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Background: Obesity is the most serious global epidemic and body composition is the main indicator to evaluate obesity. This study aimed to investigate the changing trends of body composition by age and gender in Beijing adults aged 20–60 years and explore the distribution of obesity rates in different age groups of both sexes under different evaluation criteria. Methods: A total of 24,948 adults aged 20–60 years in Beijing, including 10,225 males and 14,192 females, were included, divided into four age groups (20–29, 30–39, 40–49, and ≥ 50 years) with each decade of age as an age group. Body composition indicators (BMI, fat mass, BF%, muscle mass, visceral fat area, and WHR) were measured in all subjects. Results: BMI and total fat mass peaked in males aged 40–49 years (BMI = 25.75 kg/m2, total fat mass = 17.70 kg). Female BMI, fat mass and BF% all increased significantly with age (p < 0.01). Total muscle peaked in males aged 30–39 years and decreased significantly thereafter (p < 0.0001). Visceral fat area and WHR increased significantly with age in both sexes (p < 0.0001). Age was significantly positively correlated with BMI, BF%, fat mass, WHR, and visceral fat area in both sexes (p < 0.0001), and age was negatively correlated with muscle mass in males (standard β = − 0.14, p < 0.0001) while positive in female (standard β = 0.05, p < 0.0001). Under the BMI criterion, the obesity rate peaked at 27.33% in males at the age of 20–29 years. Under the BF% criterion, the obesity rate peaked at 17.41% in males at the age of 30–39 years, and increased in females with age. The central obesity rate of both sexes increased with age under the criteria of WHR and visceral fat area. Conclusion: The results of this study reveal that age- and sex-related patterns of body composition and obesity change among Beijing adults aged 20–60 years may differ across age groups and that such patterns of change should be considered when developing public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, as a clean energy source, has received widespread attention and experienced rapid growth worldwide. However, the rapid growth of PV power deployment also brings important challenges to the maintenance of PV panels, and in order to solve this problem, this paper proposes an innovative algorithm based on PA-YOLO. First, we propose to use PA-YOLO's asymptotic feature pyramid network (AFPN) instead of YOLOv7's backbone network to support direct interactions of nonadjacent layers and avoid large semantic gaps between nonadjacent layers. For the occlusion problem of dense targets in the dataset, we introduce a repulsive loss function, which successfully reduces the occurrence of false detection situations. Finally, we propose a customized convolutional block equipped with an EMA mechanism to enhance the perceptual and expressive capabilities of the model. Experimental results on the dataset show that our proposed model achieves excellent performance with an average accuracy (mAP) of 94.5%, which is 6.8% higher than YOLOv7. In addition, our algorithm also succeeds in drastically reducing the model size from 71.3 MB to 48.4 MB, which well demonstrates the effectiveness of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing and representing multi-source and heterogeneous knowledge is a popular research topic in recent years. After investigating knowledge forming process based on multi-source heterogeneous information resources, we present a new approach in which different information resources are put into a mutual RDF(S) data model, and semantic reasoning of RDF(S) is conducted. Moreover, a knowledge base construction framework for multi-source heterogeneous information source with combination of Ontology knowledge model is put forward, and an algorithm of knowledge base construction is also proposed, in which the core issues are knowledge inclusion and updating. Then the time complexity of our algorithm is analyzed. Finally, in order to solve the heterogeneous, and uneven horizontal of geographical distribution of ethnic minority information resources in Yunnan Province, we use the proposed method to construct a domain knowledge base for ethnic minority information resources, and use this model to evaluate the efficiency for the knowledge inclusion algorithm in responding time and indexing responding time for different data resources in our experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quaternary water-salt system Rb+, Mg2+//Cl-, borate-H2O is an important subsystem of the composition of Pingluo underground brine, Sichuan province. An isothermal dissolution equilibrium method was used to study the phase equilibrium of the system, and the solubilities, densities, and refractive indices of the equilibrated solution of the system were determined. On the basis of the solubility data, the isothermal dissolution phase diagram, the water figure, the diagrams for the density-composition and refractive index-composition were obtained. Results suggest that the quaternary system is of a complex reciprocal system with the formation of double salt RbCl·MgCl2·6H2O. Three invariant points and seven univariant curves divide the phase diagram into five crystalline zones. The five crystalline regions correspond to four single salts, rubidium chloride (RbCl), bischofite (MgCl2·6H2O), rubidium pentaborate tetrahydrate (RbB5O6(OH)4·2H2O), and hungchaoite (MgB4O5(OH)4·7H2O), and one double salt rubidium-carnallite (RbCl·MgCl2·6H2O). The size of the RbB5O6(OH)4·2H2O crystallization field is the largest, whereas that of MgCl2·6H2O is the smallest. Comparisons between the stable phase diagrams at 323 K and 348 K show that there is no change with the crystallization forms of the salts, while the crystallization field of salt RbB5O6(OH)4·2H2O becomes obviously larger with the increase of temperature; a rise in temperature is beneficial to separate RbB5O6(OH)4·2H2O from the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Klebsiella pneumoniae has become one of the most dangerous causative agents of hospital infections due to the acquisition of resistance to carbapenems, one of the last resort families of antibiotics. Resistance is usually mediated by carbapenemases coded for by different classesofgenes.Aprolonged outbreak of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae infections hasbeen recently described in northeastern Ohio.Most strains isolated from patients during this outbreak belong to MLST sequence type 258 (ST258). To understand more about this outbreak two isolates (strains 140 and 677), one of them responsible for a fatal infection, were selected for genome comparison analyses. Whole genome map and sequence comparisons demonstrated that both strains are highly related showing 99% average nucleotide identity. However, the genomes differ at the so-called high heterogeneity zone (HHZ) and other minor regions. This study identifies thepotential valueof theHHZas apotential marker for K. pneumoniaeclinical andepidemiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Si pillars fabricated by focused ion beam (FIB) had been reported to have a critical size of 310-400 nm, below which their deformation behavior would experience a brittle-to-ductile transition at room temperature. Here, we demonstrated that the size-dependent transition was actually stemmed from the amorphous Si (a-Si) shell introduced during the FIB fabrication process. Once the a-Si shell was crystallized, Si pillars would behave brittle again with their modulus comparable to their bulk counterpart. The analytical model we developed has been proved to be valid in deriving the moduli of crystalline Si core and a-Si shell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) is proposed by the Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This project expects to find the evidence of the existence of dark matter particles in the universe via the detection of the high-energy electrons and gamma-ray particles produced possibly by the annihilation of dark matter particles. The major component of the satellite payload is a BGO (Bismuth Germanate Oxide) calorimeter, which is used to detect the particles in the energy range from 5 GeV to 10 TeV. According to a physical simulation, the dynamic range of each BGO detection unit is about 1.5×10 5 . In order to test the readout linearity of the BGO detection unit, we have implemented a simple linear calibration system covering such a large dynamic range. The experimental result shows that the readout nonlinearity of the BGO detection unit in the entire dynamic range is less than 2.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is used to manage chronic pain, including neuropathic and inflammatory pain. However, data regarding the clinical effectiveness are conflicting and the neurophysiological mechanism of SOD has yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether SOD relieved chronic central pain (CCP) following spinal cord injury (SCI) and the possible underlying mechanisms. A CCP model was established using the Allen method and the CCP of the rats was measured using the paw withdrawal threshold. SOD was administered intraperitoneally following the establishment of CCP as a result of SCI. The results demonstrated that SOD relieved CCP in rats following SCI. In addition, the expression of spinal phosphorylated N-methyl-D-aspartate(NMDA) receptor subunit 1 (pNR-1) was inhibited in the CCP rats that had been treated with SOD. These observations indicated that SOD reduced mechanical allodynia and attenuated the enhancement of spinal pNR1 expression in rats with CCP. In addition, the results indicated that superoxide, produced via xanthine oxidase, and the participation of superoxide and nitric oxide (NO) as a precursor of peroxynitrite in NMDA, were involved in the mediation of central sensitization. Therefore, the observations support the hypothesis that SOD may have a potential therapeutic role for the treatment of CCP following SCI via the manipulation of superoxide and NO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of gamma irradiation on the tribological behaviors of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-filled ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composites were investigated. The tribological changes were evaluated by friction and wear tests as well as scanning electron microscopic analysis of the worn surfaces. It was found that the irradiation induced the degradation of UHMWPE molecular chains and the interfacial cross-linking was formed. The addition of HDPE significantly increased the wear resistance of UHMWPE composites. Friction and wear tests indicated that HDPE improved the tribological properties of the materials before and after irradiation. HDPE and irradiation exhibited a good synergistic effect for improving the wear resistant and tribological properties of UHMWPE material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Heatwaves could cause the population excess death numbers to be ranged from tens to thousands within a couple of weeks in a local area. An excess mortality due to a special event (e.g., a heatwave or an epidemic outbreak) is estimated by subtracting the mortality figure under 'normal' conditions from the historical daily mortality records. The calculation of the excess mortality is a scientific challenge because of the stochastic temporal pattern of the daily mortality data which is characterised by (a) the long-term changing mean levels (i.e., non-stationarity); (b) the non-linear temperature-mortality association. The Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) algorithm is a novel method originally developed for analysing the nonlinear and non-stationary time series data in the field of signal processing, however, it has not been applied in public health research. This paper aimed to demonstrate the applicability and strength of the HHT algorithm in analysing health data. Methods Special R functions were developed to implement the HHT algorithm to decompose the daily mortality time series into trend and non-trend components in terms of the underlying physical mechanism. The excess mortality is calculated directly from the resulting non-trend component series. Results The Brisbane (Queensland, Australia) and the Chicago (United States) daily mortality time series data were utilized for calculating the excess mortality associated with heatwaves. The HHT algorithm estimated 62 excess deaths related to the February 2004 Brisbane heatwave. To calculate the excess mortality associated with the July 1995 Chicago heatwave, the HHT algorithm needed to handle the mode mixing issue. The HHT algorithm estimated 510 excess deaths for the 1995 Chicago heatwave event. To exemplify potential applications, the HHT decomposition results were used as the input data for a subsequent regression analysis, using the Brisbane data, to investigate the association between excess mortality and different risk factors. Conclusions The HHT algorithm is a novel and powerful analytical tool in time series data analysis. It has a real potential to have a wide range of applications in public health research because of its ability to decompose a nonlinear and non-stationary time series into trend and non-trend components consistently and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We first analyze quality and price decisions in a supply chain with two Stackelberg games: Manufacturer's Stackelberg (MS) and Supplier's Stackelberg (SS).Then, we investigate how equilibrium solutions are influenced by proposed quality improvement policies: coordination and manufacturer's involvement. Also, we derive the conditions under which the policies can be implemented in both MS and SS strategies. Numerical experiments illustrate the problems and several related issues are discussed. The results suggest that proposed quality improvement policies can realize Pareto improvement for the supply chain performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel structure of AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD) featuring electric field optimization techniques of anode-connected-field-plate (AFP) and magnesium-doped p-type buried layer under the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel is proposed. In comparison with conventional AlGaN/GaN SBDs, the magnesium-doped p-type buried layer in the proposed structure can provide holes that can help to deplete the surface 2DEG. As a result, surface field strength around the electrode edges is significantly suppressed and the electric field along the channel is distributed more evenly. Through 2D numerical analysis, the AFP parameters (field plate length, LAFP, and field plate height, TAFP) and p-type buried layer parameters (p-type layer concentration, NP, and p-type layer thickness, TP) are optimized to achieve a three-equal-peak surface channel field distribution under exact charge balance conditions. A novel structure with a total drift region length of 10.5 μm and a magnesium-doped p-type concentration of 1 × 1017 cm−3 achieves a high breakdown voltage (VB) of 1.8 kV, showing 5 times improvement compared with the conventional SBD with the same device dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been well documented that the inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) induces autophagy in proliferative cells. Therefore, mTOR inhibitors have been proposed for the treatment of cancer. As autophagy plays significant roles in tumor cell survival, the present study aimed to investigate the contribution of autophagy activation to the antitumor effects of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP). An MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effects of rapamycin on MG63 osteosarcoma cells. The cell cycle was assessed using a flow cytometry analysis subsequent to staining the DNA with propidium iodide. The mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ) was measured using the fluorescent probe, JC-1. Western blot analysis was used to determine the expression of the proteins that are involved in apoptosis and autophagy, including p53, p62, light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin-1. The viability of the MG63 cells was inhibited following rapamycin or CDDP treatment. The mitochondrial Δψ collapsed following treatment with rapamycin or CDDP. Rapamycin induced cell death and enhanced the effects of the induction of MG63 cell death by CDDP. Western blot analysis detected the induced expression of the p53 and Beclin-1 proteins and the autophagic proteins, LC3 and p62. Rapamycin was observed to induce the death of cancer cells through apoptotic and autophagic mechanisms. Rapamycin may enhance the effects of the activation of autophagy and the induction of apoptosis by CDDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel structure of a 4H-SiC lateral bipolar junction transistor (LBJT) with a base field plate and double RESURF in the drift region is presented. Collector-base junction depletion extension in the base region is restricted by the base field plate. Thin base as well as low base doping of the LBJT therefore can be achieved under the condition of avalanche breakdown. Simulation results show that thin base of 0.32 μm and base doping of 3 × 1017 cm−3 are obtained, and corresponding current gain is as high as 247 with avalanche breakdown voltage of 3309 V when the drift region length is 30 μm. Besides, an investigation of a 4H-SiC vertical BJT (VBJT) with comparable breakdown voltage (3357 V) shows that the minimum base width of 0.25 μm and base doping as high as 8 × 1017 cm−3 contribute to a maximum current gain of only 128. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the resolution of social dilemmas in random graphs and scale-free networks is facilitated by imitating not the strategy of better-performing players but, rather, their emotions. We assume sympathy and envy to be the two emotions that determine the strategy of each player in any given interaction, and we define them as the probabilities of cooperating with players having a lower and a higher payoff, respectively. Starting with a population where all possible combinations of the two emotions are available, the evolutionary process leads to a spontaneous fixation to a single emotional profile that is eventually adopted by all players. However, this emotional profile depends not only on the payoffs but also on the heterogeneity of the interaction network. Homogeneous networks, such as lattices and regular random graphs, lead to fixations that are characterized by high sympathy and high envy, while heterogeneous networks lead to low or modest sympathy but also low envy. Our results thus suggest that public emotions and the propensity to cooperate at large depend, and are in fact determined by, the properties of the interaction network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OG2 is a modified antimicrobial peptide, that is, derived from the frog peptide Palustrin-OG1. It has high antimicrobial activity and low cytotoxicity, and it is therefore promising as a therapeutic agent. Both prokaryotic (Escherichia coli) and eukaryotic (Pichia pastoris) production host systems were used to produce OG2 in our previous study; however, it was difficult to achieve high expression yields and efficient purification. In this study, we achieved high-yield OG2 expression using the intein fusion system. The optimized OG2 gene was cloned into thepTWIN1 vector to generate pTWIN-OG2-intein2 (C-terminal fusion vector) andpTWINintein1-OG2 (N-terminal fusion vector). Nearly 70% of the expressed OG2-intein2 was soluble after the IPTG concentration and induction temperature were decreased, whereas only 42% of the expressed of intein1-OG2 was soluble. Up to 75 mg of OG2-intein2 was obtained from a 11 culture, and 85% of the protein was cleaved by 100 mM DTT. Intein1-OG2 was less amenable to cleavage due to the inhibition of cleavage by the N-terminal amino acid of OG2. The purified OG2 exhibited strong antimicrobial activity against E. coli K88. The intein system is the best currently available system for the cost-effective production of OG2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel ensemble learning approach based on logistic regression (LR) and artificial intelligence tool, that is, support vector machine (SVM) and back-propagation neural networks (BPNN), for corporate financial distress forecasting in fashion and textiles supply chains. Firstly, related concepts of LR, SVM, and BPNN are introduced. Then, the forecasting results by LR are introduced into the SVM and BPNN techniques which can recognize the forecasting errors in fitness by LR. Moreover, empirical analysis of Chinese listed companies in fashion and textile sector is implemented for the comparison of the methods, and some related issues are discussed. The results suggest that the proposed novel ensemble learning approach can achieve higher forecasting performance than those of individual models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heme acquisition machinery in Group A Streptococcus (GAS) consists of the surface proteins Shr and Shp and ATPbinding cassette transporter HtsABC. Shp cannot directly acquire heme from methemoglobin (metHb) but directly transfers its heme to HtsA. It has not been previously determined whether Shr directly relays heme from metHb to Shp. Thus, the complete pathway for heme acquisition from metHb by the GAS heme acquisition machinery has remained unclear. In this study, the metHb-to-Shr and Shr-to-Shp heme transfer reactions were characterized by spectroscopy, kinetics and proteinprotein interaction analyses. Heme is efficiently transferred from the b and a subunits of metHb to Shr with rates that are 7 and 60 times greater than those of the passive heme release from metHb, indicating that Shr directly acquires heme from metHb. The rapid heme transfer from Shr to Shp involves an initial heme donor/acceptor complex and a spectrally and kinetically detectable transfer intermediate, implying that heme is directly channeled from Shr to Shp. The present results show that Shr speeds up heme transfer from metHb to Shp, whereas Shp speeds up heme transfer from Shr to HtsA. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that Shr can interact with metHb and Shp but not HtsA. Taken together with our published results on the Shp/HtsA reaction, these findings establish a model of the heme acquisition pathway in GAS in which Shr directly extracts heme from metHb and Shp relays it from Shr to HtsA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to a fast activating and immediately inactivating inward sodium current, many types of excitable cells possess a noninactivating or slowly inactivating component: the persistent sodium current (INaP). The INaP is found in normal primary sensory neurons where it is mediated by tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channels. The dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is the gateway for ectopic impulses that originate in pathological pain signals from the periphery. However, the role of INaP in DRG neurons remains unclear, particularly in neuropathic pain states. Using in vivo recordings from single medium- and largediameter fibers isolated from the compressed DRG in Sprague-Dawley rats, we show that local application of riluzole, which blocks the INaP, also inhibits the spontaneous activity of A-type DRG neurons in a dose-dependent manner. Significantly, riluzole also abolished subthreshold membrane potential oscillations (SMPOs), although DRG neurons still responded to intracellular current injection with a single full-sized spike. In addition, the INaP was enhanced in medium- and large-sized neurons of the compressed DRG, while bath-applied riluzole significantly inhibited the INaP without affecting the transient sodium current (INaT). Taken together, these results demonstrate for the first time that the INaP blocker riluzole selectively inhibits INaP and thereby blocks SMPOs and the ectopic spontaneous activity of injured A-type DRG neurons. This suggests that the INaP of DRG neurons is a potential target for treating neuropathic pain at the peripheral level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a linear passive vehicle suspension model with eight DOF, including six vertical and two rotation motions is given. Considering road surface damage, and ride comfort, taking stiffness and damping of seat and suspension system as design variables; taking seat acceleration RMS, tire’s relative dynamic load and suspension’s maximum dynamic stroke as objective functions, it established a tri-objective optimization model; and it also gave a multi-objective method based on game theory, takes three design objectives as three players, by calculating the affecting factors of the design variables to objective functions and fuzzy clustering, the design variables are divided into different strategic spaces owned by each player. Bionic research on three kinds of male side-blotched lizard’s behavior and survival of multiply mechanism, it defines three lizards as opportunism, egoism and collectivism; sets the three behaviors as corresponding player, and takes self-adaptive function as objective as optimal mono-objective its own strategic spaces and obtains the best strategy to deal with the others. All the best strategies are combined as a game strategy set. By multi-gaming, the final solution meeting given convergence of criterion is obtained. Calculation results show the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular carboxylic ester hydrolases are produced by many bacterial pathogens and have been shown recently to be important for virulence of some pathogens. However, these hydrolases are poorly characterized in enzymatic activity. This study prepared and characterized the secreted ester hydrolase of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi (designated SeE for S. equi esterase). SeE hydrolyzes ethyl acetate, acetylsalicylic acid, and tributyrin but not ethyl butyrate. This substrate specificity pattern does not match those of the three conventional types of nonspecific carboxylic ester hydrolases (carboxylesterases, arylesterases, and acetylesterases). To determine whether SeE has lipase activity, a number of triglycerides and vinyl esters were tested in SeE-catalyzed hydrolysis. SeE does not hydrolyze triglycerides and vinyl esters of long-chain carboxylic acids nor display interfacial activation, indicating that SeE is not a lipase. Like the conventional carboxylesterases, SeE is inhibited by di-isopropylfluorophosphate. These findings indicate that SeE is a novel carboxylesterase with optimal activity for acetyl esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a vector-bundle formulation, we introduce a new family of nonlinear subdivision schemes for manifold-valued data. Any such nonlinear subdivision scheme is based on an underlying linear subdivision scheme. We show that if the underlying linear subdivision scheme reproduces Πk, then the nonlinear scheme satisfies an order k proximity condition with the linear scheme. We also develop a new "proximity ⇒ smoothness" theorem, improving the one in [J. Wallner, Constr. Approx., 24 (2006), pp. 289-318]. Combining the two results, we can conclude that if the underlying linear scheme is Ck and stable, then the nonlinear scheme is also Ck. The family of manifold-valued data subdivision scheme introduced in this paper includes a variant of the log-exp scheme, proposed in [I. U. Rahman et al., Multiscale Model. Simul., 4 (2005), pp. 1201-1232], as a special case, but not the original log-exp scheme when the underlying linear scheme is non-interpolatory. The original log-exp scheme uses the same tangent plane for both the odd and the even rules, while the variant uses two different, judiciously chosen, tangent planes. We also present computational experiments that indicate that the original smoothness equivalence conjecture posted in [I. U. Rahman et al., Multiscale Model. Simul., 4 (2005), pp. 1201-1232] is unlikely to be true. Our result also generalizes the recent results in [G. Xie and T. P.-Y. Yu, SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 45 (2007), pp. 1200-1225], [G. Xie and T. P.-Y. Yu, IMA J. Numer. Anal., to appear], [P. Grohs, IMA J. Numer. Anal., to appear], [P. Grohs, Smoothness Equivalence Properties of Univariate Subdivision Schemes and Their Projection Analogues, manuscript, 2007]. It uses only the intrinsic smoothness structure of the manifold and (hence) does not rely on any embedding or Lie group or symmetric space or Riemannian structure. In particular, concepts such as geodesics, log and exp maps, or projection from ambient space play no explicit role in the theorem. Also, the underlying linear scheme need not be interpolatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The iron-regulated surface proteins IsdA, IsdB, and IsdC and transporter IsdDEF of Staphylococcus aureus are involved in heme acquisition. To establish an experimental model of heme acquisition by this system, we have investigated hemin transfer between the various couples of human methemoglobin (metHb), IsdA, IsdB, IsdC, and IsdE by spectroscopic and kinetic analyses. The efficiencies of hemin transfer from hemin-contaming donors (holo-protein) to different hemin-free acceptors (apo-protein) were examined, and the rates of the transfer reactions were compared with that of indirect loss of hemin from the relevant donor to H64Y/V68F apomyoglobin. The efficiencies, spectral changes, and kinetics of the transfer reactions demonstrate that: 1) metHb directly transfers hemin to apo-IsdB, but not to apo-IsdA, apo-IsdC, and apo-IsdE; 2) holo-IsdB directly transfers hemin to apo-IsdA and apo-IsdC, but not to apo-IsdE; 3) apo-IsdE directly acquires hemin from holo-IsdC, but not from holo-IsdB and holo-IsdA; and 4) IsdB and IsdC enhance hemin transfer from metHb to apo-IsdC and from holo-IsdB to apo-IsdE, respectively. Taken together with our recent finding that holo-IsdA directly transfers its hemin to apo-IsdC, these results provide direct experimental evidence for a model in which IsdB acquires hemin from metHb and transfers it directly or through IsdA to IsdC. Hemin is then relayed to IsdE, the lipoprotein component of the IsdDEF transporter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpolation of manifold-valued data is a fundamental problem which has applications in many fields. The linear subdivision method is an efficient and well-studied method for interpolating or approximating real-valued data in a multiresolution fashion. A natural way to apply a linear subdivision scheme … to interpolate manifold-valued data is to first embed the manifold at hand into an Euclidean space and construct a projection operator P that maps points from the ambient space to a closest point on the embedded surface, and then consider the nonlinear subdivision operator S := P o …. When applied to symmetric spaces such as Sn-1, SO(n), SL(n), SE(n), G(n, k) the projection method can also be carried out in such a way that the resulting schemes enjoy natural coordinate invariance properties and robust numerical implementations. Despite such nice features, the mathematical analysis of such nonlinear subdivision schemes is in its infancy. In this article, we attack the so-called smoothness equivalence conjecture, which asserts that the smoothness property of S is exactly the same as that of …. We show that in the cases of Sn-1, SO(n), and related manifolds, we have a proximity condition of the form ∣(S - …)y∣∞ ∙Σi=1p-1 ∣Δiy∣∞∣Δp-iy∣∞, where p is the accuracy order of …. Armed with this proximity condition and other known approximation theoretic results, we can establish the result that the Hölder smoothness exponent of S is always as high as that of …-no matter how high the latter is. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a group-theoretic approach to address the wideband extended range-Doppler target imaging and design of clutter rejecting waveforms. An exact imaging method based on the inverse Fourier transform of the affine group is presented. A Wiener filter is designed in the affine group Fourier transform domain to minimize wideband clutter range-Doppler reflectivity. The Wiener filter is then used to form an operator to precondition transmitted waveforms to reject clutter. Alternatively, the imaging and clutter rejection methods are equivalently re-expressed to perform clutter suppression upon reception. These methods are coupled with noise suppression upon reception. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach. Our study shows that the framework introduced in this paper can address the joint design of receive and transmit processing, design of clutter rejecting waveforms, suppression of noise, and reduction of computational complexity in receive processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear subdivision schemes arise from, among other applications, nonlinear multiscale signal processing and shape preserving interpolation. For the univariate homogeneous subdivision operator $S:\ell(\bZ) \goto \ell(\bZ)$ we establish a set of commutation/recurrence relations which can be used to analyze the asymptotic decay rate of $\|\Delta^r S^j m\|_{\ell^\infty}$, $j=1,2,\ldots,$ the latter in turn determines the convergence and H\”older regularity of $S$. We apply these results to prove that the critical H\”older regularity exponent of a nonlinear subdivision scheme based on median-interpolation is equal to that of an approximating linear subdivision scheme, resolving a conjecture by Donoho and Yu. We also consider a family of nonlinear but affine invariant subdivision operators based on interpolation-imputation of $p$-mean (of which median corresponds to the special case $p=1$) as well as general continuous $M$-estimators. We propose a linearization principle which, when applied to $p$-mean subdivision operators, leads to a family of linear subdivision schemes. Numerical evidence indicates that in at least many cases the critical smoothness of a $p$-mean subdivision scheme is the same as that of the corresponding linear scheme. This suggests a more coherent view of the result obtained in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several epoxy oligomers, A-X-A series, in which the A represents epoxy group, and the X is molecular block between epoxy groups, were synthesized or selected to compatibilize the blends of polysulfone (PSF)/a semiaromatic Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer (TLCPA1) and the blends of polycarbonate (PC)/TLCPA1. The results of Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), and mechanical properties measurement of these compatibilized blends showed that the compatibilizing effects of these epoxy oligomers relied on the structure and the spacing block length of X. Among them, one new epoxy oligomer, which was made from allyl bisphenol-A and E-44 (a bisphenol-A epoxy resin, epoxy equivalent: 230), has been demonstrated to be a highly efficient compatibilizer for PSF/TLCPA1 blends. Adding 2% of this compatibilizer to PSF/TLCPA1 blend led to a 6.7% and 9.7% increase of bending strength and tensile strength, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes missense mutation in the tubulin-specific chaperone E gene in the mouse mutant progressive motor neuronopathy. Human motoneuron disease; Gene mutation; Tau immunoreactivity.

The formation of ohmic contact in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with low surface damage by selective laser annealing is reported. With selective laser annealing, the device exhibits a smaller sheet resistance, which is 74.9% of the device with the conventional rapid thermal annealing process. The dynamic ON-resistance is 1.35 times higher than the static ON-resistance after off-state drain voltage stress of 200 V, which benefits from the low surface defects using laser annealing. While the dynamic ON-resistance with rapid thermal annealing shows 8.66 times higher than the static ON-resistance after off-state drain voltage stress of 125 V. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates that the AlGaN surface damage related to the oxidation reaction under the high-temperature condition is eliminated by using selective laser annealing, even in the air ambient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical mechanisms of Ti/Al/Ni/Au ohmic contacts to AlGaN/GaN heterostructures by laser annealing and rapid thermal annealing are systematically investigated. The microstructures indicate that a better surface morphology and an intact contact interface are formed after laser annealing. None of the TiN alloy spikes are formed at the interface of the laser annealing sample. The experimental results show that the current transport mechanism through the ohmic contact after laser annealing is different from the conventional spike mechanism, and it is dominated by thermionic field emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiphase flowmeter (MPFM) is used in the upstream oil and gas industry for continuous, in-line, real-time, oil-gas-water flow measurement without fluid separation. An MPFM typically consists of phase-fraction and velocity measurements. It is desirable to have homogeneous flow at the measurement location so that the phase-fraction measurement is representative. A horizontal blind-tee pipe-section is often installed to homogenize flow in the downstream vertical Venturi-based flowmeters; however, little information is available on the effect of horizontal blind-tee depth (HBD) on flow homogeneity. In addition, the Venturi vertical entrance length (VEL) leading to the Venturi inlet from the horizontal blind-tee outlet is another design parameter that may potentially affect the downstream phase distribution. The phase-fraction measurement principle requires liquid properties. The local liquid richness makes the horizontal blind-tee an ideal location for measuring liquid properties; however, an excessive HBD may affect the reliability of the measurements of liquid properties, because local vortices may degrade liquid measurement representativeness if the local liquid velocity is too low. This study uses a computational fluid dynamics approach to evaluate the effect of HBD and VEL on multiphase flow measurement. The computational results are validated with experimental data collected in a multiphase flow facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of the network society, as the mapping Internet space, the public opinion has become the most active way of expressing social public opinion. It gradually gets deeply involved in the development and change of various social phenomena, social problems and social events, and evolves into the real politics and public management. In this context, it is of great practical significance to explore the evolution process and laws of online public opinions and systematically analyze the influence mechanism in the evolution process of online public opinions. This paper comprehensively uses the modeling simulation, empirical analysis, fuzzy systems and other research methods, adopts the reasonable abstraction of the main behavior characteristics, behavior motives and network relations of network users, and then constructs the evolution model of network public opinion in the complex social network. Besides, from the new research perspective of network members and network relations of the dynamic interaction between the government, media and netizen, this paper makes an in-depth study on the influence mechanism of the dynamic evolution of online public opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of true shale cores is limited by the characteristics of shale formations, such as the development of bedding and micro-fractures, poor cementation, and fragility. Artificial cores cannot meet the requirements of shale at the nanometer scale and are not representative. Existing plugging evaluation methods have problems such as cumbersome steps, long time consumption, and low evaluation accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes a shale plugging evaluation method based on the simulation of "thick mud cakes". This method analyzes the effects of factors such as bentonite dosage, type and dosage of treatment agent, barite content and particle size distribution on mud cake parameters through approximation experiments, establishes a standard slurry formula for "thick mud cakes", and prepares a standard "thick mud cake" with a thickness of 10.03 mm and a permeability of 4.79·10-4 mD to evaluate the plugging effect by the reduction rate of permeability. Based on this method, four plugging agents were selected and combined to obtain the best compound plugging agent. The drilling fluid system plugging evaluation was carried out on both the standard "thick mud cake" and thin mud cake, and the microscopic plugging mechanism of shale was analyzed. The results show that this method is simple to operate, has good reproducibility and high accuracy in plugging evaluation results, and has strong application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale reservoirs are characterized by the presence of nano-micron pores in abundance, easy breakage due to bedding development, and difficulty in preparing true core samples. Therefore, 3D reconstruction of digital cores has become an important means of studying the microstructure features of shale. Currently, for shale matrix of dense reservoirs, existing deep learning-based reconstruction methods suffer from high costs and low accuracy, mainly due to the insufficient extraction capability of the networks for nano-micron pore features and low core resolution during reconstruction. To accurately predict the nano-micron scale pore structure of shale, we propose a shale 3D reconstruction method based on context-aware generative adversarial networks and high-resolution optical flow estimation (COFRnet-3DWGAN). This method optimizes the 3DWGAN(Wasserstein GAN) and high-resolution optical flow estimation networks by incorporating context-awareness, enhances the feature extraction capability of the networks to improve the learning degree of core nano-micron pores, and optimizes the core resolution by increasing the resolution of optical flow between core sequence images, thereby improving the accuracy of core reconstruction. The results show that, compared with WGAN, the proposed method is closer to the true core in terms of porous media morphological functions, porosity and permeability distribution, and pore structure parameters, indicating that this method has certain advantages in improving the accuracy of shale reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydration of clay minerals in shale is one of the main causes of borewall instability. Efficient shale hydration inhibitors require strong interactions between the inhibitor and the mineral surface, such as van der Waals forces, static electricity, hydrogen bonds, and even the formation of chemical bonds, which can significantly reduce the crystal layer spacing of clay minerals. The selection of main functional group of inhibitor plays a decisive role in the performance of inhibitor. The density functional theory method based on quantum mechanics can simulate and calculate the interaction between inhibitor and montmorillonite (001) plane, and study its electronic structure and properties at the atomic level. The adsorption of C2H5–NH2, C2H5–OH, C2H5–OCH3, C2H5–CHO and C2H5–COCH3 on Montmorillonite (001) was calculated by density functional simulation. The adsorption of inhibitor functional groups on montmorillonite (001) layer was studied comprehensively from the aspects of adsorption configuration, adsorption energy, charge population, frontier orbit and differential electron density distribution. According to this study, the primary amine group is suitable as the main functional group of hydration inhibitor. Meanwhile, this paper provides theoretical support for the development of efficient surface hydration inhibitors.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, {[Co(C8H3NO6)(C10H8N2)(H2O)]·0.25H2O} n, the coordination polyhedron of the CoII ion is an octa­hedron. Each pair of adjacent CoII ions is bridged by a dianion of 5-nitro-1,3-benzene­dicarboxylic acid (H2nmbdc) to form a chain running along the a axis. These chains are linked by π–π stacking inter­actions and O(water)—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a supramolecular structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, [Mn(C8H3NO6)(C10H8N2)(H2O)] n, the coordination polyhedron of the MnII ion is an octa­hedron defined by an N2O4 donor set. Each pair of adjacent MnII ions is bridged by a 5-nitro­benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl­ate dianion to form a chiral helical chain running along a crystallographic 21 axis in the c direction with a long pitch of 19.04 Å. These chains are linked by Owater—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a layer structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the strong uncertainty in ball mills, cloud model which combines fuzziness and randomness together and has the ability of processing uncertainty, is introduced. The paper proposes a novel soft sensor based on uncertainty reasoning of cloud model to improve the accuracy and reliability of fill level measurement. At first, power spectral densities of the vibration signals are extracted by Welch's method and the features are obtained by summing the energy of a wide frequency band. Then backward cloud generator algorithm is used to represent numerical characteristics of antecedent clouds under different fill levels, and the corresponding consequent clouds are given according to the fill level information. Thus, the rule base is built and the uncertainty reasoning based on cloud model is realized. As it is difficult to obtain data set continuously and accurately in practical industry fields, virtual cloud is employed to deal with the problem of sparse rule base in the case of insufficient samples. The experimental results show that the accuracy of proposed method can meet the requirements of field measurement applications. In addition, the method based on virtual cloud is more accurate and robust compared with other methods in the case of insufficient samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research work was to design and synthesize triazolylnapthyl derivative of β-amyrin (TNB) using click chemistry approach. Cytotoxic activity of TNB was evaluated against HK-1 human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells using MTT cell viability assay. Fluorescence microscopy indicated cellular morphological changes induced by TNB. Flow cytometry was involved to demonstrate effects of this compound on cell cycle and apoptosis. The results revealed that TNB inhibited in vitro cancer cell growth in dose- and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values of TNB at 24 and 48 hours time intervals were found to be 47.2 and 32.5 μM respectively. TNBtreated cells exhibited significant dense staining fragmentation called apoptotic bodies, which inferred an early apoptotic event. DNA ladder was more apparent with the increasing TNB dose. However, no DNA fragments were observed in the control groups. TNB also induced sub-G1 cell cycle arrest and increased fraction of HK-1 apoptotic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain remains a pressing clinical problem. Here, we demonstrate that a local, intrathecal (i.t.) injection of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) following lumbar puncture alleviates early- and late-phase neuropathic pain symptoms, such as allodynia and hyperalgesia, for several weeks in murine chronic constriction injury (CCI) and spared nerve injury models. Moreover, i.t. BMSCs reduced CCI-induced spontaneous pain and axonal injury of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and inhibited CCI-evoked neuroinflammation in DRGs and spinal cord tissues. BMSCs secreted TGF-β1 into the cerebrospinal fluid, and neutralization of TGF-β1, but not IL-10, reversed the analgesic effect of BMSCs. Conversely, i.t. administration of TGF-β1 potently inhibited neuropathic pain. TGF-β1 acted as a powerful neuromodulator and rapidly (within minutes) suppressed CCI-evoked spinal synaptic plasticity and DRG neuronal hyperexcitability via TGF-β receptor 1-mediated noncanonical signaling. Finally, nerve injury upregulated CXCL12 in lumbar L4-L6 DRGs, and this upregulation caused migration of i.t.-injected BMSCs to DRGs through the CXCL12 receptor CXCR4, which was expressed on BMSCs. BMSCs that migrated from the injection site survived at the border of DRGs for more than 2 months. Our findings support a paracrine mechanism by which i.t. BMSCs target CXCL12-producing DRGs to elicit neuroprotection and sustained neuropathic pain relief via TGF-β1 secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO)-filled polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has been successfully prepared at different compositions in a corotating twin-screw extruder, where PTFE acts as the polymer matrix and PBO as the dispersed phase. The morphology and impact properties of these blends were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The presence of PBO particles dispersed in the PTFE continuous phase exhibited a coarse morphology. Increasing PBO contents in the blend improved the impact properties at weak deformation. It was found that the interfacial adhesion played an important role in the creation of an interphase that was formed by the interaction between the PTFE and the PBO. This induced an improvement in impact properties. In addition, the optimum impact properties were obtained when the content of PBO is 30 vol%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is a critical mechanism deployed by eukaryotic cells in response to stress, including viral infection, to boost the innate antimicrobial responses. However, an increasing number of pathogens hijack the autophagic machinery to facilitate their own replication. Influenza A virus (IAV), responsible for several global pandemics, has an intricate dependence on autophagy for successful replication in mammalian cells. To elucidate key chokepoints in the host stress responses facilitating IAV replication, we constructed a meta- transcriptome of IAV and host gene expression dynamics during early (1-3 hpi), mid (4-6 hpi), and late (8-12 hpi) stages of the viral replication cycle at two multiplicities of infection (MOI): 1 and 5. We supplemented the global transcriptome study with phosphoproteomic analysis of stress- activated protein kinase (SAPK/JNK) signaling in lung carcinoma (predominantly used as an in vitro model of IAV replication) and normal human bronchial epithelial cells. We report significant differences in the activation profiles of autophagy regulating genes upon IAV infection at the two MOI as well as divergent dependence on ULK1 signaling within the normal and cancer cells. Regardless of the cell model, JNK- Thr187 signaling was crucial for the production of infectious viral particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CdZnTe array detector is a new type of semiconductor detector being rapidly developed in recent years. It possesses a high spatial resolution and a high energy resolution, and it can work at room temperatures. This paper describes the physical properties and working principle of the CdZnTe array detector, as well as the manufacturing technology, including the chip pretreatment, passivation, ohmic electrode preparation, array template selection, and array packaging technology (micro-interconnection). For evaluating the perfor-mance of the detector, the authors have developed successfully a 4 pixel×4 pixel CdZnTe array and an 8 pixel×8 pixel CdZnTe array (with the thicknesses of 5mm and 2mm, the pixel size of 2 mm×2mm, and the gaps of 0.15mm and 0.2mm, respectively) in cooperation with the partner. A multi-channel electronic readout system based on the ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) chip is devel-oped independently for the charge measurement of the 4 pixel×4 pixel CdZnTe array. The energy spectra and corresponding energy resolutions of the 16 pixels are obtained with the 137Cs radiative source, among them the best resolution is 4.8%@662 kev. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest prognoses among all cancers partly because of its persistent resistance to chemotherapy. The currently limited treatment options for pancreatic cancer underscore the need for more efficient agents. Because activating Kras mutations initiate and maintain pancreatic cancer, inhibition of this pathway should have a major therapeutic impact. We synthesized phospho-farnesylthiosalicylic acid (PFTS; MDC-1016) and evaluated its efficacy, safety, and metabolism in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer. PFTS inhibited the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells in culture in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. In an MIA PaCa-2 xenograft mouse model, PFTS at a dose of 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly reduced tumor growth by 62% and 65% (P < .05 vs vehicle control). Furthermore, PFTS prevented pancreatitis-accelerated acinar-to-ductal metaplasia in mice with activated Kras. PFTS appeared to be safe, with the animals showing no signs of toxicity during treatment. Following oral administration, PFTS was rapidly absorbed, metabolized to FTS and FTS glucuronide, and distributed through the blood to body organs. Mechanistically, PFTS inhibited Ras-GTP, the active form of Ras, both in vitro and in vivo, leading to the inhibition of downstream effector pathways c-RAF/mitogen-activated protein-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase (MEK)/ERK1/2 kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/ AKT. In addition, PFTS proved to be a strong combination partner with phospho-valproic acid, a novel signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor, displaying synergy in the inhibition of pancreatic cancer growth. In conclusion, PFTS, a direct Ras inhibitor, is an efficacious agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in preclinical models, deserving further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical and tribological behavior of gamma irradiated poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fiber filled polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites was investigated. The gamma irradiated PBO fiber composite had the highest inter-laminar shear strength value of all the combinations because its higher bond strength may have hindered a large fiber/matrix debonding. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that the contents of polar groups on the surface of gamma irradiated PBO fiber increase compared to PBO fiber. The wear tests were conducted on a ring-on-block apparatus using composite block against polished metal counterparts under dry sliding conditions. It can also be found that gamma irradiation treatment was helpful to the improvement of the anti-wear ability of the PTFE composite which was related to the abrasive wear mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with neuropathic pain often experience comorbid psychiatric disorders. Cellular plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is assumed to be a critical interface for pain perception and emotion. However, substantial efforts have thus far been focused on the intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than the extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Laminin, a key element of the extracellular matrix (ECM), consists of one α-, one β-, and one γ-chain and is implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed in mice that laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the ACC was significantly downregulated upon peripheral neuropathy. Knockdown of LAMB1 in the ACC exacerbated pain sensitivity and induced anxiety and depression. Mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of LAMB1 caused actin dysregulation via interaction with integrin β1 and the subsequent Src-dependent RhoA/LIMK/cofilin pathway, leading to increased presynaptic transmitter release probability and abnormal postsynaptic spine remodeling, which in turn orchestrated the structural and functional plasticity of pyramidal neurons and eventually resulted in pain hypersensitivity and anxiodepression. This study sheds new light on the functional capability of ECM LAMB1 in modulating pain plasticity and identifies a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified cingulate LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and associated anxiodepression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

nimals posses a large variety of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that serve as effective components in innate host defenses against microbial infections. These antimicrobial peptides differ in amino acid composition, range of antimicrobial specificities, hemolysis, cytotoxicity and mechanisms of action. This study was designed to evaluate their therapeutic potential of the following six antimicrobial peptides initially found from animals: cecropin P1, indolicidin, LL-37, palustrin-OG1, LFP-20 and LFB-11. Our results indicated that cecropin P1 possessed the most desired biological activity, with fast and potent antimicrobial activity but only slight hemolytic or cytotoxic activity against human cells. Indolicidin was more effective against gram-positive bacteria but with higher hemolytic and cytotoxic activity on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) ( P < 0.05). Although LFP-20 and LFB-11 had moderate activity against tested strains and need 30 min to kill E. coli, they showed almost no hemolytic and cytotoxic activity towards PBMCs ( P < 0.01). Indolicidin could form pores of well-defined structure in bacterial membranes whereas lysis of E. coli cells was observed after addition LFB-11 and LL-37 at 1 × MIC for 1 h. LL-37 treatment could lead to the leakage of entire bacterial cytoplasmic contents. The most obvious phenomenon was protuberant structures on the E. coli cell surface after incubation with LFP-20, cecropin P1 and palustrin-OG1. The results presented here illustrate that AMPs derived from different animals exhibited different antimicrobial characteristics. Because of their potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low cytotoxicity towards normal cells, and the unique mechanism of action, these peptides may provide the impetus for the development of novel strategies for the prevention of bacterial infections in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a mouse mutagenesis screen, we isolated a mutant. Myshkin (Myk), with autosomal dominant complex partial and secondarily generalized seizures, a greatly reduced threshold for hippocampal seizures in vitro. posttetanic hyperexcitability of the CA3-(A1 hippocampal pathway. and neuronal degeneration in the hippocampus. Positional cloning and functional analysis revealed that Myk/+ mice carry a mutation (1810N) which renders the normally expressed Na+,K+ATPase α3 isoform inactive. Total Na+,K+-ATPase activity was reduced by 42% in Myk/+ brain. The epilepsy in Myk/+ mice and in vitro hyperexcitability could be prevented by delivery of additional copies of wild-type Na+,K+-ATPase α3 by transgenesis. which also rescued Na+,K+-ATPase activity. Our findings reveal the functional significance of the Na+,K+-ATPase α3 isoform in the control of epileptiform activity and seizure behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with neuropathic pain often experience exaggerated pain and anxiety. Central sensitization has been linked with the maintenance of neuropathic pain and may become an autonomous pain generator. Conversely, emerging evidence accumulated that central sensitization is initiated and maintained by ongoing nociceptive primary afferent inputs. However, it remains elusive what mechanisms underlie this phenomenon and which peripheral candidate contributes to central sensitization that accounts for pain hypersensitivity and pain-related anxiety. Previous studies have implicated peripherally localized cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKG-I) in plasticity of nociceptors and spinal synaptic transmission as well as inflammatory hyperalgesia. However, whether peripheral PKG-I contributes to cortical plasticity and hence maintains nerve injury-induced pain hypersensitivity and anxiety is unknown. Here, we demonstrated significant upregulation of PKG-I in ipsilateral L3 dorsal root ganglia (DRG), no change in L4 DRG, and downregulation in L5 DRG upon spared nerve injury. Genetic ablation of PKG-I specifically in nociceptors or post-treatment with intervertebral foramen injection of PKG-I antagonist, KT5823, attenuated the development and maintenance of spared nerve injury-induced bilateral pain hypersensitivity and anxiety. Mechanistic analysis revealed that activation of PKG-I in nociceptors is responsible for synaptic potentiation in the anterior cingulate cortex upon peripheral neuropathy through presynaptic mechanisms involving brain-derived neurotropic factor signaling. Our results revealed that PKG-I expressed in nociceptors is a key determinant for cingulate synaptic plasticity after nerve injury, which contributes to the maintenance of pain hypersensitivity and anxiety. Thereby, this study presents a strong basis for opening up a novel therapeutic target, PKG-I, in nociceptors for treatment of comorbidity of neuropathic pain and anxiety with least side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A smart antennas assisted wideband spectrum sensing algorithm for cognitive radios is presented. The proposed method operates simultaneously over the total wideband channels rather than one single channel each time. In this approach, the wideband spectrum sensing issue is transformed into estimating the number of occupied channels based on the Hannan-Quinn criterion, and then determining the occupancy status for each channel by the sample power. Neither noise power estimation nor prior knowledge of the primary user signal is required, making the proposed algorithm robust to noise uncertainty and suitable for blind detection. Simulations are presented to validate the benefits of this approach and the results show that this scheme is superior to the existing sensing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]