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Objective: Recently, several studies have found that obesity had a protective effect against varicocele, but no meta-analysis has confirmed this finding. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and varicocele. Material and Methods: We searched for studies in PubMed, Science Direct and the Cochrane Library from inception until February 2018. The association between BMI and varicocele was assessed by pooling the odds ratios (ORs). Results: Eleven eligible studies with a total study population of 1.376.658 participants were included in our analysis. According to BMI, the subjects were defined as belonging to the obese, overweight and underweight groups. Our results showed that the obese group had a lower risk of varicocele when compared with the normal weight group (odds ratio [OR] 0.46, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 0.37-0.58). Additionally, an overweight BMI had a protective effect against varicocele (OR 0.70, 95% CIs, 0.56-0.86). However, underweight patients had a more than 30% higher risk of varicocele (OR 1.31, 95% CI, 1.04-1.64). Furthermore, there was no publication bias in any of the analyses. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that BMI is negatively associated with the presence of varicocele.

To evaluate the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection upon metabolic and inflammatory parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 72 patients with T2DM were included in the study. These patients were divided into two groups as H. pylori infection positive or negative. For each patient, the following data were collected: age, gender, duration of diabetics, anti-diabetic treatment, the body mass index (BMI), and laboratory parameters (lipid profile, GLU, HbA1c, HCY, HsCRP, ghrelin, leptin, leukocyte, and platelet counts). Totally 47 patients (65.28%) were H. pylori positive and 25 patients (34.72%) were H. pylori negative. Diabetic patients infected by H. pylori showed significantly increased Lpa (297.83 ± 299.51 vs 154.24 ± 83.63, p 7% were found to be H. pylori positive and 44.4% of the patients with HbA1c ≤ 7% were H. pylori positive. The levels of other parameters were not significantly different between two groups (p > 0.05), although CRP levels determined by high-sensitivity assay showed mild and variable increases in H. pylori infection. H. pylori affects glycemic control in T2DM and might promote the development of diabetes.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an important angiogenic factor. The VEGF rebound induced by hypoxia following transarterial embolization/chemoembolization for primary liver cancer is associated with treatment failure and poor survival rates in patients. The present study investigated the ability of intermittent hypoxia to alleviate the acute hypoxia-induced increase of VEGF and decrease the pro-angiogenic potential of liver cancer cells. The liver cancer cells were exposed to normoxia, or acute or intermittent hypoxia, and the expression of VEGF was determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and western blotting. The pro-angiogenic effects of acute or intermittent hypoxia-exposed liver cancer cells on endothelial cells were assessed in vitro and in vivo. The expression of VEGF in the liver cancer cells exposed to intermittent hypoxia was significantly lower than that in cells exposed to acute hypoxia. Compared with conditioned medium (CM) from acute hypoxia-exposed liver cancer cells, the CM from intermittent hypoxia-exposed liver cancer cells showed markedly less promotion of proliferation and tube formation in endothelial cells. Activation of the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/NF-κB/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/VEGF signaling pathway was increased in the liver cancer cells exposed to acute hypoxia. Exposure to ROS scavenger N-acetyl-cysteine or NF-κB inhibitor PDTC inhibited the activation of the above pathway and the expression of VEGF induced by acute hypoxia. The in vivo pro-angiogenic effects of intermittent hypoxia-exposed liver cancer cells on endothelial cells were significantly reduced compared with those of acute hypoxia-exposed liver cancer cells. Intermittent hypoxia may alleviate the acute hypoxia-induced increase of VEGF and decrease the pro-angiogenic potential of liver cancer cells, suggesting a novel treatment strategy.

BackgroundAcute plastic deformation of forearm is rare in adults, current treatments have different disadvantages. This article to report a new treating to adult acute plastic bowing of the forearm. MethodsWe report one adult case which diagnosis of acute plastic bowing of the forearm, and display a new treatment to this injury, 3D-printing preoperative planning and radius osteotomy external fixation. ResultsThe case achieved full range of movement. Conclusions3D-printing preoperative planning and radius osteotomy external fixation is more effective, safe,exact and easy to conduct.

The efficacy of chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unsatisfactory, primarily due to inherent self‑defense mechanisms (e.g., mitophagy and autophagy). In the present study, we aimed to explore the pro‑apoptotic effects of targeting mitophagy to potentiate the efficacy of chemotherapy for HCC. HCC cells were subjected to cisplatin, after which cisplatin‑induced mitophagy was quantified by immunofluorescence. Mdivi‑1, a specific dynamin‑related protein 1 (DRP1) inhibitor, was used to study the role of DRP1 in cisplatin‑induced HCC mitophagy. The synergistic effect of cisplatin and the DRP1 inhibitor on HCC was assessed in vitro and in vivo. Accordingly, cisplatin induced mitophagy in surviving HCC cells by activating DRP1. The DRP1 inhibitor (Mdivi‑1) increased the apoptosis of cisplatin‑treated HCC cells by targeting mitophagy. Mechanistically, Mdivi‑1 upregulated Bax and downregulated Bcl‑xL, leading to an increase in mitochondrial membrane permeability and subsequent release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol, thereby aggravating cisplatin‑induced apoptosis in HCC cells. Moreover, Mdivi‑1 acted synergistically with cisplatin to suppress HCC xenograft growth in vivo. Our results indicate that targeting cisplatin‑mediated mitophagy increases HCC apoptosis via DRP1 inhibition, providing preclinical proof of concept for combination therapy targeting mitophagy to potentiate the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Jigging is one of the common methods for coal beneficiations. There are many factors affecting the jigging process, the three main factors consist of material characteristics, jig structure, and op...

A size-efficient tunable metamaterial absorber (MA) composed of metallic leaf-shaped cell, graphene layer, silicon substrate, and bottom metal film is investigated theoretically and numerically at near-infrared (NIR) regions. Simulation results reveal that the single-band high absorption of 91.9% is obtained at 1268.7 nm. Further results show that the single-band can be simply changed into dual-band high absorption by varying the geometric parameters of top metallic layer at same wavelength regions, yielding two high absorption coefficients of 96.6% and 95.3% at the wavelengths of 1158.7 nm and 1323.6 nm, respectively. And the effect of related geometric parameter on dual-band absorption intensities is also investigated to obtain the optimized one. The peak wavelength can be tuned via modifying the Fermi energy of the graphene layer through controlling the external gate voltage. The work shows that the proposed strategy can be applied to other design of the dual-band structure at infrared regions. Keywords: Metamaterial, Graphene-based, Size-efficient, Dual-band high absorption

Along with the serious issue of energy and environment, most countries around world manage to develop smart grid. The microgrid, considered as an effective way for distributed generation (DG) to connect with electric power grid, plays an important role to smart grid. Renewable energy is main part of microgrid, but renewable energy cannot supply stable energy to grid. This instability makes bad influence on load protection and microgrid regulation. Therefore, optimization of microgrid is urgent to solve. This article analyses relationship between positions and number of micro sources and distribution system resilience. Moreover, there is calculation method of power network resilience designed.

Background: Microscopic residual tumor often occurs after thermal ablation for medium-large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), leading to early aggressive recurrence or late relapse during follow-up. The mechanism how microscopic residual HCC cells survive sublethal heat stress and develop rapid outgrowth remains poorly understood. Methods: HCC cells were exposed to sublethal heat treatment and co-cultured with conditioned media from activated HSCs (HSC-CM). Changes of cell proliferation, parameters of cell autophagy and activation of signaling pathways in heat-treated residual HCC cells were analyzed. An HCC orthotopic model was subjected to partial thermal ablation and antitumor effects of a combined treatment regimen were studied. Results: HCC cells survived sublethal heat stress via activation of autophagy. HSC-CM enhanced autophagic survival within 24 h and then promoted proliferation of heat-treated residual HCC cells through HGF/c-Met signaling. Inhibition of autophagy or c-Met increased apoptosis of heat-treated residual HCC cells and reversed the protective effect of HSC-CM. HGF modulated biological status in autophagic survival or proliferation of heat-treated residual HCC through HGF/c-Met/ERK signaling and downstream components of ATG5/Beclin1 or cyclinD1. In an animal model, inhibiting autophagy in combination with c-Met inhibitor significantly thwarted tumor progression of residual HCC after incomplete thermal ablation via the suppressed autophagy, the decreased proliferation and the increased apoptosis. Conclusions: Activated HSCs promote progression of residual HCC cells after sublethal heat treatment from autophagic survival to proliferation via HGF/c-Met signaling. A combined treatment regimen of inhibiting autophagy and c-Met signaling could be used to suppress tumor progression of residual HCC after incomplete thermal ablation.

In this work, a magneto-acousto-electrial tomography (MAET) method based on laser-generated ultrasound excitation was proposed for high-spatial-resolution images of the impedance of conductive media. Optically generated ultrasound is reported with broad bandwidth and insensitive to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Composite films were used as the optoacoustic sources, which composed of candle soot (CS) and elastomeric polymers. To characterize the laser-generated ultrasonic waves, laser Doppler vibrometer was adopted as the detecting device making the system totally optical while maintaining millimeter-level resolution and detective depths of several centimeter. Photoacoustic waves were then introduced to a sample of different conductivity distribution by laser-generated ultrasound transmitter at one point and detected by a pair of electrodes on the surface of the sample. Due to the absence of EMI between acoustic excitation and magnetic field, the combination of non-electronic ultrasound generator and low-cost, non-invasive MAET have shown its great capacity for effective early tumor assessment.

In the field of industrial automation, the traditional master/slave real-time data processing (SCADA) system has been unable to deal with the current massive data and diversified business demands in throughput, real-time and scalability. This paper presents a decentralized real-time data space, based decentralized management SCADA cluster solutions for the treatment of object partitioning, distributed real-time data processing, dynamic data migration and decentralized real-time data management are discussed. At last, the scheme is applied to develop the system an-d verify it.

The infrared polarization-insensitive absorber, which is composed of dendritic metal, graphene layer, silicon dioxides layer, gallium arsenide substrate, and metal plate, is investigated theoretically and numerically. The tunability can be realized by loading a graphene layer into the structure. The position of absorption peak can be tuned by manipulating the graphene’s Fermi energy. Compared with the previously reported graphene-based absorbers, the system has the advantage of temperature-independent high absorption. The results indicate that the proposed absorber can be used in the applications of the refractive index sensor with a sensitivity of 587.8 nm/refractive index unit and temperature-insensitive infrared absorber.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may suffer from comorbid neuropsychiatric symptoms including mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Although comorbidity of MCI is common, there are currently no validated plasma biomarkers to aid MCI diagnosis. This study screened plasma from patients with RA with and without comorbid MCI to identify potential biomarkers useful in the differential diagnosis of comorbid MCI. Plasma samples were collected from patients with RA without comorbid MCI, with comorbid MCI, and from healthy controls. Plasma samples were examined by tandem mass tags (TMT) combined with two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2D-LC-MSMS) to analyze protein expression. Differentially expressed proteins were identified by bioinformatics and validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 746 reliable proteins and 158 differentially expressed proteins were identified. Fourteen patients with RA-MCI showed differential protein expression (six proteins upregulated and eight proteins downregulated) compared with those patients without MCI and with healthy controls. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the differentially expressed proteins were primarily involved in biological processes, such as cell adhesion, coagulation, apoptosis, and body fluid regulation. The results of the ELISA experiments, similar to those of the proteomic analysis, demonstrated that sonic hedgehog (SHH) was upregulated and serum paraoxonase (TTR) was downregulated in patients with RA-MCI. These results indicate that SHH and TTR may be candidate plasma biomarkers that could be used to distinguish patients with RA and comorbid MCI from those without comorbid MCI.

BackgroundIn China, the local health insurance coverage is usually related to timely reimbursement of hypertensive care in primary care settings, while health insurance that is not local could represent an obstacle for accessibility and affordability of primary care for hypertensive patients.ObjectiveTo investigate whether local health insurance schemes have a positive impact on hypertension management and control.DesignWe performed an on-site, face-to-face, patients survey in community health centres (CHCs) in Shenzhen, China.Setting and participantsHypertensive patients seeking healthcare from CHCs were selected as study participants using a systematic sampling design.Main measuresWe obtained information about insurance status, social capital, drug treatment and control of hypertension. Multivariable stepwise logistic regression models were constructed to test the associations between insurance status and hypertension management, as well as insurance status and social capital.ResultsA total of 867 participants were included in the final study analysis. We found that the participants covered by local insurance schemes were more likely to be managed in primary care facilities (61.1% vs 81.9%; OR=2.58, 95% CI: 1.56 to 4.28), taking antihypertensive drugs (77.2% vs 88.0%; OR=2.23, 95% CI: 1.37 to 3.62) and controlling blood pressure (43.0% vs 52.4%; OR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.03 to 2.07) when compared with those with insurance coverage that is not local. The participants covered by local insurance schemes reported a higher score of perceived generalised trust than those without (4.23 vs 3.97; OR=0.74, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.86).ConclusionOur study demonstrates that local health insurance coverage could help improve management and control of hypertension in a primary care setting. Policymakers suggest initiating social interventions for better management and control of hypertension at the primary care level, although the causal pathways across insurance status, social capital and control of hypertension deserve further investigations.

In the view of making the full use and distribution of spacecraft power system energy, based on task requirements of the PV-BAT system under different fault models, the grid-tied converter's performance are verified, the function of the grid-tied controller in role of the energy converting are determined, for all kinds of energy conversion in the spacecraft, reference experience are provided.

Background Because of limitations of the esophageal balloon technique, the value of using esophageal pressure (Pes)-guided end-expiratory transpulmonary pressure (PL-exp) to maintain lung recruitment in adult respiratory distress syndrome is controversial. This study aimed to investigate whether tailoring PL-exp to greater than 0 was enough to maintain lung recruitment. Methods Ten pigs with severe lavage-induced lung injury were mechanically ventilated in a decremental positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) trial that was reduced from 20 to 6 cm H2O after full-lung recruitment. Respiratory mechanics, blood gases, hemodynamic data, and whole-lung computed tomography scans were recorded at each PEEP level. Open-lung PEEP (OL-PEEP) was determined by computed tomography, while Pes-guided PEEP (Pes-PEEP) was to maintain PL-exp greater than 0. Results OL-PEEP was higher than Pes-PEEP, which induced a higher PL-exp at OL-PEEP than at Pes-PEEP (4.6 [1.6] cm H2O vs. 1.2 [0.6] cm H2O, p < 0.001). Compared with OL-PEEP, the nonaerated lung region was significantly increased at Pes-PEEP. Superimposed pressure (SP) of the lung tissue between the esophageal plane and the dorsal level was higher at Pes-PEEP than at OL-PEEP, whereas PL-exp at the dorsal level was lower at Pes-PEEP than at OL-PEEP (-1.5 [0.7] cm H2O vs. 2.5 [1.5] cm H2O, p < 0.001). The SP correlated with PL-exp at the dorsal level and the nonaerated lung region. Conclusion In this surfactant-depleted model, maintaining PL-exp just greater than 0 using Pes was unable to maintain lung recruitment; this was partly caused by a lack of compensation for the increased SP between the esophageal plane and the dorsal level. © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Background The prone position (PP) improves ventilation homogeneity in acute respiratory distress syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the alleviation of ventilation inhomogeneity in PP was due to changes in regional lung compliance. Methods Ten lung-lavaged piglets were mechanically ventilated in supine position (SP) and in PP. In each position, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) was reduced from 20 to 6 cmH2O in steps of 2 cmH2O every 10 min after full lung recruitment. Respiratory mechanics, blood gas, haemodynamic data and whole-lung computed tomography scans were recorded at each PEEP. The compliances of normally aerated (C normal) and newly recruited (C recruited) lung regions were calculated. Open lung PEEP (OL-PEEP) was defined as the lowest PEEP to maintain full lung recruitment. Results At OL-PEEP, PP significantly increased normally aerated lung regions, decreased poorly aerated and hyperinflated lung regions and decreased tidal recruitment and hyperinflation. C normal was significantly reduced in PP compared with SP (12.8 ± 4.2 ml/cmH2O vs. 20.1 ± 6.2 ml/cmH2O, P

This commentary briefly reviews work on the application of case-based reasoning (CBR) to the design and construction of machine-learning approaches and computer-based teaching systems. The CBR cognitive model is at the core of constructivist learning approaches such as Goal-Based Scenarios and Learning by Design. Case libraries can play roles as intelligent resources while learning and frameworks for articulating one understands. More recently, CBR techniques have been applied to design and construction of simulation-based learning systems and serious games. The main ideas of CBR are explained and pointers to relevant references are provided, both for finished work and on-going research.

Aim at high-to-float high-ash fine coal with large content of granules, in order to reduce pollution of carried fine slime to quality of concentrate coal, soluble glass, sodium hexametaphosphate and cornstarch these three kinds of regulators were choosen to carry out flotation reducing ash experiment. Result showed that, cause of poor selectivity of fine coal is mainly small quality, big surface area and the poor dispersion of fine coal. When sodium hexametaphosphate dosage is 1500g/t, the kerosene dosage is 370g/t, the foam beater GF dosage is 150g/t, production rate of concentrate coal is 57.69%，and ash content of concentrate coal is 12.04%. Under the same condition, separation index of sodium hexametaphosphate as regulator is superior to cornstarch and soluble glass.

As for certain high ash and difficult floatable fine coal, the coal quality characteristic is the frangible and easyly-clayed main gangue mineral kaolinite, and the high content of fine-grade and intermediate density grade materials. In order to reduce tiny slimes pollution and to increase quality and recovery rate of concentrate, we used cyclonic-static micro-bubble flotation column and XFD-3 flotation machine to experiment on separation process. It probed into re-concentration after grinding rough refined coal, classified flotation process and selective agglomeration-flotation process these three technical processes. The comparison of flotation machine test result showed that, using the flotation column as separation equipment, process of re-concentration after grinding rough refined coal could obtain the best refined coal accumulation index. When medicaments dosage is kerosene 800 g/t, GF 300 g/t, and sodium hexametaphosphate 1500g/t, refined coal production rate of flotation column is 59.47% and ash content is 10.63%.

Bessel beam is an important member of the family of non-diffracting beams and has some unique properties which can be used in many areas, such as micro particle manipulating, material processing and optical communication. However, the source of Bessel beam generated by the existing methods can be used only in a short distance due to its low power. In this paper, according to the coherent combining technology, we propose a method to generate a second-order Bessel-Gaussian (BG) beam by loading discrete vortex phase on specific spatially distributed Gaussian beam array. The coherent combining technology can enhance the output power by increasing the number of beams and use the phase-locking technique to maintain the beam quality. The experimental scheme is described as follows. The expanded Gaussian beam is first split by an amplitude-based spatial light modulator, then the Gaussian beam array is incident on a phase-only spatial light modulator to load the discrete vortex phase, and finally the Gaussian beam array loaded with phase can synthesize BG beam in free space. Due to the diffraction effect of the sub-beams, the optical field distribution between the adjacent sub-beams which are loaded with phase differences, are superimposed. As a result, the optical field distribution of the approximate beam can be obtained by coherent synthesis in free space. After that, the degree of similarity between simulated results and theoretical data is analyzed by correlation coefficient, including the comparison of light intensity between experiment and simulation, and the power-in-the-bucket is used to evaluate beam quality. In addition, the topological charge of the synthesized BG beams is verified by the interference method. By studying the number of beams, the waist radius and the radius of the ring, we find some interesting results which are summarized as follows. Firstly, the closed arrangement of Gaussian beam arrays can improve the quality of the synthesized BG beam. Secondly, the smaller the phase difference between the sub-beams, the more easily the discontinuous piston phase approaches to the vortex phase. Therefore, increasing the number of sub-beams can significantly improve the beam quality of the synthesized BG beam and obtain a higher order synthetic BG beam. Finally, we define the parameter k to represent the tightness of a circular array of Gaussian beams. The present study shows that when the parameter k is close to 1, the best experimental results can be obtained. Therefore, the proposed method has important guidance in generating various vortex beams or enhancing the vortex beam power.

Image fusion can obtain the richer level and detail information, which is beneficial to the effective acquisition of the detection target information. It is of great significance in applications including 3D reconstruction of space targets. A multi-exposure image fusion method that the non-linear compression of information entropy was used to determine the image fusion weight and the bilateral filter residual was introduced to enhance the weight of the weak texture for the wide dynamic range of space objects proposed. It effectively increased the feature information of the image and the number of 3D reconstruction cloud points. The space object imaging experiment was carried out by using the fusion method. The number of reconstructed point clouds obtained was improved by 35% compared with well-exposure and the reconstruction results were better than other methods. The results show that 3D reconstruction algorithm based on image sequence combined with image fusion could effectively enhance the reconstructed image information and avoid the adverse effects of illumination conditions on the three-dimensional reconstruction of the target, resulting in high quality reconstruction effect, the method can be well applied to the three-dimensional reconstruction of space targets based on image sequences.

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) is a new method to detect trace-gas qualitatively or quantificationally based on the scan characteristic of the diode laser to obtain the absorption spectroscopy in the characteristic absorption region. A time-sharing scanning open-path TDLAS system using two near infrared distributed feedback (DFB) tunable diode lasers is designed to detect CH4 and H2S in leakage of natural gas. A low-cost Fresnel lens is used in this system as receiving optics which receives the laser beam reflected by a solid corner cube reflector with a distance of up to about 60 m. High sensitivity is achieved by means of wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection. The minimum detection limits of 1.1 ppm·m for CH4 and 15 ppm·m for H2S are demonstrated with a total optical path of 120 m. The simulation monitoring experiment of nature gas leakage was carried out with this system. According to the receiving light efficiency of optical system and detectable minimum light intensity of detection, the detectable optical path of the system can achieve 1-2 km. The sensor is suitable for natural gas leakage monitoring application.

Operational plan generated by case-based reasoning (OP-CBR) is based on reusing past successful plans for solving new problems. OP-CBR is particularly useful in environments where the large amount of time required to traverse extensive search spaces makes traditional planning techniques unsuitable. In particular, in real-time domains, past plans need to be retrieved and adapted in real time and efficient plan adaptation techniques are required. We have developed real time adaptation techniques for case based planning and specifically applied them to the OP-CBR system. In our framework, when a plan is retrieved, a plan dependency graph is inferred to capture the relations between actions in the plan suggested by that case. The case is then adapted in real-time using its plan dependency graph. This allows the system to create and adapt plans in an efficient and effective manner while performing the task. Our techniques have been implemented in the OP-CBR system [1]. We analyze our approach and prove that the complexity of the plan adaptation stage is polynomial in the size of the plan. We also provide bounds on the final size of the adapted plan under certain assumptions.

According to the fact that the decision-making of surface vessels is more and more complicated, based on the military process of decision-making of surface vessels, using soft engineering, from the view of system science, this article expounds the complexity of the command architecture and decision-making of surface vessels, then analyzes the process of consultation decision, at last, it establishes the architecture of shipboard decision-making software model based on the DCD. It is very useful not only for furthering the theoretical system of shipboard decision-making software, but also for the research on warfare software.

Structure ontology characteristic of blogosphere is one of the hot topics in social computing. It has an important research value for blog dissemination, blog community discovery, blog mining etc. From the empirical research on a number of blogospheres in the real world, we find that the blogosphere is characterized by local centralized large-scale complex social network, whose characteristic is closely related to blog channel, and composed of multiple discrete small social networks. The previous methods by using structure reductionism or functional reductionism cannot fully explain the evolution and development of the blogosphere. Based on the structure ontological viewpoint, This paper presents the blogosphere is composed of belief space, group space and content space. The content space is a information network, the group space is a network of relationships, the belief space is a cultural network, among of which, each one has endogenous rules of evolution, and also interacts with each other, under the common actions of the downward causal relationship and the upward causal relationship, it shows a wealth of structural features.

Background: In the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lung-protective ventilation strategies combine the delivery of small tidal volumes (VT) with sufficient positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). However, an optimal approach guiding the setting of PEEP has not been defined. Monitoring volumetric capnography is useful to detect changes in lung aeration. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether volumetric capnography may be a useful method to determine the optimal PEEP in ARDS. Methods: In 8 lung-lavaged piglets, PEEP was reduced from 20 to 4 cm H2O in steps of 4 cm H2O every 10 min followed by full lung recruitment. Volumetric capnography, respiratory mechanics, blood gas analysis, hemodynamic data and whole-lung computed tomography scans were obtained at each PEEP level. Results: After lung recruitment, end-expiratory lung volume progressively decreased from 1,160 ± 273 ml at PEEP 20 cm H2O to 314 ± 86 ml at PEEP 4 cm H2O. The ratio of alveolar dead space (VDalv) to alveolar VT (VTalv) and the phase III slope of volumetric capnography (SIII) reached a minimum at PEEP 16 cm H2O. At this PEEP level, overaerated lung regions were significantly reduced, nonaerated lung regions did not increase, and partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood/fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F) and static respiratory system compliance (Crs) reached a maximum. At PEEP levels 2O, nonaerated lung regions significantly increased, P/F and Crs deteriorated, and VDalv/VTalv and SIII began to increase. Conclusions: In this surfactant-depleted model, PEEP at the lowest VDalv/VTalv and SIII allows an optimal balance between lung overinflation and collapse. Hence, volumetric capnography is a useful bedside approach to identify the optimal PEEP.

Four-petal Gaussian beam is a special type of Gaussian beam, and its propagation properties are widely used in micro optics, optical communication and splitting technology. Recently, the generations and the properties of different types of hollow beams have become a hot research topic, such as research on hollow optical vortex beams. The Gyrator transform can be used to fulfill the mode conversion of laser beam. In this paper, based on the Gyrator transform, the analytical expression of four-petal Gaussian beam passing through such a transform system is derived, and the intensity distribution and the corresponding phase distribution associated with the transforming four-petal Gaussian beam are analyzed by numerical simulations. It is found that the four-petal Gaussian beam can be transformed into rectangular hollow beam by Gyrator transform, under the appropriate conditions of the beam order, the beam parameter, the transform angle of Gyrator transform, and the waist width. For the beam order n=m=3, the transform angle of Gyrator transform = 0.4133, the beam parameter K=30, and the waist width = 0.9, the rectangular hollow optical vortex beams can be obtained. Under such conditions, the maximum intensities appear in the four corners, and they are almost uniform on the four sides. The effects of the beam parameters, the transform angle, and the beam order on the distributions of intensity and phase of the rectangular hollow beam are analyzed in detail. The numerical results show that for the beam parameter K10, the rectangular hollow beam always is obtained, and for a lager beam parameter, the intensity distribution of the rectangular hollow beam is more uniform. Different beam order generates different type of hollow beam. For example, for n=m = 2, = 1.2, K = 30, and = 0.5409, a new strange circular hollow beam with solid circular nucleus can be obtained. The transform angle of Gyrator transform has a significant effect on the energy distribution of the hollow beam. When the transform angle changes in a small range, the uniformity of the intensity distribution of the rectangular hollow beam is lost. The bigger the transform angle change, the more serious the loss of uniformity of the hollow beam intensity is. The size of the hollow beam bright ring is determined by the waist width of the four-petal Gaussian beam: the larger the waist width, the smaller the bright ring is. The results further enriches the applications of Gyrator transform system and the four-petal Gaussian beam in the beam shaping.

In this paper, a system of wireless energy transfer based on resonant coupling is established and an equivalent circuit model is analyzed. Some key system concepts such as frequency splitting and the maximum operating distance are validated through experiments. The efficiency is over 60% when the energy transfer distance is within 10cm for two- resonator system. The coupling between transmitter and receiver can be enhanced, and the energy transfer efficiency can be improved by relay resonators.

The accuracy of end-expiratory lung volume measurement by the modified nitrogen wash-out/wash-in method (EELV-N(2)) depends on the precise determination of carbon dioxide elimination (V(CO(2))), which is affected by alveolar dead space (V(D-alv)). The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of V(D-alv) on EELV-N(2).Six piglets with lavage-induced acute lung injury were mechanically ventilated in a decremental PEEP trial that was reduced from 20 to 4 cm H(2)O in steps of 4 cm H(2)O every 10 min. EELV was measured by the modified EELV-N(2) method and computed tomography scan (EELV-CT), volumetric capnography, blood gas measurements, and hemodynamic data were recorded at each PEEP level. The data were divided into higher and lower PEEP groups.During the decremental PEEP trial, EELV-N(2) exhibited a high correlation (r(2) = 0.86, P.001) with EELV-CT, with a bias of -48.6 ± 150.7 mL (1 ± 18%). In the higher PEEP group, EELV-N(2) was not correlated with EELV-CT, with a bias of -168.1 ± 171.5 mL (-14 ± 14%). However, in the lower PEEP group, EELV-N(2) exhibited a high correlation (r(2) = 0.86, P.001) with EELV-CT, with a bias of 11.2 ± 97.2 mL (6 ± 17%). The measurement bias was negatively correlated with V(D-alv) (r(2) = 0.44, P = .04) and V(CO(2)) (r(2) = 0.47, P = .03) in the higher PEEP group.In this surfactant-depleted model, EELV measurement by the modified EELV-N(2) method reveals a systematic underestimation at high PEEP levels that is partly due to an increase in V(D-alv).

A new Doppler-free optical-optical triple-resonance (DF-OOTR) spectroscopy is reported for the first time. This high resolution technique is simply carried out using one single mode laser like Doppler-free two-photon spectroscopy, and can reach arbitrary levels in the high-lying g-parity states like the optical-optical double-resonance technique in atomic or molecular systems. It is an effective but simple method for the systematic study of atomic or molecular structures and their intra or internal dynamics.

Various measures were adopted by combined post-evaluation, and the designed data and operational data in completed wind farm were analyzed. Some experience and foundations were appraised in how to select representativeness anemometer tower, the superior wake model, and the approximate actual reduction coefficient. The errors were avoided in designed wind farm to improve the efficiency of wind farm.

With the continuous development of network technology, Web mail technology has become an important means of information transmission and management in government agencies, enterprises and individuals, however, the subsequent problems of protecting web mail security has become a concern to users. This paper presents a free, flexible and not dependent on the mail protocol web mail forensics system model by deep study of Email principle and method on the basis to network forensics, so as to improve the mail safety and accuracy. This paper in the end verified the validity and rationality of the model.

In this paper, testing equipment for pressure distribution of human is introduced. Rehabilitation props are used for Cerebral palsy patients. Cerebral Palsy is the progressive brain damage syndrome. The main show is central posture movement disorders and abnormalities. Rehabilitation props are very important to the Cerebral palsy patients. But now the rehabilitation props lack pertinence and perfect rehabilitation effect evaluation system. The testing equipment is a kind of special inspection equipment. It can detect the pressure distribution between cerebral palsy patients and rehabilitation props in real time. For clinical effect evaluation, auxiliary adjustment and update provide quantitative basis.

The detection of Pressure between cerebral palsy patients' body and rehabilitation props, is important to the correction of props and sitting directly evaluate objectively. Develop the special pressure sensor, may to detect pressure distribution between the human body and rehabilitation props at any time. For clinical effect evaluation, auxiliary adjustment and update provide quantitative basis.

Due to the nature of distribution and self-organization, Mobile ad hoc networks rely on cooperation between nodes to transfer information. Therefore, one of the key factors to ensure high communication quality is an efficient assessment scheme for risks and trust of choosing next cooperative potential nodes. Trust model, an abstract psychological cognitive process, is one of the most complex concepts in social relationships, involving factors such as assumptions, expectations and behaviors. All above makes it very difficult to quantify and forecast trust accurately. In this paper, based on the theories of fuzzy recognition, we present a pattern of multi-dimensional fuzzy decision making with feedback. The analysis and experimental computation shows that this scheme is efficient in risk assessment of Ad hoc networks.

International audience; The paper introduces the problems in china’s agricultural machinery information. We provide an architecture for the agricultural machinery intelligent scheduling in cross-regional work. We put forward constructing the private cloud of agricultural machinery with the aid of cloud computing technology, and forward agricultural machinery will link together through Internet of Things technology. We provide an information platform and simplified it to three components including information service system, communication line and monitoring front-end equipment machine carrying. We also describes two modes to realize the intelligent scheduling function of agricultural machinery cross-regional working.

With the sharp change of the management environment in China Bank industry, it has very important significance to objectively appraise and analysis. This paper evaluated and analyzed the competence of Chinese commercial bank by applying factor analysis method arranges them in an order by adopting factor analysis to confirm the weight of each index, which analyzes the competitiveness state of the commercial banks of our country in detail. Finally, accordingly puts forward a series of measures and strategies on basis of combining with the actual conditions of our commercial banks for strengthening the competitiveness of our commercial banks and keeping their persistent development in a healthy way.

Magneto-acousto-electric tomography (MAET) is known as a method of impedance tomography, with the procedure of acoustic waves propagating in a static magnetic field and producing the electric signal attributing to Lorentz force. We analyze the method of calculating the electric signal with given sound sources and magnetic field in the radially stratified medium of conductivity. It consists of finding an analytic solution of the sound propagating in homogeneous acoustic medium and applying to the data one of the algorithms (the FD method) for the electric scalar potential field. The ideal well logging model is considered in our algorithm, which is very different from the ordinary one in arrangement of the sound sources and electrodes in medical tomography. Combining the analytical and numerical methods in coupled fields for the well logging model is a stable algorithm in forward procedure of MAET.

We numerically demonstrate a kind of tapered hollow silver waveguide for optically guiding and focusing of light through finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations. The results of numerical simulation reveal that the tapered hollow silver waveguide can efficiently guide and focus a laser light to a tiny, highly localized beam spot of 1 μm diameter. The physical mechanism of the cone-focused laser light is explored. The influence of incident angle and waveguide geometry on the focusing properties is also discussed. The results obtained here might have important reference value for applications in tapered optics, and designing the optimum cone shape for fast ignition and generating high energy charged particles.