the thread. In the paper, we describe the object-oriented design and the control functions of ESAIR. The modular design of ESAIR helps improve the software quality, reliability and scalability in research and real practice. We prove the improvement by realizing ESAIR on an autonomous robot, named AVATAR. AVATAR implements various human-robot interactions, including speech recognition, human following, face recognition, speaker identification, etc. With the support of ESAIR, AVATAR can integrate a comprehensive set of behaviors and peripherals with better resource utilization.

Localization in a wireless sensor network (WSN) becomes important for many modern applications, like landslide detection, precision agriculture, health care, and so forth. The more precise the position of an anchor node is, the more accurate the localization of a sensor node can be measured. Since the Global Positioning System (GPS) device cannot work properly indoor, some existing localization methods configure anchor nodes in a manual fashion. However, neither applying GPS modules nor manually configuring anchor nodes is suitable for a WSN and especially artificial errors of manual configuration may be propagated and affect the results of localization. In this paper, we propose an alternative method to estimate anchor node locations in an indoor environment. We collect the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) data from the anchor node when human is walking around them. Meanwhile, we use a wearable IMU-camera device to assist the moving trajectory estimation. We implement a monocular Visual Odometry with a human walking model to estimate moving trajectories. An Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is used to estimate the anchor node location by fusing the RSSI data and moving trajectory. The experiment results show that the proposed method has lower estimation error when locating anchors.

Background and objectiveA number of studies have focused on the association between oral contraceptive (OC), hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) and reproductive factors and meningioma risk, but the results were inconsistent. Thus, a meta-analysis was performed to obtain more precise estimates of risk.MethodsWe conducted a literature search using PubMed and EMBASE databases to July 2013, without any limitations. Random effects models were used to summarize results.ResultsTwelve case-control and six cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis. We found that an increased risk of meningioma was associated with HRT use(RR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01-1.40), postmenopausal women(RR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.07-1.64) and parity(RR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.00-1.40).No significant associations were observed for OC use (RR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.83-1.03), age at menarche(RR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.92-1.21), age at menopause(RR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.81-1.30), or age at first birth(RR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.80-1.10).ConclusionIn conclusion, the results of our study support the hypothesis that longer exposure to effect of female sex hormones may increase the risk of meningioma in women, yet additional studies are warranted to confirm our findings and identify the underlying biological mechanisms.

The reactivity studies of{[R-PNP]NiR' } (R = (super i) Pr, Cy; R' = H, Me), which represents a rare example of Ni (II)-mediated intermolecular arene C - H activation under extremely mild conditions, is described. The remarkable reactivity of inexpensive Ni (II) as compared to the alternatives of 4d and 5d metals is particularly notable..

In oceans there are different ocean signals covering the multi-frequencies including tsunami, meteotsunami, storm surge, as sea level change, and currents. These signals have the direct and significant impact on the economy and life of human-beings. Therefore, measuring ocean signals accurately becomes more and more important and necessary. Nowadays, there are many techniques and methods commonly used for monitoring oceans, but each has its limitation. For example, tide gauges only measure sea level relative to benchmarks and are disturbed unevenly, and satellite altimeter measurements are not continuous and inaccurate near coastal oceans. In addition, high-frequency ocean signals such as tsunami and meteotsunami cannot be sufficiently detected by 6-minutes tide gauge measurements or 10-day sampled altimetry data. Moreover, traditional accelerometer buoy is heavy, expensive and the low-frequency noise caused by the instrument is unavoidable. In this study, a small, low-cost and self-assembly autonomous Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that independently collects continuous acceleration and angular velocity data is mounted on a GNSS buoy to provide the positions and tilts of the moving buoy. The main idea is to integrate the Differential GNSS (DGNSS) or Precise Point Positioning (PPP) solutions with IMU data, and then evaluate the performance by comparing with in situ tide gauges. The validation experiments conducted in the NCKU Tainan Hydraulics Laboratory showed that GNSS and IMU both can detect the simulated regular wave frequency and height, and the field experiments in the Anping Harbor, Tainan, Taiwan showed that the low-cost GNSS buoy has an excellent ability to observe significant wave heights in amplitude and frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gliomas are the most common malignant primary brain tumors, and new clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets are imminently required. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel class of small non-coding RNAs (~22nt) involved in the regulation of various biological processes. Here, by using real-time polymerase chain reaction, miRNA-132 was found to be significantly deregulated in glioma tissues. Based on the prediction of the target genes of miR-132, we hypothesized that there is a significant association between miR-132 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 16 (MT3-MMP), a protein of the MMP family. We showed that the up-expression of miR-132 inhibited cell migration and invasion in the human glioma cell lines A172, SHG44, and U87. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-132 reduced the expression of MMP16 in A172, SHG44, and U87 cells. Taken together, our study suggested that miR-132 affects glioma cell migration and invasion by MMP16 and implicates miR-132 as a metastasisinhibiting miRNA in gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of nickel(ii) complexes of the type [R-PNP]Ni(ER′) ([R-PNP]− = [N(o-C6H4PR2)2]−; R = Ph, iPr, Cy; E = NH, O, S; R′ = Ph, tBu) featuring unsupported, covalently bound π-donor ligands have been prepared and characterized. The metathetical reactions of [R-PNP]NiCl (R = Ph, iPr, Cy) with LiNHPh, NaOPh, or NaSPh, respectively, produced the corresponding anilide [R-PNP]Ni(NHPh), phenolate [R-PNP]Ni(OPh), and thiophenolate [R-PNP]Ni(SPh) derivatives. Treatment of [Ph-PNP]NiCl with either LiNHtBu or NaOtBu generated tert-butyl amide [Ph-PNP]Ni(NHtBu) and tert-butoxide [Ph-PNP]Ni(OtBu), respectively. In contrast, attempts to prepare analogous tert-butyl amide and tert-butoxide complexes of [iPr-PNP]− or [Cy-PNP]− were not successful. Protonolysis studies of these nickel(ii)–heteroatom complexes revealed the basic reactivity of these π-donor ligands. The basicity follows the order NHtBu > OtBu > NHPh > OPh > SPh. In addition to solution NMR spectroscopic data for all new compounds, X-ray structures of [iPr-PNP]Ni(NHPh) and [iPr-PNP]Ni(OPh) are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of nickel(ii) complexes of the type [R-PNP]Ni(ER′) ([R-PNP]− = [N(o-C6H4PR2)2]−; R = Ph, iPr, Cy; E = NH, O, S; R′ = Ph, tBu) featuring unsupported, covalently bound π-donor ligands have been prepared and characterized. The metathetical reactions of [R-PNP]NiCl (R = Ph, iPr, Cy) with LiNHPh, NaOPh, or NaSPh, respectively, produced the corresponding anilide [R-PNP]Ni(NHPh), phenolate [R-PNP]Ni(OPh), and thiophenolate [R-PNP]Ni(SPh) derivatives. Treatment of [Ph-PNP]NiCl with either LiNHtBu or NaOtBu generated tert-butyl amide [Ph-PNP]Ni(NHtBu) and tert-butoxide [Ph-PNP]Ni(OtBu), respectively. In contrast, attempts to prepare analogous tert-butyl amide and tert-butoxide complexes of [iPr-PNP]− or [Cy-PNP]− were not successful. Protonolysis studies of these nickel(ii)–heteroatom complexes revealed the basic reactivity of these π-donor ligands. The basicity follows the order NHtBu > OtBu > NHPh > OPh > SPh. In addition to solution NMR spectroscopic data for all new compounds, X-ray structures of [iPr-PNP]Ni(NHPh) and [iPr-PNP]Ni(OPh) are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide secure media delivery in pay-TV systems, a large number of messages are exchanged for key updates in the conventional key distribution schemes. This is inefficient and costly when the client side (set-top box) uses a smart card with limited computing power. In this paper, we present three key distribution schemes for channel protection and secure media delivery in pay-TV systems. With the proposed schemes, encryption keys of the subscribed programs can be efficiently and securely distributed to the authorized subscribers. Only one message is needed to renew key in the key distribution schemes for subscription channel protection. In addition, we use simpler computation functions, including one-way hash function and exclusive-OR operation, for key updates to reduce the computation cost. With our key distribution schemes, only authorized subscribers can watch the subscribed programs correctly. Unauthorized subscribers have no information to retrieve the correct programs over the networks. Thus, service providers can charge their subscribers according to their subscriptions, and the illegal access of the media and video programs from networks can be prevented, based on the proposed schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The (m, n) wireless information dispersal scheme (WIDS) is useful for fault.tolerant parallel wireless communications, where it can be used to tolerate up to n - m path (subchannel) failures. This paper constructs a performance model of (m, n) WIDS used in wireless communications, and proposes an algorithm to find the optimal set of (hz, n) with the highest reliability. This algorithm reduces the complexity of finding the candidate set of (rtz, n) from O(N2) to O(N); N is the maximum number of available sub-channels. Fault tolerance, security, threshold scheme, wireless communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of conductive films made of a hybrid of two conductive nanomaterials have been used as stretchable electrodes or interconnectors, desirable for stretchable electronic devices. Their intrinsic stretchability of electrical conductivity allows for accommodating mechanical strain to a certain extent under various deformations. However, few efforts have been made to enhance the interactions between two conductive components in a hybrid system. Herein, we reported new conductive films with tri-layer sandwich structures based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and Ag nanowires (NWs), encapsulated in silicone rubber, exhibited high stretchability along with insignificant piezoresistivity. They are suitable to be stretchable interconnectors. A successive vacuum filtration method was used to stack the conductive components layer by layer. The effects of the stacking sequence and the interactions between layers on the stretchability and stability of the electrical properties under mechanical deformations were studied. In the case of a tri-layer conductive film comprising two CNT outer layers and one AgNW central layer in the presence of enhanced interfacial interactions, it showed exceptionally durability in withstanding repetitive deformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonenzymatic roles for HIV-1 integrase (IN) at steps prior to the enzymatic integration step have been reported. To obtain structural and functional insights into the nonenzymatic roles of IN, we performed genetic analyses of HIV-1 IN, focusing on a highly conserved Tyr15 in the N-terminal domain (NTD), which has previously been shown to regulate an equilibrium state between two NTD dimer conformations. Replacement of Tyr15 with alanine, histidine, or tryptophan prevented HIV-1 infection and caused severe impairment of reverse transcription without apparent defects in reverse transcriptase (RT) or in capsid disassembly kinetics after entry into cells. Cross-link analyses of recombinant IN proteins demonstrated that lethal mutations of Tyr15 severely impaired IN structure for assembly. Notably, replacement of Tyr15 with phenylalanine was tolerated for all IN functions, demonstrating that a benzene ring of the aromatic side chain is a key moiety for IN assembly and functions. Additional mutagenic analyses based on previously proposed tetramer models for IN assembly suggested a key role of Tyr15 in facilitating the hydrophobic interaction among IN subunits, together with other proximal residues within the subunit interface. A rescue experiment with a mutated HIV-1 with RT and IN deleted (ΔRT ΔIN) and IN and RT supplied in trans revealed that the nonenzymatic IN function might be exerted through the IN precursor conjugated with RT (RT-IN). Importantly, the lethal mutations of Tyr15 significantly reduced the RT-IN function and assembly. Taken together, Tyr15 seems to play a key role in facilitating the proper assembly of IN and RT on viral RNA through the RT-IN precursor form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]