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Acoustic levitation is an important method of container-free processing, which counteracts gravity through exerting the acoustic radiation force on levitated objects. The Gorkov potential function is used to simplify the calculation of the acoustic radiation force acting on a Rayleigh sphere whose radius is much smaller than the wave length. For the case of a plane standing wave levitation system, a systematic analysis of the sphere dynamics is provided in the axial direction, assuming a small perturbation around the stable equilibrium locations. A generalized extension to an arbitrary standing wave field is provided, which gives formal expressions of the axial and transverse natural oscillation frequencies for the sphere. Particular emphasis is put on the natural oscillation frequencies with and without taking gravity into consideration. The computational results for Gauss and Bessel standing waves are provided as two special cases, which show that the transverse natural oscillation frequency will be overestimated when neglecting gravity, especially for a sphere with a relatively large density. Corresponding experiments are conducted to verify the dependence of the transverse natural oscillation frequency on the sphere density. The results obtained in this work are expected to provide a theoretical guide for enhancing the levitation stability and inversing the physical parameters from the sphere dynamics.

In this paper, we first define a measure of statistical sensitivity of a zero-order Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fuzzy neural network (FNN) with respect to perturbation of weights and parameters of the system. Then we derive measures of sensitivity of the system with respect to additive and multiplicative noises to the consequent parameters. For this we consider a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) FNN. The derivation can be easily extended to sensitivity with respect to other parameters as well. These measures of sensitivity are then used as regularizers to the loss function while training the system. Finally, to validate the sensitivity-based learning method, another definition of statistical sensitivity measure , based on absolute output error, is proposed, and its corresponding expression for additive/multiplicative perturbations of the consequent parameters is derived as well. Using simulation results on one classification problem and two regression problems , the effectiveness of the sensitivity measures is demonstrated.

BackgroundOral microbiota is closely related to the homeostasis of the oral cavity and lungs. To provide potential information for the prediction, screening, and treatment strategies of individuals, this study compared and investigated the bacterial signatures in periodontitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Materials and methodsWe collected subgingival plaque and gingival crevicular fluid samples from 112 individuals (31 healthy controls, 24 patients with periodontitis, 28 patients with COPD, and 29 patients with both periodontitis and COPD). The oral microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and diversity and functional prediction analysis were performed.ResultsWe observed higher bacterial richness in individuals with periodontitis in both types of oral samples. Using LEfSe and DESeq2 analyses, we found differentially abundant genera that may be potential biomarkers for each group. Mogibacterium is the predominant genus in COPD. Ten genera, including Desulfovibrio, Filifactor, Fretibacterium, Moraxella, Odoribacter, Pseudoramibacter Pyramidobacter, Scardovia, Shuttleworthia and Treponema were predominant in periodontitis. Bergeyella, Lautropia, Rothia, Propionibacterium and Cardiobacterium were the signature of the healthy controls. The significantly different pathways in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) between healthy controls and other groups were concentrated in genetic information processing, translation, replication and repair, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins.ConclusionsWe found the significant differences in the bacterial community and functional characterization of oral microbiota in periodontitis, COPD and comorbid diseases. Compared to gingival crevicular fluid, subgingival plaque may be more appropriate for reflecting the difference of subgingival microbiota in periodontitis patients with COPD. These results may provide potentials for predicting, screening, and treatment strategies for individuals with periodontitis and COPD.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation and consistency between traditional head measurement and structured light three-dimensional (3D) scanning parameters when measuring infant skull shape. METHODS: A total of 76 infants aged 3 months to 2.5 years old were included in the study. Head circumference (HC) was measured with a tape measure. The transverse, anteroposterior, and oblique diameters were measured using a spreading caliper, and the cranial vault asymmetry index (CVAI) and a cranial index (CI) of symmetry were calculated; 76 cases were measured successfully. The above indexes were measured using a structured light 3D scanning system (71 cases were measured with success). Thus, in the end, the valid data of 71 cases were analyzed, and the measurements of the two approaches were compared. RESULTS: The 95% confidence interval of traditional head measurement and structured light 3D scanning was between 0.633 and 0.988. Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicated a high correlation between the two methods (r=0.793–0.980). The correlation coefficients of the transverse diameter, anteroposterior diameter, and HC, and the CI of symmetry were higher than 0.9. The lowest correlation coefficient for the CVAI was 0.793. The P values of the above measurement data were all

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are known to be sensitive to the initial setting of parameters and the network architecture, such as the number of hidden nodes in multilayer perceptron (MLP). In this paper, we focus on a network structure which can help to find the proper number of hidden nodes in MLP. In this structure, so called Multilayer Perceptrons with Hidden Multipliers (MLPHM), each of the hidden nodes is associated with a tunable “gate” multiplier. With a specific regularization term, each gate tends to be opened or closed completely at the end of the training, and finally a pruned network is obtained. To study the fault tolerance and to improve the generalization of MLPHM, a noise-injected training scheme is proposed, with both multiplicative noise and additive noise taken into consideration. The objective functions and convergence theorems of the noise-injected training algorithms are obtained, and the latter have been verified by simulations. Applications to several UCI datasets have demonstrated that the proposed algorithms have efficient pruning ability and superior generalization ability.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the blood vessels, which is mainly characterized by the form of atherosclerotic plaques and vascular endothelial injury. Its formation involves abnormal lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as other processes. AS is the direct cause of various acute cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as acute myocardial infarction and acute ischemic stroke. Early intervention in the atherosclerotic inflammatory process and lesion progression is beneficial, and has been associated with the primary prevention of a range of related diseases. Ferroptosis is a non‑apoptotic form of cell death different from cell necrosis and autophagy, which has been shown to participate in atherogenesis and atherosclerotic progression through numerous signaling pathways. The main characteristic of ferroptosis is the formation of high levels of cellular iron catalytic free radicals, unsaturated fatty acid accumulation and iron‑induced lipid reactive oxygen species accumulation, which can cause oxidative stress, and subsequent DNA, protein and lipid damage. There are numerous hypotheses about the pathogenesis of AS. At present, it has been suggested that ferroptosis can accelerate the progression of AS and that inflammation is associated with the whole process of AS. The mechanisms and signaling pathways related to the involvement of neuroinflammation and ferroptosis in the progression of AS, and therapeutic targets associated with ferroptosis have not yet been elucidated. The present review article evaluated the involvement of ferroptosis in the progression of AS from the perspectives of ferroptotic cell death, the pathogenesis of AS and nervous system inflammation, with the aim of exploring new therapeutic targets for AS.

This paper describes a new species of Cymbella from an alpine lake in the Hengduan Mountains, southwestern China. The detailed morphological description of the new species, named Cymbella xiaojinensis sp. nov. is presented, based on light and scanning electron microscopy. The main features of C. xiaojinensis are characterized by strongly dorsiventral, triangular valves with a strongly reverse-lateral raphe system positioned near the proximal ends and an asymmetrical, larger central area, occupying approximately 1/2 of the width with the valve. Most morphological characteristics of the new species are similar to C. shudunensis, C. terrafuegiana, C. pamirensis, and C. gravida, but differ in details of size, valve shape, striae density, central area, and number of stigmata.

The versatility and flexibility of organic photoelectric materials endow organic photovoltaic cells fine function modulation and huge commercial potential. In this work, a new noncovalent fused-ring small molecule acceptor (SMA) BID-4F has been synthesized for high-efficient organic solar cells (OSCs). BID-4F consists of a diflurobenzothiadiazole (DFBT) core, ladder-like indacenodithiophene (IDT) spacers, and dicyanoindanone electron-withdrawing end groups, which are supposed to be conformationally interlocked by noncovalent interactions, leading to good molecular planarity. In addition, compact solid state stacking was revealed by UV–vis–NIR absorption spectrum. The optimized PM6:BID-4F based device delivers an eminent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.30% with a high open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.92 V and a high fill factor (FF) of 74.3%. Most importantly, the PCE and FF are among one of the highest values reported for the OSCs based on the unfused-ring SMAs. Overall, our work demonstrates that the unfused ring central framework with high molecular planarity through noncovalent interactions provides a good strategy to construct highly efficient SMAs.

The method to fluorinate the terminal group has achieved remarkable success and been widely used to fine-tune the intrinsic properties of organic acceptor materials. Referring to chlorination, however, it gets less attention and remains ambiguous effect on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Herein, a new non-fullerene acceptor named Y19 was reported with benzotriazole as the electron-deficient core and 2Cl-ICs as the strong electron-withdrawing end groups. Y19 exhibits a wide film absorption band from 600 nm to 948 nm and low LUMO (the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) energy level of −3.95 eV Photovoltaic devices based on PM6:Y19 show high-power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.76 % with high open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.84 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 22.38 mA/cm2 and fill factor (FF) of 68.18 %. Broad external quantum efficiency (EQE) response of over 60 % in the range of 480–860 nm can be obtained. This study demonstrates that chlorination, as a low-cost molecular design strategy, has its own superiorities to improve device performance and promote the potential application in OPV.

In this paper, we investigate the tree-dominated B¯u,d,s,c∗⟶Vℓ−ν¯ℓ (V=Du,d∗,Ds∗,J/ψ and ℓ=e,μ,τ) decays in the Standard Model with the relevant form factors obtained in the light-front quark model. These decays involve much more helicity states relative to the corresponding B¯∗⟶Pℓ−ν¯ℓ and B¯⟶Vℓ−ν¯ℓ decays, and moreover, the contribution of longitudinal polarization mode (V meson) is relatively small, ~30%, compared with the corresponding B meson decays. We have also computed the branching fraction, lepton spin asymmetry, forward-backward asymmetry, and ratio RV∗L≡BB¯∗⟶Vτ−ν¯τ/BB¯∗⟶Vℓ′−ν¯ℓ′ℓ′=e,μ. Numerically, the branching fractions of B¯∗⟶Vℓ′−ν¯ℓ′ decays are at the level of O10−7 and are hopeful to be observed by LHC and Belle-II experiments. The ratios RD∗,Ds∗,J/ψ∗L have relatively small theoretical uncertainties and are close to each other, RD∗∗L≃RDs∗∗L≃RJ/ψ∗L≃0.26,0.270.27,0.29, which are a bit different from the predictions in some previous works. The future measurements are expected to make tests on these predictions.

We propose three different methods to determine the optimal number of hidden nodes based on $L_{1}$ regularization for a multilayer perceptron network. The first two methods, respectively, use a set of multiplier functions and multipliers for the hidden-layer nodes and implement the $L_{1}$ regularization on those, while the third method equipped with the same multipliers uses a smoothing approximation of the $L_{1}$ regularization. Each of these methods begins with a given number of hidden nodes, then the network is trained to obtain an optimal architecture discarding redundant hidden nodes using the multiplier functions or multipliers. A simple and generic method, namely, the matrix-based convergence proving method (MCPM), is introduced to prove the weak and strong convergence of the presented smoothing algorithms. The performance of the three pruning methods has been tested on 11 different classification datasets. The results demonstrate the efficient pruning abilities and competitive generalization by the proposed methods. The theoretical results are also validated by the results.

Additional file 1: Table S1. Comparison of 16S sequencing data volume between the two groups. Table S2 Enrichment table of metabolism pathway.

A major limitation of fuzzy or neuro-fuzzy systems is their failure to deal with high-dimensional datasets. This happens primarily due to the use of T-norm, particularly, product or minimum (or a softer version of it). Thus, there are hardly any work dealing with datasets with dimensions more than hundred or so. Here, we propose a neuro-fuzzy framework that can handle datasets with dimensions even more than 7000! In this context, we propose an adaptive softmin (Ada-softmin) which effectively overcomes the drawbacks of ``numeric underflow" and ``fake minimum" that arise for existing fuzzy systems while dealing with high-dimensional problems. We call it an Adaptive Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (AdaTSK) fuzzy system. We then equip the AdaTSK system to perform feature selection and rule extraction in an integrated manner. In this context, a novel gate function is introduced and embedded only in the consequent parts, which can determine the useful features and rules, in two successive phases of learning. Unlike conventional fuzzy rule bases, we design an enhanced fuzzy rule base (En-FRB), which maintains adequate rules but does not grow the number of rules exponentially with dimension that typically happens for fuzzy neural networks. The integrated Feature Selection and Rule Extraction AdaTSK (FSRE-AdaTSK) system consists of three sequential phases: (i) feature selection, (ii) rule extraction, and (iii) fine tuning. The effectiveness of the FSRE-AdaTSK is demonstrated on 19 datasets of which five are in more than 2000 dimension including two with dimension greater than 7000. This may be the first time fuzzy systems are realized for classification involving more than 7000 input features.

Additional file 2: Fig. S1. 16S sequencing results of gut microbiota and gut microbiome composition at phylum level. Fig. S2 Quality control of LC-MS/MS (a-c: positive ion, d-f: negative ion). Fig. S3 BPH may induce variation in intestinal metabolites. Fig. S4 BPH leads to changes in metabolic pathways. Fig. S5 Association of intestinal differential metabolites with gut microbiota.

The high-frequency signal generator MAX038 is particularly suitable for RF signal sources of electromagnetic nondestructive testing, but the lack of finite element simulation model impedes the application of MAX038 in physical field simulation analysis. In this paper, we study the internal structure and principle of MAX038, divide its equivalent circuit architecture into different function modules, and then create and package its simulation model with modularization method. Based on the MAX038 simulation model, the RF excitation signal generator is designed and fabricated by using MSP430 processor, and an optimized detection algorithm is proposed to verify the simulation model. The test results of the MAX038 model and RF signal generator show that the MAX038 model proposed in this paper matches the real chip performance, it can also meet the requirements of simulation analysis for the parameter coupling relationship between electromagnetic field and defects.

The wear degree of twist drill affects significantly the quality and efficiency of small-deep hole drilling. A monitoring method for tool wear degree based on the signals of sound and current is proposed in this paper, and five kinds of tools with different wear grades are analyzed by using this method. The statistical characteristics of the sound and the current in the time-frequency and psycho-acoustic domains are used to extract the features of drill bits in the proposed method, and the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) is used to optimize features. Finally, the five classifications of twist drill wear degree are realized by K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN). The experimental results show that the combination of the sound and the current can accurately achieve the classification of tool wear, and the recognition accuracy can reach 100%, which can also meet the monitoring requirements of small-deep hole drilling.

Objective Probiotics may be efficacious in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to clarify the efficacy of different types of probiotics for preventing VAP. Methods This systematic review and NMA was conducted according to the updated preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature search of public databases from inception to 17 June 2018 was performed. Results NMA showed that “ Bifidobacterium longum + Lactobacillus bulgaricus + Streptococcus thermophiles” was more efficacious than “ Ergyphilus” in preventing VAP (odds ratio: 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.03–0.94). According to pairwise meta-analysis, “ B. longum + L. bulgaricus + S. thermophiles” and “ Lactobacillus rhamnosus” were superior to placebo in preventing VAP. Treatment rank based on surface under the cumulative ranking curves revealed that the most efficacious treatment for preventing VAP was “ B. longum + L. bulgaricus + S. thermophiles” (66%). In terms of reducing hospital mortality and ICU mortality, the most efficacious treatment was Synbiotic 2000FORTE (34% and 46%, respectively). Conclusions Based on efficacy ranking, “ B. longum + L. bulgaricus + S. thermophiles” should be the first choice for prevention of VAP, while Synbiotic 2000FORTE has the potential to reduce in-hospital mortality and ICU mortality.

Model identification is divided into two parts: structure identification and parameter identification, and the parameter identification is actually an optimization process. For improving the optimization performance, in this paper, we firstly present a novel conjugate gradient descent method with a modified Armijo-type line search technique to train a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy neural network model. Numerical simulations are implemented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. According to the experimental comparisons that are evaluated over 15 classification and 3 regression problems, the advantages of the given method are superior to its another two counterparts. To complement the simulation results and help in establishing a robust fuzzy neural network model, we strictly prove two deterministic convergent behaviors of the presented algorithm, i.e., weak and strong convergence results. They indicate the gradient of the target function with respect to network weights converges to zero and the parameter sequence approaches a fixed optimal point, respectively.

Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase subfamily VII (RLCK-VII) proteins are the central immune kinases in plant pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) complexes, and they orchestrate a complex array of defense responses against bacterial and fungal pathogens. However, the role of RLCK-VII in plant-oomycete pathogen interactions has not been established. Phytophthora capsici is a notorious oomycete pathogen that infects many agriculturally important vegetables. Here, we report the identification of RXLR25, an RXLR effector that is required for the virulence of P. capsici. In planta expression of RXLR25 significantly enhanced plants' susceptibility to Phytophthora pathogens. Microbial pattern-induced immune activation in Arabidopsis was severely impaired by RXLR25. We further showed that RXLR25 interacts with RLCK-VII proteins. Using nine rlck-vii high-order mutants, we observed that RLCK-VII-6 and RLCK-VII-8 members are required for resistance to P. capsici. The RLCK-VII-6 members are specifically required for Phytophthora culture filtrate (CF)-induced immune responses. RXLR25 directly targets RLCK-VII proteins such as BIK1, PBL8, and PBL17 and inhibits pattern-induced phosphorylation of RLCK-VIIs to suppress downstream immune responses. This study identified a key virulence factor for P. capsici, and the results revealed the importance of RLCK-VII proteins in plant-oomycete interactions.

Background: TGF-β1 is a key cytokine involved in both airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthma because of its anti-inflammatory and profibrotic effect. In our previous study, we found that knockdown of cytosolic β-catenin alleviated the profibrogenic effect of TGF-β1 without influencing its anti-inflammatory effect. However, the exact role of targeting β-catenin in asthma is not yet fully demonstrated. In the present study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of targeting β-catenin in OVA-challenged asthmatic rats with airway inflammation and remodeling features. Methods: We integrated experimental asthma model and asthma related cell model to explore the effect of targeting β-catenin on airway inflammation and remodeling of asthma. Results: Blocking β-catenin with ICG001, a small molecule inhibitor of β-catenin/TCF via binding to cAMP-response elementbinding protein, attenuated airway inflammation by increasing levels of anti-inflammation cytokines IL-10, IL-35 and decreasing levels of T helper (Th)2 cells and Th17 cytokine. Suppressing β-catenin by ICG001 inhibited airway remodeling via reducing the level of TGF-β1 and the expressions of Snail, MMP-7, MMP-9 and, up-regulating expression of E-cadherin, down-regulating expressions of α-SMA and Fn. Inhibition of β-catenin with ICG001 suppressed TGF-β1 induced proliferation and activation of CCC-REPF-1, blocked TGF-β1 induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of RLE-6TN. Conclusion: Blockade of β-catenin/TCF not only prevents TGF-β1 induced EMT and profibrogenic effects involved in pathological remodeling of airway, but also alleviates airway inflammation in asthma by balancing pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine. In conclusion, targeting β-catenin specifically via inhibition of β-catenin/TCF might be a new therapeutic strategy for asthma. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

espanolAntecedentes: a diferencia de la estimulacion ventricular derecha tradicional, la estimulacion del area de la rama izquierda del haz (LBBAP) se logra con una implantacion mas profunda del electrodo y mas intentos. Sin embargo, el dano miocardico no esta claro en LBBAP. Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue observar el cambio de la troponina T y explorar posibles factores asociados a un mayor dano miocardico en BRI. Metodos: Los pacientes con indicacion de implante de marcapasos fueron sometidos a intentos de BRI mediante el metodo del tabique transventricular. Los niveles de troponina T se determinaron antes de la operacion, 12 hy 1 semana despues de la operacion. Se registraron y analizaron parametros intraoperatorios y de seguimiento. Resultados: En total, se logro LBBAP exitoso en 126 pacientes. Los niveles de troponina T aumentaron significativamente a las 12 h despues de la operacion en comparacion con los anteriores a la operacion (96,45 ± 11,07 [69,06] frente a 16,59 ± 1,84 [11,92] ng / L, p Conclusiones: El dano miocardico de LBBAP fue clinicamente significativo. El numero de intentos fue un factor independiente relacionado con el dano miocardico. EnglishBackground: Different from the traditional right ventricular pacing, the left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is accomplished with deeper lead implantation and more attempts. However, myocardial damage is unclear in LBBAP. Objective: The objective of the study was to observe the change of troponin T and explore possible factors associated with greater myocardial damage in LBBAP. Methods: Patients with an indication for pacemaker implantation underwent attempts for LBBAP by transventricular septal method. Levels of troponin T were determined before operation, 12 h and 1 week after the operation. Parameters of intraoperation and follow-up were recorded and analyzed. Results: In total, successful LBBAP was achieved in 126 patients. The levels of troponin T increased significantly at 12 h after the operation compared with those before operation (96.45 ± 11.07 [69.06] vs. 16.59 ± 1.84 [11.92] ng/L, p Conclusions: Myocardial damage of LBBAP was clinically significant. The number of attempts was an independent factor related to the myocardial damage.

Motivated by the first measured Δ+→pe+e− decay by the HADES Collaboration, electromagnetic Dalitz baryon decays from the spin 32 decuplet (T10) to the spin 12 octet (T8) baryons are investigated by using the SU(3) flavor symmetry/breaking in this paper. All decay amplitudes of T10→T8ℓ+ℓ−(ℓ=e,μ) electromagnetic Dalitz decays could be related by the SU(3) flavor symmetry/breaking, so the amplitudes can be obtained by the measured branching ratio of Δ+→pe+e− decay from the HADES Collaboration. The branching ratios, the lepton flavor universality, and the ratios B(T10→T8ℓ+ℓ−)B(T10→T8γ) are predicted by the relevant experimental data. T10→T8μ+μ− electromagnetic Dalitz decays are studied for the first time. All predicted B(T10→T8ℓ+ℓ−) except B(Ξ⁎0→Ξ0μ+μ−) and B(Ξ⁎−→Ξ−μ+μ−) are on the order of O(10−5−10−7), and these decays could be observed and could be used to test the SU(3) flavor symmetry/breaking approach in the electromagnetic Dalitz decays by HADES, PANDA, BESIII, and other experiments in the near future.

Development of stable and efficient non-noble metal based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic media is of great importance for proton exchange membrane based water electrolysis, which is indispensable for green hydrogen production. Herein, iron-doped, carbon-coated Co3O4 nanocomposite derived from a cobalt metal-organic framework, is grown in-situ on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass (Fe-Co3O4@C/FTO) as an efficient and a stable binder-free electrode for acidic OER. Fe doping enhances both catalytic efficiency and stability of carbon coated Co3O4 toward acidic OER, through inducing small primary particle sizes and suitably modulated electronic structure of Co3O4, and better catalyst/substrate adhesion. Fe-Co3O4@C/FTO exhibits impressive electrocatalytic performances in 0.5 M H2SO4, with a low overpotential of 396 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 68.6 mV dec−1. Its electrochemical performances remain stable for over 50 h at 10 mA cm−2, making it a promising non-noble metal based electrocatalyst for acidic OER.

Acoustic manipulation is one of the well-known technologies of particle control and a top research in acoustic field. Calculation of acoustic radiation force on a particle nearby boundaries is one of the critical tasks, as it approximates realistic applications. Nevertheless, it is quite difficult to solve the problem by theoretical method when the boundary conditions are intricate. In this study, we present a finite element method numerical model for the acoustic radiation force exerting on a rigid cylindrical particle immersed in fluid near a rigid corner. The effects of the boundaries on acoustic radiation force of a rigid cylinder are analyzed with particular emphasis on the non-dimensional frequency and the distance from the center of cylinder to each boundary. The results reveal that these parameters play important roles in acoustic manipulation for particle-nearby complicated rigid boundaries. This study verifies the feasibility of numerical analysis on the issue of acoustic radiation force calculation close to complex boundaries, which may provide a new idea on analyzing the acoustic particle manipulation in confined space.

BackgroundAlthough rarely indicated, antibiotics are commonly used for acute diarrhoea in China. We conducted a randomised, double blind exploratory clinical trial of loperamide, berberine and turmeric for treatment of acute diarrhoea.MethodsAdults with acute uncomplicated diarrhoea aged 18 to 70 were randomised to 4 groups: (A) loperamide; (B) loperamide and berberine; (C) loperamide and turmeric; (D) loperamide, berberine and turmeric. All participants were given rescue ciprofloxacin for use after 48 h if symptoms worsened or were unimproved. Primary endpoints were feasibility and ciprofloxacin use during the 2-week follow-up period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted following recruitment and were analysed thematically. Recruiting doctors, delivery pharmacists and research assistants were blinded to treatment allocation.ResultsOnly 21.5% (278/1295) of patients screened were deemed eligible, and 49% (136/278) of these consented and were entered into the final analysis. Most participants had mild symptoms, because most patients with moderate or severe symptoms wanted to be given antibiotics. Follow-up was good (94% at 2 weeks). Only three participants used rescue antibiotics compared to 67% of acute diarrhoea patients in the hospital during the recruitment period. The median symptom duration was 14 h in group B (interquartile range (IQR) 10-22), 16 h in group D (IQR 10-22), 18 h in group A (IQR 10-33) and 20 h in group C (IQR 16-54). Re-consultation rates were low. There were no serious treatment-related adverse events. Most interviewed participants said that although they had believed antibiotics to be effective for diarrhoea, they were surprised by their quick recovery without antibiotics in this trial.ConclusionAlthough recruitment was challenging because of widespread expectations for antibiotics, patients with mild diarrhoea accepted trying an alternative. The three nutraceuticals therapy require further evaluation in a fully powered, randomised controlled trial among a broader sample.Trial registrationChiCTR-IPR-17014107

Sonneratia apetala Francis Buchanan-Hamilton (Sonneratiaceae, Myrtales), is a woody species with high adaptability and seed production capacity. S. apetala is widely cultivated worldwide as the main species for mangrove construction. However, the study of diseases affecting S. apetala is limitted, with only a few fungal pathogens being recorded. Cryphonectriaceae (Diaporthales) species are the main pathogens of plants. They can cause canker diseases to several trees and thereby seriously threaten the health of the hosts. These pathogens include Cryphonectria parasitica (Cryphonectriaceae) causing chestnut blight on Castanea ( Rigling and Prospero 2017 ) and Cytospora chrysosperma (Cytosporaceae) causing polar and willow canker to Populus and Salix ( Wang et al. 2015 ). Therefore, the timely detection of of Cryphonectriaceae canker pathogens on S. apetala is extremely important for protecting the mangrove forests.Two diaporthalean fungi, Celoporthe guangdongensis and Cytospora rhizophorae have been reported for the first time to cause canker on the branches of S. apetala. C. guangdongensis is significantly pathogenic and C. rhizophorae is saprophytic on S. apetala.

Background: Although rarely indicated, antibiotics are commonly used for acute diarrhoea in China. We conducted a randomized, double blind exploratory clinical trial of loperamide, berberine and turmeric for treatment of acute diarrhoea. Methods: Adults with acute uncomplicated diarrhoea were randomized to 4 groups: (A) loperamide; (B) loperamide and berberine; (C) loperamide and turmeric; (D) loperamide, berberine and turmeric. All participants were given rescue ciprofloxacin for use after 48 hours if symptoms worsened or were unimproved. Primary endpoints were feasibility and ciprofloxacin use during the 2 week follow-up period. Semi-structured interviews were conducted following recruitment. Results: Only 21.5% (278/1295) of patients screened were deemed eligible, and 49% (136/278) of these consented and entered into the final analysis. Most participants had mild symptoms, because most patients with moderate or severe symptoms wanted to be given antibiotics. Follow-up was good (94% at 2 weeks). Only two participants used rescue antibiotics compared to 65% of acute diarrhoea patients in the hospital during the recruitment period. The median symptom duration was: 14 hours in group B (IQR 10-22), 16 hours in group D (IQR 10-22), 18 hours in group A (IQR 10-33), 20 hours in group C (IQR 16-54). Re-consultation rates were low. There were no serious treatment-related adverse events. Most interviewed participants said the treatment was effective. Conclusion: Although recruitment was challenging because of widespread expectations for antibiotics, patients with mild diarrhoea accepted to try an alternative. This therapy requires further evaluation in a fully powered, randomised controlled trial among a broader sample.

To evaluate the effect of scaling and root planing (SRP) on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis.We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases from the inception to July 8th, 2019. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data, and evaluated the bias risk of included studies. Then, a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.A total of 13 randomized controlled clinical trials and 12 prospective clinical trials were included. Meta-analysis showed that serum CRP levels decreased at 2 and 3 months after SRP (P0.05), and no significant difference in serum CRP levels was found at 6 months (P=0.49).SRP can reduce serum CRP levels in systematically healthy patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis at 2 and 3 months after SRP.目的 探索牙周洁刮治（SRP）对中重度慢性牙周炎患者血清C反应蛋白（CRP）水平的影响。方法 检索PubMed、Web of Science、EMBASE、Cochrane、中国知网、万方数据库、维普数据库，检索时间截止2019年7月8日。由2名研究人员独立筛选文献、提取数据及评估偏倚风险。利用RevMan 5.3软件对数据进行Meta分析。结果 共纳入13篇临床随机对照试验，12篇前瞻性临床试验。Meta分析结果显示，与治疗前相比，SRP后2个月、3个月血清CRP水平降低（P0.05），6个月时血清CRP水平差异无统计学意义（P=0.49）。结论 有限的证据表明，对于无系统性疾病的中重度慢性牙周炎患者来说，SRP治疗可以在短期内降低血清CRP水平。.

Background and objective TGF-β1 is a key cytokine involved in airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthma, owing to its anti-inflammatory and profibrotic effects. In our previous study, we found that the knockdown of cytosolic β-catenin mitigated the profibrogenic effect of TGF-β1 without affecting its anti-inflammatory effect. However, the exact role of targeting β-catenin in asthma is not yet fully demonstrated. In the present study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of targeting β-catenin in OVA-challenged asthmatic rats with airway inflammation and remodeling features. Methods We integrated experimental asthma model and asthma related cell model to explore the effect of targeting β-catenin on airway inflammation and remodeling of asthma. Results Blocking β-catenin with ICG001, a small molecule inhibitor of β-catenin/TCF via binding to CBP, attenuated airway inflammation by increasing the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10, IL-35, and reducing the level of proinflammation cytokine IL-17. Suppressing β-catenin with ICG001 has an inhibitory effect on airway remodeling via reducing the level of TGF-β1 and the expression of MMP-7 and Snail, upregulating expression of E-cadherin, downregulating expressions of α-SMA and Fn. Inhibiting β-catenin with ICG001 suppressed TGF-β1-induced proliferation and activation of lung fibroblast (CCC-REPF-1) cells, and blocked TGF-β1-induced, blocked TGF-β1 induced EMT of alveolar type II epithelial (RLE-6TN) cells. Conclusions Blockade of β-catenin/TCF not only prevents TGF-β1 induced EMT and profibrogenic effects involved in pathological remodeling of airway, but also alleviates airway inflammation in asthma by balancing proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine.

Background Positional head deformity (PHD) is defined as a change in the shape of an infant’s skull due to an external force. In certain cases, it can lead to cosmetic deformities or even neurological issues due to its impact on the developing nervous system. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the incidence and characteristics of PHD in term infants in China and preliminarily establish a localized diagnostic reference standard. Methods Overall, 4456 term infants from three medical institutions in Chongqing were and divided and analyzed according to their age. Cranial vault asymmetry (CVA) and cephalic index (CI) were calculated in all infants. The current international diagnostic criteria were used to understand PHD incidence and analyze the CVA and CI distribution. Results According to the current international standards, the total detection rate of PHD in Chongqing’s term infants was 81.5%, with brachycephaly alone being the most frequent (39.4%), followed by brachycephaly with plagiocephaly (34.8%) and plagiocephaly alone (6.2%). The detection rates of dolichocephaly were low: alone, 0.9% and combined with plagiocephaly, 0.2%. According to age, plagiocephaly (44.5%) and brachycephaly (82.0%) were the most frequent in the 2-3-month group. The 75th/90th/97th and 3rd/10th/25th/75th/90th/97th percentiles of CVA and CIs were 0.4/0.7/1.0 and 76.4/78.8/82.3/91.1/94.6/99.2%, respectively. Conclusions According to the current international standards, the PHD detection rate among term infants in Chongqing was high. Therefore, a new diagnostic standard for Chinese infants was proposed where CVA ≥ 0.4 cm indicates plagiocephaly, CI ≥ 91% indicates brachycephaly, and CI ≤ 82% indicates dolichocephaly.

The significant divergence between the SM predictions and experimental measurements for the ratios, RD(⁎)≡B(B¯→D(⁎)τ-ν¯τ)/B(B¯→D(⁎)l′-ν¯l′) with (l′=e,μ), implies possible hint of new physics in the flavor sector. In this paper, motivated by the “RD(⁎) puzzle” and abundant B⁎ data samples at high-luminosity heavy-flavor experiments in the future, we try to probe possible effects of new physics in the semileptonic B¯u,d,s⁎→Pl-ν¯l (P=D,Ds,π,K) decays induced by b→(u,c)l-ν¯l transitions in the model-independent vector and scalar scenarios. Using the spaces of NP parameters obtained by fitting to the data of RD and RD⁎, the NP effects on the observables including branching fraction, ratio RP⁎, lepton spin asymmetry, and lepton forward-backward asymmetry are studied in detail. We find that the vector type couplings have large effects on the branching fraction and ratio RP⁎. Meanwhile, the scalar type couplings provide significant contributions to all of the observables. The future measurements of these observables in the B¯⁎→Pl-ν¯l decays at the LHCb and Belle-II could provide a way to crosscheck the various NP solutions to the “RD(⁎) puzzle”.

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In this investigation, a comprehensive analytical formalism is presented for the acoustic radiation torque exerted on a viscoelastic spherical shell nearby an impedance boundary in a Bessel vortex wave field, whose incident direction is perpendicular to the boundary. Based on the sound scattering theory, an infinite series expansion of the axial acoustic radiation torque is derived by applying the series expansion method, the image theory and the translational addition theorem. Computations of the non-dimensional axial acoustic radiation torque for a viscoelastic polyethylene shell are considered with emphasis on the effects of the reflecting coefficient of the interface, the shell-boundary distance, the shell's relative thickness and the half-cone angle. It is shown that the high-amplitude radiation torque peaks exist resulting from different vibration modes at resonance scattering frequencies, which are significantly enhanced when the boundary becomes increasingly rigid. The periodical change of acoustic radiation torque is also observed as the shell moves along the wave axis. With the increase of wave order, the high-amplitude “islands” shift to larger half-cone values. The results of this study can improve our understanding of the acoustic radiation torque behaviors for viscoelastic particles near the boundary, which is commonly encountered in biomedical ultrasound and fluid dynamics.

The ψ(4040) and ψ(4160) → $D_{d}^{\pm }D_{s}^{\mp }$ decays are studied with the perturbative QCD approach phenomenologically. It is found that branching ratios for these decays are insensitive to the S-D mixing angle 𝜃 ∈ [−30∘,30∘], and too tiny to be measured in the near future experiments.

Chemosensor C1, namely, 3-acetoacetyl-7-hydroxycoumarin, was synthesized and exhibited highly selective and sensitive fluorescence sensing ability for Cu2+ over other metal ions under physiological conditions. The fluorescence quenching response of C1 for Cu2+ indicated that C1 can be used as an on-off fluorescent chemosensor to selectively detect Cu2+. The binding process was confirmed by UV–vis absorption, fluorescence measurement, mass spectroscopy, IR spectra and DFT calculation. To test the practical use of the probe, the determination of Cu2+ in real water samples was evaluated. The application of the fluorescent probe in monitoring intracellular Cu2+ in HeLa cells has also been demonstrated.

A rhodamine-2-thioxoquinazolin-4-one derivative ( R1 ) has been synthesized by an addition-elimination reaction of rhodamine 6G ethylenediamine with methyl 2-isothiocyanatobenzoate, which exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity as a fluorescent sensor toward Fe 3+ under physiological conditions. Moreover, R1 could sense Fe 3+ by “naked eye” with a color change from colorless to yellow. To test the practical use of the probe, the determination of Fe 3+ in real water samples was evaluated. The application of the fluorescent sensor in monitoring intracellular Fe 3+ in glioma cell line U251 has also been demonstrated. In addition, single crystal structures of R1 ·1·5H 2 O·0·5CH 3 CN, as well as the possible intermediate of R1 with Ag + and Hg 2+ ions were reported.

A rhodamine derivative (R1) has been synthesized by an additive reaction of rhodamine 6G hydrazide with methyl 2-isothiocyanatobenzoate, which exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity as a fluorescent sensor toward Cu2+ under physiological conditions. The detection limit of Cu2+ ion is 47.2 nM. Moreover, R1 could sense Cu2+ by “naked eye” with a color change from colorless to pink. This selective signaling behavior is not affected by other canions that might be present in the environmental samples. The application of the fluorescent sensor in monitoring intracellular Cu2+ in HeLa cells was also demonstrated.

We propose three different methods to determine the optimal number of hidden nodes based on L