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Contralateral C7 to C7 cross nerve transfer has been proved to be safe and effective for patients with spastic arm paralysis due to stroke and traumatic brain injury. For the lower limb, contralateral L5 to S1 cross nerve transfer serves as a novel surgical approach. In many cases, patients with hemiplegia have both upper and lower limb dysfunction and hope to restore all limb functions within one operation. To cope with this demand, we performed combined contralateral C7 to C7 and L5 to S1 cross nerve transfer in two cases successfully. Two patients were enrolled in this study. The first patient is a 36-year-old woman who had spasticity and hemiplegia in both upper and lower limbs on the left side after a right cerebral hemorrhage 14 years prior. The second patient is a 64-year-old man who suffered from permanent muscle weakness in his right limbs, especially the leg, after a left cerebral hemorrhage 7 years prior. Both patients underwent the combined nerve transfer to improve upper and lower limb motor functions simultaneously. During the 10-month follow-up after surgery, the limb functions of both patients improved significantly. This study demonstrates the safety and benefits of combined contralateral C7 to C7 and L5 to S1 cross nerve transfer for hemiplegic patients after stroke. This novel combined surgical approach could provide an optimal choice for patients suffering from both upper and lower limb dysfunction, to reduce hospital stay while reducing financial burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is an active microwave imaging sensor for high-resolution observation, with the ability of working in all-weather and all-day. Recently, SAR images have been widely used in many fields. Among them, ship detection in single-channel SAR images is a significant part of civilian and military fields. This article first discusses the characteristic of SAR images and the detectability of ships, then summarizes the recent advance of traditional and deep learning-based methods used for ship detection in single-channel SAR images. In addition, the characteristics and existing problems of various methods are discussed and their future development trends are predicted. Aiming at the problems of the large amount of calculation, multi-scale and densely docked ship detection in single-channel SAR images, an improved deep learning-based detection algorithm is proposed, which has achieved excellent performance on the SAR ship detection dataset (SSDD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of the intermodal system has led to the intensification of the hinterland competition within the port group, and the spatial pattern of the hinterland has become discontinuous. Based on geographic information system technology, a spatial interaction model, in which the intermodal cost distance is computed by integrating the raster analysis method and network method, is developed to facilitate the examination of the spatial evolution process of the port group intermodal hinterland. Considering the example of the Gulf of Guinea port group in West Africa, the spatial evolution process of its five ports is simulated in three scenarios. The results indicate that intermodal transport drives the hinterland's discontinuous development, and the direction and layout of the intermodal corridors significantly impact the hinterland competition of the port group. In most cases, the intermodal corridors can help realize connected ports to enhance the hinterland's competitive advantage within the port group. However, adjacent ports may also benefit from this aspect under certain conditions, which implies the importance of port cooperation in planning collection and distribution corridors. The model and findings can theoretically support the decision-making of port investors and operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wafangdian, China, is widely known for its rich primary kimberlite diamond. Kimberlite pipes (veins) are well-developed in Wafangdian, but only exist in shallow areas. The reason for the pinching out or disappearance remains unclear. Some studies have suggested that a possible reason is the thrust fault at the pipe bottom, but no substantial evidence of such geological movement exists. In this study, structural analysis and drilling were integrated based on a detailed field geological survey. We found a new thrust-nappe structure in the Wafangdian diamond metallogenic belt, which comprised a hanging wall allochthonous terrane, footwall autochthon, and thrust fault belt. Statistics of the striation lineation and fold hinge showed that the main direction of thrust nappe is SEE–NWW with a low angle. The calculated horizontal displacement of the major thrust nappe was approximately 3.2 km, and the movement distance of the secondary thrust fault at the bottom of Pipe No. 50 was approximately 1.5 ± 0.5 km. The formation age of the thrust-nappe structure might be the middle to late Jurassic, and the driving force was mainly related to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. The discovery of the thrust-nappe structure provides a direction and scientific basis for deep diamond prospecting in Wafangdian, and the SEE areas of Pipe No. 50 and surrounding mines are potential focus areas for future deep exploration. Additionally, a 10-m thick diamond-containing kimberlite was obtained by drilling, providing a leap from theory to practice and serving as a case of deep structural analysis prospecting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging knowledge representation model in the domain of knowledge graphs, geographic knowledge graph can take full advantage of semantic, spatial and temporal information to facilitate answering spatio-temporal questions and completing relations. However, the representation of geographic knowledge graphs still has issues such as the difficulty of unified heterogeneous spatio-temporal data modelling, weak ability to answer spatio-temporal queries for dynamic multiobjective problems, and low efficiency of graph querying. This paper presents a grid-augmented geographic knowledge graph (AugGKG) based on the GeoSOT global subdivision grid model and time slice subgraph architecture. AugGKG discretely normalizes the spatio-temporal data of the graph, which involves five types of nodes and two types of relations. By using the geo-hidden layer of the graph and geocoding algebraic operations, the AugGKG can quickly answer complex multiobjective spatio-temporal queries and complete implicit spatio-temporal relations. Compared with existing geographic knowledge graphs (YAGO, GeoKG and GEKG), the comparative experiments verified the obvious advantages of AugGKG in terms of uniformity of accuracy, completeness, and efficiency. Hence, AugGKG is expected to be regarded as an innovative and robust geographic knowledge graph that can perform fast computation and relation completion for complex spatio-temporal queries in future geospatial question answering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) in cognitive dysfunction induced by isoflurane (ISO). Morrier water maze analysis was performed to evaluate the cognitive function of rats. Modified modified neurological severity score (mNSS) scores were assessed for neurological damage. The levels of MEG3 in hippocampal tissues of rats and hippocampal neuron cell lines HT22 were examined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, the cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry assay. Indicators of inflammation and oxidative stress were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and commercial assay kits. Relationship between MEG3 and microRNA (miR)-7-5p was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. MEG3 was increased in hippocampal tissues and HT22 after ISO treatment (p < 0.05). MEG3 downregulation alleviated the increase in neurological severity score and cognitive dysfunction caused by ISO treatment (p < 0.05). In vitro, MEG3 downregulation alleviates the decrease in cell activity and increased apoptosis induced by ISO. What's more, MEG3 reduction eliminated activation of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress promoted by ISO treatment in rats and HT22 (p < 0.05). MEG3 was confirmed to specifically bind to miR-7-5p. Inhibition of miR-7-5p eliminated the alleviating effects of MEG3 downregulation on cognitive dysfunction caused by ISO treatment. Decreased MEG3 alleviates cognitive dysfunction caused by ISO by targeting miR-7-5p and play a neuroprotective effect. We present a strategy for MEG3 as a potential target for brain protection during anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To prepare sorafenib-loaded folate-decorated bovine serum nanoparticles (FA-SRF-BSANPs) and investigate their effect on the tumor targeting. Methods: The nanoparticles were characterized and evaluated by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Results: SRF-loaded BSA nanoparticles (SRF-BSANPs) was first prepared and modified with folic acid by chemical coupling to obtain FA-SRF-BSANPs. The average particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and drug loading of the optimized FA-SRF-BSANPs were 158.00 nm, −16.27 mV, 77.25%, and 7.73%, respectively. The stability test showed that FA-SRF-BSANPs remained stable for more than 1 month at room temperature. The TEM analysis showed that the surface of FA-SRF-BSANPs was nearly spherical. XRD analysis showed that the drug existed in. the nanoparticles in an amorphous state. FA-SRF-BSANPs can promote the intracellular uptake of hepatoma cells (SMMC-7721) with the strongest inhibitory effect compared with SRF-BSANPs and sorafenib solution. Furthermore, the tumor targeting of FA-SRF-BSANPs (Ctumor/Cblood, 0.666 ± 0.053) was significantly higher than those of SRF-BSANPs (Ctumor/Cblood, 0.560 ± 0.083) and sorafenib-solution (Ctumor/Cblood, 0.410 ± 0.038) in nude mice with liver cancer. Conclusion: FA-modified albumin nanoparticles are good carriers for delivering SRF to the tumor tissue, which can improve the therapeutic effect and reduce the side effects of the drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of alendronate (ALE) in biofluids using a low-cost instrument is potentially useful in preclinical pharmacokinetic studies. This study developed and validated a high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet method for ALE determination in rat plasma using precolumn derivatization with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC). Inhibiting compounds in the samples were first eliminated using solid-phase extraction. ALE in the sample was subsequently allowed to react with PITC to form a phenylthiocarbamoyl derivative for further analysis. The assay was linear within the concentration range of 0.29–25.0 µg/mL. The precision and accuracy were less than 3.9% and 98.0 ± 3.9%, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.08 and 0.20 µg/mL, respectively. The method was successfully used to evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters of ALE in rats following a single oral administration (30.0 mg/kg). The results show that the peak plasma ALE concentration is 0.69 ± 0.18 µg/mL. The area under the plasma concentration–time curve value of ALE was 2.14 ± 0.68 µg/mL hr. This method can suitably evaluate the bioavailabilities of different ALE dosage forms in preclinical pharmacokinetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article analyses the anisotropy of polarimetric scattering changing with azimuth incidence angle using a multi-look processed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image. First, three canonical scattering models were developed to simulate the migration tracks on the Cameron polarimetric space. The migration tracks indicate that these polarimetric parameters have anisotropic property. Second, unmanned aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR) data are used to validate the simulated results. The Cameron scattering-type parameter z and the orientation angle calculated by SAR data are consistent with the simulated results by small perturbation method (SPM) double-scattering. Finally, based on the anisotropic analysis, a new method of extracting polarimetric information is proposed. Using this method, six parameters were obtained and two additional parameters, Purity and Stability, were derived. These parameters contain specific physical meaning and are useful in the recognition of the scattering mechanism. Purity can be used to recognize the simple structure scatterers with zero orientation. Stability has the potential to describe the dynamic property of scatterers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the problem of user experience evaluation, in particular the quantitative evaluation of group user experience, in smart spaces. First, the classification and definition of four different categories of user groups are proposed, and the notion of group user experience is introduced. Second, we analyze the quantitative evaluation of group user experience for different types of user groups and establish an evaluation model for group user experience. Particularly, we employ two quantitative social metrics, user rating and user attention duration, as the main criteria for evaluating user experience. Other social factors, such as group interaction and the diversity of group members, are also taken into account to form a general quantitative evaluation model of group user experience for different user groups. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model with preliminary experiments in a smart museum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, the physical and chemical properties of the pyrrhotite group minerals are discussed, particularly their mineralogical behavior during mineral processing and phase transitions. Pyrrhotites are often associated with nickel ores and gold deposits. Consideration of the leaching processes of pyrrhotites focuses on the recovery of Ni and Au. The mechanisms of acid leaching are presented from physical, chemical, electrochemical, and crystallographic viewpoints. Other pyrrhotite processing techniques, including oxidation and flotation, are also included in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe1- x S (0&ThickSpace;≤&ThickSpace; x &ThickSpace;≤&ThickSpace;0.125), the pyrrhotite group minerals are extremely complex in their chemical and physical properties, which largely attribute to the various non-stoichiometric compositions and myriad superstructures. In this article, a review is focused on the crystal structures, phase relations and transition of the pyrrhotite group minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special external environments will lead to significant changes in the use behavior and dependence degree of different PT travellers, but it is difficult to analyze the mechanism of the hierarchy shift of travelers’ public transportation (PT) dependence. Exploring travelers’ dependence on PT is conducive to understanding individuals’ travel choice behavior and optimizing PT operation organizations. Developing methods for analyzing the internal causal relationship between travelers’ dependence on PT and the key influencing factors under the special condition is an issue. Therefore, the individual travel chains are constructed by associating and matching the multisource PT big data and travel survey data. Thereafter, the K-means algorithm and an improved Apriori algorithm are developed to mine the frequent association rules of groups, and a framework of cross-hierarchy policy implications is derived based on the differences in association rules. Finally, the stated preference survey method is used to measure the effectiveness of the policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron monosulfides, Fe 1-x S (0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]