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Delaunay refinement is a technique for generating unstructured meshes of triangles for sensor network configuration engineering practice. A new method for solving Delaunay triangulation problem is proposed in this paper, which is called endpoint triangle’s circumcircle model (ETCM). As compared with the original fractional node refinement algorithms, the proposed algorithm can get well refinement stability with least time cost. Simulations are performed under five aspects including refinement stability, the number of additional nodes, time cost, mesh quality after intruding additional nodes, and the aspect ratio improved by single additional node. All experimental results show the advantages of the proposed algorithm as compared with the existing algorithms and confirm the algorithm analysis sufficiently.

Women with functional ovaries have a lower cardiovascular risk than men and postmenopausal women. However, oestrogen replacement therapy remains controversial. This study examined the effect of ovarian hormone deficiency and oestrogen replacement on ventricular myocyte contractile function and expression of β-adrenoceptors (β-ARs). Female Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation (Sham). A subgroup of OVX rats received oestrogen (E2) replacement (40 μg kg−1 day−1) for 4 weeks. Cardiomyocyte shortening was evaluated in basal conditions and in the presence of isoprenaline (ISO). The expression of β-ARs was assessed by Western blotting. The presence of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the coronary effluent was determined. Ovariectomy promoted body weight gain associated with reduced serum E2 and uterine weight, all of which were abolished by treatment with E2. Ovariectomy increased the amplitude of both basal and ISO-stimulated contractions, increased LDH release, upregulated β1-AR expression and downregulated β2-AR expression, all of which were restored by treatment with E2. A β1-AR antagonist, CGP20712A, but not a β2-AR antagonist, ICI118,551, significantly decreased the amplitude of ventricular myocyte shortening. Oestrogen decreased cardiomyocyte contraction and the expression of β1-AR, and increased expression of β2-AR, and all these effects were abolished by the E2 receptor antagonist, ICI182,780. These data suggest that oestrogen plays a cardioprotective role in female rat hearts subjected to ischaemia–reperfusion injury, and the effects of oestrogen are associated with decreased cardiomyocyte contraction and expression of β1-AR, and increased expression of β2-AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption behavior of Fe atoms on a metal-free naphthalocyanine (H2Nc) monolayer on Ag(111) surface at room temperature has been investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy combined with density functional theory (DFT) based calculations. We found that the Fe atoms were adsorbed on the centers of H2Nc molecules and formed Fe–H2Nc complexes at low coverage. DFT calculations show that Fe sited in the center of the molecule is the most stable configuration, in good agreement with the experimental observations. After an Fe–H2Nc complex monolayer was formed, the extra Fe atoms self-assembled to Fe clusters of uniform size and adsorbed dispersively at the interstitial positions of Fe–H2Nc complex monolayer. Therefore, the H2Nc monolayer grown on Ag(111) could be a good template to grow dispersed magnetic metal atoms and clusters at room temperature for further investigation of their magnetism-related properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]