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Objective Ginseng is widely used in cosmetics and skin care. The progress of research on the effect of ginseng on the skin was explored through a summary and analysis of skin-related studies on ginseng conducted over in the past 20 years, and this exploration aimed to elucidate new research opportunities with regard to the development and application of ginseng treatments for the skin. Materials and methods Keywords were used to retrieve human studies related to the use of ginseng to treat skin conditions from the Web of Science. Scientometric analyses were performed in R to analyze the studies on the human skin-related effects of ginseng conducted from 2000 to 2019. Results The main active ingredient in ginseng is ginsenoside, and its effects on the skin are mostly anti-aging and whitening. Ginseng extract regulates the levels of matrix metalloproteinases in human fibroblast type I collagen to improve the elasticity and water content of skin. In addition, ginseng inhibits the transcription factors or signaling pathways involved in the formation of melanin, it exerts a whitening effect. The authors of the retrieved studies are mostly located in Asia, mainly South Korea and China. Wang Y, Kim JH, and Kim YJ are relatively influential scholars, these ginseng-related articles published in the Journal of Ginseng Research, Molecules and other journals are very important in this field. Conclusion This study shows the development of trends in research on ginseng as a raw cosmetic material used on the skin and thus enables researchers to rapidly understand the key information in the field of ginseng research, comprehend the research directions, and improve their research efficiency.

In this work, we intended to study and compare the traits of God in the Medinan and Meccan Qur'an’s Suras, based on statistics and data visualization. The entire verses of Qur’an were considered and the count of each beauty and divine glory trait was calculated, separately in Medinan and Meccan Suras. The frequencies of the divine glory, the beauty and total traits in Meccan, Medinan and total Suras were studied and compared using data visualization technique. The results indicated that for Medinan Suras, in divine glory traits, Hakem and Aziz, in beauty traits, Alim and Rahim, and totally, Alim, Rahim, and Hakem had the most uses; for Meccan Suras, in divine glory traits, Aziz and Hakim, in beauty traits, Rahman and Rahim, and totally, Rahman and Rahim had the most uses; and for total Suras, in divine glory traits, Hakem and Aziz, in beauty traits, Rahim, Rahman, and Alim, and totally, Rahim, Rahman, and Alim had the most uses. Moreover, the rates of using divine glory traits in Medinan and Meccan Suras (16.1% and 17.6%) and the rates of using beauty traits in Medinan and Meccan Suras (83.9% and 82.4%) significantly did not differ.

Patients with diabetes mellitus are susceptible to active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI) [1–3]. Close contact with patients with infectious TB is associated with an increased risk of having coprevalent TB or developing incident TB [4, 5]. However, information on the burden of incident TB in contacts with underlying diabetes is limited. Considering post-exposure TB in patients with diabetes, metformin has demonstrated anti-TB effects in preclinical studies and association with a low LTBI prevalence in a cross-sectional survey [6, 7]. Despite metformin's wide use and correlation with a lower TB risk in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) [8], the impact of metformin use during TB exposure on subsequent TB risk has not been thoroughly investigated. We aimed to obtain the rate of post-exposure incident TB, but not coprevalent TB, in T2D patients and evaluate whether TB risk can be modified by metformin use during the TB-exposure period., This TB contact cohort study showed that the risk of incident TB, not coprevalent TB, was highest in the diabetes group without metformin use during TB exposure, followed by the nondiabetes population, and was lowest in the diabetes group with metformin use https://bit.ly/3fpJyF0

Background Skin color is an important physiological index of human skin that has essential significance in cosmetology and dermatological diagnoses and aesthetics, especially in East Asian culture, where the beauty standard is the whiter the skin, the more beautiful a person is. However, there has been a lack of objective comparisons of facial skin color in East Asian females. Materials and methods Skin color at the cheek site was measured in 445 healthy females, including 362 Chinese women in Beijing and 83 Japanese women in Tokyo, all aged 18-50 years. The parameters consisted of L* , a* , b* , individual typology angle (ITA°), and hue angle and were determined using noninvasive skin measurement instruments. Results The skin color categories in East Asians ranged from very light (I) to brown (V), and the dark (VI) category was not observed; the main categories were light (II), intermediate (III), and tan (IV). The facial skin color of Chinese individuals was brighter, more reddish, and less yellowish than that of Japanese individuals. With age, L* values decreased, and a* values and hue angle increased in East Asians with significant differences. Chinese women showed the same differences as Japanese women for all parameters in all age groups. Conclusions This study provides objective skin color measurements and examines significant differences with respect to geographic location and age.

Background: Podocytes (highly specialized and terminally differentiated epithelial cells) are integral components of the glomerular filtration barrier that are vulnerable to a variety of injuries and, as a result, they undergo a series of changes ranging from hypertrophy to detachment and apoptosis. Podocyte injury is a major determinant in proteinuric kidney disease and identification of potential therapeutic targets for preventing podocyte injury has clinical importance. Although numerous studies have achieved dramatic advances in the understanding of podocyte biology and its relevance to renal injury, few effective and specific therapies are available. Summary: Epigenetic modifications have been proven to play important roles in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases. Among them, histone deacetylase (HDAC)-mediated epigenetic acetylation in the kidney has attracted much attention, which may play multiple roles in both kidney development and the pathogenesis of kidney disease. Recent studies have demonstrated that HDAC protect against podocyte injury by regulation of inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, mitochondrial function, and insulin resistance. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of HDAC in podocytes and associated proteinuric kidney diseases. In addition, we provide evidence of the potential therapeutic effects of HDAC inhibitors for proteinuric kidney disease. Key Messages: Pharmacological targeting of HDAC-mediated epigenetic processes may open new therapeutic avenues for chronic kidney disease.

We investigated the characteristics of chaos-modulated pulses amplified by a pulsed master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) for application in a new chaos lidar system in this study. Compared with the loss modulation applied in a continuous-wave (CW) time-gating scheme, the pulsed MOPA scheme could generate chaos-modulated pulses with much higher peak power, resulting in an improved peak-to-standard deviation of sidelobe level (PSLstd) in correlation-based lidar detection. When the pulsed MOPA scheme was applied at a duty cycle of 0.1% and pulse repetition frequency of 20 kHz, which correspond to specifications compliant with eye safety regulations, it outperformed the CW time-gating scheme with respect to PSLstd by 15 dB. For the first time, we applied the chaos lidar system with the pulsed MOPA scheme to execute high-resolution, high-precision three-dimensional (3D) face profiling from a distance of 5 m. We also added the corresponding PSLstd value to each pixel in the point clouds to generate false-color images; thus, we obtained 3D images of a scene with multiple objects at a range of up to 20 m.

To monitor the Earth’s surface, the satellite of the NASA Landsat program provides us image sequences of any region on the Earth constantly over time. These image sequences give us a unique resource to study the Earth’s surface, changes of the Earth resource over time, and their implications in agriculture, geology, forestry, and more. Besides natural sciences, image sequences are also commonly used in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of medical studies for understanding the functioning of brains and other organs. In practice, observed images almost always contain noise and other contaminations. For a reliable subsequent image analysis, it is important to remove such contaminations in advance. This paper focuses on image sequence denoising, which has not been well-discussed in the literature yet. To this end, an edge-preserving image denoising procedure is suggested. The suggested method is based on a jump-preserving local smoothing procedure, in which the bandwidths are chosen such that the possible spatio-temporal correlations in the observed image intensities are accommodated properly. Both theoretical arguments and numerical studies show that this method works well in the various cases considered.

Background The epigenetic regulator additional sex combs-like 1 (ASXL1) is an adverse prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the mutational spectrum and prognostic factors of ASXL1-mutated (ASXL1+) AML are largely unknown. We aim to evaluate the risk factors influencing the prognosis of ASXL1+ AML. Methods We performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) in 1047 cases of de novo AML and discovered 91 ASXL1+ AML (8.7%). The Log-Rank test and Kaplan-Meier were used to evaluate survival rate, and the Cox regression model was used to analyze multivariate analysis. Results In a total of 91 ASXL1+ AML, 86% had one or more co-mutations. The factors that had adverse impact on overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) are defined as high risk factors, including age ≥ 60 years, WBC count ≥ 50 × 109/L, FLT3-ITD mutations, RUNX1 mutations, and absence of AML1-ETO fusion gene. ASXL1 mutations without any risk factor were classified as single-hit ASXL1+ AML; ASXL1 mutations accompanied with one of the risk factors was referred to as double-hit ASXL1+ AML; ASXL1 mutations with two or more of the risk factors were designated as triple-hit ASXL1+ AML. The combination of these risk factors had a negative influence on the prognosis of ASXL1+ AML. The median OS was not attained in single-hit ASXL1+ AML, 29.53 months in double-hit ASXL1+ AML, and 6.67 months in triple-hit ASXL1+ AML (P = 0.003). The median EFS was not attained in single-hit ASXL1+ AML, 29.53 months in double-hit ASXL1+ AML, and 5.47 months in triple-hit ASXL1+ AML (P = 0.002). Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) improved the prognosis of double/triple-hit ASXL1+ AML patients. Conclusions Our study provided new insights into the mutational spectrum and prognostic factors of ASXL1+ AML patients. Our primary data suggest that the risk factors in ASXL1+ AML contribute to the poor outcome of these patients. The management of ASXL1+ AML patients should be based on the risk factors and allo-HSCT is highly recommended for consolidation.

Objective: The diagnostic efficiency of the quantitative fecal immunochemical test (qFIT) has large variations in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We aimed to explore whether the practical sample collection operant training could improve the diagnostic accuracy of the qFIT in CRC screening.Methods: Moderate-/high-risk individuals aged 50–75 years old were invited to participate in a prospective observational study between July 2020 and March 2021. Participants took a qFIT sample without fecal sample collection operant training in advance and then completed another qFIT sample after the operant training. The primary outcome was the sensitivity and specificity of the qFITs for CRC and advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN). The secondary outcome was the difference in the area under the curves (AUCs) and the concentrations of the fecal hemoglobin (Hb) between the qFIT without and after the operant training.Results: Out of 913 patients, 81 (8.9%) patients had ACRN, including 25 (2.7%) patients with CRC. For CRC, the sensitivities of the qFIT without and after the operant training at 10 μg/g were 80.4 and 100.0%, respectively, and the specificities were 90.1 and 88.4%, respectively. For ACRN, the sensitivities were 49.4 and 69.1% and the specificities were 91.7 and 91.3%, respectively. The AUC of the qFIT after the operant training was significantly higher than that without the operant training for CRC (p = 0.027) and ACRN (p = 0.001). After the operant training, the concentration of the fecal Hb was significantly higher than that without the operant training (p = 0.009) for ACRN, but there was no significant difference for CRC (p = 0.367).Conclusion: Practical sample collection operant training improves the diagnostic accuracy of the qFIT, which increases the detection of the low concentrations of fecal Hb. Improving the quality of the sample collection could contribute to the diagnostic efficiency of the qFIT in CRC screening.

Background The ITA° is the gold standard for skin tone classification. Different skin tones are often associated with different skin characteristics and issues. Different skin types are often associated with different skin characteristics and issues in China. Aims To study the population's skin color distribution and accompanying skin problems according to the ITA° classification standard. Methods A total of 1092 women aged 22-42 years were recruited in 7 cities in China. All biophysical parameter measurements (SM, CM, TWEL, pH, R2, GLOSS_DSCT, MEXA, ERYTH, ITA°; 9 indexes total) were quantified with noninvasive instruments. All volunteers provided consent before enrollment. Result The main skin color categories were light (II), very light (I), intermediate (III), and tan (IV). The results demonstrated that the characteristics of the facial skin based on the ITA° were significantly different among cities and age groups and were associated with different skin issues. Conclusions Lighter skin was associated with worse skin elasticity; intermediate skin was associated with worse skin hydration content and was most prone to being oily; and darker skin was associated with poor barrier function. Established principal component regression (PCR) indicated that pH, gloss GLOSS_DSC, MEXA, ERYTH, TEWL, and SM had significant effects on the ITA°.

Silicon-based epitaxial quantum dot (QD) lasers with strong tolerance for back-reflections have paved the way for developing isolator-free photonics integrated circuits (PICs). This remarkable feature is attributed to the peculiar benefits of QDs, including a large material gain, a strong damping, and a small linewidth enhancement factor [1] . The laser performance can also be optimized by applying p-modulation doping in the active region [1] . In a previous study, the sensitivity of epitaxial QD lasers on silicon subject to short- and long-delay optical feedback were performed [2] . On the top of that, a further investigation of the feedback dynamics on the intra- and inter-chip scale is of significant importance for photonic integration applications.

Objective: This study aimed to discuss the value of using dual-source computed tomography (CT) to calculate the transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG) and TAG with corrected contrast opacification (TAG-CCO) and quantitatively evaluate left internal mammary artery (LIMA) patency. Method: A total of 32 patients accepting coronary artery bypass grafting were continuously assessed and examined by computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the LIMA before operation. TAG, TAG-CCO, and transluminal diameter gradient (TDG) were then calculated. Blood flow velocity in the LIMA was measured during the operation, and correlation analysis was carried out. Results: TAG, TAG-CCO, and TDG presented significantly positive correlations with blood flow velocity in the LIMA (r = 0.48 r = 0 56 and r = 0.65 respectively, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The greater the absolute values of TAG and TAG-CCO, the lower the blood flow velocity in the LIMA; thus, evaluating LIMA patency presents a certain clinical value.

Plant-originated functional ingredients are important parts of cosmetic raw materials. Due to their unique growth environment, high-altitude plants be given biological characteristics such as anti-reverse, anti-oxidation and anti-ultraviolet radiation, and their effective material basis can be applied to the development of anti-aging cosmetic raw materials. This article summarized 21 high-altitude plants including Rhodiola rosea , Polygonatum kingianum , Camellia reticulata and Anthriscus sylvestris , including their source plants, habitat characteristics and geographical distribution, main functional substance components and bioactive effects, and review their cosmetics market performance. We also prospects for the potential of high-altitude plants in anti-aging cosmetics development.

Most published studies on particulate matter (PM) concerning PM2.5 and PM10 have focused on PM-induced effects on the respiratory system (particularly lung) and cardiovascular system effects. However, epidemiological and mechanistic studies suggest that PM2.5 and PM10 also affects the skin, which is a key health issue. In this study, we first reviewed the current status of PM2.5 and PM10 in China, including relevant regulations, concentration levels, chemical components, and emission sources. Next, we summarized the association between PM2.5 and PM10 or its representative components, in relation to skin inflammation as well as inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, acne, eczema, and skin aging. Finally, we determined the mechanism of oxidative stress or programmed cell death induced through PM, which can provide useful information for future research on PM-induced skin inflammation.

Printing technology is one of the promising patterning techniques in flexible electronic devices due to its low cost and large-area patternability. In this study, the electromigration (EM) behavior of printed interconnects composed of silver nanoparticles was investigated under a current density of 1.5 × 105 A/cm2 at ambient temperature of 150°C. During the EM test, the morphologies of silver nanoparticles changed as a result of the decrease in the cross-section of the interconnect and the increase in Joule heating generated under high current density. Once the temperature at the cathode of printed interconnects was higher than 350°C, the aggregation and grain growth of Ag nanoparticles began to occur. The Ag particles formed an island-like morphology and the connection among the Ag nanoparticles was completely broken, leading to the loss of their electrical conductivity and open-circuit failures of the printed interconnects at the cathode side.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered as a key mediator in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction hold considerable promise for the treatment of DN. In this study, we investigated the role of progranulin (PGRN), a secreted glycoprotein, in mediating mitochondrial homeostasis and its therapeutic potential in DN. We found that the level of PGRN was significantly reduced in the kidney from STZ-induced diabetic mice and patients with biopsy-proven DN compared with healthy controls. In DN model, PGRN-deficient mice aggravated podocyte injury and proteinuria versus wild-type mice. Functionally, PGRN deficiency exacerbated mitochondrial damage and dysfunction in podocytes from diabetic mice. In vitro, treatment with recombinant human PGRN (rPGRN) attenuated high glucose-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in podocytes accompanied by enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy. Inhibition of mitophagy disturbed the protective effects of PGRN in high glucose-induced podocytotoxicity. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that PGRN maintained mitochondrial homeostasis via PGRN-Sirt1-PGC-1α/FoxO1 signaling-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy. Finally, we provided direct evidence for therapeutic potential of PGRN in mice with DN. This study provides new insights into the novel role of PGRN in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis, suggesting that PGRN may be an innovative therapeutic strategy for treating patients with DN.

Multiplex tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS)-based enzyme activity assays for newborn screening (NBS) and diagnosis of lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) in newborns, using dried blood spots (DBS) on newborn screening cards, have garnered much attention due to its sensitivity, high precision, and the capability to screen for an unprecedented number of diseases in a single assay. Herein we report the development of MS/MS-based enzyme assays for the diagnosis of α-mannosidosis and fucosidosis. These new protocols are able to distinguish untreated patients from random newborns, carriers and a post-bone marrow transplant patient. We have successfully multiplexed the α-mannosidosis assay with a multiplex MS/MS assay for the screening and diagnosis of other LSDs, namely Fabry, Pompe, MPS I, Gaucher, Niemann-Pick-A/B, and Krabbe diseases. Additionally, we also multiplexed the fucosidosis NBS assay with a 5-plex assay that tests for MPS-II, MPS-IIIB, MPS-IVA, MPS-VI and MPS-VII.

Rationale: Endothelial dysfunction is an important determinant risk factor for the development of hypertension and its complications. Thus, identification of potential therapeutic targets for preventing endothelial dysfunction has major clinical importance. Emerging evidence indicates that epigenetic modifications are closely associated with the regulation of endothelial function. Among them, HDAC (histone deacetylase)-mediated epigenetic processes in vascular homeostasis and cardiovascular disease have attracted much attention. SIRT6 (sirtuin 6) is one member of SIRTs (class III HDAC) that are highly conserved NAD + -dependent deacetylases. Objective: This study was designed to elucidate the role of SIRT6 in the pathogenesis of hypertension, discover the new targets of SIRT6, and explore related mechanisms on the regulation of endothelial function. Methods and Results: The levels of endothelial SIRT6 were significantly reduced in 2 independent hypertension models: desoxycorticosterone acetate/salt–induced and Ang II (angiotensin II)–induced hypertensive mice. Utilizing genetically engineered endothelial-specific SIRT6 knockout (Cre + /SIRT6 fl/fl ) mice, we found that endothelial-specific deletion of SIRT6 significantly enhanced blood pressure, exacerbated endothelial dysfunction and cardiorenal injury in experimental hypertension. Functionally, SIRT6 has pleiotropic protective actions in endothelial cells, which include promoting endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and vascular NO bioavailability, reducing cellular permeability, ameliorating endothelial senescence and apoptosis, and facilitating autophagy. Mechanistically, SIRT6 induced the expression of GATA5 (GATA-binding protein 5), a novel regulator of blood pressure, through inhibiting Nkx3.2 (NK3 homeobox 2) transcription by deacetylating histone H3K9 (histone H3 lysine 9), thereby regulating GATA5-mediated signaling pathways to prevent endothelial injury. Finally, we provide direct evidence for the therapeutic potential of SIRT6 in desoxycorticosterone acetate/salt–induced hypertensive mice by overexpression of SIRT6 in vivo. Conclusions: This study for the first time demonstrates that SIRT6 prevents hypertension and its complications by maintaining endothelial function. Pharmacological targeting of SIRT6 may be an innovative therapeutic strategy for treating patients with hypertension.

Objective Macrophage-mediated inflammation plays a significant role in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Studies suggest that T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain-3 (Tim-3) has complicated roles in regulating macrophage activation, but its roles in the progression of DN are still completely unknown. Methods We downregulated Tim-3 expression in kidney (intrarenal injection of Tim-3 shRNA expressing lentivirus or global Tim-3 knockout mice) and induced DN by streptozotocin (STZ). We analyzed the degree of renal injury, especially the podocyte injury induced by activated macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Then, we transferred different bone marrow derived macrophages (BMs) into STZ-induced Tim-3 knockdown mice to examine the effects of Tim-3 on macrophages in DN. Results First, we found that Tim-3 expression on renal macrophages was increased in patients with DN and in two diabetic mouse models, i.e. STZ-induced diabetic mice and db/db mice, and positively correlated with renal dysfunction of DN patients. Tim-3 deficiency ameliorated renal damage in STZ-induced diabetes with concurrent increase in protein levels of Nephrin and WT-1. Similar effects were observed in mice with Tim-3 knockdown diabetic mice. Second, adoptive transfer of Tim-3-expressing macrophages, but not Tim-3 knockout macrophages, accelerated diabetic renal injury in DN mice, suggesting a key role for Tim-3 on macrophages in the development of DN. Furthermore, we found NF-κB activation and TNF-α excretion were upregulated by Tim-3 in diabetic kidneys, and podocyte injury was associated with the Tim-3-mediated activation of the NF-κB/TNF-α signaling pathway in DN macrophages both in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions These results suggest that Tim-3 functions as a key regulator in renal inflammatory processes and serves as a potential therapeutic target for renal injury in DN., Highlights • Tim-3 aggravates the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) by triggering the NF-κB/TNF-α pathway in renal macrophages. • Tim-3 highly expresses on renal macrophages has positive correlation with bad renal function of DN patients. • Tim-3 expressed on macrophages accelerates podocyte injury in vitro and in vivo. • Tim-3 functions as a key regulator in renal inflammatory processes and serves as a potential therapeutic target in DN.

The risk factors promoting acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression remain largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) accelerates the development of renal fibrosis after AKI.Hhcy aggravated ischemia-reperfusion-induced AKI and the subsequent development of renal fibrotic lesions characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition. Mechanistically, the RNA binding protein human antigen R (HuR) bound to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) messenger RNA (mRNA). Homocysteine (Hcy) downregulated HuR expression, reduced the binding of HuR to the 3'-UTR of HO-1, and thereafter decreased HO-1 expression. Administration of the HO-1 inducer cobalt protoporphyrin-IX significantly hindered Hhcy-augmented reactive oxygen species production and renal fibrotic lesions. Innovation and Conclusion: These data indicate that Hhcy might be a novel risk factor that promotes AKI to CKD progression. Lowering Hcy level or HO-1 induction might be a potential therapeutic strategy to improve the outcome of AKI.

A new method for the development of polarisation reconfigurable omnidirectional antennas is presented. Four crossed-dipole elements around a cylinder are used to construct an omnidirectional antenna. By switching on/off four PIN diodes for each crossed-dipole element, three types of polarisation reconfigurable omnidirectional antennas are realised, including vertical or horizontal polarisation (VP/HP), ±45° slant polarisation (SP), and left-handed circular polarisation or right-handed circular polarisation (LHCP/RHCP). The VP/HP, ±45° SP, and LHCP/RHCP reconfigurable omnidirectional antennas are simulated, fabricated, and measured, respectively. Simulated and measured results show that all the three reconfigurable omnidirectional antennas feature good omnidirectional patterns with gain variations of

Externally prestressed reinforced concrete (EPC) is employed in long-span civil infrastructure, and a simplified dynamic analytical method is required to evaluate the blast-resistant performance of these EPC components. A theoretical approach is proposed that combines the elasto-viscoplastic rate-sensitive model with an improved layered-section method to predict the dynamic responses of EPC beams subjected to blast loadings, based on an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom system. A corresponding calculation program is compiled on the MATLAB platform. The proposed approach and the compiled program are validated by application to existing static and blast testing data, as well as the corresponding finite element calculation results. Three key parameters—the conventional reinforcement ratio ρs, the prestressing reinforcement ratio ρp, and the span-depth ratio l/h—that significantly affecting the dynamic responses of the EPC beam to explosion are discussed, providing useful design insights. The analytical results indicate that the determination of the three affecting parameters should be balanced to achieve a higher blast resistance in designing the EPC beam.

Background: Podocytes, functionally specialized and terminally differentiated glomerular visceral epithelial cells, are critical for maintaining the structure and function of the glomerular filtration barrier. Podocyte injury is considered as the most important early event contributing to proteinuric kidney diseases such as obesity-related renal disease, diabetic kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, membranous nephropathy, and minimal change disease. Although considerable advances have been made in the understanding of mechanisms that trigger podocyte injury, cell-specific and effective treatments are not clinically available. Summary: Emerging evidence has indicated that the disorder of podocyte lipid metabolism is closely associated with various proteinuric kidney diseases. Excessive lipid accumulation in podocytes leads to cellular dysfunction which is defined as lipotoxicity, a phenomenon characterized by mitochondrial oxidative stress, actin cytoskeleton remodeling, insulin resistance, and inflammatory response that can eventually result in podocyte hypertrophy, detachment, and death. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of lipids in podocyte biological function and the regulatory mechanisms leading to podocyte lipid accumulation in proteinuric kidney disease. Key Messages: Targeting podocyte lipid metabolism may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with proteinuric kidney disease.

Podocyte injury is a major determinant of focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) and the identification of potential therapeutic targets for preventing podocyte injury has clinical importance for the treatment of FSGS. CLEC14A is a single-pass transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the vascular expressed C-type lectin family. CLEC14A is found to be expressed in vascular endothelial cells during embryogenesis and is also implicated in tumor angiogenesis. However, the current understanding of the biological functions of CLEC14A in podocyte is very limited. In this study, we found that CLEC14A was expressed in podocyte and protected against podocyte injury in mice with Adriamycin (ADR)-induced FSGS. First, we observed that CLEC14A was downregulated in mice with ADR nephropathy and renal biopsies from individuals with FSGS and other forms of podocytopathies. Moreover, CLEC14A deficiency exacerbated podocyte injury and proteinuria in mice with ADR nephropathy accompanied by enhanced inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory responses. In vitro, overexpression of CLEC14A in podocyte had pleiotropic protective actions, including anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis effects. Mechanistically, CLEC14A inhibited high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) release, at least in part by directly binding HMGB1, and suppressed HMGB1-mediated signaling, including NF-κB signaling and early growth response protein 1 (EGR1) signaling. Taken together, our findings provide new insights into the pivotal role of CLEC14A in maintaining podocyte function, indicating that CLEC14A may be an innovative therapeutic target in FSGS.

A pure rotational Raman lidar (PRRL) for full-day troposphere temperature measurement was deployed in February 2020 at Zhongshan Station (69.37°S, 76.37°E), Antarctica, by the 36th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition. The PRRL emits a 532.23-nm laser light and employs a 203.2-mm telescope to collect atmospheric backscatter. Cubic nonpolarizing beam splitters are introduced to yield a compact optics arrangement. A quasi-single-line-extraction technique is proposed for extracting the molecular Stokes line signals. A lidar container with a window system is customized to house the whole PRRL system for long-term stable operation. An approach using a laser plummet is developed for fast and convenient adjustment of the telescope zenithward. A home-made calibration module is utilized for straightforward visual optics adjustment with ∼35.3-μrad angular positioning accuracy. Both typical daytime and nighttime temperature measurement examples are presented to verify the lidar performance. From a 30-h continuous temperature measurement result, it is found the tropopause is located at ∼10.8 km above ground level with a mean temperature of ∼203 K; significant temperature variability occurs only at the inversion areas, while off which the 1-h temperature profiles are relatively similar in form with an average lapse rate of -8.3 K/km.

This work reports on an investigation of the dynamics of $1.3\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\text{m}$ epitaxial quantum dot (QD) lasers on silicon subject to delayed optical feedback. Operating the device under different feedback conditions, we experimentally identify various dynamical states of periodic oscillations. In the long-cavity feedback regime, the device remains chaos-free up to $\ensuremath{\approx}70% (\ensuremath{-}1.55\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{dB})$ feedback strength. This remarkable result is in agreement with prior studies and is attributed to the particular design and properties of the QD-based active region. Shortening the external cavity length to the short-cavity regime being on the scale of photonics integrated circuits (PICs), the onset of periodic oscillations only takes place under extremely high feedback strength, which is much higher than those in PICs. The devices studied exhibit strong resistance to chip-scale back reflections in absence of any unstable oscillation. Our results also demonstrate that p doping is an efficient technique to further improve the feedback tolerance. These results point out the potential of QD lasers as an on-chip light source not requiring an optical isolator and gives insights for developing ultrastable silicon transmitters for PIC applications.

Objectives The timely diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is challenging. Although pathogen-derived circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been detected in humans, the significance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-cfDNA detection in patients with PTB remains unclear. Methods This study enrolled patients with PTB and persons with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) as the study and control groups, respectively, from 2018 to 2020. We measured interferon-γ levels and calculated blood monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). We conducted plasma cfDNA extraction, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and droplet digital PCR targeting the IS6110 gene of MTB. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of using MTB-cfDNA to identify PTB and analyzed the factors associated with PTB diagnosis and MTB-cfDNA positivity. Results We enrolled 24 patients with PTB and 57 LTBI controls. The sensitivity of using MTB-cfDNA to identify PTB was 54.2%(13/24) in total and 46.2%(6/13) in smear-negative cases. Two LTBI controls (3.5%) tested positive for MTB-cfDNA, indicating a specificity of 96.5%(55/57). By using MTB-cfDNA positivity and an MLR ≥0.42 to identify PTB, sensitivity increased to 79.2%(19/24). Among patients with PTB, MTB-specific interferon-γ levels were higher in MTB-cfDNA positive participants than in those who tested negative (7.0 ±2.7 vs 2.7±3.0 IU/mL, pp Conclusion The sensitivity of using MTB-cfDNA to identify PTB in participants was 54.2%, which increased to 79.2% after incorporating an MLR ≥0.42 into the analysis. MTB-cfDNA positivity was associated with MTB-specific immune response, and MTB-cfDNA levels declined after treatment. The clinical value of MTB-cfDNA in PTB management necessitates further investigation.

The research on charge induction and microseismic characteristics of coal and rock under different loading rates is of great significance for rockburst prediction. In this study, the coal and sandstone samples from the No. 11 mine of Pingdingshan Coal Mine are prepared. The charge induction and microseismic synchronous comprehensive monitoring system is built. The uniaxial compression tests of coal and sandstone samples under the different loading rates are conducted. The charge induction and microseismic signal characteristics in the deformation and fracture process of the coal and rock under the different loading rates are studied. The results show that, with the increase of loading rate, the compressive strength of the coal and rock samples increases and the time from the peak stress to instability failure becomes shorter. At the same loading rate, the softening failure stage time of coal is longer than that of sandstone. With the increase of loading rate, the duration of charge-induced signal and microseismic signal is longer and the events’ number and amplitude of charge signal and microseismic signal increase in the deformation and fracture process of the coal and rock. Before the instability failure, the charge-induced signal and microseismic signal have both synchronous and asynchronous signals, and the amplitude of charge-induced and microseismic signals in each channel is different, which is related to the distance from the position of each sensor to the fracture point of the sample. During the instability failure, the charge induction and microseismic signals of each channel are generated synchronously, and the signal amplitude reaches the maximum values of 50 pC and 6 × 10−3 m/s at the same time. With the increase of specimen stress, the dominant frequency of microseismic signals first increases and then decreases, while the amplitude of dominant frequency increases synchronously. The dominant frequency amplitude of microseismic signals is the largest in instability failure. With the increase of loading rate, the spectrum amplitude of microseismic signals changes little in the compaction stage, but the spectrum amplitude increases in other stages. At the same loading speed, the events’ number of the microseismic signal of coal samples after peak stress is more than that of sandstone samples, and the signal amplitude is also larger. However, the spectrum distribution range of microseismic signals of coal samples is wider than that of sandstone samples, and the spectrum amplitude of coal samples is lower than that of sandstone. With the increase of loading rate, the time of the first generation of high-amplitude signals is advanced, and the stress of specimen becomes smaller when the first generation of high-amplitude signals occurs. With the increase of loading rate, the duration of microseismic and charge signal is longer, and the mean square amplitude of charge signal is larger.

Background:. There is limited information about thymosin α1 (Tα1) as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy, either used alone or combined with other treatments, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adjuvant Tα1 treatment on long-term survival in margin-free (R0)-resected stage IA–IIIA NSCLC patients. Methods:. A total of 5746 patients with pathologic stage IA-IIIA NSCLC who underwent R0 resection were included. The patients were divided into the Tα1 group and the control group according to whether they received Tα1 or not. A propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to reduce bias, resulting in 1027 pairs of patients. Results:. After PSM, the baseline clinicopathological characteristics were similar between the two groups. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were significantly higher in the Tα1 group compared with the control group. The multivariable analysis showed that Tα1 treatment was independently associated with an improved prognosis. A longer duration of Tα1 treatment was associated with improved OS and DFS. The subgroup analyses showed that Tα1 therapy could improve the DFS and/or OS in all subgroups of age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), smoking status, and pathological tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, especially for patients with non-squamous cell NSCLC and without targeted therapy. Conclusion:. Tα1 as adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy can significantly improve DFS and OS in patients with NSCLC after R0 resection, except for patients with squamous cell carcinoma and those receiving targeted therapy. The duration of Tα1 treatment is recommended to be >24 months.

Background: Neonatal heart maintains entire regeneration capacity in a transient regeneration window, but the adult heart loses this function. This process involves numberous core hubs dysregulation of expression and activity that adversely affect the myocardium regeneration ability. Present study screened a functional kinase of serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (SGK3) in cardiac regeneration after neonatal myocardial infarction (MI) using quantitative phosphoproteomics. Methods: We used quantitative phosphoproteomics data of infarct border zone in newborn heart after MI to identify regeneration related kinases. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to determine the effect of SGK3 in cardiomyocyte (CM) proliferation and cardiac repair after apical resection (AR) or MI. Pull-down assay and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) experiments were conducted to investigate the direct binding target proteins of SGK3. Results: SGK3 protein expression was highly expressed at postnatal day 1 (P1), reduced at postnatal day 7 (P7) until adult. In vitro, CM proliferation ratio was elevated by SGK3 overexpression, while it was decreased by knockdown of SGK3. In vivo, inhibition of SGK3 shortened the time window of cardiac regeneration after AR in neonatal mice, and overexpression of SGK3 significantly promoted CM proliferation and cardiac repair after MI. Mechanistically, SGK3 could be directly combined with and activated by cyclindependent kinase 9 (CDK9). Inhibition of CDK9 partially abolished the effect of SGK3 on CM proliferation. Moreover, SGK3 could repress GSK-3β activity and increase β-catenin expression. Conclusions: Our study revealed a key role of SGK3 in cardiac regeneration following AR or MI injury, which may reopen a novel therapeutic avenue for MI.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex, progressive neuroinflammatory disease associated with autoimmunity. Currently, effective therapeutic strategy was poorly found in MS. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is widely used to study the pathogenesis of MS. Cumulative research have shown that bone marrow mesenchymal stem Cells (BMSCs) transplantation could treat EAE animal models, but the mechanism was divergent. Here, we systematically evaluated whether BMSCs can differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes to alleviate the symptoms of EAE mice. We used Immunofluorescence staining to detect MAP-2, GFAP, and MBP to evaluate whether BMSCs can differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The effect of BMSCs transplantation on inflammatory infiltration and demyelination in EAE mice were detected by Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) and Luxol Fast Blue (LFB) staining, respectively. Inflammatory factors expression was detected by ELISA and RT-qPCR, respectively. Our results showed that BMSCs could be induced to differentiate into neuron cells, astrocytes and oligodendrocytein vivoandin vitro, and BMSCs transplanted in EAE mice were easier to differentiate than normal mice. Moreover, transplanted BMSCs reduced neurological function scores and disease incidence of EAE mice. BMSCs transplantation alleviated the inflammation and demyelination of EAE mice. Finally, we found that BMSCs transplantation down-regulated the levels of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ, and up-regulated the levels of anti-inflammatory factors IL-10 and TGF-β. In conclusion, this study found that BMSCs could alleviate the inflammatory response and demyelination in EAE mice, which may be achieved by the differentiation of BMSCs into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in EAE mice.

Wireless networks are becoming ever more sophisticated and overcrowded, imposing the most delay, jitter, and throughput damage to end-to-end network flows in today's internet. We therefore argue for fine-grained mobile endpoint-based wireless measurements to inform a precise congestion control algorithm through a well-defined API to the mobile's wireless physical layer. Our proposed congestion control algorithm is based on Physical-Layer Bandwidth measurements taken at the Endpoint (PBE-CC), and captures the latest 5G New Radio innovations that increase wireless capacity, yet create abrupt rises and falls in available wireless capacity that the PBE-CC sender can react to precisely and very rapidly. We implement a proof-of-concept prototype of the PBE measurement module on software-defined radios and the PBE sender and receiver in C. An extensive performance evaluation compares PBE-CC head to head against the leading cellular-aware and wireless-oblivious congestion control protocols proposed in the research community and in deployment, in mobile and static mobile scenarios, and over busy and quiet networks. Results show 6.3% higher average throughput than BBR, while simultaneously reducing 95th percentile delay by 1.8x.

Although the respiratory and immune systems are the major targets of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), acute kidney injury and proteinuria have also been observed. Currently, detailed pathologic examination of kidney damage in critically ill patients with COVID-19 has been lacking. To help define this we analyzed kidney abnormalities in 26 autopsies of patients with COVID-19 by light microscopy, ultrastructural observation and immunostaining. Patients were on average 69 years (19 male and 7 female) with respiratory failure associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome as the cause of death. Nine of the 26 showed clinical signs of kidney injury that included increased serum creatinine and/or new-onset proteinuria. By light microscopy, diffuse proximal tubule injury with the loss of brush border, non-isometric vacuolar degeneration, and even frank necrosis was observed. Occasional hemosiderin granules and pigmented casts were identified. There were prominent erythrocyte aggregates obstructing the lumen of capillaries without platelet or fibrinoid material. Evidence of vasculitis, interstitial inflammation or hemorrhage was absent. Electron microscopic examination showed clusters of coronavirus-like particles with distinctive spikes in the tubular epithelium and podocytes. Furthermore, the receptor of SARS-CoV-2, ACE2 was found to be upregulated in patients with COVID-19, and immunostaining with SARS-CoV nucleoprotein antibody was positive in tubules. In addition to the direct virulence of SARS-CoV-2, factors contributing to acute kidney injury included systemic hypoxia, abnormal coagulation, and possible drug or hyperventilation-relevant rhabdomyolysis. Thus, our studies provide direct evidence of the invasion of SARSCoV-2 into kidney tissue. These findings will greatly add to the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The aim of this study was to explore the main factors affecting the occurrence of dandruff in healthy people (nondisease-induced scalp desquamation). This study analyzed the fungal microbial diversity of the scalp in Chinese teenage volunteers and measured scalp sebum secretion, the scalp pH value, and scalp transepidermal water loss. The amount and size of dandruff were measured, and the main factors that influence dandruff in the normal population were identified using principal component analysis. The results showed that an increase in Malassezia restricta led to an increased amount of dandruff in the mild and moderate groups. Conversely, this was not found for individuals in the severe group, whose dandruff symptoms were influenced by scalp barrier function. In terms of dandruff area grouping, the pH value and the amount of sebum secretion were the main factors, with the barrier function and microbial diversity being secondary factors. Dandruff cosmetics should emphasize different treatments for different types of dandruff to achieve better antidandruff effects. The results of this study provide a new theoretical basis for the development of multiple targets for antidandruff agents aimed at the normal population.

Wireless power transfer has been widely used in consumer electronic devices, mainly for battery charging. However, frequent charging and discharging of batteries cause power losses and shorten the battery lifetime. Also, certain applications prefer not to have any batteries at all. To remove the battery and optimize the load transient response without battery, a wireless power transfer based on unity-gain frequency tracking is proposed. At unity-gain frequency, the deviation of rectified voltage due to load transients on receiver side is minimized. During distance variation, the proposed method keeps tracking the unity-gain frequency online.

The situation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) continues to evolve, our study explored the significance of serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) as a marker for patients with COVID‐19. Sixty‐two COVID‐19 patients in the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine and Loudi Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, from January to March 2020, were sampled as the novel coronavirus pneumonia infected group. One hundred and thirty‐one cases from the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, including 67 healthy individuals and 64 non‐COVID‐19 inpatients, served as the noninfected group. Approximately every 5 days, sera from 20 cases were collected and analyzed three times, using an automatic biochemical analyzer, to detect serum MMP3 concentrations. Correlation was analyzed between MMP3 and other proinflammatory cytokines. Following normality tests, differences in serum MMP3 levels between the infected and noninfected group were analyzed via SPSS (version 25.0) software, using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. The MMP3 concentration was 44.44 (23.46 ~ 72.12) ng/mL in the infected group and 32.42 (28.16 ~ 41.21) ng/mL in the noninfected group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (Z = −2.799, P = .005

In inductive wireless power transfer systems, foreign object detection (FOD) is a vital function due to safety consideration. However, for existing products in the market, the integrated foreign object detection methods are either based on offline solutions, or online solutions with limited detection accuracy and speed. In this paper, an online foreign object detection method with a single auxiliary coil is proposed to provide high-speed high-accuracy protection for wireless charging systems. This method achieves detection without interruption of power transfer. Also, the detection circuit does not need an extra power supply, which minimizes the added cost. Finally, an example circuit is built, and corresponding simulation and experiment results demonstrate the feasibility and superior performance of the method.

Background/Purpose T-helper cell 17 (Th17) is a distinct subset of CD4+ T lymphocytes that is important in the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of interleukin (IL)-17A and Th17-related cytokines after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin in patients with active tuberculosis (TB). Methods This prospective cohort study enrolled patients with culture-confirmed active TB. QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay was performed upon TB diagnosis and at 2 months after TB treatment. Their non-TB-specific secretion of IL-17A and Th17-related cytokines were measured in supernatants of mitogen tubes in QFT-GIT and compared to those of active TB contacts with or without latent TB infection. We analyzed the association between IL-17A secretions and TB presentation and treatment outcomes. Results A total of 108 patients with TB and 64 non-TB cases were enrolled. The secretion of IL-17A, IL-21, IL-23, and IL-6 were lower in active TB patients upon TB diagnosis. In active TB patients, lower IL-17A secretions were associated with higher grades of sputum smear. In the multivariate analysis, lower IL-17A secretions served as an independent factor associated with 2-month culture non-conversion (odds ratio 23.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.69–84.78) and on-treatment mortality (hazard ratio 28.54, 95% CI 1.30–99.25). The levels of IL-23, and IL-6 significantly increased after 2 months of anti-TB treatment. Conclusion The non-TB-specific IL-17A secretions were lower in active TB patients upon TB diagnosis and associated with higher disease severity and worse treatment outcomes. Trend of recovery of the depressed Th17-related cytokines was noted after effective anti-TB treatment.

Background Many traditional Chinese medicine compositions can moisturize the skin and utilize in cosmetics. Using a combination of Chinese Medicine Materials and guided by Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, this study selected Echinacea purpurea to protect the skin barrier, Dendrobium nobile to clear heat and promote fluid production, Sophora flavescens to clear heat for diminished inflammation, and Aloe vera combined Lycium barbarum to nourish yin, to together form a "poly TCM moisturizing formulation". Methods These poly plant extracts were investigated and optimized for the stability, safety and moisturizing ability. The combination moisturizing effect was determined by measuring the expression of FLG mRNA, CLDN-1 mRNA and AQP3 protein. Toxicological analysis included a red blood cell hemolysis test and a 3T3 phototoxicity test . Results It has been observed that by using polysaccharide yield as the evaluation criterion showed optimal extraction at a material-to-liquid ratio of 1:100, an extraction temperature of 100 °C, and an extraction time of 3 h. Moisturizing effect experiments showed that the expression of FLG mRNA, CLDN-1 mRNA and AQP3 protein was significantly increased. Toxicological tests showed that the composition was safe and caused no irritating effects. Conclusion Based on these results, this poly TCM moisturizing formulation is safe within moisturizing effects and can be used as a moisturizing raw material in cosmetics.

Early detection of Primary Immunodeficiencies Disorders (PIDDs) is of paramount importance for effective treatment and disease management. Many PIDDs would be strong candidates for newborn screening (NBS) if robust screening methods could identify patients from dried blood spots (DBS) during the neonatal period. As majority of congenital PIDDs result in the reduction or absence of specific proteins, direct quantification of these target proteins represents an attractive potential screening tool. Unfortunately, detection is often limited by the extremely low protein concentrations in blood cells and limited blood volume present in DBS. We have recently developed a robust novel method for quantification of low abundance proteins in DBS for PIDDs using peptide immunoaffinity enrichment coupled to selected reaction monitoring (immuno-SRM). Here, we further generated a multiplexed Immuno-SRM panel for simultaneous screening of eight signature peptides representing five PIDD-specific and two cell-type specific proteins from DBS. In samples from 28 PIDD patients including two carriers, representing X-Linked Agammaglobulinemia (XLA), Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS), X-Linked Chronic Granulomatous Disease (XL-CGD), DOCK8 Deficiency and ADA deficiency, peptides representing each disease are significantly reduced relative to normal controls and patient identification had excellent agreement with clinical and molecular diagnosis. Also included in the multiplex panel are cell specific markers for platelets (CD42) and Natural Killer Cells (CD56). In patients with WAS, CD42 levels were found to be significantly reduced consistent with characteristic thrombocytopenia. A patient with WAS analyzed before and after bone marrow transplant showed normalized WAS protein and platelet CD42 after treatment highlighting the ability of immuno-SRM to monitor the effects of PIDD treatment. The assay was readily reproduced in two separate laboratories with similar analytical performance and complete agreement in patient diagnosis demonstrating the effective standardized methods. A high-throughput Immuno-SRM method screens PIDD-specific peptides in a 2.5-min runtime meeting high volume NBS workflow requirements was also demonstrated in this report. This high-throughput method returned identical results to the standard Immuno-SRM PIDD panel. Immuno-SRM peptide analysis represents a robust potential clinical diagnostic for identifying and studying PIDD patients from easily collected and shipped DBS and supports a significant potential for early PIDD diagnosis through newborn screening.

International audience; This work reports on the optical feedback dynamics of InAs/GaAs QD lasers epitaxially grown on silicon operating in both the short and long delay regimes. Both undoped and p-doped QD lasers are considered. Whatever the external cavity length, no chaotic oscillations are observed on both samples as a result of the small α-factor observed in the silicon QD lasers. Despite that, experiments conducted in the short-cavity region raise period-one oscillation for the undoped QD laser. In addition, the transition from the short to long delay regimes can be finely covered by varying the external cavity length from 5 cm to 50 cm, and the boundaries associated to the appearance of the periodic oscillation are identified. In the short-cavity region, boundaries show some residual undulations resulting from interferences between internal and external cavity modes; whereas in the long-delay regime, the feedback ratio delimiting the boundaries keeps decreasing, until it progressively becomes rather independent of the external cavity length. Overall, our results showed that the p-doped device clearly exhibits a much higher tolerance to the different external feedback conditions than the undoped one, seeing that its periodic oscillation boundaries are barely impossible to retrieve at the maximum feedback strength of-7 dB. These results show for the first time the p-modulation doping effect on the enhancement of feedback insensitivity in both short-and long-delay configurations, which is of paramount importance for the development of ultra-stable silicon transmitters for photonic technologies.

Background Endoscopic removal of subacute subdural hematoma is seldom performed, but there is no standard technique till date. We investigated whether a simple endoscopic method is effective for the evacuation of subacute subdural hematoma. Methods A total of 51 patients with subacute subdural hematoma requiring surgery were enrolled in this study. Endoscopic hematoma evacuation was performed through a small bone window for 22 patients. Hematoma evacuation by open surgery was performed in 29 patients. Pre- and postoperative Glasgow coma scale (GCS), operation time, displacement of midline, and intraoperative blood loss were recorded and analyzed. Results The median time from incision to suture completion was 40 min (range: 31.25–43.75 min) for endoscopic group, and 70 min (range: 65–80 min) for open surgery group (P0.05). Mid-line displacement showed significant improvement on the day after surgery to 5.29±1.91mm for study group vs 6.75±1.37mm for control group (P0.05). GCS score on the day after the operation was improved to 15 for each patient in endoscopic surgery group, while 15(14,15)in the open surgery group (P

Artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques are all around our life. Image recognition and natural language processing are the two major topics. Through using TensorFlow-GPU as backend in convolutional neural network (CNN) and deep learning network, image recognition has been an extreme breakthrough in recent years. However, more and more model parameters result in overfitting problem and computation overhead. In the paper, the performance of image recognition between standard CNN and depthwise separable CNN is experimented and investigated. In addition, data augmentation technique is applied to both standard and depthwise separable CNNs to improve the image recognition accuracy. The experiments are implemented by an open source API called Keras with using CIFAR-10 dataset. Experimental results showed that the depthwise separable CNN improves validation accuracy compared with the standard CNN. Moreover, schemes with data augmentation achieve higher validation accuracy but training accuracy.

Aiming at the problems of poor detection accuracy and low efficiency on the roof and floor interface in horizontal well drilling in coal mine, the design idea of explosion-proof azimuth-while-drilling electromagnetic wave logging instrument in coal mine was put forward. In order to suit the working environment of underground coal seam, the change law of the influence of instrument parameters such as source distance and coil installation angle on the signal response was obtained through forward simulation. Through the simulation research on the response of azimuth-while-drilling electromagnetic wave logging instrument, it provided a basis for selection of parameter optimization design of the instruments applicable to the underground coal mine, and the change law of the response of coal rock roof and floor interface was mastered. The application of this instrument will improve the detection accuracy and efficiency on the roof and floor.

With the increasing scale of energy storage system, the demand for high-power energy storage converter is more and more intense. The multiple DC/DC converter is introduced into the topology of high-power energy storage converter. Through the analysis of its characteristics, it is found that the multiple DC/DC converter has significant advantages in current ripple and harmonics. When researching the control strategy of energy storage converter, droop control is added. The experiment results of the topology and control strategy show that the designed energy storage converter has excellent performance.