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Parafoil is an important novel method to realize the precise recovery of sub-stage booster of rocket. In this paper, a parafoil optimal path planning algorithm based on longicorn algorithm is proposed to solve the problems that the parafoil is easily affected by wind field and the error of landing point is large in the recovery of sub-stage booster of rocket. Firstly, according to the dynamics and kinematics equations of the parafoil and a rocket sub-stage combined system, a 6-degree-of-freedom model of the system was established to analyze the effects of different downward deviation on the forward velocity, vertical velocity and the trajectory planning of the parafoil during the homing process of the rocket sub-stage. On this basis, the number of circling turns, radius and azimuth of the cutting-high section of the combination of the parafoil and the sub-stage booster were taken as the optimal parameters, and the optimal path planning was carried out by using the longicorn algorithm. Finally, a homing path with comprehensive consideration of energy and the accuracy of the landing point was obtained. The simulation results show that the piecewise optimal flight path planning algorithm based on longicorn algorithm proposed in this paper has fast convergence speed and high precision of flight track landing point.

Recent studies implicate a strong association between elevated plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and insulin resistance (IR). However, a causal relationship and whether interrupted BCAA homeostasis can serve as a therapeutic target for diabetes remain to be established experimentally. In this study, unbiased integrative pathway analyses identified a unique genetic link between obesity-associated IR and BCAA catabolic gene expression at the pathway level in human and mouse populations. In genetically obese (ob/ob) mice, rate-limiting branched-chain α-keto acid (BCKA) dehydrogenase deficiency (i.e., BCAA and BCKA accumulation), a metabolic feature, accompanied the systemic suppression of BCAA catabolic genes. Restoring BCAA catabolic flux with a pharmacological inhibitor of BCKA dehydrogenase kinase (BCKDK) ( a suppressor of BCKA dehydrogenase) reduced the abundance of BCAA and BCKA and markedly attenuated IR in ob/ob mice. Similar outcomes were achieved by reducing protein (and thus BCAA) intake, whereas increasing BCAA intake did the opposite; this corroborates the pathogenic roles of BCAAs and BCKAs in IR in ob/ob mice. Like BCAAs, BCKAs also suppressed insulin signaling via activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1. Finally, the small-molecule BCKDK inhibitor significantly attenuated IR in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Collectively, these data demonstrate a pivotal causal role of a BCAA catabolic defect and elevated abundance of BCAAs and BCKAs in obesity-associated IR and provide proof-of-concept evidence for the therapeutic validity of manipulating BCAA metabolism for treating diabetes.

Background Branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolic defect is an emerging metabolic hallmark in failing hearts in human and animal models. The therapeutic impact of targeting BCAA catabolic flux under pathological conditions remains understudied. Methods and Results BT2 (3,6-dichlorobenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxylic acid), a small-molecule inhibitor of branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase, was used to enhance BCAA catabolism. After 2 weeks of transaortic constriction, mice with significant cardiac dysfunctions were treated with vehicle or BT2. Serial echocardiograms showed continuing pathological deterioration in left ventricle of the vehicle-treated mice, whereas the BT2-treated mice showed significantly preserved cardiac function and structure. Moreover, BT2 treatment improved systolic contractility and diastolic mechanics. These therapeutic benefits appeared to be independent of impacts on left ventricle hypertrophy but associated with increased gene expression involved in fatty acid utilization. The BT2 administration showed no signs of apparent toxicity. Conclusions Our data provide the first proof-of-concept evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of restoring BCAA catabolic flux in hearts with preexisting dysfunctions. The BCAA catabolic pathway represents a novel and potentially efficacious target for treatment of heart failure.

Background: Primary gastric T‐cell lymphoma (PG‐TCL) is a rare hematological malignancy with few data reported. The objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and survivals of PG‐TCL. Methods: Totally, 164 patients with PG‐TCL from 1975 to 2016 extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database were analyzed. Kaplan–Meier method was applied to plot overall survival (OS) and cancer‐specific survival (CSS). The prognostic factors of OS and CSS were explored by Cox proportional hazard regression. Nomograms were constructed to predict survival possibilities. Results: The age‐adjusted incidence rate of PG‐TCL was 0.0091 per 100,000 person‐years and increased with age. The median age at onset was 65 years old with male predominance. The major histological type was peripheral T‐cell lymphoma, NOS (63.4%). The 1‐, 2‐, and 5‐year OS were 45.5%, 34.7%, and 23.5%, respectively while the 1‐, 2‐, and 5‐year CSS were 47.4%, 37.3%, and 29.6%, respectively. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that age at diagnosis, use of chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were the independent prognostic factors for OS. Chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy could significantly improve patients' OS compared with chemotherapy alone. Moreover, age at diagnosis and use of chemotherapy were also the independent prognostic factors for CSS. Nomograms for PG‐TCL were developed to predict 1‐, 2‐, and 5‐year OS possibilities. The predictability of nomograms was verified by high concordance index and good agreement with the predicted value in calibration plots. Conclusion: PG‐TCL is a rare neoplasm with low incidence. Patients with PG‐TCL generally exhibited poor prognosis. Use of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy was associated with favorable OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]