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AIM: To study the effect of miR-26b on lens epithelial cells induced by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) 2 and the underlying signaling pathways. METHODS: Human lens epithelial cell line B-3 (HLE-B3) was incubated with TGF-β2 (5 ng/mL) and then transfected with miR-26b mimics. The expression of miR-26b was determined using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), while 5’-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and wound-healing assays were used to measure the growth and migration of HLE-B3 cells, respectively. The expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and the activity of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway were measured by Western blotting assay and immunofluorescence staining. Electron microscopy was also used to observe cellular morphology. RESULTS: The expression levels of miR-26b were significantly reduced in human posterior capsular opacification-attached lens tissue and TGF-β2-stimulated HLE-B3 cells. In the presence of TGF-β2, the growth, migration, and EMT of HLE-B3 cells were distinctly enhanced; these effects were attenuated by the administration of miR-26b mimics. Furthermore, the overexpression of miR-26b significantly reduced upregulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway when stimulated by TGF-β2 in HLE-B3 cells. Moreover, the addition of an activator (740 Y-P) led to the upregulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and abolished the protective effect of miR-26b on the HLE-B3 cells that was mediated by TGF-β2. CONCLUSION: The miR-26b suppresses TGF-β2-induced growth, migration, and EMT in HLE-B3 cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND Both periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and severe femoral segmental defects are catastrophic complications of total hip arthroplasty (THA), and both present a significant challenge in revisional surgery. There are limited data available to guide clinical decision making when both occur concurrently. CASE SUMMARY A 61-year-old woman presented with a 6-mo history of a sinus tract at the site of her original THA incision. Radiological imaging revealed a total hip joint implant with an ipsilateral segmental femoral defect. Based on histological, radiological, laboratory, and clinical features, a diagnosis of concurrent chronic PJI and segmental femoral defect (Type IIIB, Paprosky classification) was made. After multidisciplinary team discussion, three-dimensional (3D)-printed, custom-made antibiotic spacers were created that could be used to mold antibiotic-loaded cement spacer. These were placed following PJI debridement in the first stage of revision surgery. After the PJI was eliminated, a 3D-printed, custom-made, femoral prosthesis was created to repair the considerable femoral defect. After 20-mo follow-up, the patient had excellent functional outcomes with a near-normal range of hip movement. So far, neither evidence of recurrent infection nor loosening of the prosthesis has been observed. CONCLUSION We describe a case of "two-stage, custom-made" total hip revision to treat PJI with a concurrent segmental femoral defect. Use of a personalized, 3D-printed spacer and proximal femoral prosthesis led to satisfactory hip function and no early postoperative complications. Use of a customized implant provides surgeons with an alternative option for patients where no suitable spacer or implant is available. However, the long-term function, longevity, and cost-effectiveness of the use of custom-made prostheses have yet to be fully explored.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to explore the frequency and impact of AF on clinical outcomes in CKD patients with ACS. Methods CKD inpatients with ACS between November 2014 and December 2018 were included based on the improving care for cardiovascular disease in China-ACS (CCC-ACS) project. Included patients were divided into an AF group and a non-AF group according to the discharge diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders. Results A total of 16,533 CKD patients with ACS were included. A total of 1418 (8.6%) patients had clinically recognized AF during hospitalization, 654 of whom had an eGFR of 45 to 2, and 764 had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 2. Compared with the non-AF group, the AF group had a higher risk of in-hospital mortality [OR 1.250; 95% CI (1.001–1.560), P = 0.049] and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) [OR 1.361; 95% CI (1.197–1.547), P 2, patients with eGFR 2 had a 1.512-fold increased risk of mortality and a 1.435-fold increased risk of MACEs. Conclusions AF was a risk factor affecting the short-term prognosis of ACS patients in the CKD population. Furthermore, the lower the eGFR, the higher the risk of in-hospital mortality and MACEs in CKD patients with ACS. Trial registry: Clinicaltrial.gov, NCT02306616. Registered 29 November 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02306616?term=NCT02306616&draw=2&rank=1

Biological tissues usually have complex superstructures and elaborated functionalities. However, creating superstructures in soft and wet hydrogels is challenging because of the absence of effective approaches to control the molecular orientation. Here we introduce a method to create superstructures in photonic hydrogels comprising lamellar bilayers intercalated in the cross-linked polymer network. The orientation of lamellar bilayers in the photonic gel, which are sensitive to shear, is modulated by applying a gradient shear field on the precursor solution using a customized rheometer. The difference in orientation of lamellar bilayers leads to swelling mismatch in the radial direction, endowing the disk-shape hydrogel with a macroscopic flower-like shape with a central dome and an edge petal, along with a bright photonic color. By characterization of the swelling anisotropy of the radial profile, the shear rate required for the unidirectional orientation of lamellar bilayers was extracted. Moreover, a delayed polymerization experiment was designed to measure the lifetime of aligned lamellar bilayers, which reveals the domain size of lamellar bilayers in the precursor solution. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that the hydrogel flowers could fade and rebloom reversibly in response to external stimuli. This work presents a strategy to develop superstructures in hydrogels and sheds light on designing biomimetic materials with intricately architectural superstructure.

Kewa Ma,* Jiannan Ye,* Lingling Wang, Chao Sun, Xin Zhou Department of Hematology, Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Chao Sun; Xin ZhouDepartment of Hematology, Affiliated Wuxi People’s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-15961806698; +86 51085350201Fax +86 51085350201Email 13057302309sun@163.com; zx89232@126.comPurpose: Recently, the British Myeloma Research Alliance put forward a Myeloma Risk Profile (MRP) for the first time to stratify the prognosis risk of non-transplanted patients with multiple myeloma. However, only limited studies have evaluated the applicability of this model in the Chinese population. This study aimed to estimate the prognostic value of MRP in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients without autologous stem cell transplantation in China.Patients and Methods: Patients with multiple myeloma in Wuxi People’s Hospital from January 1, 2007, to June 30, 2018 were evaluated based on the MRP score, and the relationship between the clinical outcome of patients with MM and the score was analyzed retrospectively.Results: First, significant differences were observed in the overall survival (OS) (P< 0.05) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P< 0.05) between the low-, middle-, and high-risk groups. Second, in the bortezomib treatment subgroup and complex chromosome karyotype subgroup, OS and PFS were significantly shorter in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group (P< 0.05). Third, the depth of remission still showed prognostic significance in the high-risk MRP group.Conclusion: MRP is also applicable in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed MM who did not undergo transplantation, as it is simple and cost effective; hence, it is worth popularizing.Keywords: multiple myeloma, myeloma risk profile, bortezomib, complex chromosome karyotype, prognosis

Background The incidence and the risk factors of in-hospitalized acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation (AF) were unclear. Methods The Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-AF (CCC-AF) project is an ongoing registry and quality improvement project, with 240 hospitals recruited across China. We selected 4527 patients hospitalized for AF registered in the CCC-AF from January 2015 to January 2019. Patients were divided into the AKI and non-AKI groups according to the changes in serum creatinine levels during hospitalization. Results Among the 4527 patients, the incidence of AKI was 8.0% (361/4527). Multivariate logistic analysis results indicated that the incidence of in-hospital AKI in patients with AF on admission was 2.6 times higher than that in patients with sinus rhythm (OR 2.60, 95% CI 1.77–3.81). Age (per 10-year increase, OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.07–1.38), atrial flutter/atrial tachycardia on admission (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.12–4.15), diuretics therapy before admission (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.07–2.04) and baseline hemoglobin (per 20 g/L decrease, OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10–1.32) were independent risk factors for in-hospital AKI. β blockers therapy given before admission (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51–0.87) and non-warfarin therapy during hospitalization (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.53–0.96) were associated with a decreased risk of in-hospital AKI. After adjustment for confounders, in-hospital AKI was associated with a 34% increase in risk of major adverse cardiovascular (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.02–1.90, p = 0.023). Conclusions Clinicians should pay attention to the monitoring and prevention of in-hospital AKI to improve the prognosis of patients with AF.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by cast nephropathy is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among patients with multiple myeloma (MM). High cut-off haemodialysis (HCO-HD) has proven to be effective in the removal of serum light chains but the effect on clinical outcomes, especially renal recovery, remains uncertain. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed examining all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (OBSs) assessing the effect of HCO-HD on clinical outcomes of patients with MM complicated by cast nephropathy–induced severe AKI. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at the end of the study. The secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality at 12 months, HD independence and serum kappa and lambda light chain reduction. Pooled analysis was performed using random effects models. Results We identified five studies, comprising two RCTs and three retrospective cohort studies, including 276 patients with a mean follow-up of 18.7 months. The majority of the studies were of suboptimal quality and underpowered. Compared with patients treated with conventional HD, HCO-HD was not associated with a survival benefit at 12 months {five studies, 276 patients, relative risk [RR] 1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.76–1.35], I2 = 33.9%} or at the end of the studies at an average of 34 months [five studies, 276 patients, RR 1.32 (95% CI 0.71–2.45), I2 = 62.0%]. There was no difference in HD independence at 90 days [two trials, 78 patients, RR 2.23 (95% CI 1.09–4.55)], 6 months [two studies, 188 patients, RR 1.19 (95% CI 0.68–2.06)] or 12 months [two studies, 188 patients, RR 1.14 (95% CI 0.58–2.26)]. Patients receiving HCO dialysis, however, had a greater reduction in serum kappa [two studies, 188 patients, weighted mean difference (WMD) 46.7 (95% CI 38.6–54.7), I2 = 52.0%] and lambda [two studies, 188 patients, WMD 50.3 (95% CI 21.4–79.3), I2 = 95.1%] light chain levels. Conclusion Current evidence from RCTs and OBSs suggests HCO dialysis is able to reduce serum free light chains but makes no significant improvement in all-cause mortality and renal outcomes compared with conventional HD for patients with myeloma cast nephropathy. However, there is a trend towards better renal outcomes with the use of HCO dialysis. The lack of long-term data and the small sample sizes of the included studies limit this analysis. Therefore further large-scale RCTs with longer follow-up are needed to assess the effect of HCO dialysis on clinical outcomes in patients with myeloma cast nephropathy.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common and serious complications in patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD). This study aimed at investigating the incidence and risk factors of in-hospital AKI in TBAD patients involving the renal artery who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) only. Methods A total of 256 patients who were diagnosed as TBAD combined with renal artery involvement were included in this retrospective study. All patients were divided into the AKI group and the non-AKI group according to the KDIGO criteria. The risk factors for AKI were identified using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results A total of 256 patients were included in this study, and the incidence of AKI was 18% (46/256). Patients in the AKI group were more likely to have a higher proportion of the youth, a higher level of body mass index, and a shorter time from onset to admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the youth (age ≤40 years) (OR: 2.853, 95%CI: 1.061–7.668, p = .038) were prone to AKI, and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (OR: 1.526, per 15-ml/min/1.73 m2 decrease, 95%CI: 1.114–2.092; p = .009), higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (OR: 1.418, per 10-mmHg increase; 95%CI: 1.070–1.879; p = .015), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) ≥7 mmol/L on admission (OR: 2.592; 95%CI: 1.299–5.174; p = .007) were independent risk factors for AKI. Conclusions Higher incidence of AKI had been perceived in this study, most of them were young and middle-aged patients. Renopreventive measures should be considered in those high-risk patients with younger age, lower eGFR, higher DBP, and higher FBG on admission.

A clock-gating-based energy-efficient scheme is proposed, for the first time, for applications in optical network units (ONUs) accommodated by orthogonal frequency division multiplexing passive optical networks (OFDM-PONs) based on intensity modulation and direct detection (IMDD). In the operation of a conventional downlink OFDM-PON, each ONU has to perform the demodulation in physical layer for all the received OFDM frames, regardless the received frames belong to the ONU or not. To improve the ONU's energy consumption efficiency, in this paper, frame identification and clock control modules are introduced into each ONU, where the former is to distinguish whether a received frame belongs to the ONU or not, and the latter is to control the operating clock of the OFDM demodulation module according to the frame identification output. As a result, when a non-local frame arrives, the operating clock is set to a low value by the clock control module to deactivate the OFDM demodulation module in order to avoid unnecessary power consumption of the module. Experiments are undertaken in a real-time IMDD OFDM-PON platform, and measured results show that 51% energy consumption of a field programmable gate array (FPGA) chip embedded in the ONU can be saved compared with its conventional counterpart for downlink unicast scenarios.

This article presents an algorithm for reading both single and multiple digital video clocks by using a context-aware pixel periodicity method and a deep learning technique. Reading digital video clocks in real time is a very challenging problem. The first challenge is the clock digit localization. The existing pixel periodicity is not applicable to localizing multiple second-digit places. This article proposes a context-aware pixel periodicity method to identify the second-pixels of each clock. The second challenge is clock-digit recognition. For this task, the algorithms based a domain knowledge and deep learning technique is proposed to recognize clock digits. The proposed algorithm is better than the existing best one in two aspects. The first one is that it can read not only single digit video clock but also multiple digit video clocks. The other is that it requires a short length of a video clip. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve 100% of accuracy in both localization and recognition for both single and multiple clocks.

Nail gun injuries usually occur at the extremities due to working accidents. Intracranial or intrathoracic injuries are relatively rare, and cases combined with both injuries are even rarer. Such situations pose challenges for surgeons due to their uniqueness during operation. Radiologic imaging findings in our case were significant in indicating surgical findings. Herein, we report a patient who shot himself using a nail gun, damaging his brain and heart. Keywords: Nail gun injury, Computed tomography, Trauma

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a common and disabling joint disease. Although there is no clear consensus on the complex pathogenic mechanism of ONFH, trauma, abuse of glucocorticoids, and alcoholism are implicated in its etiology. The therapeutic strategies are still limited, and the clinical outcomes are not satisfactory. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to exert a positive impact on ONFH in preclinical experiments and clinical trials. The beneficial properties of MSCs are due, at least in part, to their ability to home to the injured tissue, secretion of paracrine signaling molecules, and multipotentiality. Nevertheless, the regenerative capacity of transplanted cells is impaired by the hostile environment of necrotic tissue in vivo, limiting their clinical efficacy. Recently, genetic engineering has been introduced as an attractive strategy to improve the regenerative properties of MSCs in the treatment of early-stage ONFH. This review summarizes the function of several genes used in the engineering of MSCs for the treatment of ONFH. Further, current challenges and future perspectives of genetic manipulation of MSCs are discussed. The notion of genetically engineered MSCs functioning as a "factory" that can produce a significant amount of multipotent and patient-specific therapeutic product is emphasized.

AIM: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with poor short-term and long-term clinical outcomes. The role of nephrology follow-up in post-AKI management remains uncertain. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed examining all randomized controlled trials and observational studies assessing the effect of nephrology follow-up on patients' clinical outcomes. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The secondary outcomes were renal outcomes, which were defined as a composite of requirement of permanent dialysis and recurrent AKI. Pooled analysis was performed using a random-effect model. RESULTS: We identified six studies (8972 patients, mean follow-up of 49 months). Five were retrospective cohort studies and one was a prospective cohort study. Risk of bias was a concern with all studied. Only four studies reported primary and/or secondary outcomes and were included. Compared with patients without nephrology follow-up, patients with nephrology follow-up had significantly reduced mortality by 22% (three studies, 3240 patients, relative risk [RR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70-0.88, I2 = 0.0%). Nephrology follow-up did not improve composite renal outcomes with high heterogeneity due to significant differences in reported renal outcomes and follow-up period (two studies, 2537 patients, RR = 1.72, 95% CI = 0.49-6.05, I2 = 90.1%). CONCLUSION: Current evidence from observational studies is biased. It suggests long-term survival benefits with post-discharge nephrology follow-up in AKI patients. However, due to its low quality, such evidence is only hypothesis-generating. Nonetheless, it provides a rationale for future randomized controlled trials of nephrology follow-up in AKI patients. SUMMARY AT A GLANCE The present meta-analysis assessed the effect of nephrology follow-up on patients' clinical outcomes, and suggested long-term survival benefits in acute kidney injury (AKI) survivors. Although the study inherently comprises potential risks of bias due to paucity of available data, the results provide a rationale for future randomized controlled trials.

Background Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and a major cause of cancer-related death. This study aims to determine whether genetic variations in MIR155HG could be associated with gastric cancer risk. Materials & methods A total of 506 gastric cancer patients and 500 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Genotypes were examined with the MassARRAY platform and data management and analysis were conducted with the Typer Software. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with logistic regression adjusting for age and gender to evaluate the associations between SNPs with gastric cancer in genetic model analysis. Results The “CC” genotype of rs4143370 decreased the risk of gastric cancer in genotype model (p = 0.020) and recessive model (p = 0.018). Inversely, the “CC” genotype of rs1893650 increased the risk of gastric cancer in genotype model (p = 0.023) and recessive model (p = 0.014). Stratified analysis showed that rs11911469 was associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer only among the male group in the dominant model (p = 0.039) and additive model (p = 0.030). The haplotype analysis showed a strong linkage disequilibrium among these six SNPs (rs4143370, rs77699734, rs11911469, rs1893650, rs34904192 and rs928883). Conclusion This study confirmed the relationship between SNPs of MIR155HG and the gastric cancer risk among the Chinese Han population. Our data may provide a new perspective to understand the aetiology of gastric cancer.

Vision-based geometry measurement plays a crucial role in many science and industrial areas. Plenty of researches devoted to measuring static objects, while few focused on motion blurred situations, which inevitably arise when the object being measured moves fast relative to the camera(s). Motion blur usually invalids the vision-based measurement algorithms designated for static objects. In this paper, we devote to accurate three dimensional (3D) reconstruction of moving objects from motion blurred stereo image pairs. A convolutional neural network (CNN) based method is first proposed to recognize the motion blurred visual targets. A motion blur model based on inner-frame path superposition imaging is then established. Finally, an optimization framework is set up to reconstruct the 3D target motion path during the camera exposure. Experiments are involved to demonstrate the validity and accuracy of the method.

Objective This study was performed to analyze the risk factors associated with flexor pollicis longus (FPL) attrition or rupture after volar plating of distal radius fractures. Methods Three hundred thirty-eight patients with distal radius fractures were included in this retrospective study. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to predict risk factors. Results Univariate analysis showed that sex, volar tilt, the Soong grade, the plate-to-critical line distance (PCLD), the plate-to-volar rim distance (PVRD), and the time of plate removal were significantly associated with FPL attrition or rupture. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that decreased volar tilt, Soong grade 2, PCLD of >2 mm, PVRD of Conclusions Reduced volar tilt, Soong grade 2, PCLD of >2 mm, and PVRD of 2 mm, the PVRD is

Background: Renal insufficiency (RI) is a frequent comorbidity among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to evaluate the attributable risk associated with mild RI for the in-hospital outcomes in patients with ACS. Methods: The Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-ACS (CCC-ACS) Project was a collaborative study of the American Heart Association and the Chinese Society of Cardiology. A total of 92509 inpatients with a discharge diagnosis of ACS were included. The attributable risk was calculated to investigate the effect of mild RI (eGFR 60-89 ml / min · 1.73 m2) on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during hospitalization. Results: The average age of these ACS patients was 63 years, and 73.9% were men. The proportion of patients with mild RI was 36.17%. After adjusting for other possible risk factors, mild RI was still an independent risk factor for MACE in ACS patients. In the ACS patients, the attributable risk of eGFR 60-89ml/min·1.73m2 to MACE was 8.96%, 5.59% of eGFR 45-59 ml/min·1.73m2 ,5.31% of eGFR 30-44 ml/min·1.73m2, and 4.03% of eGFR＜30 ml/min·1.73m2. Conclusion: Compared with moderate to severe RI, mild RI has higher attributable risk to MACE during hospitalization in Chinese ACS population.

BACKGROUND Several studies have reported that prophylactic dialysis can reduce the mortality of non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients after cardiac surgery. However, the results of complications in these randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were not consistent. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the effect of prophylactic dialysis in these non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients. METHODS We systematically searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane's Library and other online sources for related RCTs. Effects of prophylactic dialysis on the incidence of 30 days' mortality and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS Four RCTs comprising 395 patients were included, all of them treated by coronary artery bypass grafting. Treatment of preoperative and intraoperative prophylactic dialysis significantly reduced the rate of 30-day all-cause mortality (risk ratio [RR]: 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.58, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%) and the incidence of pulmonary complications (RR: 0.39, 95% CI, 0.20-0.77, P = 0.007, I2 = 0%), low cardiac output (RR: 0.29, 95% CI, 0.09-0.99, P = 0.05, I2 = 0%), and acute kidney injury (RR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07-0.52, P = 0.001, I2 = 0%). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the dialysis group and the control group in gastrointestinal bleeding, sepsis or multiple organ failure, wound infection, arrhythmia, transient neurologic deficit, stroke and re-exploration for bleeding. CONCLUSION Prophylactic dialysis can improve the 30-day clinical outcomes of non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients undergoing cardiac surgery, it was associated with the 30-day mortality benefit and led to a decrease in the incidence of pulmonary complications, as well as low cardiac output, and acute kidney injury.

Shrimp aquaculture environments are a natural reservoir of multiple antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) due to the overuse of antibiotics. Nowadays, the prevalence of these kinds of emerging contaminants in shrimp aquaculture environments is still unclear. In this study, high-throughput sequencing techniques were used to analyze the distribution of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), bacterial communities, and their correlations in water and sediment samples in two types of typical shrimp (Procambarus clarkii and Macrobrachium rosenbergii) freshwater aquaculture environments. A total of 318 ARG subtypes within 19 ARG types were detected in all the samples. The biodiversity and relative abundance of ARGs in sediment samples showed much higher levels compared to water samples from all ponds in the study area. Bacitracin (17.44–82.82%) and multidrug (8.57–49.70%) were dominant ARG types in P. clarkii ponds, while sulfonamide (26.33–39.59%) and bacitracin (12.75–37.11%) were dominant ARG types in M. rosenbergii ponds. Network analysis underlined the complex co-occurrence patterns between bacterial communities and ARGs. Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Actinobacteria exhibited a high abundance in all samples, in which C39 (OTU25355) and Hydrogenophaga (OTU162961) played important roles in the dissemination of and variation in ARGs based on their strong connections between ARGs and bacterial communities. Furthermore, pathogens (e.g., Aeromonadaceae (OTU195200) and Microbacteriaceae (OTU16033)), which were potential hosts for various ARGs, may accelerate the propagation of ARGs and be harmful to human health via horizontal gene transfer mediated by MGEs. Variation partitioning analysis further confirmed that MGEs were the most crucial contributor (74.76%) driving the resistome alteration. This study may help us to understand the non-ignorable correlations among ARGs, bacterial diversity, and MGEs in the shrimp freshwater aquaculture environments.

Dense wavelength-division multiplexing is conceived as an appropriate solution for the 5G fronthaul system to cope with the rapidly increasing demand for bandwidth. While the cross-phase modulation (XPM) would appear when the signals are transmitted simultaneously in the single-mode fiber. The XPM effect on the 5G fronthaul wavelengths is investigated through both simulation and experimental campaigns. Simulation results show that the electrical spectrum crosstalk will occur with the wavelengths transmitting synchronously, when the channel spacing is 100 GHz and the speed is 25 Gbit / s per channel in the 10-km link. Also, the intensity of the electrical spectrum crosstalk becomes stronger when the launch power increases from 10 until 14 dBm. While comparing with the results obtained from the positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) detector, the XPM-induced sensitivity penalty can be alleviated by 0.3 dB in use of avalanche photodiode (APD), which can provide higher signal-to-noise ratio. Consistent with the simulation results, the electrical spectrum crosstalk also appears in the experimental campaign under the same conditions. Furthermore, a sensitivity improvement of 0.5 dB is obtained using 25-GHz APD receiver, compared with the adoption of 35-GHz PIN receiver case.

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most frequently reported malignancy, and it is also the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although most HCC cases have been reported to develop from cirrhosis, accumulating data suggest that HCC is also closely related to non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease. Traditionally, HCC was thought to develop mostly from cirrhosis; however, an increasing number of reports have found that HCC can develop directly from inflammation without cirrhosis. The incidence of HCC in non-cirrhotic liver (HCC-NCL) is high, especially in developed countries. Studies have found that the most common cause of HCC-NCL is neglected fatty liver disease. This type of HCC has unique clinical characteristics and is closely related to metabolic disorders. Unfortunately, the prevention of HCC-NCL has not received enough attention worldwide, and there is also a lack of specific screening methods and clinical guidelines. This article mainly reviews the etiology, incidence, clinical characteristics, and screening markers of HCC-NCL to improve the understanding and prevention of this disease.

Background The prevalence and mortality of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there is still a lack of recommendations for the medication therapy of these patients in the guideline so far. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all the studies assessing medication therapy for patients with CKD and HFpEF by July 21, 2021. Pooled analysis was performed using a random-effect model and the quality assessment was performed. In our research, we followed to the Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The meta-analysis was registered on PROSPERO. Results We finally identified six studies, three of which were randomized controlled trials and the others were retrospective cohort studies. The results of meta-analysis including three retrospective cohort studies showed that renin–angiotensin system inhibitors had significantly reduced all-cause mortality by 14% (3 studies, 3816 patients, HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.79–0.95; I2 = 49%; P = 0.003), and all-cause hospitalization by 11% (2 studies, 2350 patients, HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.85–0.94; I2 = 0%; P I2 = 75%; P = 0.13). One of the studies focused on the sacubitril–valsartan showed that sacubitril–valsartan was associated with a reduced risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.66–0.95). The study focused on the carvedilol did not show a significant reduction in the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death (HR 0.917, 95% CI 0.501–1.678). Conclusions For patients with CKD and HFpEF, renin–angiotensin system inhibitors is associated with significant benefits in all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalization but has no significant effect on hospitalization for heart failure. The subgroup analysis of one RCT study focused on ARNI showed that although long-term treatment with sacubitril–valsartan may reduce the risk of hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death, more studies are needed to confirm that.

ObjectiveThe longitudinal risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) associated with subtypes of serrated polyps (SPs) remains incompletely understood.DesignThis community-based, case–control study included 317 178 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who underwent their first colonoscopy during 2006–2016. Nested within this population, we identified 695 cases of CRC and 3475 CRC-free controls (matched 5:1 to cases for age, sex and year of colonoscopy). Two expert pathologists reviewed the tissue slides of all SPs identified on the first colonoscopy and reclassified them to sessile serrated lesions (SSLs), hyperplastic polyps (HPs) and traditional serrated adenomas. SPs with borderline characteristics of SSLs but insufficient to make a definitive diagnosis were categorised as unspecified SPs. The association with development of CRC was assessed using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsCompared with individuals with no polyp, the adjusted ORs (aORs) for SSL alone or with synchronous adenoma were 2.9 (95% CI: 1.8 to 4.8) and 4.4 (95% CI: 2.7 to 7.2), respectively. The aORs for SSL with dysplasia, large proximal SSL,and small proximal SSL were 10.3 (95% CI: 2.1 to 50.3), 12.8 (95% CI: 3.5 to 46.9) and 1.9 (95% CI: 0.8 to 4.7), respectively. Proximal unspecified SP also conferred an increased risk (aOR: 5.8, 95% CI: 2.2 to 15.2). Women with SSL were associated with higher risk (aOR: 4.4; 95% CI: 2.3 to 8.2) than men (aOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 0.8 to 3.8).ConclusionIncreased risk of CRC was observed in individuals with SSLs, particularly large proximal ones or with dysplasia, supporting close endoscopic surveillance. Proximal unspecified SPs were also associated with increased risk of CRC and should be managed as SSLs.

Background: People with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease experience a high burden of hypertension, but the magnitude and consistency of blood pressure (BP) lowering with canagliflozin in this population are uncertain. Whether the effects of canagliflozin on kidney and cardiovascular outcomes vary by baseline BP or BP-lowering therapy is also unknown. Methods: The CREDENCE trial (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes with Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation) randomized people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease to canagliflozin or placebo. In a post hoc analysis, we investigated the effect of canagliflozin on systolic BP across subgroups defined by baseline systolic BP, number of BP-lowering drug classes, and history of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (BP ≥130/80 mm Hg while receiving ≥3 classes of BP-lowering drugs, including a diuretic). We also assessed whether effects on clinical outcomes differed across these subgroups. Results: The trial included 4401 participants, of whom 3361 (76.4%) had baseline systolic BP ≥130 mm Hg, and 1371 (31.2%) had resistant hypertension. By week 3, canagliflozin reduced systolic BP by 3.50 mm Hg (95% CI, –4.27 to –2.72), an effect maintained over the duration of the trial, with similar reductions across BP and BP-lowering therapy subgroups (all P interaction ≥0.05). Canagliflozin also reduced the need for initiation of additional BP-lowering agents during the trial (hazard ratio, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.61–0.75]). The effect of canagliflozin on kidney failure, doubling of serum creatinine, or death caused by kidney or cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.59–0.82]) was consistent across BP and BP-lowering therapy subgroups (all P interaction ≥0.35), as were effects on other key kidney, cardiovascular, and safety outcomes. Conclusions: In people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, canagliflozin lowers systolic BP across all BP-defined subgroups and reduces the need for additional BP-lowering agents. These findings support use of canagliflozin for end-organ protection and as an adjunct BP-lowering therapy in people with chronic kidney disease. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT02065791.

The polygonal scaled boundary finite element method (PSBFEM) is a novel method integrating the standard scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) and the polygonal mesh technique. This work discusses developing a PSBFEM framework within the commercial finite element software Abaqus. The PSBFEM is implemented by the User Element Subroutine (UEL) feature of the software. The details on the main procedures to interact with Abaqus, defining the UEL element, and solving the stiffness matrix by the eigenvalue decomposition are present. Moreover, we also develop the preprocessing module and the postprocessing module using the Python script to generate meshes automatically and visualize results. Several benchmark problems from two-dimensional linear elastostatics are solved to validate the proposed implementation. The results show that PSBFEM-UEL has significantly better than FEM convergence and accuracy rate with mesh refinement. The implementation of PSBFEM-UEL can conveniently use arbitrary polygon elements by the polygon/quadtree discretizations in the Abaqus. The developed UEL and the associated input files can be downloaded from https://github.com/hhupde/PSBFEM-Abaqus.

Yiwu, China, is the world’s largest consumer goods distribution center, and more than 2.1 million kinds of small commodities are sold all over the world. Cultural transfer refers to the process in which ideas, experience, skills and other cultural characteristics are transferred from one place to another. Due to the dual attributes of functional demand and cultural integration of products in international trade, the process of product trade is bound to be accompanied by the result of cultural transfer. In view of the urgent need for Yiwu small commodities to gain competitive advantages in international trade, according to the path of cultural transfer, using the idea, principle and technology of advantage design to put forward the advantages design strategies, such as the traceability design under the positive cultural transfer, the fusion design under the negative cultural transfer, and the system design under the two-way cultural transfer. And according to the market-oriented, forward-looking, dynamic and procedural attributes of design, the advantage design method based on the stage demand of the whole process in the future is constructed. At the same time, case studies of small commodities in international trade show that the design strategy has good application value. The research results of this paper have certain guiding significance and practical value for the future international trade of consumer goods to obtain competitive advantage, and will further improve the design level of China’s small commodities.

Nowadays, the development of information technology can be described as extremely rapid, especially with the widespread use of the Internet; the security of communications in the network has become an important issue we are facing. The purpose of this article is to solve the problems in today’s network security data encryption algorithms. Starting from the computer network communication security data encryption algorithm, we discuss the effects of several different encryption methods on improving network security. The research results show that it is known that the application of link encryption algorithm in network communication security encryption algorithm can increase the security index by 25%, the node encryption algorithm can increase the security index by 35%, and the end-to-end encryption algorithm can make the cyber activity safety index to increase by 40%. Among them, RSA algorithm and DES algorithm are two very representative algorithms; they represent different encryption systems. From the perspective of network data link, there are three methods of encryption algorithm, namely, link encryption algorithm, node encryption algorithm, and end-to-end encryption algorithm.

With the development of society and economy, the living space environment is becoming more and more perfect, people’s demand for product experience is higher and higher, “people-oriented” has gradually become the basic design concept in product design. As a product that people often come into contact with in daily life, the design of style, modeling and color matching should be gradually improved with the improvement of living space environment. Most of the general merchandise in China come from Yiwu. However, Yiwu’s department stores are seriously homogenized and of low quality. The priority of “cost-oriented” will not bring better experience to users. Moreover, it will leave a low-end impression on Yiwu general merchandise industry and affect its market competitiveness. In this paper, Yiwu general merchandise as the research object, from the perspective of user experience and user demand, using product identity (PI) design method, discusses the countermeasures to solve the existing problems in Yiwu general merchandise industry, and carries out enterprise and product image planning and design practice for individual Yiwu general merchandise department stores. Due to the large number of enterprises in Yiwu general merchandise industry, and the lack of practical breadth and immature theory of PI design, the existing problems in Yiwu general merchandise department store industry have not been fully solved. The research on PI design of Yiwu general merchandise department provides a new path to solve the problem of homogenization of Yiwu general merchandise department stores, enhance market competitiveness, improve user experience and impression, and enrich the research field of PI design theory.

With the new upsurge of China’s birth, the demand of baby stroller market also increases. As the object of use, infants and young children are direct users, and they pay attention to the fun of the stroller; adults are indirect users and purchase users, and they pay more attention to the safety, practicality, economy and convenience of the stroller. This paper studies how to carry out the multi-functional design of the portable baby carriage to meet the needs of consumers.

With the rapid development of the Internet, the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, virtual reality and other applications are emerging one after another. New applications have put forward higher requirements for satellite communications. The use of appropriate channel coding technology can optimize the transmission system. This article aims to discuss the satellite channel coding and modulation technology based on cloud computing, to achieve low error rate and strong anti-noise ability of the coding and modulation system under low signal-to-noise ratio. This paper proposes the application of high-performance LDPC codes to QPSK modulation systems commonly used in satellite communications to form a complete LDPC coded QPSK modulation baseband processing system, and comprehensive simulation and verification of the results show that the coded modulation system is better than uncoded The modulation system has a very high gain, the coded modulation scheme has a gain of 12 dB compared to the uncoded modulation system at a bit error rate of 10−7. The coded modulation system designed and implemented in this paper has strong anti-noise ability, low bit error rate and good stability. It is suitable for low signal-to-noise ratio environment such as satellite communication.

Nowadays, information resources have become the most important part of resources in the Internet era, and the problems of information security have become the research hotspot. Channel coding information hiding technology is a new type of information hiding technology, which has been widely studied in the field of communication, but there is little research on the application of spacecraft. Based on this, this paper studies a channel coding information hiding technology based on spacecraft application. In the research, this paper mainly uses the good randomness and security performance of chaotic sequences, applies them to the random coding of encrypted information, and realizes the hiding of encrypted information. In the simulation analysis, it can be found that the channel coding information hiding technology proposed in this paper has good encryption performance, and when the channel bit error rate is set to 5 × 10−3, the recovered information error rate is 0, and the encrypted information can be recovered without error.

The talk reviews progress on high-speed InGaAs/InP photodiodes on silicon-based photonic platforms. Recent results from heterogeneously integrated photodiodes based on adhesive die bonding and direct III-V material growth on Si will be discussed.

For space debris larger than 10cm in diameter, it is usually necessary to carry out an evasive maneuver. The traditional collision probability method has high probability of false or missing alarms and is difficult to coach the decision-making directly. A new decision method of the collision between spacecraft and debris is introduced with their spatial knowledge and tolerability. The complex spatial position error probability distribution is given in the rotated encounter coordinate system. For the cases of cost function known and constant false alarm probability, the minimax criterion and the N-P criterion are introduced respectively. The decision threshold and detection performance are given as well. The data of two examples of spacecraft collision events in history are used to verify the algorithm and the theoretical requirement for evasive performance is satisfied.

Background The discrepancy between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in clinical practice may be related to factors such as acute stress, renal dysfunction, and anemia, and its relationship with in-hospital outcomes is uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the type of discrepancy between HbA1c and FPG and in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and diabetes. Methods The Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China - Acute Coronary Syndrome (CCC-ACS) project is a national, hospital-based quality improvement project with an ongoing database. Patients with ACS, diabetes and complete HbA1c and FPG values at admission were included. The consistent group included patients with HbA1c 1c ≥ 6.5% and FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L. The discrepancy group included patients with HbA1c ≥ 6.5% and FPG 1c group) or HbA1c Results A total of 7762 patients were included in this study. The numbers of patients in the consistent and discrepancy groups were 5490 and 2272 respectively. In the discrepancy group, increased HbA1c accounted for 77.5% of discrepancies, and increased FPG accounted for 22.5% of discrepancies. After adjusting for confounders, patients in the increased FPG group had a 1.6-fold increased risk of heart failure (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.08–2.44), a 1.6-fold increased risk of composite cardiovascular death and heart failure (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.09–2.43), and a 1.6-fold increased risk of composite major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) and heart failure (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.08–2.24) compared to patients in the increased HbA1c group. Conclusions Patients with an increased FPG but normal HbA1c had a higher risk of in-hospital adverse outcomes than those with increased HbA1c but normal FPG. This result may indicate that when HbA1c and FPG are inconsistent in patients with ACS and diabetes, the increased FPG that may be caused by stress hyperglycemia may have a more substantial adverse effect than increased HbA1c, which may be caused by chronic hyperglycemia. These high-risk patients should be given more attention and closer monitoring in clinical practice. Trial registry Clinicaltrial.gov, NCT02306616. Registered 29 November 2014.

As the application of distributed energy reaching the national strategic level, China's nature gas distributed energy system (NG-DES) installed capacity has increased year by year. It's urgent to clarify the demand potential of NG-DES for further healthy development. There are four typical application scenarios of NG-DES: commercial complex, industrial park, residential building, and internet data center, This study summarizes the installable capacity for per energy-consuming area/rack in different scenarios from actual projects, and then calculates the energy demand potential of NG-DES in China in the period of 2020-2025. Research findings can provide valuable reference for rational and orderly development of NG-DES in China.

Background and Aims The incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) is increasing. Abnormal secretion of serum free light chains (sFLC) can lead to cast nephropathy and severe acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring haemodialysis (HD), which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. High cut-off (HCO) HD membranes demonstrate better sFLC clearance. However, their role in all-cause mortality and renal recovery remains uncertain. Method A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed examining all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies assessing the effect of high cut-off HD compared to conventional HD on clinical outcomes of patients with MM complicated by cast nephropathy induced-severe AKI. Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched until September 2019. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at the end of the study. The secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality at 12 months, haemodialysis independence at 3, 6 and 12 months, biopsy-proven haematologic responses at 90 days and sFLC (kappa and lambda) reduction. Random effect models were used to pool relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for individual studies. Results The search identified 5 studies including 276 patients with a mean follow-up of 18.7 months. There were 2 RCTs and 3 retrospective cohort studies. Compared with patients treated with conventional HD, patients on HCO dialysis did not show survival benefits at 12 months (4 studies, 186 patients, RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.46-1.36), or at the end of the study (5 studies, 276 patients, RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.60-1.25). Although survival benefits at the end of study (3 studies, 88 patients, RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.45-0.90) were seen in observational studies, no differences in all-cause mortality was seen in RCTs (2 studies, 188 patients, RR 1.31; 95% CI 0.50-3.46). Likewise, although the pooled data from the observational studies demonstrated significantly higher rates of HD independence at 90 days (2 trials, 78 patients, RR 2.23; 95% CI 1.09-4.55), this difference disappeared when the data from RCTs were included to the analysis (4 studies, 266 patients, RR 1.28; 95% CI 0.95-1.73). There was no difference in HD Independence at 6 months (2 studies, 188 patients, RR 1.19; 95% CI 0.68-2.06), and 12 months (2 studies, 188 patients, RR 1.14; 95% CI 0.58-2.26) between these two therapies. Patients receiving HCO dialysis, however, had significantly better biopsy-proven haematologic response at 90 days by 40% (3 studies, 176 patients, RR 1,40; 95% CI 1.13-1.74) and a significantly higher kappa light chain reduction (2 studies, 188 patients, standardized mean difference (SMD) 2.37; 95% CI 1.99-2.75; I2 = 0%). Overall, the majority of the studies were of suboptimal quality and underpowered. Conclusion Current evidence from RCTs and observational studies suggest HCO dialysis provides haematological benefits but makes no significant improvement in all-cause mortality and renal outcomes, compared to conventional HD for patients with multiple myeloma associated cast nephropathy. However, there is a trend towards better renal outcomes, therefore further large-scale RCTs are needed to assess the effect of HCO dialysis on clinical outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma complicated by cast-nephropathy.

Objective To evaluate the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and the development of thoracic deformity in Children. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed with the medical records of 39 pediatric OSAS patients with thoracic deformity and matching 39 without thoracic deformity as control group between January 2015 and June 2019. The contrast was performed with age, gender, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), the lowest oxyhemoglobin saturation (loSpO2)at night, tonsil and adenoid size, Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)and trace elements and metals between two groups. Results BMI, AHI, the lowest SpO2, Phosphorus and Zinc were the risk factors of thoracic deformity. Age, gender, disease history, the size of tonsil and adenoid, ALP and other trace elements were no significant difference occurred between two groups. Conclusion OSAS characterized by apnea and hypoxia which are caused by narrow upper airway may be one cause of thoracic deformity in children. Pediatricians, thoracic and otolaryngologic surgeons should be alert to OSAS when thoracic deformities are diagnosed in children.

Introduction: Recently, treatment with proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulators has improved the prognosis of multiple myeloma (MM). However, in a complex real-world situation, the patient’s ability to undergo regular and timely treatment as prescribed in clinical trials has not been studied, as well as the impact of extended treatment intervals due to different reasons. This study aimed to evaluate the treatment interval and clinical characteristics of 122 patients with primary myeloma in our hospital and explore the prognostic effects of different treatment intervals. Methods: In total, 122 patients with MM were analyzed retrospectively in our hospital from January 2007 to June 2018. The clinical and laboratory data (such as age, International Staging System [ISS] stage, chromosome, etc.) and subsequent treatment intervals were analyzed. The Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival. The Kaplan-Meier method was used in survival analysis, and the log-rank test was used to test survival difference. p < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: We found that prolonging the interval treatments (>28 days) shortened the OS in the younger and high-risk subgroups. On the contrary, the OS of the older and low-risk subgroups was not shortened. OS was also shortened in patients who were suitable for transplantation but did not receive a transplant. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that extension of treatment interval was a risk factor for OS shortening. In addition, prolonged treatment interval was due to iatrogenic and family reasons. Conclusion: Extended treatment interval is unfavorable in young and high-risk MM patients and those suitable for transplantation but who did not receive a transplant. However, it has a faint impact on the elderly and low-risk subgroups.

We have realized the 2-µm wavelength detection based on the two-photon absorption from a commercial C-band FP laser at the −1 V bias. The 0.2 µA photocurrent can be observed benefiting from the cavity resonance. © 2020 The Author(s)

Alleviating traffic congestion and developing sustainable transportation systems in a city can be assisted by promoting environmentally friendly transportation modes such as walking, cycling, and public transport. Strategies for promoting these desirable transportation modes can be identified based on a sound understanding of how commuters choose travel modes. In this study, multi-day commuting travel mode data was used to explore factors that influenced commute mode choice. A multinomial logit model and a binary logit model were proposed to study commuter travel behavior. The results showed the following. (1) Age, gender, and marriage indirectly influence the commute mode choice, (2) The cost of travel mode has little effect on commute mode choice, (3) The probability of commute mode change mainly influences the car mode choice, (4) The number of transfer times and the distance to the nearest public transport stations are main factors that restrict commuters from choosing public transport, (5) The number of bicycles in the family and commute distance are main factors that restrict commuters from choosing cycling for commuting. Based on these findings, several potential measures are demonstrated to policymakers and transportation planners to alleviate traffic congestion and develop sustainable transportation systems.

We demonstrate InGaAs/InP modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes on Si3N4 waveguides with 20 GHz bandwidth and record-high external (internal) responsivities of 0.8 A/W (0.94 A/W) and 0.33 A/W (0.83 A/W) at 1550 nm and 1064 nm, respectively. Balanced photodiodes have 10 GHz bandwidth.

Bridge vehicle load is an important parameter that is relevant to the construction and maintenance stages of a bridge. In recent years, a large number of orthotropic steel deck bridges have been built in China, and it is urgent to establish a fatigue load model that reflects the actual traffic conditions of the bridges. This study has investigated the variation of vehicles over time on four grades of road (expressway, first-class highway, second-class highway and urban main road) according to the weight-in-motion (WIM) data. Subsequently, the statistical model was established in terms of speed, axle weight, and gross weight of vehicle (GVW) acting on the four grades of road. Finally, a fatigue load model of vehicles on the four grades of road was established based on a two-stage method. The results show that (1) the speed of vehicle on the four grades of road obeys the unimodal distribution; (2) the GVW of two- and three-axle vehicles on the four grades of road belongs to the t-distribution and the log-normal distribution, respectively; (3) the GVW of four- and five-axle vehicles on expressways is a finite mixed distribution, whereas the GVW of four- and five-axle vehicles on the remain three grades of road obeys the log-logistic and log-normal distribution respectively; (4) the GVW of six- and above axle vehicles on expressways and second-class highways obeys a finite mixed distribution with two variables, whereas that on first-class and urban main roads obeys the log-normal distribution; (5) the axle weight of standard fatigue vehicles differs remarkably on different grades of roads, which is difficult to describe the fatigue damage in a uniform standard fatigue vehicle.

Inflammatory injury and neuronal apoptosis participate in the period of early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Suppression of inflammation has recently been shown to reduce neuronal death and neurobehavioral dysfunction post SAH. Biochanin A (BCA), a natural bioactive isoflavonoid, has been confirmed to emerge the anti-inflammatory pharmacological function. This original study was aimed at evaluating and identifying the neuroprotective role of BCA and the underlying molecular mechanism in an experimental Sprague-Dawley rat SAH model. Neurobehavioral function was evaluated via the modified water maze test and modified Garcia neurologic score system. Thus, we confirmed that BCA markedly decreased the activated level of TLRs/TIRAP/MyD88/NF-κB pathway and the production of cytokines. BCA also significantly ameliorated neuronal apoptosis which correlated with the improvement of neurobehavioral dysfunction post SAH. These results indicated that BCA may provide neuroprotection against EBI through the inhibition of inflammatory injury and neuronal apoptosis partially via the TLRs/TIRAP/MyD88/NF-κB signal pathway.

Aligning the orientation of Mounting Bases (MB) of sensors/weapons relative to the aircraft’s reference datum, namely aircraft boresighting, is an important but tough task in aircraft assembly. A prototype MOnocular-Vision-based Aircraft Boresight (MOVAB) System, including a CCD camera and several Boresight Units (BU), is developed. The relative orientations of the MBs are obtained by capturing only one image of the BUs, which are mounted on the MBs. A BU is devised including a Visual Target Panels (VTP) with Infrared Light Emitting Diodes (ILED) as targets, an adapter which represents the MB and a bracket which bridges the VTP and the adapter. Since the camera of the MOVAB has a large working volume (i.e. large field of view and large depth of field), it is hard to make a calibration object large enough to guarantee the camera calibration accuracy. To this end, a new camera calibration method is proposed, which is based on the images taken from multiple perspectives of a 3D virtual calibration target generated with the aid of a coordinate measuring machine. The exact positions of the ILEDs on the VTP are calibrated based on the multiple view geometry principle. To recover the absolute metric of the layout of the target points, two auxiliary target points with known separation are constructed by means of accurate movement and are incorporated in the photogrammetry process. A concise yet effective procedure is proposed to calculate the relative attitude between the VTP and the adapter. It only needs to move the BU along two perpendicular lines and take images. The trio calibration is experimentally validated, and the aligning result from the MOVAB is compared to that a high-precision laser tracker.