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To investigate the relationship between depression in early pregnancy and sleep quality in mid-pregnancy, and explore whether sleep disorders independently predicts depression across the perinatal period within women with or without depression in early pregnancy. Data were collected at 7 time points from 12 weeks of pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum. Multiple logistic regression and survival analysis were used to explore the relationship between sleep quality in mid-pregnancy and perinatal depression within women with or without depression in early pregnancy. 390 women were included. Women with depression in early pregnancy were more likely to have sleep disorders and perinatal depression. Women with sleep disorders had a higher risk of perinatal depression compared to women without sleep disorders in mid-pregnancy. Stratified analysis based on whether depressed at 12 weeks of pregnancy found that among women without depression, those with sleep disorders in mid-pregnancy were more likely to have subsequent perinatal depression and appeared earlier; whereas, among women with depression, mid-pregnancy sleep disorders was not a predictor of subsequent perinatal depression. High rates of missed visits may lead to sample bias, with depression and sleep quality being assessed by self-report. Women with depression in early pregnancy are more likely to have sleep disorders in mid-pregnancy. There is a strong correlation between sleep quality in mid-pregnancy and perinatal depression among women without depression in early pregnancy. Routine screening and intervention for sleep disorders should be a priority in perinatal care to reduce the incidence of perinatal depression. • Women with depression were more likely to have sleep disorders in mid-pregnancy. • Depression in early pregnancy predicted the presence of depression from mid-pregnancy to 6 weeks postpartum. • Among non-depressed in early pregnancy, women with mid-pregnancy sleep disorders had a higher risk of perinatal depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The fireworks algorithm, which is inspired by the explosion of fireworks, is a new swarm-based meta-heuristic algorithm for global optimization. This work proposes an improved fireworks optimization algorithm (IFWA) based on the enhanced fireworks algorithm (EFWA). Three aspects of improvement are presented after an analysis of the drawbacks of EFWA. These improvements are a new explosion scheme, GS-Gaussian explosion operator, and deep information exchange strategy. The proposed IFWA is tested on 23 benchmark function optimization problems and a real engineering problem, namely, optimal controller design for automotive active suspension. Optimization results prove that IFWA has competitive advantage compared with EFWA and other popular meta-heuristic algorithms and demonstrates the potential to solve real problems effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel ultra-wideband (UWB) all-metal Vivaldi antenna with an inclined groove is proposed. The antenna structure is very simple, and it consists of Vivaldi metal plate, 2.4 mm-K connector and supporting ground. The machining of the antenna is very convenient, and the Vivaldi metal plate can be easily processed by wire cutting technology. To verify the design, the metal Vivaldi plate was machined and measured. From the measured results, the Vivaldi antenna achieves a wide impedance bandwidth of 25:1 from 2 to 50 GHz with a return loss better than 10 dB. Moreover, the gain of the Vivaldi antenna is 4−12dBi, and the radiation pattern is also symmetric and stable over the whole frequency range of 2–50 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an efficient approach of combining Takagi–Sugeno–Kang fuzzy system with wavelet based neural network is presented. The model replaces the constant or a linear function of inputs in conclusion part of traditional TSK fuzzy model with wavelet neural network (WNN), thus each rule uses fuzzy set to separate the input space into subspaces spanned by different wavelet functions. For finding the optimal values for parameters of our proposed fuzzy wavelet neural network (proposed-FWNN), a hybrid learning algorithm integrating an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) and gradient descent algorithm is employed. The two-layer inline-PSO process is proposed in this paper, whose adjustment scheme is more fitting the consequent pattern learning based gradient descent optimization and will locate a good region in the search space. Simulation examples are given to test the efficiency of proposed-FWNN model for identification of the dynamic plants. It is seen that our modeling and optimization approach results in a better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Endometrial carcinoma is a life-threatening disease that causes serious damage to the women's health. This paper discusses classifications of 87 endometrial samples with gene expressions that are cancerous or cancer-free. Every sample has 5 indicators. For every indicator, the corresponding genes of the missing data are deleted and the signal noise ratios (SNRs) are calculated to filter the irrelevant genes. Then the obtained new samples use the principle component analysis to decrease the dimensions. Finally 10 random samples are selected to be the testing samples for classification. Thus the classification accuracy rate is given for every indicator. Based on cancer related to 5 indicators, the combination of the 5 indicators is used to classify to make new 87 endometrial samples as cancerous or cancer-free. We repeatedly process these new samples by deleting the missing data, filtering the irrelevant genes with SNRs, and decreasing the dimensions with PCA, an obtain the new data. The proposed method is that the particle swarm algorithm (PSO) and the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) is combined to optimize the parameters of Elman recurrent neural network (ERNN), written as PSOGWO-ERNN. The results show that PSOGWO-ERNN is superior to the single ERNN, ERNN optimized by PSO or GWO (PSO-ERNN or GWO-ERNN), and the classification accuracy rate of PSOGWO-ERNN reaches 88.8506%. The results also show that the neural networks optimized by some swarm intelligence algorithms are more useful for classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The illicit manufacture of heroin results in the formation of trace levels of acidic and neutral manufacturing impurities that provide valuable information about the manufacturing process used. In this work, a new ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF) method; that features high resolution, mass accuracy and sensitivity for profiling neutral and acidic heroin manufacturing impurities was developed. After the UPLC-Q-TOF analysis, the retention times and m/z data pairs of acidic and neutral manufacturing impurities were detected, and 19 peaks were found to be evidently different between heroin samples from "Golden Triangle" and "Golden Crescent". Based on the data set of these 19 impurities in 150 authentic heroin samples, classification of heroin geographic origins was successfully achieved utilizing partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). By analyzing another data set of 267 authentic heroin samples, the developed discrimiant model was validated and proved to be accurate and reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Piracetam is a positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptor that has been used in the treatment of cognitive disorders for decades. Recent surveys and drug analyses have demonstrated that a heroin mixture adulterated with piracetam has spread rapidly in heroin addicts in China, but its addictive properties and the damage it causes to the central neural system are currently unknown. Methods The effect of piracetam on the reward properties of heroin was assessed by conditioned place preference (CPP). Electron microscopy and radioimmunoassay were used to compare the effects of heroin mixed with equivalent piracetam (HP) and heroin alone on neuronal apoptosis and the levels of beta-endorphin (β-EP) in different brain subregions within the corticolimbic system, respectively. Results Piracetam significantly enhanced heroin-induced CPP expression while piracetam itself didn’t induce CPP. Morphological observations showed that HP-treated rats had less neuronal apoptosis than heroin-treated group. Interestingly, HP normalized the levels of β-EP in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and core of the nucleus accumbens (AcbC) subregions, in where heroin-treated rats showed decreased levels of β-EP. Conclusions These results indicate that piracetam potentiate the heroin-induced CPP and protect neurons from heroin-induced apoptosis. The protective role of HP might be related to the restoration of β-EP levels by piracetam. Our findings may provide a potential interpretation for the growing trend of HP abuse in addicts in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an improved dynamic particle swarm optimization algorithm, which uses a new and effective exponential decreasing inertia weight (EDIW) strategy. Based on the improved EDIW-PSO algorithm together with AdaBoost algorithm, we adjust the parameters (centers, widths, shape parameters and connection weights) of GRBF and present a novel hybrid EDIW-PSO-AdaBoost-GRBF model. Two application examples are given on the proposed model. The results obtained show that the proposed model is effective and feasible for prediction problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phenotype of Tph17 cells is activated and proliferative in psoriasis vulgaris. • Tph17 cells and plasma CXCL13 could be biomarkers for evaluating the severity of psoriasis vulgaris. • Tph17 cells and the CXCL13/CXCR5 axis might represent new immunotherapeutic targets for psoriasis vulgaris. Recently, a new subgroup of T cells, named peripheral helper T (Tph) cells, has been implicated in autoimmune pathogenesis. An imbalance of Tph cell subsets influences the severity of immune-related diseases. However, the characteristics and roles of Tph cell subsets in psoriasis remain unknown. Programmed cell death 1-positive, chemokine C-X-C receptor (CXCR) 5-negative Tph cells can be divided into 3 subgroups based on differential expression of chemokine CXCR3 and chemokine C-C receptor (CCR) 6. CXCR3+CCR6− Tph cells are classified as Tph1, CXCR3−CCR6− Tph cells are classified as Tph2, and CXCR3−CCR6+ Tph cells are classified as Tph17. In this study, conditions of circulating Tph cell subsets and CD4+CXCR5+ follicular helper T (Tfh) cells in 27 patients with psoriasis and 13 healthy individuals were detected by flow cytometry. The level of plasma chemokine C-X-C ligand (CXCL) 13 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlations between the above indexes and disease severity were explored. In the peripheral blood of patients with psoriasis, Tph17 cells had an activated, proliferative phenotype; the quantity of the cells correlated with disease severity. Plasma CXCL13 levels were elevated in psoriasis and associated with disease severity and the frequency of Tph17 cells. CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells were increased in patients and positively correlated with disease severity, the frequency of Tph17 cells, and plasma CXCL13 levels. Our results suggest that Tph17 cells and the CXCL13/CXCR5 axis may be involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and represent new immunotherapeutic targets for treating psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating T follicular helper (Tfh) cells in the blood are counterparts to conventional Tfh cells in germinal centres. Similarly to conventional Tfh cells, circulating Tfh cells provide helpful signals for B cells. Circulating Tfh cells can be divided into three subpopulations, including Tfh17 (CXCR3-CCR6+), Tfh1 (CXCR3 + CCR6-), and Tfh2 (CXCR3-CCR6-) cells, based on differences in CXCR3 and CCR6 expression. Recent studies have demonstrated that alterations in circulating Tfh cell subsets have significant effects on the progression of numerous autoimmune diseases. To address the role of circulating Tfh cells in psoriasis, we used flow cytometry to analyse frequencies of circulating Tfh cell subsets and levels of IL-21 receptor (IL-21R) expression on B cells in 32 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 13 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. We observed dynamic changes in Tfh17 cell frequency and disease severity in 10 psoriasis patients during a 6-month treatment. Our results demonstrate that the frequency of Tfh17 cells was significantly increased in psoriasis patients and was positively correlated with psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, a marker of disease severity ( P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, the frequencies of Tfh17 cells decreased, and reductions in PASI scores were observed. Moreover, IL-21R expression on B cells was significantly increased in patients with psoriasis vulgaris ( P < 0.05). Interestingly, IL-21R levels on B cells were correlated with both PASI score and the frequency of Tfh17 cells ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, this study is the first investigation of the distribution of circulating Tfh subsets in psoriasis. These results deepen our understanding of the immune state of psoriasis patients. Our data also indicate that Tfh17 cells may not be good biomarkers for diagnosing psoriasis but may be potential biomarkers of disease severity in psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: West Junggar is featured with a wide spread of Late Carboniferous–Early Permian A-type granites. Systematic comparison of the Yangzhuang granite porphyry and the regional coeval A-type granites (RCAG) shows that: (1) all the Late Carboniferous–Early Permian A-type granites are of the A2 group except the Yangzhuang granite porphyry; (2) the Nb and Ta contents of the Yangzhuang granite porphyry are nearly 10 times that of the RCAG while Ti content is more depleted; (3) εNd (t) of the Yangzhuang granite porphyry is slightly lower and the Sr isotope has a wider range relative to the RCAG. Previous research revealed that highly incompatible elements including Nb and Ta can be transferred into the mantle wedge by precipitation of amphibole from the ascending fluids generated by dehydration of subducted slab. It is inferred that enhanced heat flux brought by the Late Carboniferous ridge subduction decomposed amphibole in the mantle wedge to generate Nb and Ta-rich melt and finally produced the Yangzhuang granite porphyry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]